Re: Two wheels good.
Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 11:26 pm
And yes, I'll add to this topic soon!
Funny you should say that about the bus stop.minimad5 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:23 pm Alright to add my bit ??
My path towards getting the full bike license was quite simple.
CBT - Other than having a bird on the day, who was more bothered about what time it finished (ooh and had no balance at all), the day was smooth and brilliant.
Me and Dave - well I think that was his name, bimbled out in the good weather, stopped for a cold drink and a snack and headed back "Yeah you're alright" and certificate achieved.
Mod 1 - Honestly, can't remember the thing.
Mod 2 - Had dodgy headset, and the tester (Mark) who sat in his Focus swearing, was just about to give up ... I walked over (was told to stand at the bike and await instructions), after him sweating and explaining the walkie-talkie wasn't working, I asked if he could try another battery and headset.
Thankfully the clouds / moon and gods aligned and it suddenly worked - Thank fuck, as the test had already been re-scheduled 5 times before.
So we set off around Chester, an area that I wasn't too familiar with.
Told to pull up when it was safe etc, so I did.
Take off again, so I did (then looked in my mirror - BOLLOX, I had stopped just within an old and very faded bus stop. That's it I failed, or so I thought !)
The nerves and worry was gone, as in my mind I had failed.
The rest of the test was a blur, and back the test centre he rushed into a room as I waited outside.
Kev - My instructor, asked why we took so long to get on the road, and how I thought it went.
"Minimad5", i was called into the room, yep my head was still 'ash fuck, here we go I've failed'
But the bloke in the room wasn't Mr test man, nope he was an older and pretty sound bloke.
"Right, you've got two minors and a small note about being silly, you stopped close to an unused bus stop, so congratulations, you've passed"
On the ride back home, we passed this 'unused' bus stop, and once back at the riding school my instructor passed a comment "He's never in all my years let anything slide"
I had a lucky day.
After this, I quickly put a bid on a Honda CB1 400, drove down to Kent and returned home grinning like a nutter.
Then got the CBR1000F from Warren, then a friend of mine asked me to come round, as he wanted a chat about his Transalp.
He had a stroke whilst on holiday, and could no longer ride it, so wanted someone he trusted and knew to use it and look after her.
So the CB1 had to go, advertised it on eBay & a bloke messaged me wanting more info, supplied more pictures etc and his mate met me in Chester (opposite Honda dealership)
A ropey blue transit turned up, he literally threw the bike in, give me the £££, and shot off.
I got a lift home one a mates Bandit, threw him some fuel money and set about getting the CBR road legal, and cleaning up space for the Transalp.
The CB1 money helped pay for the Transalp 600Xl, and what was left was spent on the CBR.
Today - Still have the CBR (after selling it to Warren, then his mate and buying it back again), cam chain tensioner, regulator rectifier, wiring loom and a tonne of other stuff have all been changed.
Transalp - Awaiting some love, I used it for a while and then bike thefts in the area went from one a week, to literally 3 a night, so I hid her away... Which gave me a chance to have the rear wheel spokes re-done in stainless, but unfortunately the place has now closed down, so still need to do the front - Suggestions for good places welcome !!-
CBR1000F number 2, yeah i also have another.
When i sold the 'original' one back to Warren I felt I was missing something, so got this other one.
It was cheap, I quickly found out why:
Fork seals were all tissue beneath the dust seals
Cam chain rattled like a tin of nails
Didn't hold a charge
Most panels were filled with WOB
BUT it has come in handy, as I got the original CBR back and have taken many spares from this (Fork stantions, rear shock and some other misc bits)
So now, I try use the original CBR as a daily hack to and from work, but the weight of her really makes me want to move her on, as fighting to get her out of the secure storage location (at 5am) really isn't ideal.
Unsure if I should spend more money on it, or sell as a project, She has a slight stumble at 6k, then clears and pushes on again, and front forks are weeping again (which has really pissed me off, as I spent good money on seals etc and entrusted a garage to do the work)
My goal is to save up some pennies and replace it with another sports tourer, but with less weight.
Thanks for reading !