Club Night - 13th October Eastham Ferry Hotel Ferry Road Eastham CH62 0AU
Issue No 209
October 2015
W I R R A L A D VA N C E D M O TO R C Y C L I S T S Group Council 2015-2016 Web Site
IAM Group 5115 http://www.w-a-m.co.uk
Chairman
Tim Brown
chairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Vice Chairman
Ken Smith
vicechairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Honorary Treasurer
Lindsay Boston
treasurer@w-a-m.co.uk
Membership
Nina Jeffries
membership@w-a-m.co.uk
Associate Coordinator
Rob D’Cruze
associatecoordinator@w-a-m.co.uk
Chief Observer
Mike Boston
chiefobserver@w-a-m.co.uk
Honorary Secretary
Rob Cooper 0151 648 4503
secretary@w-a-m.co.uk
Events Organiser
Dave Spotswood events@w-a-m.co.uk
Newsletter Editor & WebMeister
Peter Lovatt
Minute Secretary
position vacant
Group Shop
Martin Titley 0151 632 3570
groupshop@w-a-m.co.uk
Gift Aid Coordinator
Rob D’Cruze
giftaid@w-a-m.co.uk
Ride Out Coordinator
Rob Tutchings
rideouts@w-a-m.co.uk
newsletter@w-a-m.co.uk
Other Council members Nicole Rigby Carl Mason Cliff Evans Derek Jeffries Graeme Thow Steve Lord
MAGAZINE TEAM:
CONTACT WAM
Editor: Peter Lovatt
Rob Cooper Coopers Upholstery The Old Bank Everton Valley Liverpool L5 0RH
Duplication: C3 Imaging, Liverpool Distribution: The Post Office! 2
Welcome to the October issue of the Hallowed WAM mag. Last month we had Chris Givvons give a talk on our Presentation evening in September, and we have a roll call inside this issue. As usual Chris was informative and entertaining, so on behalf of the Club, it’s a big Thank You to him for attending. Also Congratulations to Everyone who passes their Advanced Tests this year, and as I type this FLC3 is underway As to October club night, at the time of typing this up, there may be something in the pipeline, but needs to be confirmed. So currently, its down as a social, but could change. The best thing to do is keep an eye on the WAM forum and the WAM website for the latest news.
Also in October, Rob T is doing the final “Official Ride” ride out this year, and this run is out to sunny Wales and the destination is Criccieth. A nice place to visit, for it is famous for Ice-cream at Cadwaladers, and if the cloud is not too low, you can see the Castle on the hill. Details inside this issue. Just as an aside, in July, I took part in an organised attempt at getting the Guinness Book of World Records for the ‘Largest parade of Triumph Motorcycles’ in the World, which happened in Stoke, and naturally, I was on my Tiger 1050. Well, I have had an email confirming the record attempt has been ratified, so I am now an official Record Breaker!! :o) I’ve yet to get the proper certificate of Guinness, but here is one which was emailed to all participants Pete - 1 of the 362 Record Breaking riders who took part
Next month:How to do a LifeSaver whilst doing a rolling burn out. Future Events Final Official Ride out for 2015 25th October, - keep eye on the WAM website or destination Bikesafe: at Emergency Training Centre, East Street, Seacombe, CH41 1BY, as are all Bikesafe dates. 17th/18th October. 3
WIRRAL ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS
Diary of Events www.w-a-m.co.uk *************************
October
13th Club Night - Social - (subject to change at short notice - keep an eye on WAM forum and web site) 25th Official Ride out to Wales - see route inside *************************
November 13th Club Night - One of Rob Coopers cunning Quizzes This is the link for the WAM Official Forum, set up for Members of Wirral Advanced Motorcyclists ONLY. It is a forum for Associates, Observers, and members of WAM to discuss Official Group Rides out, riding techniques, FLC matters, and similar topics. To join you MUST give your name and Postcode when you Subscribe. Group name: WAMOfficialForum Group home page: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/WAMOfficialForum Subscribe: to subscribe to the group send a BLANK email to WAMOfficialForum-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk Unsubscribe: to UNsubscribe to the group send a BLANK email to WAMOfficialForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk Once your submission has been approved, you can then post emails. 4
September Club night WAM Presentation evening
Guest Speaker Chris gave an entertaining talk on the night, on a variety of topics
A full house listens to Chris - overleaf we have a rollcall of Test Passes
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So it is
Congratulations to
Alan Jones who receives his certificate from Chris
And receiving his certificate, is‌.. Cliff Adderton
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And receiving his is... Dave Dixon
Next is‌.. Donald McKinsley
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Congratulations to‌.. Ian Seymour
Nigel Crump receives his certificate off Chris
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Paul Robinson receives his certificate off Chris
And receiving his is Simon Topple
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Steven Kirk receives his certificate from Chris Also we have some other passes, who couldn’t make it
So Congratulations to………. Candice Parker-Smith
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Wirral - Criccieth Sunday 25th October 2015, 9.30am GMT. IAM Wirral Group (5115) are organising an official Club Ride Out in accordance with IAM Policy, (Medium Pace) starting at the Tudor Rose Car Park, Two Mills, Parkgate Rd, Wirral CH66 9PD. The Briefing will be at 9.30am Please be prompt with a full tank of fuel. Wirral – Criccieth: TR, A540, TR A550, TR A494, and follow the A494 to Mold, TR A541 towards Denbigh, forking left onto A543 thro Denbigh & continue on A543 over the Moors to the A5, TR into Betws-y-Coed for morning coffee. Continue on the A5 to Capel Curig. TL A4086, TL A498 to Beddgelert, TR A4085, TL B4418, TL A487, TR B4411 into Cricciethby-the-Sea. Criccieth – Wirral: Exit east on the A497 onto A498, TR B4410, TL A487, TL A496, TR onto B4391 & cont through Ffestiniog to the B4407 & TL, then TR A5, TL B5105 to Ruthin and follow the A494 to Wirral. Having past Mold and Queensferry TL A550 and A540 to Two Mills and The Tudor Rose, Wirral for a head count. Please note: This a long distance ride. Each section taking up to about 90 