HID light first big night run

Came back from Sussex the other night, 150 miles, all after dark. The new HID light throws brilliant, white light to make B roads at 60 mph on dipped no problem. 80 on full beam is fine but sharp dipped cut off makes an overall 60 mph less heart stopping. On the motorway a constant 85 is easy as you can see all the different cats eyes. Main beam is stunning, the whole 2 lanes lit up like daylight for hundreds of metres. Dunno if motorists think they are being flashed or maybe there is a hint of blue in the light but even in daylight they now are quick to move over as you come up on them. I only flashed once, to let a coach pull out before it could sideswipe me, and the effect was of a camera flash in the dark. I have got to say that at £65 this HIDS4U H4 5000 Kelvin kit from e bay is a stunning safety improvement.
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HID headlight conversion

Had a HID4U kit fitted to Ethel this week , H4 with 5k Kelvin colour temperature to give white, not blue, light.
Went for first ride this evening. Main beam is awesome, 80 mph on country roads easy, but beware very sharp dipped cut off.
Great so far. Thanks to Ian Joyce of Brightworks for fitting the kit with no sign that it is there. Great.
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Manx 2011 VMCC on Southern 100 course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYelIIY2tc0

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Jurby VMCC 2011

Ethel the Beemer 1986 BMW K75C takes to the Jurby track in the Isle of Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK_hJpuwjek&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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Croix en Tournois

Rev that triple !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vv_5_67TDs&feature=autoplay&list=ULV9w8K7ViRcg&lf=mfu_in_order&playnext=1

Croix en Ternois.3GP

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMEl1sKHeZM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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Croix en Tournois video at last ?

www.http://youtu.be/uMEI1sKHeZM
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Croissant en Tournois

Reliant 3 wheeler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8
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Still trying to upload videos

Another gem from Claude

Just click on the link.

Anyone that has ridden in France will get it straight away.

Brilliant !

Re: Ethel at work

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-----Original Message-----
From: depomyknuf@googlemail.com
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2011 13:54:41
To: Ethel the Beemer<depomyknuf.ethelthebeemer@blogger.com>
Reply-To: depomyknuf@googlemail.com
Subject: Ethel at work

On our way back from an appointment with car parts for inspection !
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Ethel at work

On our way back from an appointment with car parts for inspection !
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Terrot blog

Not to infer that my travels rate the same as doing it on a 1928 but I can relate to the way people do come up to you and ask Why are you here ? Where are you going ?
The look on their faces when you say - no reason and no idea - is priceless.
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Wonderful Terrot blog

Don't worry if you don't speak French just look at the great images and the story tells itself.
http://terrotenmontagne.canalblog.com/
Merci Claude mon ami
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The funeral of Marco Simoncelli - a very Italian affair

The funeral was streamed live via the web. I joined it as the clerics lined up at the front went through various stock rituals. In front of them were on either side Simoncelli's 250 Gilera and 800 Honda with the gray coffin bedecked with white flowers between. The Church was full as was a football pitch sized area outside which had relayed sound and a large screen. This event showed what a patrician society Italy still is as those present where overwhelmingly male. The great kind bear that is Paulo Simoncelli received a constant stream of male hugs whilst his mother and sister just seemed overlooked. The congregation included a large number of jockey sized blokes with regulation cropped hair and fuzzy half grown beards. The way the camera lingered on some of them they must be celebrities but most were lost on me. Not so Agostini, very elder statesman like, Rossi, the distraught Capirossi, Dovizioso, the neatly turned out Lorenzo, Vito Guareschi still with shocked 1000 yard stare and Dr Costa who gave a warmly received speech in which I think he said that Simoncelli was a champion and his life a victory.
A very nice and unexpected touch was the placing of the coffin on a carpet on the ground so people could simply come and sit around it for a while. Some Italian versions of rock music were played a couple of times and then the coffin was gently driven away.
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Wayne Hamilton

