As the first leaves start to fall, we all know that Autumn is upon us. The nights are drawing in & the sun, although it is shining, cannot hide the nip in the air. Amongst the rustling of the leaves, Gortex jackets are being shaken out of boxes. Thick winter gloves are being retrieved & across the land bikers are preparing for the season of chilly morning & cool evening riding.  However, the mono motorcycles workshop remains a hive of activity, with plenty of winter offers coming soon & a long line of winter projects lining up at our door.

Over the past fortnight we have seen a fair few classics through our doors. With the  BSA Thunderbolt & Lightning gracing our workshop, servicing for a Triumph 675 R, VMAX & our projects coming to their final hurdles; mono motorcycles diary continues to add variety to our week.

The first BSA, the Thunderbolt was brought to mono motorcycles for rewiring. Daniel spent time chasing the wiring issues throughout the loom & has got her running smoothly. Our customer was really pleased with the end result & is now looking to refresh the paintwork, for which we are seeking the expertise of Jamie Gladman of J.A.A Custom Paint.

The second BSA, the Lightning (I hear a Queen song coming on)  had running issues. Daniel initially had to ascertain if there were any issues with the carbs & if there was an air leak.  Upon dismantling the carbs, he found that one of the jets had a crack in it. Once the main jets were replaced  & the carbs ultrasonically cleaned (please remember you must not ultrasonically clean jets as they are made of brass) the carbs were reassembled & re-balanced.

One of our regular customers, whose GSXR K9 received some damage in a recent accident, has had the new body kit fitted. In addition, we have replaced the R&G crank case cover, as this was also damaged.

Another regular customer brought us his Triumph 675 R for it’s 12000 mile service & to replace the rear indicators. Although the temptation is to go down the LED route with indicators, it is always advisable to note that if they are not genuine parts, they may not be compatible with your motorcycle & can often flash faster than bulb lights. If LED’s flash too fast, this is an MOT failure.

The Yamaha VMAX joined us for more wiring work. The rear indicators having been removed, had caused faults in the loom, making the headlights become intermittent. Daniel Morris chased the faults back & managed to correct them. However, as mentioned above, the indicators provided for fitting being LED, did not function correctly when wired into the VMAX. Knowing this to be the case, our customer agreed to us purchasing bulb indicators for fitting.

During the interim service for the VMAX Daniel did his usual safety checks. This is part of all the service procedures undertaken at mono motorcycles. It was during his checks that he discovered that the brake fluid was black. We have spoken before about this topic, as it does seem to be overlooked by most service procedures. We are also aware, that most leading manufacturers charge an extra procedural fee for brake fluid changes, above & beyond the service. At mono motorcycles, we always check these essential fluids & will change the fluid if we feel there is a safety implication. Furthermore, the fuel filter was changed, as it was very dirty. This can of course lead to problems further along, if the filter is too clogged it will no longer function & can break under pressure, allowing debris into the carbs.

We have welcomed a Hyousung 125 to the workshop with a running issue.  Upon inspection & with the carbs apart, Daniel Morris has discovered rusty water in the carb bowls. Our next part of the inspection will be to fully drain the tank & assess for water & any collected debris.

The Yamaha XS which has been preparing for a winter overhaul, has started to be modified. Daniel Morris has begun to tackle the wiring loom issues which have been part of the cause of the charging issues.

Sadly, due to adverse weather conditions predicted for this coming weekend, we have had to postpone our Sunday 23rd breakfast club to Sunday 30th September. We are thrilled that Jamie Gladman of J.A.A Custom Paint will be joining us to showcase his talents. If you are considering any kind of paint work to your motorcycle or any vehicle, pop along for a chat with Jamie on Sunday 30th September at the mono motorcycles workshop, Funtington, Chichester, PO18 9DA.

Our Christmas Charity Quiz tickets have started selling & we look forward to a sold out evening for this very special event. Remember you can obtain tickets from the mono motorcycles workshop, Funtington, Chichester, PO18 9DA, over the telephone or on Ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MONO-MOTORCYCLES-CHRISTMAS-CHARITY-QUIZ-TICKETS/253860023122

If you are considering undertaking any winter restoration/regeneration projects, then please do contact us to discuss your ideas on 01243 576212 / 07899 654446 or contact us through our contact page.