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December 2012 Third ride on Blue in 8 days. This time to the Super Sausage café on the A5 near Towcester with the HBBB group and then had a quick look at the Concrete Cows on the way back. They have had a make over recently. Then I was going for a coffee in Supamoto forgetting that they shut on Sunday in the winter so diverted to La Piazza in Bedford. Second ride on Blue in less than a week. Maybe not a record for winter but not bad and it was a proper ride of over 50 miles. I went with a mate to Earls Barton for the first time for a tea and cake at Jeyes. For the older amongst you yes the Jeyes Fluid people. My mate had to head back but I had a look around the place and then rode back via various B roads. On the way home I spotted a "Common" Buzzard in tree right next to the road, which was a nice bonus. I got Blue out and rode into town for a coffee with a chum at La Piazza in Bedford. That's just over 6 miles! Oh well I have ridden it and it was good to sit in the sunshine and talk bikes. There were a few other bikers there a couple of which I also know and some scooter riders to. |
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November 2012 I took Blue down to Scorpio Racing in Kempston to have her cleaned and coated with ACF-50 liquid. I was happy with the work done and they adjusted the chain and straightened the gear change for free! Other than that not much news as it has been wet and most of my local green lanes are now closed for the winter I've not been off tarmac recently. I have ridden the bike into to town a few times for shopping as there is free motorcycle parking but in the car I have to either pay or park and walk. |
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October 2012 I rode Blue to work once and stopped off on the way at Supamoto for a coffee and chat. Other than that not much to report. I hope to get Blue out the odd day in the winter for a bit of light trail riding on the lanes that are still open locally and just to keep her ticking over. The rest of the time she will be locked up in my garage with the trickle charger running. |
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September 2012 I had a trail ride early in the month, and at long last most of the trails were open in North Bedfordshire. All was going well until I had a comedy off, but the chain jumped the rear sprocket and jammed up in the front one. After some messing about with the tools we had we gave up and pushed the bike to the nearest road, which was only a few hundred yards but uphill! I then called RAC breakdown who arrived within 1 hour & were able to fix it so I could ride home. Whilst riding home I realised the forks were a little twisted in the yokes but as I've been busy at work and riding about on Red it's taken a while to sort but Jamie of Two Wheels Better has fixed it now. |
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August 2012 I had another trail ride on Blue. We were mostly on the Icknield Way between Ashwell and Melbourn plus a few bits and bobs. We did about 60 miles in total although less than 20 was off tarmac. A few snaps are loaded here. |
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I've had a busy couple of days at Silverstone watching practice and the WSB races. It was sunshine and showers, which must have been tricky for the riders, & a number came off. I took loads of pic's some of which you can see here. I went on Red on Saturday which I've not ridden recently. I thought the handling was off & when I got back I checked the tyre pressures & found the rear was very low. So on the Sunday I went on Blue. On the way home on Sunday the mileage clicked over 5,000 and I had a nice ride down to Buckingham then across to Bedford on the A421 in the sunshine. |
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July
2012 I
had an easy trail ride on Blue
on
Sunday morning mostly on the Icknield Way Roman Road around
Ashwell and over towards Royston. I went to the Silver Ball Café
on the A10 for a cuppa. There were a few bikers at the café
including a group of H-D riders but nothing that exciting. Then a
trail I'd never been on before between the villages of Reed and
Barkway and I tried a trail from Therfield
village
I'd also not been on previously but it was closed for repairs, but
I do know exactly where it is now. Plus I went to Stevenage for a
very nice roast beef lunch. |
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Last week I finally got around to taking the rubber bits off the footpegs for better grip off tarmac. Only taken me a year to do a 5 minute job! I did intend to do this when I got to Wales last year and this year but it didn't happen! I
have been up to North Wales for a week to see my chums who live
near Lake Bala, and ride Blue
on
and off tarmac. The weather was all over the place as usual but I
enjoyed my break and took some snaps. You can see them here.
Whilst there I visited various preserved steam railways but didn't
ride on any of them. I find they often have a decent café ,
parking, and loos so a handy place to visit with the bonus for me
of seeing a live steam train, or two. I went to the Fairbourne
Steam Railway for the first time, and repeat visits to the
Talyllyn Railway, &
Llangollen
Railway. I was going to have a first look at the Welshpool
and Llanfair Light Railway on the way home but managed to just
miss one train and the next was not for a couple of hours, and as
there did not appear to be much to keep me entertained at
Welshpool Station I pushed on towards Jack's
Hill Café.
