So what have you done today..?

Thanks Merv,
Ive been waiting for a 5th update on your optimism Merv, you and you very good lady doing ok? Any more bikes in the garage? How's the riding going?

 

Rode out to a nice pub in Upper Minety in deepest, darkest Wiltshire this evening. Left my place to meet the TVAM RAMS group at the McyD above the M4 J12 at just before 4pm, straight into thunder, lightening and heavy rain for the duration of the A4 from Aldermaston Wharf up to J4. Poor lady in the McyDs was running around with a mop we were dripping so much water. After a coffee and a briefing chat, set off west and did about 70 miles of dry and fun B roads to the pub although I couldn't tell you where we went through. About 30 riders from across the TVAM regions met at the pub for a chin wag and some super bbq food. We had pork and apple sausages made locally that were really good eating. Discovered Carole had picked up a roofing nail in her back tyre but fortunately a couple of guys rallied round with sticky string and a small electric compressor which fixed the problem well enough to head for home. Got as far as Swindon on the way back before the skies opened and we got drenched for the second time. Still home now, both the Multistrada and the Diavel didn't miss a beat and changed a few preconceptions held by some sports bike riders who tried hard to show how fast they were but couldn't drop us off the end of the snake . Definitely had good fun tonight and I'm looking forward to the next open run with TVAM. Andy

 

A bit up and down,still cannot predict what will happen each day.Could be a lot worse,am lucky Mrs Mervyn looks after me and stops me,as much as she can,overcooking it.
Had a great meet up last week with a couple of guys from the forum,hoping to take a bike out next week.Could be the hot Italian or the efficient German,will report back.

 

Started the MZ (79 TS250 super 5). Been sitting under a cover in the back garden for the last 6 months, quick shake to stir the premix, 3 prods on the Kickstarter to drag some fuel through, ignition on, a little choke, another kick.......bingo! Ring ding ding and away we go. Cockroaches and MZ's will be post apocalyptic survivors!

Need to tweak the mixture and then take it out for a blat round East Leics and Rutland tomorrow morning.......nice antidote to modern bikes.........shit brakes though.....

 

Yesterday I got the 959's first service done. I rode there in the rain and a few mile through road works. I've no idea what kind of grip to expect, so it was slow and easy.
Roads home were dry, better for the nerves. Bike can move on a bit. Spent a while cleaning all the muck off.

Definitely, the 848evo felt quicker. Would be interested in others thoughts.

 

I have had to edit my thoughts out, but good morning

 

Which bike feels easiest to ride ? Andy

 

Definitely the 959, acceleration seems smoother, it didn't want to lift the front wheel, maybe not giving her enough.

 

No, I think you have just answered your question. My guess because you feel as though you are working harder with the 848 you must be going faster when in reality, the 959 is so easy to ride you are probably quite a bit quicker. Andy

 

That's it, the 848evo had to be worked, I was busy riding it or trying to in all honesty.

Thank you

 

So, the missus was dozing early this morning whilst I watched GP qualifying. It must have seeped in because she awoke and told me of her dream. 3 bikes, 2 blue and one orange (apparently a Ferrari bike) were racing. The blue bikes were slower and knew they were going to lose at the last second so the rider of a blue bike called Maverick (must be vinales), leapt off his bike and onto the rear of the orange Ferrari bike but leant forward so his hand crossed the line first and he won.

She asked if that was a dream, my response was no and that it happened 3 times last season [emoji15][emoji23]


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Found a crash landed worker bee on the doorstep.Gave it emergency treatment with a feed of honey,it has now flown off.
Have also finished the connecting up of a mains socket near the front of the garage-this will be for my electric roller starter which I will use on my remaining road going Triton. Once I have had it up and running I will probably sell it and get something sensible.:Angelic:

 

I nipped into Edinburgh on the bike to get a day-pack for when I'm away for the weekend on the bike (Jack Wolfskin ACS Hike 26). I don't get biker specific backpacks because I usually do a bit of hillwalking when I'm away. Home again and out and mowed the weeds, finishing just as the rain started. Result.
Time for a quick coffee and then I'll give the bike a quick wash, doesn't really really need it, and clean and service the chain while I'm at it. Happy days.

 

You have a scrambler and a pani and your grandkids are running around without shoes. Forshame, El T. :Finger:

 

That's nothing, he's got the grandkids on eBay because he's eying up a few things in the scrambler catalog!


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Ill do anything for free stuff so this extends to pulling all the coolant hoses off of the zed for a free set....so samco tell me there are subtle differences between the gen3 and 4 and seeing as theyre too cheap to actually buy a set from big green they offer the service to punters (ie, me) so it started off like this...

And then looked like this....
And now its all chucked back together for the next couple of months til the hoses are manufactured....

So, wont be riding it for a while which'll make it all the sweeter when it does go back together (by which time the paypal balance should be clear) and itll have a set of marchesini's on there as well....

 

We watched MotoGP followed by 1st round of the BSB. Washed both the Diavel and the Multistrada then watched 2nd round of the BSB. Busy morning tomorrow, the 853 is booked in for its first 600 mile check and oil/filter change and whilst I'm there got test rides booked on an Enduro and an X Diavel. Andy

 

Not today but..........
February 27th 2016 I lost my job as a burner on the steelworks, I`d done this job for 20 years and thought it would be a job for life, alas not.
As myself and my colleagues had lost our jobs due to a mill closure we were all offered courses to retrain, I put my name down for everything I could, I did a 5 tonne counterbalance forklift refresh, a reach truck conversion, passport to safety, an ILM 2 team leader course and an IOSH course.
This was the first time I`d been unemployed in 32 years and I was beginning to think "this is it, I`m on the scrap heap."
I wrote a CV, then an improved one, then another, my last version was quite good, even if I say so myself.
Along with the rejections were some humorous incidents. I got a job interview for a forklift driver at a cardboard factory and, looking back, I haven`t a clue why. All my first CV had on it for job skills was "burner, burner, BURNING!!!" Ideal candidate for a cardboard factory, NOT. I`m sure they only interviewed me out of curiosity.
Job seekers was an eye opener, £70 p.w, WTF. My job centre mentor was spot on though, treated me like a person and not just something he`d stepped in, I`d heard horror stories from other people about how bad they had been treated. All along I was offered support and he said I would be back in work soon.
I applied for a few jobs each week, had three more interviews then, April 20th I was offered two jobs. One was driving a forklift on the docks and the other was back on the steelworks, this time as a machine operator. I accepted the latter and, within a week they`d put me through my test for a 15 tonne and above unlimited capacity forklift. I`ve operated forklifts years ago but none this big, first time behind the wheel was on test day.
I passed my loading shovel refresher last week, that was a breeze as I`d driven them for 6 years on a wharf before I started at the steelworks.
I really enjoy this job, the money isn`t as good as I was on as a burner and I still think shifts are better than days but, you can`t beat playing with big boys toys all day.