All the Tweets on the loss of Simoncelli brought back to mind the Manx 11 and another young rider, Wayne Hamilton.
Watching from the drive of the bungalow before Douglas Rd corner I could clearly see his face as he went by rushing into the bend. Then he did not appear as expected on the next lap. Fellow marshal Mit had been on the radio and turned to say - incident at Westwood, about 300 metres to our left but out of our sight. When the helicopter went over we feared the worst and tragically it was.
It was a numbing experience to be directly linked to such an event.
I can only send sympathies to the riders grief stricken Tweets following the loss of #58 SIC, the sudden brutality of such a way to die is hard to take.
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Marco Simoncelli

Was watching Grandson Tommy playing football this Sunday morning when a series of Tweets came up to announce that #58 Sic had been killed at Sepang. Later on I watched the recording to see that he had unfortunately been run over by others during the incident. He now joins Jarno Saarinen, Craig Jones and Ben Gaultrey in suffering this fate. It was spooky to see a Tweet from Leon Haslam ref the Dan Wheldon incident that when your number is up that's that and then this happened.
It brought to mind a link on a forum which was a report on the Monza incident about 40 years ago when both Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini lost their lives. This said that they collided and went off track when Pasolini's 2 stroke twin Harley badged Aermachi seized in front of Saarinen. Saarinen was sitting up when struck by some of the other 6 bikes that went down in the wreckage. It also said that the engine design made seizures inevitable as the top half was watercooled but the bottom was not thus creating 2 running temperatures in the same engine. Who knows.
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Flying Brick Treffen 2012

Woohoo ! The trip is on for the end of April. Even better Claude wants to come. He lives en route so great to meet up and go together. He has a spotless K1. Be great to see it on the road.
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My late father on his Rudge Sports Special outfit

Here is my late father taken in 1938. The Rudge Sports Special was the touring version of the Ulster but with conventional valve layout rather than the radial valves of the Ulster. I love the upswept pipes, huge headlight and monster pipe to the front wheel - did it have a hydraulic front brake ?
Shortly after this was taken my father signed up for the army, REME, and was posted to Eygpt for 5 1/2 years. In his absence his father sold the outfit without telling him ! My father was naturally upset about this when he finally got home but was more upset that his violin, which was in the sidecar, had gone with it.
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A wonderful 1950s nostalgia trip with history, illustrations and video

My friend Claude kindly sent me this link
http://www.go-faster.com/SS100.html
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Dijon Moto Legendes 26-27 May 12

Targeting this classic bike meet as a long weekend trip. For a literally cooler ride I am thinking of riding through the night. It will be a non toll road trip and camping too !
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Cornering

It was fun on the Jurby track to find out without trying how far Ethel can be leaned over in corners. Much more than I ever realised. Another proof positive for the IAM who said as much. Result is that cornering is now smoother, quicker and more relaxed. Great fun on all those clover motorway access points we ride all the time.
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Me and Claude at Croix en Ternois

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Croix en Tournois

It's finally dawned on me to send videos just like pictures. Sorry this is so short - dunno why - but it's a start
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Riding kit update

The Croix en Tournois trip was 1st time out for the new Hit Air jacket. Super comfy and warm in the pre dawn chill with zipped in lining and edz teddy fleece ! Lot more freedom of movement and no sweating from a back protector. Jacket body waterproof in the downpours but pockets let in water. Maybe I should velcro them down better. Water also worked its way back up the cuffs but boy they were heavy and prolonged downpours. Kept forgetting I was tethered to Ethel by the gas bottle connector. Dreading setting it off at the gas pumps and standing there like the Michelin man.
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At last a Jurby video

My mate Repko sent me this link which gives a flavour of Jurby. After a while he zings by on his Suzuki X7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8vaaS9Fu_M
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Even new Triumphs break down

I was surprised, standing on the Tower at Croix en Tournois watching the bikes go round, to hear English voices commenting nearby. The voices belonged to a group of pot bellied young blokes who climbed on to pot bellied new Triumphs and left the circuit before me. After riding for a while through the downpour there they were on the roadside huddled around a newly dead Triumph.
Funnily enough I had followed exactly the same type of pot bellied Triumph on Swiss plates off the tunnel train. It was the 1500cc twin cruiser and pulled 140 - 150 kph easily everywhere. Riding position looked a bit scrunched up so wouldn't fancy riding it to Lausanne.

