Friday 8 April 2011

New screen, that's a good excuse to take a day off work!

I thought of a couple of reasons not to go to work today - the weather forecast yesterday predicted another day of sunny skies and a temperature of 20 degC, plus last night I watched the DVD "On any Sunday" - cheesy yes, but it made me want to get out for a ride. I got up my usual early time but instead of going to work, fitted the little windscreen I recently accuired to Helga and we were off, riding aimlessly out of London into the Surrey countryside. The more miles I put on, the more I get used to the handling, although I did manage to get the back end sideways once, and not on purpose I should add.

Amazingly effective little screen

Fits nicely to the curve of the headlamp cover with no additional fittings

Stopped for a cuppa at Box Hill; discovered that me and Helga fall into that uninteresting category - just an old slow bike (and an old geezer) to your modern road warrior; not old enough for the classic bike crowd. But I'm having fun, so who cares if no-one wants to chat. I've also managed to win a pair of elderly panniers on e-bay, so maybe some longer journeys could be on the cards soon. I am a bit concerned about the blue haze coming from the exhaust, but guess I just need to get used to owning an old bike. Cheers for now!

6 comments:

  1. El D:

    A great day for a ride, and nice windscreen too. I can't wait for it to get to 20°c too. We had frost this morning

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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  2. No-one talks to me when Ruby and I stop...maybe I scare them.

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  3. You need to join the local chapter of the BMW Club - that will truly ensure that on one talks to you as the average age is 95 and they are all deaf.

    Smoking is quite normal especially when starting up from the side stand.

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  4. Bobskoot, I believe this weather is unusual for the UK at this time of year, perhaps we're finally getting some of that global warming they promised us.

    HWL - no offence, but I think you probably do.

    N - thanks for the troubleshooting; have you written a book 'what goes wrong with flying bricks? I'd buy a copy.

    I might consider joining that club, it'd be nice to be the youngest!

    Thanks for the comments, El D

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  5. Most recently, I've been spoken to by a lot of people on white and red BMWs, and wearing black uniforms. They don't often answer back.

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  6. Blue? Oooh, that usually means an oil leak - rings or valves. I hope not, for your sake, unless you like engine work.

    I personally have no problem with old, slow bikes. They tend to be the most fun. Well, except for old, fast bikes, which are much harder to find because, mostly, they've been crashed. But, that's the fun, they're so horrifically dangerous just going around the block is a blast.

    Brady
    Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
    http://www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com/

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