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Anaerobic Gasket Maker
Anaerobic Gasket Maker?!? What the deuce is that? Well between Ren's mumblings and memories you might find just the merest hint of useful information. Maybe...
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
Andy is having a fascinating ride through Spain today. Cows that won't "moooooove", gaps in the scenery, gaps in the tarmac, and he's trying his hand at geology.
Skeggy Epilogue
In the final reckoning was the trip to Skeg-Vegas a rip-roaring failure or and majestic success? Neither - but you already knew that. Still, here's Ren's tuppence on the issue at hand.
Everyone Has Their Troubles
A long, cold and moist ride today for Bogger and Pete. Turns out their host isn't having the best of days either. Fear not there's still beer and smiles.
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Another short winter break in Shropshire. This time Much Wenlock provides the location and the weather does what winter weather does. It'll be fine, hopefully.
Much A-Wenlock About Nothing
Title page for a short winter break in Shropshire.
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Andy is still heading homewards while doing some serious looking around. Mountains, a castle, miradors, and architecture today.
A Rough Last Day
In keeping with the theme of this trip - the return home for the Dynamic Muppets is "wet" to say the least.
Much More Something That Is Nothing
Another lazy day for Bogger before some big miles tomorrow. Ice cream this time with no mention of beer but I'm sure some was involved.
Gerrin' Owd
It's a bit late for Ren to be having a mid life crisis - but that's not going to stop him from having one anyway. To ride or not to ride - that is a stupid question.
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Latest Posts
Anaerobic Gasket Maker
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I really don't like seeing sealant where it shouldn't be seen. But better that than a leak I spose. Never heard of that term either Ed, it's probably sales speak for b......s. But what do I know. I'll tell you one thing I do know, sniffing Green Hermitite is addictive. Blummin lovely stuff and great at keeping stuff where it should be. Sadly I have none on the shelf and my last bottle was probably 40 years old. Pffffffftttttt.
That picture Ed shows that idiots and vehicles shouldn't mix.
28/04/2026 11:07:51 UTC
Anaerobic Gasket Maker
Ian Soady¹ said :-
The original plastic gasket was itself anaerobic in that it only set when it was squeezed and the air excluded. It was also know as RTV - room temperature vulcanising - sealant. I agree it can be awful stuff and I would never use it where there was any risk of it getting into oilways etc. However, I don't have a problem with things like Norton primary chaincases which are notoriously hard to seal. Mind you once you've applied the silicone (note not silicon which is entirely different!) you can't get the thing apart again..... I also found that ordinary bathroom silicone worked perfectly well and indeed can even help fix loose exhausts contrary to popular belief.
Most of the Japanese manufacturers supply their own version of what you describe above eg Yamabond (the generic name is Threebond). My personal preference is Wellseal which I've used for decades. In fact I've just run out and need to order some more. If I remember correctly it's made from crushed beetles dissolved in acetone.
I've just remembered that all (or most) Loctite products are anaerobic eg their thread locking stuff. Stays liquid in its bottle - for years - but as soon as it's squashed in between threads it sets and after a few hours is very strong.
https://www.bikerstoolbox.co.uk/products/wellseal-jointing-compound?_pos=1&_sid=...
28/04/2026 10:26:28 UTC
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
nab301 said :-
Some great photos/ scenery ,
Nigel
21/04/2026 14:06:45 UTC
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Upt' - you are perfectly capable of finding a map... PFFFFT!
Ian - never trust an animal bigger and stronger than yourself. I never understand why people ride horses.
21/04/2026 12:28:30 UTC
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Another great report, and that gorge looks amazing. Cows? Many years ago I was doing the RAC/ACU National Rally on the Commando. I was using a B road in the wilds of Shropshire in the early hours when I came across a similar herd - off for morning milking I assume. I politely pulled into the side of the road and stopped the engine. This didn't prevent them from brushing past me and almost flattening me & the Norton to the ground. I'm always a bit scared of cattle as they're bigger and stronger than me....
21/04/2026 10:25:38 UTC
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Oh yes, ain't cows stoopid. How can anything that eats that well be so damn dumb?
21/04/2026 09:36:46 UTC
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Well written Andy, sounded like the best sort of riding weather too. Some good red wines come from Navarra, Garnacha from memory.
Can't wait for the next installment, but I spose I'll have too. Thanks for the map Ed!
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
21/04/2026 09:35:36 UTC
Cracks, Vultures, And Cow Jams
ROD¹ said :-
This sounds and looks like an ideal motorcycle route.Great photos. Well done.