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Croix en Ternois trip

We did 426 miles using 46 litres of fuel which makes it in old money 49 miles to the gallon at a speed, nearly all motorway, held at 140 kph - 85 mph.
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Croix en Tounois Sunday 18 Sept 11

A day trip to France courtesy of an invite from Claud who organises the Journees de la moto classique at this circuit 60 miles from Calais. To my amazement I was expected at the gate, led through the paddock by Claud's charming wife and then through the assembly area to meet Claud ! Realising I had left my phone back in the paddock I was loaned a pit bike to go and get it - couldn't stop grinning.
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More Manx Memories

Interviewed on the start line Mark Parratt was asked about the ex Donnie McCloud works Armstrong tandem 2 stroke twin he was riding. After all the scouse and semi scouse local accents all around it was a change to hear his Sarf of the Rivva accent by way of a change. His response was that he had never ridden a 2 stroke before and that you are on the edge of your seat enough around here without worrying about what a 2 stroke was going to do. Sure enough on lap 1 he coasted in to view from the 13th Milestone and pulled in with a dead engine right where I was standing at Douglas Rd corner. After a while his van came up the back road from Peel. A bloke stuck his head out of the window and called out " Oi Parra av you killed it ? "
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Croix en Tournois Sunday 18th Sept 2011

Great ! Going to Croix en Tournois an hour South of Calais for a day trip via the chunnel to meet up with my mate Claude and see some vintage bikes going around. Woohoo !
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Manx memories

Works Honda WSBK rider Jonathan Rea pulling up right behind Ethel in the Jurby paddock and pulling a Fireblade out of the back of a Vito van.

Me grunting " Morning " at him as I was more interested in checking Ethel over before the 1st track session.

Keith Amor - works Honda TT legends rider - coming out of the VMCC marquee and me grunting " Afternoon " at him as I was more interested in grabbing my packed lunch.

Clenched fist salute from John McGuinness on his parade lap to applauding Marshals at Douglas Rd corner Kirkmichael.

Murray's wonderfully laid back museum of biking treasures at Sunton.

Asking Graeme Crosby at Castletown if his book is available on Kindle - how do you do that he asked.
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New jacket - again - Hit Air this time

Got to say that I am disappointed in the Hein Gericke goretex kit. It leaks. I get that most uncomfortable of leaks - wet crutch - which never dries out no matter how much the sun comes out. Also the elbows leak. Too bad it came used or I would want my money back. Anyway I have resorted to spraying all joints with silicon waterproofer so it is now probably as boil in the bag as anything else except the superb police one piece riot suit which does evverything goretex is supposed to. Trouble is it has the protective qualities of a crisp packet. Then a Hit Air inflatable jacket came up at half price in my size so I bought it. Off the bike it is the best fitting jacket yet. Not yet hooked it up to go for a ride. Watch this space.
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The bike that never was

Having put the ZX6R up for sale or swap on a freebie local site I had a response from Kent ! We agreed on a straight swap for a 2001 plate Suzuki Bandit 1200 in streetfighter trim. Then I got a call to say that the parked up bike had been reversed over by a truck.
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Ethel following Repko Lap on his X7 Suzuki at the Gooseneck on our timed Mountain lap

We finished with Ethel in 21st place out of 85 starters with a time of 1 hour 45 minutes 4 seconds and Repko in 22nd with 1 hour 45 minutes 3 seconds - the only rider to finish in thesame place as his start number !

Jurby - Why is my foot getting hot ?

Ethel on the jurby straight

Ethel trying to keep up at jurby

Foot getting hot at jurby !

Ethel takes on Triumph Harrier at Jurby - passsed hime too !

Stooging around before delayed start of Friday racing

The travelling marshal has arrived. Boy these riders are seriously quick and can circulate during races at race pace. They all have TT / MGP race experience.
Here we have a standard Yamaha R1 but a couple are out on Yamaha Fazers and entertain us as they grind lumps off the bikes as they round Douglas Rd corner.
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Douglas Rd corner Kirk Michael

Clearing away equipment after the final race looking back up the road towards 13th Milestone
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End of the Manx GP 2011

Cold wet dawn departure on Fastcat. Very bumpy and rolling for first 90 minutes thus many breakfasts donated over the stern to the Irish sea
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Friday marshal duty

Been assigned to the corner at Douglas Rd today. Gulp. First race will be the Senior and very quick. Surface is wet but drying. Fingers crossed
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Marshals at Douglas Rd corner

Mist on mountain so delayed start for Senior race
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Yet more Port Erin time warp

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More wonderful Isle of Man time warp

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More Port Erin !

