Steve_M

Long back story cut short. I started stripping my VFR down a couple of years ago when we moved house, expecting to have time to make it roadworthy. Unfortunately seriously underestimating just how much work was needed on the house meant I just don?t have any time to work on it. Pre-strip down it was a good runner but wouldn’t pass an MoT due to leaking forks, leaking oil pipes and a previously notified leaking rocker cover. Cosmetically it was also in pretty rough condition (I’m not really selling this well am I). I’m looking for £400 for spares or repair, collect from near Brampton, Cumbria. I’ll post photos when I get opportunity

We’ve been to Gresgarth Hall gardens today. We were looking forward to a nice quiet stroll around there. As gardeners it was really a superb place to visit. As a motorcyclist it was bloody annoying with all the pillocks with loud exhausts riding past.

I may have just committed to buying a Suzuki SV650S. I know the seller who is definitely reliable, and it has been serviced by a guy who used to service my bikes before I relocated 250 miles away. Which is just as well since I’m buying it having seen it once three years ago (and recent photos) and have never ridden on. I believe we have a couple of people knowledgeable about these things. Are there any obvious pitfalls with buying this model of bike?

Having done three two-up tours and numerous weekends away on one I have to concede that’s a good bike. Beware of the front going light when fully loaded two up and accelerating “firmly”. oh, and you may need to wear platform soles shoes to see into the top box (I’m 5’ 10” and found it a bit high).

Odd. I often forgot there was a 6th gear on my VFR800. Speaking of which, why 1000cc? Give something like the Crossrunner or a later VFR800 (they’d sorted the VTEC on the later ones) a try.

Good evening. I popped up to Glasgow today. Unfortunately in the car as I had to carry some heavy, bulky stuff. Cruise control on, light traffic I took the opportunity to take in the surroundings. It raised the question, is the A74(M) the motorway passing through the most attractive scenery? Also, are what appeared to be Honda C90’s permitted on it? PS. Many, many bikes heading to and from Erskine Bridge …

Lac de Castillon a long while ago. I had to take care to avoid low flying aircraft with that top box.

My good lady first toured as pillion with me on my Triumph Tiger 1050SE. She loved the comfort and elevated seat position. I liked the bike as a competent all rounder but, like the Versys, it had limited luggage options and was top heavy (see reference to pillion seat). I P/X’d it for an FJR1300. It was a good bike for touring. Mostly. We did three tours on that before I finally got fed up with the low speed weight and soggy suspension. My G.L. was glad to see the back of it if only because the pillion position was too low. I now have a BMW R1200 GS. Just the one short tour so far but it is proving to be superb. Comfy, great riding position, loses its weight at low speeds, ESA makes adjusting the suspension a doddle. I would recommend it but the fly in the ointment is the luggage. Odd shaped panniers, and restricted top box capacity (I’ve ignored the advice and gone big, but aware that I’m exceeding its weight capacity by some margin). Which leads me to suggesting you try the BMW R1200RT (or 1250 if your budget stretches). It does most of the things the GS does while being, arguably, a better tourer. If your objection is poor pillion reviews then I would point out that that everyone’s backside is different. The Tiger pillion was supposedly uncomfortable but my G.L. loved it, yet ambivalent about the FJR’s pillion (supposedly an armchair). The GS? No complaints so far. PS. Luggage capacity. How much do you need? The RT has 113 litres as standard. Add in a tank bag…

I see a number of enquiries from new riders. Here’s a link to a site that may well provide answers. The “Ask Andy” section seems a bit of a risk, mind. New Rider Hub

I fell for this on Wednesday. The pump at Newcastleton asks your maximum budget for fuel. I thought “sod it” and hit £80. Only when I checked my account that night did I see it ring fenced. It can also happen when touring abroad. A guy I know ran out of available money on one card over the course of a few days as they were retaining €100 each time. It took a couple of weeks before the difference appeared in his account.

Greetings on this fine St George’s day.

Any incident where someone is reversing tends to put the responsibility fully on the person reversing. I learnt this a couple of years ago when I was driven into while reversing in a car park. Mrs angry came round a corner at speed and wasn’t able to stop before hitting my car yet I got the blame. From an insurers point of view, anything that materially affects the risk can result in “average” being applied. I wouldn’t wear an illegal visor my own safety anyway. My Neotec has a flip down dark visor so it’s a moot point.

Sure, all good, thanks. A few scratches on the engine crash bars. It’s a GS. Might even add value Finally ended up at St Abbs. A lovely spot.

Dropped the bloody thing. I stopped near Jedburgh to take a photo, put it on the side stand not noticing that the ground sloped forward slightly. Bloody thing rolled forward a couple of inches and slowly deposited itself on the ground with me taking as much weight as I could to ease the impact. No harm done but FFS… Anyway, here’s the photo.

I enjoyed his appearance on HIGNFY.

We’ve agreed that, though I’ve fitted three kitchens in the past, we’re going to let the professionals loose on our new kitchen. It’ll take them about a month vs probably double that if I did it. Have fun.

An Englishman, Indian and American walk into a bar. Barman, “Your usual Mr Sunak?”

I'm getting annoyed with people moaning about the cost of things. £3.50 for a coffee, £1.95 for a tea, £2.95 for a cupcake. If I hear any more complaints I'm going to stop inviting people round.

Agree. The government, apparently, has plans* … BBC article * no rude political comments please.

Is there any documentation covering this question? The key contention seem to me to be the construction and disposal of batteries. The batteries, I understand, can be repurposed at end of EV life for solar panel energy storage (Tesla only?). On the other side of the balance sheet is less energy used moulding, casting and forming great lumps of metal to create the engine, gearbox and drivetrain. The rest of the construction can’t be that different can it? I’d like to understand the balance sheet before committing. /Edit/. Not that it’s likely to be a question for some while… ££££’s

I’d like an EV but we’re pushing the available funds to their limit with the house renovation and making it more energy efficient (eg. we’re spending nigh on £9k to have the wooden sash windows double glazed and draught proofed. That was never in the budget).

Nope. There’s a drain hole at the lowest point of my exhaust, and I try not to point the jet wash down the exhaust.

What is this “chain” of which you speak.