Great career there goshow! You over at any of the road races this year??

I'll be at the TT in a couple of weeks but only in jeans and t-shirt! Maybe the Ulster and skerries later in the year.

Yourself?

I'll be at the TT in a couple of weeks but only in jeans and t-shirt! Maybe the Ulster and skerries later in the year.

Yourself?

 

NW this evening just catch the last of tonights racing and there until end of play on Sat. UGP has to be done this year, I only just moved back to NI and have not been to it in about......................17 or 18 years! Always over for the NW but then it would have been too expensive to keep heading over. 

 

Armoy Road Races is an epic wee one too if your about for it! (25th & 26th July Armoy) 

 

http://www.amrrc.com/

 

Never been to the TT but I will definitely make a point of it when I can, I am more a fan of setting off on a grid than the clock. As much as I like Guy Martin I am going to give it a few years so the Guy fan boys and girls die down a bit, they are absolutely everywhere!   

They certainly are mate. I've know him a good decade and a half but can't go for a quiet beer with him anywhere without him getting noticed.

Richard Britton was the greatest racer I ever met / raced against. A genuine nice bloke and a great laugh.

FUBAR has arrived....... like a total absolute sell out in his....... cage :( 

 

My epic grandstand seats my sister got me for Christmas are superb! Front corner of the grandstand at York! Closes seats to the corner (bar the 2 directly in front) and my way cool 'pink' wrist band paddock passes also secured........ Crackin weather at moment, but the rain is forecast as per usual. 

 

You're going the wrong way round!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Was there last year in the washout.

You're going the wrong way round!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Was there last year in the washout.

 

Went both ways :P but video going other direction you can't see as much of the set up. The rain was a pig last year, I missed 2012 after an operation and 2011 was rain / oiled off BIG time. This year the NI assembly passed new legislation to allow the roads to be closed to run the races 24 hours early to 24 hours late to allow for weather. 

Name the corner?

 

SHOEI.

Still no bike :(

Moneys there but can't find any bike shops willing to let me test ride one.

EVEN WITH A 100% DEPOSIT!!! The mind boggles.

I could understand if I was some spotty faced 21 year old asking to take an R1

round the block, but I've been on the road for over twenty years in all sizes of 

vehicle and have more groups on my licence than the bloke at FOWLERS (yeah I'll name you...)

who was sitting there telling me I wasn't experienced enough.

I told him and the branch manager that they could expect to permanently lose my

custom as a result of their ridiculous policy. Shame as they are my local bike superstore

and they would have got my servicing, repairs and future custom. Not now they won't. 

The daft thing is I could wait until next April, never once sitting on a bike in that time

and then they would let me test ride anything in the shop because then I'll have held

my licence for a year. HOW DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE??

 

How do they ever expect to lure people back to biking when you can't even frigging

buy one.   

Still no bike :(

Moneys there but can't find any bike shops willing to let me test ride one.

EVEN WITH A 100% DEPOSIT!!! The mind boggles.

I could understand if I was some spotty faced 21 year old asking to take an R1

round the block, but I've been on the road for over twenty years in all sizes of 

vehicle and have more groups on my licence than the bloke at FOWLERS (yeah I'll name you...)

who was sitting there telling me I wasn't experienced enough.

I told him and the branch manager that they could expect to permanently lose my

custom as a result of their ridiculous policy. Shame as they are my local bike superstore

and they would have got my servicing, repairs and future custom. Not now they won't. 

The daft thing is I could wait until next April, never once sitting on a bike in that time

and then they would let me test ride anything in the shop because then I'll have held

my licence for a year. HOW DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE??

 

How do they ever expect to lure people back to biking when you can't even frigging

buy one.   

Now that is just stupid, the first three garages I went to offered me a test drive (on their insurance) Grantham Honda, Webbs Triumph/Yamaha and PB Motorsports in Peterborough.

 

Grr not sure where you're based but the Kawasaki dealer in Lincoln has a nice one for sale, give them a ring?

 

http://www.theotherbikeshop.com/kawasaki-Locator.aspx

 

I did try one of these but went with my heart and got the Triumph.

I don't mind travelling but I also want a bike at the right price, it

also doesn't help that I'm very specific in my requirements. 

Right colour scheme, age and mileage primarily.

2012 was a Facelift year on the ER6f and are still the same as

whats being sold new now. In particular, I want the facelift version for it's

improved seating arrangement (two part seat), MFD with analogue rev counter inc

MPG readouts and eco riding assistant, slight weight reduction, slight power increase

and remap, improvements on the braking and suspension setups, revised frame and

swingarm and the engine has been mounted on rubber which should reduce

the vibration these bikes are known for a bit. Oh, and a 3 position screen too.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaOk1Xae5DQ

 

I'm looking at a private sale bike at the moment but it's a time sensitive 

thing on that one. I should know by Monday on that one.