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Port Erin

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Curvy Riders

I've seen gaggles of females now and then with Curvy Riders logos on and thought nothing of it. Now I am nightly confronted by an evangelical advocate of what they are about who happens to be staying in the same house. It is a women only organisation. I thought you can no longer have a discriminatory organisation by law. It has so far fallen on her deliberately deaf ears that the adjective " curvy " has no gender and that as all sexes have curves then they should all be allowed to join. It is typical self centred female hypocrisy that they can get away with sexualising an adjective yet if a bloke says to a woman in the street " You look curvy " then he is sexually harrassing her. Yet another example of women giving the game away that they do not really want equality but power.
Maybe I'll set up a website www.fuckacurvyrider.org
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A Marshals tough life

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Race day Wed 31st Aug 11

Travelling marshal at Douglas Rd corner Kirkmichael
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VMCC my best in show

WW2 Norton despatch riders bike complete with blackout headlight and possibly original oil streaming out.
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Murrays Museum

Tucked away near to Castletown is this gem. By way of a welcome change from all the total restorations coming out of the back of vans everything here is exactly as it was when collected. The same is true of the eccentric blokes running this chaotic jumble of truly historic treasures. One of them lives in Kate's Cottage up on the Mountain Course and owns the well which runs downhill to supply the famous Creg Ny Baa pub. In heavy rain peat turns the water brown and the pub has to change filters in the big green tank in the car park. Meanwhile, back at the museum, you can go up to the loft area and make yourself a cup of tea from the kettle, help yourself to biscuits, sit around in the old sofas and listen to their stories. People bring their dogs along too. It's all done on trust in typical Manx style. No signs telling you how to behave and very few locked up items in cabinets. You wander round and it is left up to you to respect unique artefacts in machinery, clothing, magazines and sundry lumps of bike bits. The many race bikes are just as they finished their last race so you can feel what their era was like. A great story surrounds the Ray Knight Triumph triple racer on show in gloriously scuffed up condition. This was bought at auction as a random box of triple bits in 2010 for £2180. Neither the buyer nor the auctioneers realised what they had got. It turns out to be authenticated as number 4 of only 12 full works original Triumph Triple racers ever made. Real worth is whatever someone would be willing to pay for it.
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VMCC Concours Competition

And now here is Ethel in the VMCC Concours Competition - unbelievable !
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My Dutch mate Repko

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VMCC iom timed lap

Yeehar Ethel did it ! Required av speed 24 mph actual 23.343 will we get a prize ?
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VMCC lap of IOM

Ethel all set to go, proper vintage bike !
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Marshalling at the Manx Monday 29th Aug 11

Turned up early at Douglas Road corner Kirkmichael to find no one there. Standing there in my very new Marshal's hi vis top a German rider pulled up to ask what time the roads would close. I efficiently responded in German to give him the wrong time - oops - 30 mins too soon.
The very chummy Marshals arrived and I was assigned to Mit from Nordern Eyerlund. Up the road we went to stand in the drive of a bungalow - the door opened and a friendly voice immediately asked " Is it tay or caafee ? " Yup a houseful of Mit soundalikes.
And so to work. We were the flag station for the downhill swoop into the right hander into flat out Kirkmichael village and also had the track radio. My job was to man the blackboard ! As a mainly classic bike meeting breakdowns and oil leaks are common. So when notified a smoking bike is coming Mit holds out the black and orange STOP sign and I chalk the machine's number on the board and hold it out. Not needed all day then right at the end of practice following racing a smoky bike appeared and by us all by itself !
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Sunday 28th Aug 11 Ethel in the Jurby paddock

Ethel waiting with her number on in the Jurby paddock for the first of her 3 track sessions. Videod last 2 sessions so will upload when I learn how. Stunning day of fun, the absolute bollocks. We were faster than some but slower than many ! Didn't get my knee down but wondered why my foot was getting hot before I realised it was touching the track.
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Ballacraine marshals Sat 27 Aug 11

