yellowperil

I had a lorry blow one of it's trailer tyres out on a motorway as I was overtaking it in a car once, luckily I was level with the cab, it still made me jump out of my skin though.
My brother had a lorry tyre blow as he was going slowly past a parked car, the force of the air escaping dented the door of the car.
Very scary things.

Cheers guys, it’s only done 13.5k so hopefully is alright!
Im going to wait until the disco sells then stick it in to a local motorcycle garage in Swaffham to have them give it a once over, replace the chain and tyres if needed then service and MOT it. 
 

Thanks chaps,
After (Monday night, I think) flood on the patio where my TR is presently up on ramps.  After two days, once that had subsided, there was of course a whole lot of crud to sweep up and wash out . . 
   
^ a week after my op, the day's light exercise was to clean up this S%%t.  Perhaps it doesn't look too bad in the photos but just from this space and under where the Chrysler is parked I swept and shoveled up the best part of a wheelbarrow load of crud.  I'm now aching (both front and back !) more than would have liked ..but at least now the ground under the car has half-a-chance to dry out. 

^ Job done for the most part..
That was done on Thursday and now on Saturday the top of the slabs are sort of dry but the cracks between them are capillaries for the saturated soil underneath to come through.  It'll take a long spell of dry weather for that soil to dry out enough before it absorbs any more rain water. 
Fair do's to the apartment block Manager, Frank.  As an Englishman of Italian descent, who's lived so much in America that he's almost a native of that country.. he really likes my Triumph, and so is very understanding to my concern.  Since moving here I've also been plying him with fresh coffee on a regular basis ..so I reckon he doesn't want to see me leave ! 
He immediately tried cleaning out the drain using a pressure washer with a long flexi-pipe nozzle that jets forward (to loosen) and then at the same time jets water sideways & backwards to draw the debris back out of the drain pipe.  Despite best efforts, the pipe wouldn't clear (I suspect far too much gravel & sand has built up in it) and still we don't know where it is supposed to drain to ..so cannot work upstream from that end.  
Ground-works and drainage over the years hasn't been recorded and the owner isn't really interested.  From next week, he's off to his holiday home in Portugal for three weeks ..where I'm sure he'll contemplate on how much he'll spend on looking after his property ..which he's seriously thinking of selling anyway. 
I did ask Frank to have a hole drilled low-down through the patio's end wall, and that was duly done. So, should the floods happen again - it ought at least not be more than an inch deep. 
Yesterday, I was down on my hands and knees digging out a grated drainage trough further up the (30+ apartment block's) car-park.  That was totally blocked of crud (another barrow load) and was doing nothing to prevent its catchment rainwater washing down onto this patio.  Despite my reaching deep into its drainpipe, up to my shoulder, I couldn't clear the blockage out of the pipe where it disappeared underground.  Again we cannot ascertain it goes, or whether there's a soak-away buried unseen. Frank's said he'll try the jet-wash in that pipe on Monday.
In the meantime  ..this morning the sun has come out.  Even if it does little to dry things out underground ..it does lift one's spirits 
Cheers, Pete.

1963 car racing- circuit and see. This is a little gem. No safety, great cars and the odd bit of humour in the commentary.
 

Bungy chords!

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

I was lucky enough to encounter this very car back in 2015 when I had just won an auction for a Ginetta G26. The guy had a yard under the gatwick flightpath, and parked in amongst a load of other tat was this Gold Owen Sedanca, it was rusty and had a Auto Box, but the design looked epic, shame about the lack of sales, though it has been restored now

Hopefully thats all it is and its not chewed up anything else!
On a more positive note, I bought this a couple of weeks ago to tinker with:

The French 'Majestic' produced from 1928 to 1933 in the art deco style. Roughly 100 machines were made. They used 350cc & 500c single-cylinder engines from Chaise, JAP V-twins, and four-cylinder engines from both Chaise and Cleveland.

