Ride out review

Owners Lounge
1

Yesterday i was invited for a run out with the local triumph shops RAT club. I was in a group consisting of Street triples 675s, Tiger 800s and a nice MV augusta 998. I have to say the old FF managed herself quite well.

We went from Wolverhampton up to the Pondarossa Cafe at Llangollen along some pretty fun roads with some hairy bends! The VF could just about keep up with the 2 leading Street triples on the power front but around the bends they had the advantage of 26 years of technological advancement, half the weight and probably much better pilots. It was quite a test for me :wink: One problem I had was under braking the anti-dive worked well until we hit a bump when the now hard front end jarred the hell out of us. Anti-dive is on setting 2 on the fork so I’ll try it on 1 next time. The Vf didn’t feel very well planted around sweeping bends so I think I’ll have to check the setup of the front end anyway. I did have the fork oil changed and new seals when I bought her last September. Perhaps the springs are tired.

Anyway it was great fun and today all those back muscles are aching where I was trying to manhandle the monster around. They are off again next month so I think I need some riding lessons or tips from experience VF riders :wink:

2

skullster

spent the day riding round north wales my self to test out the fork mods i completed over the winter. i have replaced the original air pre-load and fitted washers above the springs to achieve the correct pre-load. i also replaced the steering head bearings with tapered jobbies and she was like a different bike, i found running the anti dive on full allowed me to use less pre-load making the suspension a little softer without it bottoming out on heavy braking. anti dive will always make the front end nearly brake your wrists if you hit a bump when breaking due to the way it works but now at least she is less of a monster to handle round corners than she was.

garyb