Well I had the intiminators and slugs fitted and gave it a short run to the Yonderman with Dave, my lad in tow on the DR350 and then a proper run on the way down to the Welsh Invasion
Initial impressions
Slugs
I have these set to raise the front up 40mm. This is as much as the cables and brake lines will allow and this balances out with how much the rear has been raised. The side stand just works with the hockey puck I have attached to it. The main stand just about works too. Dead easy to get on the stand now but both wheels are still on the floor when on the main stand. Seat height is now 980 mm as opposed to 890 so a run and jump sees me on this OK. Good incentive not to drop it too! Ground clearance has been increase by 30mm that should get me over the logs and rocks next time at Cowm Quarry Enduro circuit without too much bashing of the bashplate.
Intiminators
I have the original standard springs and 5wt oil although I have reduced the air gap by 10mm to compensate for eating all the pies. I weigh 100kgs fully kitted up. When you roll the bike off the main stand there is no drop at the front as the static sag is almost non-existent. The front end feels much stiffer. The bike rides much taller too. Initial tests were done with the tyres I had on from last years’ Pyrenees trip, the Mitas E10s (hard compound) a 50:50 tyre for on and off road. The front felt quite stable and no dive under braking. This new front plus the raised forks took a bit of getting used to. I also ran a small lane off road near me to see what difference it made on small gravelly potholed bumps. Much more controlled and I could push faster on the loose gravel. I also ran it at some speed control squares and the front reacted perfectly. Very impressed. On the run to the Yonderman I had dry weather so could test it a bit more but not too fast with Dave on the DR350 in tow.
It’s first fast run was tested on the way down to the Welsh Invasion. It was wet and we had 5 inches of snow on the Newtown to Crossgates road so speed was kept down to 30ish and stopping now and then to make sure Stubbsie was OK behind. On the way down we met a snow plough just coming up to clear the road.
Met up with Vader and J. We ran the fast B road to Buelah then picked up some single track along Abergwsyn valley and Llyn Brianne the latter only having light snow (1 inch or so). Vader was behind and I could hear him screaming – traction wasn’t at its best! A cut through was needed to get to the military road across the Epynt mountain range and I spotted a track. I could hear Vader screaming again as we were on grass / mud and tarmac till we hit road again. The front was nice and controlled all the way. Once on the military road we picked up the pace as the road was clear with just some damp tarmac. This was a good run to Llewel and then we went over the Black Mountain range to join up with the Brecon Beacons road over and down to Amanffordd.
Vader overtook J and I stayed behind, being polite. J stuffed up a few corners but I suspect dirty tactics were at hand. Once over the top J signalled for me to overtake and I chased after Vader on the run down. At this point the front tyre had gone off and I did not have enough front grip to hold a line at speed so I resorted to backing the bike into corners so the front was where I needed it to be pointing to get round. The feedback from the front was excellent and I could just push it till it started to slide. The next 3 bends were all taken the same way with fast entry and sliding it in. Vader was soon despatched. Apologies to J who did not know what was happening as I over took him and backed it into the next bend to make some progress. I would not have been able to do this without the grip up front even though the tyres had gone off.
The day after it was a dry day so I had a chance to try some late turning in and had some fun with Chad behind me. We were pushing it and cranked over when we encountered a small bump in a bend on a section of single track that I was able to change direction very quickly turning harder and putting the bike almost scraping the left hand hedge to get round. Chad hit the bump and ended up on the other side of the road. Once again the intiminators have transformed how the bike behaves. They are a real compliment to the Nitron shock at the rear.
Tony (Barftone) took it for a test ride and as a few commented that it rides tall with presence but also he said it felt more like the KTM950/990 than an Africa Twin (except without that magical engine and grunt)
I have new tyres on now Mitas E09 Dakar’s (hard compound again) these are 80% off road and 20% on road. I got a chance to scrub them in at the weekend and after the initial looseness like I was riding on ice or had a complete flat at the front after, 200 miles they are scrubbed in and I have taken them right to the edge at the front. The tread blocks are taller and more spaced out than a TKC80 so they do move around but will have far better mud shedding abilities. Me and a mate I used to race with chased some sports bikes up near the Ponderossa. I have more ground clearance now and with the better suspension I was able to capitalise on this leaning even further over than I have before.
