25/09/05

On Friday I had a new front tyre fitted to the GPZ. Saturday was lazy day, Mikey was off to France again - this time just with three. I didn't fancy that much effort twice in two weeks, especially after I'd agreed with my RoSPA instructor to do a longer session this week.

Had a great session - read more here. Probably clocked my fastest (and hopefully best ridden) times coming back - came back along the A272 and the A29.

20/09/05

Got home in plenty of time to fit the new brake light switch to the GPZ, job was a piece of cake in fact - took me about 15 minutes in all including testing. I feel a lot happier about it now, I don't like riding something that I know is defective in some way. Been riding it this week in spite of the tire, but I have to admit I think I can feel the effects of the misshapen front. Hopefully I'll get that sorted by the end of the week.

I'm quite pleased with myself that I'm more prepared these days to get stuck in a do things that need doing, rather than just relying on a workshop to do everything. I still think there are big jobs I wouldn't like to tackle (major service intervals etc) but it's such a nice feeling to complete these small repairs/adjustments myself.

19/09/05

Last week I managed to pick up a Durite 3way headlight connector to fix the GPZ's headlight (the connector keeps jumping off when I go over bumps - very disconcerting in the dark!) With a lot of help from Mikey (too fiddly for my impatient fingers) we got that fixed last night.

Front tire is ready for renewing but am waiting until I do the VTR's back tire as well. Won a mudguard on Ebay today for the GPZ and picked up a new brake light switch which I'll fit if I get home early enough tomorrow. Once all that's done the GPZ will be a credit to roadworthiness (unlike the ratty tatty thing it is now!). I am undecided on whether to do anything about the state of the bodywork. The engine is sound and runs great but its still no beauty and should I decide to sell it (which I don't think I will) its general appearance is not in my favor.

Discovered that the occasional burning smell I've been getting on the Zed is a tiny oil leak from the filter. I remember being worried at the time whether the filter was tight enough but I just couldn't get much grip on the thing with the awkward access that you get. I've managed to do nearly 2800 miles since that filter went on so I'll just do an early oil change and try a bit harder this time to get the thing tighter. There must be a useful tool out there but I've yet to see one that will actually do the job for me.

18/09/05

Once again an action packed weekend. I certainly feel as though I have got as much as I can from this weekend.

Saturday we were up and out the door by 04:45, yup, that early. With a friend in tow we made it to Dover on time and met up with the rest of our group (8 bikes in all) and caught the 7 o'clock ferry to Calais. It was cooler than anticipated so I was glad I'd worn the trusty longjohns! The road were wet when we arrived but we soon made it to dry land so to speak as the sun pushed through the clouds. 300 miles(ish) later we arrived back at Calais and got the ferry home again. It was a great day, everyone seemed to enjoy it. The roads were much as I remembered from last year - lots of sweeping bends with long views ahead.

I did find that over 110 my helmet was lifting too much and it was becoming uncomfortable. I need to look into both larger/newer cheek pads and also a double bubble for the VTR. I also found on the return leg of our circular route that anything over 100 for a sustained period was hurting my previously damaged shoulder. I think I'll have to work on that some more to build up the muscles. This was really the first endurance test I'd had since my last accident, and overall I was pleased with my riding.

Sunday was RoSPA day, so I met up with Panos at 11:00 near Petersfield and we did what I would definitely class as a "technical" route! It was a fantastic ride but concentration heavy, so given that I was still tired from the French jaunt I was pleased that it wasn't too long.

Last week my new high vis vest arrived (bright red with silver reflective stripe and Girlie-Biker on the back). It's caused quite a stir already with several people asking where it came from, so I have added a link to Red Oak on my "bike links" page.

12/09/05

Well what a weekend! Where do I start…

Thursday got backended on my way home by an older woman (with her mother in the car too) at the Hook roundabout coming off the A3. Fortunately had both legs down anyway so managed to stay upright. 

She didn't even seem to realise what she'd done till I switched bike off (still up against her bumper) and got off and shouted at her. 

I had a quick look but could only really see her no plate hanging off. 

We moved out of the flow of traffic and I had another shufty, by this time the palpations had just about stopped and the adrenaline was receding. I still couldn't see any damage and figured she must just have hit my tire. 

So I basically let her go with a warning to be more observant in future -she was watching traffic coming round the roundy and had assumed I had already gone... uh huh and we all know "assumption is the mother of all f@*kups". 

Carried on and through that nasty wobbly feeling. Car hoots at me in traffic at the Leatherhead A24 roundabout so I'm thinking "yea yea another bloody car who doesn't like filtering" and am ready with the usual and correct response when he pulls up and around beside me, only to hear him say "hey mate - your number plate is coming off" (I forgive him for thinking I'm a bloke) I feel bad that I only mumbled "cheers" before pulling away. 

I pulled over on the other side of the roundy and sure enough my plate is only attached at one side and is swinging free. Now my tax disc holder was behind my no plate (yes) on the other side so I've lost a perfectly useful (if cheap and nasty) tax disc holder and the plastic nut. Closer inspection shows that she actually hit the bottom of the mudguard/plate hanger assembly which promptly bent and shoved some of the body work out of shape. 