Just after the Newcomers race and waiting for the first practice bikes to come through
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Manx GP Sat 27th Aug 11

It must be a bike trip ! Opened top box at first fuel stop and lock flew out - now back to lid secured with strap.
Steam Packet make you pointlessly stooge around with no cover for an hour or so before boarding. Of course it bucketed it down with rain so gloves which stay dry on the bike are now soaked. Those in groovy replica leathers are looking very glum. Aha now we are in the dry the rain has stopped. Cmon let's go !
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Manx GP jitters

Just one more day and away we go. The excitement of it all has been cooled by the tragic death in practice of Neil Kent 2010 Lightweight and Goodall trophy winner. 25 years experience in the I0M yet something went wrong at Greeba.RIP.
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Tom Tom for the Isle of Man

Downloaded the UK and Ireland map which says it covers part of the Isle of Man. Great news is that it does cover the Mountain course. Just what I wanted to see what is coming up next through all those tree tunnels, blind bends and crests. Wonder who the first race newcomer to use one will be !
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Still learning about Ethel

Did a quick 300 mile zip to Sussex and back today only to find out in the dark and drizzle that I had set the headlamp way too high when replacing the latest blown bulb. Until this roadside moment the built in headlamp height adjustment knob has stubbornly refused to turn thus making guesswork of the setting. In anticipation of this I pushed the base of the headlamp down and whoopee the knob turned and we have easy adjustment. No idea why but no complaints.
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Manx GP VMCC start number 135

Just got this years 2011 Manx GP programme and there we are on page 65 start number 135. A dream come true a start number on the Isle of Man for our combined ages of 87 !
Never give up on your dreams.
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To Kwak or not to Kwak

The ZX6R is in the swapper dept. A 1989 K100RS with 38k new battery and original condition in matching colour to Ethel, greeny grey metallic, and non ABS has come up. The seller has nibbled at a swap offer be fun when back from France / Spain cruise to see if a deal is on.
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New boots for Ethel

Just fitted new Conti Go's front and rear. Hadn't realised how squared off the back had got after all those motorway miles. No wonder she was weaving a bit on long swoopers. Also we like to zap up to whatever the limit is as quickly as possible as prescribed by IAM so I suppose that doesn't help tyre wear. Good news is shaft drive so at least with no chain and sprocket replacement we're saving money there.
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More Manx GP excitement

Just noticed that the VMCC timed lap we are doing is a consistency event - the winner is the one closest to his class set time. Much relieved to see 75 minute times so we are in with a shout. Amazing to look forward to competing on the TT course.
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Summer football break nearly over

This is our final weekend before our football madness Ristee Towers FC kicks in again with 5 a side competition, pre season friendlies before kick off on Sat 3rd September, the day I get back from the Manx GP.
Took advantage of a fine dawn to finish off fitting hugger to the zx6r and wired battery charger in to battery + swapped Ethels charger over so it plugs into 12v socket so no need to plug into cigar type socket. Going to fit new Conti Go to Ethel so will take wheels out soon.
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Goretex is go !

Tried out the new Goretex jacket and trousers in a 180 mile motorway run. The British weather behaved just right with clear blue skies and hot sun one minute and sudden cold downpours the next. Immediate impression is of how light and comfortable it all is, just like wearing ordinary clothes. Surprised how much the lack of tugging, flapping trousers reduces noise and stress with no more sudden tugs and clonks. Great to have built in climate control as it was both cool when hot and warm when cold. How does it know ? Totally waterproof in downpours. The suspect cuff tabs stayed velcroed and doubts about over tight collar dispelled as the material is soft and squashy. Best of all I now arrive with a dry back as the Forcefield protector now gets ventilated so no more shirt changing in car parks. So far very pleased disproving doubts that is was all techno bullshit. Great case of getting what you didn't pay for - e bay rocks !
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comfort kit

