Specs

Cos I haven’t been on the bike!! Only 1500 miles since mid August, and most of that was in the first month or so.

Better post this as my last photo. Better than the other one of the bike but I prefer the view in the other photo.

Photoshop!

I did manage to drag myself out for a bit yesterday. Only stop other than fuel.

Sorted

He did the first MCN review if I remember correctly. Raved about it - in a positive way.

Another of his infamous work parties.

Man the barricades! Power to the people.

Sex, drugs and rock n roll doesn't come cheaply.

Still grounded. Shingles still winning.

This guy’s review quite enlightening.

I get the bike ready for a trip up North Wales, the weather turns shitier and find out that the bad guts that I’ve been suffering is bloody shingles. I’m slightly pissed off.

Deal of the day: GoPro HERO12 Black - Waterproof Action Camera with 5.3K60 Ultra HD Video, 27MP Photos, HDR, 1/1.9" Image Sensor, Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization https://amzn.eu/d/2edCjur £339

I had to Google it, thought it was drink related! That makes it a no then.

He must be colourblind.

Wot?

It could double as a sunshade with a bit of potching.

It’ll be next month. Still waiting for a rack so that I can fit a top box. Should be here Wednesday. Shite weather forecast for the coming week so I don’t think I’ll be getting out much.

I have an ancient BMW waistcoat (is that a gilet?) that I bought years ago when working on a ship in refit up at Birkenhead and was riding home every weekend through the winter. It was brilliant and I might have to dig it out and start using it again. A good while ago as I’ve been retired ten years come April. Time flees.

Had a bimble around the Beacons for a few hours and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I do believe that some bonding may have happened! Trying to do some video editing but unable to find idiot mode. Photo is on Brecon bypass.

Perhaps a slightly longer stroke engine for better low revs torque? Third gear will pull from about 10mph to about 90mph, but it doesn’t pull very hard until about 4k rpm. Keep it above 4k and there’s plenty of torque and power.

The bike saga goes on. I received the parts from SW-Motech so it has now been fitted with the sump guard, top crash bar, soft panniers and rails and a GPS mount. I still need to hard wire the mount but have been using the lighter socket for now. Last Monday I rode up to North Wales to visit my aunt for her 92nd birthday and to try and get a video of the Llanberis Pass. Some of you might have seen the results on FB. Anyway here they are again. "Yesterday I rode up to Porthmadog to wish my aunt a happy 93rd birthday, and then to ride the Llanberis Pass once again. Note to self - learn how to use the camera before you use it! Long story short, I had to ride the pass three times as the first time I'd forgotten to start recording, I think! So it was back to the campsites, turn around and try again. Success! Or so I thought until I got home. It seems that for most of the time I'd only used the front camera so didn't get the 360 experience. Anyway here's the result. A very sedate run up the pass catching up with a load of cars, that seemed to have been held up by cyclists." Someone asked me what I thought about the bike so far. "Hmmm. Fuel consumption seems to be about 63mpg so far but should improve. The seat is a work in progress. I hope that my arse wins else it’ll be another seat. Engine needs to be worked, so seems noisier than the GS. Quickshifter and gearbox no better than the GS - had expected better, but maybe I need more time to get used to it. Suspension ok, but obviously not GS standard. No cruise control, a shame. No fuel range indicator - surely easy to incorporate in a software update. No external temperature gauge. I’ll find a stick on one online. I’m sort of happy with it, but time and a long trip will tell. Would I recommend it? Not sure yet." I did try and post this a couple of times before but didn't get much joy with it and gave up! Not sure what I'm going to do about a top box. I have an almost new Touratech one, but they haven't produced a mount for the Transalp yet. I'll just wait I suppose.

I need to do a proper long trip, outside Wales, loaded up, to get a better feel for it. No bonding yet.

Thanks!