Paulie Does The Uk

One of the reasons I called in there was because I wanted to try out some other bikes for size ie MTS, Diavel & Scrambler.

I arrive, having been in the saddle for the last 2hrs, in the sweltering heat, battling the poxy traffic; I strip off my gloves, rucksack, helmet and jacket and I’ve no sooner started sitting on a bike with thoughts of what I might purchase next when who should phone? SWMBO. I kid you not, the girl is psychic!

Her first question is ‘where are you?’. The full response would be ‘er, I’m at Ducati Aylesbury trying out various bikes’. The actual response was ‘somewhere near Banbury’. Busted.

 

It was you mentioning it that gave me the idea of going via there, great place, I can imagine it’s mobbed at weekends. thanks.

 

On Sunday I shall be at Donnington for the WSB races

 

I arrived at my Mum’s last night to find some front wheel spindle crash bobbins Id bought from @flatstick959 had arrived . My Mum (82) who hates me riding motorbikes, had opened the package and asked me ‘what on earth are these?’.

Now, continuing the vein of “awkward questions that SWMBOs ask” (and yes, Mums are SWMBOs as well), the full answer would have been,
‘They’re to protect my bike from undue damage in the event I have a crash’

But Jeeez, how could I even use that last word? It would just worry her silly. So,
‘err, they’re for the bike Mum’
too which she replies,
‘why, is there a bit missing?’.
‘No, they’re an add-on but Mum’.
‘Yes, but they’re very strange, what do they do?’
At which point I’m thinking, just drop it Mum, please .
‘Would you like me to explain the technical reason for them?’
A look of complete boredom crosses her face, ‘no, I think I’m fine dear’.
Phew, saved from having her worry more!

 

LOL. I just found out my brother in law is a closet biker as well and I’ve known him for 10years or so. I met with my sister and him today and he takes me down to his shed behind the door of which he’s got a mint 2002 GSXR750. Turns out he sold it to a mate 10 years ago, the mate hadn’t used it the past 8 years and sold it back to my brother in law about 3 months ago. He too had been hiding the info from my Mum, his mother in law. My Mum wasn’t best pleased about that either when she found out earlier today.

Now he & I have loads to talk about.

 

It appears I blew up my exhaust valve yesterday. Mind you, once I’d cleared the overpopulated SE, and the traffic had thinned after leaving OYB, I was caning it a bit away from roundabouts and traffic lights . I even had a short stretch on a private road where I saw 200kmh on the dash. That’s when the orange engine management light came on. I’m gonna take a look later and see if I can disconnect it and wedge it open.

 

It appears to be. It seemed ok after the light came on and continues to seem ok. A bit of research showed it’s probably because the valve isn’t opening or closing properly and thus the ÉCU thinks it’s a fault. Apart from keep the noise down at low engine speeds, it appears it does sweet FA.

 

Thanks. Whilst I don’t think it’s a full Termi system and that the previous owner just replaced the end cans, there is no cat on it. I’m pretty sure 09 models had a cat.

 

OMG. I entered a minefield earlier.
Before I left SWMBO gave me an M&S voucher, in GBP£, which we had been gifted from my Dad 2 years ago (I don’t think he’s cottoned on we use a different currency in Ireland). It expires very shortly. SWMBO told me to spend it before it expired on something for her. The only thing I could think of that’s small enough for me to squeeze into my Kriega was underwear.

WTF! There’s so much (too much) choice in this M&S. Nursing bras, balcony bras, under wired bras, comfort bras, full cup bras, post-surgery bras, sports bras etc etc etc. Why don’t they just have a section that says ‘sexy bras that fit your wife’.

This could go so wrong, in so many ways, on so many levels