Well yesterday I carried on with the cleaning of the Tiger. Think I have mentioned how crappy the fittings are. Anyway I decided to start at the front and take all of the allen bolts out and clean them one by one. So I started with the front offside lower fork protector. Four bolts hold it on three come out easy (ish) and the fourth someone has butchered before and the allen key just goes round and round. Couldn't force a larger one in so left it and carried on with the other side.

So when I took the nearside fork protector off it was well manky under there! All around the bottom of the fork was caked in muck and gunge which I managed to clean off but it has left pitting from the rust that had started. Carried on with one or two other bolts and they all came out easily and cleaned up well.

Move forward to today and having forun out one of the ways to remove a knackered allen bolt is to force a torx bit into it gave it a go. Success? Well no not really. It started to move and at that point I should have sprayed what thread I could see and move it back in and out but no as I thought I had won I carried on and now it is stuck again. I cannot force the next size torx but in nor a larger allen key. I tried in desperation to chisel a groove in the head so I can use a flat bladed screwdriver but that just knackered the chisel.

So now I am stuck with one bolt half out. At least it won't fall out. I think I shall either have to use a slitting blade on a mini drill (have to get one first) to cut a slot in it or just bust off the guards so I can get at the bolt and buy another guard. I just know that under the guard it will be full of crap like the other one and in need of a good clean up.

Oh and I have a sore finger from knocking it (more than twice) with the hammer. Fed up and f***ed off.

Hmm Thats a ****ter!

Maybe drill it out and retap the thread?

Don't think so!  For that you need to be able to drill straight and I can't, you need a good drill which I haven't and you need to have a set of taps which I haven't  Apart from that it sounded like a good plan.

 

I think the best plan is break off the plastic cover then I 'should' be able to get at the bolt and then I shall have to source a new plastic protector and a new bolt.  Arm and a leg I imagine.

Spent all day in the sunshine waving the spanners at it.

Very close to trading the Tiger in for something I can't really afford, but the many bolt on bits are worth a lot more on eBay than they are on the bike.

Shame but true.

If the trade in didn't happen of course, I'll be bolting them all back on again :-)

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Which Tiger do you have Gyp?  I am dismayed at the poor quality of the fittings on mine and it is such a shame because it is a fantastic bike in all other areas.

Which Tiger do you have Gyp? I am dismayed at the poor quality of the fittings on mine and it is such a shame because it is a fantastic bike in all other areas.

It's a '59 plate 1050 and no problem with the quality of the fittings at all. I can only think of a couple of bolts that are going a bit orange.

I'm only looking to sell it as I could do with something lower with lower c of g to accommodate my Umpalumpa legs

 

So now I am stuck with one bolt half out.  At least it won't fall out.  I think I shall either have to use a slitting blade on a mini drill (have to get one first) to cut a slot in it or just bust off the guards so I can get at the bolt and buy another guard.  I just know that under the guard it will be full of crap like the other one and in  need of a good clean up.

 

Oh and I have a sore finger from knocking it (more than twice) with the hammer.  Fed up and f***ed off.

Is it accessible enough to file flats onto the head and try a spanner (or mole grips) on it? Or do you know anyone with a welder who could weld a nut onto the head?

If/when you get it out replace them with stainless steel, plain allen heads are cheap as chips, or if you want to spend a bit more Pro Bolt's machined tapered Allen heads are lovely little bits of stainless fastener porn, got a bunch of those adorning my StripleR (Triumph's oe fasteners are indeed poor quality).

And don't forget to copper grease the threads, saves this kind of hassle in the future.

Is it accessible enough to file flats onto the head and try a spanner (or mole grips) on it? Or do you know anyone with a welder who could weld a nut onto the head?

If/when you get it out replace them with stainless steel, plain allen heads are cheap as chips, or if you want to spend a bit more Pro Bolt's machined tapered Allen heads are lovely little bits of stainless fastener porn, got a bunch of those adorning my StripleR (Triumph's oe fasteners are indeed poor quality).

Stainless? Pfft... Got some titanium ones for the vfr grabrail a few months back.

They look lovely haha

Titanium are lighter, but they look just the same as the stainless ones, and they're stupidly expensive (the stainless ones aren't exactly cheap). If I'd got all the ones I have on my StripleR in titanium it would have cost a bleedin' fortune, even with the sizeable discount I got. If I remember right, just the two bolts for the side stand bracket were about £3.20 each, after discount.

Gave it a wash after this...

In Houlgate, Normandy.

 

 

 

What a stunning view! The trip looked fun, deffo need a euro trip next year. 

