Yorky

No, that bit comes later. It's called the Cost of divorce crisis.

Very nice post @cloughie24 But I do wish you hadn't classed 40 as late in life

No it looks bang on Is it an original Suzuki part??

So what you're saying is that you try to ride within the law when it suits you??

Obviously it depends on the size of the window but £1200 a window sounds excessive to me. Someting like an 1800 x 1200 with single casement would cost around £400 + VAT. If they charged £400 to fit it, which is on the top side, it still comes in at under a grand. I appreciate prices will vary dependant on location but shop around for a local independent tradesman and you won't be paying for all the hype the likes of Anglian have.

Try some French websites. Those protectors seem very popular over there. Here you go, a simple Google search threw loads up, https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjyxeSZ-bT6AhVEu9UKHY-qDwAYABAOGgJ3cw&sig=AOD64_0VKEex4FQtrXMhcmw4DtccX_II4Q&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjNlt2Z-bT6AhWy_rsIHYcjA_0Q9aACKAB6BAgCEBE&adurl=

But in Britain we vote for the party, not the person.

Those GB stickers should now be UK stickers

49.5mpg, jeez, your gobbling the juice up there. Here's mine from a tour of France 2 weeks ago

I always have a copy of all important documents on OneDrive, passport, licence, V5, insurance, travel tickets etc. If I were unlucky enough to loose the originals at least I have a backup as proof. OK, if I also loose the phone as well then I'm buggered, but it gives me a fighting chance

This is actually an issue that bugs me as well. Just remember that if the policy does not run for 12 months then you will not accrue any NCD. I have a multi-bike policy, 2 bikes, one for the road, the 2nd a trail bike (which has to be road legal). I never ride the road bike in the colder months, it's a summer toy basically, and yet the road bike, being worth considerably more than the trail bike, is what makes up the majority of my insurance premium. I enquired with my insurers whether there was anyway to take this lack of use into consideration and reduce the cost accordingly, i.e, reduce road bike cover to fire and theft only for 5 months of the year, guess what??, no way!!. In the same vein I asked whether reducing the annual mileage on the trail bike from 6k to 2k would reduce costs, again no way, both bikes have to have the same limitation. So all in all it's just another way for the insurance companies to screw is over. Yes I could insure them seperately, but then full NCD only counts for one bike, the 2nd bike has zilch NCD so no financial benefit.

The question was about insurance, not road tax.

Beware of the fees that you will be charged to cancel, I'd guess that you will get very little of your original purchase price refunded. Have a chat with them and explain your situation and ask them what is the best option with regards to continuing the policy but on a different basis, even changes of details can be very costly.

That's because you were in Yorkshire

@Gerontious Thanks for the reply. At the moment I am paying £28.00 per month for unlimited data with TalkTalk, like you we do not use the landline phone, plus we pay £6.00 each with Plusnet for 2 mobile contracts, so a total outlay of £40 per month. Unfortunately Plusnet will not offer an unlimited data deal, their best at the moment is 50GB for £15.00. On that basis I could get 100GB for £30.00. I like the idea of not having landline connections but am concerned regarding the data usage situation. Obviously both mobiles would need to be able to be used as a hotspot for when we are home at different times.

@Gerontious, that is interesting to me as it's an idea that I have often considered but can't work out the details for. Do you find it financially beneficial?? Do you have enough allowance for your usage, presumably that's a yes. What happens if you're not at home and the wife wants to use the computer?? As it happens my broadband contract expires in September so it's time to start considering the options again. My mobile is only on a monthly contract so that could be updated anytime.

No camera ???

And the midges

Not on a bike, but I have driven down from Durban to Cape Town stopping in various places on the way down. As it happens Cape Town was the only place where we had any issues. It's a lovely city but life is cheap in SA.

'Kin 'ell, have you got boots on your feet or a dustbin??

Do NOT buy Oxford Rainseal overtrousers. I bought a pair 3 weeks ago, before my trip around Eastern Europe. I put them on 3 times and took them off twice, the third time they came off using the Leatherman and stayed in a skip on Rotterdam docks.

Flattened the battery

I've done a few track days at Oulton, it's a lovely circuit to ride. With it being on the BSB Calendar you get some really fast riders there, these are generally reasonably safe people to have around you because they are used to tracks and know what they are doing. Unfortunately you also get some who think they are really fast riders, and they are a liability who you need to steer clear of. A friends philosophy is always book into the fast group, regardless of your ability, because the experienced fast riders will simply go around you and disappear into the distance (until they pass you again )

Firstly the bike, for green laning you don't need anything bigger than a 200 (or similar). I had a KTM EXC200 for many years, they have ample power. I now have a Beta Xtrainer which is a very softly powered 300, it's only advantage over the KTM is that it doesn't try spinning the rear wheel when trying to get up tricky climbs. As for routes your best bet it to look up and join your nearest TRF club. Doesn't cost a lot and you will meet lots of like minded people who know the legal trails (which are getting fewer and fewer).