|
|
28/06/05
Where to start...? Ok well, um, Saturday we went to look at a few bike dealers, and I ended up test riding this. Notice the proprietary stance? Well I guess that's cause I bought it! Yep sure did. I now own, not one, not two but three, yes three bikes!
My new toy, a VTR1000F (FireStorm) arrived tonight and now it's raining... looks like drying up shortly however. I will use this time though to make a start at updating my BSB pages from the Knockhill round.
*sits staring out window* hmm... its looks pretty dry...
23/06/05
Still sweltering in the heat, although tomorrow its supposed to break so the Geep gets to ride to work, especially as I just had new tyres put on tonight. RubberRanch did a stirling job as always and whilst the wheels were coming off swapped the rims for my old ones which I had Dennis spray up when all my bodywork was done. Went for a quick spin (just to check they go round) and the difference is amazing, I'd forgotten what round tyres felt like!
We picked up Mikey's new toy last night from Wheelpower, the ZX10R joins our Kawasaki fleet (ZZR600E, GPZ500S, ZX6R). Garage needed a right sort out to make room, although the 6R will leave for its new home in a week or so. Watching Mikey run in the 10 I'm not sure I could be that patient, its hell sticking to low revs/speeds even though I know its not for long. I'm surprised they don't just put it onto a machine which puts it through its paces...
20/06/05
Hot weather and biking does not go together that well. There comes a point when all the air is so warm its just too hot and sticky to ride. That's when you start seeing people risking their skin by riding around in t shirts, or god forbid, shorts. Always makes me feel sick just to see them, imagining how much flesh would be left on the road if they should have an accident. Its only sensible to be prepared for the bad stuff as well as the good. I feel vulnerable enough in my HG summer lightweight pants and accept that chances are I would come off worse wearing them than I would in leather, but the benefits in this weather are huge. I do worry about my back however as none of my jackets currently zip to the back of these pants. I'm on it though - just need to decide which jacket to sort.
Took the Brat today, huge difference - so much smoother. Wimbledon starts today and so starts the fun of non-city drivers getting in the way. I prefer the horn on the Geep - much louder than Zed's!
Went to Rye on Sunday - made it down there for 08:30, were back at Box for around 11 - it was too hot to move then, we just sat around for a couple of hours before heading home. Had a really crap ride to Rye - the sun was in my eyes all the way - couldn't see the road to read the road... the way back was much better though which made up for it.
Saw a lovely example of an SV1000 which I rather took a fancy to.... rather like this one - might try for a demo ride - looks like it might be rather fun!
(link removed - out of date, was an advertised SV1000 in bronze)
17/06/05
Had a go last night at sorting the Geep out. Drilled out the bolt I broke off quite neatly and managed to put the back brake to rights. Had a bash at the chain - our chain tool won't deal with the link pins rivets - they're the wrong sort, the tool seems to be made to deal with hollow ended pins only. I tried bashing hell out of the pins, so did Mikey but we only succeeded in driving one of the pins back out so gave up.
Tonight I took the link out and put the split pin link in instead, I miss having the choice of which bike to take. Zed needs those new tyres - especially in the wet. I know a split link isn't really recommended for 500cc bikes but the last one was a split link and I need that bike running. Makes a huge difference with that new chain and the cush drive I think. No lurching now, pretty smooth even just turning circles in our carpark...
13/06/05
Stopped of at Wheelpower tonight on my way home to collect some new bolts for the Brat's front sprocket. Lead/followed a couple out of London to Boxhill, noticed her tax disc had lost its' cover so followed her into Ryka's to alert her to the fact. She hadn't known so at least that saves her a tenner for a replacement disc.
Some interesting news from Vivaldi (my BSB boys) Scott Smart is about to join the team... I hope he fits in well with my lads and does the team proud. Should be an interesting next round.
12/06/05
Today was more successful, a fairly quick oil & filter change for the Zed went without too many hitches. I'd forgotten how awkward it is to get the filter in and out. Whilst you have to remove the RH belly pan to get to the sump plug you have to take the LH belly pan off to force the filter out under the coolant lines... The natural assumption is that it simply comes in and out via the gap in the header pipes but it gets stuck on the metalwork for the grill.
I'll need to get the bits I need for the Geep and finish it off in the week.
Mikey's talk of getting a new bike combined with the final acceptance of the third party to take full liability for my accident claim has led to me think seriously about my bike. I love my Zed - nothing else seems to look anywhere near as sexy (apart from very ridiculously expensive sportsbikes like the Benelli and the MV Augusta) however I have finally come to the sad conclusion that whilst I want it to be I'm not sure the Zed is the best bike for me to allow me to improve my riding. Given that my confidence is at a low point the bike feels heavier again, less agile and occasionally downright cumbersome. The way in which I happily throw the GPZ about testifies to this. I can't decide whether that's because I'm so unconcerned about the GPZ going down the road (I really couldn't bear to have to repair the bodywork on the ZZR again right now) or if the lack of weight just makes it easier. I'm not ready to give up on my dream yet but my mind is more open to the idea than ever before.
