The Bikeshite Thread

[Jerzy Woking]

On 3/17/2020 at 10:25 AM, Tepper said:

Hi bikeshiters, seeing as I made it out for a quite glorious ride yesterday I figured I may as well weigh in on this thread.

This is my ex-police Pan Euro knocking on 90k. Now that the weather might be getting better the prospect of this as a means of transport is looking more appealing. It's taken me on one European trip already which was great, I'd love to do another this summer depending on Brexit/Coronavirus/collapse of society as we know it. I think next time I'll head east, I went south last time.

Anyone else been out enjoying the sunshine?

I did my police advanced training and test on a Pan in North Wales. Very stable at high speeds, and pretty nimble (including a somewhat brisk ride along the Bala road). Weather was fantastic for the last week of the four week course. 

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

250/350LCs, X7s and FS1Es aren't getting any cheaper, are they?

I dont think that they will, seeing as interest on savings is negligible. Cheaper to buy than a classic car as an "investment" with less risk of losing a fortune if the bottom falls out of the classic bike market. 

 

[hairnet]

On 3/17/2020 at 10:25 AM, Tepper said:

Hi bikeshiters, seeing as I made it out for a quite glorious ride yesterday I figured I may as well weigh in on this thread.

 

Anyone else been out enjoying the sunshine?

had one of those a looooooooooooongm time ago (ive just realised how long fuck im old)

chopped in a 2003 hornet 900 id bought new and done 25k on in 18 months

went to italy on it and ended up in val gardena looking for stelvio

photobucket is a cock so i dont have the phot of it infront of the town sign or on the border at fussen in germany

did get pulled on it riding to work and it taken off me cos apparently plod said it wasnt showing on pnc - caused me an unexpected day off sorting it out and causing the insurance co to give all me their money as it hadnt been unpolicified on the computer

the exhaust died on the way back from innsbruck - got sorted flogged it an i bought a 600 hornet again

[warch]

4 hours ago, MrDuke said:

I CAN HAZ CBT

Amazingly, the instructor said I wasn't remotely close to the worst rider he'd had, and wasn't even the worst rider he'd given a ticket to. I'm just immensely grateful that the roads were semi-deserted. I have no idea how the hell people do it in cities.

Hilarious* habits I still have include: Trying to pull away with my foot on the brake. Smashing down through the gears and snatching at the clutch, but not at the same time. Forgetting how violent engine-braking can be, and lurching back and forth at low speeds like a pleb. And stalling, a l l  t h e  t i m e.

Congrats.  I don't know about anyone else on here but when I did my CBT in about 2008 I'd never actually been on a motorbike before or even sat on one. I was the only one in my group who was a biking virgin, plus all the others were 16 or 17 whereas I was 31. The bloke doing the course was a miserable sod, although he brightened up upon finding out that none of us were Welsh (as his wife had left him for a Welshman).  Our CBT also took place on a Sunday the same day as the British MotoGP so he was missing that to teach four spotty kids and a bloke with no discernible riding talent how to make it around Hereford city centre without going under a lorry.

I was really fucking terrible though, the look on the bloke's face when I'd finally managed to wobble a CB125 around a car park without stalling. I did manage to be unshit enough to be allowed out into traffic though under close scrutiny from the instructor although I did cop a fearful bollocking via the intercom for taking a racing line around a roundabout. No one was more surprised than me to get a certificate after all that.

[MrDuke]

My instructor was great, to be fair. The only other learner was a girl who managed to grab the front brake and fall off before she'd even ridden a yard. She wanted to go home straight away, but he talked her into doing the car park stuff on an auto scooter instead and really worked on building her confidence. She was adamant that she was too scared to go out on the road, but he persuaded her to go anyway, and she only made one real cock-up in the whole 2 hours. She was proper chuffed at the end.

I copped 2 bollockings, once for cutting a mini-roundabout (not on purpose, I was too pre-occupied with clutch misery) and once for not slowing down enough for a tight corner (again,I wanted to slow down but couldn't stamp on the shifter quickly enough). Top bloke though, I hope he's still there when I go for my DAS.

[andy18s]

Decided to drag this old girl out of the barn today,because BG self lockdown 

Stuck a new battery and plug in it, kicked it over and was rewarded with a bit of a sloppy pop and this deposited onto the ground behind!

Seems a bit of rain water must have got through the roof and ended up in the exhaust.....somehow

Anyway,she warmed up nicely with a quick spin over the open fields,and is now ready for a full oil and fluids change

[warch]

To be fair going out on a bike is quite a good social distancing activity,  much like fishing and self abuse.

There were no shortage of bikes and ride out groups passing through my village today. 

[andyberg]

I agree with the above. I had to take an emergency supply of toilet roll to my daughter today because, for some reason, you cant buy it anywhere. So I thought I would go on my bike. Apart from being a bit chilly, the sun was out and it made the 100 mile round trip very pleasant. I was a little surprised at just how many bikes were out, or was it because the car numbers were such a lot less than usual? The CB performed faultlessly, and brought back to me that once a motorcyclist, always a motorcyclist. Unless we go into lockdown, she will be getting may more miles under her belt this year, I can go out and not have to be near a soul!!

[Jerzy Woking]

Spent two hours washing and polishing the Guzzi this morning (a real two bucket wrong 'un) as it has not been cleaned for months. Came up really well considering this is a regular occurrence-ride it on a long trip then park it up in a garage for 5 months.

