oldgrump

December 1974, can't remember how much it was, bike was a Suzuki T200 Invader, test centre was in Parkstone and a figure of 8, cold and wet!!! Examiner jumped out in front of me for the Emergency stop on 2nd lap, nearly slid into him. 3 questions on the Highway Code, out and back home inside 30mins. Car test was quite a lot of money, and that was in October 2010 at the age of 56, first year into retirement

Cheers @Mawsley, I was keeping that back until I saw what else people submitted, only live 2.5miles from there, now will have to try to find something else

Hi @Stu, Cheers for the GPX file, hopefully this year I might get it downloaded, as I said before crap on computers. And @Hoggs, cheers for the Tag's, The only one which is a problem for me, is Home of Charles Darwin!! It's in the ULEZ zone, and my heap of a bike ain't allowed without paying!!!!!

Cheers for all the replies guys, think I'm just going to bite the bullet and grab a 9 litre Draper cleaner. And @Interference Fit, yes not really to clean the outsides, just the pilot side drilling's mainly, the VTR1000 is bad, been stood since 2009!! And really gummed up. The 2 other Honda's CB750F2 and CBR400 not to bad, but 750 could do with a deep clean. As for the Kawasaki Z650B1, why does someone buy a bike without it running, because the owner showed him a video of it running!!!! Only needs a battery sir!! YEA!! Anyway cheers for all the information

Hi, Just wondered if any of you have a Ultrasonic bench cleaner. And if so what make and how good is it. And how reliable it's been. Just I have about 5 bikes with bloody carb problems and carb cleaners aren't working!!! So thinking about buying a unit, and wondered if anyone had previous brought one. Cheers

Hiya @Hoggs, Please can I have 53 .

Hi @Simon Davey, as @Gerontious say's I would go the MRA route, I personally can't ride a Honda VFR800 with a Flip screen, the last VFR came with a MRA screen and I just could't get on with it. And I sold it on eBay, quite easily. The same as a double bubble screen fitted to the VFR, no chance, in fact this year had to change the screen and brought a Powerbronze standard one. And as what's been said above, it's all about how you sit on the bike, your height etc etc. Always keep the standard screen just in case you find you can't get on with it when you do a long run!!

Good evening, well I had the misfortune to be run into today, by a cyclist!!! On the pavement in the middle of Stratford upon Avon xmas market of all places!!! I didn't say anythink, one look from her was enough, either pissed or stoned . But trying to cycle among the stalls?? Why, never mind on the way to the pub now for a few drinks

I get alot of those, this 2002 VTR1000 turned up from Southampton the other day, luckily I normally only have to get motor's running, 2002 model with 6500miles been stored since 2009, near mint condition, mind you still has original front tyre date stamped 2001!!!!!

Hi @teo63, probably be a year before I could even work out how to load 1 photo on to map!!! But good on you looks good

More cold than damp, must be getting old never use to feel this cold on the bike. Anyway @Hoggs, thank you for another excellent year of getting out and having fun!!!!! Hopefully you will find time to put together another one for next year, and I look forward to the 31st December. But I think we are done for this year, can't see us using the bike much now until next year

Hi @rennie, not sure they have finalised the scores yet as Zarco now 2nd, Binder now 3rd, and Di Giantantonio now 4th from what I heard!! Tyre pressure ruling!!!

Back from a rather chilly Wales . last of the AA boxes 289. North Wales #14 Dolgoch Holiday's, #15 Cadair Viewpoint. South Wales. #3 Lisburne Metal Mine Waterwheel. #4 Pen y Garreg Car Park. #5 Quackers.

Trouble with me I'm never home much, and normally have to hope box record's ITV4 highlights, and then I forget to change team!!!!

At the beginning of the year I asked @Hoggs, to include the AA boxes I missed last year, so we thought we better get off our arses and complete them, so 1 today on a 3 day trip to Wales, and probably last run of the year .

Long ride today AA box 372.

Go for C, then get ready, and when she asks you are you ready, just say yes, and by the way also did the garage roof this morning sweetheart. Might get a few filthy looks during the day

Hope not, land at Bristol close to 11, de-icer is in kitchen at home .

Good morning, It was nice while it lasted but flying home tonight after 11 days of this

Words fail me!!!! Why the hell would you even think about sticking this on YouTube?? Never watched it all, just bits but @ 46.51 What's this bit for!!!!! And why the hell use a Drill to undo and do up bolts on a motorcycle!! Especially in the fork area! I can now see why I packed my business up! Got fed up with guy's watching YouTube and bringing shit to be repaired! Mind you still can't help myself, had a ZXR600 in the other month, he had stripped sump plug, then decided to remove sump, and snapped bolts holding sump on! So Helicoils to the tune of 6 required, couldn't be bothered to take engine out!

Hi @husoi, HEL do a kit for the ST1300, and if you know anyone who go's to the BSB meetings, get them to check out the HEL stand, at Cadwell the other year I brought 2 set's of lines for the VFR's, Can't remember how much they were then for each set, but got both set's for around £530, making a whopping saving! Set now is £400 + £40 for Clutch line. Ended up flogging one set on eBay. But if not in rush for lines see next year if you can get a price from stand.

Well I must admit, I was going to change 1 of my riders and actually did it, but forgot to confirm!!!! As it was glad I didn't confirm, but did forget to put Bezzecchi back into Gold team. Anyway have made my change's etc for next race, as I'll be on our winter holiday. Hopefully will try to watch highlights of last weekend's race before we go.

Hi @husoi, is it a Optical illusion, but those piston look a tad on the long side, especially the far right!! And I know you haven't started fitting them yet, but still look a tad long??

Making the most of the weather last week. East Midlands. #6 The Granary at Fawsley. South Wales. #1 Hills. #2 The Copper Kettle Tea Room's. And the last South West England. #15 Farleigh Hungerford Castle.

Hi @Joe85, I'm with @bonio on this get rid of the fuel first before trying to start it!!! I find Harleys will start on old fuel, but most modern bike's hate it, and if it's been in tank a long time can do damage when trying to start. Last year a guy down the road brought his Blackbird up, been sat a few years, the fuel had taken out the fuel pressure regulator, for some reason, had to take the injectors out as well to clean them. I left my other Vfr800 with fuel in it for 2 years, when I went to use it the Rubber unit around Fuel pump in tank had melted!!!!!! Came out in a moulded lump, managed to save pump. But I would really open tank and check that fuel, or get it out before starting, they can be serious expensive if thing's go wrong.