'Slugged' forks on bikes.

[chunkolini]

I have often wondered about massively raked forks, on some of the pushbikes I built there was some amazing flex going on, almost a form of suspension.

 

[outofthefire]

almost a form of suspension.

That was pretty much my observation it was rigid as well and apart from big potholes it was surprisingly comfy.

 

[tedmagnum]

I've had three Africa Twins and ridden everywhere on them. I've also done about two COMPLETE rebuilds on them.

I can't think of any reason to do this !!!

To be honest, even though it's a good bike, it's not a great bike. Especially for what people are asking for them.

A good one is £3500 which is OUTRAGEOUS for a bike with an early 90's low power engine, terrible suspension, too thin forks and bad brakes.

And I LOVE THEM...

Get a Yam 660Z Tenere for the same cash which will be only a few years old and a much better ride.

 

[Shox Dr]

I can't agree on all those comments Ted. The brakes have never faded on me once, the suspension is fine, but as you say it lacks power, but there's not many people that can go round crowle bends faster than me, with a lot more bike and power. So it matters little what your sat on, and more to do with how you ride it.


Why did you rebuild themut put shaft?

And what will the yam be worth in 25 yrs time i ve got an n reg AT and it a shed to be honest then i only paid 1k for it. Mate spent 2.5k on a mint Tenere only for it to fall apart .

Head to head no better on acceleration, nor cornering. Left me at 105ish topped out at 120. AT is good for 115ish. But rarely take it over 95.

 

[tedmagnum]

I can't agree on all those comments Ted. The brakes have never faded on me once, the suspension is fine, but as you say it lacks power, but there's not many people that can go round crowle bends faster than me, with a lot more bike and power. So it matters little what your sat on, and more to do with how you ride it.


Why did you rebuild themut put shaft?

And what will the yam be worth in 25 yrs time i ve got an n reg AT and it a shed to be honest then i only paid 1k for it. Mate spent 2.5k on a mint Tenere only for it to fall apart .

Head to head no better on acceleration, nor cornering. Left me at 105ish topped out at 120. AT is good for 115ish. But rarely take it over 95.

I can't agree that you don't agree

The forks on the AT are very thin for the bike and the discs/calipers too small. It's a very common criticism but if you get on with it the way it is, then that's fine. To be fair, I got on with mine over my 15 years of AT ownership. It's part of the bikes character.

I personally, like many AT owners don't rate the brakes. Like I said, they're too small for a bike of that size. They're the same ones off a Transalp. They don't fade as such, just don't have the stopping power for the size of bike.

One rebuild I did was just before a 7 month South America bike trip. I bought a bike with 80,000 miles on it and rebuilt it from the frame up. To be honest, the engine is THAT good, it barely needed the work I did to it. It was the wheels, rads, and the other bearings that needed alll the attention.

The other was on the output shaft as you say. Previous owner running an over-tight chain.

Don't get me wrong here.. I LOVE Africa Twins. I really love them.

For me, they're just not worth the money anymore. They're not old enough or special enough to be a proper classic and they don't cut it with what's available for the same money at the moment.

I've worked in the Motorcycle trade as a dealer/mechanic/sales for over ten years. I've ridden EVERYTHING almost



However, talking about this is making want another Africa Twin

*Trawling Ebay now*

 

[chunkolini]

Somtimes bikes are not logical.
My current bike, a Pan European was a logical purchase, reliable,shaftdrive, comfortable, great to ride but it has never been anything other to me than a 'thing' like my fridge.
It also has 4 cam shafts and bucket and shim valves.
Suddenly I feel the need for a bike I can 'like', I always wanted an AT.
I dont want to go fast, well that fast. I want a bike I can ride properly and have fun with.
It has to be able to take me and Mrs C for days out in reasonable comfort, ok I may need to get the seat modded.
Want an AT, cant explain exactly why. Maybe thats why I want one.
Also I am not a high mileage user, maybe 5k per year so it might even hang onto it's value. dont drive, I live in a rural area with knackered roads, oh I have just legitamised my choice.
it was AT or transalp, the tranny was ok but the AT looks fantastic.
Wifey is happy for me to get one, and hell I deserve one.
Also the 660 Tenere is hideous, all straight lines and edges. I had an early 600 that was a fantastic ugly/beautiful bike.
I landed up in Ghana on an aid project with 600 quid to buy myself a chicken chaser, and hell I ended up with a 600 desert racer.
Sadly in 91 I was going to ride home but there was an uprising in Algeria and Niger also near civil war in the Spanish Sahara, so I had to bail out and sell it. Broke my heart.

Now I am just waiting for DVLA to sort out my licence.

 

[stuvy]

Sounds like you escaped with more than the bike chunko'!!

I love the AT and dominators and transalps there all great,

have you not thought about a yamaha TDM? they are an amazing bike to ride and i mean really REALLY good fun for a bike lump

 

[chunkolini]

TDM? Bucket and shim valves, and they dont quite light the fire.
I think they will become respectable old nails.
I was just talking to Mrs Crazy face about this and I came up with the statement I want something that has aged into splendid coolness.
Maybe a bit like me?
Also of course it is a Honda.

