Saul

Oh I do mate, to be fair they were fine with me when I was their postie, always friendly. I remember when much younger some of them started coming to the same gym as the rugby club for a short time.

I used to do a bit of off roading when I was much younger, one of my mates had several Bultacos, a 250 then a 360, one of them was a Sherpa I think, very nice very capable bikes. I also had a mate that had a Suzuki Beamish which we all coveted. I only ever had Suzuki TS/ERs and a DT175. Never had the wealthy parents they had, I bought my own bikes.

There is a Chapter, or club in St Austell a town near me. I know a couple of them, in fact their president is a distant cousin. Not sure what others are like in reality but our local bunch are mostly violent drug dealing idiots. Their clubhouse was on my Postie round for awhile. I could wax on about them but don't see the point.

True and I did think about it, but they are like hens teeth here at the moment, also fetch quite a premium second hand. For me and what would make me want to ride an X is its screen and riding position, that is part of what drew me to a Himalayan, which I think is way too heavy for me to enjoy offroad, I know a lot of people don't think that way. I can buy a screen and bar risers which would give me both those things on an F. I have no intentions of going off road with it.

I dunno mate I do like the Himalayan, like a comfy pair of walking boots. I don't mind it's not popular I genuinely liked its laid back nature. Same with the Honda, I don't mind that is an A2 bike it does lots of things very well that suit me. I do like its frugal running costs mpg as well as servicing. Even though I have had my licence for donky's years I sold my last big bike in 2007, if I want to go there again, and I am not sure I do, it makes sense to build up to it sensibly. No point in buying a monster and wrapping it and myself around a tree, or fear dropping it at every junction. Mind you I had quite a few internal debates about a Honda Blackbird for sale near me. Now I need to control my urge to farkle the CB, although I am going to get a main stand, rack and screen of some sort. It is coming with heated grips that were part of the deal.

Funnily enough what tipped the balance towards a CB500F for me was my mate who just bought a new one to ride everyday as his other bike is an Indian Scout which, while lovely, isn't really a practical everyday bike. So he sort of came to it from the other direction.

Yeah I have been doing a bit of research and that was a factor for me. I am planning on doing a lot of riding out this summer, so wanted something I could bimble as well as A road on. Much as I liked the Himalayan it felt slow and vulnerable on fast roads. I seriously thought about keeping it and buying the Honda as well but want to stay with one bike, I don't need a dusty collection in the shed of bikes I would use for the same purpose. If I get a second bike it would probably be a trials bike of some sort.

1100, one lady owner who traded it in for a brand new Hornet. Which looked very nice as it was in the showroom waiting to be collected. Originally a Damerells supplied bike. Don't know much more than that . Oh and I just remembered it was showing an average MPG of 93.3 which is probably an indicator of her riding style.

November 21 so 71 plate. Still in guarantee until Nov 24

That's the tutor you have been striking sparks off already isn't it?

Cheers, yep I traded the Himalayan in. I will miss it when it goes but wanted something that would do more than bimble about.

Went to Dameralls Motorcycles on Tuesday and bought this. I am picking it up next week after they have done a couple of things I asked for.

Next shift is Wednesday. Overtime to help pay to for January's MoT fest. Normally Just Fri, Sat, Sun nights.

Council house cuisine tonight fending for myself. Sometimes simple is good. Chunky granary, cheddar and Worcestershire Sauce, plus a pint of Kia Ora to wash it down. Can get away with posting this here if I put it on Facebook the Darkness at the top of the stairs would see it and I would be in the shit.

That would fit for mine too

I don’t know how long Little Bits will stay keen but she is a thrill junkie so there may be a spark there. You should see her on a horse, I can’t watch half the time. I can see worry coming with her, on the bright side it’s always good to spend time with her. She was my best mate when she was younger, now not so much as a teenager.

Tis the name I use for my youngest daughter, Tis a family thing may Dad used to call me it when I was a toddler, he was the youngest and had the same moniker in his time. Anyway little bits was very anti me getting a bike, but for some reason she has turned 180 degrees and now is fascinated and wants a ped when she turns 16. The only proviso from her is that it has to have a tank, gears and be cool. We will have to discus that. . Anyway she ambushed me to take her out pillion when I got back from my bimble today, for the first time. We only went out to the nearest Co Op for some supplies which is a 15 mile round trip. She bleddy loved it . Made me laugh though as she was leaning before me and pushing the bike into the bends keen as mustard. I had to explain to her not to do that when we got home but apart from her trying to ride the bike for me she was a great pillion. I can see I am going to have company on my bimbles soon. Obvs once I have bought her some cool riding gear, she tells me. Don’t know how I feel about any of that yet.

I have just been sitting here thinking the same thing.

It's not so bad, depends what you are doing really. I get quite a bit more free time than most as the shifts are long so you work less days.

Sitting here quietly waiting for my shift to end. Been a good weekend of working with two Clinicians I get on well with. All the jobs we have been out to have been what feel like proper use of our services. End of life patients, blocked catheters, etc etc. No Holibobs with their selfish time wasting silliness this time of year. Even managed the odd Costa and even a Wild Bean. When it’s like this my job is good. Home to bed in an hour

Work in a slaughter house. I used to play rugby with two guys who did, they weren't normal. Wether it was the work that attracted weird people or the work made them weird but it is something I could never do. I know I am like most and a hypocrite because I eat meat but if I had to kill and clean it myself I wouldn't. I remember my dad helping out on my uncles smallholding and them slaughtering stuff. Seemed normal when we were kids, seems horrific now.

I have thought about that mate but I have always had a decent openface in the past and do prefer them for local stuff. It's the goggles option I want to learn more about but I thought I would ask here first hand experience would be better than the never ending stream of 'Aren't these great videos on YouTube'.

I am thinking of getting an open face with goggles for my everyday use. I am a speccy twat which is part of the reason I want to go that route. I fancy a plain piss pot Arai or Shoei, or even a Bell which I can. run with a plain peak and goggles. Have any of the hive brain got any experience to share.especially which goggles work well with glasses. And yes I know Bell aren't what they used to be but I like them. I already have a full face and a Jet style open face and while they are ok I don't really like either.

They weren’t travelling in the dark. I quite like those two, bit like a top gear clone for bikes without clarkson being an ass.