grr666

Middle one looks the best.

Never have guessed.... :p

Probably not bothering this year..... Just me and the wife and we're both busy so only have 2 days off this year, then back to work again. It's just an extra job putting them up just to take them down again when there's nobody even going to be here to look at them. CBA.

Nope, not a chance. All these cars sound a bit Graham Norton compared to this beast of a Fiat. http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/fiat-s76-starts-beast-of-turin-2014-12-02 Now that's a loud car!! And only a 4 pot even though it's a 28.5 litre engine

Okay, I'll start a thread next summer.

I thought it was going to be tricky to use one on my own having never used a paddock stand before. It was so easy I did it twice to check I didn't fluke it the first time. It's not some fancy make one. Biketek or something. But it's getting the job done. I'm going to be using chemical guys trim restorer gel to winterproof my bike and some wax on the paint before I put the covers on it until spring. I might buy an optimate charger but don't have permanent power out to my shed yet so would need to address that first.

Mine needs a good clean before it's put to bed for winter. I haven't completely given up on getting out on it again before it's put away properly. Just a bit busy at the moment with work of all things Doing a last job before christmas which is a nice bathroom refurb. After that I have another rental property to renovate and get let. I bought a paddock stand at the NEC bike show last weekend. Fitted the bobbins I already had yesterday and have the back wheel up off the ground finally, that should make chain lubing and cleaning a bit easier. I was a bit worried it would be tricky to use but it was a doddle. The stand was £15 and needed bobbin hooks as well so all in 23 quid. Was thinking of organising a Brisky bikers meet at the NEC next year??? Nice central location and a good day out.

Hi Rob. Hope you're well.

My Mx5 had them.

I've not had a car puncture since the evening of my 21st birthday when my Cortina got a flat on my way to a pizza restaurant. I'm 42 soon so I reckon I'm due one. I'd just buy an aftermarket wheel and just leave it in the shed so I had something to bolt on when my wife calls me up to come out get her going again. She does most of the driving day to day anyway. I have my van.

I was looking at the T5 variant of these. I like the back end, it's what makes the car stand out IMO.

Me either. When the Audi and Fiat are gone then it's back to Suzuki for me and Mrs grr.This time around we will be sharing a car since ours are NEVER on the road at the same time so pointless having 2 cars. 99% sure we will buy a 13/14 plate Swift Sport. Looked at the Abarth 500 but this seems a better choice. We had a 900cc Swift as Mrs Gs first car on an 02 plate and it was great value and fun to drive. I ragged it everywhere.

I don't know what's wrong with just telling them to F off. I'd extract a great deal of pleasure from that.

Fail to see the problem with that. The roads are overcrowded now. But our society of people who think they have some entitlement to do whatever they want seem to be getting their way yet again. Quantity rather than quality is obviously what matters here. I'd hate to see the numbers increased with barely able drivers but that does seems to be the aim. I suppose it doesn't matter with ever increasing numbers on our roads who got their licences overseas standards are at an all time low anyway so why not eh? It's gone full circle now, once upon a time in the UK all you had to do was turn up and a licence was yours pretty much. Then they made it harder and harder (although IMO never hard enough and not comprehensive enough either for that matter) and now it's getting easier and easier. My flabber is gasted. I eagerly await the increased fatality figures, after a few dozen carloads of 17 years olds are deaded before their time maybe the powers that be will see the error of their ways but it will take lives to be lost before they will even consider that they might have made a huge mistake with this. Besides, insurers are what stops young people from starting driving. That's where the shake up needs to be if anywhere. So what if the test is easier, the insurance won't be any cheaper in fact I'd not be surprised if it went up even higher as the new batch of drivers are an even greater risk on account of not being properly trained. Might be time to sell the bike.

We've been over this before Dom. And it always ends up with me being the bad guy because I'm honest about my views. I know as well as any how life can take a sudden downward turn, in my experience every time that has happened to me it's been me that gets me out of the mess again. As such my retirement is already taken care of and I have no concerns about money moving forward. I don't trust the Government to deliver a state pension in 25 odd years when I am at retirement age even though I've paid in, so I have a plan b. It's prudence in action. Refer back to my post about planning for unexpected eventualities. It also wouldn't have been achievable for us if my wife and I had fallen for the 'you can have it all' fantasy we're fed and were two kids in after our 13 years together with all the drama and expense and lack of actual time together that often ends up being the case when you take that path. Instead we prepared for our future FIRST, crazy huh? I'm a firm believer in shaping my own destiny. I wish society hadn't given people the idea that they can always have it all with no penalties. They want a house they own, a rewarding job, some kids, nice clothes, nice holidays, cable TV, a new car, leather sofa, busy social life, quality family time and a partridge in a pear tree. And all of this on 17-25k a year??? It's a ridiculous notion to think this is a sustainable way to live. It's not, and those that try and have it all will always fall short somewhere along the line especially if the finances don't add up and they don't have a contingency plan. As for the whole kids thing. Yes me and the mrs could now comfortably afford to have children now. Difference being, even if we both lost our jobs or became ill (very likely in my wifes case with her history) we'd still be fine. But guess what. It's not compulsory. (Unless of course you are after UK residency and/or access to the benefits system in which case it's vital to pop out as many as humanly possible.) My concern over the kids thing is not money, it's raising them alone after their mum has died before her time that scares me and I wouldn't want to saddle anyone with sadness like that, especially my own children. Better to just enjoy OUR time together, and make plans for our future whatever is around the corner. You only have to look at all the pictures of the retards literally fighting over flatscreen tellies in Tesco and Asdas black friday promotions to see that this great society you speak of has its priorities all wrong. If this is your society Dom, you are welcome to it. I certainly don't feel at all guilty because I don't want any part of it. If you're foolish enough to believe that most aren't just out for themselves then I'm afraid you've been spending so much time around politicians that you've actually started believing their BS. The similarity between these next two pictures worries me a bit, where exactly is our glorious society heading Dom? From what I can see, nowhere nice, and certainly not forward... And for the record, I never went near the Black friday pantomime. On account of having my priorities right. I'd rather save my money for something useful. Also, has it ever occurred to you that part of the reason 'white English' families aren't having kids is exactly because in some areas these days they will be schooled in a class that speaks 20 different languages, and will likely grow up in areas where they are outnumbered by ethnic 'minorities' and as such don't want their children to feel like and be outsiders in their country of origin. We are rapidly heading the way of the photo above at this rate. So maybe closing the doors will have the opposite effect to the one you suggest. Not that I support them but it explains why UKIP are gathering momentum. So I'm clearly not alone in my concerns.

