New bike trade-in at 6K

["The Flowers" <wflowers@xxxxxxx>]

Yesterday I finally got my bike to a dealer for the 6,000 mile service.  It
was a bit late since I actually rolled over 6K at the Rallye and have been
too busy since to do anything about it.

With all the Tampa Bay dealers having packed it in (one way or another) I
decided to take Jewel to Motorcycle Enthusiasts in Spring Hill -- 50 minutes
north of home.  I'd never been to the shop before although I know people who
have and they had given good reports.  I got to hang in the shop and was
even welcomed into the spacious repair bay while they worked on Jewel.  It
was also great to bump into Carl Carpenter there.  The last time I'd seen
him he was trucking Beth's Legend back to the Pisgah Inn, and I was
following his truck through the dark and gathering fog!

I think they must have swapped my old bodywork onto a new bike!  This sure
isn't the same bike I brought to them.

Chain tightened, new oil, and updated tune were the major things done.  That
new tune sure changes the behavior.  I'm not sure how to describe it, but I
think I like it.  If anything the throttle feels like it is giving
exponential response -- lots of control at the bottom end and lots of OOMPH
at the top.  The overall response seems less peaky (not that there were ever
any major peaks); just a smooth powerful machine all through the range, in
any gear.

They also recommended new spark plugs.  It appeared that the accident I'd
had last November resulted in a lot of oil in the airbox which gradually
seeped down onto the plugs.  There was some nasty looking gunk baked onto
them, and it was even working its way down the threads.  This was a cheap
fix for a potential future problem

I did mention to the wrench to please be careful with the tank -- not to set
it down on the fuel sender.  He demonstrated what he prefers to do.  Unless
he absolutely must remove the tank he doesn't even disconnect it.  He just
turns it 90 degrees and sets it carefully on rags where the seat would go.
The lines are plenty long enough for this and seem to have been left long
deliberately for this reason.

At some point in the not too distant future I'll have to get some new tires
(tyres?  It is a Brit bike after all!) and I'll definitely go back to
Motorcycle Enthusiasts for that.  Based on what I saw at the Rallye, it'll
be Pirelli Dragons for me.

- --
Bill "Bench Dawg" Flowers
Clearwater FL
'00 Sapphire Blue Triumph Sprint ST "Jewel"


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