Lost our Staff three years ago and it still hurts, we had him cremated and spread his ashes on his favourite walk, it still brings some solace to walk there occasionally, anyway I know it's a bit trite and soppy but I liked the poem below that someone sent me, all the best. Jonesy

Would be interested to hear your views of the Crossrunner as it is on my list of possible next bikes...


Thanks
Jonesy

I was in the same position many years ago. first wife constantly dictated my life and whatever I did wasn't good enough, I continually tried to appease her but I realised she wasn't going to change, eventually I left - Years of heartache and cost followed as we had a young child and a big mortgage but years later it was the best decision by both of us - she's remarried and happy and so am I - It's tough to do but we are only here once


Chas and Dave know what its like......

! No longer available

Jonesy

No worries, I am also an Ottery boy (still here), but didn't go to Kings in Ottery cos I was thick and failed the 11 plus so ended up at Sidmouth School 


Another good run is to take the Dunkeswell road off the A30 at Honiton, follow the road up the hill past Smeatharpe (fast quiet road but a big bumpy), drop down into Taunton and then pick up the A38 towards Wellington all the way to Tiverton (Tivvy to the locals) from there you can backroad it to Cullompton / Exeter along the Broadclyst road (watch out for speed traps), makes for a nice couple of hours loop.


Jonesy

with the sadlonelygit

Power of attorney is the way to go even before you get this individual issue sorted out. My Mrs and her brother (plus someone who I cannot remember) have had this arranged by her parents already for when it happens. The in-laws arranged it because they know the trouble they both had trying to get it sorted when their mothers minds went west.

I know it's too late for the current issues you have but do the above, my Dad got MND early last year at the age of 73, at the time we all thought Power of Attorney might be a bit drastic but did it anyway (with Dads approval) and thank god we did, 12 months later he can't write a cheque or go to the bank so I am now dealing with all his financial affairs, he had loads of ISA's and small savings accounts dotted all over the place and it has been a nightmare trying to sort it all out, and that is with the POA,


[size=78%]it is almost impossible to discuss direct with the bank someone's else's affairs without it, bear in mind it takes between 2 and 3 months to come through, and you then need to activate it with each financial Institution your Dad has money with. I fear the only way to sort this out now is to get the ombudsman involved and get the local press involved, although for the sake of £450 out of £50k it may just be easier to bite the bullet now and then go for recourse afterwards[/size]


Jonesy

From today's ride...


The modern propensity to not bother using indicators, mostly Audi drivers but not limited just to them


And


People driving in country lanes who cut the corners forcing me into the hedge, follow the contours of the road tossers and stop refusing to drive close to the hedge in case of the odd scratch!


And that's just today's griping..


Jonesy

Currently Fazerless  , but now have two bikes for the first time, A Versys 650 and recently a bike for the back roads , a XT660R, love the Versys but not yet bonded with the XT, how a major manufacturer can produce a bike with such poor fuelling is beyond me, anyways thinking I may chop them both in for a Tracer sometime in the future, or keep'em and pick up another Fazer to make three, not sure yet...

I'm not usually a fan of parallel twins, but i wanted something more like road/trail bike for winter and the versys has a bit more poke than other similar bikes. The handling is supposed to be good, engine is apparently quite punchy in the low/mid range and the sit up higher riding position is a bonus for winter commute. If i buy the one i'm looking at i will give an update to what it's like. I am quite fussy mind you.. If i don't like it i will just sell it on

I've got a 2007 Versys after having loads of Fazers and they are everything you describe, punchy motor, comfy ride (although a little harsh on the suspenders but I haven't tried adjusting it yet) very flickable and cruises happily in the mid 80's if you wish.


To me it is a cross between a 650 single, supermoto and a Transalp and it has the best parts of all of them...loads of low down grunt, quick steering and ultra reliable (thus far)


If you buy at the right price you won't lose if you sell it on as many people seem to want one


All the best


Jonesy

I've had a lot of the big singles, Xt600, dominator and a MZ Mastiff, they are GREAT bikes on the B roads and in the twisties but they do run out of puff quite quickly and are pretty uncomfortable in stock fom, the Mastiff had some sort of limiter fitted which meant a lot of short shifting, great fun but a bit tiresome, in between each bike I usually went back to a Fazer as I missed the doitallness of it, but the crap roads and high hedges in Devon always left me wanting a mix of high seat big single with long suspension travel and fazer 600 comfort and speed


So recently I have bought a Versys 650, MK1, 2007 with 9k miles on the clock for a tad under 2.5k


I have to say it is the doitall bike I've been looking for, great low down punch, easy high up riding position, immensely flickable in the twistees but well able to cruise at 80mph for as long you want. (Not as fast as a fazer when the revs are up but pretty nimble and quick in the mid range)


Not the best looking bike (but then the mastiff was no looker) but I may have finally found the bike that ticks most of the boxes I want! Can't wait til next spring to put it thru its paces on a trip to SW France


Jonesy

My old FZS had a similar problem, plus when you let your hands off the bars they would start to wobble side to side, after looking on here I changed the front tyre to a Bridgestone something or other and hey presto the noise significantly reduced and the bars stopped wobbling, may be worth checking if your bars wobble with your hands off as it is a known problem on Fazers and seems to indicate a worn front tyre


Jonesy

Nothing to with me and don't know the seller but saw this post on another forum and thought it may help someone out........


http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=293906&highlight=


Jonesy

Took a ZRX1100 for a test ride once, easy to ride, simple power delivery and looked good but the handling was terrible, probably just the bike I was on wasn't any good but felt like it was a cut 'n shut, every slight bump in the road set up a head shake and needed a lot of effort to go round corners


As I say I wouldn't want to besmirch all ZRX's on the basis of one test ride but I wasn't impressed, although it was a lovely looking bike and I would still be sorely tempted to buy one that rode okay


A mate of mine has a CB1300 and he says it's a great bike, huge torque, dead comfy (he's a big chap) and as fast as he would ever need a bike to be, but I know he has spent many £'s upgrading it


Just my tuppence worth


Jonesy