Weekend Debrief

[KirriePete]

Well, it was the Saturday of the Dundee Bikers Forum Toy Run so, even though the weather was a bit carp out came Wee Arfur.  Before I could get anywhere near him this weird dude in a funny outfit jumped in:



Sorry about the light spot - raindrop hit just as she hit the button!

There followed a slow speed pobble round Dundee in the company of 90 or so like-minded headcases - video shot by young Sarah from the back of Guinevere the GN400, soundtrack is pure thumper on barely silenced pipe!

Link coz I'm rubbish at embedding video

Saturday night was spent at the Caird Hall with "The Magic of Motown" - brilliant stuff.

Today I have mostly been skinning knuckles in pursuit of an effective handbrake in SWMBO's Toyota - don't ask!

[Steffan]

weekend spent in Cardiff with family - as had to be in college today for end of term service even though I am going to be till late Thurday night.

As yesterday was my birthday I was taken by the aforementioned to see the blues brother christmas show and to for a curry there after.

Family departed at 2pm after Sunday lunch - I have begun to clear my room - a good way of working off a bottle and half of vino + a couple of sherries.

Nothing bike related to report.

Steffan

[themoudie]

Ah! Belisimo Pete! 

No bike running and a major clear up operation having had mice gnaw through a 1 litre bottle of 80W gear oil.  Old 'Bike' mags, 'Classic Mechanics' and hard back engineering books reduced to an oily mess! Followed by a service of the wee Micra, ready for a long haul to W.Sussex, Cambs and Suffolk. All after going to the insurers to try and prise a 'No Claims' certificate from my old insurers.   "Sorry we can't do anything for you until next week!"

Firewood and sorting 'Sally' the SRX today, with more to do.

Thank you for bringing a grin to the fizog, with the photo outside the house.

My regards, Bill.

[robG]

As yesterday was my birthday I was taken by the aforementioned to see the blues brother christmas show and to for a curry there after.
Steffan

Kept that quiet. 

Many happy returns Steffan.

Rob

[guest18]

Indeed. Many happy returns mate!

Working weekend, and not enough sleep... so omw to sheet alley imminently(sp?)!
No bikes, just lots of boredom and work, will help pay for Christmas though so I can't complain too loudly 

Started plotting my upcoming garage time though as I have a few days leave before Christmas when I'll have the house to myself 
Roll on the downtime! 

[Mark]

KirriePete, are you sure thats not the aura of a ghost on your bike.

Steffan, best regards, sounds like you had a good day.

Just got back from Krakow, went looking for a Ushanka ready for the Dragon rally but to no avail. Not to worry got a few bottles of different wodkas that should do the trick. Tried one drink wscienkly pies(mad dog) vodka, raspberry syrup and Tabasco sauce. It reminded me of a few vodkas I sampled in Llanthony.

Bike wise, I knocked up a temperary(permanent) shelter for the garage overspill before I went.

[mini-thumper]

Did a service on the RS and fiddled with the electrics on the SR. Have subsequently found out that the charging coils of the alternator have fried themselves due to insullation breakdown in the three-phase wiring. Will have to investigate getting them rewound and buying a replacement CDI unit as that has thrown in the towel as well.

But luckily for me there is some fiscal light at the end of the tunnel as I've had a bl**dy good result whilst looking for a learners guitar. I've recently started (read less than a week) to learn playing the guitar using an instrument that used to belong to my late father-in-law. I mentioned to colleagues at work that I looking for a guitar of my own and did they know of any for sale. One of them said "My brother is leaving the country and has a guitar, and case, he wants to sell. I think he wants £30 for it". Now I know nothing about guitars but when she brought it to work the case looked impressive and she opened it to reveal a dusty Washburn semi-acoustic electric guitar, minus strings and bridge. I had vaguely heard of Washburn, and thought that even if the guitar was knackered the case might fit the guitar I already had or it might make an interesting ornament. So that night, having handed over the £30, I lashed it to the back of my bike and took it home. Upon further inspection I found a new set of strings and the bridge in a compartment in the case, and I aslo noticed it was a "Montgomery J-6" model. Google was investigated and to my surprise it revealed that it was quite a valuable guitar, with new ones available in the US for $1,400.



