Steve_M

23 hours ago, Gerontious said:

@Steve_M there were 3 sizes. call them small medium and large. I went for the medium as they are a total of just 1" wider than the mirrors. 1/2" either side. this makes filtering a tad less stressful and thats important to me. if the mirrors will fit through a gap then I don't really need to worry about the panniers. except in very rare circumstances.

 

 40/36L

 

there is also a 35/31 and 45/41

 

one minor point in their favour.. unlike some pannier frames. no 'surgery' was required. ie with some frames holes need to be drilled though plastic. usually behind the rear brake light. not always.. but sometimes. you need to look at the fitting instructions before you commit to any particular brand. if you don't want that kind of a hassle.

Thanks for the info’. The ones you’ve chosen are about the same capacity as those on my GS and would probably be my choice, too. Shame they’re different capacities, mind. A consequence of the idiot high exhaust, no doubt. 

2 hours ago, Fiddlesticks said:

In bike training we were always taught to check mirrors before braking OR accelerating. Maybe this has something to do with it.

All part of the “I” in IPSGA… 

The guy two cars in front of me jumping a red traffic light at roadworks on the Brampton Road in Carlisle. Mostly because there had been a police car immediately behind him for at least two miles prior to the incident.

Yes, the copper followed him through and pulled him at the first safe opportunity.

Remember , folks, checking your mirrors keeps you safe. 

On 07/01/2020 at 23:29, Gerontious said:

Now with added corned beef cans.

 

What capacity are those panniers? 
 

The question of what to buy to replace my current bike pops up in my mind from time to time* and luggage capacity is a significant factor. 

* translation. Frequently. 

On 05/11/2023 at 16:59, Gerontious said:

We tend to stop at Eperney on the way back, from wherever. there is an epic kebab place in the town centre and there used to be a truly wonderful bar with the unlikely name of the blue fish. memories of @bonio weilding a very pointy knife while chopping up a rather large sausage. why have crisps to make you thirsty when you can have sausage!! sadly the bar is no more.

I had a little meander around central France for my first excursion abroad solo. My good lady had been despatched to India as part of her job so I took myself off on the bike with no plan, just my passport, some clothes and a credit card. Yes, yes, I know, I should have taken documents but it was a spur of the moment decision and, naively, I hadn’t done any research. 
 

As I was on my own I tended to stop in towns and have a little walk around the area. I spent one evening meandering around Epernay. It’s a somewhat distant memory now  but I seem to recall finding an interesting place with a  shabby chic appeal. 

1 hour ago, Gerontious said:

It’s always weather dependent. Main reason I always have a plan B ready to roll. I’ve too often seen people who pre-book everything and then do nothing but complain that it’s raining or there’s low cloud and they can’t see a thing - or both and they’re stuck. Or choose to be stuck.

 

Saw that a lot this year. The horror of spending the best part of £1000 on a ferry and then a week of summer storms and trying to ignore the fact that the bad weather is only where you are.

 

lately the biggest problem seems to be heatstroke!!

Just the reason we tend to determine the following day’s route each evening then book the hotels as we go along. It does make for some strange tour routes - 2022 in particular.

This year saw us in the champagne region briefly in temperatures well into the 30’s C. Even when we reached the French Alps it was very sauna like. 

12 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

This weekend I shall be fending off the attentions of rampaging schizophrenics and a new resident with a particularly interesting personality disorder and exciting behaviours

 

and trying to resist buying a new Mac, no doubt successfully, now that I’ve paid off my new phone.

apparently I’m risking death destruction and the end of the world as we know it by using a Mac that’s 11 years old. (They tell me)

 

I did tax the bike today which caused a crisis. I was forced to lie down in a darkened room and listen to Enya (on repeat) to deal with the trauma. £111 the robbing swines!!

 

It’s not easy. And it’s only Friday.

I’m not convinced listening to Enya will be any help when I tax my bike at the end of the month. 

This weekend we are mostly hosting members of the family who own dogs. Yes, it’s Diwali and Guy Fawkes time. Lots of fireworks which the hounds find distressing so they visit us to escape the noise.
 

On 29/10/2023 at 17:23, V650 said:

There can also be bargains to be had in the secondhand / used market for some good gear at cheaper prices 

And there is also the security of your bike to consider you can often get good disc locks and chains at good prices in the used marked 

I would add one caveat to buying used/secondhand/preloved (?) and that is not to buy a used crash helmet. You won’t know its history. If it’s been dropped, for example. There may be structural damage which may not be obvious from a visual inspection. 
 

I usually go to Infinity Motorcycles when buying a lid as they go to a lot of trouble to ensure the helmet is a good fit, an essential requirement for safety. Even though I’ve owned many crash helmets over the years, and know what to look for, I still prefer having someone to guide me through the process.  

Welcome.

I’d say hello but I’m not clever

Just a thought. Will you be providing updates on progress? Sounds an interesting project. 

