Joe85

Fiidlesticks has inspired me. Will be spraying on the ACF50 tomorrow.

First service completed. Rode to the dealer at 5degC (30 minute ride), toes feeling ever so slightly cold, so get the feeling they'll be close to falling off on the all day rides in France next week - so weighed out for heated socks! (Thank you, Paypal Credit)

Monster 821. Loved it. A lovely steppingstone to a supernaked. The Italians may have their flaws, but they don't half know how to make a good looking bike.

These gloves work brilliantly with the heated jacket, if you're ever looking to bite the bullet. The jacket is fantastic too, replaces the thermal liner and it's like riding aorund on a spring day!

Well done - it's one of thiose things you only ever get to experience once: Your first lone ride on a big bike. Feels amaszing, doesnt it?

Installed a Data Tool Stealth. Quite a good serves - £309 including 1-years subscription, and they come to your hosue to install it. Also the Heated Jacket Premium from Gerbing is top notch, has built in cable in the arms for you gloves to. Very clean set up and makes winter rinding very comfortable.

Ah, right - in that case never the former, occasionally the latter.

I'll generally filter through any traffic, both motorway and non-motorway (although at far lower speeds than previous owing to the absolute f**king bus that i'm now riding around on). I generally don't put a speed on it, and more of a feel. If it's standstill traffic i'll go at a speed where i feel i could stop if I see a gap opening up that and adjacent car can pull into, or someone threatening to pull out (You know, the glance in the mirror, twitch of the wheels etc). If the traffic is slow moving, then my speed will increase proportionally to it. Plenty of sketchy moments and one wirte off from a lady who basically just drove into me emrging from a minor turning through traffic. 95% are considerate and make space for a bike to manouvre through. A small number are belligerent w**kers who take great satisfaction in holding you up. Not really sure wht the last qustion means.

Push traps up against the wall. Rodents tend to scurry along walls rather than across open ground so pushing up against the wall will ensure they encounter the bait and will have to step across it regardless. Additionally, once you catch one or the trap triggers, relocate it to another area. Rodents are likely to avoid that route.

Oh, and bought some lone rider semi-ridged panniers. …and a heated jacket. …and some new heated gloves to go with said jacket. …and a headlight guard. …and a quadlock mirror mount to go on the sat nav bar. I think I’ve got a problem.

Have to go to Paris for work, so decided I’d ride there. This has now escalated into a 4-day winter excursion to France

Picked up the GS!

Heated gloves and GoreTex for Winter - no compromises. They make all the difference.

Not entirely sure it was a wise move. I like the S1KR, thisnk it's a stunning looking bike, however it's a tad to clinical for me, i rarely have the urge to just get out on it. When it's like that you know its time for a change. (Plus the full system i put on is just too bast*rd loud and i cant be arsed to change it back. So i went for a brand-spanking new GSA. After the tour in france earlier this year i knew i wanted one. Have a few trips planned next year so it makes sense. Plus there ist he added benefit of no chain maintenance. Maybe i'll regret it. I had my pants ripped down for the trade in price, too.

Traded it for R1250 GSA

Do you know what the Tax Payers Alliance is? (Hint, they’re not an alliance of taxpayers). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TaxPayers'_Alliance Have they cited their source? In fact, have any of the rags running these figures cited a source that isn’t the Taxpayers’ Alliance?

Are we just talking about wealth, here? Or healthcare, schooling, social etc? Because those things are absolutely obtainable.

I’m beginning to think your understanding of hypocrisy is somewhat flawed. Lynch and the RMT are asking for a pay rise in line with inflation so their members don’t face a real terms pay cut whilst the franchisees syphon enormous profits out the railway and out of the country. That’s not hypocrisy. Lynch isn’t paid by the railway franchisees that pay the salaries of his members or their bosses. He is literally elected to his role by those that pay their membership fees (the same fees that are a fraction of the uplift required to enhance pay to match inflation) to represent their interests when collectively bargaining with the franchisees. They could do as you suggested, and bin off union fees (and unions) altogether and they’d still be poorer for it (and on significantly worse terms) - but that’s just weird and illogical. You also know that the unions proposed to scrap bonus schemes and instead reinvest that money back into the railway, right? You can chuckle away all you like. Why does the fact that Brand said it make any less impactful? Because you don’t like him? Maybe I should quote the person that gave you the incorrect figure for Lynch’s salary ("six figures" - deliberately misleading… and utterly incorrect), since that’s what has you all hot and bothered, Although shame on you for having your pants ripped down by Piers Morgan of all people (the tosser). I get it, you don’t like the bloke and what he stands for, that’s fine by me, but a hypocrite he ain’t. Personally, I think he’s marvellous; has the Tories permanently tied up in knots (they don’t know how to deal with a working class bloke who can articulate) and represents his members interests brilliantly. Although, he and the RMT are avid brexiteers… so there are some flaws.

If they wanted to vote for that, they would. They haven’t. They voted Lynch to the role of general secretary with full knowledge of the pay and conditions the role carries. It’s not hypocrisy in the slightest. He’s representing his members interests, not his own.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson, a man absolutely adamant he should stay on office until a new leader is elected, has f**ked off on holiday whilst the rest of country faces the worst cost of living crisis fora generation. Wonder if he’s back at Lebedev’s sex dungeon in Italy - trading government secrets for sexual favours (again). Sunak, on the other hand, is promising to divert funds from the poorest areas in society to the wealthiest, with Truss is promising billions in unquantifiable, unfunded spending whilst simultaneously promising to target the welfare payments of the most needy in society. Like I said, radical with poor peoples money. *****, the lot of them.

Really? Can you elaborate on the hypocrisy part? You realise that Lynch was elected by his fellow members, right?

The Tories are always prepared to be radical with poor peoples money. f**k em. RMT has my full support.

Is this actually true? Does an engine really need exhaust back pressure? For what purpose?

I imagine strong gusts of wind will have more impact on your power than changing the end can.

Mine sets some poor buggers car alarm off in the work car park. It’s very obnoxious, but I can’t be arsed to put the stock pipes back on. (It also sounds amazing).