So Saturday saw me visiting the local guitar shop to try and found out more about it. The shop assistant confirmed that it was a very good guitar and that it certainly worth at least ten times what I'd paid for it, possibly more. Again using Google I now know that it was named after Wes Montgomery a legendary jazz guitarist form the '60s. I've since decided that it is far too good for what I want and will probably sell it on to rasie some cash to buy a more suitable acoustic guitar and get the SR up-and-running.

He endeth my slightly over excited Good News! I'm off to practice some chords - Christ! my finger tips hurt!!!!!

Boyd     

[squirrelciv]

Well done Boydyboy. Result!
And a happy [belated] burpday to you Steffan 

Not a lot of anything done round here. Highlight of the weekend was letting Pip have her first Free run then getting to fish her out a river when she decided on a bit of a swim!

Did go Christmas shopping with wifey on Sunday morning while the boys played rugby. The lot done in under an hour with only the kids to do!

Is anyone else getting fed up with the rain??

[jules]

Yeah,
good for you Boyd,now that you have had a bit of a result are you going to stop moaping around,
cant wait for you bring your guitar to the next camping trip ,Green sleeves anyone or even
cwm by yer my lord,cwm by yer

[robG]

Did a service on the RS and fiddled with the electrics on the SR. Have subsequently found out that the charging coils of the alternator have fried themselves due to insullation breakdown in the three-phase wiring. Will have to investigate getting them rewound and buying a replacement CDI unit as that has thrown in the towel as well.
Boyd      

Buoyed,

Re the CDI, try these { der-muede_klassische.motorradteile ese }.
They have what appear to be used units for £72:00 + postage. New are £224:00.

For the alternator, try the guy from Teignmouth I used for the Rs. See recommended services.

Rub .

[guest7]

Happy Birthday Steffan. Glad to hear you had a good weekend of it.

Boydy, you jammy git 
I can almost beat that story though. In the 80s I got a sniff of a bloke selling a Gretsch 'Country Gent' fat-bodied electric semi acoustic 6-string.

I'm a sucker for that type of guitar, but I didn't have the £150 he was asking.

I next saw that guitar two years later in a local guitar shop's window with a price tag of £1,500 

As for the weekend, I worked a bit and then spent the rest of the time stripping out a room I'm renovating in my house. I sealed it up with plastic sheeting and spent 4 hours taking down a plaster and lath ceiling and bagging all the mess. I only emerged when the last bits of rubble and the last laths were in rubble sacks. Horrible dirty work and I deserved last night's beer session down the local. In fact I deserved it so much that wifey gave me the money for my beer 

Cheers
GC

[guest24]

By some freak of nature, I actually found myself at home alone a couple of times this weekend! SWMBO was out as were all 4 of my little darlings at various parties, sleepovers, boyfriend's houses etc!

So what did I do? I don't know    the time just went. I did manage to tape up the draughty kitchen window (waiting for me to release capital funds and get some double galzing, but some bastid has welded my wallet shut) to keep the old gaff a bit warmer. I also sorted out the placement of some of my excessively large number of houseplants (cacti and nothing illegal). Need to reduce their number as they are not helping with the condensation problems!

Bike wise, I think they are in the garden still. Nearly managed to contact NRP diaphragms to get my replacement sorted for the SRX. Erm, finished drying my gloves following latest downpour. Have successfully failed to lubricate the final drive chain on the MT-03.

Started Christmas shopping....

[guest27]

So GC / Boyd / Boyd / GC

Guitar...

Now I have tried playing cheap and not so cheap guitars and have had the sore fingers and pissed off with it at the end of the night feeling.  I have also prannied about on a friends good guitar and realised that half the problem was the my guitar (actually 90% of the problem was a lack of talent).  Boyd has the option of a real nice guitar OR a less good guiar that he will want to replace within 12 monts and some cash for the bike.

I would keep the guitar being as I could not afford it again.

GC - and maybe ohers can strum one - is it a good idea to get what he can on eBay, or keep it?  DIscuss.

R

[mini-thumper]

Green sleeves anyone or even
cwm by yer my lord,cwm by yer

I thought I might pen a ditty called "Brown'n'Soggy Sleeves" as a homage to the Welsh Marches! Martyn and myself have discussed buying Ukelalies as suitable campside accompaniments........so be careful what you wish for!

Max Boyd-ce

[guest7]

Is this the time to mention that Simon83 owns a ukulele?

Yep, keep the good guitar, a good guitar is easier to play (as long as it's set up well). You got your hands on a guitar that will last you years and will reward your improved playing ability.

GC