Overall I am very pleased with them, so much so that when I save up the pennies I will get a set for the RD04 Marathon as well as a Nitron Shock for the rear. They have transformed the bike.
Mitas E10s
When we did the Pyrenees in 2012 I ran a new set of TKC80s. Did just over 1200 miles plus the commute to the ferry. My only other run out was to the Welsh Invasion 2013. On the way back whilst riding with Frad and his mate the front had completely fallen to pieces and was falling off the tread and sliding too many times. These had only done just over 2100 miles at that point.
For last years’ Pyrenees I opted for another set of E10s ( I have these on the Marathon) but opted for a harder compound. They look like the TKC80 but the tread wraps around the carcass much further giving another 18mm of rubber on the sides to use up meaning you can push harder into corners and lean over much further. Stan ran a TKC front and it too fell apart as we got to the last day (it had done just over 2000 miles at that point). The rear E10 took a while for the yellow paint to wear off. Both tyres were great once scrubbed in. I ran these tyres all year on a couple of other outings and finally to the Welsh Invasion. The front went off on the way down but this was after 4300 miles – that’s double what I get out of the TKCs. Great tyres. Like the TKC they are not too clever in the mud and while we were on an off road section in snow and greasy mud (like wet chalk) the rear was spinning up at 2000 rpm and at one point the front stopped turning resorting to sliding till it gripped again.
E09 Dakar’s
Just fitted so early days yet but they coped well on tarmac chasing down and passing a few sports bikes at the weekend. Speaking to Glynn (Trellesport) I know these will not last as long because the tread blocks are smaller and taller with much bigger gaps between them. Mud shedding abilities should be fine. My first ride was also in the wet – very slidey.
Initial impressions
Slugs
I have these set to raise the front up 40mm. This is as much as the cables and brake lines will allow and this balances out with how much the rear has been raised. The side stand just works with the hockey puck I have attached to it. The main stand just about works too. Dead easy to get on the stand now but both wheels are still on the floor when on the main stand. Seat height is now 980 mm as opposed to 890 so a run and jump sees me on this OK. Good incentive not to drop it too! Ground clearance has been increase by 30mm that should get me over the logs and rocks next time at Cowm Quarry Enduro circuit without too much bashing of the bashplate.
Intiminators
I have the original standard springs and 5wt oil although I have reduced the air gap by 10mm to compensate for eating all the pies. I weigh 100kgs fully kitted up. When you roll the bike off the main stand there is no drop at the front as the static sag is almost non-existent. The front end feels much stiffer. The bike rides much taller too. Initial tests were done with the tyres I had on from last years’ Pyrenees trip, the Mitas E10s (hard compound) a 50:50 tyre for on and off road. The front felt quite stable and no dive under braking. This new front plus the raised forks took a bit of getting used to. I also ran a small lane off road near me to see what difference it made on small gravelly potholed bumps. Much more controlled and I could push faster on the loose gravel. I also ran it at some speed control squares and the front reacted perfectly. Very impressed. On the run to the Yonderman I had dry weather so could test it a bit more but not too fast with Dave on the DR350 in tow.
It’s first fast run was tested on the way down to the Welsh Invasion. It was wet and we had 5 inches of snow on the Newtown to Crossgates road so speed was kept down to 30ish and stopping now and then to make sure Stubbsie was OK behind. On the way down we met a snow plough just coming up to clear the road.
