bonio

@KiwiBob Nice! Looks really tidy, and a great colour scheme.

Like here ...

It does mention it - at least it says on the wife's.

So I toddled along to the vaccination place to ask for an AZ vaccine yesterday. I'd the idea that I might be able to blag myself an early second jab and be fully kosher before the 4th. The nurse asked me loads of questions, like which arm, have I had any symptoms, am I allergic to stuff and so on and on and on. She then asked if I had any questions, and I wanted to know if the vaccine was Covishield (the AZ vaccine manufactured India) as the EU aren't accepting it a proper vaccine, so it's no use to me for travelling. This was a bit new to the nurse, but she kindly bustled off and showed me the packaging, but even so it wasn't clear where it had been made. And then this is the moment when Fate intervened. Out of the blue she suddenly asked me, "Are you on a covid trial?". And like a fool I said "yes, but no actually, no, I've withdrawn, so no not at all", but this news sent her into a bit of a panic, and after a lot of questions and a lot of words on her part that boiled down to, "I don't know what to do", she decided she wouldn't vaccinate me at all. But rather than saying *she wouldn't vaccinate me, she said she'd ask around for me to find out what to do, and she eventually fired off an email to Public Health England asking what they advised. In other words, she's going to wait until someone else steps up to take the blame for vaccinating me or not. But of course no-one in PHE is going to put themselves in that role. No worries, I thought to myself, there are loads of vaccination clinics around. Try again at another place. So I made myself an appointment somewhere else for today. And I was prepped: "Are you on a covid trial?" "A trial? No, not me guv". I'd get it right this time. This morning, though, I see from the NHS app that the nurse has added everything to my NHS notes, how I was on a trial, how I've withdrawn from it, and then all her doubts about what to do, including how she's waiting on a reply from PHE. So I'm sunk. With that in my notes, no-one's going to vaccinate in this country me ever ever ever. No-one's going to touch me. It would all be a bit sad if it wasn't so funny. Some random question popped into the nurse's head, and I blurted out too much information, and now I'm effectively banned from travelling abroad, like someone from Soviet Russia. Funny old life.

To get home from the place we stay at in Germany is 450 miles for me, 25 miles of these are taken care of by the Tunnel, so 425 miles of riding, mainly on motorways or dual carriageways. It's a bit brutal, fine for a last day blast to get home, but too knackering to make it the first day of a riding holiday. But perhaps you're young and feisty and can take it in your stride

Why don't you offer to go to see the car this weekend? Chances are that it suddenly moves to Fair Isle.

@Gerontious is your go-to dead sheep guy.

@megawatt's used it, but I don't think he comes by this way anymore...

My (old-school) 2d: Take regular breaks, even if you don't feel you need it. Keep dry, don't get cold. A decent screen can make a long ride a lot more comfortable. I don't get bum-ache (well only after a full day on the DRZ), but if you do, you can improve the seat, or get half a dead sheep to throw over it.

I'd never heard of PDL until some guy on an MV group on Facebook was going on about it, like it was as magical as unicorn pee. On the website, it's the same message: just use PDL to lube your chain once and you'll never have to lube it or clean it again. Ever. The chain won't even need adjusting. Just spray it on, and your chain transmutes into the One Archetypal Platonic Chain in the Mystical Heaven. Or words to that effect: https://www.profi-products.de/en/pdl-dry-lube/ But is it really that good?

Well done @Fish!!

To be honest, you're asking for quite a lot for your budget. Bikes that are comfortable two up, and on tour, aren't always the best on a summer's evening blast. It sounds like you're after something like an R1200GS, but the budget isn't going to stretch that far. You might want to try a Tiger 800 XR; some of the older ones are coming in at around £4500. Or an older model like a Tiger 1050. You could also consider a Z1000SX - the ergos are less sporty than the VFR and the 2011 models are now in your price bracket. Make sure you get the OEM panniers in the deal. As for the bikes you mention, the F800GT is a good, versatile bike (and the GT too, with the added benefit of an elastic band instead of a chain) but I think it's a tad lacklustre. It's not that it hasn't got loads of power; it just delivers it in a very reliable, competent, responsible way. The Sprints are great bikes, perhaps a tad heavy in turning, but they could do you proud. And while it's strictly true that you don't need the power, you will often be really pleased it's there.

Good idea that - try every dealer in the land. Your local dealer will honour the Kwak guarantee. Failing that, perhaps it's time to look around for secondhand ones. From what I've heard heard, covid has made bikes - new or secondhand - hard to find, and as a result secondhand prices are holding firm.

Been wondering about one too. Where did you get yours from?

You need to find out how much current alternator produces continuously (there are usually two figures, one is continuous, the other is peak). Should be in the manual, or if not a bike-specific forum will likely have the answer) Then add up how much current draw you already have for * headlamp * tail lamp * heated grips * and any other accessories (e.g. sat nav) (I wouldn't include indicators or brake lights, as these only come on occasionally) Subtract the drawn current from the available current, and you have what's still available. Leave 0.5A - 1A margin to be safe. Check the available current against the specced current draw for the lamps.

Hi Andy. You know about the Meldreth show? If not, just go. The show itself is so-so, but 1000s of bikes go along and it's worth it just to see them all. There's food to be had, and if the weather's dry it's a great evening. This year it's July 21st, starts at 6:30. http://roystonmotorcycleclub.co.uk/the-club-show/

Just found this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-57720739 which highlights the issue. It might be sorted out by September, but it's been dragging on for while now with no signs of progress.

Mine doesn't show up on the NHS app. All I have is a piece of paper, which probably won't take me much further than Folkestone.

Now I just need them to decide to accept my vaccine.

Fitted the new indicator unit. Put the old one aside as an emergency spare.

Haha. A speedy cure.

Doing ok, mate, ta. Still tired, and wishing I could pee rather than dribble after I've put my tools away . But doing fine. How 'bout you? Any improvement? Or still off your head and looking at adv bikes ?

Happy birthday @dynax.

Krazy Horse is a dangerous place, @Mr Fro. I know from experience

Happy birthday, Joe