21/04/2026 08:51:45 UTC
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
nab301 said :-
@Upt ,I used to be that man (replacing batteries preventatively) but post covid price rises along with poorer quality product and associated premature failure means that nowadays If I can get 8 yrs out of a battery (albeit with reduced capacity) I'll take It !
@ Ian , Interesting technology , but alas , no sign of that technology afaik yet in southern Ireland and aside from import issues that supplier doesn't ship batteries overseas. The technology seems to have more cranking amps but with less A/h capacity , so grand for cold starts , less so if for example the charging system fails and you want to limp home
Nigel
20/04/2026 13:17:16 UTC
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I've just read an article about a natrium ion battery which sounds too good to be true - maybe an april fool? It's allegedly lighter & more powerful then lead-acid equivalent as well as cheaper. Why don't you try one for us Nigel?
https://www.bikerstoolbox.co.uk/products/sodium-ion-motorcycle-battery?_pos=7&_p...
20/04/2026 10:07:52 UTC
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, it was pretty scary. I don't like springs, they sneak round and catch you when you're not looking.
26/04/2026 09:43:25 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
That looks like one heck of a spring. Proper Brumingham spring arr kid.
25/04/2026 17:06:21 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Spring in situ before taking the clips off:
25/04/2026 12:41:36 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Now for something slightly different. Again.
I was tinkering with the little C11 when I noticed that the back wheel would only rotate part of its circumference in both directions. I checked it wasn't in gear and removed the outer primary chaincase (I hate all those tiny screws!). Couldn't see anything wrong in there so started worrying about bent gearbox mainshaft etc so I stripped out the primary drive and removed the inner chaincase.
Then I saw it. Somehow a 2BA nut - no idea where from - had lodged itself on the lower rear chain run and was getting enmeshed with the gearbox sprocket / rear wheel sprocket so stopping wheel rotation. If I'd spent a little while longer pondering I may have seen it before all that work.....
Anyway, screwed it all back together but could I get the mainshaft retaining nut on against spring pressure? Could I buggery. I don't know why as I've done it before. Just getting weak I expect. After much thought I decided I could compress the spring in the cice and make a couple of retainers out of 16 gauge steel to keep it compressed. A crude version of spring compressors. I used a couple of cable ties to stop them making a premature bid for freedom.
The photos show the clips in place on the compressed spring with a couple of cable ties to stop them flying off. The next photo shows the spring in place with the clamps still on. I then screwed the retainer on by hand till it was nearly in contact then (very) carefully snipped the cable ties then wrapped the lot in a bit of rag and prised the clips off. No fingers damaged!
I have to say that was very successful. Maybe I should start making the clips and selling them at an exorbitant price!
Sorry about the quality of the photos - new phone.....
25/04/2026 12:40:57 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Aaaaah the gate. It's a security feature. Not only is it there to keep people out it also ensure anyone passing by isn't misled into thinking there's something worth stealing inside. I apply the same principle with the bike - if it looks nice then it looks nice to thieves.
17/04/2026 08:07:24 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, Leader, love the gate, it's a real Trigger's broom.
Upt.
16/04/2026 23:18:17 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Good to see variations on a theme..... I must say both of yours look heftier than mine. But yours don't have the rim-supporting frame. Wood is much easier to work with, plenty strong for my needs and also kind to the rim and tyre.
Yes I think I did refer to the tubeless conversion on a Guzzi forum but wrote it up more fully on a Triumph one. Not sure if it's still there or whether I am still persona grata.
16/04/2026 16:42:21 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
This is my bead breaker...
16/04/2026 15:26:56 UTC
nab301 said :-
Thanks Ian, working with what I had at the time years ago I made my bead breaker and balancer frame out of 1" square furniture metal some threaded bar and a few nuts... . Currently I have a couple of pallets so will probably make a square, wheel rim support frame and might even place it all on the workmate.
I remember you posting about the Tiger rim sealing job but I think that was on the Guzzi forum, as you mentioned there a failure couldn't be any worse than a tube blow out.
Nigel
16/04/2026 13:29:03 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Red Leicester for myself, but I did develop a strong preference for Mimolette when I was in France last year.
15/04/2026 19:05:09 UTC
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Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, who is that cover with, do you know?
28/04/2026 10:56:47 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Thanks so far boys, your views are mine but we are thinking of heading to Europe later in the year and really don't fancy doing it without cover. We had CN for the last twelve months and it seemed good cover, the price for this year is actually less, but I can't renew it at the moment. Their computer says No and they no longer accept calls for travel insurance, you can finally talk to someone if you persist but they just refer you back to www. which says No! I remember when CN were the company to use for anything motorcycle related but sadly those days are well and truly over. They're probably owned by one of the big ones now, shame.
