facebook image


Updated 29th October 2011

gif

2006 Kawasaki Z750S

I've traded the Z for a 2008 Buell 1125CR and my final thoughts? The Z was OK for what I paid for it which was less than £4k and I got £2.9K trade in 2.5 years later. On smooth tarmac at legal speeds there was not a lot wrong with it but on bumpy roads, etc it was not so good. I did about 6,900 miles in total.

Z covered in de-greaser

I went by motorcycle to Power bike show at The Hub in Milton Keynes and then on to Motorama show in Olney village square and took a few photo's which you can see more of here. I have been to the MK show once before and it is OK considering it's free but now prefer the Olney show which I'd not seen before. On way back spotted my first common tern of the year.

The late May bank holiday weekend I only had Sunday off work but enjoyed a ride to Old Hunstanton on the Z where the weather was a bit mixed but still enjoyed the ride. The previous weekend I was off with perfect weather and rode the Z to Wells-next-the-Sea with the Oakley MC and the following day an evening ride with KTM Kev to Sywell Aerodrome for a pint and I had a day out on my Serow. Good times.

Fitted a cable to my bike so that I can plug it in to a trickle charger. Only taken me 2 years to do a 5 minute job! Bike has now done a little over 6k miles. I had a test ride on a Triumph Street Triple 675 and wrote a little blurb and couple of pic's here.

Good start to May with a meet up at the
Jaffa Orchard cafe in Bedford and a ride to Cooperb motorcycles to look at a bike I was thinking of buying but it had been sold anyway nice ride in the sunshine plus I had been to neither place before. Then a drink at the Oakley Social Club and a coffee at Supamoto where I liked a new Kawasaki Z1000 but it is £8,500, heavy, and the Triumph Street Triple is only £6,300 with interest free finance!

Picture on left shows Z covered in de-greaser at
Motorcycle Republic where it was cleaned, dried, & then covered in ACF-50 protective coating by Nooj from All Year Biker.

Also had a ride out with KTM Kev to
Skins Cafe in Brackley to have a look at some new bike gear and a coffee. Some idiot in a Corsa tried to kill me on the way back but I had seen him coming so went round him. I picked up my new Spada Enforcer hi-viz gloves from Stevenage Bike Stop. I had a nice ride over there in the sunshine with Mark and Helen to collect my gloves and a coffee al fresco! The snow of a few weeks ago feels like a distant memory. The following day we had a little ride to the Woburn Triumph dealers to have a look at a Street Triple.

who you calling Nasty?

Front tyre replaced with a Bridgestone BT016 as it was down to 3mm of tread at Bedford Wheels. Z had a service at Supamoto last week. Also spent money on the my Serow. Busy and expensive month so it is just as well I have a job now!

I had three rides over Easter the first just to pick up my new gloves from
Bike Stop but the gloves were too big so had to re-order. A run out with the Oakley Motorcycle Club to deliver Easter eggs and finally a trip to the Tea Shop on the green at Westmill with KTM Kev and his daughter Louise. After Westmill we visited Nasty to take a couple of pictures (see left.)

In March I had a few short rides on the Z including one to Barton Mill on the A6 between Bedford and Luton for lunch with a mate. I've ordered some Spada Enforcer gloves from
Bike Stop with hi-viz on them so all should see me coming!

somewhere in North Yorshire

The Z has now done about 5,500 miles and I have had it over 2 years.

In September '09 I had a weekend away in North Yorkshire that included a visit to the
Gold Cup races at Oliver's Mount Scarborough and a ride around the North Yorks Moors in the sunshine then a coffee on the front at Scarborough.

I bought a new rear Bridgestone from Bedford Wheels. The original lasted about 4,700 miles & front still has maybe 1,000 left in it? So will last me until Spring. The new rear is a BT016 & I might get something a little more sticky for the front when the time comes?

Barmouth front

I've had a couple of evening rides with "KTM Kev" firstly to Sywell Aerodrome & to The Boat Inn canal side @ Stoke Bruerne. Both much enjoyed on warm evenings although noticed the evenings are getting shorter already! I had an observed ride with the local police which was "interesting" and got me thinking about my riding. I went to the Brackley Festival of Motorcycling which was good on a sunny day. Surprising amount to see.

I've bought a cheap stainless steel radiator cover which I have fitted & will take a picture of before it gets all filthy.

I rode the Z to the
Ace Cafe then on to Wembley to see Oasis... The security moron dropped my helmet instead of searching it. Where do they find these "special" people? The filtering coming out was "interesting."

Went to the Oakley Carnival with the
Oakley MC. and I had a ride out with Oakley MC to On Yer Bike near Aylesbury. Bit showery but nice ride anyway. Plus I had a very short ride on a lowered BMW F800ST belonging to another member. Nice bit of kit but pricey & could do with a few more ponies?

Z on the front at Barmouth in North Wales. BTW that's a small wall & a small palm (or yucca?) but not a giant motorcycle.

B4391 Near Ffestiniog

On the B4391 near Ffestiniog in North Wales. Nice road on a nice day think Top Gear film up here. Also rode to Gigrin Farm to see the Red Kites being fed.

When I went to
On Yer Bike I spotted first 1 Red kite being mobbed by some crows then 3 more circling. Who needs to go to North Wales?

Z750S

Rode to local bike show "Power" @ The Hub in Milton Keynes. Not much there but it was free & weather was good.

Late May Bank Holiday I had a ride out in the sunshine with Oakley MC to
Jacks Hill Cafe on A5 near Towcester. On way there I spotted a red kite.

I had a couple of rides over May Day Bank Holiday. The first to Crowland in Lincs with the
Oakley MC & the second with Kevin & his daughter to the Old Swan Tea Shop near Buntingford

21st March I rode down to Bedford Fire Station for the second bike safety event. I have put my name down for an observed ride with the police in August which should be educational.

I had a ride out with a mate & we went to
Midlands Superbikes in Market Harborough & back via Sywell Aerodrome.

bike with                    luggage fitted

Z in the car park of the Black Swan in Pickering Yorkshire with Oxford soft luggage bought used from a well known auction site. Enjoyable weekend including a visit to Oliver's Mount for racing. Plan to go up that way again sometime in '09.

Z750S in                    Silverstone car park

Parked in Silverstone car park for 2008 BSB race. Note the yellow "Grip-Lock" which is better than a disk lock as you can't try to ride away with it still on. See my BSB pictures here.

with tank bag

Waiting for the A507 safety ride to start. The event was organised by Motorcycling Matters.

The magnetic tank bag is from Lidl. If you have it too far forward when you turn to right full lock it hits the kill switch otherwise very happy for such a small outlay.

Ireland in England

New Years day 2008 at Ireland (as the sign shows) which is a village in Bedfordshire England.

clean                    z750s

What my bike would look like clean...

clean z750s

...and in a studio.


gif

Homepage

Now with added Facebook

Richard Coughlan's Facebook profile

You can mail me r_coughlan@yahoo.co.uk