I went to the gym at Thornbury Leisure Centre today. I was going to post a long moan about the shit standard of driving around, while I was made to do a DVLA driving assessment. And i was never properly told the rules! That is, you go as fast as you possibly can until catching up with another bunch. If you have vehicles behind you, then you drive as fast as possible, busting every speed limit known to mankind. And they will still be three inches off your back bumper! But you never ever overtake - despite the A38 being very wide and quite straight! All irrespective of the speed limit! I went between 35 and 85 towards Thornbury today, but no car would ever overtake, if they thought I was so slow! Never ever overtake anything from tractor to moped seems to be the golden rule! And there is a hierarchy going on! Between builders, it is who is driving a van with the most ladders on the roof. But! But the top of the ranking is scaffolding trucks with the most ladders overhanging the back! No rules. Traffic lights - ignore them! And never ever use your indicators - ever, for indicators are just for pansies! Even though that driving assessment was over four years ago - and I was never officially told that I had passed. You may - just may - being able to tell that I am still bitter as f**k about it! Anyway, enough of that garbage! Providing that I am still alive when I get my settlement - and that is a very big proviso!!! - I am going to buy a Monster. Probably just the standard one. Even though the settlement won't be given to me, as I am not deemed mentally fit to even wipe my ass, I reckon that they can't turn me down from asking for the cash to buy a Monster to replace the one killed in the crash. The Fantic thing doesn't make sense as there are no dealers within sixty miles of me. The Monster is a like for like replacement of the one written off. I will just go for a standard Monster as 1) I don't believe that I would really appreciate the extras in the better models - it's not like they are any lighter. And 2) since a Monster was killed in the accident that generated this compensation, I don't believe that I could be refused. And if i was, this would show me that having this money in a trust, is worthless to me. It will just be an inheritance for my kids!
Thought this as going to be about Musk’s company who seem to have taken hold of utility company hole digging in the states
This was a great interview....Sorry Perry not exactly on point ( i was kind of referencing re you accident ) and current driving standards....blah blah...hope youre feeling a bit better sir.
I am fine, thanks. Back from the gym, I gave up worrying about shit driving, to go to Frampton-on-Severn for a cheeseburger and chips. Eating always improves my mood! And Musk is just a weirdo! Makes me feel better about myself. But I do not understand his wealth I wouldn't want a Tesla, even if given one for free! They are poorly made crap and all it proves is how stupid people are to buy them for mad money! All it does is to convince me that if I do have brain damage, then it is not so bad!
Wealth breeds wealth. Re bike, low capacity monsters are only boring if you don’t ride them hard…. If you want something to cruise on, go big
I will be buying new. I think (only 'think', but don't know) that you can now only buy the Monster in that 937cc engine now. All the other ones aren't now made. And that is all fine with me. I only anticipate using it as a road bike for fun. I might do a bit of touring on it and have done with previous Monsters, even though it was a crap touring bike! I'll keep my KTM and other Ducatis, so I will have lots of touring options.
You are correct, the ubiquitous 937cc engine is the only power unit available new, in a Monster. From our experience, the standard suspension is the most basic available and can be hugely improved on, for a relatively reasonable budget without going to the SP. I bought from Maxton but there are others available. The only item from the accessories catalogue that is a must, is the Öhlins steering damper. The bike is very light and skips about over rough roads, the steering damper tames the steering’s tendency to wiggle about. IMO, a great little, fun bike which is a good choice. I’m hoping that in 2026, the Monster will get the new 890cc V2 engine which would make it awesome fun. Andy
I am erring and umming, as I dunno if I will crack before my compensation comes through - and even if it does, it is by no means certain that if the money goes into a trust, I will be granted the privilege of being given my own money back to buy a new Monster. If I do get the honour of being allowed to spend my own money, then I will add a steering damper to the spec. I think that where I am now, and given the amount of time I've had to wait since that day in London, where we agreed with the other side a settlement figure, if the court does not stipulate that the money must be paid into a trust. I will take the tax hit and look after the money myself. I don't want to ever go back to the position of having to ask somebody else for money to pay for taxi fares, train fares, and just shit like handheld vacuum cleaners! And allow me to add, as I have had considerable experience of them, Dyson stuff is overpriced and of doubtful quality. Their stuff does not last. Breaks and is expensive to fix. A bit like Ducati, but without the quality! The motorcycle equivalent is paying Ducati prices for a Honda - a BAD, UNRELIABLE Honda! If I "crack" next year, say after I have been to Spain, and am still being shitted around by the obstinate judge in the High Court, then I will use my own funds to buy a Monster secondhand. This will probably be from Riders, and I guess that they can always retro-fit a factory damper, if the chosen bike does not have one. So, it boils down to my patience level, which is tiny!
Train from Bristol Parkway to Plymouth and then ferry Plymouth-Santander. Next year, I am gonna do a trial run to take the train to Plymouth. I'll stay in Plymouth for a ew days for no particular reason. I've taken ferries from Plymouth a few times but have never stayed in Plymouth and want a look bout. I realise that the place was bombed to f*ck in WW2 but fancy a look around!
I have had my Dyson for 7 years and replaced the battery once Learnt how to take the filters off and clean them via you tube video and recently fixed my brush head following a you tube video saving myself £80
"Learnt how to take the filters off and clean them" "take the filters off and clean them" "clean them" What is this foreign language that you speak? On principle, I refuse to clean a cleaner!
I was gifted some money by a group of forum members for my first Christmas after chemo and first stem cell transplant and I bought my Dyson which was light enough for me to feel like I could do something for my family
I scored a free Dyson “Animal” from someone in my village WhatsApp group about 4 years ago and it’s awesome. It’s got lots of really clever little touches, you don’t need any tools in order to dismantle it when clearing blockages and it looks like something the Teletubbies would have invented.
..as a result of you posting i just had a peruse of brand-names used as generic terms and am clearly showing my age as none of the terms that i could think of were listed (Hoover included!) I can remember "hearing something over the Tannoy" or "getting a "Xerox (copy)" I also learned that "Escalator" had been trademarked way back when. I'm rather glad that we didn't have to "Dyas the carpets"
I'll review things next year. Really, I want to keep my KTM and add a new Ducati Monster to the collection. And no matter what happens in the crazy High Court, at this moment in time, I think that I will buy one from my own stash. Just Do It! I think that it is most important to be happy. A new Ducati will make me happy. I was going to try out other Ducati models before commiting to a Monster, but I will not bother as I know (think) that I will be happiest with a Monster. As just a fun bike with no specific need for touring potential, track days, two up, but just fun potential in South Wales and Wiltshire, with a bit of Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire thrown in, I would be happy!
