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RS newbie questions



I've now had my new RS for all of, oooh, 9 days, and I'm up to 1300+ miles. It's lurrrvly!

I'm now less obsessed with revs/speedo, and focussing more on the road ... learning how to ride the thing well. It's quite a culture change from the Thunderbird, though luckily I used to lark about on a VFR and a CBR600 until recently. I've cocked up several bends now (thank goodness for the great brakes), got round most quite happily, and also got one or two (left handers, for some reason) just sweet. Any cornering tips? The gearbox is loosening up, it's revving more easily, the brakes are bedded in, and it's all starting to feel natural. 

Some other questions though:

Rattles. It's developing a light rattle at 2500-3000 rpm. I'm not too worried since the only two other triples I've ridden (my 'bird and a borrowed Trident) both did the same. But it was dead quiet until about 1000 miles ... so can other RS owners just reassure me this is normal please?

Temperature. On the open road it reassuringly settles at 86-87°C, whether I'm going fast or slow. But in town traffic or at standstill it quickly heats up to 100+ and the fan then cuts in. I've not had a bike that gets this hot this easily before. It never goes over 102 or so, and the book says not to worry unless it gets above 120, but again a plea to other owners - is this normal?

Gear shift. The box is getting smoother and I can usually get neutral now, but I've decided the lever is set a little high, forcing me to lift my foot to too steep an angle for up-changes. Is it better to use the adjuster screws right from the start to correct this, or do I need to pull it off the spline and move it down one tooth first, then fine adjust with the screws? I'm just trying to save time by asking folk who've done the job.

Wheelies! My first happened by accident this morning. I was nipping past a slow truck on the country lanes on the way to work, going uphill so using quite a lot of throttle from about 3000 rpm in 3rd gear, happened to hit a gentle bump as I passed him at about 5000 - and up came the front for a few yards, then slowly settled to earth again, as gently as a feather. Startling me as much as the driver beside/behind me! Not really a whole lot of revs at the time, just a booming mid-range, and no slipping clutch either ... purely on the throttle. Lovely. 

The VFR would do it with a bit of clutch slip (and  I eventually wore it's clutch and fork seals out!), but I haven't wheelied on the throttle ONLY since my Guzzi in the 70s. I'd like to do it again please, and at will! Someone on this list mentioned his love of wheelies on the thing ... what's the best (clutch- and fork-saving) technique?

Barry 'old enough to know better' Croft


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