Weekend debrief

[guest7]

Saturday morning went in a blur before I departed at 10.50am to ride to Simon Morgan's house in Reading. The first part of the ride went well enough, but as I was riding over the Severn Bridge I found that the CB500 wouldn't pull beyond 80mph. After half a mile or so I realised that my handlebar muffs, no longer held in place by the windscreen I'd removed the night before, were blowing back against my levers so the bloody brake was coming on over 70mph

I sorted this out soon enough and made my way to Simon's place. We then set off for the diesel bike rally held near Horsham in a country pub called the Bat and Ball. We followed Simon's pre-programmed Sat-Nav route until we were about 15 miles from our destination when his Sat-Nav packed up. However, being the consumate techie he had back-up and we were soon at the rally site.

The rally was very informal and in some respects this was a bad thing because it didn't have a focal point (like our rally Marquee) so we didn't really get to talk to many of the rallygoers. There were plenty of interesting bikes there, from any number of Enfield specials to some very trick production diesels (see HERE). That mad Astra-enngined sidecar was there and it was very impressive (though a bit lardy).

We bumped into a lad we'd met at the Tauerntreffen, Kevin, and we spent some time admiring his budget diesel conversion (based on an Enfield of course). He did the whole thing for £1700.

Simon ensured that none of us got to bed early and it was with a sore head that I crawled under my basha and went to sleep.

This morning brought a bright but early start and we had a good scratch back up to the M4. After that it was just boring riding to get me back home by just after 12.00.

The CB500 is the bike that I fitted a sidecar to for the Tauerntreffen in January. The chair is off now and I have to say it felt strange to be back on a fast(ish) solo. Bloody good fun though.

GC

[niblue]

Didn't do much biking related myself, other than the spin out on Friday evening.

Checked the XBR over - it needed the chain and rear brake adjusted and a few loose bolts tightened up. The weather this weekend was actually if anything too hot for motorcycling for me, not least because a lot of the goods roads will have been heaving with traffic.

[Mark]

Just got back from a night at Llanthony Priory, first time I've used the place, what an excellent venue, I can see why you use it so much. And you're right about the Felinfoel Stout, can't see why I've never spotted it before considering I'm all but in the shadow of the brewery.

Loading the MT up now with all my gear for the week in Normandy. Off in the morning.

[Steffan]

Only bike related thing this weekendwas to put the Skorpion battery on the charger - on a just in case basis for the IoM on Friday. Spent yesterday and today writing introduction and cross checking my wife's proofreading corrections, apart from a very pleasant evening at Mr Ms and Church this morning. Tomorrow I will be doing supervisors corrections, along with hopefully a clean up of the footnotes and then it is off to the printers. By sometime Wednesday I will be a free man again...actually that should read freeish


Steffan

[trophydave]

I managed to get out for a couple of hours bimbling about the lanes this morning.I decided to have a ride down a byway which was perhaps a bit daft (a) cos I was alone and (b) I was on my Transalp on road tyres.All went well apart from my legs aching afterwards,I think that I need a lighter off road type of bike

G.C check your P.M.s please.Can you email me on davepearson16(at)ntlworld(dot)(com) re the tent.

[niblue]

All went well apart from my legs aching afterwards,I think that I need a lighter off road type of bike

Started off with heavier trail bikes myself but eventually ended up with one that weighs less than I do (Mk2 Gas Gas Pampera).

[guest7]

Loading the MT up now with all my gear for the week in Normandy. Off in the morning.

Have a safe trip and a grand time.
GC

[themoudie]

All went well apart from my legs aching afterwards,I think that I need a lighter off road type of bike

Started off with heavier trail bikes myself but eventually ended up with one that weighs less than I do (Mk2 Gas Gas Pampera).

Did you get that off a man from the Moffat area? Or have we met in Moffat a few moons ago, when you told me you bought it from NLM? Small world!

TT course came past our door today, with some real heed bangers giving it lumpty down the middle of the two lanes of traffic. Just gives us a bad name.

My regards, Bill.

[robG]

Got the Xs 11 running , went work nights Sat 1800/0400 .Up at 0800 Sun,took small chap to cafe . Very jaded ,went to work later at 1400 ,just got in {0055},back to work for 0800 today.
Typing with pint of Hobgoblin acting as nightcap .

Glad you enjoyed Llanthony, Mark , a magical place .

Rob

[Steve Lake]

mmm Hobgoblin should put the lights out fairly quick!.....I'm into Thwaites Liberation ale at the moment.....mainly because Morrisons are doing a 4 for a fiver offer on it....not a bad pint though.
Only biking this weekend was to wheel out #1 SRX and poodle into Norwich to collect spares to put #4 back into shape, £150 don't buy much when you are looking at genuine Yamaha bits!! then it was gallop home, stick correct size numberplate and correct bulbs into #1 for an 11am MOT....no problems, back home by 12....rest of the weekend was fairly domestic, kids and grandkids were all camping on the north norfolk coast, so visited them for tea in the evening....and they all invited themselves back here for sunday afternoon BBQ....which was great fun....although #1 Son was a bit peed off as his lovely 60's VW camper was playing up, the mechanical fuel pump not working intermittently....broke down completely on the way home....and with his usual luck....outside a guys house who's a hot rod racer, within minutes (well, 20) an electric pump had been plumbed in (in #1 Sons words, 'you could empty a swimming pool with it in five minutes!') he was worried it'd flood or bu55er up his pair of very expensive webber carbs, but home with no problems....so a good weekend had by all...

[Mark]

Oooh Hobgoblin, theres me quite near to Felinfoel brewery and my sister (whom we met up with at Llanthony) actually lives 'back to back' with the Wychwood brewery in Witney. They have some great open days and it generally coincides with a visit to my sis (or is it t'other way round)

[tj63]

My local had Hobgoblin on as a guest beer in March.  Everyone must have liked it, as it seems to be on permanently now. 

Managed to put another 170 or so more miles on the SRX-4 this weekend just pottering about locally, and Matlock Bath was heaving yesterday.  It's still tricky going from the little thumper to a Fazer 1000 and back again!


Trevor

[robG]

Wychwood is a good brewery to get into . Goliath is a tidy drop as is Fiddlers Elbow . Humbug is a fine Christmas Ale as well .
Also got into Otter Brewery , Otter Bright ,Otter Head .

Now that summers here { yeah yeah } I'll look forward to the lighter ales , Youngs Elysium , Badger Golden Glory etc .

Right must go , just got in and have a thirst on . Memsahib has returned from foraging trip with more Hobgoblin .

Rob .

[guest27]

Frog Island - a micro brewery in Northampton used to do a fine brew and a service to put a custom lable on if you wished - Thumper Club bitter any one?

Mind local Tesco have an offer on Black Dragon Welsh cider at the mo so we will be drinking that for the time being

R

[SteveC#222]

Frog Island - a micro brewery in Northampton used to do a fine brew and a service to put a custom lable on if you wished - Thumper Club bitter any one?

..I think you'll find that Ringwood's already make our signature ale....




..it's a nice pint too!