Titanium are lighter, but they look just the same as the stainless ones, and they're stupidly expensive (the stainless ones aren't exactly cheap). If I'd got all the ones I have on my StripleR in titanium it would have cost a bleedin' fortune, even with the sizeable discount I got. If I remember right, just the two bolts for the side stand bracket were about £3.20 each, after discount.

Not cheap, no. But i dont mind spending for quality.

Im satisfied in that even after a Honda rusts to bits (i know, not really gonna happen, unless its a new one) the titanium bolts wont even be pitted.

The problem with stainless is that you never really know just how good it is. Cheap stainless is ****e.

Not cheap, no. But i dont mind spending for quality.

Im satisfied in that even after a Honda rusts to bits (i know, not really gonna happen, unless its a new one) the titanium bolts wont even be pitted.

The problem with stainless is that you never really know just how good it is. Cheap stainless is ****e.

If you're talking about the Pro Bolt fasteners, then the quality (and appearance, assuming you're not tasteless enough to buy the coloured titanium) is exactly the same. The only difference is a few grammes (which you're never going to notice) and the price. The stainless is 316 marine grade, and every bit as durable as the titanium.

Any 304 or 316 grade common or garden stainless fasteners that you can buy for peanuts from any number of suppliers will outlast anything Honda fitted at the factory, even in the days before they stopped giving a toss about build quality.

If you're talking about the Pro Bolt fasteners, then the quality (and appearance, assuming you're not tasteless enough to buy the coloured titanium) is exactly the same. The only difference is a few grammes (which you're never going to notice) and the price. The stainless is 316 marine grade, and every bit as durable as the titanium.

Any 304 or 316 grade common or garden stainless fasteners that you can buy for peanuts from any number of suppliers will outlast anything Honda fitted at the factory, even in the days before they stopped giving a toss about build quality.

But i didnt know where was a good place to purchase at the time. And titanium was barely much more. So i purchased off ebay and jobs done.

Its grams lighter would you believe me if i said i can feel how much faster the bike is?

Nah. I wouldnt either haha.

But i didnt know where was a good place to purchase at the time. And titanium was barely much more. So i purchased off ebay and jobs done.

Its grams lighter would you believe me if i said i can feel how much faster the bike is?

Nah. I wouldnt either haha.

Buying off ebay you'll probably have less of a guarantee of the metallurgy than from any established supplier. The Pro Bolt stainless stuff is really nice, a far cry from their anodised ally tat of the nineties (although they still do that for those that want it). The machining is lovely, when you look inside the heads of the allen head fasteners the flats are ever so slightly raised compared to the corners, so your Allen bit gets a really good tight grip with no rounding off worries, the hex heads have really nice flanged and dished heads that look great and save a tiny amount of weight (for those that care about that). They really do give an air of quality finish to your bike. I would have happily paid twice as much for those two m10 dished hex head Sidestrand bracket bolts, to rid my bike of the God awful zinc plate scaffolding bolts that Triumph fitted at the factory, lol.

I've always been amused by the whole weight saving thing. Like for donkeys years, while the Japanese factories could afford to have two yearly model replacement cycles, they'd wheel out their new model and tell us we should all buy it because it made 2bhp more and weighed 2kg less than the previous one. Then Honda bring out their new C-ABS system, and when questioned no journos at the press launch as to how much weight it adds they turn round and say, straight faced, "oh, only 7kg, you'll never notice that", lol.

You should see the lengths some folk go to in the MTB world. Spending hundreds of pounds on new bits for their bike (that already cost them three grand standard), just to save a few grammes. They'd save more weight, and a load of cash, just by having a good **** before their ride, lol...

Can't apply heat because it is holding on a plastic panel.  Can't get a mole grip on it because it is too close to the plastic.  Real PITA!  I have bought a stud removal set and tomorrow it is going to get it!!!!

Buying off ebay you'll probably have less of a guarantee of the metallurgy than from any established supplier. The Pro Bolt stainless stuff is really nice, a far cry from their anodised ally tat of the nineties (although they still do that for those that want it). The machining is lovely, when you look inside the heads of the allen head fasteners the flats are ever so slightly raised compared to the corners, so your Allen bit gets a really good tight grip with no rounding off worries, the hex heads have really nice flanged and dished heads that look great and save a tiny amount of weight (for those that care about that). They really do give an air of quality finish to your bike. I would have happily paid twice as much for those two m10 dished hex head Sidestrand bracket bolts, to rid my bike of the God awful zinc plate scaffolding bolts that Triumph fitted at the factory, lol.

