Not been there yet but got the T shirt

The VMCC sent my Festival of 1000 bikes T shirt. Thinking of getting my start number 641 put on it.

Nice Norton replica

At the recent MACH2012 show at the NEC this replica was on show built by a bloke called Uttley.He is also building a 400 mph streamliner with 2 Honda Blackbird engines but it looked such a shed build I couldn't bear to look too closely.

The day something did go BANG and smell of fish

Riding along on Ethel smoke suddenly poured out of the front. Examination showed it was coming out of the headlight and inspection revealed burnt out HID bulb unit. Not impressed by this. Anyway HIDs4U offered a replacement bulb + power cable but suggested I buy a whole new kit for refund under warranty in case it is something else. So that's what I've done but having reverted to the old H4 bulb I'll quit whilst I'm ahead and look at it after the Germany trip.
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Simson AWO

Delighted with surprise present from my friend Wolfgang in Suhl. Now to find the real thing...

Jenny Tinmouth

Delighted to have the opportunity to talk with the lovely and very shy Jenny Tinmouth today. She is the fastest lady around the TT course at 119 mph. I asked her how she learnt the 37 mile Isle of Man circuit. First off she had tuition from Milky Quayle but then photod freeze frame images of bends from Guy Martin on board video and drew each bend herself ! I was impressed and told her that in his book Riding Man Mark Gardiner had earlier also drawn the bends but it took him a year on foot and bicycle to do it.

New paddock stands front + rear

Went down the car boot for a USA style letterbox but came back with nice pair of chunky paddock stands for £20. The rear stand has rubber cups to go under the swinging arm instead of those orrible hooks on the old stand that score the swinging arm. Tried em out - great, proper endurance racer stuff !
Better still yet more ugly original stuff removed as stand bolts binned with brake side replaced by stainless Allen bolt, to retain hugger, and chain side left blank.
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First proper ride on ZX6R after winterwork + Texport leathers 1st ride

Wriggled into leathers and shoved the ZX6R out of the garage a bit worried at how stiff it was to wheel about. Front brake came on and off ok so reckoned just more bedding in of linings needed. As soon as we got moving the Texport leathers suddenly fitted right - precurved arms + armour makes for orangutan style moving about off the bike. I'd got a one piece Extreme Racing undersuit on with the Forcefield back protector underneath it. This makes it better to shrug the suit on unaided. Anyway it straightaway started to hail ! Then it went clear then hail again. And so it went on all the way round. Oddly I wasn't bothered as I was so pleased with the fit of the suit and its ventilation. I always run hot no matter what I try so this was great. Anyway the ZX6R is transformed following the new Hagon rear shock + overhauled front forks. No more bone juddering crunches just smooth, supple suspension. Strangely this calmed my riding down as I could settle into a smooth rythmn and enjoy the ride. I nodded my contentment at GS riders and got doowot stares in return. Aha, I get it now - we only acknowledge posing twats just like us then.
Funnily enough I'll be on a Beemer all week so maybe I'll give them the who-the-fuck-are-you treatment then !
Arriving home the bike was much easier to wheel about so suppose its the new pads just bedding in.
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