Brackley Festival of Motorcycling

Three years in and the festival just gets better and better.  This event is pretty much unique: attendance this year was in the region of 12,000 to 15,000; it is run entirely by volunteers for the benefit of charity and is designed to promote the family side of motorcycling.  Brackley High Street is closed to form one arena with the local school fields providing space for fun fair, food stalls, displays and traders stalls.  Attractions include stunt shows by the likes of Kevin Carmichael, custom bike show and historic racers to name but a few.  You'll find major manufacturers like Harley Davidson, Yamaha and Ducati displaying their wares and offering test rides as well.  All in all it is a massively successful event with something for everybody.  It is my pleasure to volunteer as a marshal every year as well as being related to one of the organising committee.  If you want a great day out for all the family you could do a lot worse that get the date in your diary for next year (19th of August in case your curious!).  If in doubt as to how much people enjoy the event, take a look at the Facebook page.

With any luck I'll see you there.

Silverstone WSBK

Last weekend was magic.  Silverstone World Super Bikes and messing with great company on the Brackley Festival of Motorcycling (www.bfom.co.uk) stand.
It struck me that my re-awakening to the joys of motorcycling took place one year ago at the very same event.  This year was marked by fantastic conversations with bike fanatics from all over the UK.  Awsome !  It does constantly amaze me that just about every biker out there is such a friendly, warm human being.  It re-affirms my faith in the human race to know that wherever I go, so long as there are bikers there, I have friends.  What a wonderful world it is.

Oh and by the way, it's the Brackley Festival of Motorcycling on Sunday 21st August.  It's a brilliant family event all in aid of charity with thousands of lovely people and loads of bikes.  Check it out and I hope to see you there.

Out on the road again

After a few weeks where life managed to get thoroughly in the way of my play activities I finally managed to get out on Jessica again today.  Some might say it was not the best thing I could have done, it was our 22nd wedding anniversary after all, but what the hell, herself was working anyway.
Todays trip was down to the coast again, this time to Lulworth Cove in Dorset.  I sure I went there as a kid but can't say I really sure.  What a gorgeous place it is though.  Riding down some great roads from Salisbury to Blandford Forum with characteristically little traffic was a joy.  It went a bit pear shaped at that point when I managed to get lost but that only added to the fun trying to find myself again.  The cove itself is stunning.  The facilities great and the rum and raisin ice cream a rare treat.  Jessica performed flawlessly as usual but I can't believe how much I ache now..and it was only a 160 mile round trip !

and the Numpty of the month prize goes too....

ME !

OK I admit it.  It was me who filled the bike up with diesel.  The result being nearly two hours at the side of the road draining the tank and a beautiful blue cloud of smoke when I did eventually got it started again.  Fortunately draining the fuel filter and having good old fashioned carburetors without a fuel pump meant it was not too difficult a job to fix.  So before anybody else officially nominates me I thought I had better do it myself !

1st time out together

And the plan starts to come together.  One of the reasons for wanting to get back into biking was to give the Old Dragon and I something we could do together.  We were both very much into bike before we met so it seemed like a logical thing to do.  Today, for the first time, we ventured out on the GSX for a little run to Loomie's.  This was the first time for 25years as a pillion for the poor old dear and I'm so happy it proved to be a great success. Now the rest of the summer is going to be huge fun.
Next week we're off to the seaside for fish & chips !

Ride-out to Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum

Good news, the knee held up and I made it out on the bike.  Hurrah !

It took some thinking about but in the end I decided it was time I visited the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum.  The run down through Romsey, Cadnam and Lyndhurst was wonderful.  The sun shone, it was warm enough and for the best part the traffic was light.  It gave me the chance to try out some techniques I read about on Visordown regarding relaxed riding.  It's brilliant, no achy shoulders or wrists and much smoother bike control.
Anyway, back to the museum.  Sammy has put together an amazing collection of bikes dating right back to the beginning of the last century.  There are some stunning examples of legendary marques that I had only previously read about.  There's more modern kit as well.  The scary bit was that I've ridden some of those.  Now that really does make you feel old when you see bikes in a museum that you remember riding.

If you fancy a ride-out through some gorgeous New Forest scenery I can recommend this as a destination.  The collection is fascinating.  Even better the coffee shop is a revelation.  You must try the home made ginger cake.  Outstanding.
Another great day out on the bike !

Stress & MOT's

The MOT was due this month, I hate it when that happens !

This is the first since I got the GSX so was a bit of an unknown quantity...and it failed.  I was not best pleased.  The bike is an import, which I knew, and it turns out it still has the Euro spec headlight.  Now it was a dealer that imported it and I thought they were obliged to change things like headlights if that was the case.  Not to mention the fact that I have a whole bunch of previous MOT pass certificates !  Is there no consistency in these tests any more ?  The other thing was 'excessive travel of the front brake lever'.  Of course had the tester just changed the span adjuster he would have found out there was no such thing.  Is it me or is there a lack of common sense amongst officialdom.

Anyway, enough ranting.  All sorted now and a day off on Friday.  Just got to decide where to go.  Maybe a visit to little brother up around Silverstone, or shall I go see the sea ?  Decisions decisions, why is life never easy.

Loomies Ride-Out

Curiosity got the best of me today.  I've seen links to the Loomies on the Weyhill Riders website along with pictures in the gallery and, as it isn't that far away from home, decided I just had to go there.