http://www.topyokes.com/contact_us

Top of the range riding gear from Hein Gericke

Treated myself to a Hein Gericke Master IV Goretex jacket , RRP £499, + HG PSX-RS leather and goretex trousers RRP £399 used but as new from blibblob on e bay for £410 delivered. They arrived quickly but smelling of smoke. Both in as new condition and trousers with tags. The jacket is a good fit but comes with average quality zip out liner despite the groovy thermometer you cant see when you put it on. It has thick leather tabs to seal zip ends at the wrists but they are too stiff for the velcro to keep closed and bulk up sleeves under gloves. Soon to be snipped off methinks. More goofy is a long poachers pocket for a drink bladder at the rear base of the jacket with, wait for it, little tube guides on the chest. The ultimate twat suit goody. Thank God this jacket is black and hopefully nobody will notice. Once again here we have an oem jacket with cheap and nasty armour. Just as I had hoped to move away from putting on the Forcefield back protector and elbow tubes the difference in quality and performance is on a different planet to this crap. So out it all came, except for the star washered in shoulders holding what feels like non slip matting in place, out with the lining and on with Forcefield - ah thats better.
Now for the trousers. Knee armour like shin pads so out with them and back to Forcefield. Waist elasticated strap runs out of travel and does not do up waist enough to hold trousers up. Threaded £ shop black luggage strap through long loop at rear and now we have an infinitely adjustable oem looking belt with a free end that neatly secures under the original velcro.
How come Marks & Spencer suits and trousers fit me straight off the peg but biker kit never does ?
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Manx GP excitement

Just realised that Ethel qualifies for Vintage Motorcyle Club membership as she is over 25 !
They do event membership so we'll be joining up to ride the Jurby circuit and be part of other events in parts of the island I've not been to. Also the landlord where I am staying is a TT forum moderator so with marshalling +VMCC it should be an involving week.
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Suhl trip mileage

Just totted up the fuel costs and mileage for the trip. Works out at £120 and 58 mpg - Ethels best ever - a real surprise considering it was 140 kph all the way.
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Police riot suit e bay £30 + kit

I've worn this every day for this trip and it is superb. Only £700 cheaper than Aerostich. So far wind and waterproof and somehow getting easier to shrug into. The rubber Forcefield back protector now no longer sits on the waist of the overtrousers I used to wear with the result that it slips down and has a hard base edge which is painful to sit on. I was tempted to hack a few inches off this but that could end up being the spot needed should it ever come to it. I do still really fancy a BMW Atlantis waterproof suede finish leather suit as that would get rid of the added on/off scenario of the Forcefield knee,arm and back kit. However at £1100 a pop I would want it tailor made not off the peg from the indifferent staff at Wollaston BMW NN.
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Dawn at dull Harwich

Awoke all of a sudden to see the shore close by. With memories of being the very last person to wake up on a ferry arriving at Hamburg with one solitary car in it I rushed to get out of the cabin only to be foiled by the time difference so enjoying a long hot stooge around in full biker gear before disembarkation.
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The beige tendency at the Hook of Holland

Just parked up Ethel out of the howling wind, stashed helmet and set off between the parked cars for fish n chips. Beige bloke jumps out of car and says to me Can you move your car forward ? Well having been brought up to tell the truth I said No that's totally impossible. Beige bloke coloured up to bluster Why not ? Well says I, my car is in Northamptonshire. I'm on that bike over there.
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Another new sister for Ethel ?

Was just chatting to the Dutch owner of the R1150RT in the background of this garage near Arnhem. He had Ks and then bought the RT 6 years ago. Says it vibrates more than Ks mostly through the seat. Likes it but srvicing expensive. Mmm.
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Hard to make out from the image but it is dense dark in there

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Thuringian forest road

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Couldn't resist this one - look at the street sign

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Louisenstadt up in the hills near Suhl

Stunning ride up here. Miles and miles of swoopy stuff surrounded by dense forest. As usual deadly quiet and the odd derelict house just standing there in the middle of nowhere
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City tour of Suhl - Thuringia Germany

