Falco loaded up Thursday morning, fuel brimmed, I set off in the company of friend on Cagiva V Raptor for the run down to Newquay. Weather report not too promising, but sunny as we ate the M6 in pretty short order. Fuelled up, we hit the M5.. along with most of the population of the UK! Hit the first tail-back, must have been at least five or more miles long. A burnt out truck had blocked two lanes, cutting through the immobile boxes is fun, but tiring. That was pretty much the story all the way down, a good run, then a crawl. Raining at Bristol, fuelled up and wets donned. Then a long splash down to Cornwall. Left at nine am, arrived at four pm, not bad considering the traffic and conditions.
Didn't stop raining until we left, Saturday morning, along with all the people who had made it down. This was a grueller, not helped by the previous evenings hospitality... But, she carried me along with nary a murmer.
I do know that I need to do something about the riding position, my shoulders are aching painfully and the gearing!!! Who the hell decided on a top gear so high its only usable north of 100 mph! Larger rear sprocket, lift the bars up over the top yoke, then we are getting something like perfect. I am both pleased and impressed, this is actually a damn good bike!
Man and Falco to Cornwall... and back!
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Man and Falco to Cornwall... and back!
CBR900RR-T, Cagiva V-Raptor, Falco. I iike 'em cheap, old, but good!
Glad you had a good trip .... even if a soggy one.
Sounds as though you and the Falco are beginning to gel. Great bike .... a well-kept underrated secret.
Once you get them modded to how you want them, they are awesome.
That said, I've been suffering of late with the riding position - my neck is not what it was.
I've been toying with moving the bars above the yokes, but been resisting as I like the balance of the bike the way it is now. My strategy for now has been to get a Futura for long trips an commutes and use the Falco for fun .... and remember to wear my lightweight helmet when riding it.
It's working well so far.
Hope you get things sorted the way you want.
BTW unless you are needing to change your chain, it's more cost effective to drop a tooth at the front sprocket (to a 15t) than go up a couple at the back. increasing teeth means the need for a new chain.
Sounds as though you and the Falco are beginning to gel. Great bike .... a well-kept underrated secret.
Once you get them modded to how you want them, they are awesome.
That said, I've been suffering of late with the riding position - my neck is not what it was.
I've been toying with moving the bars above the yokes, but been resisting as I like the balance of the bike the way it is now. My strategy for now has been to get a Futura for long trips an commutes and use the Falco for fun .... and remember to wear my lightweight helmet when riding it.
It's working well so far.
Hope you get things sorted the way you want.
BTW unless you are needing to change your chain, it's more cost effective to drop a tooth at the front sprocket (to a 15t) than go up a couple at the back. increasing teeth means the need for a new chain.
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein
-- Albert Einstein
I have to admit that, having done some back of fag packet calculations, down one tooth at the front will give better gains. But.... I am not a fan of smaller fronts, the chain gets a hard enough time of it as it is. For the ease, and cost, I'll give it a go.
Now my neck seems to be functioning again, I'll get stuck into the bars first thing tomorrow.
There is some method to my madness. I'll be 70 this time next year. I had thought to do a farewell to the 'ring week, but then I remembered the Top Gear Side to Side challenge. Sunset in Cornwall, watch it rise in Norfolk, mid-summers night, 430 miles, six hours or so. Plans are being laid.
Now my neck seems to be functioning again, I'll get stuck into the bars first thing tomorrow.
There is some method to my madness. I'll be 70 this time next year. I had thought to do a farewell to the 'ring week, but then I remembered the Top Gear Side to Side challenge. Sunset in Cornwall, watch it rise in Norfolk, mid-summers night, 430 miles, six hours or so. Plans are being laid.
CBR900RR-T, Cagiva V-Raptor, Falco. I iike 'em cheap, old, but good!
I did some calculations for this a long time ago that I have posted up a few times. Life for a 15t is not that bad. If you want to give it an easy life, fit a Scotoiler:
I understand the neck thing and I'm a mere youngster in comparison.D-Rider wrote:I have done a bit of a comparison on some of the gearing issues - particularly the 15:41 and 16:44 options. I did update it with some info on gearing that Sab suggested ... so here it is dug out again:
As you can see, the 15t sprocket will lower the chain height above the swinger by no more than 2.5mm.D-Rider wrote:Falco Gearing – Comparison of 15/41 and 16/44 final ratios
Standard Gearing is 16/41
Max Chain Bend Radius and Angle Between Links
Standard 16t sprocket:
Bend radius (at chain pins) = 40.4mm
Angle between chain segments while on sprocket = 22.5 degrees
15t sprocket:
Bend radius (at chain pins) = 37.9mm
Angle between chain segments while on sprocket = 24 degrees
Comparison of Ratios:
16/41 gearing = 0.3902 (standard)
16/44 gearing = 0.3636
15/41 gearing = 0.3658
Those suggested by Sab are:
16/43 gearing = 0.3721
15/40 gearing = 0.3750
Compared to standard gearing:
16/44 gearing is a reduction of 6.82%
15/41 gearing is a reduction of 6.25%
Relative difference in Reduced Gearing Options:
The relative difference between 16/44 and 15/41 ratios is only:
1-(0.3636/0.3658) = 1- 0.9939
= 0.0060
or 0.6% different - so engine characteristics at any speed will essentially be identical.
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein
-- Albert Einstein
A quick update.
Bars over the top yoke. All went on easily, probably helped by having some slack in the braided brake lines already fitted. Nothing else has needed any modification. Everything clears the screen, too. Easy job and.... oh the difference!!! Wish to God I had been given a little more time to sort her before the trip, it would have been so much more enjoyable.
15 tooth sprocket arrived Tuesday, Wemauto do a good job. Er.... If it was lively before, its now on steroids! This is definitely a must do mod!
Done some more digging on the charging syatem, I had missed the bit where the reg/rec output goes to a plug socket and then the main fuse block, then battery.
Ran it up and found that the fuse holder was getting a little warm. Took out and cleaned the fuse legs, sprayed it all with a good contact cleaner, now nice and cool. A nice 14.2 volts throughout the rev range. I might do the extra wire mod to this section but it all seems fine for the moment.
As mentioned, this one does need all contacts to be scrupulously clean to work properly, worth taking time out to go over it all on a regular basis.
Cheers.
Bars over the top yoke. All went on easily, probably helped by having some slack in the braided brake lines already fitted. Nothing else has needed any modification. Everything clears the screen, too. Easy job and.... oh the difference!!! Wish to God I had been given a little more time to sort her before the trip, it would have been so much more enjoyable.
15 tooth sprocket arrived Tuesday, Wemauto do a good job. Er.... If it was lively before, its now on steroids! This is definitely a must do mod!
Done some more digging on the charging syatem, I had missed the bit where the reg/rec output goes to a plug socket and then the main fuse block, then battery.
Ran it up and found that the fuse holder was getting a little warm. Took out and cleaned the fuse legs, sprayed it all with a good contact cleaner, now nice and cool. A nice 14.2 volts throughout the rev range. I might do the extra wire mod to this section but it all seems fine for the moment.
As mentioned, this one does need all contacts to be scrupulously clean to work properly, worth taking time out to go over it all on a regular basis.
Cheers.
CBR900RR-T, Cagiva V-Raptor, Falco. I iike 'em cheap, old, but good!