minutes. Remember the clocks go back from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time on this day. For I.A.M. Insurance reasons this Ride Out is for full members and Associates. This is also a great opportunity for non members wishing to join WAM. They are permitted one Official Group Organised ride out per year following an initial assessment, provided they are considering joining the IAM group to complete the Skills For Life Course! Anyone requiring to be Observed please bring it to the attention of one of the ride out team on the day. If numbers are large we may have to have more than one group in which case there will be one further group with a leader and sweeper. If the Snowdonia Winter snow arrives early we may consider changing the route on the day. The tail rider, nominated on the day by means of a short straw will be riding at the back looking after the rear of the group! If any other Full members are interested in leading Groups in 2016 or have good ideas for future ride outs please contact: WAM Ride out co-ordinator: Rob Tutchings 07950 626622. Lead Rider. ©RT 9/15. 11
What do you do when off work on a few days holiday? Well, you tinker with your bike!!! I’ve decided to give the Tiger a once over last July, read on…... For a while the idle on Tigger has been slow – about 1000rpm, sometimes below! I checked the stepper motor idle adjustment and it was out of spec. Well I went to town on the bike, and undone things that have never been undone before! So I spent a good while getting the bodywork off (at least 30 minutes), then the tank (fiddly cos of the connections and fuel pipe connector) then off with the airbox – took an age to clean the flies out of the K&N filter, I got rid of most of them) Also changed the spark plugs – comparing the ones that came out with the new ones, there is wear on the earth electrode, obvious when seen both side by side. That’s plugs with 21,000+ miles on them. Put them in, and then realised that I hadn’t removed the screw on terminals off the tops because the coils wouldn’t go back in…. So out they came!!!! Terminals removed, back in, and the coils went in. Now to laptop time, and launch the TuneECU program. I uploaded a new tune to the ECU – I see there is a new tune for the Tiger with the TOR pipe. So that has gone in. Now time to look at the Idle Stepper Motor adjustment. Using TuneECU you can tell the stepper motor to go to its fully closed position – and then check the gap between its arm and the throttle butterfly cam roller. It should be 0.5mm Well mine was near as dammit 0.7mm - well out of adjustment. The laptop also displays the voltage off the Throttle position sensor at the other end of the throttle body. If adjustment is needed, it needs to be undone and moved. It’s held by Torx screws – with a security head, so to access these the Throttle body has to be removed to get to them as the frame is in the way. To see the adjustment go here – not mine, its too clean! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqNaaPZgAgc so switched off the bike to remove throttle body – and clean it up a bit as well.
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Took me ages to remove the throttle bodies – they are only held on by clamps on the rubber intake stubs. But they have never been out before, until now! So eventually I got them off and could get to the adjustment screw better on the stepper motor. Switched the bike back
This is the gap on the idle adjustment And the feeler gauge is put to good use
on, but couldn’t get the laptop/ TuneEcu to talk to the bike. Tried various combinations of switching bike on/off/laptop on/off/wiggle usb connection, etc, but gave up and decided to have a break, so switched the bike off (again). As I was doing this, I spotted the engine kill switch was in the off position! I must’ve caught it by accident or something – not immediately obvious the ECU was not ‘on’ as there was no noises from the bike as the fuel is pressurised, etc, as the tank pump, sensors, etc had been disconnected. Anyway after the break, got the TuneECU talking to the bike and did the adjustment on the Stepper arm, to get 0.5mm gap, and the voltages didn’t change, so I didn’t really have to remove the Throttle bodies after all that!!! So I put all bits back together. Time to get the Throttle body balanced now. I temporary put tank back on (but spaced above the frame on blocks of Polystyrene) to enable access to the adjustment screws (forward facing on the throttle bodies, and bloody awkward to access with the tank on). Then I ran the bike up and the last time I did this I put all my ¼ inch extensions together to do this, but this time, it was not working, so awkward. Time for lunch and a think. After lunch, I decided to use a short stubby driver and accessing screws from the side squeezing my hand twixt frame and tank. That meant my hand was right above the butterflies themselves with the engine running (I was wary of knocking dust or grit in – not ideal) so 13
eventually I got the bodies balanced as good as I could get with the engine at max temp and the fan wafting warm air everywhere!!! So it’s all back together with the airbox and tank back on, all sensors connected, any error codes in the ECU erased, and the coolant changed. the Engine runs a treat – it’s audibly smoother, and the idle is at 1170rpm where it should be!!! Gone are the days of points and carbs eh? talk to the bike…… Pete
I was stuck when the laptop wouldn’t
(above) Throttle bodies, displaced, show inlet tract beneath
Below, this is the end of the throttle bodies and the throttle position sensor
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Above a general view of the removed throttle bodies Below, a view showing the 3 vacuum readings off each cylinder - all the same!
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DISCLAIMER:-
The articles published herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute of Advanced Motorists Ltd, or the Wirral Group of Advanced Motorcyclists. They are the opinions of individual contributors and are published with the view that free expression promotes discussion and interests. So you have been warned. Interested in doing the Advanced Car Test? Wirral Advanced Motorists are the people to see. Go to www.wirraliam.co.uk