Jurgen Da Silva

thanks for that - I will do. Fingers crossed I'll not have to do another one. so the speedos now sorted and the slow puncture on the front's sorted (ultraseal's much better than going everywhere with a footpump in a daysack ) I wonder what's next?

bought a secondhand complete speedo drive from ebay for around £15 all in (quoted 80 odd quid for a new one). Fitted it, pushed the bike off it's centre stand and heard "click, click" as the two lugs broke off the top off the worm gear - bu88er, back to the drawing board It's now sporting a digital bicycle speedo (Cateye Velo 5) (around £12.50 all in off ebay). Works like a dream thanks to everyone who's put a write-up of using these things on motorbikes on t'internet.

cheers Frankie, it's a 95 CB two fifty. I think it will probably come down to a replacement speedo drive, but it just seems such a waste for the sake of a plastic washer thing.

is Dumfries the place where the rain wets you twice - once on the way down, then again as it bounces back up to waist height?

Just remember that leather does shrink. Over the years I've had a couple of jackets which fit fine to start with then got too tight to zip up. Shrinkage. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it

ah well, it's time to embarrass myself with a shocking display of mechanical knowledge, but here goes........ I took the bike out of the shed yesterday after not using her for around a week. I took her out for a short run and noticed the speedo wasn't working. I checked the speedo cable which was in order and then checked the speedo drive. The white plastic washer thing (technical, eh?) in there had a couple of lumps broken out of it which appeared to be the cause of the problem. Are the 'white plastic washer things' sold individually or would I have to buy a complete replacement speedo drive? If that was the case my inner cheapskate would likely come to the surface and I'd be tempted to think about bodging a bicycle computer on as a stop gap. Any thoughts and helpful tips appreciated (and derision and pi** taking anticipated )

congrats and big grins all 'round

nah, I just wear 'em and the massive levels of testosterone I give off as a big hairy chested biker make even the stiffest leather supple

maybe braces? (the ones with the metal clips on the ends which fasten onto the waistband)

right - off you go and get some oil, grime and dead flies on your kit. Enjoy

real bikers don't clean their leathers. We don't even spit the flies out - just swallow 'em

Well done and all the best for the next bit. Whatever do you mean by no more U turns? Don't you realise that so much time is devoted to this indispensible skill, because it's a vital part of our repertoire as riders and one which we use every time we're out on the bike? No, me either - the test was the last time I did one

another one now - there's me in Lossie