IforB Posted June 7, 2021 Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 I thought I'd finally stick a thread up here about the gloriousness of the my LDU steed this year. Originally, I was going to be using a Honda NTV650, but the opportunity came up to get something slightly less swamp-like and the Honda was passed on to another rider who can make themselves known if they so wish! Whilst the bike looked great in the pics (especially for a £300 snotter!) there was a sting in the tail. She is actually an Italian registered, stolen, crashed and then recovered bike. That didn't run... Oh hell. Here we go! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 The first nightmare came when I tried to get hold of Yamaha UK for a Certificate of Conformity to start the paperwork ball rolling. "We are sorry, but our offices are closed because of Covid and so are not accepting any requests for CofC's at this time." Bollocks... I thought, well, I'll try the DVLA and see what they say. "Errr nah, sorry. Can't do nuffink. Computer says no" Double bollocks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkati Posted June 7, 2021 Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 Please tell me there's a happy ending?😛 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, hawkati said: Please tell me there's a happy ending?😛 Yes. Yes there is. I shall however leave the exact details of it until after the ride. M'Lud! Just to add, it does involve something my wife nicknamed the "Whale's vagina" to sort. Edited June 7, 2021 by IforB 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) The second nightmare was this. All looks simple, but the whole lock and most of the barrel mounting to the frame was smashed to bits and the wiring was chopped to buggery. It is also wonderful when things like immobilisers and keys with chips in them are included. To start with, I just wanted to bring it to life, so spliced the remaining cables together. Nada, Zilch, Niente. Dead as a door nail. Check the connection and still the same. Arse. Ah well, plenty of other jobs to sort, not least the whole "making the bike legal" thing... Edited June 7, 2021 by IforB 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuban pete Posted June 7, 2021 Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, IforB said: Just to add, it does involve something my wife nicknamed the "Whale's vagina" to sort. Ron Burgundy has sorted it? 😁 Edited June 7, 2021 by cuban pete 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Pryde Posted June 7, 2021 Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 The wonderment of modern electrickery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbolt Posted June 7, 2021 Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 3 hours ago, IforB said: The second nightmare was this. All looks simple, but the whole lock and most of the barrel mounting to the frame was smashed to bits and the wiring was chopped to buggery. It is also wonderful when things like immobilisers and keys with chips in them are included. To start with, I just wanted to bring it to life, so spliced the remaining cables together. Nada, Zilch, Niente. Dead as a door nail. Check the connection and still the same. Arse. Ah well, plenty of other jobs to sort, not least the whole "making the bike legal" thing... Cmon Eeyore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 9 minutes ago, Thunderbolt said: Cmon Eeyore More updated to come soon, she's basically done now other than a new set of boots, but this is more of a retrospective view! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2021 Soooo, to cut a long and probably really boring story short. She's nearly ready! My attempt at swapping out the ignition barrel turned out to be a complete failure thanks to the immobiliser system, so eventually a responsible adult was sourced and took one look at my wiring, declared me to be a retard and fixed it. Basically, it turns out there are two sets of identical red wires and I had cross wired them. I also found a blown main fuse, so a quick swap out and she whipped into life and this time, stayed running. What I have neglected to say, was that on my way to said responsible adult. I discovered the limitation of using a relatively light-weight converted boat trailer to tow a bike on. As I went around a right hand bend, the bike decided to exit stage left and collapse into a less than graceful heap at the side of the road. Fortunately a large tree and a ditch broke it's fall... Luckily no real damage was done. A few more battle scars and the forks twisted a bit on the yokes, but it was nothing a wall and tightening up the yoke bolts a bit couldn't solve. The really fun bit is the paperwork exercise to get it registered, but I shall tell that tale once the ride is over and the bike is firmly ensconced behind a garage door and I've stopped twitching every time I tell it. Needless to say, the mechanical bits of this were a doddle in comparison. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skellern Posted June 8, 2021 Report Share Posted June 8, 2021 " fortunately a large tree and a ditch broke it's fall... " Nearly spat my tea out on reading that. 