Last night I was treated to a foot tour guided by our inimitable contact Wolfgang. Suhl was one of the regional centres set up in the old East Germany as it has 2 borders with what was the West. This resulted in a heavy military, police and stasi - secret police - presence. Of course when reunification came all this melted away like snow and nobody knows anything - they must have all been down the same laundrette or library they were all in during WW2. All the old HQ buildings are still there together with the hotel built then for foreigners. There are 9 mountains around the town which not only the Russians used as perches. The area has centuries old hunting tradition so has always made weapons. News to me was that Kalashnikovs were made here. Just recently builders dug up a cache of 38 machine guns in perfect working order. Most interesting is that Simpson motorcycles were made here which is why also perched in the hills is the Simpson brothers chalet with panoramic veranda. The Russians set up 3 main industries here all state supported so when it went bang they could not compete and everyone was out of work. The knock on effects are still happening today with Westward migration running at 2000 people, mostly young, leaving per month. The population has dropped from 65k to 30k and falling. The local black humour has it that at 1800 hours Suhl rolls up its front door steps and shuts for the day. This was evident yesterday as we were the only people out and the car park was deserted. Wages are low, rents are high and with Erfurt - now the regional capital - only 40 minutes away the town is dying. Here I sit in an industrial estate at 0730 and nothing is moving or happening whereas this is peak activity frenzy time in the West. As I noticed in Dresden and Leipzig at least the old villages were left alone by the Russians and are a beautiful step back in time. They could not help themselves from ripping out old chunks of the town though and putting in ugly blocks. But then these are interspersed with lovely but now sadly delapidated empty buildings where no one has been able to prove ownership. What a different world it was.
Oh yes Simpson has 8 staff and is again making spares for their in demand strokers and the great little 250 4 stroke single with rubber seats at stepped heights that I fancy. Wolfy still has connections there - he worked with their ISDT team in the 60s
- maybe he can get me one !
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Something the Russians forgot to take home

Just arrived in Suhl in pouring rain having sweltered all the way here. The traffic in Holland was solid for the first 30 miles no fun at all. At every exit from and to a motorway the traffic just seizes up. The German autobahns are just like they always were - just take another look at that car coming up behind in the distance because now he is RIGHT ON YOUR ARSE. Something else that has not changed in almost 30 years is the military grade plastic used to shrink wrap hotel min bar peanuts. The only access is to stab your way in. I'm keeping a packet as a side stand puck.
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Off to Suhl we go !

All settled in to a cabin with a window right on the bow of the ferry to the Hook of Holland. Ferkin black out there hope everyones got headlights. Finally got Tom Tom to route where I want to go so all set for morning. Glad I whipped the new Airhawk quickly off Ethel because she was instantly lashed down by the seat as soon as I got off.
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The ZX6R featured in Superbike magazine July issue

Delighted to see the article in print after the writer rang and asked for copy and images.
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The view from Heaven - my room at Centre Parcs

Just settled in to Centre Parcs. No kids, no football club , no dog - sniff - just me and Rose and my Currie electric bike.
I love it so much I am going to sleep with.
I reckon that Brian, of New Tricks, and me are soul mates.
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Oops finger / brain trouble

The new neoprene Airhawk is number 1 the old plastic one is Airhawk 2
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Airhawk 1 seat has arrived

Just received the Airhawk 1 seat bought at great expense from e bay - ended up saving about £20 over new but delivery was the key especially as I only really need the inflatable insert. First impressions ? Completely different feel from the plastic Airhawk 1. Much heavier and more stretchy. I know they are a lot of money but the difference one of these makes on a long journey is worth every penny. I cannot moan about the punctured Airhawk one as I did 20k miles on it and got it cheap in the first place. Now that I've handled the neoprene Airhawk 2 I would go for one of these every time.
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Germany trip soon

Ethel is all set for her next European jaunt towards the end of the month. Funny how we've both reached an age when we both know what we can do and don't need to race out every day to prove it. So she patiently sits there ready as and when. Looking forward to the arrival of the neoprene Airhawk seat to replace the plastic one which has defeated all attempts to seal a pinprick hole in one of the tube joints. Planning on an oil change before we go and to tidy up one of the handlebar muffs and that's it.
Meanwhile the ZX6R will go back to the MOT station this week having been failed for a blown dipped bulb and lack of tail reflector. Just goes to show that getting sneered at for doing a bike walk around before each ride is worth it - I hadn't noticed the lack of light as it was bright sunshine.
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TT3D Close to edge

