Daves Blog

This is my arrangement of Chris Rea’s On The Beach.

To try and simplify the recording of this I connected the Tyros 2 line outs to the line in of the video camera. Actually it required two video cameras and a LANC switch to achieve this, but the results really not bad.

I was playing with my new Yamaha Tyros 2 keyboard and came across a style with an introduction written especially for this song. I decided to make a video of me playing it and here’s the result.

Original music by Roger Whittaker - R.A. Webster.

The sound quality of the mp3 recording is much better than the streamed sound quality with the video. So if you care about listening to this, watch the video by all means but please listen to the mp3. I saw some other keyboard videos on YouTube where the owners have recorded the sound through the video camera microphone and thought it sounded awful. So, I recorded this to the Tyros 2’s HD recorder at the same time as I shot the video and then synchronised it back to the video when editing before posting to YouTube.

As you might know I try to keep this blog focussed around my hobby of motorcycling but I do have other hobbies one of which is playing music…

…well, I should say trying to play music.

I’ve had a Yamaha CVP 207 Clavinova for a few years and recently I’ve been looking for a keyboard to deliver similar sound quality but with portability. Late last week I purchased a Yamaha Tyros 2 Keyboard…

These things never cease to amaze me in how they can make someone as distinctly amateur as I am sound so amazingly good. The technology and reproduction of the sounds other instruments make is simply amazing.

It’s a while since I made an entry in the blog mainly because I’ve been ill and so haven’t actually been doing anything on or to the bikes since the last entry. However, it’s amazing what a course of antibiotics can do and this last weekend I was feeling much better.

The sun shone solidly on both days and while it wasn’t particularly warm it was almost perfect biking weather. The sun at this time of year is a little low in the sky, often making it difficult to see ahead especially when riding roads with a covering of trees, and all you can see at the far end is a bright light. The roads though were dry and generally free of autumn debris and so we went out on the Bandit yesterday to meet friends for lunch.

It was about a 100 mile round trip but we thoroughly enjoyed it. You can see how low the sun was from the shadows but also because it was nicely reflecting from the wheel rim tape.

I’m not sure what’s next for either bike really, if anything. I do need at some point to get the Bandit tuning checked for use with the Blue Flame exhaust, but other than that, I suspect most things will now wait until next year.

Got the Blue flame exhaust fitted back on the Bandit and the new link pipe is a great improvement over the first.

The exhaust can now sits at a much more natural angle and the centre stand stop bracket is much more substantial and positioned much better. Well done Blue Flame.

I went for a 70 mile ride and noticed that everything seems to be ok, with a so much better exhaust tone, other than when on the overrun and the revs drop below about 3000rpm… in other words when I’m stopping. At this point there can be, but not always, some popping and banging from the exhaust. Possibly back firing which of course won’t do the catalytic converter any good. I may try it with the lower blanking plate out and see if more freedom improves it, but in any event, I believe I now need to get it tuned properly.

Very pleased with the look though which is so much better than the oversized stock muffler.

Well, it’s a while since I made an entry but that’s just a reflection of reality in that work has been so busy lately I’ve had little time for either bike. We did get out last Sunday on the Bandit and went for a ride with some friends, but it was really uneventful and nothing to report other than of course it was great fun. It did though make me remember about my Blue Flame exhaust and so on Monday I emailed Nigel, yet again, to ask if they’d made any progress with a new link pipe.

To my amazement I got a phone call from them on Tuesday to let me know they had the new link pipe ready and would post one to me immediately. Apparently they’ve increased the turn in by 15 degrees and added a much stronger centre stand stop bracket. Those were my main two criticisms but it’s a shame they hadn’t also improved the connection to the collector box to use a gasket.

Today it arrived complete with a nice Blue Flame bag and a couple of key rings. At first look the centre stand stop bracket is much better and stronger and should be up to the job. I’m a little concerned that the end that fits in the silencer is oval rather than round, but I expect I’ll be able to sort that. Anyhow, I’ll be fitting it tomorrow and will report on the results.