I sleep like a log. I put this down to: Luck Practice. I've been sleeping every day now for 52 years. A natural state of mind that doesn't worry too much. I naturally think that whatever's going on, I will fix it. Eventually. Also a big believer in crossing bridges when I come to them. Some would say that I just hate planning. Reasonably regular exercise. Pretty good diet of plenty of fresh food, always home cooked. A moderate (ly large) intake of alcohol and no drugs.
Breakfast at Cleethorpes! It was a nice morning so went for a steady run over to Grimsby on Sea for a full english then a wander back across the Wolds.
Went to Riders of Bristol mid morning for the Ducati day, looked around had several prices of pizza and then went to Dick Lovett BMW for the opening of their new bike show room for sausage rolls and coffee. good food, sun shining, great day for motorcycling.
Took my Girlie to uni today. The car was well loaded down, been practising tetris all week. Took this picture of us setting off :wink:. Got her all settled in, she`s off partying at the uni nightclub tonight. I know she`ll have a blast but leaving her was the hardest thing I`ll ever have to do :smile:.
Been north to see my olds. Had a call from my cousin in Canada whilst I was there telling me that my aunt (dad's sister) died last night...........I had to break the news to him. Poor old bugger. :frown: Then drove to Helmsley for a wander. Was about 15-20 bikes there, including two monsters, a hyper, and an SS. Still nowhere near the number of bikers that used to go there when the council didn't charge for parking. Got home, arranged tomorrow's ride out. And soon to have something to eat. :smile:
Attended the Secular Society conference in London all day. Informative inspiring speakers, and great company. Prof Richard Dawkins gave the keynote speech - it was more of a cabaret act, really funny. A good day.
Pete I would have been interested to attend that meeting. Been very interested in R.Dawkins for a while now, but find myself more enthused by Sam Harris. About Sam Harris : Sam Harris
Cold air is denser than warm air. A crude form of turbocharging, closer packed oxygen molecules mean more bang per boom, more wallop per throatful. Carbi Doocat gulped in huge mouthfuls of fresh morning air as it BOOMED its way across the Wiltshire plains, Bristol its goal with the promise of a free warehouse whorehouse of spankers new Doocats, dripping with technimizzle & semi-electric whipdown valves. Bring it. I turned up in good time, parked up - and walked over to sign in and on for the demo rides? Last time I was a Panigale's Bitch - hooting and giggling in an adrenaline-fused hypermist as the front wheel pitterpattered its way SURGING ever onwards! This time I wanted the Scarlet Mistress with the long legs, Ms.Multistrada... I had eyed her before, walked round, squeezed and twisted, got on top and dry-humped, getting a feel for what could only be a very perfect roadbike? Upright riding position, wide bars, tall screen, even a good pillion seat?? I showed both paper & card licences & a credit card and awaited lift-off... Bizarre keyless system? Key stays in your pocket? Saves you leaving it in the bike I suppose... I slung a leg over - a complicated knee injury meant a semi-awkward mount? The seat-height is good for me (can't touch the floor on the Hyper, am 5'10"??) but you have to conquer a high pillion seat to drop down into the "U" that is the riders seat? Hold the killswitch toggle cover down, the bike boots up. Wait for it to finish jibbling, then flip it back up and press the start button underneath... Burbled into life... the two exhausts are in the throttle side, behind your foot, sometimes the exhaust sounded distant, almost as if it was in another room?? The clutch is weird. Am used to a dry clutch - the Multi has what I can only describe as a motocross-bike clutch? VERY light, very short travel, very little feel? Got used to it in the end, but at the start I was "feeling" the clutch bite by feeling the bike move forward, not by any feedback through the lever? Footrests are short & rounded - admittedly had little rubber daps in the middle but could have done with feeling a little more planted footwise? Screen was NOISY at speed? Could have been cured by moving it around (two adjustment wheels either side), I refrained from doing this as: A) I had no idea how it would move adjustment-wise, and B) I didn't want the frickin' thing to fall off and cartwheel down the road, possibly taking out the 848 behind me? :biggrin: Brakes? Superb! Handling? Once you had got over the strangeness of being sat bolt-upright really quite good! Did feel like riding a horse with the elevated riding position... Buzzed through the throttle grip? Could maybe be cured with some heavy bar ends rather than the plastic standard ones? Held its own on the straights! Quite composed really? Not as "tight" as a sportsbike, but if thats what you want - buy a sportsbike! Got back and chatted, comparing bikes? The next lot were ready to go out? I was half-decided about the Diavel? Top looking bike, but the footrests are in a strange place? I recently took my mates Yamaha XV1200 Dragstar for its MOT recently, that had full-blown forward footrest's & I could'nt find them when I had moved off? Brapping along waving my legs in the air like some whore-esque Can-Can dancer?? Was there a bike spare I asked? Yes - the 848 Streetfighter... I had sat on it five minutes before & was curious as to how I would take to the straight bars etc? Quickly signed the form, got the keys and slung a leg over. Key in, flip the cover down, little LCD panel lit up, pressed the start button and: Nothing. In time-honoured electrickle confuzment fashion I turned it off and on again on the key. In the meantime eveybody else had started and moved down to the gate to leave?? Fkfkfk. One of the staff noticed my confuzment and came over? "Its not in neutral" "Ah!" *click* Bike starts, and I move off to catch the rest of them. TINY bike! Bizarre not having ANY fairing in front of you, just a little LCD pod? VERY sharp steering! LOVED it... turn in and it turns! Need a little more? Tip it in... Both my carby and the Multi have the typical slow, predictable cornering of a bike with a front-pot sat just behind the front wheel? The little streetfighter RAILED like my 400/4, a trait I approved of. Bad stuff? No fairing means you get windblast at speed - not too hectic today as the weather was PERFECT - not too hot, not too cold, dry roads, and blazing sunshine! The middle of January would see your knees, feet and chest soon get v.cold.com. This - is a bit of a pisser... I spent a lot of the rest of the rideout thinking if there was a niche for a half-faired Streetfighter, inbetween the 848 proper and the 'fighter? This in itself was an indicator of how easy the bike was to get on with? Midrange - was a bit of a letdown... to be fair I am used to the midrange armpull of my SS, which in itself is all midrange, with nowt near the redline? However... kept open the top-end on the 'Fighter was AWESOME! Just took off like an IL4? I have always preferred a good midrange for road use, a searing top-end will get you and your licence into trouble as in true speed-junkie fashion you keep it TAPPED through the rest of the gears, end up doing 100++ and then get caught. Got back and switched it off. A LOVELY bike! I'm not keen on the looks & would rather maybe they cleaned the engine up a little if it was going to be on show? But thats just me. Mi carbi: El Filthmiester Tricolore Pani: £25K! Bummed I didnt get pics of the stunning Alice Desmosedici that was on show when I turned up, but disappeared later?
Hung around half the day for crappy Virgin Media to turn up. Then called once it went beyond my 4hr slot (8 reminders by text & email this week to make sure I was in and had prepared for them). Spoke to 4 of their 'customer service' staff at various stages over the next 4hrs, all of whom promised to, but didn't call me back. Then a van turned up with one of their fitters, he parked right in front of my house, then installed next door and wouldn't investigate my installation. If there were more competition for decent broadband I'd tell them to stick it.
