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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Hard to make out from the image but it is dense dark in there

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Thuringian forest road

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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 !
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Oops finger / brain trouble

The new neoprene Airhawk is number 1 the old plastic one is Airhawk 2
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device