(05-05-26, 09:20 AM)robbo Wrote: It was the traditional May Day Run from Locksbottom to Hastings yesterday. Fortunately the weather did a late change for the better, and stayed dry all day. There was the usual catching up with old pals that you hadn’t seen since last year, and a quick look around any thing interesting. Our normal posse of around seven was a bit depleted this year for various reasons, so set off as the famous five. This soon became the hardcore four as we’d lost one before the first turn off. The few times I’ve actually followed the original A21 route it’s been more of a rolling roadblock, and not that enjoyable. For the last twenty years or so, our group has always taken an alternative mainly B road route taking us to nearby Rye. Yesterday was no different, taking in some familiar and some new villages and roads. No congestion, no plod, no cameras,,,happy days. This year the food at the destination pub was given a swerve, as prices for average fayre have become ridiculous.
The return ride over a more familiar route was despatched in good time, ending in a well earned pint nearer home. A good day out on less than a tank of petrol, putting another enjoyable 150 miles on the mighty Fazer.
Glad the weather was kind, sounds like a great run 
Got the carb bowl off and replaced pilot jet on No1 pot ( bugger getting it back on) , all without having to remove carbs, flushed through with carb cleaner n a tank of seafoam. Went for a tootle to the next town and back loads better and the just warm header you can now cook bacon on 
(14-05-26, 04:05 PM)Faze2 Wrote: Got the carb bowl off and replaced pilot jet on No1 pot ( bugger getting it back on) , all without having to remove carbs, flushed through with carb cleaner n a tank of seafoam. Went for a tootle to the next town and back loads better and the just warm header you can now cook bacon on
Sounds like you’re all sorted. Nice fix without carb removal, which is a real bonus. 
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
Took the bike in for its MOT today.
As always, of course, I checked the lights, horn, tyres, fork seals etc and they seemed fine to me.
So I was rather surprised a couple of hours later when I phoned and was told that there was a problem with the front brake light, because "it wasn't turning off".
I chucked a whole load of tools (screwdrivers, pliers, cable ties etc) plus sundry other bits (WD40, contact cleaner, a couple of boxes of assorted nuts, bolts and washers) hoping that I could sort it out there, and caught a bus back up to the shop to try to find out what was going on so the guy could Pass it.
Fortunately it turned out to be an easy fix, firstly the lever was a little sticky and wasn't quite returning fully and, secondly, the microswitch had shifted slightly so the actuator on the lever wasn't always pressing properly against it.
A few minutes later it was working OK and I got the Pass.
Then I went out for a ride, although, annoyingly, I had planned on stopping off at the Departure Lounge cafe on the A339 for some food, only to find that they'd stopped serving half an hour before.
Also, worse, the A339 was being re-dressed, although it appeared it wasn't quite the usual lazy "chuck down some tar, shovel a load of gravel over it and let the traffic bed them in" style, so although there were small loose stones, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Anyway, I got up almost to Basingstoke then turned off towards the Candovers before cutting the corner of the B3046 by going down Spiers Lane to Old Alresford.
I remembered there was a nice road called Old Park Road if you turned left on the B3047, so I went looking for it and, thankfully found it by going straight across the A31 roundabout. That took me back to the A272, so I stopped off at Loomies for an egg and bacon bap, then rode home having clocked up nearly 100 miles.
At least I did more miles this past year (630) than the previous year's dismal 189(!), but I really need to get out on the bike more, it's just that the car is so much more convenient... 
My front brake was feeling a little notchy so I took it off and cleaned out the piston and rubber cover and re greased everything which returned to to a nice and smooth action
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
Following my decision to get on the bike more, someone in my local IAM Group was organising a Group Ride which, unusually, was starting only a few miles from my home, meaning I didn't need to get up at stupid o'clock to get on it and it was a nice day too 
I'm still a bit out of practice on the bike, I managed to stall it trying to hill start out of a junction, but caught it quickly enough that I got out safely!
Annoyingly, most of the ride was in West Sussex, who, unlike Hampshire, seem to still be using the old tar and chip top dressing which meant that a couple of nice bits of road were near gravel traps which wasn't enjoyable, but, thankfully, they weren't too long and the rest of the ride was fun.
I just need to keep on getting out more to practice my skills...
