bic_bicknell
Just had the first proper Sunday run out on the bike since the twins were born. Still mind-numbingly tired after six weeks of no sleep and 24/7 baby feeding and nappy changing but put in two early nights and no booze to get ready. Got up at 5 but it was raining. But by 10 it was sunny and I did the usual run out to Finchingfield, full English breakfast and on for another twisty road excursion into deepest Essex. Missed Shade, (sorry mate you've got to get up earlier!) but had a good time on my own....probably just as well because I was slow most of the day just getting back into the swing of things after months of London traffic light riding and no lean.
Police presence at some of the little towns, one place they were pulling over every bike into a lorry park. Thought I had been done for speeding but it was a concerted effort to sign up people to Bikesafe courses. At first I thought "Bollox", because they would start to have a go at my small numberplate and unbaffled Akras but they were cool and I pretended to be interested in the course - had to sign up and say I was interested. Now they will ring me and bug me to do the course. I had to tell them that the last time I had training was 32 years ago!
Great day out, good to be back on the bike.
DRSWade. Mate.....this Scotts damper is the best thing! It's sensitivity of adjustment is something else! I spent a while playing with it and it is very good. Easy to adjust on the move, so much so you can easy back off the setting when you hit towns and need to wiggle through traffic and then back on for the fast bumpy bits. Way better than the six clicks telescopic SLS damper I had on previously. I guess it's like good suspension, each click you can really feel the difference.
Can't completely master the quick-shifter I put on last year. It's really brilliant - when you remember you have it. Smooth, super-fast shifts with the throttle pinned. But as soon as I'm riding really fast on public roads and get into the groove my 30 odd years of habit kicks in and I'm adjusting, (or closing), the throttle as I change up. Sometimes this buggers up the shift and it's like I've missed a gear. Frustrating. It's fine if I always remember that I don't need to clutch or throttle but this means that I have to concentrate on it - only a fraction of my total mind but it's enough to distract me from the rest of the riding I need to be doing. If I used it all the time then I might get used to it and re-calibrate my brain but a quick-shifter is not needed, (or the best way), when you are going slower so most of the time I change up in the usual way. Slipper clutch is brill because you have it when you need it and can blip the throttle and sync the revs if you want - it doesn't mind. But the quick-shifter often says, "Hey, what about me, use me because if you don't I will fook up your old school style". Anyone else has this problem?
Police presence at some of the little towns, one place they were pulling over every bike into a lorry park. Thought I had been done for speeding but it was a concerted effort to sign up people to Bikesafe courses. At first I thought "Bollox", because they would start to have a go at my small numberplate and unbaffled Akras but they were cool and I pretended to be interested in the course - had to sign up and say I was interested. Now they will ring me and bug me to do the course. I had to tell them that the last time I had training was 32 years ago!
Great day out, good to be back on the bike.
DRSWade. Mate.....this Scotts damper is the best thing! It's sensitivity of adjustment is something else! I spent a while playing with it and it is very good. Easy to adjust on the move, so much so you can easy back off the setting when you hit towns and need to wiggle through traffic and then back on for the fast bumpy bits. Way better than the six clicks telescopic SLS damper I had on previously. I guess it's like good suspension, each click you can really feel the difference.
Can't completely master the quick-shifter I put on last year. It's really brilliant - when you remember you have it. Smooth, super-fast shifts with the throttle pinned. But as soon as I'm riding really fast on public roads and get into the groove my 30 odd years of habit kicks in and I'm adjusting, (or closing), the throttle as I change up. Sometimes this buggers up the shift and it's like I've missed a gear. Frustrating. It's fine if I always remember that I don't need to clutch or throttle but this means that I have to concentrate on it - only a fraction of my total mind but it's enough to distract me from the rest of the riding I need to be doing. If I used it all the time then I might get used to it and re-calibrate my brain but a quick-shifter is not needed, (or the best way), when you are going slower so most of the time I change up in the usual way. Slipper clutch is brill because you have it when you need it and can blip the throttle and sync the revs if you want - it doesn't mind. But the quick-shifter often says, "Hey, what about me, use me because if you don't I will fook up your old school style". Anyone else has this problem?