28/04/2026 10:55:33 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I junked the flexplus account when they stopped using Britannia for their vehicle breakdown cover in favour of the AA. As an ex-AA patrol myself and knowing of several disaster stories with them* I took out a freestandinmg Britannia policy which gives me everything I need, is very flexible and decently priced. I've used them a few times over the years and they've always been excellent.
Re travel insurance I'm increasingly minded to rely on the GHIC card. My brother in law has a pacemaker and quotes for him are nearly £1,000 so he's doing the same. The only place I think health cover is essential is the USA and I have no intention of ever going there again and risking being flung in jail by ICE.
*My dad had AA membership for decades. Shortly before he stopped driving I decided to have a look at what he had. He was paying over £400 a year for cover he would never use like foreign travel. Rapacious private equity b*****ds.
28/04/2026 10:12:30 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Oh you've opened a can of treacherous worms there Upt'.
In the interest of openness I must declare a bias. In my opinion the whole insurance business is simply a money making scam with the entire raison d'etre of making money out of people's misery. They'll promise to be helpful and cover your costs when life throws an unpleasant curveball at you. What they'll actually do is make a miserable experience 10 times worse while doing anything and everything to get out of paying.
I pay a small ransom each month for a Nationwide Flex account. For this I get breakdown and travel cover. I have checked several times and as far as I can tell (I am not a trained lawyer) I am covered to ride motorcycles as long as I wear a helmet. Don't quote me on that... I don't know how to read between the lines.
As for "pre existing conditions".
"I went to see the Doc 9 months ago about a mole, she said it was fine - nothing to worry about."
"Yes Mr X, but you neglected to declare this to us. As such we are not going to pay out on your hospital visit in France after you stubbed your toe"...
They're just a bunch of robbing scheming lying scam artists in my opinion.
28/04/2026 08:01:00 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Can anyone please recommend a good travel insurance policy for EU which covers motorcycle touring use. We are presently with CN but won't be after todays debacle. Their customer service has lost the plot. Life's too short to deal with CN any longer.
Thanks in advance.
Upt.
27/04/2026 15:36:24 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
And of course. Castrol R is a plant based oil so it must be good for the environment, despite the clouds of smoke.
20/04/2026 15:09:14 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , such negativity ! I know there's no (willing) gardeners on here but realistically two stroke emissions are no worse than pollution caused by mowing lawns.. apparently
Nigel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smell_of_freshly_cut_grass...
20/04/2026 13:28:23 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Yeah Ian's right - demographics. See the Triumph is a 4 stroke purchased by people who understand logic and sensible engineering. 2 stroke buyers are obviously comfortable with the concept the some of the air and fuel might just get into the piston and maybe some of it will burn, the rest of it will loiter in the crankcase or bypass ignition altogether and go straight out the exhaust. All of this while intentionally burning oil in the hope piston rings last longer than 5k miles.
These people are clearly not of sound mind and therefore can't understand the value of the TZR. Plus they're off their heads on Castrol R and being thrown off mid bend due to the power band kicking in unexpectedly.
20/04/2026 08:12:12 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's funny how variable ebay can be. I've never had any real problems apart from the odd fairly cheap thing not arriving when buying but always been sorted out eventually. I don't sell a lot of things but can't remember ever really being messed about. It's easy to get carried away with the number of watchers, who in many cases are wanting to sell something similar and are seeing what they fetch. I confess to doing the same on occasion.
I've also had excellent transactions on facebook although I hate to admit it. I've bought at least 3 bikes there - all sight unseen (including the B'Zuki) - and all have been easy friendly processes. I've also sold 2 or 3 bikes there and again have had no hassles. Maybe I'm just lucky given the horror stories I hear.
Re the TZR - of course Triumph enthusiasts are a cut above whereas people interested in lairy 2 strokes mya be a different demographic.....
19/04/2026 10:10:31 UTC
Glyn said :-
I’ve just had a most unfortunate week at the mercy of EBay. I put the TZR on there for sale on a classified ad. Within the 7 days the ad was viewed over 2200 times and 101 people had added it to their watch list. The notifications came offering to swop wives, cars and other bikes for it. On the last day I had many offers to take this “unpopular bike” off my hands, some of which were offering £1k less than asking price. I’m beginning to think there are various classes of motorcyclists. The Triumph attracted sensible questions and offers. It eventually went to a chap who arrived in a Porsche and lived in an executive home. The TZR appears to have been attractive to a different type of person. Needless to say, I didn’t accept any of the offers and still have it in my garage.
19/04/2026 09:36:48 UTC
Random Link - France, Germany And Belgium 2012 - The Chunnel and Wimeraux, France.