I rode the bike home after buying it and then, apart from a trip to Toolstation to get some Allen keys (Wera ball ended - highly recommended!) didn't ride before I dismantled it for a refurb... I've told the story (not very remarkable, really) about the refurb, but on Thursday I insured and taxed the bike. (although I've stripped the machine right down to a set of parts, the MOT's still valid...) And today was nice and dry here in Bath, so we went out for a spin. I've not had a Duc before, and I've not had a sports machine. Last bike (an embarrassing long time ago!) was a BMW R11RT. Nice bike, the Bee Em... Anyhoo... this is f***ing fantastic! Noisy, heavy on the wrists, but so, so engaging! Brilliantly well fuelled - no couching or farting and no hesitation. Just good, old fashioned, throbby power. Main feeling - relief. Nothing fell off, and nothing stopped working. but this is secondary, really. I kept the the ride short (about 40 miles) so that I could check carefully before going further afield. Riding impression is that this machine is easy to get along with, except for the heavy clutch and a riding stance that'e heavy on the wrists. Oh, and the back brake doesn't really work very well... I'll bleed it again and feel sure that it'll be ok then. (haven't read anything bad about the brakes - and the front brakes are just superb). It goes where you point it; the steering is spot on, and the big twin has oodles of engine braking, which is really good when you're in a relaxed riding situation - you hardly need to use the brakes if you use the gears. Really, this is a lovely, lovely riding experience. I can only imagine that the newer and more exotic machines must be just heaven to ride. So - home again. The smell of hot bike in the garage is very evocative and makes me remember other machines and younger days... Weekends are going to be such fun from now on. I'm booked into a Bikesafe ride in the middle of April and so have a few weekends to refresh my riding skills so that I don't embarrass myself! ... but I also have a question for those that have done rebuilds. Is there anything particular that I ought to worry about? I was careful to torque everything correctly, but I'm a bit worried that there might be some Achilles' heel that I'm not aware of... I'm not regretting this purchase, nor the work to fettle it. 900ssie - what a peach of a machine to ride!
I understand completely. There's nothing like that first proper ride after completing the bike. I had some good advice about bleeding the back brake off this forum. Unbolt the calliper and raise it up as high as you can get it. Tie it off with a cable tie and bleed it in this position. it helps with getting the air out in a much shorter time. I put something between the pads similar thickness to the disc. The only thing I had to re-set after the 1st ride was the chain tension. It was a new chain so probably needed it anyway. Usual adjustment for gear lever position but other than that I just wanted to keep riding it. Everyone loves a happy ending.
