"bits" collection

I'm starting to collect a few things for the bike.
Nothing I really need for the moment, but things I'll keep on the shelf in the garage until I stop riding over the winter and get the feeling that I want to start tinkering with the spanners.
So far I've got a ninteen inch front wheel, a twin disc master cylinder, a carburettor, higher bars waiting to be powdercoated and I've just ordered a Stebel Nautilus air horn. The last one I want to fit, hidden away, to try to achieve a cleaner look to the left side of the bike.
I'm going to order an AMM P3 electronic ignition (when I can afford it!) to use with the carb and so do away with the EFI. I'm thinking of fitting the coils where the horn sits just now.
We'll see.

first time camper

On the bike that is.

I loaded up the bike on Friday night, having decided that I was going no matter what the weather was doing. So, first thing Saturday morning I was ready, with all my gear strapped on and the rain dropping out of the sky like it was never going to ease. It did stop for a bit and I took that as my cue to get going but it never looked too far away all weekend. Until that is, I got back home and the sun came out just to rub home the pain.

The tent, stove, sleeping bag and mat all fitted into the panniers so all I actually had in the rucksack was my change of clothes and washing gear. I was only going overnight, so would need a bit more stuff if I was going away for a few nights.

There were one or two things I would have done differently. Such things like pack the tent somewhere else instead of in one of the saddlebags or take waterproofs with me. The first, because the tent was the first thing I needed to deal with when I arrived and the last thing to pack away when I left. As it was raining both occasions, it would have been easier if the tent was packed on the outside of my gear. I'll maybe look at fixing it onto the handlebar risers or that could be the excuse I'm needing to justify paying the shop price for a rack. There just hasn't been one that fits my bike on e-bay.

As for taking waterproofs, well that was just an oversight which I discovered after I had been riding about twenty miles and the rain came back on.

The tent is a Coleman Avoir 2. It's advertised as a two person tent but I can't see any way that two would fit comfortably in. As it is the fact that it has a side opening as well as the front was its saving grace. All my gear could fit in the porch while I exited and entered by the side. It's also not the tent you should buy if you are any way claustrophobic. The tent slopes down to about a foot high at the rear and at the front there is not really the hight to sit up. Almost all manoeuvres are done lying down.

On the positive side, it only weighs just over 2 kilos, packs down really small and is both stable and watertight. My first night was one of almost constant drizzle and some heavier showers and I stayed dry. Just watch out for drips coming off the roof when you open the side door!

Here's a pic

One piece of kit I'm really glad to have are roll-top waterproof liners. I bought a 30 litre and a couple of 20 litre ones from e-bay. They are ideal for putting everything in and then into the saddlebags. I'm going to buy some smaller ones and that will give me the option of packing things away individually.