11/06/05
We were about and about early...
too early! On the road for 07:15... well at least the traffic was light, did a
majorly roudabout route to Chichester and back via Bury Hill or Whiteways
whatever you like to call it. New chain and sprockets arrived for GPZ, collected
them from the Amtrak depot as we were not in to receive...aye well most people
work weekdays don't they? Popped down to Fins in Redhill and bought oil filters
for both bikes, enough oil to do one bike, brake pads (front & rear) for the
Geep, collected the cush drive or drives that I had ordered. Had a look down at
P&H in Crawley & Infinity Aldershot at bikes on offer - Mikey is
thinking of getting a ZX10...
Made a start on the GPZ in the late
afternoon, managed to swap the rear brake pads out easily enough. Sure enough
that nasty metal on metal sound was indeed that, once again I managed to get
100% wear out of my brake pads! Front ones on the other hand didn't need doing
but at least I have them ready. Took the front sprocket cover off and was amazed
to find how easily the sprocket came off so swapped that, had some help getting
the bike onto the paddock stand - because of the non standard exhaust it sits on
the exhaust on the one side and badly on the other so can be a bit tricky - and
cracking the bolts open on the rear sprocket. Swapped out the cush drive - no
free play now! Got the new rear sprocket in place. Shoulda left it there really.
Botched putting the rear brake back onto the axle, over tightened one of the
small bolts which holds the thing which holds the front sprocket on and it
snapped... our chain tool won't rivet the chain link.. 
Oh well - better luck tomorrow!
08/06/05
OK, where to start, Friday, got soaked through coming home from work. One of those "Do I stay here and see if it gets lighter or just go" days. Well I went... and boy did I get wet. It wasn't cold though so it was no biggie just lots of wet gear.
So wet in fact that when I got up early to go to Rye on Sunday my boots were still soaked. So no breakfast run for me. As I was up anyway, I got my other, other bike out (my bicycle) and took a run about for a couple of hours, only realising later that I did in fact do 24 miles (my legs and arse are still complaining!). So I'm not quite the couch potato I thought.
Doing a bit more towards getting my fundraising going for my Race for Life, it really is a very worthwhile cause so if you think you can spare it - go on and pop a couple of quid on. I'd love to make it to or even past my target.
Today I started my "Accident Prevention Program" well ok now quite so grand! I figured as my chance of having (yet!) another accident is higher due to the number of miles I do on a daily basis and in nasty traffic conditions I had a talk with my boss about coming in earlier and finishing earlier. Seemed to make a lot of difference today. As I work near Wimbledon when the blasted tennis is on it will make a huge difference I think. So I'll stick with it for a while and see how it goes. It just means getting moving earlier in the morning...
03/06/05
Something to celebrate at last! My solicitor rang to day with an offer from the third party (i.e. the nasty man who mowed me down so mercilessly in October) to settle 80/20 in my favour. After months and months of saying liability was disputed, that they had witness statements saying I was speeding etc etc the best they could come up with was an argument based on the hatchings in the middle of the road, backed up by the Highway code; rule 109
109: Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
- If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
Well had they thought that one out - and they were asked to when we turned down their oh so kind offer, I'm sure they realised that this rule in turn counted for their own client who was doing a u-turn!
Given time to reflect on their offer it only took them about half an hour to come back and finally, finally, yes, finally admit to 100% liability. Insurance aside this is an incredible weight off my mind. I feel fully vindicated now, having always maintained I did nothing wrong I am finally supported by the evidence. The one thing which would make the victory sweeter would be a simpler "Sorry", however as I didn't get one on the day I guess I'm unlikely to get one 8 months later...
02/06/05
Fingers crossed.... but I think I
may have stopped my comment spam. Have put back auto-update for now. Hopefully
this will do the trick at least until another bot finds me. 
01/06/05
Gosh, how time does fly! Ok lets see, firstly checked on Friday that my fan was functioning (overheated on Thursday on way to work and again in heavy traffic coming home on Friday to the point I had to stop and let 'im cool down poor thing!). Mikey suggested bleeding the coolant system. We did that and quite a lot of air came out. So on Saturday just to be sure I went along to Fins in Redhill and bought a batch of new coolant (you don't mix it with water like I thought) and I emptied, flushed and refilled the cooling system myself. Bled it all to boot. Was quite pleased actually. It's worked wonders too. No more overheating and the fan now comes on much earlier.
Went to Silverstone on Saturday for the WSB round. Some top racing action with all the big names. Stayed over in Northampton and went to Santa Pod drag racing circuit for some very interesting action of an extremely noisy variety. Definitely a new experience for me. Not sure I'd call it racing in the traditional sense but still a lot of fun.
Tuesday dawned bright and breezy, perfect for my Zed. Light traffic, thanks to half term meant more smiles than gripes on the daily slog. Today being cloudy and uncertain was a day to let the Brat stretch its legs. Noticed that it gets hot pretty quick too so it might be due the bleeding treatment at least.
Found a new site; www.bikegirl.co.uk, girls who race - Fantastic! Go Girls!
Copyright © 2003 by Girlie_Biker/Girlie-Biker. All rights reserved.
Revised: 07 Jul 2012 11:45:20.