Just got in from my first après work cheeky blasts of the year. My usual shakedown route, out of the village, down to Dawlish, on to Teignmouth, up over Haldon escarpment and down Telegraph Hill onto the A380 for a scamper home. Just out on the main road and got stuck behind a double decker bus. No way around it so sat and bided my time, staying just in his mirror with all three headlights on so he knew I was there. Just trundling past Powderham Castle, keeping an eye on the deer and out of the corner of my eye I could see this pheasant, whirling across the field. Now I was never very good at trigonometry at school but some kind of instinct told me that our mutual trajectories were describing two sides of a triangle, funny how that works isn't it. I did actually lean back as the stupid thing buzzed by and if at least one feather didn't brush my visor, I'd be surprised. Horrors of horrors, the bus gets stuck behind a coach from Peterborough who seemed a bit lost and had to stop at every junction (sans indicators) to check if it was 'the one'. Knightmare. The bus finally pulled off leaving me with the coach to deal with at the first available opportunity. That's when the police car pulled in behind me....... After an interminable trudge into Dawlish the coach finally found the correct pull in and left me demonstrating my 'socially acceptable' riding technique to the gentlemen behind me all the way out of Dawlish and into Teignmouth. He took pity on me at that point and buggered off. Excellent! Both sets of lights at the bottom of Break Neck Hill were green and I swept off the mini roundabout and warmed to my task. I say warmed, but by now, the cold was leaching through my gloves and jacket and I was just getting a bit (as my wife says) discomfy. Anyway, just as I rounded the curve, a bunch of bloody seagulls stood in the middle of the road. WTF! Tippi bloody Hedren had less hassle with birds than me tonight. After weaving through the pearl grey pirates Break Neck Hill opened up for me and I was able to get the wind noise to drown out the engine for the first time. Over the top, through the golf course, with perfect timing. You see, this particular route leaves you driving into the setting sun but if you time it right you can keep it just below the horizon and not dazzle yourself. By the time I got onto the top of the escarpment though, there was nothing around higher than me and I had the last blast of sunlight just in the corner of my left eye so I flicked the sun visor down just for a mile or two until I started to drop back down towards the Exe valley. Onto the dual carriageway and the cold was starting to make my fingers cold, and that's when I got a twang of cramp in my right leg. Arrrrrrse! No matter, only about 5 miles out now and time to do the one litre bit. Lots of holiday traffic coming down Haldon from Plymouth where the carriageways merge but my lane doesn't feed into it so I can keep it pinned. Then, just after the slip road as I'm rolling off towards town speed, I spot four magpies in the road. They're canny buggers so I know they've clocked me but all the same, after the rest of my evening I'm a bit more wary. Sure enough, as I get there three of them fly off but one lurches across the road, obviously in distress. One of the cars infront must have clipped him, poor sod, so instead of launching off the Tarmac, he just lumbers across my path. Luckily by now I'm slow enough to dodge him and swerve around. Back in the 40 zone I tried to warm my hand on the engine. The only time I miss an air cooled one. Eventful but great 30 mile cheeky blast and Jeanette got me a hot chocolate before I'd peeled out of my leathers. Time for Spring now please.
Took Hanna the Hannspree out for an hour.The fairing has been fixed.This is the first time I've had a fleece over my old leathers.Bloody kept me warm but at higher speeds it does flap about I suppose it keeps me inside the NSL.Also to keep warm I put my shooting leather gloves on the inside of the bike gloves that did the trick too.Today I was experimenting with tyre pressures and found 32f 34r suited me on my spirited runs.Turn in was better and the rear feels much better on exits.This is on bt015s which are coming off cos the rear is getting near the limit.Got Metzeler k1fand k2r ready to go on when spring finaly gets here hopefully tear em up round Brands in a few weeks time.
I had the roof off coming home from work and it was glorious, but once I got out on the bike the wind was colder than a witches tit.
Did you wear a hat Ken? A mate of mine hates soft tops he flicks his fags in them when he gets to their blind spot.He is a f*cker for that
No mate, it doesn't get cold inside at all. Not that my missus would agree. You're right though, your mate is a f*cker. Mind you, I don't like soft tops either, hateful things. Mines a folder. Warm, dry and less susceptible to a Stanley knife.
Just got in from the first night ride out of the year, done around 130 miles through the country lanes around Kent. Was cold but good to get out. Passed Brands on the way home, those camping must be freezing!
