I have just returned from a group tour of the South Island with the Honda Riders Club. At Greymouth it became apparent that there was an oil leak from the Triumph. (OK, I know, I know!)
It seemed that the oil was leaking from the sump plug but as far as I could tell the plug was not loose. On checking the contents of the toolkit (somewhat belatedly I'll admit) there was just the one spanner which was far too big. The Triumph tool bag is the first I have experienced with room for more tools. Most other tool kits I've had were designed such that once you took the tools out it seemed impossible to fit them all back in.
I feel a visit to Supercheap Otto coming on.
The method of checking the oil as espoused in the manual is a regular pita. Triumphs though have established a reputation for using more oil than is currently fashionable so it does pay to check regularly.
On Wednesday the oil level was still slightly over full. I was working on the theory that nobody ever seized an engine by running it just a bit over full. On Thursday the oil level was down to full.
Friday morning at the Picton Ferry Terminal there was nothing on the dipstick. However many times I checked...
All this checking emphasised just how convoluted the system as recommended in the manual is. Thinking about this I came up with a more convenient method that would be simpler but still accurate enough. This wasn't rocket science but life shouldn't be more complicated than necessary.
During the voyage various options were considered, but with an imminent four hour ride to New Plymouth I decided to take the bike to Wellington Motorcycles. I have no previous experience with that company, my only visit had consisted of staring lustfully through the window while in Wellington for a meeting one Sunday. The major attraction in this instance being that I actually knew where the shop was, and that alone made it unique in Wellington.
In due course I arrived outside the shop and parked. I was standing beside the bike thinking that it wasn't very stable as it was when an employee came out of the shop and advised me not to leave it like that. I said that I actually wanted the bike to go to the workshop. He kindly wheeled the bike right through the shop to the Service Dept (not easy, it was fully loaded).
The guy looked familiar actually but I have no idea why, he introduced me to Bruce the Service Receptionist. Being right in the middle of Wellington in an old building I might have had a preconceived notion of a cramped somewhat dark workshop. Wrong. It seemed big enough (I guess they always need to be bigger), light, well equipped, and tidy. I was impressed.
Bruce got some tools, nipped up the sump lug, topped up the oil, and advised that the washer be replaced at the next service. He also recommended a simplified method of checking the oil which coincided exactly with my new version which was comforting.
“How much?”
“That's OK, no charge.”
“Thanks very much for that. I'll write something nice about you on KiwiBiker”
One sees a lot of whinges about dealers on KB but there are good people out there doing good things. Including Wellington Motorcycles.
Thanks guys.
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Originally Posted by Maha
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