Dorset Coast – British Summertime 2015

 

Dorset Coast – British Summertime 2015

ART are planning a ride out to the Dorset Coast on the 29^th March 2015. It’s the start of British Summertime so you lose an hour, but it will be lighter later. Destination will probably be Weymouth or Portland, possibly West Bay (Broadchurch to the followers of the TV series.)  It is obviously weather dependent. Put the date in your diary, all are welcome, it’s approximately 165 miles round trip from the unit and the start time will be 9.00am for a 9.30am leave. We will post more information nearer the time, in the meantime ‘Happy Riding’

 

 

 

Something New in Helmets

Every so often you get to read something that makes you go – wow, that’s a great idea. This is one of those things. It’s already up and running, a Russian company is developing a helmet with integrated GPS which is voice activated and projects a see-through GPS navigation screen directly onto the visor. This allows the rider to see through and so keep your eyes on the road. Speakers / microphone and battery pack will be incorporated in the helmet. It is thought the helmet will be slightly larger than average, but not excessively.

The helmet will comply with EC 22.05 and so will be street legal. They believe it will be available in the USA in the summer and Europe sometime later. The price is just a bit futuristic as well, around £1,300 and a discount of £320 for people who are prepared to pre order. Full detail can be found on the Livemap web site. Happy dreaming.https://livemap.info/view/gallery.html

Engine Oil

If you are about to take your bike out of storage after the winter, even if it has only been laid up for a couple of months, consider getting the bike serviced. If this is not an option, then you need to check the oil level to make sure it’s up to the full mark. See your handbook. Always replacing the oil and filter is best, as the oil can get contaminated with condensation from the engine casing, especially if it was put away hot after the last run of the year. Use reputable oil made for motorbikes, such as Silkolene or Putoline. There are other manufacturers, but don’t use ‘cheap’ oil as a seized engine is not a cheap option. Oil filters are not expensive, so again replace. The most expensive oil isn’t always the best for your engine. If your’s needs a semi synthetic oil, don’t use a fully synthetic one and vice versa.

Where possible, pump the oil round the engine before starting ‘in ernest’. Use the kick-start or crank the starter over and switch off so the oil has chance to soak down the cylinders. It will help keep the engine wear down to minimum and maintain the well-being of the machine.

Honda CTX 1300

Honda introduced this cruiser last year, stunning in the red. Also available in Black and White.  It uses the engine from the Pan European 1300. Fuel consumption is around 48 to the gallon. Weight is a bit more than the Pan, but the seat is only 735mm off the ground, so plenty of stability. This is an excellent cruiser with a tried and trusted engine. If you’re looking for this style of bike then the CTX 1300 is well worth a visit. Twin-speaker stereo, dual panniers, Honda’s Traction Control System (TCS) and Combined ABS (C-ABS) all wrapped within a contemporary package.

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