😁😁. Good luck and may the force be bloody with you Sir!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Lindsay Posted June 9, 2021 Report Share Posted June 9, 2021 On 6/7/2021 at 2:07 PM, hawkati said: Please tell me there's a happy ending?😛 Let's hope so ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkati Posted June 9, 2021 Report Share Posted June 9, 2021 Just now, Jim Lindsay said: Let's hope so ! ah - there you are! been looking for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidkinky Posted June 11, 2021 Report Share Posted June 11, 2021 On 6/7/2021 at 2:10 PM, IforB said: Just to add, it does involve something my wife nicknamed the "Whale's vagina" to sort. I don’t remember helping? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) We now haz MOT. God bless those testers and their guide dogs... * * Not really, the bike is actually corking! Edited June 16, 2021 by IforB 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arran Posted June 16, 2021 Report Share Posted June 16, 2021 I like that the tester was Mr death. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2021 Right, she is now home. Taxed, tested and insured. My responsible adult Glen at Moto V in Colchester gave it a proper look over to check that all of my shite spanner twirling was OK whilst fitting the new boots, he sorted the MOT too. In true epic LDU style, he refused to take any cash for either the MOT or the tyres. He even threw in a tin of chain wax for the ride as well. He's a bloody legend. Hopefully I didn't break the rules by paying in man hugs and a decent bottle of gin! I got home, fitted the last couple of things, a phone mount, USB charging point and lastly the airhawk seat that @heds954has loaned me for the ride. (Another legend right there.) So, that's it. Done. I'll throw a bucket of water over it, so it at least looks clean when I leave and that's it. Just the panniers to pack and the head south-west on Saturday morning. I'll be staying about 40 miles from Land's End on Saturday night, in a nice hotel with a pool and sauna to ensure I am in tip top relaxed mode before the utter carnage on Sunday! The butterflies have subsided now the bike is ready. I am shitting it about my physical ability to do the ride, but fuck it. Mind over matter and all that! 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkati Posted June 16, 2021 Report Share Posted June 16, 2021 Excellent. You'll be fine - just enjoy the scenery... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Righto you lovely peeps. I am out of here. Next stop Land's End! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Have a good safe journey. See you at P2 on monday . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbolt Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 44 minutes ago, IforB said: Righto you lovely peeps. I am out of here. Next stop Land's End! See you there! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Made it the 360 miles down to Redruth, about 30ish miles for Land's End. The bike was great and didn't miss a beat all the way down. As I am Billy No Mates tonight, I decided to follow Johnny's instructions to the letter and have a light dinner and avoid alcohol... Twas f'ing marvellous! 7 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 (edited) Well bloody hell. What an experience. What an event and what a ride. Just amazing. Truly a jaw dropping "will live with me forever" experience. If you have ever thought about doing it. Don't piss around, it is the hardest bike experience you will have, but at the same time the most rewarding too. It is too early for me to decide if I will do it again, but I think I can guess what will happen! Epic, awesome, terrifying at times, cold as fuck, frustrating, exhausting, intimidating, painful are all ways of describing it, but the one I will say captures it best is "life affirming." Every person there is doing it for a reason. Every person there has an emotional attachment to the cause and is willing to put themselves through absolute hell to make it. Everyone I met and spoke to from riders to support crews were just brilliant, lovely people. To say it has restored a big chunk of my faith in humanity is an understatement. As for the bike, well, other than a blown main fuse, she is still running as well as she did at the start. I genuinely love that thing. It's no sportsbike or exotic jewel, but for this ride? I don't think I could have had a better bike. It is covered in cow shit has a million dead flies welded to it, the side lights won't turn off without disconnecting the battery and the nice new tyres have been squared off to hell, but she is still starting on the button and everything works and also managed to keep ahead of BMW 1000RR whilst fully panniered up on the way back to Stirling this afternoon. FZ6's might not get headlines, but what a fine little bike they are. Lots of people have asked to buy her, but after the last few days? No way. It might be "just" a £300 bike, but it is worth a lot more to me than that. It allowed me to fulfil a long held ambition and gave me an experience I cannot quite put into words. No