Loomies is a family run Café frequented by many many bikers and car drivers on the cross-roads of the A272 and A32 at West Meon in Hampshire and a oft used destination for club bike runs.  The A272 is a cracking bike road but be careful, especially on Bank Holidays, the Police patrol it with great diligence.  In fact it was along this road on a Bank Holiday that I picked up the only points on my licence in 30 years of motoring.  On arrival I had a chat with a lovely lady biker who told me, despite the100-150 bikes in the car park, that today was a quiet day!  The previous week the wasn't room at all in the car park. The staff were very welcoming and, as usual, the biking community made all welcome and I had a great chat over coffee.  If you're ever in the are, drop by.  It's well worth it.

Life on a bike is good

Good Friday bank holiday and the Old Dragon says 'Why don't you get out on the bike'....gob smacked or what.  I wasn't going to let an opportunity like that pass though so off I went.  Trouble was I didn't have anywhere to go planned so we started with a basic premise that I wanted to see the sea.  Now, living in Hampshire you're fairly spoilt for choice there so I started with a fun road to ride down towards Romsey and Totton.  And there I was at Calshot with a huge grin on my face having had great fun putting into practice riding tips gleaned from my little Brother.

One of the reasons I wanted to return to biking was as a way of escaping and dealing with my stress.  For my sins I have a job that has more than its fair share of that.  So far I have been out on three relatively minor trips all of which have been massively enjoyable and have very effectively taken me away from the daily grind.  I have met some wonderful people, seen some lovely places and always come back with a silly grin.  I am now firmly of the opinion that motorcycling is in fact the greatest leisure activity ever invented and should probably be made available on the NHS....now there's an idea, I quite fancy the job of Minister for Motorcycling !

Calshot on Good Friday...it really was a very good Friday !

Play Day

Victory Cross Country

Yesterday was a brilliant day.  Having been thoroughly converted to cruisers, little brother and I visited the Thunder Road demo day at the Arrow Mill Hotel not far from Stratford-on-Avon.  A very enjoyable day ensued riding around on various flavours of Victory bikes.  The Vegas 8-Ball was interesting !  I'm not sure that really suits me, and the Cross Country was a revelation.  This is easily the largest bike I've ridden, equipped with panniers, top box and an armchair for the pillion passenger.  Much to my surprise it handled beautifully and was a joy to ride.  Running boards took a bit of getting used too, but that's a minor point.  It was remarkably comfortable, the huge V-twin is just so sexy and I had visions of loading up the old Dragon and heading out across Europe.  Now, how am I going to get that many pennies in the same place at the same time ?

Easy Rider !

Victory Hammer

In my time I have had the good fortune to ride many different types of bikes.  I've ridden sports bikes, street fighters, naked bikes, touring types and adventure bikes (what we used to call trailies) but I've never ridden cruisers.  Until last week that is when I was offered a quick blast on a 2011 Victory Hammer.

Wow, what a bike.  I had worried on my return to biking I would return to my wilder inclinations to 'ride it like I stole it' tendencies of my earlier days.  I pleased to say that hasn't been the case but there is still a temptation to make relatively rapid progress.  However, the Victory cures all that.  The feet forward relaxed and supremely comfortable seat encourages biking at a far more leisurely pace.  The gorgeous 106ci V twin engine (that's 1731cc in metric) lopes along making the most wonderful music and you just watch the world pass by.  I could really get used to this, a whole new biking experience opens up before me and I finally get the whole Harley thing.  The Victory is in a different league though so far as quality engineering is concerned which is also something very appealing to me.  I need one, just got to convince the old dragon now !

Ride of Respect 2011

I have always had a thing about supporting forces personnel who have served their country so when the opportunity to pay my respects and raise some money for the Afghan Heroes charity came along I jumped at it.  It was only made better by the fact that I could combine this with a run on the bike and a get together with my brother.  As expected the biker fraternity turned out in force with approximately 10,000 bikes and a further 3,000 pillion passengers in attendance.  The atmosphere was terrific, the patriotism refreshing and the emotion very genuine.  I admit it bought a tear to my eye and a lump throat riding through the villages surrounding Wootton Bassett, sorry that would be Royal Wootton Bassett.  There were many onlookers clapping and waving flags in support of the ride.  And as for the run through the town centre, well, that nearly finished me off.  Never have I been so grateful for a full face helmet.  Congratulations to all the bikers who took part in this and similar rides around the country.  You are, as I remembered from my younger days, the most genuine and likeable bunch of people I have ever had the privilege to associate with.  Respect to our troops and bikers, true Brits every one.

The new bike

Well I say new, it is in fact a 12 year old Suzuki GSX600F, and what a beautiful bike it is.  I remember these when the were originally launched and quickly labelled the 'teapot'.  It is one of those designs you either love or hate.  Fortunately I love it and always have.  This particular example has, and continues to be, a much loved machine, it is immaculate and an absolute pleasure to ride.  I look forward to much fun over the coming months as I indulge my burgeoning mid-life crisis.

Got there at last !

The weather over December and January was fun wasn't it !  All sorts of nasty stuff conspired to prevent me finally pocketing the full licence until March 2nd...but I got there with not so much a a minor mark to my name.  My thanks go to Luke at Rider Training in Brackley for some brilliant instruction and also to Steve and Paul for their company, advice and superb banter.  The Direct Access course not only got me the licence I have longed for but was also the most fun I've had in years.  Thanks Chaps.