Hi Guys,

Same as my last post ... the mate in Birmingham has now got himself the bike    it's a Boy Racer ... Honda CBR 250R ... 2011, mint, less than 800 miles.

So the questions have started 

Today ... he is asking what model of Optimate he should buy to keep the battery sweet during the winter ... at 75 years young he reckons his leathers still fit over his belly ... but he ain't going out if it's wet or cold 

My Optimate is about 20 years old and still doing the job ... these days it seems they do at least six models ... your exert advice on what he should buy will be well appreciated 

Munchos Grassy Arse    Stay Safe ... Polar Bear Mallorca.

   Hi Guys,   
 
Lots of forum chat just now about how best to protect your bike during the UK winter months (about 11 of them anually I hear)  We are only getting six months of cold here in sunny Spain 
 
One bit of the bike that often looks a bit messy and rusty (IMO) is the cast iron Ex-up valve box .. tucked up under the engine it is well in line for road crap and neglect .. it's also in full line of sight whenever / if ever the rider has a knee anywhere near down     I've never found the need .. at my speeds 
 
Anyway .. I have discovered that 'painting' the cast iron box with normal Olive Oil solves this cosmetic problem quite well.     Just paint it on when the box is dry and 'warm' .. let it cool off and then the next time it gets really hot it will 'Stove' on and stay a smart looking black .. for ages.     Looks a bit like powder coating.
 
If you give it another coat of olive oil from time to time .. your box will never look crap .. ever.  This really works  .. I had three Gen 1s and never had a rusty box .. or any Ex-up valve problems.  While you are down there .. you might as well pull the valve out and give it it's regular six month (min) internal service 
 
Have a happy winter y'all .. Stay Safe      Trev   (Polar Bear)

    Hi Guys,
Just checking out the Line Dancing at the Brum Bike Shed .. there is an 'All White' Gen1 in the photo shoot .. looks like it might have a truck load of Yellow Soft Bags Kit and a caravan selection of screen stickers?
 
I also had an All Ice White Gen 1 job for a few years  2003 to 2005 ..  I had a full second set of of bodywork plastics painted up for me by Top Gun .. a very recently returned to biking member 
 
Can someone please identify the current Owner for me please    I need to contact him / her.
 
All info and any help will be very welcome.   Stay Safe Y'all       Trev

     Hello Everyone .. just getting myself sorted with a Gen 1 .. hope to get to the Bike Shed Meet and say Hello to a few of you in person.
 
Ride Safe     Top Gun

Hi Guys,    Info, Advice, Help Required Please.

Seriously .. How do you go about teaching an intelligent dog (say a Labrador pup) to bark when (but only when) someone is approaching (or at) you door ?

Cheers in Advance    Trev  (Getting Deafer by The Day )

Hi Guys,
 
Having already had some rumbles in the jungles over on the (slightly more adult) side    at the Fazer 1000 Owners Club about this years gathering of the clans near (not in) Birmingham.
 
Following up on some early questions .. and as per normal service routine .. I have posted my annual blurb for the benefit of all the Newbies who have hooked into these Fazer Groups over the passed year.  The intention is to give the new guys a general idea about who does what to whom, where, when and why  .
 
Have a read below if you are not all together familiar with this event .. then watch for the date(s) to be set later on in the year.  It'll be here before you know it so do your best to get there .. it is often seen as the start of the biking season for many     
 
Cheers Trev.               _________________##________________##____________________
 
 
Oh Yes indeed ... The Birmingham Bike Shed  (National Motorcycle Museum) Clan Gathering.

I'm not sure if there could every be a better location for any National Annual Group Meet in the UK?

Perfectly located bang in the Center of England  (The actual 'Middle England' marker cross is on a traffic island  just a couple of miles south .. in the village of Meridian)

Really easy to Find and Access .. Junction 6 of the M42 and A45 (right on the NEC Island) and therefore as fair as it gets for everyone wherever they live .. can't help your post code .. where we live is where we live 

Every required basic facility right there on site .. Parking, Toilets, Cafe, Long curved white line for Photo Shot line up     and of course The National Bike Museum .. it's bit hard to find all that in any one other place .. and it's open on Sunday!

As for the date .. always some chat about the weather and holding the meet later in the year .. but there are some very valid traditional 'reasons' as to why it's normally held in April .. no need for me to do the history bit again here. 
 
Main snag with moving it is always the same .. people go away for their family holidays and long haul bike tours in the summer.  No way we will ever keep everyone happy .. so it's still held in April.

As for the UK's 'seasonal weather patterns' .. these days things are about as predictable as a Mad Spanish Bull standing in the middle of the main road.   So shifting things to June (for example) is no guarantee at all that it will be a nice day on the day!  For this reason we have normally kept a Plan-B dry day as a back up the next week-end.

