Winter Dieselbiking - Christmas Wishlist!

[Diesel Dave]

All things bikewise tend to get a bit slow for this part of the year so I thought I'd try and cheer you all up with a few wintery thoughts and tales.

This morning I headed off early for a club breakfast in Heatfordshire some 50 miles away. I havn't been on the bike for a few weeks but true to form old Sluggy started first kick and without the need of a WD40 enema.

Cold foggy and generally very wet but it was good to get out into the countryside. Startled quite a few pheasants and rabbits on the way but didn't manage to bag one for the larder. By the time I arrived at the cafe t was time for a stop as the fingers on my right hand were beginning to loose feeling - luckily the left was fine as the vibrations through the bars kept blood flowing nicely.

My tyres are decidedly worn these days and the slightly larger 4.00 rear has done nothing to improve handling so diesel strewn roundabouts demanded extra caution (why do people waste this precious fuel?). It will be time for a new set of tyres in the spring - just before the MOT should be fine!

A lean turnout from the club - not surprisingly, but I did avoid the full christmas lunch of turkey with all the trimmings at 10:30 in the morning and stuck to the usual bacon sandwich.

All too soon it was time to head home and with a nice tailwind to help too. The fog had burned off and the air cold and crisp empy roads and time to have a good think without interruptions.

So it struck me during my ponderings - what would constitute the dieselbikers Christmas wishlist?

For my part I think I have the ultimate prezzie coming in the shape of a Diesel Tiger but what else?

Heated grips & muffs?
Home biodiesel plant?
Everlasting chain & sprockets?
Heated boots/suit?

What's on your list?

Dave

[Sphere]

Waiting for Santa Heiko to convert a scooter

[taildraggin]

I'd really like an Aerostich suit.

[andrewaust]

My wish list


Australian regulations to take a dive and give me a break so I can build a bigger and better diesel bike.

5 more HP from my 10hp engine "no that's wishing guys"

Idiots in cars to realise when they put a blinker on its not there right to move over into the other lane before checking to "SEE" if a bike is there. Yes a few doors have been kicked as of late.

Rego for the bike to drop from nearly 1K a year to a couple of hundred bucks.

The list goes on and on and on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



A;)

[Sphere]

What is "rego"?

[arnaud]

more dieselbike riders in the surroundings of north NL.
Someone i know just bought an enfield for 500 euro's. although i think it will run fine in a matter of days, i'm trying to pursuade him to convert it to diesel

My dieselbike runs fine! no wishes on that part..

[andrewaust]

Hey Sphere!


Rego means registration, here in Australia we need to pay vehicle registration plus 3rd party injury insurance which is running up to 800 bucks, with full insurance on top of that your looking at 1200 bucks or even more, absolutely crazy.


A

[Dan J]

>What's on your list?

Let me think... Maybe some generous local soul to lend me something with a bit more oomph, a little more versatility perhaps. An adventure bike maybe? Ideally (and given my own interests) perhaps one that had been converted to diesel. A Triumph Tiger perhaps?

More realistically an electric starter to get the damn thing going in this cold weather and maybe a heated scarf. I'm working on both.

[Diesel Dave]

Dan you already have the best Christmas Prezzie anyone could ask for

Doubtless a ride on my new bike will be on the cards once the collection and legalities of registration have been addressed.

I'm looking forwards to fitting some heated grips - and having an alternator capable of feeding them.

[Stuart]

Top thing on my wishlist is a pair of hand guards to keep the cold wind off my fingers. Took the bike out Sunday to Boxhill nr Dorking and nearly froze the tips off my digits
I bought some motoX ones and adapted the brackets for my Hatz 350 but that's now gone.
Does anyone know of some decent size ones that will fit straight onto my Ruggerfield Bullet I'd rather use proper ones thancut an old plastic milk bottle in half like the despatch riders

[Stuart]

Cheers Arnaud. Your post reminded me that I do infact have some of those, (what we would call) mittens about the place. They came with a BMW R65 I bought but I've never used them. They are wax cotton I think and don't have thinsulate in them. Not sure I would be comfortable wearing them as I hear they take some getting used to. But, if I can find them, I will give them a go. Thanks for jogging my memory there

Hmm, I'm seeing this reply in the wrong place? Dunno why

[arnaud]

Hi Stu,
I had the same (serious) problems with my winter gloves. I was looking for handguards but at last bought a pair of( ' wanten' in dutch) old style leather and thinsulate gloves( no separate fingers, only the thumb is separate) and it really makes a big difference!
I chose the bigges size so i can wear thin woolen finger-gloves underneath, but didn't need that yet!

Ive got them from here (also with picture so you can see what i mean)
http://www.dumpstore.nl/winkel/index.ph ... ts_id=1977

[Crazymanneil]

hmm my wishlist is pretty short. I'd say I'd like the software to setup the aftermarket ECU I am using. Can't see santa bringing me it though since it is like 3500 eur.

I think my new years resolution is to start designing an ECU of my own. At least then it can be tweaked.

Merry Christmas all,

Neil

[Sphere]

Designing an ECU from scratch, without intimate knowledge of what you're driving and how you're supposed to do it is..., well, interesting.

[Crazymanneil]

Designing an ECU from scratch, without intimate knowledge of what you're driving and how you're supposed to do it is..., well, interesting.

Yes you make a good point :s. I've a fair idea of voltages for the various sensors etc now. The hard part would be mapping it correctly to be efficient and not melt a piston or something silly. Anyone know where to get an injector flow graph from? (quantity vs time & rail pressure)?

[LocomotiveBreath]

I wish that all you Chaps get what you need and want and I get a chance to ride with you all from time to time, I'm tired of having the only true Diesel Powered Motorcycle in this vast Mojave Desert that actually runs, that is licensed as a Diesel, and is insured. I'd like to ride with a few others that own diesel bikes here in CA.

Dave

[Cockney Bob]

That my little Grandchildren grow up decent and dont have to live in a crowded polluted world.
A ride in the Mojave desert instead of the Bloody North Circular.
No rain and warm days for all my ride outs.
Good Health to all my Diesel and Bullet companions.
Bob

[jeremy]

Okay I'll weigh in here too--

On my personal list : first, that we yankees do the right thing for a change in the next few years; that differences in religious affiliation no longer act as a wedge to the trunk of humanity; and that I miraculously get some entire days to focus on the creation of my diesel bike so I can start to ride it to work somewhat daily! Best wishes to all in this delightful community.

[Heiko]

merry christmas to all.
heiko

[arnaud]

I almost forgot;
Sound front fork legs and rear wheel..

[Nibbler]

I had waterproof motorcycle boots on my wish list But Santa says NO!



Not a Dieselbike. But i hope it´s okay posting this picture on my old trusty Yamaha XTZ 660 Tenere. Picture taken 26 December 2008. -2 degrees celsius

[Sphere]

Dare I ask how many miles you had to travel that piece of... well... not a road obviously

[Nibbler]

That day we rode 100 km in 5 hours.
That water passage was only about 200 meters long, but quite deep...