Just got home from watching this. Guy Martin is mad. Off his head. Saw Conor Cummins crash for the first time, it was all going well as he descended the mountain minus bike at 160mph until he hit that dry stone wall and did a triple salko.Heartbreaking to see Paul Dobbs widow putting on a brave face. The other 2010 fatality Martin Loicht received a brief voiceover mention. As it happens I spoke with the incident car driver who attended his Quarry Bends crash. He was lucid at the scene and puzzled as to the cause of the accident. Sadly he died later of internal bleeding. Turns out that his chain came off and jammed the back wheel on this series of flat out knee down bends.
Overall an ok flick with stunning bike coverage but I could have done without Martin doing slow speed posing stuff on the bike like shots from the Honda Impossible Dream ad.
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Riding along on Ethel again

What a lovely old bus she is to ride. As Santa Pod is about 7 miles away I just went for a trundle to enjoy the ride. Very pleased that all the tidied up wiring and the newly regrommetted tank and radiator cowl did not go bang/leak/fall off. Quizzed a Santa Pod stallholder on how HID kits actually fit on bikes. He was pissed, yup drunk, but together we managed to work it out so I fancy treating Ethel as the headlight is feeble. Trouble is I really new a new Airhawk seat more - at least I've got a headlight.
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Santa Pod 25th April 2011

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Santa Pod Easter Monday 2011

Went to Santa Pod today courtesy of tickets won in a Cancer Care
raffle at ASDA !
It's the first time I've been back there in years and I was struck by
how much it has been improved. The wooden open barn directly behind
the start has gone, replaced by a modern unit with roller shutter
doors. Way back you could stand in the barn and watch the races
straight down the strip. It was always amusing to see people refusing
to listen to requests to leave the barn before the jet car went down
the strip and to see the singed results as it was flooded with a
sudden gush of flame.
The jet car was there today too. This time in the guise of a Funny Car
and very well turned out . The old jet car resembled a hospital bed
with a jet engine in it. Wonder what happened to that. Also Eric the
Frenchman had his rocket bike. Now that was something to see. Great
bursts of white smoke then swoosh until he went over the line at 217
mph in 5.4 seconds.
All this made me hungry. Mindful of the usual shit catering at UK
tracks I was not surprised that the only hot food available in the
grandstand area was fried chicken and chips so I made do with that.
Having got bored with saloon cars and other oddball 4 wheeled vehicles
conking out on the line or blowing up after 50 yards I went for a
wander around.
What an odd world the drag racing scene is. There were loads of stalls
selling all sorts of gear to turn English Joe Public into Southern
States White Cracker Pig Fucker. All you could ever want to go to a
Dukes of Hazard reunion gig. No end of T shirts and jackets in primary
colours plastered with American brand names. And then, miles away from
the grandstand, nice permanent facilities selling real food, yes,
vegetables and a healthy variety of good things to eat. Chicken man
and SSWCPF supplies need to be dumped at the end of the strip and this
lot switched to the Grandstand area where all the ordinary people have
money to spend.
Back on the track an ordinary looking VW beetle with a Rolls Royce jet
engine sticking out of the back was trundling back and forth at a
steady pace looking like our Weedwand gas burner stick on 4 wheels.
At last some bikes and an end to the circus acts. The Top Fuel bikes
sounded different. They used to make distinctive explosions on every
tickover stroke and go off the line sounding like a hundred road
whackers in a tin shed. Now they howl down the strip like anything
else. Standing at the finishing line when 2 of these go by you cannot
turn your head quick enough to see them. Street bikes looked like
variations on a Busa theme.
Best entertainment of the day was the kids races. Dunno how old they
are, the ones interviewed sounded very young but no one said. Anyway
they went down the track in miniaturised Funny Cars, Dragsters and
Street bike variants. All very professional and well controlled too.
" Oh yes " cooed one of them in an interview " I love my dragster and
I am so looking forward to racing in Tennessee with Daddy ".

Why Ks are so top heavy

I am doing some work on Ethel to tidy up the electrics and finish up coolant work. For the first time ever I took the fuel tank off and was surprised at the difference this made when wheeling the bike around, even though the tank is only a quarter full. Suddenly I realised why Ks need alloy tanks, it's not just a good idea to have a rustproof tank but someone must have twigged that the tank sits high and causes the top heavy feel and sensation of weight around the headstock.
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Grumpy old bloke

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Me and the ZX6R

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ZX6R

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