Triumphrat

INTFIT · 08-30-2007, 11:20 AM

Now that I'm over the embarrassment of this I should probably let you guys have a laugh at my expense.
Recently fitted TORS, and have been trying to learn to wheelie for a little while. Not exactly a born stuntmaster so the bike has been getting a lot of jolts from when I p!ss myself and shut the throttle early.
I go out one night to test the TORS. Couldn't help myself, it turned into a wheelie practice session. So I go to a mountain not too far away (Easier uphill and no houses). Actually managed to do a few decent ones (by my lousy standard), so I'm now whipped into a wheelie frenzy from roaring sound of the triple on one wheel with the new TORS.
Now I usually never go too crazy in local streets at 11.15 at night...except this night. I'm on my way home through a quiet, upmarket suburb and seen a rise in the road and couldn't help myself. Knock it down to first and whack the throttle open, Bike stands up, TORS roar, YEEHA I'm screaming along on one wheel!!! Then I hear & feel a clinck/chink/clink and nearly P!ss myself. The first thing that comes to mind is mechanical failure (on one wheel at night), geabox, chain? "this is gonna end in tears" is flashing through my mind. By now the front wheel is down, tacho is near redline and the Tors burble sounds more like a spitfire diving on a messerschmidt. AND I can just hear a stainless steel muffler pinging as it chased me along the road.
Had to turn around to go and find my errant muffler, bike roaring due to only having one (off road muffler) on. Looking for the other in the headlight (remember this is 11.15 in a quiet neighbourhood), residents lights are starting to come on. FOUND IT! Mounting bolt missing, too hot to put muffler in my jacket, I'm thinking somebodys gonna call the cops on me. So I have to hide it behind a tree, jump back on the bike a ride home with one muffler. Went back in the car later to pick it up.
I guess that'll teach me for playing up at night in a quiet neighbourhood!

6485 · 08-30-2007, 11:48 AM

:

: thanks fer sharing, great story!

bkrbil · 08-30-2007, 12:52 PM

It should also teach you to torque your bolts when you put on an exhaust.

Great story though.

Joemomma · 08-30-2007, 01:00 PM

hahahaha!!!!

Hey be especially carefull when U wheelie @ night...2 people in my town got killed on diff occasions when they were hit by cars whilst standing on one wheel.Without the headlight hitting car drivers, U R invisible.

Funny story, hope the TOR wasn't 2 dinged!

drivingon9 · 08-30-2007, 01:10 PM

So, THAT's why they call them "off road"

dblhelx · 08-30-2007, 01:23 PM

How do you like the TORS cans? Any description regarding performance compared to stock? I was actually thinking of getting those. I just like the stock look, can't believe I say this....I usually modify all my bikes completely away froms stock.

welshrob · 08-30-2007, 08:16 PM

+1, Great story!

Also +1 for being careful wheelying at night, with your headlights pointing into the sky you can`t see potholes or dips in the road. Not a good idea to hit a deep pothole when you`re doing a '12 o`clocker'

I`ll give you a hoy next time we have a ride up to Mt. Glorious, we normally go through the Gap to get there.

Have you checked out the RATBAGS forum? Did ride with them last weekend, we had 50 Triumphs turn up, including 3 S3`s.

http://www.ratbags.org.au/Ratbags%20Site/Welcome.html

itchin · 08-30-2007, 10:32 PM

Hey DBL. I'am going on my second year of Speedy with completely stock everything. It's already got more power than i can handle and quiet is good these days. Plus i have'nt found pipes that look better than stocl. Plus, it runs/starts so well i'am hesitant to mess with it.

INTFIT · 08-31-2007, 05:31 AM

Certainly can't argue with the "not a good idea to wheelie at night" theme, that was my first and last night wheelie session. The only thing made it a little less suicidal that it sounds is my lack of skill. Unlike the photo's of some of you guys in the hooligan pic's, A real good one for me is only about 30metres, though I have fluked a 90m (daylight one

) on the steepest hill I could find, can't believe how much easier it is on a REALY steep hill!
Problem wasn't caused by not doing up the nut tight enough (it's rubber mounted anyway) but from re-using the standard "locknut". No excuses though, I should have listened to my instincts gotten off my a$$ and replaced that nut, I remember thinking there wasn't a great deal of resistance when doing one back up! (so anyone changing to TORS check for dud locknuts)
The off road can did indeed end up off the road! While any scratches...lets make that gouges, are a pain I'm surprised how little damage there was. No wonder those things are so **** HEAVY, they are as tough as hell, but the aluminium heat shield is another matter

welshrob · 08-31-2007, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by INTFIT

. Unlike the photo's of some of you guys in the hooligan pic's, A real good one for me is only about 30metres, though I have fluked a 90m (daylight one

) on the steepest hill I could find, can't believe how much easier it is on a REALY steep hill!

Going uphill provides you with natural braking so when you are doing a power wheely (not on the balance point, using the power to keep the front end in the air) it counteracts the power and allows you to go keep the wheelie going further. Also, whilst the bike is at a similar angle to a wheely on a straight road, the front wheel is a lot closer to the tarmac and you can see where you`re going a lot easier. If you really want to learn long ones, try and find a very quiet, straight, smooth flat road to practice on. This is pretty difficult where we live but industrial estates on a sunday, are worth a look.