money can ever replace that and even if it's wheeled out once a year for the LDU only, so be it. What a cracking little machine it is. What an awesome (in the correct use of the word) experience it was. As I rode away from from JoG today. I was genuinely emotional. The sense of relief, the sense of achievement and the feeling of just having been part of something that fantastic was a little over-whelming. Being exhausted probably didn't help, but I blubbed like a bairn in my helmet as I ride down the road. I will never forget this. I've done a lot of cool shit in my life. This is top 3. Edited June 22, 2021 by IforB 24 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdunc Posted June 22, 2021 Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 Awesome job Ifor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbolt Posted June 22, 2021 Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 @IforB it’s a gods job nobody bet you that you wouldn’t finish, let alone win, as they would look pretty silly now…………..oh hang on a minute 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaycee Posted June 23, 2021 Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 4 hours ago, Thunderbolt said: @IforB it’s a gods job nobody bet you that you wouldn’t finish, let alone win, as they would look pretty silly now…………..oh hang on a minute That's a fair donation he'll be due now😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuban pete Posted June 23, 2021 Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 5 hours ago, IforB said: Well bloody hell. What an experience. What an event and what a ride. Just amazing. Truly a jaw dropping "will live with me forever" experience. If you have ever thought about doing it. Don't piss around, it is the hardest bike experience you will have, but at the same time the most rewarding too. It is too early for me to decide if I will do it again, but I think I can guess what will happen! Epic, awesome, terrifying at times, cold as fuck, frustrating, exhausting, intimidating, painful are all ways of describing it, but the one I will say captures it best is "life affirming." Every person there is doing it for a reason. Every person there has an emotional attachment to the cause and is willing to put themselves through absolute hell to make it. Everyone I met and spoke to from riders to support crews were just brilliant, lovely people. To say it has restored a big chunk of my faith in humanity is an understatement. As for the bike, well, other than a blown main fuse, she is still running as well as she did at the start. I genuinely love that thing. It's no sportsbike or exotic jewel, but for this ride? I don't think I could have had a better bike. It is covered in cow shit has a million dead flies welded to it, the side lights won't turn off without disconnecting the battery and the nice new tyres have been squared off to hell, but she is still starting on the button and everything works and also managed to keep ahead of BMW 1000RR whilst fully panniered up on the way back to Stirling this afternoon. FZ6's might not get headlines, but what a fine little bike they are. Lots of people have asked to buy her, but after the last few days? No way. It might be "just" a £300 bike, but it is worth a lot more to me than that. It allowed me to fulfil a long held ambition and gave me an experience I cannot quite put into words. No money can ever replace that and even if it's wheeled out once a year for the LDU only, so be it. What a cracking little machine it is. What an awesome (in the correct use of the word) experience it was. As I rode away from from JoG today. I was genuinely emotional. The sense of relief, the sense of achievement and the feeling of just having been part of something that fantastic was a little over-whelming. Being exhausted probably didn't help, but I blubbed like a bairn in my helmet as I ride down the road. I will never forget this. I've done a lot of cool shit in my life. This is top 3. Sums it all up perfectly really 😁 Top darts sir 😁👍🤗 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkati Posted June 23, 2021 Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 Damn fine catching up with you & chatting. Well done indeed. You can tell us now - you fuelled up with a avgas, right? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 12 minutes ago, hawkati said: Damn fine catching up with you & chatting. Well done indeed. You can tell us now - you fuelled up with a avgas, right? Same with you, it was brilliant finally putting a face and person to the username! Someone put a tiger in the tank I think! I did use super unleaded all the way, but I think it was those brilliant flapjacks at P2 that did it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IforB Posted June 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 7 hours ago, Thunderbolt said: @IforB it’s a gods job nobody bet you that you wouldn’t finish, let alone win, as they would look pretty silly now…………..oh hang on a minute I know, I am looking forward to seeing my total shoot up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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