Bonding with Bruce.

 Followed my daughter while she bonded with her bike she has named Bruce. She is taking lessons with a professional and on today's ride she will have no problem when it comes to test time.

Bruce

First ride on the Dominator.

 The parts for the carburetor rebuild arrived allowing me to fit the new jets, valve, needle and gaskets.

Once all back together I had my first ride on a sunny IOM afternoon.

When the job was finished it was time for a test ride.

The bike went ok and sounded awesome.

 Some tweaking with the air/fuel mixture screws is required.

The suspension still needs sorting.

Ullapool to Tongue causeway.

 After meeting my pal Angus at Heysham port we set off for the highlands. 

It was a bit of a slog getting to Ullapool using the M6,M74, M80,A9 to get past Inverness then it was the A835 to our destination.

It was a nine hourtrip with stops for fuel,food and coffee.

The weather on route was cold and showery until 10 miles from our hotel then it became a monsoon, this ensured we turned up at reception looking like drowned rats 

The Caledonian hotel was comfortable enough and the buffet breakfast was reasonable at £10.

In the evening we had a couple of beers with dinner in the hotel's restaurant.

Tuesday was a completely different outlook, blue sky and sunshine all day.

Ullapool.

Harbour

View from Ullapool prom

 I chose to take the route north along the coast to Tongue causeway, this completed my journey around the NC500 that I had started in Apr 2025

Kylesku bridge.

In the evening fish and chips were had in the Ferry Inn.

Another different day weather wise on Wednesday, we had showers and  gusts of wind blasting through the valleys pushing the bikes off their line. 

A shorter 4 hour trip to see Eilean Donan castle. 

When we arrived the whole castle was closed to the public for a 3 day private function.

Eilean Donan castle

From the WWW, much better than my effort,

On the way back we dodged the showers and stopped for lunch at The Midge Bite. They do not do light lunches here.

This is a sandwich!

Back to the Highlands

The Manxman

The Triumph has been packed and I'm ready for the 08:30 ferry in the morning to Heysham.

 After docking it will be a 7hr ride up to Ullapool where I'm booked into a hotel for four nights.

The plan is to do the NW coast of the highlands and a tour around Skye.

It doesn't look like I will be getting the glorious weather that I rode in last year, but I'm prepared for that.

Front caliper

 While waiting for the carburetter refurb kit to arrive I turned attention to the seized front caliper.

After a strip down and good clean i fitted it with new seals and pistons.

It's back on the bike now and working as it should.

Hydraulic motorcycle lift.

 I used to have a hydraulic bike table to elevate bikes to be worked on, I gave it away when I stopped racing. 

I now need something to get the dommie raised so its easier for my old bones to work.

I have ordered one of these off Amazon

Start of strip down

 First job is to get the thing to start, by cleaning out the fuel system  refurbishing the carburettor and checking the valve clearances. 

Carb is a bit of a faff to remove.

After disconnecting the  throttle cables, choke and fuel pipes - releasing the bolts to the airbox allows it to be wiggled back a few inches to allowed just enough room  for the carb to be removed from its isolator and pulled clear of the frame.

Carburettor on the bench waiting for parts

Carburetter kit is on order