Whats The Last Thing You Bought?

My Mum, now in her 90th year, often tells me of the bicycles she had as a girl in the '30s-'40's. Her first one was a Hercules with similar pushrod brakes which was replaced with a birthday present of a new Raleigh with "posh" seat, "better" gears and brakes, dynamo lighting and saddle bags. Living in a relatively small Staffordshire town she rode it everyday, everywhere. When I ask her about coping with traffic she'll say, "what traffic?"

 

One tiny, tiny positive about no longer having our beautiful dog after we lost him at the end of December is having far more freedom without being constrained by dog care and planning. We are hoping to do some camping and touring on the bikes now and just longer days and weekends out on them in general. We have tickets for WSBK at Donington booked with camping, so I have bought a tailpack that will fit on both of my bikes. Just need the weather to cooperate now! https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/336535.

 

Well, despite being a "Shoei head" I must say that the recent helmet try-on sessions have been a revelation.
My wife has always banged on about how Arai are so good......
Now however, I've only gone and agreed with her haven't I

The current Arai to be fair is instantly more comfortable to my head shape/size than the current Shoei offerings, and so despite my previous two being Shoei, I now feel like I'm half size between medium and large (wasn't that a comedy act, oh no that was little and large wasn't it?).

 

Very nice. I hate it when you have to admit someone is right after many years........

 

New chainsaw gloves. Arbortec for anyone interested. I teach chainsaw classes.

 

How much are your courses for cs30/31 or whatever it's called these days and what's the minimum age?

 

I think it’s £870. It’s a five day course and the students need to be 16 years old.
CS 30 is the old code for chainsaw maintenance and crosscut. CS 31 is the old code for felling trees up to 380mm.
The new codes are 0039-20 and 0039-21 respectively.
I don’t know where in North Yorkshire you are but the college I work for is in Skipton.

 

Just bought a 2001 Honda CBR600Fi Sport. Red&Black. Been kept in someone's collection. 1400 miles. Been recommissioned by Moto Corsa down in Dorset, full service including fork seals, my choice of tyres, £4250 including delivery (to Cheshire). I was happy with that.

 

No good without pictures

 

Here you go.

 

It looks lovely!!!

 

Yes it's got a shite red-tinted screen (what is wrong with some people ?), which will be straight in the bin. Otherwise almost showroom, except for a few scuffs on backs of mirrors. Should arrive in a week.

 

Just about squeeze it in with these three.

 

My new acquisition has a screen (I like the tint - just dark to light smoke) that proclaims "Fireblade" (in tiny enough to not annoy me letters luckily) and a tank pad that proclaims the same. Unnecessary but I do like both the screen and tank pad designs and function so can live with it but for some reason the "stating the obvious" irks me .

 

Have you posted a picture of your 'Blade (or is it 'blade?)? If not stick one on here.

 

I have ('blade)...but seeing as I am in love with it happy to do so again. I have only ridden it for a couple of hundred miles very gingerly in the recent damp and horrible conditions so am itching for warm dry roads.

2004, two owners, bought with 15000 miles on the clock. Only imperfection is some small cracks to a right hand fairing where it has been over tightened.

 

Ooh, that is lovely

 

Result!!!!

 

Good choice, you won’t regret those tyres

 

Having bought the bobbins for my new Triumph I set about modifying my rear track stands bought for the Ducati which cradled the swing arm on both sides to work with the bobbins. Having done so I have now bought another pair of bobbins to fit on the Ducati as the positioning of the cradles under the swing arm was super critical. Too far forward and the upright rubbed on the cans and too far back and the cradles clashed with the sprocket nuts.

Modified stand for bobbin lift.

Triumph bobbin trial installation on the Ducati.



What you see is a steel plated penny washer that will be replaced by a bespoke piece of 3mm ally which will move the bobbin to the rear of the spindle slot in the swing arm. Location on the other side will be critical due to possible sprocket nut clash. May need to go for a thin nut or even use a countersunk screw in a countersunk washer with a cap nut or dome nut on the outside.