Thoroughly depressed by now I stuck my no plate in my bag and got home (although tempted to turn around and steam through the camera at Mickleham with no plate - just to test it mind). 

So I now need a new tax disc holder (only cheap I'll grant you) - I don’t carry the disc in them - just a copy so fortunately didn't lost out there. I've shoved the bodywork back into place but one small lug has shorn off so it will never fit quite as snug again unless I get it fixed. 

I also need a plakky screw/nut ensemble and need to get on and do something I've been meaning to - cut the bottom half of that plate hanger off to remove the bent bit and tidy up the back end. (If I'd gotten round to it ages ago she would only have hit my tire!) 

But the moral is - ALWAYS get details, I've said it myself to people in the past... always take details as you can't always see any damage that might had been caused (either because you're dumb, the red mist, or simply that it isn't obvious at first). 

If I decide to class this as an accident (not really sure as I didn't come off) then it's no 5... always either on way to or from work... I always suspected working for a living was bad for me.

As if that wasn’t bad enough Friday I get the mother of all punctures! Coming past the Headley turning on the A24 I heard a thunk and then a grinding and a horrible thunk thunk as my wheel turned. Pulled over sharpish as it sounded like my bellypan had come loose and was dragging on the ground. A chap on a crosser style bike stopped and we had a look and found the round end of something sticking out of my tire. After a quick chat we decided to leave it in and carry on carefully in the hopes that I could make it home. The noise was horrendous and I was pretty sure my hugger was being decimated. I made it to the Boxhill carpark (just!) and finally gave up as it was as flat as a pancake by now and almost uncontrollable. Called the RAC out and he managed to do an emergency repair but it took 4 plugs! Went home slowly with RAC man following just in case.

Saturday was KillSpills day – a huge success! 2500 (police estimate) bikes can't be wrong. Fantastic feeling as we stopped at the cenotaph and watched the rest of the rally come past. Find out more at www.killspills.org.uk.

Sunday, up early again (no rest for the wicked) to get to Reading to meet my instructor to start my RoSPA training. Took the VTR as the ZZR was off the road and I felt it wasn’t really a good idea to use the GPZ as it has a partially defective brake light just now. Had no trouble finding the McD’s we were using as a meet point and in fact passed Panos (my instructor) on the way there (going opposite direction – local knowledge!). Had a fantastic days’ riding. I’ve always struggled with reading the road and the whole vanishing point idea and yet when it was so clearly illustrated (mainly by Panos riding one handed – and not slowly! - much of the way pointing at what I should be looking at) it suddenly seemed much clearer. Its all about riding to the “system” and to be honest it all makes sense (at least to me). I found when I kept my vision up (well above tarmac level) my lines came easily, once I allowed it to drift back to the roadbed I lost my line. My observed ride went really well and did a good job for my confidence with Panos saying some very nice things about my riding. Looking forward to my next session on Sunday when we’ll be down in the Sussex area.

05/09/05

Have just bunged up the racing pics from Silverstone & Cadwell along with overall results. Will try to flesh them out later tonight.

Why are Mondays so long at work and short at home?

04/09/05

Well, lazy as ever!  

Lets see, well I've got loads of BSB stuff to get up on the site, we made it to both Silverstone & Cadwell. Some great racing, although Cadwell was marred a little by the pileup on the starting line for the 125 race where young Chris Jones had to be airlifted away from the track. Sadly he was unable to overcome his injuries. At just 14 Chris was a talented young rider running third in the 125 Championship on a Red Bull Honda machine. My heart goes out to his family, it must have been such a hard decision to allow Chris to take up racing in the first place, and whilst every sport has its dangers so much is done to minimise the possibilities of serious injury. Every Round we have seen riders crash out and get up or even when stretchered off usually damage is minimal in comparison with what could have been given speed and velocity. It is a tragedy indeed that such a budding talent should not be allowed to bloom. I only hope that his obvious love of bikes and racing eases some of his family's pain. Far better to leave this world doing something you love than to go riddled with disease or meet a violent end. Chris achieved more in his young life than many do in five times that span. 

In between these two race meets we went up to Cumbria via Derbyshire and over the Dales to Hull to see family for a week off. We had a nasty incident with Michael's new bike; it went over on the drive (bike was facing wrong way on a downhill slope). We managed to get Wheelpower to send us what we needed urgently next day and the remainder (bodywork) is now in the living room waiting to be put on. I'm going to post some more details of our holiday (honest!) asap.

Have joined my local RoSPA group and start next Sunday so should have some interesting road tales to tell soon. Hopefully will learn some useful lessons and improve my overall riding and abilities. It has to be a good thing.

Had a good day out today with some bods off the Boxhill forum. 9 bikes set out from Boxhill although we did have a mishap at the local petrol station when our leader dropped his ZZR6 on a nasty camber. The LH engine casing was cracked so his bike was going nowhere. He went two up with one of the others and we headed down to Lewes to pick up another member and let our bikeless rider nip home for his 400. We carried on to Rye, where by this time we had lunch not breakfast and made our way back to Boxhill. I'll try to post some pics shortly.

The front mudguard has broken on the GPZ, have now removed it completely, need to get on and find something to replace it with sooner rather than later although I quite like it without one...

Back to the grindstone tomorrow.... ugh!

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