It means buying books and letting them pile up unread. The word dates back to the very beginning of modern Japan, the Meiji era (1868-1912) and has its origins in a pun. Tsundoku, which literally means reading pile, is written in Japanese as 積ん読.
March 7, 2020
Supporting Role
– I installed a component that should have been factory standard. But I got it for a deal and bolted it on mysen. Easier said than done that’s for sure… the access to some of the fasteners was colored by choice cursing.
February 26, 2020
Orbital Muscle
The new Triumph Rocket Three is a behemoth in person. And, it looks the part if escape velocity is your goal. 2 1/2 liters of beastly engine will propel this speed demon through the stratosphere. Chuck Yeager would be proud!
January 28, 2020
Heavy Fuel
Monster Truck | A couple of years ago Triumph USA toured their adventure bike Tiger models across the country using this heavy brute of a vehicle. Called the Atlak it drove from Atlanta to Alaska and parts between.
November 18, 2019
Man Cave
Winter Projects | with the oncoming off-season approaching I need to get the garage space organized. With limited space careful planning will ensure efficiency. A leaking roof needs to be addressed too.
October 14, 2019
Join us in our revolt Brother!
Factory Floor | journalistic photograph from the mid-seventies on the assembly line at Meriden. This was when the workers had a sit-in and production ground to a halt. A guttering flame.
October 9, 2019
Rotring
Technical Tracker by Triumph | accurate linework in this engineering illustration of a fast looking oval dirt machine.
September 16, 2019
Luddite not I
Technology | Now that we are well into the Twenty First Century everything gets fettled with Apps (applications). The Tiger being such a technologically inclined machine you can plug in your laptop with an ECU reader and delve into the program gubbins. Here the throttle bodies can be balanced – a far cry from balancing a pair of Amal carbs! Error codes checked, service intervals set, ABS brakes bleeding, sensor readings, instrument testing… it’s magical!
August 28, 2019
Woman Strong
Racer, metal fabricator, mechanic, TV personality Jessi Combs was killed while trying to push the envelope for a women’s speed record. She died tearing across a dry lake bed in Oregon in her rocket powered car at over 400mph. A strong talented person, she was an encouraging inspiration to girls and women nationwide. RIP Jessi Combs (1980-2019)
August 2, 2019
Pork
Bacon | Hogs can be other bikes too! Here’s a perfectly well engineered custom machine which has an adapted 3 cylinder Diesel engine that can be run on bacon grease. This was commissioned by Hormel Foods who make Spam.
Watch it in action here: Black Label Bacon Motorcycle
July 17, 2019
Mirrored Moon
On Reflection | all photography releases by NASA shows how beautiful the ventures into space truly are. The LM Eagle reflecting the cratered surface is like a delicate Faberge egg balanced over a rugged plain.
July 16, 2019
Nosecone
Moonship Cutaway | beautiful technical illustration of the Command Module. The three astronauts traveled to the moon and back in the claustrophobic confines of this vessel. Though in zero-g it became very slightly more voluminous. They also had the Lunar Module which was docked to the nose of the LM for more elbow room. The CM is the only piece of hardware that made it back to earth.
July 15, 2019
Standing Room Only
LEM | Lunar (Excursion) Module. Three days after embarking on the Trans Lunar Injection the Apollo spacecraft entered orbit around the Moon. Separating from the Command Service Module the LM descended to the surface with the Commander and Pilot standing at these controls in their full spacesuits. The descent and landing is well documented as one of the coolest pieces of flying by anyone anywhere. Like landing a telephone box, using the computing power of a Casio scientific calculator, onto a grey dust surface under a black sky…. with diminishing fuel and alarms going off.
July 11, 2019
Apollo
Command Module | Fifty Years ago this month three intrepid explorers headed off into a lunar rendezvous with destiny. Backed by countless engineers, scientists, mathematicians, computers (women who crunches the complex equations for orbital mechanics), skilled laborers, wives, budget analysts, lingerie manufacturers (the space suits required impeccable needlework); they headed beyond the surly bonds of earth atop the mighty Saturn V rocket. The cramped confines of the Command Module ‘Columbia’ took them the quarter million miles to our closest neighbor in the skies.
July 10, 2019
Essential Characteristics
Specifications
Engine Type Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Capacity 800cc
Bore Stroke 74.1 mm / 61.9 mm
Compression 11.3:1
Max Power EC 95 PS/94 BHP (70 kW) @ 9,250 rpm
Max Torque EC 79 Nm @ 7,850 rpm
System Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Exhaust Stainless steel 3 into 1, high level stainless steel silencer
Final drive O ring chain
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox 6 speed
Frame Tubular steel trellis frame
Swingarm Twin-sided, cast aluminium alloy
Front Wheels 36-spoke 21 x 2.5 in, aluminium rim
Rear Wheels 32-spoke 17 x 4.25 in, aluminium rim
Front Tyres 90/90-21
Rear Tyres 150/70 R17
Front Suspension WP 43 mm upside down forks, adjustable rebound and compression damping, 220 mm travel.
Rear Suspension WP monoshock with remote oil reservoir, hydraulically adjustable preload, rebound damping adjustment, 215 mm rear wheel travel
Brakes Front Twin 308 mm floating discs, Nissin 2-piston sliding calipers, Switchable ABS
Brakes Rear Single 255 mm disc, Nissin single piston sliding caliper, Switchable ABS
Instrument Display and Functions TFT multifunctional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, analogue tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service indicator, ambient temperature, rider modes (Road/Sport/Rain/Offroad/Rider configurable) and clock.
Width Handlebars 845 mm
Height Without Mirror 1390 mm
Seat Height 840 – 860 mm
Wheelbase 1545 mm
Rake 24.3 º
Trail 95.3 mm
Dry Weight 204 Kg
Tank Capacity 19 L
Constant Speed 56mph 90kph 77.4 MPG
Constant Speed 75mph 120kph 53.6 MPG