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

When I was a CBT instructor, as part of my safety talk I used to talk about protective clothing, I knew it would fall on stoney ground a lot of time, especially with the 16 year old lads, but I would try and make it interesting and make them see the point in wearing it.
I used to ask them "what's the first thing you do if you are running along and you trip?"
The answer was generally "You put your hands out."
 if there was no answer I would put my hands out in front of me and say "that's what you do, it's instinctive, now imagine doing that at 30mph or more."
 I would then talk about all the grit and muck you would get in the wounds in your palms and the unpleasant ways the nurses would deal with it, basically trying to make it sound as unsavoury as possible.
One day I had three sixteen year olds on their first CBT and a thirty something who used to ride in the eighties and now wanted to get his full licence, so was taking his first steps towards that by doing his CBT.
While I was talking I suddenly realised that he had extended both arms out and had his hands on the table, palms upwards and was just looking at the three 16 year olds.
I cottoned on quite quickly.
So I said to him... "You know what I'm talking about from experience, don't you?"
 He  replied,  "Yup, RD125LC, no gloves on, when I was 18."
 So I let him take over for the next few minutes and he described exactly what it felt like when his hands slapped the hot tarmac, and what it felt like when they were cleaning up the wounds and trying to get all the bits of gravel out in A&E (they failed, there were still a few bits in there, you could feel them), every little detail, right down to going to the toilet with heavily bandaged hands.
I think it was they only time I ever managed to get the message across to everyone.
 

A Moto Guzzi GT17 fitted with a Breda 30 gun.

Dave Aldana on a Norton.


Beryl Swain, in 1962 she was the first woman solo motorcyclist to finish in an IOM TT race.

Lots of haters commenting on it. I would imagine from people that have never ridden one, or ever owned a bike.
He does some great scientifically based tests, and the one on batteries saved me from wasting a load of money.

I think this is one of these unsuccessful post war Indian singles designed to compete head on with the Brits (failed).

Back in 2000 I had a Saab 9000 Turbo which I drove down to Grenoble to visit my parents who were living there at the time.  On the way home, I lost all braking on the Paris périphérique, and ended up driving from Paris to Norwich in an automatic Saab with no brakes.  That was interesting.
A little more recent and a slightly shorter distance - I'd bought a Morris Special (based on a Minor but 2-seater with '30s styling).  I recovered it home but the next day I had to move it across the car park, so I got in and fired it up.  I knew the footbrake didn't work (handbrake was fine), I knew the driver's seat wasn't bolted down and I knew the steering wheel wasn't bolted onto the column.  What I didn't know is that the clutch slave cylinder was sticky.  So I put it in first gear, started to come off the clutch, nothing.  Came off a little more, still nothing.  Little more and suddenly the slave unstuck itself, the clutch engaged and the car shot off.  The driver's seat, with me on it, fell over backwards, the steering wheel came off in my hands, and there I was driving across the car park on my back with my legs waving in the air, and no way to steer or stop the car.  Fortunately it was a big car park and I had time to scramble for the handbrake and yank it on, but it must have been quite amusing for anyone watching.

Don't know what the delivery time is but I wonder if this is ULEZ exempt

456139-12474b60f60067267990b574ef79d6ae.mp4

My mistake, it was the 250N which had the 3-valve head.
CB125T went well for a 4-stroke, but like most small '70s Honda twins it was easy to over-rev, which is probably why a lot of them got blown up.  I made that mistake the first time I took it out on the A11 to see what it would do - looked down and the speedo said 70, the rev counter said Made in Japan.  I fitted a smaller rear sprocket to raise the gearing a bit after that.  I did have the engine rebuilt at one point - it never broke down but it was using more oil than petrol and leaving blue clouds behind it wherever it went.
I went all over on that bike - including Norwich to Bristol and back at Christmas 1997.  In May 1998 I got knocked off a different bike by a builder's van which turned across my path - smashed my leg up, spent three weeks in hospital and then a month convalescing at a family friend's in Devon.  As soon as I was able to get around on only one crutch, I got on the bus from Exeter to Norwich (via London), bought a new helmet, then went to where the bike was parked, bungeed my crutch to the side, kicked it over with my good leg and rode it down to Oxford.  There was never any doubt in my mind that it'd start, even after being stood idle for months.

Well, way back before lock-down began, I was round at a pals house - he had a Honda CB100N of 1979 vintage rusting away in the garden...he said, "I could drop it off for you if you want it..."
Well, 19 weeks later, this arrived at the house.
 

I’m going to do my best to document the slow rejuvenation of something in a great state of decrepitude, my 1951 Jowett Javelin.