MoT

Even with the new battery Pepé  to start.

What was a worry was that only the rev counter needle did the full sweep. The buzzing that accompanies the check carried on. 

Even with the dbPower unit it was no good.

 

I gave it a while and tried again. It started after a few tries.

On the way up the M20 to Ashford the engine management light came on. A worry.

At Laguna it started up okay and it went in and passed the MoT.

And the light went off.

So we are set for another year.

New Battery fitted - MBTX20UHD

The battery was ordered on the 14th January in the afternoon and too late for the "next day" delivery. It arrived 16th January afternoon. Too dark to fit it there and then so it had to wait for the weekend.

I ordered it from www.motorcyclepartswarehouse.co.uk.  I chose a good time to buy it. Before Christmas when I checked online the best price was around £65 plus delivery with two companies very much the same price.  After Christmas MPW were selling them delivery inclusive for £63.49. Winner winner chicken dinner!

I have to say their service is good. Plus the packaging was very good. Wrapped in a plastic postage bag, surrounded by bubble wrap and under that a layer of "slashed" cardboard.  

 The only disappointment is that it was black as per the main photos on the Motobatt website. I had wanted yellow! Still no matter, it can't be seen unless the front seat comes off.

Fitting as they say is a doddle. In the box the battery comes with a side spacer that has covers for two of the terminals, both +ve and -ve, and another for the bottom. 

Once the old one was out the Motobatt is the same size less spacers.  I had to change the blanking plugs over from the terminals to get the exposed ones in the right place.  Fitting the brass contacts is a doddle.  Even I could do it!

Once on and the retainer strap in place I replaced the cover and the seat.  Fingers crossed.

Turned the key and waited for the clock needles to sweep round and back..... Starter pressed. 

Click.

Repeat.

Click.

Swear a little.

Repeat.

Bang and Pepé burst into life.

With the outside temperature hovering at about 1C/33.8F I let it run a bit and then decided against togging up and going for a ride.  Both the cars were covered in frost as it was.

Why do it now?  Pepé has the MoT on Saturday morning at Laguna in Ashford. Last year it was freezing cold. I expect it will be this year too.  If I had my way I'd do it the Spring but when it was new Laguna registered it at the end of January as the demo bike.  So the MoT is annually ever after!

RiDE R3 Test

The footnote to the release of the new 2.5L Rockets.

It ought to be better in every way. 

Mine was £11000 and 5 months old when I bought it in June 2015.

As tested these are nigh on £20000!

Christmas Mug!

My brother Neill saw this mug on Amazon and thought I could add to my Christmas list.  

I have so many mugs that Claire keeps complaining.  I have four in use at work that I rotate my way around. Three in my locker and one in use, then wash, and choose another.

Maybe it's true. 

New Battery?

The weekend showed how weak the battery has become. 

Having had to use the dbPower unit on four separate occasions during the day in Belgium was the giveaway.

We are in the second winter of this problem where the battery isn't strong enough to start the bike.

In the summer it charges and holds that charge and although I keep the dbPower unit to hand I rarely have to use it. 

But in winter it barely has the power to turn the engine over. It's simply "clunk". The lights come on though and that probably doesn't help.

So what to do? Being a fair weather biker nowadays I won't be using the bike that often until the new year.

Do I get a new battery sooner rather than later? It might end up freezing away in the garage. I have a garage in a block away from the house with no power, so a trickle charger is no use either.

I have been looking at a replacement though. 

A Motobatt with a high cranking power should be around £75. So unlikely to break the bank. But when to get it?

Looks like January then. The MoT runs out in early February. Mmmm.

A few years ago when I had a similar situation with the GS I was able to jump it from the car. Then I had the FIAT Punto. The Insignia specifically says never to  jump from it. I have used dbPower on it though when its 🔋 went tits up.

I did buy a large solar panel. It proved to be totally useless.