In all I did about 750 miles in 8 days with most of this on
tarmac. A highlight of the trip was a red kite almost crashing
into me as it tried to grab some road kill right next to me. |
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On
the way to North Wales I took a detour and stopped off at the
Heritage Motor
Centre (see near left) at Gaydon. I'd not been before but
enjoyed it. I took a few pic's which you can see here.
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June 2012 I went down to Bedford Wheels and got the Pirelli MT21s Rallycross at long last. Not cheap but supposed to be a good, and the price included fitting. I asked for the old Avon Distenzas back to store for future use. They are great on tarmac, and hard ground, but not elsewhere. |
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The hand guards I ordered last week have turned up and I've fitted them . They are actually listed as DT 125 parts by Yamaha. The clutch side went straight on but I did have to remove a small amount of plastic from the brake side to get it to fit. |
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Blue
went
in for it's annual MOT (safety) test on Monday morning which it
passed, and as it was Ride
to Work Day I rode her to work in the afternoon. I've had her
for a year now and I am very happy with her. That's the second
Serow I've got unseen off fleabay. I would not recommend buying
bikes unseen, but it has worked for me! Maybe I've just been very
lucky? |
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April 2012 I went to Ride Free 2012 on Blue which I enjoyed and it was sunny if a little chilly to start with. In particular I liked the Dave Coates stunt show. I loaded a few pic's here. Then I had a short trail ride as there's a green lane near the venue that is open all year and it's been dry for ages so it was easy going. I can't go out on Red as she's still waiting for clutch parts.
March
2012 Blue
has
been serviced by Jamie at Two
Wheels Better and he fitted the "new" bash plate,
changed the fork seals, flushed the brake fluid and serviced the
front brake... All looks good now apart from he said the chain and
sprockets will probably need changing next winter. That's not a
surprise to me! I just need to sort out those knobblies ready for
the local green lanes to open on 1st May and North Wales trip
which is in July this year. |
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February
2012 I
treated Blue
to
a used bash plate as the one on it at the moment looks a bit
wimpy. I've just got to wait for it to arrive from the USA. Blue
still
needs some knobblies and maybe hand guards & I need to get on
to Jamie at Two Wheels
Better to get it booked in for a service and to change the
fork seals. I might be riding it on tarmac later this week as
weather for Thursday/Friday supposed to be dry and 15C maybe
warmer? |
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December
2011 I
ordered a cheap plastic top box to go on the rack I fitted months
ago. It's arrived and we will see how long it takes me to fit it?
Update on checking the instructions some of the fixing bits are
missing. I have been on to suppliers and hope to have missing bits
mid-week. |
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The
first ride I went to AJ's
Diner in Wellingborough for refreshments which I enjoyed. It's
a Happy
Days/50's
styled place above a new motorcycle dealer. Inside it reminded me
of Angel's diner in Palatka. |
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August
2011
Cheap
weekend for once where I had a little look at the Franklin
Gallery in
an old barn on Saturday then Sunday afternoon to the Civic Theatre
Bedford for a free
talk about
adventure travel by Paddy Tyson, Sam Manicom, and Simon Gandolfi.
Both of these I rode to on Blue. |
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July
2011 My
White
'92
Serow (see left) has sold and Tom has collected it. I hope he is
as happy with it as I have been. I didn't want to sell but just
got the Blue
'04
Serow which needs a new chain and sprockets, the Buell
needs new boots soon, and the cage needs a new radiator, and I
might pay out for a Sky dish... |
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June 2011 Just back from a good week riding on and off tarmac in North Wales mostly on familiar trails but did try a couple of new ones. I've loaded some pic's here. I went on the Blue Serow and it ran perfectly apart from the chain &/or sprockets are rubbish. I have adjusted the chain several times already and taken a link out even though I've only done 800 miles on it and drenched it in chain spray several times. |
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July
2011 I
rode Blue
to
the Oakley Carnival then a parade around the village with the
Oakley Motorcycle Club. |
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May
2011 I
was out recently on some easy trails in North Beds/Cambridgeshire
borders. Everything went well apart from the branch (see left)
blocking Donkey Lane near Keysoe. I've e.mailed the Bedford Rights
of Way team about this. |
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May
2011 Early
in the month I was out on the lanes around Santa
Pod. Didn't try any new lanes or even go out for that long but
it was good to be riding about in the sunshine on White. |
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September
2010 I
had my usual "pilgrimage" for a week to North Wales to
ride on and off road based at my chums Kev and Sammys' place near
Bala. The weather was all over the place as usual but still got
out and about. You can see more pictures of my visit here.