As for distances to and from Brum .. I (we) used to give out 'prizes' for the Longest Ride, all the Biker Babes and Bike Police members .. a big fat Mars Bar. Lots of guys have ridden to Brum from Scotland and Cornwall .. I've done it myself from the Costa Blanca (without a Mars Bar  ) It's what your Bike was made for .. ride it! 

As I no longer have my wonderful Gen 1s  and am now very happy thanks on The Spanish Dancer .. my big Honda CB1300s, EZS Sports Sidecar Outfit .. I don't feel quite right about attending. However all Riders on all and any other make of Bike have always been very welcome .. so you can bring your mates on mopeds too. 

Anyway .. my main plans are done for this year .. I'm already all Booked and Paid for a nice little ride-out or two. 
 
The 2013 main event is a 4.000 mile round trip from Denia (here down on the Med coast) up to South Harris in the Outer Hebrides / Western Isles and back via a loop of Bonny Scotland all on my own .. no matter what the weather girl comes up with .. once again I'll just be gritting my gums and going for it . 
 
These days .. I can't afford or justify the 'crazy cost' type finances of doing another UK run before that one .. but it's not so far for you .. is it ? 

There you go then .. that's my Annual Blurb on the Bike Shed topic done .. your move people .. any questions .. and as always I'm here if I can help

Stay Safe Guys   Trev           The Polar Bear in Spain. Founder of The Brum Bike Shed meetings.

Datatool Digi Gear Indicator.
 
For Sale within group. Boxed with Paperwork, As New, Cost around £65 from Dealer, Never Fitted.
 
 Please see Photo's.   All Realistic Offers considered. 
 
Item is already Packed and ready for Posting from within the UK. 
 
UK Bank Transfer Best .. but have PayPal A/c if required 
 
Stay Safe     Trev    Spain

Hi Guys,
Completely Off Topic ... but hopefully helping to keep this place alive

As with many other 'action type' pass-times .. us Bikers are often well into other sports .. I think we might have a few Sports Scuba Divers in here.
    That's the hand signal for going down now .. read on.

The December issue of one of the main UK Diving magazines 'SCUBA'  should be on the paper-shop shelf any day soon.  I have a page (probably inside of back cover) that you just might find interesting .. it knocks on into a blog that then tells the story. I hope it's going to be good good bedtime reading  .. but it could also open a big can of fat worms

Just info .. I will also post this over on the other side .. for the Divers over there Ok.

Breath easy, Stay Safe    Trev                         (I have no business connections with this magazine)

Guys & Girls,
 
As the group has a very good active section for photographers .. all sorts from Pro to Happy Snapper as well as the serious bods who are really into long range high speed action stuff.  I thought I'd let you know that I have my 'good as new' Complete Canon EOS 400D with extra 300mm Zoom Lens etc, up for grabs in the UK right now. 

                                          The UK eBay Item Number is: 180921857616.
 
Everything you need all in one box!  Might be worth a look-see if you fancy such things     
 
Cheers, Stay Safe    Polar Bear.

On Offer to The Group before eBay.. Posting will be from within the UK around the 12th of June.
 
Mini Arrow Head LED Indicators Kit  .. Front and Rear Flashers with correct LED Relay Unit (simple exchange).
 
Al in good condition .. however two of the original plastic backing plates have been replaced with 'Get me Home' DIYs.
 (The proper plates are available on eBay from Busters)
 
These units did around 3.000 miles on my Gen1 .. then removed to put bike back into standard when sold .. simple job to connect them to lighting loom (plug and go).
 
For Sale as Seen .. all in with P&P for £32.00

    I've just got one of these Mini Spy Video Cameras .. £9.99 all in from Honk Konk (with free P&P Norm  .
 
The Instructions come in Chinese and English .. but .. so far we have failed to get very much 'up and running'.
 
One good example is the blurb about how to change the Time Clock settings .. please read below .. then read it again.
 
Is it just me .. oer what ?
 
I quote:

 
6. Time settings
 
CD in the product accessories (none with the mini DV camera!) which have a file for time synchronization file, please copy this file to the user Dao TF card, the Benji in and connected Diannao after, the machine time to syncing Dian and Xian Shi Zhijie the time.
 

If I posted the .. just the top line of the registration numbers of my three (mint) Gen 1s and requested that the current owners contacted me I might discover where they are now? 
 
It's a good bet that at least one of you guys (if not three) in here will have one of them 
 
No special reason .. just wondering where they are now .. as you do  .
 
Stay Safe    Polar Bear