Mawsley

Funny how some on here said it was all pointless and that Europe would never do anything anyway...

BNFL take note.

I swear they save it for Xmas in the hope you have money set aside for presents. The Stoodent Loans have contacted me about an overpayment they want in one lump - chances of them getting it? Nil. They can take a quid a month and like it.

Ratchet spanners are pure sex to use. And I love my extendable magnetic probe which lights up at the end.

Ouch. Good news is that my local shop has just taken on the CPI franchise so a dirt cheap green lane machine is coming my way in '12!

Yes - unless there's something about internet helmets which makes them different to shop ones? A Shoei in the store is the same size online to my knowledge. Bought my last Caberg online and the open face from eBay, both at a substantial saving from anywhere else, both perfectly fine.

As I said, we enjoyed the day but simply don't feel it was different to riding around some dealers - except the cost. Test rides we can do anywhere, stuff can always be found cheap online and the crowd meant we couldn't see the motocross. Sure, it was great to chat to the bloke in charge of CPI but I don't see how that's worth paying for? And as for the sad display of tubby men and spotty teens being photographed with average bints wearing little more than a pained, forced smile? For the money, up the road in Brum I'm sure you'd get more of a return. If it were free admission it'd be a fun day out. At a tenner you really need something in return and for nineteen quid I'm wanting a substantial amount more. But then I am a cantankerous old git.

eBay kids leathers

Must make you wonder how much cheaper you could've got it had they not had to pay for a stand and just sold them to you online?

Did it Sunday and I'm still at a loss to understand why anyone would pay money to go. It's like being charged admission to go into Bluewater or the like - only worse because you're also charged parking and rip-off prices for food & drink. Days gone by, there used to be stacks of free stuff to bag up from trips. This weekend there was next to nothing being given away - if I'd paid a turn up £19 fee to get in I'd have been mighty peed off with the lack of return from a glorified window-shopping exercise. We had an enjoyable day out, don't get me wrong...but not one worth paying a stack of money for.

We went - it was a cracking day out. My daughter pointed out all the totty with bits hanging out to me and my mate has taken up Roller Derby because she was that struck.

Will try to ride to this, family Xmas prep notwithstanding.

By 'eck chief! So is Guy Martin. And me.

Everything here. I swear by the stuff.

Downside to doing it yourself is affording the kit. The XJ was pricey enough, I hate to think of the GSX cost.

Some people love to throw away money ostentatiously.

My Ultra Classic would pull between 45 and 59mpg depending on how it was being ridden - 40mpg seems almost ridiculous in comparison. How many people ride baggers and use tank bags? Next to none that I've ever noticed. And can't you fit aftermarket heated grips? Are the bars a non-standard size?

Doesn't seem to be an appropriate way to refer to your client base... http://tapatalk.com/mu/5b7dc754-0f37-9c4f.jpg

I just paid £30 for a new set of bars for the GSX14. Labour costs whatever I drink in tea.

I've already got two. If I spoke about getting a third I'd have to sell the car to buy some replacement b*ll*cks.

Worst. Band-name. Ever. http://tapatalk.com/mu/5b7dc754-8adb-9062.jpg

Halfords were the only ones with an MOT appt. They didn't let me pay the discounted rate. They failed the car for wheel bearings. Wheel bearings cost £40 each plus VAT. Bought the bearings. Can fit them without damn tools. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

Sunday 21st: my mate is taking me in his chair to meet the wonderful Mr. Guy Martin. By 'eck, chief.

I have a place reserved in my personal Hell for George White and all who work there.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/SpZYBC-Z8jI/AAAAAAAABHk/9MiENDy1NM8/s400/IMG_0794.JPG I wandered into the dealership with my little girl and was just looking, I'd been without my Guzzi for four weeks and was facing another fortnight without it. The salesman asked if he could help, "no thanks mate, I couldn't afford one if I wanted it anyway." By 4pm I'd signed the paperwork and the following day I was on a train to Wolverhampton to collect it. First impressions were that it was the size of a 55ft narrowboat, much beloved on the West Mids canals. The sales rep handed over a free load of key rings, free GAP insurance, a free rucksack, free HOG membership and free advice. His advice was limited to the gears and how to open the boxes - demonstrating the full range of switches, buttons and stuff was right out. It was cheap, a year old with around 12K on the clock as it was an ex-HD Fly-Ride bike. Saving over eight grand on the price of a new'un meant that it came with a KPH clock; "no problem Sir, we'll replace that within a month". http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/SnSsXPTZKVI/AAAAAAAAA_c/HDELIN1UMRE/s400/6580_113163776915_507941915_2734950_1400588_n.jpg Wobbling out into the Wolverhampton rush-hour crawl I was struck that it handled like a 55ft narrowboat. With the radio stuck on TalkLikeABrummie FM I suddenly realised I'd forgotten how to mentally convert speeds to MPH as I flew past a speed camera...the first of several thousand speed cameras on my way back to Aston. Two hours later and I'm stuck on the side of the road with a misfire. Two hours five minutes later and I'm demonstrating my outstanding command of the ruder bits of the English language on a mobile phone. Very loudly. Four hours after collecting the bike it is being loaded into the back of a van and being driven back to the dealers. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/S65PdMT9oiI/AAAAAAAABkY/sneUfNP58Wk/s400/IMG_1014.jpg Shortly I was flying around, filtering and lobbing it into bends like it was a little racer - but one that, when the sun came out, you could pop on the open face, turn up the volume on the 80W quad stereo and cruise through your own personal film set. Gloriously comfortable, a pounding engine reeking soul and a wealth a gadgets. My smile grew with each mile. Unfairly knocked for the agricultural nature of everything, the Brembo triple disks hauled up the unladen 851lbs promptly enough for me. 6 gallons would see me refuel after 200 miles clocked up, but always had an indicated 260-70 miles to empty on the countdown and my trip down to Clermond Ferrand demonstrated that the bike was well up for the long haul. I commuted throughout winter on it and the finish didn't get effected one bit after a liberal coating of ACF50. The boxes remained dry throughout the worst of downpours and the set-up at the front ensured that I remained cocooned from the weather. I rode back from Coventry one night in a downpour in just a hoody and a cut - my kneecaps were the only part of me that was damp when I arrived back in North Brum. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_y625j9uagyk/S65Pf9aTf1I/AAAAAAAABkc/nf2exiRPbmk/s400/IMG_1019.JPG Downsides 1. The price of a new set of tyres required me to remortgage the house 2. HOG members are, well - watch Wild Hogs 3. The cost of servicing and parts is obscene 4. Stratstone Wolverhampton are a bunch of lying, two-faced, lying shits who live to lie. Would I have another 2008 FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic? In a shot, but only as a second bike. When I bought my XJ900S I hardly took the Harley out of the garage which is what convinced me to get shot and try something different.