Eunos Chump

The standard CBR mirrors are only good for admiring your elbows; I now understand why some sportsbike riders remove them completely.  Not me though, I want to know if there's po-po behind me before carrying out any s ensible and legal manoeuvers * So, I bought some generic mirror extenders from eBay and now I SEE ALL.  Yes, they look a bit daft, and make filtering a little more difficult, but it's worth the trade-off.

Some pictures from the Ride of Respect today, through Brize Norton and surrounding area.  It was good fun, waving to all the kiddies and any ladies I liked the look of :)  Took the VFR, all cleaned and polished for a change.  Several thousand bikes, all lined up on the runway.  They said we could make as much noise as we wanted - cue engines being bounced off the limiters and much beeping of horns.  I joined in but there was so much racket I could barely hear my own engine, even at 11K RPM! Favourite of the day, just look at it!   In the evening I took the CBR out, and ended up riding around the coast for several hours.  It seems my weak, lame body is adapting.  

Wind and rain has put paid to a weekend in the caravan.  I'm starting to think I've made a mistake here, perhaps I should have bought that cruiser bike after all - it would have seen more use.  So, I've stayed in and tidied the garage, cleaned/checked the bikes, put a new exhaust on the Berlingo (on top of new disks/pads last week), and got very bored.  Oh, and I made another uninteresting post on my blog. Have a nice piccy of a Virago as compensation - look, he thinks he's in the army, bless!

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Iain-Banks-drives-a-Formula-One-car-CAR-magazine-June-2000/

Passed a Cisco exam today, to renew my CCNP for another 3 years.  Wasn't too bad, didn't have any of those horrific lab scenarios.  I've been dragging the loathsome training manual around with me for the past 4 months, I'd like to burn it now but it may be useful at some point. Have been enjoying short rides on the CBR, trying to bend my body to the required shape.  I had nearly 6 hours on the VFR yesterday (on a fools errand to Eastbourne), and have come up with the following comfort equation: 1 hour of VFR = 1 minute of CBR Yeah, it's painful.  And the suspension is too firm for local country roads, it mostly skitters from one bump to the next, even with it set some 25% softer than factory defaults.  But on smooth, open roads... still worth it.

Disregard everything I said earlier about wanting a Fireblade in Repsol colours, 'cos I've bought this: 2007 CBR600RR!  Traded in the Triumph for it. First impression: smooth .  I had to navigate Salisbury town centre on the test ride, which I don't know at all, so I was surprised how civilised it was - excellent pull from low RPM, firm but well-damped suspension, nice gearbox.  Useless mirrors.  Out on the open road, I initially thought the rev counter was under-reading - I'd get to about 8000 RPM and think surely this must actually be nearer 15K?  So I left it in 2nd, gave it full throttle and headed for the red line... at 13K and quite a lot of MPHs, I ran out of courage.   I've been riding about most of the day, trying to get used to the very sporty riding position - it's bloody murder after about 30 mins, to be honest.  But the handling and poise... they're worth the pain!  And it's speedy, of course - not kick-up-the-ar...

Poole bike night again, mostly as it's a great place for meeting single motorbikes looking for romance with a new partner.  There were a couple of these Repsol Fireblades present, and that's what I want - nothing else is going to do.  Lots of plod around Poole/Bournemouth, ready to pounce on naughty motorbikerists - I saw 4 panda cars, good job I was behaving myself.

I'm fed up with the Street Triple.  I can list a dozen things I love about it, but it just doesn't work as a whole -   I can't get a proper grip on it, it's awkward and resists my attempts to get a smooth consistent flow going.  So it's for the chop, but then this is my 'fun' bike and was never supposed to be a keeper.  Almost did a deal today on this CBR600RR: Very low miles and spotless, but reading reviews I don't think it'd suit.  If it was in Repsol colours I'd probably have taken it - how shallow am I? :)

Yeah, Monkeyboy and I are still playing this, it must rank as the #1 value game of all time.  We've been building a huge mansion this week, whilst ignoring all the jobs that need doing around our real-world house.  Our Minecraft server runs 24x7, email me if you'd like the address (but no ransacking the mansion, OK?)