Bianco2564

Yeah, hopefully back on the road in March.

SORNed the R1

I've used unbranded tubes before on the 380 without any issue. Quick look on ebay shows Michelin tubes are available for sensible £

Fixed the wiring on the scooter. On the way home last night, just gone through Southam on an unlit A road doing about 50mph, flicked the headlight to main to be plunged into complete darkness, nothing , no headlight,dash or rear lights, aarrrggghhh. Fortunately I was only about 1/4 mile from a petrol station so carefully turned around and crept back. Found nothing obvious so rang OH and she drove out and followed me home and of course the lights worked. Took a look behind the LH side panel today where most of the wiring is and the main feed from the battery just fell apart in my hand. Glad I found something conclusive, hate intermittent electrical faults.

Earlier this week the Silverwing ticked over 60,000 miles, 10,000 of those in my possession since March last year. The bike is a 2003 so average per year is 3529 miles per year. Contrast that to my SS125, that's done 8800 miles in 50 years, about 200 of those since I bought it in 1998. Average on this is 176 miles per annum.

I'm in.

I met my wife in 1981 when I had a GT250 after that a GT380, she used to ride pillion on both. She still comments on the time one of the baffles on the 380 fell out and she had the job of holding a dirty, oily piece of Suzuki exhaust until we got home to fix it. That was then and now nearly 40 years later, she flatly refuses to go out on any of my bikes; too uncomfortable, noisy, getting blown about, forget it., I'll take the car. She loves getting a dig in when anyone asks how many bikes I've got "SIX what do you need all them for "?.? And no she doesn't stop me from going out on them or tinkering in the garage, just the odd comment when an ebay parcel arrives with more goodies.

Is the choke working ok, not sticking? Just looking at some pics of it all, do they have plastic nuts that retain the plunger mechanism? My RGV has this and they are prone to stripping the threads. As others have said sounds like an air leak, are the inlet rubbers still supple? The ones on my EXUP became almost solid,once I prised them off the engine, they wouldn't flex enough to go back on and had to replace them.

Haha, scrumping, a childhood memory that was more about the dare than eating an Apple. Do kids do that sort of thing these days, only if there is an app I suppose. I had a load of green tomatoes left over so decided to make some chutney with it, what a complete faff. Stunk the house out with chopped onion and boiling vinegar. Had to buy a load of jars to put it in. The mix was simmering in the kitchen for about 7hrs until it reached the right consistency, all to make 7 small jars of it. Does taste good though, gave a jar to my Dad and he's already finished it.

Not just sideroads either, my route to the war memorial yesterday was down the A5 and some farmer had dragged a load of mud on there. Aswell as a risk of slipping on mud but stones can get thrown up by other vehicles passing over it.

Took a ride down to a war memorial in the village of Church Stowe near Northampton and put a pair of crosses there to commemorate my two great uncles, one who died during WW1, the other shortly after in 1919.

I wouldn't worry about it, I switch between my R1 and silverwing scooter for work depending on the weather and predictably get a different response. Adventure bike riders, KTM,GS seem to be the worst , SOA types on their Harleys vary , if they are a HA or Wildhogs, sports bikes and street bikes are the most likely to acknowIedge no matter what bike im on. I even nod at small scooter riders as we all had to start somewhere but often find they don't respond, put that down to they are not expecting it and you pass, the moments gone. As regards rudeness, this forum IMO is quite light hearted joshing, the sort you get from mates, if it gets out of line the mods do step in. I'm on another forum for my car and the words said on there sometimes between long term members can be quite harsh and said with some venom, the mods on there just seem to let it go. They have banned any talk of covid, politics & religion as they can't hold a civil conversation without it descending into a mass arguement, I only join in with threads relating to factual things about the cars. Just keep doing what you like waving at other bikes, if they don't reciprocate its their loss and you are the bigger person, you never know we might cross paths one day and someone on a blue R1 or sh1tty Honda scooter will wave at you.

I made this for the RGV out of some scrap from work. Allows it to stand on end or horizontally when clamped on my workmate bench. Of course the RGV engine is tiny compared to the Trophy but scaled up with maybe a wooden face to sit the sump on?

Fireworks but the same would apply to cats,dogs etc. Don't dislike cats or dogs, just don't want the hassle or expense of owning any again. We had two cats some years ago, well the Mrs and kids did, I just stumped up the vet bills, picked up the turds in the garden, put up with cat hair everywhere, clawed doors and furniture, yelling at them to get off the settee or kitchen worktops; lots of positives really. get a dog , cats are just weird little fookers. We look after a Westie for two weeks a year and while I enjoy him being with us, the same reasons still apply for not wanting to own one, hassle and expense. He is a cute mutt and goes crazy when I get home on my bike, don't know why as I don't make much of a fuss of him or feed him or anything.