 

[Wallace]

Sometimes bikes are not logical.
My current bike, a Pan European was a logical purchase, reliable,shaftdrive, comfortable, great to ride but it has never been anything other to me than a 'thing' like my fridge.
It also has 4 cam shafts and bucket and shim valves.
Suddenly I feel the need for a bike I can 'like', I always wanted an AT.

I can relate to what you are saying, I have a '95 Speed Triple that has that little something I love despite all the problems I've had with it, a stupid impulse purchase off Ebay 12 years ago without seeing it. While rebuilding the Speed Triple I picked up a Yamaha T600R as a non runner and ended up rebuilding that too as a work hack, if only it had an electric start I would have kept that too as it had character and was so much fun to ride but illness forced the sale back in 2007. I still have a hankering for building something different but I really should get my Fathers Nimbus back on the road first!

 

[stuvy]

TDM? Bucket and shim valves, and they dont quite light the fire.
I think they will become respectable old nails.
I was just talking to Mrs Crazy face about this and I came up with the statement I want something that has aged into splendid coolness.
Maybe a bit like me?
Also of course it is a Honda.

We wont guess what her reply was

Im getting my MT500 ready for its mot as the moment, its killing me waiting for parts before i can start her up

 

[MrFluffy]

I have a xl600 big red pig (bwp actually...) as a bike to be slung in the corner of the barn and used when i can be bothered and nothing else is running and I think it runs almost the same geometry as the africa twin. Its boring to ride, the back end feels vauge when its tipped into bends quick even though its wearing dualsport tyres fitted by the PO but its saving grace, its just so boring I cant be bothered to modify it or do anything but maintenance to it so its always running.
If Im going to be out thumping, I'd much rather be on the sp370 or my xt500, even if theyre not actually faster, theyre more exciting to ride, and handle better even though the sp has trail knobblies on it, it walks away on corners like they do but you can feel it doing it. They just *feel* alive compared to its soggy cardboard consumer friendly soft cotton wool wrapped blandness.
If you want character, the honda doesnt tick boxes for me. But it probably will suit you, since youve got a PAN already, and I'd probably rather gouge my eyes out than own one of them for the same logic!

This is not a popular opinion amongst BRP owners, but I'm blessed in that I have lots of bikes so dont have to like one because I happen to own it, so can be honest.

 

[tedmagnum]

For Africa Twin money you can actually buy a very nice KTM 950.

Is really is a FAR FAR Superior bike in every way and an absolute HOOT to ride. It's far more offroad capable too.

The MPG aint' as good though.

 

[chunkolini]

I can go to about £3k at a pinch, including the Pan.
Dont want a HP monster. KTM? still ugly and for me overpowered and over tech'.
I am after clockwork technology.
Something for me and Mrs C to potter about on in our dotage in style.
Did think of a Brit classic but I want t be able to toddle off to Spain at the drop of a hat.
New Bonnie? nah.

 

[tedmagnum]

I can go to about £3k at a pinch, including the Pan.
Dont want a HP monster. KTM? still ugly and for me overpowered and over tech'.
I am after clockwork technology.
Something for me and Mrs C to potter about on in our dotage in style.
Did think of a Brit classic but I want t be able to toddle off to Spain at the drop of a hat.
New Bonnie? nah.

My current ride is a Triumph Tiger 955I.

I've owned 50+ bikes and this one is in my top 3 of all time. Ten years old and rides like an absolute dream.

No good for offroading (either is the AT), LOVELY Brit triple engine.. They are SERIOUSLY cheap now the new Tiger is out and it's A LOT of bike for the money.

Fast too...

 

[chunkolini]

Specifications
Top speed 133mph
1/4-mile acceleration 11.5 secs
Power 104bhp
Dont want any of that nonsense.
Did seriously think of one though.

 

[tedmagnum]

Specifications
Top speed 133mph
1/4-mile acceleration 11.5 secs
Power 104bhp
Dont want any of that nonsense.
Did seriously think of one though.

If you're talking about the Tiger, that's really not the appeal for me either.

It commutes as well as it races. That big Triple is soo versitlile through the rev range. You can ride it all day too.

I recommend test riding them all.

 

[chunkolini]

Until you are doing home maintenance.
Better looking than the KTM though.

 

[tedmagnum]

Until you are doing home maintenance.
Better looking than the KTM though.

The AT is actually one of the fiddliest bikes I've worked on.

You have to remove the Sump pan for an oil change which is a pain. The rads have to come off to do the valves etc.

Just wait until you have to do the choke plungers which ALWAYS jam open making the MPG drop and the performance sluggish.

It's a 20 year old bike. It really feels like too. A GREAT 20 year old bike though.

 

[julianthegypsy]

I had a 955 Tiger, and have to agree, probably the best bike I've ever owned, though it was on sprint wheels, forks and brakes! I rode it from home to john o groats, down to lands end then back home, and would happily have jumped on it the next day and repeated the exercise. So damn comfy, it just ate the miles loping along, plus it had a huge range so I could sit and have a ciggie while my mates filled up every other pitstop!

 

[chunkolini]

Too big too fast.
Think the AT has it all; irrational.
But bikes are not meant to be rational.