7 hours ago
Last year I started receiving the state pension and bought myself a 1973 Norton Commando to ride and fiddle with. First time I had been on a bike in 37 years so riding it home 40 miles in the wet was a bit oooh errr. Last week I bought a 2001 FZS600 and rode it 160 miles down from Manchester and learned how uncomfortable the seat was and how useless the fairing was in terms of helmet noise. So two bikes, chalk and cheese. The Norton was a throwback to the one I had in my youth which in the end I wrecked whilst the Fazer is in homage to the XJ900 wich was the last bike I owned back in the eighties. Makes about the same sort of power as the XJ so it will be interesting to see how the two compare today and with my memory of what these bikes used to be like when I used to be far braver (stupider) and healed moreh quickly.
It took several rides to become comfortable with riding a bike again (what's this leaning over thing, seemed at bit scary at first to be honest) but becoming more comfortable now. Only had the one run on the Yam so far, too tight to tax it for 5 days ahead of tomorrow. What I do find very noticeable is the effect of all the road safety changes we have seen in recent years - proliferation of 20 mph limits, traffic calming, mini-roundabouts, really slow drivers. It's a real pain in the rear on the Norton which only has 4 gears so it is difficult to hold on to 3rd at 30mph and after about 20 continuous miles of it round Kettering and Corby I was quite tired and pissed of with it all. First job is to repeat on the Yam and see how it compares, is the older bike just too archaic to be anything other than a pain on such roads or will a more modern bike be just as bad. We shall see. I should add I don't seek out to ride such roads it's just that those urban areas are sat between me and the wilds of Rutland and Leicestershire so suffering them is just part of the price of getting to more fun roads. That's my lot, really useful forum and regards to all.
It took several rides to become comfortable with riding a bike again (what's this leaning over thing, seemed at bit scary at first to be honest) but becoming more comfortable now. Only had the one run on the Yam so far, too tight to tax it for 5 days ahead of tomorrow. What I do find very noticeable is the effect of all the road safety changes we have seen in recent years - proliferation of 20 mph limits, traffic calming, mini-roundabouts, really slow drivers. It's a real pain in the rear on the Norton which only has 4 gears so it is difficult to hold on to 3rd at 30mph and after about 20 continuous miles of it round Kettering and Corby I was quite tired and pissed of with it all. First job is to repeat on the Yam and see how it compares, is the older bike just too archaic to be anything other than a pain on such roads or will a more modern bike be just as bad. We shall see. I should add I don't seek out to ride such roads it's just that those urban areas are sat between me and the wilds of Rutland and Leicestershire so suffering them is just part of the price of getting to more fun roads. That's my lot, really useful forum and regards to all.
