Boring times.....

Is it wrong that due to immense frustration at the work I had to carry out this evening I decided to relax by cleaning and ajusting the chain on the Tuono? 2 hours of work followed by an half an hour of chain cleaning and I'm ready to chill out on the sofa. There's some Buzzcocks on the stereo, with some Smiths queued up, I'm set for a couple of hours of internet time.

My rear tyre is ready for replacment, but I don't think I'll get the chance to get it changed before the road trip this weekend. Hopefully 500 hard miles won't destroy the rear before I get back, it's already managed 4000 miles of abuse. Perhaps I should find the cash and time to get it done on Friday? Maybe leave work an hour early and head up to Oxford's Dave Clarke Motorcycles for a 2CT? I'll have to have a think tomorrow and book it in if I can.

Spring 2010.....

Due to fooling myself into thinking that I would dissove if I went out for a ride in the winter rain, I didn't put many miles in over the winter. It made me a little crazy but I'm appreciating the recent dry weather even more than usual. The Tuono passed it's MOT with only a new front tyre to help it through. As a treat, I bought it a new Renntec rack for the back, some polish and myself a new pair of gloves.

Last weekend was filled with bike stuff. I headed out early on Saturday for a run down towards Henley, followed by a visit into the Farnborough bike shops. A quick blast down the old Alton/Farnham/Winchester circuit before meeting Limburn in Salisbury. A last 75 mile blast back up the A338 completed a nice little 200+ mile day. Sunday involved more miles, with a pootle over to George White's for a coffee and mooch. Limburn joined me and we headed back to Oxford for another coffee and some pie. MMmmm Pie.

Throughout the weekend I was fiddling with my suspension settings to try to dial it in. I put everything to the standard settings with the exception of the rear preload which was decreased. This caused some unexpected high speed weave so the rear rebound and compression were increased by 5 clicks each. It's improved but still not a great improvement. Maybe the increasingly square rear tyre isn't helping so I won't change anything else until that's changed.

I've planned a trip to North Wales in a couple of weeks for a camping trip (hence the new Renntec rack) and I'm hoping the rear tyre will make it. It should, although I suspect the handling will be less than ideal. I have to sort out this years bike insurance before the tyre is changed. What a fun job that will be.

I took the car to work today, not sure why, and yet all I'm thinking about is how long it is until I finish work and can get home for some bike stuff. I think a bit of chain cleaning and urban riding will satisfy me. Perhaps I took the car as yesterday I followed a 58 plate Triumph Street Triple with a flat rear tyre 10 miles along the A34. He pulled off into MPK with me and I shielded him from the commuting traffic behind whilst he wobbled around the slip roads at 10 mph. Poor sod, what a crappy start to the day. I've been there and it's pants.