Finally got out today for a blast with pappa tyke, I've barely ridden the blade spiritedly since the summer Scotland trip so took her out this aft to blast out the cobwebs. As always rides like a dream. Started in helmsley and did some twisties via kirkbymoorside to castleton then onto whitby for a cream tea and a gourmet coffee. My old man is the bald one! There was a few bikes there and the weather was lovely, starting to get a little cold in the shade though now can tell it's september. Anyway onwards to scarborough and as usual on this great bit of road there was some bloody tourist doing 40mph on all the good bits, still no police so happy days could open it up a bit on the clear bits. Stopped for some cockles and a brew in scarborough. Loads of bikes coming from olivers mount, guess it was auto 66 today? Fought through the traffic out of scarborough and headed home, still seen no police. Back on the A64 heading home in my own little world and suddenly my mirrors are full of blue lights and audi quattro. Pulled in to the next layby thinking oh shit, is it the noisy can? perhaps the blacked out headlights? dark visor? plate?? The officer gets out and says your plate is illegal, that's 150 quid already, I was starting to think it was gonna be an expensive stop. Apparently it needed a rear reflector? and a postcode of manufacturer too. He then started checking my exhaust for a BS stamp (R77), my tax disc was all fogged up with condensation so he couldn't read it, completely overlooked the blacked out headlights and visor. Told me to sit in his car as there was lots of paperwork to write up, not gonna lie I was thinking shit, cadwell on monday and I'm getting loads of fines. Anyway in the end he turned out to be human after all gave me a 14 day producer for the plate and that was it. Left me off with everything else. First time I've been pulled on the blade and expected a lot worse. It did make me think though that as much as I love road riding and it was the source of it all, I'm tempted to hang up the leathers and just concentrate on track. There's too much bullshit on the road and even though this copper was pretty sound, you can't really have fun properly on the road. I'm just lucky I had both wheels on the floor and was doing the speed limit. All in all though an OK ride out!
Glad you got off , great result, must be payback for not reacting to the young girl who tried to wind you up lol.
Yeah you're probably right ex, karma and all that. When you look at the plate though it was rather picky, its completely standard size. When we asked the copper he did say I'm sat here pulling bikers only all week and right now you're it I'm afraid. Does confirm that we get targeted specifically, his ANPR went of for a car driver who went past when I was sat in the car and I said shouldn't you boot me out and go chase him? He said nice try but I'm only pursuing bikers this week. Shame really, I think no insurance is a far worse offense.
Yeah I'm just so close to selling the blade (or tracking it) and giving it up on the road. Never used to be as on top as this and I only passed my test 4 years ago.
Stick a full track fairing on it and use it on circuits with a day time MOT like wedgie does with his.
I just keep thinking if I nailed a good (ish) time at oulton on a knackered old 750 how much could I shave off on a bike thats got 50+ more bhp and I ride every day??
Got stopped on mine with just a plate copper thought he knew more than than me he failed. You need a reflector on that plate erm no i dont its a daytime mot. You need lights to illuminate a reflector this bike isnt road legal at night so no need for reflector . Consulted DVLA he come back said how come your headlights aint working because they are stickers you dont need headlights in the daytime hence MOT again. Your tyres dont look very good i was dying to say lets go a little mosey down craven arms youll see they ok..... but in the end he tested centre of tyre and was well over legal limit... have a good day sir and he left .. This was when i was trying to get 500 miles on the bike for its first service . I aint been on road since cant be arsed with the hassle.
I sold my Blade earlier on this year and wouldn't go back on the road again. The odds are just stacked up against you right from the off, whether it is the law, car drivers, caravans, crap on the road, sheep....... you get the idea. Even if I wasn't racing, I would stick to track days. If (and it is a very big if) I did go back on the road, it would be on something totally and utterly different like a BMW GS, but right now, I am having the time of my life on track. Happy happy days!!
The only thing I would miss is not having to sit in traffic and ofcourse attention from girls at college lol
We do a 3k tour every other year i teally enjoy these have a good laugh roads are a load better so we booked for August 2014 so ill bang road panels back on her and do the tour but otherwise it won't really be on road
Hmmmm, had forgotten about the sitting in traffic bit, but up here in the arse end of nowhere (or North Wales as people prefer to call it), traffic ain't really an issue. As for the girls in college, you lucky sod. I hope you make the most of that and work it to the max. I have to settle for brolly dollies instead. or paddock pussy as I think it is called nowadays.
But they didn't tell you that and you certainly didn't ask!! And there rests the case for the defence...Your Honour. Standard operating procedure in Rotherham LOL
