Fiddlesticks

Agreed. It's a debate I've been having with myself recently. I think my ATGATT principles have taken a bit of a hit with the hot weather and some short trips at slower speeds. The cooler weather will fix everything.

Shall we count that as one vote for President Truss?

When I ride a bicycle I'm in trainers shorts and T-shirt, light gloves and helmet doing 30 downhill. Suddenly I get on a 50cc scooter and I'm irresponsible if I don't wear Triple A Rated boots, jacket and trousers with D30 armour in 30 degree heat? There's got to be some balance in there somewhere.

Good idea about DVSA, Financial Ombudsman wouldn't help here though. Have a look here about small claims. The process is pretty straightforward and not too expensive. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/

Also there's the option of small claims court online.

Quick circuit of the TT Course, then a run up here: Back to the pub to watch the game.

I did mine at at Chester. It wasn't busy, they use roads around Saltney, Ellesmere Port and near the Blue Planet.

Getting ready for a quick raiding mission to the Isle of Man. Just in time for the rain Got the new spots on the bike this morning, set up the suspension, added a few tools, cable ties and a roll of electrical tape to the puncture repair kit under the seat. With any luck the Bluetooth headsets will arrive today.

My tech problems are limited to a dodgy lower spot lamp. After much wiggling of wires I had the bright idea to plug the left one in to the right feed and then noticed that it was full of moisture. New one due to arrive the day after we head off on a good day tour, but I might get lucky..

I honestly don't worry about it. Roads are a shared space and priority is given, rather than taken. If a group of cyclists are out doing a time trial or whatever, it's obviously important to them. Same with a tractor on harvest duty, the annual march to the cenotaph, etc. Just treat it all like a fallen tree or icy roads and leave an extra 5 minutes for unforseen circumstances. We tend to see things only from our own point of view. Like the young guy who woke the whole street up one morning abusing the bin men who had the temerity to get in his way. Instead of having a tantrum, he could have gone the other way. I guess he'd be the first to complain if his bin didn't get emptied though.

I had the same problem when there was nobody to show me to my table, or furnish me with the wine list.

Only asked as we once had a washing machine that kept dying, coupled with a burning smell. I thought it was the machine, but it turned out a loose connection in the socket was arcing, melting the whole socket from the inside. Glad you've got it sorted anyway.

Definitely the machine, not the socket it's plugged into?

What is it about roundabouts that attracts such idiots? The other day I was on a busy roundabout and could see someone approaching at speed on the next joining road, looking straight at me, clearly thinking they could gun it and jump out in front. Split-second decision - pre-emptive (possibly unnecessary) emergency stop and get rear-ended, or play chicken with a car. Neither particularly attractive options.

Hi, welcome.

We're across the water in Birkenhead. A disgruntled tenant tried to burn down the house next door. Thanks to my wife ordering "a Fire Engine, please" the building was saved. Everyone knows who the arsonist is. But it's "not a police matter", apparently. Thanks for the warning, anyway. We are planning a visit to the Isle of Man just after the MGP, but will be going from Heysham (long story).

I would try sitting on a few. The larger ADV bikes are ideal for taller riders, don't be afraid to go big!

F9's recent video on motorcycle backpacks - he's always worth a watch..

Best of luck with your search. I just used my Swiss Army rucksack with a dry bag inside. Always wondered if a fully waterproof bag would be too sweaty to wear.

Agreed. Not sure what he's on about.

My dad was a machinist who worked on railway rolling stock. He would use millimetres and thousandths of an inch in the same measurement.

... Aaand a Mesh Jacket. The last one in the shop. Enjoy the hot weather while it lasts.

Most of my bike jobs today revolved around stands. And glue. Probably not an ideal combo, we shall see.. First job was that nasty clang, the sound of metal on metal when the centre stand springs upwards with the force of a medieval catapult. I had some spare rubber cabinet feet in the cellar. A quick modification with a hacksaw and Bob's your mother's brother. The second job was the sidestand puck, which came with a metal bracket that is supposed to clamp around the foot. It didn't, and I wasted far too much time and energy with a hammer trying to persuade it. In the end, I just scuffed up the surface with sandpaper and poured epoxy into the recess. The bike is proving to be a useful clamp while it dries. It will either work or it will fall off. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Lastly the phone mount, mostly because I'm too cheap to buy a sat nav. Here, I chopped off the handlebar clamp, shaped, sanded and painted the metal edge, and screwed it to the Triumph mount that came with the bike, with a bit of thread lock for good measure. There's about 2mm free with the bars fully turned, but it seems solid. One concern was that I found a spot of dot 4 fluid had leaked from the clutch reservoir. I checked it when I got the bike a couple of weeks ago, and it was very full. Either I've not put it back well, there's been some expansion in the heat, or a bad seal somewhere. Will keep an eye on it. After the tyre change we have messy black tyre lube all over the Axminster. My mate happened to have an old carpet he was disposing of so, to the vexation of Mrs. Fiddlesticks, who does not believe in carpets in garages, much less ones that have been liberated from skips, it is being "fitted" tomorrow. (The term is used loosely, more "thrown on t'floor" ). Night all...

That's a fair point. I've been commuting 45 miles each way with a rucksack. It's certainly doable, but I have succumbed to a top box.

If you want the full licence, CBT Theory MOD1 MOD2 Handy flowchart here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-routes-to-your-motorcycle-licence Personally, I'd just go for the DAS / "A" License then you're covered for everything. The electric bike looks good. Not for me, but if I had a ahort city commute it might be different.