NEWBIE JOINING FROM WEST YORKSHIRE UK

A quick HELLO ALL from Cold and Misty West Yorkshire, UK. After 11 years with a brilliant BMW R1100GS, I bought my SilverSilverWing back in November. Ex-Demo 2009 model with 1K miles on - like new. Done 1200 more miles so far and am loving it!
Up-side : Comfort (1 or 2 up), surprisingly good engine performance, easy twist and go, low c of g, build-quality, sure braking, reasonable luggage capacity.
Down-side : not easy to keep clean (underneath and wheels), less than confidence-inspiring suspension and handling on wintry Yorkshire Pennine roads.
The BM was a hard act to follow, but I'm really looking forward to life in the SilverWing lane.
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year to you all
Keep Shiney Side Up!
Phillip

Hi Phil,

Welcome aboard! Glad you decided to join in on the forum.

Alot of great people here and some good information to be found.

Enjoy...

phil hitch wrote:

A quick HELLO ALL from Cold and Misty West Yorkshire, UK.

Brrrr

phil hitch wrote:

Down-side : not easy to keep clean (underneath and wheels),

Yes ... and watch out for the salt on the roads others have had pitted rims from whatever they put on the roads over there.

phil hitch wrote:

The BM was a hard act to follow, but I'm really looking forward to life in the SilverWing lane.

The HyperPro Progressive Springs would definitely help the front suspension.

The tires could effect the handling ... which tires are you running?

Welcome Phil,

Thanks for signing up with us

Welcome Phil,

I changed out to the Hyper pro springs and it gives it much more of a motorcycle feeling. I suggest you change them out. I have posted before that I think the mods to do are in this order:

1) Install a larger Windshield
2) Install the Hyper pro springs
3) Install a Power Commander
4) Install a Top Case
5) J. Costa variator or Dr Pulley sliders

Welcome to the site and hope you keep posting. And ask anything you want since there are many have that are very knowledable.

Welcome Phil from another resident of the Isle of Angles!!

Your comment regards cleaning reminded me I rode behind a council salt wagon last night!!! When I get home this morning I must wash down the beast and ACF50 the wheels!

Enjoy the forum, becoming quite an escape for we British.

Waspie wrote:

When I get home this morning I must wash down the beast and ACF50 the wheels!

What is ACF50??

http://www.acf-50.co.uk/

Google is my friend!

Hiya Phil, oop north.

Good afternoon and glad to have your input. Will try to share from the Ozarks.

Hello again gents, a BIG THANKS to ALL of you for your welcome messages and advice. Tyres - Bill, I'm running Bridgestone Hoops (B02/B03) and, as I said not too happy with their grip; will have to decide on replacements in 5K or so?
Handling - Bill and JeffR, the HyperPro Springs sound interesting; can you say how they improve the handling?
Engine/Transmission Performance - DrPulley sliders seem to be well up on the list, how do they actually improve performance?
Windscreen - I'm 5ft 10in and do get noticable buffeting around my helmet above say 60mph. I notice Bill has Clearview, JeffR has Givi, MikeO has Laminar Lip. Lots of choice, but which one should I choose . . . .
Cleaning/Quality of Finish - Waspie, I bought some ACF50 recently and have sprayed it underneath and in those places that maybe dificult to keep clean. After a 100 mile run a few days ago (the Yorkshire/Derbyshire authorities use lots of salt on the hilly country roads) - and not washing the bike down !!! some of the parts not sprayed eg front wheel-spindle, caliper nuts and bolts etc. are nice and furry now. My BMW never needed this level of care so I suppose I was lucky - Lesson learnt.

A tip I had passed on to me regarding ACF50, (anti-corrosion formulae), was to soak a cloth in the stuff, then place it in a airtight bag and keep it with the bike. Simply wipe over wheels or such when bored or in my case waiting for my wife!!!!!!! (shopping).

I thoroughly washed the Wing this morning, dried her off then sprayed ACF50 over all the metal part I could get too, making sure the brake discs were avoided. (I won't be using the bike for a couple of weeks so I took advantage of a nice sunny day, albeit freezing cold)

Another advantage with ACF50, being a light oil, you can spray on a wet machine. Then when the water evaporates it leaves a thin film of the compound behind.

Welcome Phil, of you're ever around Kent way you're welcome to pop in for coffee.

Merry Christmas.

Thanks for the tip waspie. Like you I gave the bike a good wash-down on our latest sunny-but-freezing day. I'm sure it'll run better now!
Thanks to you too wingnprayer, I'll get in touch if I'm coming down your way.
Merry Christmas to all