Made a nice early start yesterday morning, meeting at our usual petrol station at 7, to take advantage of the good biking weather. As normal it would be a make it up as we go ride, but over the years of crisscrossing Kent,Sussex,Surrey and Hampshire, I was sure we’d be on familiar roads. Soon, Kent had become Sussex and west bound on the A272 as far as Petworth, before picking up the A285 down to Tangmere. I’ve never had the pleasure of riding this stretch without getting baulked by something slow, and always at the crucial and very enjoyable areas, and this trip wasn’t going to be an exception.
After regrouping, a clockwise lap of the Goodwood Estate was the chosen route, however this proved to be slow progress as the road was being regravelled, maybe in preparation for the upcoming Festival of Speed. Eventually we trundled into Midhurst, where the three smaller tanked bikes were gasping for petrol(Tuono, Speed Triple and S1000R). The Fazer and my pals Versys, just sat quietly but smugly in a shady corner waiting for the ride to continue.
Back on the 272 to return to Petworth en route to the caff, but again progress was limited by Beemer mounted plod. Thankfully they didn’t turn right at Petworth, so normal service could be resumed in order to make, in my case, my appointment with a sausage sandwich at The Chalet. We timed that just right as shortly after we made the food order a good 30 proper period scooters turned up, much to the delight of the cafe owners.
After a chill in the sun it was time to take our various routes home. Godstone area on the A22 was a nightmare due to some sort of country show, making a bike the only way to travel. Heading north and home the A22 tailback was almost to the M25, making for a miserable Sunday for anyone stuck in that. Nearing Warlingham the pub had 2 pints with mine and Versysman’s names on, so it would have been rude not to drop in, choosing a cool area inside as by now the sun was really making an appearance. After setting the world to rights, we said our goodbyes and 15 minutes later I rolled on to the drive having clocked another 154 of our lovely English miles.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
(15-06-26, 09:29 AM)robbo Wrote: After regrouping, a clockwise lap of the Goodwood Estate was the chosen route, however this proved to be slow progress as the road was being regravelled, maybe in preparation for the upcoming Festival of Speed.
We were on some of the same roads!
I saw other groups of bikes when we were out, maybe some were you
(15-06-26, 12:25 PM)Grahamm Wrote: (15-06-26, 09:29 AM)robbo Wrote: After regrouping, a clockwise lap of the Goodwood Estate was the chosen route, however this proved to be slow progress as the road was being regravelled, maybe in preparation for the upcoming Festival of Speed.
We were on some of the same roads!
I saw other groups of bikes when we were out, maybe some were you
I think my group underestimated how busy the roads would be with a 7 o’clock start. Not so bad if you’re leading, as they dictate the pace as you know. But on those roads, chuck a few tractors and Sunday drivers into the mix, and if you’re towards the back of the group it all becomes a blur 
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
(15-06-26, 01:37 PM)robbo Wrote: Not so bad if you’re leading, as they dictate the pace as you know. But on those roads, chuck a few tractors and Sunday drivers into the mix, and if you’re towards the back of the group it all becomes a blur
Don't you use the Marker (second bike drop-off) system?
We had 14 bikes on our ride and didn't have any problems with anyone getting lost or having to go naughtily fast to catch up.
(16-06-26, 12:14 PM)Grahamm Wrote: (15-06-26, 01:37 PM)robbo Wrote:
Don't you use the Marker (second bike drop-off) system?
We had 14 bikes on our ride and didn't have any problems with anyone getting lost or having to go naughtily fast to catch up.
The VMCC and Triumph Owners use the drop off system when I’m out with them. Last Sunday was purely a matter of not all getting past a tractor or slow car before coming to a solid white line section or having limited vision for safe overtakes. We always stop and regroup when there’s a change of direction. That road has so many double whites and limited vision bends, that the only chance of a clear run at it would be dawn at this time of the year I should think. It’s invariably the norm in those conditions, that the tail end Charlie ends up riding harder than those at the front.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
The other option is the "buddy" system, where you just make sure you keep the bike behind in your mirrors. If you can't see them, slow down.
If you still don't see them, stop and wait. Eventually the message will get to the lead rider who'll stop and, if necessary, backtrack to find out what's happened.
BTW there's also an app called Bikecrumbs which lets each rider log into a ride number and will show their location on a map, so anyone missing can be located
Our system is more like, every man for themselves see you at the caff.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
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