A clip from my much welcomed seat as I had not been to bed  

 

Just 'won' an ebay auction with a starting bid of 4k on a 2013 Er6f

which will be a year old on the 8th June. 1200miles on the clock

Still has Kawasaki warranty and is in the current livery and colour.

To seal the deal nicely it also comes with a full set of matching genuine

kawasaki panniers in matching colour and a pair of SIDI boots (size 9, same as me.... handy)

and a leather jacket.  The guy selling it said in the ad that he's finished his

mid life crisis so selling up. Handy... i've just started mine... :p

 

I've only got a couple of pics from the ad so far, it's in Stoke on Trent so 

it's maiden voyage will be a fairly long run down to Bristol, hopefully I'll be off

to collect this weekend.

 

Here's the pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think it's safe to say I can't wait.... 

My insurance for the year is £128 full comp which I think is brilliant when 

you consider I have zero bike no claims and have only just got my licence.

Damn I hope the weather stays like this across next weekend. 

Well done grr

enjoy.

It's very green. Very well done on winning, now begins your mid life crisis and if you're anything like me your car won't see much use.

Very nicely done sir! My first move would be to put on the official Kawasaki 3 piece tank/knee protectors (semi translucent ones) to protect that tank and break up the big splash of green there a bit. Like the ones I had on my Z1000SX  

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/northern-ireland/27478727

 

RIP Simon Andrews :( 

RIP Simon Andrews.

Z1000 will be my next bike Fubar, I effing love them.

Would have bought one of those straight away but thought I should

start out with something more sensible. :(

This will do for now. I'm delighted with the price. 

I was looking at 58, 09, 59, for about the 3700 mark so to get

one 3 years newer for a couple of hundred quid more WITH the boxes

I was gonna buy anyway (Have you seen how much they are ) was

quite a result. They revised the entire bike in 2012 so I have the latest

version for pre facelift money. It's quite a long way to go get it but I can suffer

that. I have a busy week doing the last few changes to my house so I can

put it away in my shed. Been concreting all day today. I'm knackered.     

Hmm, I'm half tempted by getting a second bike and something like the kawa er-6f is tempting. I currently have my SV650S although need to get it back on the road (ordered a new water pump so should be up and riding by the end of the week).

 

I used to have a CB500 years ago and loved the engine. As this is similar, has anyone ridden both the er-6f and an sv650 and would like to offer their thoughts? I might go and see a local dealer and check the option of a ride.

 

Another use of having a second bike is so SWMBO can come on her own wheels as she's now passed her licence. She's ridden the SV650S although the clip-ons make it tiring for her town commute, and I guess the er-6f is a more comfortable riding position and possible more manoeuverable?

 

Any ideas on other potential bikes. The weather is gorgeous at the moment and it's really frustrating stuck at home with a sick SV that needs new fork oil and an MOT...

I really love my Sprint St, looked and tried the Gt but the ST won, the Ducati multistrada would have equal pegging with a BMW R nine T if I went for anything else

Z1000 will be my next bike Fubar, I effing love them.

Would have bought one of those straight away but thought I should

start out with something more sensible. :(

This will do for now. I'm delighted with the price. 

I was looking at 58, 09, 59, for about the 3700 mark so to get

one 3 years newer for a couple of hundred quid more WITH the boxes

I was gonna buy anyway (Have you seen how much they are ) was

quite a result. They revised the entire bike in 2012 so I have the latest

version for pre facelift money. It's quite a long way to go get it but I can suffer

that. I have a busy week doing the last few changes to my house so I can

put it away in my shed. Been concreting all day today. I'm knackered.     

 

 

Boxes are a bonus indeed. When I was ordering the Z1000SX I wanted the ABS Tourer model and got my price from dealer, then I noticed on Kawasaki UK site it said they were doing free tourer upgrade, hit dealer with it who rather embarrassed decided to stop trying to rip me off and price dropped over a grand! that was 2012 even the Versys 650 got the free upgrade all bikes shared the same boxes. Should be some great deals about over next couple of years as a result for kitted out machines. You seem to have beaten the rest of the world to it though. Keep her clean and you will get 2 years from it and cost you almost nothing!  

Looks great Garry, enjoy many hours on it and keep it sticky side down lol.

Im getting the urge for something else as the supermoto, as fun as it is, is literally a pain in the ass for doing bigger mileage in one day. Maybe looking at 900 hornet or first gen fazer thou. Both comfy big mile munchers and proven reliability that can still cut it in the twisties.

Decisions, decisions :-)

One of my favourite bikers! 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2630291/Interview-Biking-Ewan-McGregor-racing-Dakar-Charley-Boorman-shares-travel-tales.html

My new  Suzuki V Strom 650.

A very exciting bike.

Getting to like this a lot.

Good in the twisties & 60 mpg plus.

Edited 19 May, 201412 yr by Carlo diesel