Kenyun

I needed a ride out today after yesterdays massive Christmas dinner, not much traffic about so free to hoon around some twisties in Leicesterhire. The old Fazer and me today, have now clocked just over 185,000 miles together from new. A bit cold but the Fazer loves winter rides.

Yes I remember Westgate road very well, the "greasy spoon cafe" on a Saturday morning, a big plate of pie, chips and curry, the best cure for a Friday night hangover ever! I would frequent the "Hill" most Saturdays from 1970 till the mid 1980s [when I moved away], checking out all the bikes and meeting up with "me marra's". I'd call in to Ken's bike shop just to chat with Jim, [when he was just a salesman!]. In those days I rode a Triumph 500 and 2 Bonnevilles, but in '78 I bought my first Japanese bike, from Kawasaki Newcastle at the bottom of the hill, it was the only way I could sell/partex my immaculate '67 Bonnie [no-one else wanted it] against a new Z650c, followed by a new Z1R in 1980, which cost £1860 on the road! Wish I'd kept that bike, they didn't handle well [needed frame braced] and the brakes were crap due to part cable part hydraulic operation, but I loved it!! On a nice day there would be hundreds of bikers visiting the many accessory and motorcycle shops or passing through on their way to the coast or Jedborough, Halcyon days when biking seemed inexpensive, petrol and tyres were cheap and a bikes mileage was unimportant!!!