Is that pets or fireworks? Both are consumers of money and time and loved by some, loathed by others ! Cheers Ian Fireworks but the same would apply to cats,dogs etc. Don't dislike cats or dogs, just don't want the hassle or expense of owning any again. We had two cats some years ago, well the Mrs and kids did, I just stumped up the vet bills, picked up the turds in the garden, put up with cat hair everywhere, clawed doors and furniture, yelling at them to get off the settee or kitchen worktops; lots of positives really.

I dislike buying them because they are a waste of money, might aswell set fire to a pile of £20 notes.

Guy in a big red rumbly V8 Merc, he wasn't driving like a nob but must have felt like one after dealing his ego a blow with the Silverwing. On my way home last night, pull up at a set of lights at a major crossroads in Rugby. Two lanes, both can go straight over and it funnels back to one lane after about 150m. The Merc pulls up beside me at the front of the queue, lights change and I pin it. I can hear the V8 accelerate but I'm in front up to about 45mph before he has to pull in behind me Accept I might have caught him on the hop and he wasn't expecting a shonky old scooter to challenge him, but a win is a win

I'd go for a Toyota Hilux. My Dad had one from new in 1993 and it was so reliable, never touched the engine apart from servicing in 150k miles. Still on the same clutch when he sold it 2 years ago. I know its only fun but check out the Top Gear show trying to crash, burn, crush and drown a Hilux and it still started and drove.

I use Carole Nash, got 4 bikes on one policy.

With regards to covid I'd say I'm coping quite well. As I'm in a medium risk group I've been taking precautions from day one wearing masks, hand sanitizer etc when out shopping, also Mrs B has been on my case for social distancing. I was furloughed for 4.5 months from mid March which took some getting used to being at home all that time but me and OH got on with it and did a load of jobs around the home. I was slightly concerned as time went by and some of my team went back to work ( I'm a supervisor of a group of 8) and I didn't get the call up that would my job be safe? Then redundancies were announced, about 15% of the workforce were going, I had an anxious Monday waiting for a phone call but it never came. We are in the fortunate position of no mortgage ,no debts and reasonably secure with pension and assets so if I did get laid off I could take early retirement at a push. At worst I'd find a easy job nearer home for a couple more years until I hit 60. But for now I'm going to just carry on with work and see how it all pans out. What does cause me stress, is the reason I'm in a medium risk group is I have a kidney disease called IGA nephritis, something in my blood causing a gradual blocking of the kidneys. Nothing can be done to stop it, just slow it down by keeping my blood pressure under control and diet management. Ultimately I will need dialysis or transplant which isn't too far away, I'm currently at 19% kidney capacity and undergoing what the docs call "working up" to the next stage of treatment. Mrs has said she will be a donor for me, we are not a match but you can do a paired or 3 way swap with other people in the same boat. I'm really grateful for her offering this but worry about the risk she would be at for this major surgery. She's also said if I had a transplant I should give up riding as the donor kidney is fitted in your side below the protection of the rib cage, she thinks if I came off the bike it would vulnerable the injury which is a fair point. She has said I can have a better car, as if the M3 isn't enough Add to that my Grandad, uncle and Mum all died from cancer and my older brother has Myeloma ,that's always at the back of my mind.

I've been tinkering with both cars and bikes since I was about 12 and am quite comfortable working on either. Would be at home setting the points, timing, valve clearances and SU carbs on the Triumph Spitfire? that Fastbob posted to rebuilding the engine on my RGV or fitting a new steering rack on my Dads Rav4. Had a couple of French cars, Citroen and Peugeot and know they can be tricky, try doing a cam belt on a 206 GTI 180, there's about an inch between the chassis leg and belt cover, the back of my hands were skinned after finishing it :

The range and top speed would work for me on my commute, 56 mile round trip and max 50mph limit all the way, which of course i always stick to But €12700, not a frikkin hope.

I have a pair of these, use them to ride the scooter to work, big enough to comfortably fit over my work trousers,also got knee armour. Never had an issue with rain getting in and I have ridden in some torrential rain, the scoots bodywork does offer some protection but fairly confident they would be good on a normal bike. I also have an RST jacket which is 100% waterproof. https://www.motocentral.co.uk/rst-aramid-heavy-duty-ce-textile-trouser-slate.html

Why look for one bike that will suit all you want, for £4k you could pick up two.. I have a 2001 R1 for good days and a ratty but mechanically sound Honda silverwing scooter for wet weather. Paid £1800 for R1 and £750 for the scooter. TBH though I wouldn't take either in icy weather, just know when to quit and take the car.

And the pilot's name? Fluke pic I took about 3 years ago near Banbury. I was passenger in a van as I saw it approaching, whipped the phone out and snapped this pic with it perfectly framed in the pylon.