Unbelievable! There are enough dimwits who still can't successfully manage this when it was in the test. As for following satnavs...That may prove a challenge when already updating twitter posts, taking selfies at the wheel and driving too. The extra screen may prove to be too much to cope with. Yet they keep making the motorcycle test harder, more expensive and more complex. Hardly fair when the most likely thing to knock you off your bike is some barely legal airhead making a pigs ear of a basic manoeuvre cos they are too busy updating their facebook page. If anyone needs more advanced training it's a recently passed ex learner driver since they are in control of a ton and a bit projectile. Extra training in how to use your eyes and where to look for traffic/danger would be a useful addition to the test judging by the standards of the average new driver I've encountered on my travels. Instant permanent ban if found to be using a phone at the wheel in the first two years as a driver if I was in charge. After that a return to provisional status with a full retake of all parts of the applicable test if caught after the two years period. Mind you it's only the same thing they have done with GCSEs A levels and degrees. Oh look people are finding it a challenge so lets make it easier rather than keep the standards high and only let the good ones through. If this country ever goes to war again then we are facked.

Pretty sure you had a dig first.... And I'm not your mate.

No, Dom you plan for such things. By having savings first. Why you would want to breed when you are surviving by the seat of your pants before the kids magically appear is beyond me. SO she used to work... So what? She's not working now and we are paying for her so bottom line she's an expense to the country just the same as all the other cadgers.If i want to hear a sob story I'll watch X Factor, you can only appear on that show if you have a bleeding heart back story. Sell the car I say, it should pay for an awful lot of shoes. As for your snipe point about immigrants. Firstly we have a great policy of only accepting immigrants that can support themselves and have a useful skill profession or trade... Oh hang on that's not right either.... We seem to have a lot of these people who come here and breed and uuuummmm.... well... not much else because we'll let anybody in. We treat the worlds sick with a NHS they never contributed toward. We clothe feed and house them and in return they give us lots of little babies (to also pay to clothe feed and educate...?) Yet we have pensioners unable to put their gas fire on at Christmas while we keep on shipping 'em in. It's a national disgrace which you seem to support. I'd shut the doors tomorrow if it was up to me. We'd muddle by somehow. Finally, do I think everyone else is a sub human scumbag? No actually I don't, but I also couldn't care less about people outside my circle. The rest are just cattle to me regardless of background, country of origin, wealth, health or anything else. I take care of my own, the rest of them aren't my problem but the government keep on taking my money to fund their big heartedness. I'd like to choose what my taxes are spent on. Not have some wooly no neck politician decide. You know, the kind you rub shoulders with on a regular basis. There's a sea of difference between someone like you who pretends to care about one and all and someone like me who is honest enough to say that I don't. Long may that difference continue. If you find my opinions that hard to swallow, there's always the ignore feature. Are we really going to start pointing out character flaws fella? It's quite refreshing to see you post something that you didn't copy and paste from tinfoilhat.com. However it's as pointless, misinformed and as wrong as your usual drivel. Let's start with disengage. Typed or written correctly it has no hyphen. I don't own a suit but if I were to buy one I'd spend a bit more than 200 quid on it. You need to set your sights a little higher mate, I'd drop £200 on dinner for two. The nearest I have to a suit is motorcycle leathers. The Audi is for sale so I can buy even more bikes and another van for my work which is as a builder hence not needing to dress up for work. It's great being your own boss. You should try it the day posting codswallop you didn't even write becomes a recognised profession. You'll be great at it.

Yeah, curse that pesky stork for burdening happy childless couples with expensive children to take care of. Oh, hang on that doesn't happen. I'm afraid that's another classic example of shouldn't have had them then. I have never once had to worry about school shoes, nappies, clothes or any of that other crap. I probably don't have to spell out why but I will.... But it's because I didn't have any bloody kids. A pretty easy choice to make with free contraception in the UK. If you controlling your genitals and their offerings is too difficult then you most likely wont have much luck balancing the books either. Just saying. EDIT Just read the post above The word 'bairns' says a lot. Why have more than one if you are struggling? And she's on benefits anyway if she volunteers, not working.

How don't you have a trade card for there?? Only need a business card or letterhead last time I checked.

Just for the record... These are poor people... And this is how they live. I'm not sure this counts as poor in my book.

Yup. A very decent operation indeed. A good clean workshop, and plenty of know how. Recommended. (oh, and I'll probably be seeing you next Saturday Barrie. )

It certainly comes with it's own set of problems.