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Cheers Greg.

 

Ah, thanks Sandi... glad you like it

I spent weeks considering the bag options, Sandi. Happy I made the right choice, albeit these would be even better if they had a carry handle!

 

I know exactly what you mean, Markus - its a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing. I've been riding mine quite "progressively" and its got so much low down power that you couldn't want for more.

 

Well, today I managed my longest ride since becoming ill at the beginning of February; 55 miles out to Epping on a lovely B-road route that I carved out for myself last year. It's my favourite local route, in fact. What can i say about this bike, save that it really is a wonderful machine. I'm so happy my hand was forced, because this will be the bike I see out my riding days with.

 

Thanks very much, Sandi. Going out right now takes a fair bit of planning (and food management), but when it comes together it's worth the effort. The new drug takes 3-4 weeks to start working properly (assuming it does work, of course), so fingers crossed that it becomes easier and easier as the weeks go by.

As for the bike... well, this is it now for me. Ironically, when I bought my Street Twin five or so years ago, the sales guy was trying to sell me a T120 but I found it a bit too intimidating at the time. Shame, because I'd undoubtedly still have it now had I listened, and I'd also have a lot more money in my bank account!

 

Well, the year that just keeps on giving has just got even better! I was out for a bimble on my beautiful bike yesterday, and some idiot in the car just in front of me - completely without warning - decided to make a sudden right turn as I was filtering past him. I was completely T-boned, went over my handlebars as well as his bonnet, and as I flew through the air remember thinking “Jesus, this is going to be like one of those YouTube videos“!

Long story short, my bike is totalled and I ended up spending the day in hospital . I had blood test, ultrasounds, x-rays, ECGs, dye infusions, scans, testicular manipulation and a finger up the arse before being allowed home some hours later with no permanent or serious injuries. However, I have traumatic muscle damage to my back (I landed on my back and the back of my head, unfortunately wearing the one jacket that I own without back protection). Lost a bit of skin on one arm too, although I was barely even aware of that due to the pain in my back.

To say that I’m in bloody agony would be an understatement. My back goes into spasm the moment I try to move and the rest of my body is now starting to hurt (yesterday the pain was masked by stress hormones and I guess the state of shock that I was in). I don’t know how long it’s going to be before I’m free of pain, and I have no idea what further pain is going to be caused just negotiating my insurance settlement; I have no gap insurance and I wasn’t able to get my extra/options covered as the additional premium was ludicrously expensive. What I do know is that my riding season is over, and my perfect bike (which I’d made a reflection of me, and which represented a small win in a very difficult phase of my life) is gone for good.

 

Thanks all for your comments/wishes. It really does feel like i'm being tested at the moment - in fact, it started last summer when I had my holiday troubles and has just seemed to get worse and worse. Incredible really.

Anyway, I got up this morning after very little sleep, and my back feels just a little easier; not so quick to go into spasm, and when it does the pain is slightly less intense. That's very welcome indeed, because coupled with my colitis the situation has been pretty much impossible to manage. I'm hoping that, as my body determines that the danger from the original trauma has diminished, the spasms will stop and it'll just be sore for a while (fingers crossed, anyway).

I've initiated the insurance claim through Carole Nash, who have effectively now passed it on to Aviva (who should be n touch with me today/tomorrow). It seems that everyone is happy for North London Triumph to deal with the repairs (or, I guess, replacement) of the bike, and they know that if it turns out to be the latter then I'll want all my extras/options removed from the bike and reinstalled on the replacement. That said, any damage might be repairable - I should know soon enough.

Given the above, and that I'm very much aware that - following the impact - I was airborne long enough to contemplate exactly what was happening , I need to consider myself very lucky indeed. The outcome could have been substantially more serious.

Oh, and on the subject of meds, because of my colitis I'm unable to take any non-steroidal painkillers - that just leaves Paracetamol, which is pretty rubbish, along with Diazepam as a muscle relaxant. Shame, because any of codeine, co-proxamol, ibuprofen, etc would have really helped, I'm sure.

 

Thanks Paul.

Since my last update things have moved on a little. My back is certainly improving day by day, albeit that the Diazepam will be masking the symptoms a little. In any event, the spasms have become infrequent now, leaving just an overriding dull pain primarily in my back but alo affecting my chest and one shoulder. Given my age and the impact my body suffered this sounds like the least I should expect, and I imagine I now just need to give my body a bit of time to heal.

North London Triumph have now given me a repair estimate for the bike, amount to about £12.5k plus VAT. Given that the list price for the T120 is about £11,750 it's clearly going to be written off, but in any event I've passed the details to Aviva and await their confirmation of next steps.

Last time I checked, lead to time for a T120 Black was the best part of two months. In addition to the normal fulfillment process all my extras/options need to come off my old bike, to be fitted onto the replacement (some of which i can do to save labour charges), albeit that a couple of things - mirrors and dresser bars for starters - will need to be replaced with new. And, of course, none of this can commence until Aviva give me the green light.

I reckon if I'm on the road again by mid-September I'll have done well, all things considered.