Throttled

Old Toll Teahouse, Linton, South of Scotland. Closed down. Is this a theme?

My last few helmets have all been modified by me removing a layer of padding from around the cheeks. Take the liner out, and you should be able to get at the padding, which comes in layers to create the different sizes. I appear to be a size bigger about the mouth, so there is no safety issue to removing that layer. As for glasses and steaming up, I find a visor that can be left slightly open is the best way, otherwise I can cope without glasses, so I just carry a case in my jacket pocket. I have not found an anti-fog coating for glasses that can cope with inside a helmet in the rain.

Gave it its first proper clean of the year and took it for a ride. Next job is fit the quadlock I got for my birthday. A virus has meant my bike has been used only twice in the past 5 weeks.

I would recommend Rev'it, as they are a Dutch company and make clothing for tall Dutch people.

Just sold a car and worked out the depreciation. Over 4 and a half years, £37.75 a month. That is less than it cost to fuel it. It used to be the single biggest cost of car ownership. To make that even more remarkable, it was a Fiat Tipo that carwow reported as being the biggest depreciating car of all. Insuring it was the biggest monthly cost. Car and bike prices are nuts, way higher than in the past, but it appears there is an upside with the lack of depreciation.

Condensation and how long will a wet bike take to dry, are the enemy. Only an insulated shed will let a bike dry quickly and not end up with condensation. Anything other than that and where ever the bike is stored, I would recommend a rust proofing like ACF50.

Rode it, for the first time in weeks, due to getting an infection that is not testing as covid, but is like covid, but harder to shake. Happy that it started first time and ran fine. I even managed a challenge tag.

It is a numeric concept, where numbers get too large. I missed the earlier debate about its use, but happily accept the Hoggs ruling and I get to keep my 10 points, which is a number less than infinity.

For the highest number

Thanks for that. Got a quad lock for my phone as my main present.

All things Hoggs round, 10 points for a police station, which is full of....!

Chapter 4, so now got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9

Lewis was about 700 miles, the IOM was about 550 miles and Dingwall also about 550 miles, total 1800, so the MOT cannot be right as it was less than that. Need to do some checking. Edit - I used "mileage history figures" but the mileage for the 2023 MOT was 8,411 and a few days ago for the 2024 MOT it was 11,524, so 3,113 miles over the past year. The 1,708 was the mileage 2022-23, and it was 1,183 for 2021-22, when there was no touring at all and the pandemic was restricting use.

I am surprised it is under 2k. That distance included trips to the Isle of Lewis, Isle of Man, Dingwall, numerous challenge tags and use most weeks of the year.

MOT, no advisories. I have done 1,708 miles over the past 12 months.

Lock 27 for the 2. Now got 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 9.

I change tyres either at a service, so use the dealer, or when I get a puncture, so wherever I get taken to that can provide and fit a new tyre.

Update using self scoring Fiddlesticks - 610 teo63 - 540 JRH - 335 Mawsley - 230 Throttled - 230 oldgrump - 210 Nick the wanderer - 120 Grumpy Old Git - 120 CB999 - 100 _amw_ - 60 bonio - 40 Bungleaio - 20

Properly cleaned the bike. There are some tiny rust spots on the frame and the centre stand is quite bad. Other than that, the All Year Biker treatment has held up well to a winters use.

Airhawk, to make the ride more comfortable. Also consider Grip Puppies or heated grips, depending on the time of year you will be touring.

The French use mopeds to ride between wife and mistress.

On Saturday she will get her 3rd dan black belt Shito-ryu karate. Of course, I accept her apology and so does the bike.

I could park it in the living room, next to other ornaments.

It is apparently to do with the granite used locally, due to availability. It is a hard wearing stone. I experienced increased tyre wear both times I did the NC500.

The wife has apologised, to me and the bike.