I've always been amused by the whole weight saving thing. Like for donkeys years, while the Japanese factories could afford to have two yearly model replacement cycles, they'd wheel out their new model and tell us we should all buy it because it made 2bhp more and weighed 2kg less than the previous one. Then Honda bring out their new C-ABS system, and when questioned no journos at the press launch as to how much weight it adds they turn round and say, straight faced, "oh, only 7kg, you'll never notice that", lol.

You should see the lengths some folk go to in the MTB world. Spending hundreds of pounds on new bits for their bike (that already cost them three grand standard), just to save a few grammes. They'd save more weight, and a load of cash, just by having a good **** before their ride, lol...

Couldnt agree more mate.

When in realitity, Even on the vfr, which i didnt buy for performance alone (i wanted something relatively fast that i can have fun on, and do 400-500 mile days. Vfr hits the spot) the slowest link is usually, unless youre rossi, the rider.

Not that im bothered. I ride to what i can see etc etc. fast but never 100%.

Surprising how many cbr's, r6's, r1's etc etc you can catch up on a bendy road though. Anyone can buy a silly fast bike, not everyone has a clue how to ride one.

Couldnt agree more mate.

When in realitity, Even on the vfr, which i didnt buy for performance alone (i wanted something relatively fast that i can have fun on, and do 400-500 mile days. Vfr hits the spot) the slowest link is usually, unless youre rossi, the rider.

Not that im bothered. I ride to what i can see etc etc. fast but never 100%.

Surprising how many cbr's, r6's, r1's etc etc you can catch up on a bendy road though. Anyone can buy a silly fast bike, not everyone has a clue how to ride one.

CAWT. Get on any popular biking roads in summer and you see no end of race reps and big bore superbikes being ridden laughably slowly and badly by one piece clad, middle aged spread, mid life crisis numpties, sticking their knee out in their wannabe Rossi fantasy world, while wobbling round bends 15 degrees of vertical and in a different postcode to anything resembling a decent line. It's always amusing to pass them sat bolt upright on a battle scarred old 600 Bandit and disappear into the distance.

There was a time (when petrol was considerably cheaper, and speeding wasn't ranked above mass murder by the powers that be) that my average summer Sunday ride was about 400 miles every week, with my weekly total being anything up to 1000 miles. and I'd need to rob banks or pimp my gf out to afford that much fuel these days. I remember one gloriously hot day in May doing Scotland and back in an afternoon, up through north Yorkshire and Cumbria, 550 mile round trip, all on twisties, no dual carriageway or motorways. I was knackered by the time I got home, and used 5 tanks of but but it was a good day.

CAWT. Get on any popular biking roads in summer and you see no end of race reps and big bore superbikes being ridden laughably slowly and badly by one piece clad, middle aged spread, mid life crisis numpties, sticking their knee out in their wannabe Rossi fantasy world, while wobbling round bends 15 degrees of vertical and in a different postcode to anything resembling a decent line. It's always amusing to pass them sat bolt upright on a battle scarred old 600 Bandit and disappear into the distance.

Tell me about it. I live in the midldle of tbe peak district. Theres alsorts of riders all around here. All sorts of white line huggers.

It was only last week (after catching up, evaluating how badly ridden the bike was. I just made a point. He went fast on the straights, i went steady then made up the time by not slowing down for corners) the fireblade rider asked what mods id done to the VFR to make it go that fast

I genuinely didnt know what to say. I reckon i used about 50% on the straight, if that.

And im really not the best rider.

Edited 19 July, 201510 yr by fabiamk2SE

Aye, there's no shortage of numpties out there.

Traded it in.

 

New bike arrives Friday or Sunday.

Traded it in.

New bike arrives Friday or Sunday.

Ooh spill? What for?

Lookin at the hints 'low c of g' and 'something uou cant really afford'

Not a harley is it?

Ooh spill? What for?

Lookin at the hints 'low c of g' and 'something you cant really afford'

Not a harley is it?

No, not a Harley. Not this time.

R1200R Sport (the white model with red-frame) with comfort and touring packages added on at the factory.

No, not a Harley. Not this time.

R1200R Sport (the white model with red-frame) with comfort and touring packages added on at the factory.

This will mean I'll now have an R, an RS and an RT.

The RT is the weapon of choice next week as I'm off camping and its the only one with a towbar.

I'll sort a picture when I'm at a PC as I always seem to mess it up on the phone.

It's supposed to be a very good bike if you believe the journos. I liked my R1150R a lot so a modern version of that with an extra 30ish HP should be good fun. Let us know what it's like to live with once you've clocked a few miles up.