Met up with Vader and J. We ran the fast B road to Buelah then picked up some single track along Abergwsyn valley and Llyn Brianne the latter only having light snow (1 inch or so). Vader was behind and I could hear him screaming – traction wasn’t at its best! A cut through was needed to get to the military road across the Epynt mountain range and I spotted a track. I could hear Vader screaming again as we were on grass / mud and tarmac till we hit road again. The front was nice and controlled all the way. Once on the military road we picked up the pace as the road was clear with just some damp tarmac. This was a good run to Llewel and then we went over the Black Mountain range to join up with the Brecon Beacons road over and down to Amanffordd.
Vader overtook J and I stayed behind, being polite. J stuffed up a few corners but I suspect dirty tactics were at hand. Once over the top J signalled for me to overtake and I chased after Vader on the run down. At this point the front tyre had gone off and I did not have enough front grip to hold a line at speed so I resorted to backing the bike into corners so the front was where I needed it to be pointing to get round. The feedback from the front was excellent and I could just push it till it started to slide. The next 3 bends were all taken the same way with fast entry and sliding it in. Vader was soon despatched. Apologies to J who did not know what was happening as I over took him and backed it into the next bend to make some progress. I would not have been able to do this without the grip up front even though the tyres had gone off.
The day after it was a dry day so I had a chance to try some late turning in and had some fun with Chad behind me. We were pushing it and cranked over when we encountered a small bump in a bend on a section of single track that I was able to change direction very quickly turning harder and putting the bike almost scraping the left hand hedge to get round. Chad hit the bump and ended up on the other side of the road. Once again the intiminators have transformed how the bike behaves. They are a real compliment to the Nitron shock at the rear.
Tony (Barftone) took it for a test ride and as a few commented that it rides tall with presence but also he said it felt more like the KTM950/990 than an Africa Twin (except without that magical engine and grunt)
I have new tyres on now Mitas E09 Dakar’s (hard compound again) these are 80% off road and 20% on road. I got a chance to scrub them in at the weekend and after the initial looseness like I was riding on ice or had a complete flat at the front after, 200 miles they are scrubbed in and I have taken them right to the edge at the front. The tread blocks are taller and more spaced out than a TKC80 so they do move around but will have far better mud shedding abilities. Me and a mate I used to race with chased some sports bikes up near the Ponderossa. I have more ground clearance now and with the better suspension I was able to capitalise on this leaning even further over than I have before.
Overall I am very pleased with them, so much so that when I save up the pennies I will get a set for the RD04 Marathon as well as a Nitron Shock for the rear. They have transformed the bike.
Mitas E10s
When we did the Pyrenees in 2012 I ran a new set of TKC80s. Did just over 1200 miles plus the commute to the ferry. My only other run out was to the Welsh Invasion 2013. On the way back whilst riding with Frad and his mate the front had completely fallen to pieces and was falling off the tread and sliding too many times. These had only done just over 2100 miles at that point.
For last years’ Pyrenees I opted for another set of E10s ( I have these on the Marathon) but opted for a harder compound. They look like the TKC80 but the tread wraps around the carcass much further giving another 18mm of rubber on the sides to use up meaning you can push harder into corners and lean over much further. Stan ran a TKC front and it too fell apart as we got to the last day (it had done just over 2000 miles at that point). The rear E10 took a while for the yellow paint to wear off. Both tyres were great once scrubbed in. I ran these tyres all year on a couple of other outings and finally to the Welsh Invasion. The front went off on the way down but this was after 4300 miles – that’s double what I get out of the TKCs. Great tyres. Like the TKC they are not too clever in the mud and while we were on an off road section in snow and greasy mud (like wet chalk) the rear was spinning up at 2000 rpm and at one point the front stopped turning resorting to sliding till it gripped again.
E09 Dakar’s
Just fitted so early days yet but they coped well on tarmac chasing down and passing a few sports bikes at the weekend. Speaking to Glynn (Trellesport) I know these will not last as long because the tread blocks are smaller and taller with much bigger gaps between them. Mud shedding abilities should be fine. My first ride was also in the wet – very slidey.