Trooper74

The process of getting the bike uncovered, unlocked, manoeuvred through 90 deg, to face the road. Move car from end of path. Followed by overtrousers, boots, jacket, glasses, wallet, phone. Then out to the bike, ride to road ... back in to get helmet, ear plugs, neck wrap, gloves. Out to bike, start .. ear plugs and neck wrap applied, helmet on , gloves on ...... ride ......... Absolute minimum 20 mins ... usually 30 ..... But I'm worth it ..........

And here is the next of the next generation .. Molly at Squires Cafe this morning ... loves her rides out on the Strom. Not a happy bunny that big bruv is going to the IOM TT with me this year instead of her. Is convinced he will drop out, he won't .... he better not .....

Booked the Strom in to have it's valves done... This is the biggest service on the Strom and once done the engine can go for 50k miles before it needs doing again .. £558 Why ?, the access to the cylinder heads is terrible, half the bike need to be dismantled to get access. The price includes oil and filter change, air filter change, fresh coolant. The dealer Mechanic doing the work is also an owner and rider of the same year Strom and well experienced at doing the task. To finance the work i've sold one of my MZ 125 restoration projects, it will cover 75% of the cost, free up shed space, and allow some actual progress on the other 2 ... maybe ... I'm 65 next birthday and am becoming more and more focused on riding than restorations. I've rebuilt 16 bikes in the last 20 years to "oily rag", MOT'd, back on the road status. I've been spannering since i was 10, ( I invented the Skateboard !! ), Bicycles, fast jets, motorcycles, cars, ... trains .... now I just want to ride ......

Thanks Ian ...

I'll give them a call.

Can anyone here in merrie England recommend a dealer / mechanic for doing the valve clearances here in the UK .... ? I'm in Sheffield but happy to travel for a good job, well done ?

Thats the point .. i can't fine one ...

Well, what about a 125 enduro type bike ... the reality is i want a high enduro style daily ride to commute 20 miles on b roads ... and occasional forest track rides..

There's one on ebay for £4k+ .... thats what i paid for the V-Strom from a dealers .... it's nice though ....

I want to buy a 125 to 250 road legal enduro bike. Must have lights. I'm going to fit a smaller rear sprocket and use it as my daily ride ... My big V-Strom as a touring bike / weekend ride ... Any recommendations that are actually available .... Anyone got one for sale ? 2 Stroke friendly home .... but 4 stroke is probably more sensible for a daily ride ... Cash waiting ...... £3k max ......

well ... you sort of got me there .... i've never actually eaten there, I see lots of people eating there ... chatting and eating stuff ..... they all seem happy .... I'll add a rider .... "may contain food" .... Maybe explains why there was no queue in the cafe while the car park was packed ....

This is Squires Cafe, Sherburn -in - Elmet, Yorkshire, today just after noon. Nothing special about the crowd, normally this big .. except when it rains ... but i'm usually there on my way to other destinations .... good food , Sunday lunch, curry and chips .... all good. From Easter onward there's often a photographic company set up at the entrance ... they take everyones photo and you can buy a copy for a few quid... It was good to see a load of youngsters with " L" plates on their bikes mixing with the grey haired crowds ..... And when it rains ............ My Himalayan .....

Because you can't do 100mph into a sweeping left hander with the sun at your back on the way to the cafe / coast / girlfriend / mistress .... et al.

But still a fraction of motor car insurance for an 18 year old on a 250 trail bike.

Dry day here in South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire so a morning ride out the the Willingham Cafe to the east of Market Rasen seemed a good idea. 9 deg c, dry, so jeans today instead of the armoured, padded bike trousers. It was early when i arrived at the cafe, 20 - 30 bikes there and a chat with a few guys ensued ... Then you realise all the riders are white males over 60 !! Now white male is fine, 45% of the UK population are white male .... but over 60 !! Where are all the young motorcyclists ???? When I left the cafe i headed to the now defunct RAF Binbrook. The last home of the Lightning Fighter and where all our Tornados where destroyed by scrap merchants. I served for 25 years in the Royal Air Force,( Nimrod, Phantom FGR2 / F4J, Tornado GR4 .. Flightline Airframes Engineer ) when it was a force with hundreds of fighters and thousands of pilots and engineers ..... Now, 60 war ready Typhoons and 6 F-35's .... Putin must be trembling in the Kremlin .... trembling with laughter ...! Always sad to revisit a base that you remember as full of life and noise to find it boarded up and empty ...

lol lol

Perspective is required for this ... During the period 1984 to 1998 i averaged 26,000 miles a year on the motorbike .... I commuted (Sheffield to Norwich ) 4 days a week. Travelled on holidays and, although i had use of a car, used the bike .... all year round.

1.Head on 40mph collision with a Volvo 240, uninjured, bike wrecked, police found me screaming at driver and beating the f**k out of the car - denting every panel, when they arrived. Driver said sorry, well, he was on my side of the road !! Straight road. 2.Hit the back of HGV because i wasn't watching where i was going ... slightly bent forks ..straightened satis. Yes, scantily clad young girls in summer. DOH! 3.Fell asleep on the A14 near Ipswich rolled up embankment, fell off and .... woke up ... bike and me undamaged. Police car on scene helped me get bike back to road and shared their flask of coffee with me

Rode to work today .... cold crisp winters morning , just 24 miles mostly motorway ,,,, in jeans ,,,, wasn't too bad. Top end warm enough, feet warm .... legs ..... nicely frozen lol ... New light came on the dash for the first time .... a snowflake .... means under 4 deg c, alledgley... modern bikes eh !

Suggestions please ...

Old-codger ....... Just small amounts of bright blood mixed in with my urine .... on the paper when i wipe .... all is well but NEVER NEVER ignore it ....

OOOHHHHH GOD IT HURTS !! I've just had a camera up my uretha to help diagnose me for bladder cancer ..... Second time in 8 months..... ! First time, nice German doctor, local anaesthetic, 2 mature nurses handling the tackle. Today ... nice British Asian doctor, NO ANAESTHETIC, 2 young nurses, not as old as my boots, handling the tackle. God my willy hurts !! Talk about pissing broken glass. However ... cancer free, prostrate normal, kidneys and liver fine .. result !!! God, my willy hurts .....................

Watched some TT stuff with the GD

Screen Buffeting on V-Stroms .... Todays issue. So ..Before cutting the original screen down i found a Powerbronze short screen on the interweb ..... on first ride, a dash along the local motorway the buffet seemed to have disappeared. Today i want for a longer ride, through the Peak District. Not only no buffet but a much quieter and pleasant riding experience .... fantastic bit of kit...

Totally understand .... i'm like that when Jules is watching "Jane the Virgin" .....