HunterDOG Club Ride: Dyno Day BBQ 11am Sat 13th June Hexham Maccas; 11:30 depart

[VinceS]

Just rec'd this and couldn't resist sharing - these guys deserve to do well:

Hi Vince,

Just thought I would let you know I have taken the opportunity to have my 94 Monster serviced by Richard at Valley Motorcycles Raymond Terrace and I am very pleased with the result. Had a few electrical issues to diagnose and sort out and a bit of carby tweaking and it is running better than ever!

Great result and didn’t break my bank balance. Can recommend them highly.

Regards Rob

[VinceS]

Well you know how it is - one thing leads to another and, well ... I just put up the following review on their Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/valleymotorcycles/timeline) which explains all:

Mick and Richard ran my PC3 fitted Ducati ST4S (996 sports tourer) over their dyno today and the results were brilliant. Really appreciate the skill these people could apply to an already great bike to make it that much better again. Their task was to tweak an already fitted Power Commander 3 that had a map tuned on to a previous identical bike (that met its maker). The bike was already better than original and I didn't really expect much difference.

But what was already pretty good became much smoother in all the lower throttle settings (where the bike spends 99% of its time). Have you heard of a Ducati pulling smoothly from 3,000 RPM? This one does - with a lightened flywheel 'n all! Went up Blackbutt in 6th at 80km/hr just to prove the point (and ignore the recent bs downrate to 70!) - a slight twist of the wrist uphill and its instant 90, without the traditional violent shuddering the factory tune produces.

 It's like a brand new bike for a tiny fraction of the price. Don't make up excuses - do yourself a favour and get yourself one! And do it at Valley Motorcycles as it really does matter who does this work and these people are great.

[VinceS]

(sent out as an Announced topic to all except the 9 people listed as "Friends")

Aunty Mal has offered to lead a ride from Hexham McDonalds to check out Mick's sausage sangers at Valley Motorcycles, Raymond Terrace. Oh, and the workshop set-up, Ducati master mechanic and other goings on that you will want to drool over too, of course!

No idea where Mal's going to take you, but I expect it will be a fairly short trip around the nearby countryside. Hexham Maccas is the one on Maitland Rd, about half way between the Sandgate cemetery and the Hexham bridge. The weather prediction is clearing to sunshine for Saturday so well worth getting out for a quick squirt on the Duke.

I'll still be on crutches but might turn up in a car for the occasion anyway. Someone has to take pics of all you legends on your cool bikes! Here is an excerpt from the most recent newsletter with a few more details of the day:

Mick from Valley Motorcycles is putting on an open day BBQ to showcase his dyno equipped workshop and specialist Ducati mechanic at 2/9 Carmichael St, Raymond Terrace NSW 2324. You can read about why this is pretty special here http://hunterdog.org.au/DiscussionBoard/index.php?topic=991 and you really should get there for a sausage on Mick. In short, he has a specialist Ducati mechanic in shop and they have a full Dynojet dyno set-up and can install Power Commanders - which I personally believe are the best mod you can make to a Ducati. In my experience, a Power Commander makes a V-twin so much more beautiful to ride, with the smoother and earlier torque and more mid range on tap. The bike just feels freer and easier - and isn't that what we all want in our Italian mistresses? Get yourself along and check it out - no need to wait for the BBQ!

There will be a group of Ducati riders coming along from Sydney also. 7 say they're coming so far and more than that again are saying they might come too (see https://www.facebook.com/events/467852510046856/ ). So could be a bit of a gathering of Ducatis in the Raymond Terrace sunshine - is yours going to be one of them? You know you want to!

[VinceS]

 I have exchanged emails with Mick and he says:

"The BBQ is just an invite to an open day at the shop for those who don't know us, where we can discuss subjects such as tuning, repairs, service and parts.  It was directed at the Ducati fraternity as my technician (Richard Graham) has specific experience with those bikes. However we service many makes and models with V-Twins being of particular interest. 

More recently we have got into Yamaha singles (SR,TT,XT) by way of an internet business "Kedo Parts Australia" and subsequently doing an SR500 Cafe build, so yes we have diverse interests. 

The BBQ is a way of telling a story to people and showing them the facilities in a more genuine way.  If there are willing riders we can do some dyno runs also.

I would hope the day forms the basis of an awareness campaign within the Newcastle/Hunter motorcycling community for those seeking a professional service, irrespective of what they ride."

Fair enough, sounds like a great excuse for a visit to The Terrace!

[TopDOG]

no problem at all but it is on facebook so you will need to be a member of it first https://www.facebook.com/events/467852510046856/

[VinceS]

Thanks for spotting that Scottie. All I can say is "You Beauty"!!! I have used Power Commanders before and they are my favourite add-on to a Ducati. Read this http://www.valleymotorcycles.com.au/dyno/dynojet-research/ and you will start to get an idea why.

In short, what it means is the bike is much smoother throughout the range, it pulls from about 1,000RPM lower than it used to, and there is typically more torque mid-range. It is possible there will be a few more HP up top but really that is in the "who cares" category. Whilst I am a firm believer that the joy to be obtained riding a motorcycle is proportional to the square of the time spent on the throttle stop, you get a lot of jollies without the quantum of that time being that big really.

What a properly dynojet tuned on Power Commander does is makes the bike so much more enjoyable to ride. It seems "freer and easier" than ever before and you will wish you did it years before. On a 996 ST4S it has another advantage in that it will stump-pull out of corners much easier in third, so that means not needing to knock it down to second to ensure you can get out of the corner in a big rush, and risk those annoying back wheel lock-ups that you get in 2nd which just won't break free as you are tipping in.

Of course a prerequisite is to improve gas flow. You need at least the K&N filter, some extra holes in the filter top and a slip on exhaust - doesn't need to be loud and I find leaving the stingers in makes no practically noticeable difference to performance in or out. It is pointless just fitting a Power Commander without doing the dynojet tune as bikes really are different between seemingly identical ones.

When I was forced by circumstances to move a Power Commander from one ST4S to another I found the tune on the earlier one made the later one slightly worse than stock so I took it off. I still haven't got around to getting it set up on the current bike as I thought it was a trip to Sydney where I had it done last time. Great to see it can happen locally now, just need to get off crutches (elective surgery) to go do it!

I couldn't find anything about the open day you mention Scottie, can you provide a link to the info?

[TopDOG]

Saturday, June 13 Visit Valley Motorcycles for the open day.

Mick the proprietor has offered to put on a BBQ and to showcase his work shop (with a Dynojet 250i). 2/9 Carmichael St, Raymond Terrace NSW 2324

http://www.valleymotorcycles.com.au/

i might not be able to attend but its part of docnsw schedule of things to do that i saw on Facebook so there should be plenty of like minded/sensible people there with you. So please shine your rides up no matter how poor of choice it is but at least if you're riding anything other than a good bike / best choice (Ducati) if not being a mechanic at least Mick will be able to give your jap bike a regular service (change everything and check the petrol) for you to make it half way home before needing roadside service


Show your Dogs club proud and please organize a group to ride up together and help keep this club the best club it was started for!!!