On the left we were in the hills above Barmouth. |
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August
2010 I
had a little B road weekday chug about with friends on White
to
Blades Motorcycles
late in the month. |
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July
2010 I've had White for over 3 years now and it has
been 100% despite my amateur off tarmac rides! |
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June
2010 Replacement road tax disc has arrived and in the middle
of June I had a nice ride about off road mainly on the Icknield
Way (Roman Road) to East of Ashwell and tried a trail off the
Baldock to Buntingford road somebody told me about years ago but
there was a locked gate and it looked unused so gave up on that. I
did try three short trails near Guilden Morden that I had not been
on for over 10 years (maybe never?), "Peacock Hill"
South of Ashwell, and a trail near Potton. On way back near
Everton I slowed for a muntjac deer to cross the road in broad
daylight. I didn't take any pictures but enjoyed my day out. |
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May
2010 First
trail ride of the year on the 9th and it was very nice. |
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I
have been on a few short rides on White recently mainly
into town shopping... |
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September 2009 I had an afternoon off road on the 16th in North Wales which was good and two afternoons in the sunshine on the North Bedfordshire lanes before they closed for winter. Also checked out a couple of lanes that I'm not sure I have ever been on before (certainly not in the last 10 years anyway.) One was very easy but enjoyable north of A14 near Spaldwick & the other was blocked at one end but still had a go up & back near Strixton. Did about 250k in a weekend although much of this was on tarmac. Still no mirror. |
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August
2009 Over
the Bank Holiday weekend I went up to Wales for a day to ride over
the Wayfarer. Bit showery & I was rusty but enjoyable
day. |
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Took this whilst we stopped for a map check. The larger bike is my mate's Africa Twin. |
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This
was a small ford somewhere in Happy valley near Tywyn in North
Wales. |
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Bike
fell over in back of van & broke mirror otherwise it is
running well. |
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February 2009 Trail ride in the snow, which was a long held ambition to do this but usually by the time I can get out there in the daylight it has gone. This time it was cold enough to last until Saturday. |
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Somewhere on the edge of Snowdonia National Park |
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Dry day on the Wayfarer trail |
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Bumpy or Puddle or Splashy Lane in Ceriog Valley |
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Ickneild Way Roman road near Ashwell the yellow crop is oilseed rape. |
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On Hen Graig in Ceriog Valley just before I fell off or was it just after? Can't remember! This bit is very steep with rock steps and loose slate chippings! |
The
white bike with blue saddle is a '92 model which was imported used
from Japan in '98. It has both kick and electric starts, which is
handy. It has a disk front brake and drum rear. I owned it from May
2007 until July 2011. I bought it unseen off a well known auction
site. It has a single cylinder air cooled 4 stroke engine and only
has 20bhp (maybe less) but does not weight much. These bikes have a
cult following as an economical commuter bike as they can do over
80mpg, &/or as a trail bike for shorties &/or beginners. I
used mine mainly for riding green lanes local to Bedford in England
or in North Wales and also for work, local shops, library...
The
blue bike I acquired in June 2011 and it is a 2004 model which was
imported used from Brazil. It's very similar to the white bike apart
from it has more modern looking body work, a plastic fuel tank, and
only electric start. I still own this bike.
Finally the
white, and green bike is a 250cc built in Japan in 2007 again
electric start only plus this version has only 5 gears, which I
sometimes forget! It is slightly more powerful, but weights more so
power to weight ratio is about the same. It has a steel tank, and
disc brakes on both wheels. I also still have this bike.
Now with added Facebook
You can mail me r_coughlan@yahoo.co.uk