Trooper74

057 ....... not 57 ... please. And this year i'll actually be able to participate .... retirement is creeping up on me at last ..... 2 of our lovely 4 children are back with their parents, 1 is now a qualified Engineer doing his thing .... and our weekend only 5 year old is still a joy .... but only for 24 hours a week .... Time to play ....

No K in Fec .....

Update .... £30 for me and the lad to get into the Classic bike show ... !!!! No way Hose A ..... I think a whizz out to the lay-by cafe at Market Rasen will be the days trip ....

Chain tension on the V-Strom .... nothing simpler ... ? Don't have a 24mm socket ... every size known to man but 24 mm ... off to Tool Station. Get home, realise the socket is 1/2 drive all my kit is 3/8 ... off to Tool Station. New ratchet handle, new socket, axle loosened off, chain tension set Tighten up slack in axle, get new torque wrench out of box, it's 3/8 drive i cant find a 1/2 - 3/8 adaptor anywhere .... off to f**king Tool Station. I'm a professional Engineer, one that started on the tools ... this was the worst planned, simple job, i've started in years ...... But all is now well and weekend trips to the Classic Bike show at Newark and a visit to the Sand Racing at Mablethorpe beckon.

So up at 0700hrs. Holiday not a work day, so a lay in. Remove cover, unlock bike and lube chain ..it lives outdoors .. Coffee and biscuits, feed dog, feed fish, switch on heating, take meds ... Dress .. Riding through Doncaster then on to Selby and up into the Wolds at Pocklington ( Refuel ), good mix of fast A roads and twisty B roads, then on to Seaways Cafe at Fridaythorpe .... The wind. The 20mph wind. The Tail wind ! 7-9 deg C, comfortable in the Cordura and body armour shell jacket and trousers. I wear cycle bib tights under the motorbike kit ... super comfy... Baked beans with toast and a hot chocolate later we're off ... York then to Leeds to drop some small Xmas pressies off to Julies big Brother .... The wind. The head wind. The cross wind ... THE NOISE !! THE BUFFETING !! For the first ride in probably 45 years i don't have ear plugs in .... all mine have disappeared ( tidied up Julie ?? ). Black tea, shark fin, at big bruvs and off home down the A1.. The bloody wind !! But a great day out .. 168 miles of fun .... The Honda Transalp next to my bike is bristling with small but brilliant mods .. a real go anywhere motorbike.

Tomorrow morning ... Rotherham to Seaways Cafe Fridaythorpe 7th Jan .. Rotherham to Classic bike show Newark. 8th Jan .. Rotherham Mablethorpe beach racing No motorways, so L plates very welcome ... as always ... Leaving Morrisons at Junction 1 M18 0900 - 0930 hrs ... I'm the bloke on the red V-Strom ..

Tomorrow morning ... Rotherham to Seaways Cafe Fridaythorpe 7th Jan .. Rotherham to Classic bike show Newark. 8th Jan .. Rotherham Mablethorpe beach racing No motorways, so L plates very welcome ... as always ... Leaving Morrisons at Junction 1 M18 0900 - 0930 hrs ... I'm the bloke on the red V-Strom ..

I used to commute 140 miles each way to work all year round on the motorbike from Sheffield to Dereham in Norfolk. I would set off at 0430hrs each day and arrive at the Mess about 0730hrs. In winter I would often stop outside the Mess main entrance and a member of the household staff would bring me a cup of coffee out to my bike ... with me frozen to the seat !! Half the coffee was drunk, Thank you Ladies, the other half was poured into my crotch to un freeze me ....

This Thursday 29th ... Rotherham to Seaways Cafe Fridaythorpe. No motorways. 0900 - 1000hrs start 7th January ... Rotherham to Classic Bike Show Newark. No motorways. 0900hrs start. 8th January ... Rotherham to Mablethorpe Beach Racing. No motorways, 0900hrs start. These are my plans, anyone want to join me ? No motorways so anyone on an L plate very welcome. I may have my grandson on pillion. Suzuki 650 Strom.

Normous Newark Autojumble with my oldest grandson (19) after dropping off my youngest grandson ( 5 ) with his mummies after his weekly sleepover with us. Modern families eh!

The gable end of a house in Kilcooley Estate .. just a mile from my childhood home ... There are many more throughout the Province.

The effect of the deaths at the Somme of the Ulster regiments led to years and years of tragedy in the province after the war. Such was the death toll that when WW2 started there was a tiny take up in volunteers .... there weren't enough men left. I’m sure it was the same in the Durham area. Over 2000 Ulstermen died on the 1st July at the Somme alone ..... The deaths are unthinkable in the field of modern warfare. Although the war in Ukraine is shaping up for WW1 levels of fatalities. Just back from the Cenotaph, good crowd, but why the service has 2 sung hymns in it I never understand ..... The English Don’t Sing !

I’m David, my father was David, my son is David, my cousin is David .... We are all named for my Great Uncle .... David died aged 19, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. “Forward, they cried, from the rear, and the front rank died ....." The Men of Ulster where thrown into hell and their lives discarded by staff officers in the rear.

And here we are again. Another year goes by and the medals come out for a polish. Another day of grandad being left to be quiet, if he wants, as he gets a bit emotional. To the Cenotaph in town, with the grandchildren some years. Tomorrow it will be on the VStrom with my grandson. We did Ride To The Wall this year, that was a hard day. Comrades lost, coffins carried (full of sandbags), friends remembered. My wars ? Northern Ireland, Falkland Islands and GW1. To all Veterans, of all wars and all those that have served; Respect.

Has anyone been able to register for the 2023 event .... supposed to open today at 0900hrs but I can’t seem to find a way to register

Got this pic this morning ... New Triumph ??

Rode it home from Macclesfield this afternoon through the Peaks .... It’s an absolute joy to ride .... love it ... Whatever I do the image appears on here upside down ???

2016 650 .........

I bought this today .......

Complete bike with spare engine and loads of spares and new bits ... Ideal restoration project ,,, trust me, i’ve done 12 of them with these bikes. could deliver ..ish .... Come and have a look ... Rotherham £500 ovno

I cleaned the huge amount of bird poo off the bike !!!!!!!

Like the vast majority I would not be caught dead buying my picture at Squires .... You wait until you get home ...lol

I do hope your being paid for the advertising for Oxford ?

I went to Squires Cafe. I was going to take my granddaughter (12) with her new kit ..helmet, gloves, jacket etc ...she was so excited ... so excited it seems that calling her mother a bitch and her sister (11) a slag she had forgotten about consequences .... Grounded ! No ride out with grandad ... serves her right ... So i went by myself ... pleasant 3 hours on the bike ...

So.. with a too low a saddle on the Himalayan we now have an even lower seat !! Where did they find the 5”7” test rider ..... Certainly the UK and EU demographic is for taller adults ... I’ll stick to my Himma with the swimming float bungeed to the seat ... The sausage roll was just temporary ..