S-Westerly

I start the engine before I push the bike backwards up to the point where I can turn and ride away. A couple of minutes? At a long stop on a railway crossing I'll switch off to save fuel and if its a warm day to stop my arse catching fire. As I live at the end of a narrow cul de sac don't think I'm likely to be pulled by any officious git and all the pushing and idling is on private land anyway.

Gloucestershire isn't much better especially on minor roads.

I'm sure I've said this before but - I REALLY, REALLY HATE YOU!!!!. Nice pic though. Wish I was there.

Given the cost of my bike I think I'd prefer to use something a tad less hedged about with warnings as to suitability or otherwise!

I'd like them more if they were not Chinese.

That's really got your attention. Should mods be worried that you are suddenly going to start boggling them?!

At least your weather is better and you can go and do something without risking being pulled up by plod.

Well I'll have to check my diary but I think - yep it's bloody ground hog day again. I'll be doing the same as last weekend! How amazing, what a surprise! I can hardly wait.

I had been planning to ride somewhere for the hell of it. The weather forecast lied. Its now raining and foggy. Karma for being a naughty man?

There used to be a multistorey carpark in Liverpool not to far from the old Exchange Station and for all I know it's still there. Its actually two carparks which are mirror images and I was convinced someone had nicked the car as I couldn't see it anywhere. Some kind soul pointed me to a doorway which led to the sister building and there it was. Pre mobile phone days so I hadn't actually contacted anyone just lots of fulminations about low life thieving bast*rds etc.

If it was me and my bike it would be 4 times that.

On occasion my satnav has taken me on some "interesting " roads which on balance I'd have preferred to avoid. Its also taken me on many really good roads and like any electronic device there is a large degree of "garbage in, garbage out". If I'm roaming an area its useful for when I want to finally get to my destination and just key it in and ask for fastest route.

I'd want evidence of insurance and a cash deposit so huge you'd almost need to buy the bike. In a phrase "no f**king way Jose".

Exactly, I'm in Gloucestershire so I can be in Wales in about 30 minutes. Could even get my haircut! Totally barmy.

Nice bike! But I still won't drink Irn Bru. Once tasted never (unfortunately) forgotten.

One of the more disgusting drinks to ever be invented. Closely followed by Red Bull.

GPS on the bike every time. I use a Tom-tom one and it's clear and easy provided you set it up right. Mine has coverage for the whole of Europe assuming I ever go back there. Not sure about roaming charges becoming more expensive as some non European destinations are equally cheap. Most phone providers have said they will stick with the status quo. Obviously this is subject to change

I've always fancied Georgia and that's just over the border. A bit wild west but wine is good and cheap too.

Actually my local forecast is looking good for the next week or so. Now if only we could get the mud off the roads. To my humiliation I got burned off by a 4 wheel drive Merc while I was slithering around on mud. The shame of it.

I thought that was standard? Certainly it was offered to me at no extra cost with red for right and blue for left which seems a bit ass backwards to me but at least I can tell them apart.

WTF was the coach driver thinking?! The biker handled it really well and managed to avoid being killed so a winner for him. Suspect his trousers may have needed attention afterwards.

There's a book called "Poorly Made in China" which explains an awful lot. Even things made in Europe often have components made elsewhere, not necessarily in China.

These are custom ear plugs made from a mould. They aren't too expensive by the standard of custom plugs (£85 for the filtered version) and provide 30 dB of sound protection. The cost of the mould is not included and will vary depending on where you get it done. Having tested them I can say they are the most comfortable plugs I've used and are effective at providing a decent amount of hearing protection. Recommended.

My gear all lives in the cupboard under the stairs except my helmet which lives on top of a coat-stand in the kitchen. There's a sofa in there too which is handy for sitting on when I put on my boots.

Rode from Stroud to Banbury and back mainly on B roads for no reason other than I felt like it. Weather was good but roads were as busy as normal depending on the actual road I was on. Lots of potholes, gravel and mud but generally good stuff.