57 minutes ago, fastbob said:

I wouldn't let my neighbour anywhere near my bike . What an odd reply . Solve a problem by giving it to someone else ? Not my style . 

In fairness, my neighbour couldn’t screw my bike up any more than my potential for screwing it up. Which is why I have Green Flag and pay for someone else (main dealer ‘ cos no independent around here) to service it. 

My 2023 biking year wasn’t too shabby. A number of day rides around the Scottish Borders, Northumberland, North Pennines and Cumbria, plus trips to Glasgow and Norfolk to visit grandchildren (the Glasgow trips usually entail some DIY, too! ).

In addition we had a couple of weeks away pottering around the French and Swiss alps, the Dolomites and Tyrol region.

1 hour ago, Al Gear said:

toppled over..... For no reason..... Doing ZERO miles an hour! So lesson one was, I'm gonna need more practice! 

 

Good afternoon, and welcome to the world of riding a motorbike. Practice and experience will aid how you deal with the behaviours and issues you’ve encountered. 

However. I’ve been riding a little over30 years and the bike having a little lie down at standstill still happens occasionally. It’s always when I haven’t noticed that there’s a camber or similar making the ground further from my seat than usual such that when I put my foot down it isn’t where I expected it to be. With a tall bike (and pillion, fully loaded with luggage.. *cough*) this is a bit embarrassing l

Judging by your nom de plume I’m guessing you’re from around Glasgow. Assuming my guess is right then have a look in on Infinity motorcycles on the Great Western Road. I’ve used them several times and have always had great service. 

That was an interesting couple of days down south. Our usual excursions involve a central London hotel, a trip to the theatre and a visit to a museum, Kew or some touristy thing. This time I stayed in and around Barking, with a stroll to and from the University of East London to watch some judo (my son was competing but had a bad day at the office so we’ll gloss over that).

Some things I noticed.
The local shops are present in abundance and appear to be doing a decent trade.

There’s much ongoing development of residential property - mostly flats/apartments. 

There is a real “buzz” to the area - it isn’t for me but I understand the attraction.

There are numerous cycle paths, the verges of which seem to being used as secondary landfill. 
Electric scooters seem to be the transport of choice except for Just Eat / Deliveroo etc who use electric bikes.

There are more electric scooters on the cycle paths than cycles.

KFC food is awful (I resorted to eating in the Barking KFC for what appeared to be a good reason at the time but I don’t remember the rationale. Suffice to say it was flawed).

On 06/10/2023 at 11:16, husoi said:

If you're going to North of Spain then Santiago de Compostela and La Coruna is a must.

Fabulous food in Bilbao and San Sebastian.

 

Most importantly. Hope you have a great time regardless where you're going  

We tend to avoid cities, but we did pop into San Sebastián when we were in the area (we’ve stayed at the Agroturismo Maddiola a couple of times. Recommended) and rather liked it. The old town had some interesting buildings.

Good evening. Today has been a good day. Completed installing the last of the laminate flooring. I hope never to need to lay laminate flooring again.

Now on to the fun of architraves, skirting (wobbly walls) and thresholds. 
 

EDIT: taking the weekend off with a trip to the University of East London to support my son and friends who are competing in the British Masters event. 
 

10 hours ago, Bender said:

I lost interest when it went to YouTube, was it funny I'm prepared to take your word for it

Humour is subjective. I found it amusing, others probably more or less so. It’s a matter of personal preference.
 

True story, allegedly

10 hours ago, onesea said:

PIR Led light battery light in garage:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beams-Wireless-Battery-Operated-Outdoor-Motion-Sensing/dp/B00196WS6S

 

 

I’m often in the doghouse for turning lights off in the barn / garage / workshop which my good lady has to pass through to return to the house from the veg garden. One of those would be so handy… and keep me in her good books.

Just now, husoi said:

Now, who's being silly?  

It’s my default setting. 

2 hours ago, husoi said:

I put the bags over the socks inside the boots. Same with plastic gloves going inside the riding gloves.

Carry another couple of bags to help putting on the overtrousers? 

1 hour ago, husoi said:

Just remembered.

 

A pair of carrier bags and plastic gloves, the ones you find in petrol stations.

Why?

 

The bags are the best way to keep your feet dry(ish) and the gloves for the same effect.

Not ideal but it keeps you that little bit dry for a wee bit longer.

Putting the bags over your wet boots makes it easier to put on waterproof over trousers, too. 

I dislike having a dirty visor so I carry A small spray bottle of visor cleaner  and a soft cloth. 

4 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

I suppose a positive is I don't expect you can do much DIY. Least ways it would be for me but I'm not renovating a Cumbrian farm house.

One upside is not being able to wash up.  

We were aiming to get the current sub-project finish for Christmas when the house gets invaded by grandchildren, so a bit of pain. Also, my son is booked to compete at a judo competition and he likes me to be his uke / warm up partner. That isn’t happening.