Not much of a report - just a little jaunt through the countryside

[the_wes]

5 good reasons to take your W650 for a stroll through the countryside:
1. It's been long week
2. You've lent it to a friend for the past 2 weeks and haven't ridden it for a while
3. It's got 50/50 tyres on and you haven't blasted it along a gravel road yet
4. The weather is great
5. There's a road you've done on every other bike you've owned, except this one

Who am I kidding, since when did I need a reason?

 

[the_wes]

This bike's actually rather fun on gravel... power is delivered in a very usable way so plodding along at 60-80 is no issue (reaching 100 if it's hard packed and smooth). Suspension sucks though, but I imagine once that is sorted the fun will really start. Pirellis grip lekker on the gravel, and and hold onto the black stuff well enough to be able to throw her through the bends on the tarred passes.

 

[the_wes]

Discovered halfway through my ride that my clutch cable was fraying - start hard shifting as much as possible, and made it home in 1 piece  :ricky:

 

[2StrokeDan]

Good photos Wes!
Leave the suspension alone and ride the bike on good dirt only.

 

[the_wes]

Good photos Wes!
Leave the suspension alone and ride the bike on good dirt only.

Nooit, even on good dirt it's a pretty bumpy ride. I felt sorry for the bike, and my ass! I won't go overboard on suspension, what I'd really like to do is swap out the rear for some decent shocks (will look much the same, just perform better) and put new springs and oil in the front. Even on the road, the suspension sucks. When I got the bike back from my mate, his exact words were "I've figured out what's wrong with your suspension - there isn't any!"

 

[Doug C]

Good photos indeed!

 

[the_wes]

thanks  :thumleft:

 

[Piston Pete]

Nice Wes...thanks for sharing :thumleft:

 

[landieman]

:thumleft:,nice

 

[dual]

The first set of gravel photos, Theewaterskloofdam, the road being worked on?
:ricky: -  :thumleft:

 

[tok-tokkie]

Those little mirrors you imported are really elegant.
Front forks; fit cartridge emulators?

 

[the_wes]

Those little mirrors you imported are really elegant.
Front forks; fit cartridge emulators?

tok-tokkie, let me be honest and say that I don't actually know what cartridge emulators are or what they do. Would you mind enlightening me?

 

[the_priest]

I'm the friend that borrowed the bike. Mine is in the shop (MotoWorx) getting the gearbox sorted.
The W has no suspension. I was convinced it was really a hardtail with the rear shocks there for decoration. haha.

Wish I could have joined. Awesome looking ride.

 

[Bacchus2]

Very nice photos. Love the bike.

 

[bungycool]

The first set of gravel photos, Theewaterskloofdam, the road being worked on?
:ricky: -  :thumleft:

I thought so too until I saw the stripey horses then I started to wonder??

 

[Rynet]

Very nice young man . :thumleft: :thumleft:

I mean very nice , young man . :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[the_wes]

:imaposer:

 

[wayneh]

:drif: that W650 of yours looks so sweet.  One day when I have my Spitfire sorted  :ricky:

 

[alwyn_gs]

Mooi photies!!  :thumleft:

 

[tok-tokkie]

Those little mirrors you imported are really elegant.
Front forks; fit cartridge emulators?

tok-tokkie, let me be honest and say that I don't actually know what cartridge emulators are or what they do. Would you mind enlightening me?

You can buy them from RaceTech but SuperFoxi can do them too I should think.
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=40661.msg791755#msg791755