May take a spin out on it tomorrow, but last week saw some right knobs out riding, wrong side of the road around bends, dangerous overtakes, and speeding through villages, including the one I live in. Probably first time they had been out in months.

[hairnet]

16 minutes ago, andyberg said:

 Unless we go into lockdown, she will be getting may more miles under her belt this year, I can go out and not have to be near a soul!!

this.

apart from the ferry and maybe some petrol (theres not been a ferry cancellation for where im going since it started) - wouldnt have to speak to anyone for what i want to be doing - roll on easter

fuck corona

[Fat_Pirate]

I've been out today too, filled up at the pay-at-pump without removing my gloves then proceeded to bomb about a bit, enjoying the slightly quieter roads and sunshine.  I didn't see a lot of social-distancing going on though - Loomies car park was full of bikes as they're still offering a takeaway service, which is rather defeating the point of it.

[warch]

I might dress up like the Toecutter next time I go for a ride out, really capture the post apocalyptic zeitgeist. 

[doug]

Took the ex-castros_bros XT600 out for its first run of the year. Had to go for a warm bath to thaw out!! Bike ran great mind.

Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

[andyberg]

5 minutes ago, Fat_Pirate said:

 Loomies car park was full of bikes

Must get back there one day, and Poole quay if that's still a thing?

[Fat_Pirate]

2 hours ago, andyberg said:

Must get back there one day, and Poole quay if that's still a thing?

It is!  Or rather was... before THE EVENT.

[UltraWomble]

Honda have officially launched the CT125 with a price tag of £3700 ( which seems steep for what it is, Id have thought £2999 better ./more realistic)

Ive been toying with buying another Grom, but I think one of these would be a better proposition really.

[Mike D]

I assume that will go a similar way to the new cub and be available for about 2800 ish in a few months. I LOVE the look of the CT, however i popped to the dealers before THE EVENT to have a gander at the Cub, and for the money i was pretty disappointed with how flimsy it seemed.

Also it's a bit disappointing, plus I think quite limiting to their sales, that none of them seem to be available with pillion carrying provisions - they're the ideal thing to chuck on the back of a motorhome etc...

[Sir Chocolate Teapot]

How many years have i been waiting for this honda ct to be revived.

Has it got the low range gearbox?

Is it coming to europe.

Real shame about no double seat.

Let us hope the price does come down a bit.

I could quite see myself selling my bonneville and kymco for this, a ct really could cover all my biking needs in 1. And veey easy for home mechanic.

Fun, offroad, to the shops, cool, reliable, mountain touring, will outlast me.

 

[UltraWomble]

2 hours ago, Mike D said:

 

Also it's a bit disappointing, plus I think quite limiting to their sales, that none of them seem to be available with pillion carrying provisions -

From what I have read in the press a longer seat is available in certain markets so could be retro fitted with foot pegs I assume at the expense of that "rack".

I prefer the longer seat as I like to sit a bit further back on the bike for comfort so will be something I look at - if they come down to £2900 or £2800 then I will be buying one on hock.

[hairnet]

*wonders whether to sorn bike

never had to do that in 23 years

edit fuck corona it got taxed

[Mike D]

@UltraWomble I've seen the longer seats and in a lot of the press photos they have foot rests fitted - it's the same with the cub - however all the UK ones seem to not be drilled in the swing arm - the bobbins are just blank. The bloke in the dealers said it's because they're not rated to carry the load of 2 of us fat knackers over here - the markets where they are twin seaters tend to be somewhat more svelte

[martc]

That CT looks like the result of an unholy coupling betwixt a Camino and an Easy Rider.

Todays phun phact - the Honda Camino was called the Hobbit in the USA.

[Mike D]

I reckon they've done a better job matching the original CT than they did with the Cub to be fair..

 

[Cavcraft]

Got let down on an old Suzuki 50 the other day, but there's some nutty Garelli trail type bike on the horizon.

[martc]

35 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

Got let down on an old Suzuki 50 the other day, but there's some nutty Garelli trail type bike on the horizon.

A Tiger Cross? Please let it be a Tiger Cross, the first geared bike I ever rode wheelied uncontrollably for about 30 yards down my mates garden path.

[LostnotFound]

The ct does look great, easily the most tempting of the 125s Honda have put out, but as mentioned the prices seem steep, at the listed price you're almost at a Himalayan.

Which if not identical also sit in the cool off roadish category without the 125 limitations making it a tad more practical for an only bike. 

[Cavcraft]

1 hour ago, martc said:

A Tiger Cross? Please let it be a Tiger Cross, the first geared bike I ever rode wheelied uncontrollably for about 30 yards down my mates garden path.

 

Erm, I'm a knobhead. It was an Italjet, not a Garelli sorry

 

[martc]

2 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

Erm, I'm a knobhead. It was an Italjet, not a Garelli sorry

Shame, but Italjets are ace as well.

[castros_bro]

2 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

 

Erm, I'm a knobhead.

+1

[hairnet]

farkle bought

lasted a week ? - not the farkle - my willpower

other farkle woulda happened sooner but trip cancelled so dont need it

[andy18s]

Insured the beasty for £60 for the year so I'll be taking in some of our glorious countryside soon enough

I'll see if the old gopro is working or not