Today, after lots of faffing and experimenting, I have finally got my RD350 YPVS hybrid running like a dream again
The problem first started at the end of last year with a pinhole leak in the 40+ year old petrol tank. This was solved using Flowliner rust treatment followed by the liquid liner (so far so good 4 months on)
Sadly, after reinstalling the tank and having been off the road for 6+ months, she was running like a dog! The problem was that one of the carb main jets had dropped off and was sat in the float bowl Not a troubleshooting scenario I had considered, so it took me a while to get there
Long story short, after rebuilding the carbs, fitting new HT caps and plugs, the bike is running perfectly
So yesterday I had a nice evening ride around the A & B roads of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire for a couple of hours ending just before dusk to test out the Evotech bar end weights I’ve bought for the 1250RS to see if they would help with pins and needles and numbness in my right hand. Looks like they’ve worked but the reason for the post is has anyone else noticed a lack of insects about? I though the ditchpump’s front end would be plastered with flies etc at that time of the day, but when I got home there were just a few kamikaze 6 leggers on my bike and the same on my lid (and no there were none on the back of my lid before you ask )
I’ve been absent for a week or so…so bit of catching up to do. Last week we met up with some friends - five bikes and seven people - in Knighton and rode a couple of hundred miles on some beautiful roads and some not so beautiful “roads” (thanks Calimoto ) in Wales, finishing at MotoCamp Wales, which is in Dolgellau, Snowdonia. It was a superb day, finished with a lovely evening sitting around drinking beer and catching up.
I put up Helmut and my palatial residence whilst he went into town for some supplies…
The next day, we did another few hundred miles of exploring (again some questionable roads and some superb ones!) and rode over Barmouth Bridge, which I hadn’t done before. We made the error of riding towards Barmouth on it and the very steep hill start surrounded by people and the tight turn onto the road without hitting anything is not something I’d like to repeat . Anyway, it was a superb mini - tour with good friends which was great for the soul.
Fast forwards to this week and my next set of rest days from work and I decided to return to MotoCamp on my own. I headed there after my final night shift and just relaxed after the 100 miles ish journey there, then spent all day yesterday exploring the area again, via some Bike and Brew Passport venues. Last night I just relaxed in the beautiful surroundings and then headed home today doing a few hundred miles via some more Passport venues. I got home a few hours before Helmut came home from work, so had time to get some food in and sort all my kit out.
For anyone who likes peaceful camping with superb facilities and really friendly owners in beautiful surroundings…give MotoCamp a go .
2 of us on the bike, arriving to an overcrowded parking in a mountain village (flea market). up road, stop the bike were we could, and we were on a heavily leaning road.
Just had time to say my wife to jump not to have a leg under the bike. And there we are on the floor.
No other damage than the lever. Honda made it right, the bike safety stopped the engine, unlike the BMW I saw falling in Switzerland, that made a full spin before the guy stopped it.
2 nd time in 30 years of effective biking, I don’t complain, and take it as a good reminder, especially on our hilly twisted roads. Babeth has a small bruise on the knee.
2nd lesson, she now will put her biking jeans even for a short ride.
As it was not too hard, we continued our tour not to let bad things win.
Brake lever on order (70 eur !!).
The bar end was also scratched, and it would be 45 eur.. So I sanded and still had an almost empty black paint can.
Et voila
I learnt a lesson at my friends cost, he stalled his bike at a junction then dropped it and broke the front brake right near the pivot. We were 80miles from home and I made him a makeshift brake lever. The lesson was to carry a spare clutch and brake lever at all times!
With the Honda I’ll probably keep the broken but usable lever under the seat for my next travels. No clutch lever or gear pedal there. less stuff to break.
The brake pedal is protected.
When I were a lad, only sporty bikes had alloy levers to break. The rest had steel levers that would usually just bend.But of course the alloy levers made you 10 miles an hour faster…
Not a troubleshooting scenario I had considered, so it took me a while to get there 
)
) in Wales, finishing at MotoCamp Wales, which is in Dolgellau, Snowdonia. It was a superb day, finished with a lovely evening sitting around drinking beer and catching up.
. Anyway, it was a superb mini - tour with good friends which was great for the soul.
.
