Starbucks TT

The Starbucks TT was completed yesterday on greasy, leaf strewn roads. Basingstoke, Alton, A32 towards So'ton abd grabbing a bucks. I was with Limby and after meeting George and Si at Infinity where Si was trying on "pants" and a quick cross city traffic blitz towards Hein Gericke we rode home the usual way. I was taking it easy on the way down and although it was a little quicker on the way home, I am settling into the winter pace.

I have backed off the preload on the rear shock which is helping the bike feel more like a big comfy sofa and less like a jarring sportsbike but as most people will know, sofas are not the best model when setting up a bikes suspension. The bike doesn't hold a line as easily when the bike is settled into a corner and couple of chirps from the rear when cogging down on the brakes must be as a result of the change, fun though.

Ride for Rights

Yesterday me and Dean rode up the M3, around the M25/M40 and pulled up at the new Wembley at about 10:30. We were there to join the Rider Connect, "Ride for Rights", a protest ride through to Whitehall with 2000 other riders. The point was to get the message into the press that bikes are one potential solution to the increasing congestion across the country and as such should be exempt from any local road pricing schemes.

The current proposal will leave the decision on who gets charged, how and how much up to the local authority. Potentially a different system in every major city, town and village. A lack of vision by the government and a wish to pass the negative feelings regarding these policies from national to local level could create a confusing pile of red tape where objections to decisions will most likely be smaller and harder to back by large organisations. Riding my bike through several towns in a day could result in having to pay congestion charges in each town I pass through, potentially having to pay in different ways, at different times with different penalties if I forget or don't realise I have "triggered" a charge. The same is true, of course, for car drivers but as it has been proven that bikes are one of the best forms of transport for reducing congestion, reducing emissions, reducing manufacturing and disposal materials and easing parking problems why shouldn't it be written into the proposal that bikes must be exempt from charges?

*off soap box

We were lead out of Wembley by a fleet of police riders and organisers. A slow ride along the A40 and Marylebone Rd through towards the Strand was a surreal experience. Riding 5/6 abreast through red lights with people waving and staring whilst all around beep their horns and smile with bikes as far as could be seen in front and behind was not an everyday occurrence. My bike didn't like all this tickover action and died on me going along the Strand. A quick bump start with a few hundred eyes on me got me going again and luckily the second necessary bump start was on the hill leading onto Whitehall. A quick round of speeches by some MPs and we headed off on a quick tour around Westminster and across Tower bridge saw us filtering out of the capital towards Dorking and Boxhill. A swift coffee and burger and we were heading along the A31 towards home barely able to see through a tinted visor in dark misty conditions. It was one of the most mentally exhausting riding days I've ever experienced. Great fun though.

Summer is over

I saw the first zero appear on the air temp guage this morning on the ride to work. I think it may be time to get the thermals out.

Betws or bust

Loads of mile over the last week. Saturday morning at 7:30 Dean arrived at my garage with his Gixxer carrying a tent, a sleeping bag and overnight stuff. I loaded up the Viffer with it's panniers and we set off towards North Wales. We managed a good pace in the misty morning and soon we were heading up through Gloucester, Hereford and Leominster. We picked up the A49 then the beautiful A470 all the way up to Betws. I love this road, it's a mixture of open fast sections and tight 2nd gear twisty bits. I lead and Dean was keeping up easily. Only one dodgy overtake around the outside of a long hairpin scraping the pegs made the buttocks pucker up a little. After about 10-15 miles of "hard" riding the brakes started to get spongy, not surprising as hauling 300+Kg of bike and rider takes a lot of effort.

We rolled up to Swallow Falls and had time to put up the tents and down a pint before the footy kicked off at 3. A few more pints, a power nap, some curry and a couple of Jacks and we grabbed an early night.

We woke and packed up the tents before brekkie (a small Full Welsh). We loaded the bikes once again and decided to head north through Llanberis towards the north coast before cutting back south alongside Llyn Brenig. This is an amazing road with great scenery and it was easy to get into a rhythm. We picked up the A5 and heading east stopped at the burger van place which is always packed with bikers everytime I pass (I can't remember the name). We soon realised that we only had about 3 hours to do the 180 miles home so that Dean could learn some songs for the Proper Panda so we got back on the bike and got back on the road (not before laughing at the Sunday riders in their full Strongbad balaclavas!). The A5 was closed at Shrewsbury, not sure why, so after some scary "Wide Load" filtering we picked up the A49 and headed South. We soon on familiar roads and except for a little spirited chasing of an Escort Cossie the ride was uneventful.

525 miles and a good laugh. Why would anyone want to spend their weekend doing anything else?

On Monday evening, after giving the bike a half bucket special to wash off the Welsh road grime, me and Limby rode down to So'ton to grab a coffee (Not to self, coffee shops in So'ton shut at 6:30). A quick ride around the city stopping at St Mary's and we headed home. This little ride has reignited the idea of a London midnight run. This will be done before the weather gets BCF.

Extra shot vanilla latte and a Chicken Club sanger

Another Southampton coffee run this afternon with Limby. The way back was taken at a chilled pace through Totton, Lyndhurst and Ringwood before heading back through Salisbury where we were joined by a blade rider who I stuck a boot out to allow past me. I then rediscovered my lack of willpower as when he went passed Limby on the rear wheel and nailed it passed me I latched onto his rear wheel and we formed a high speed partnership along the A343. If I was to reflect on the 20 miles back to Andover I would have to conclude that it was too fast, not smooth but ragged. The Blade rider was lifting the front passed cars and made a couple of very dodgy overtakes. I should have taken this as a signal to back off and let him go but instead I stuck with him although I was riding significantly safer than him. I'm never proud of going too fast for the conditions and I know that this road was attacked too quickly today.

There is no substitute for experience and whilst I'm still learning from my bad decisions and keep developing as a rider I'll keep enjoying my time on a bike.

Thermal undercrackers needed

Yesterday morning, I finally stopped putting it off and gave my bike the pre-winter service I had been promising it for weeks. Oil and filter changed, chain cleaned and lubed, a full fairing off clean and a good dosing with FS365. A good job done.

This morning, at 7am, I threw the leathers on and warmed the bike up. I took a misty, cold, fast ride down to Portsdown Hill to meet Si. The roads were empty soit didn't take long to get down there. Si was taking a buttie break with Andy, his colleague in the passenger seat for the day. He was covering the M27 route this morning to he could still see a part of the motorway he was covering from the top of the hill. After chatting with a couple of local AA men also on duty and warming up with a coffee I headed back to Andover. The cages had started to wake up and head to garden centres so it was a slower ride back. A bacon buttie back at home a couple of large double shot coffees and I'm content, and it's only 10:30!

Oi oi.....Saveloy !

I was re-introduced to an old friend tonight, The A339 Basingstoke to Alton. I used to commute this awesome road a few years ago and although I have ridden it since then tonight was the first time since the commuting days when it flowed. Alton station was very quiet though, just a handfull of locals and me and Dean. We stayed and chatted for a while and then mooched off into Alton for some chips.

After leaving Dean in Basingstoke where he was catching a movie, I took a quick night time urban tour of the grad before taking the A339 to Newbury. Swift night riding holds different dangers than pushing on in the day. Not knowing the road surface ahead of you makes each corner a lottery one which I am glad to report, won tonight. My biggest problem with riding at night is that I turn in too early into bends. This isn't much of problem until you string some bends together. I find I'm struggling to keep a reasonable pace after a series of missed lines. I think riding through the long dark winter nights should help but I think I need some advice.

My bike is in need of a good clean and some chain maintenance. Maybe tomorrow night, then an oil and filter change at the weekend.