Modern Vespa

My thoughts exactly

IB3 Route will be -

Maidstone,Gillingham,Thurrock,Cambridge,Huntingdon,Peterborough,Doncaster,Knottingly,Wakefield,Kegworth,Solihull,Cheltenham,Cardiff, Portishead,Exeter,Sennen Cove,Honiton,Basingstoke,Leatherhead and back to Maidstone.

I hope we finish it within 20 hours.

Bill x

On the A303? I'll wave as you go by.

Yup on the 303.

Should be really late in the day. Maybe around 900 pm ?

Bill xxx

Of course we'll finish it within 20 hours

Easy peasy

Last one was 20 hours 15 mins.

Bill x

What time do you expect to be doing Solihull to Cheltenham?

Around 1pm I'm thinking.

Do you know Appleby Magna ? Junction 11 on the M42.

Good place to meet and fuel up/talk shit.

If I'm honest I'd like as many of you as possible to join us for some miles but I don't expect anyone to be waiting around for us to turn up.

Bill x

Sounds reasonable to me.

Carol Nash DNA

I set up a new policy with Carol Nash a few weeks ago. Yesterday I received a little vial of "DNA" From what I can see, it is a load of micro dots(registered to me and this scooter) suspended in glue. Has anyone else been sent any of this? Have you used it? Where are the best places to apply it?


Cheers

I've received some but have yet to apply it the plan is to do so as soon as it gets warmer. you should also have received some instructions regarding the best places to put it - if you didn't get any instructions let me know and I can scan the instructions that came with my vial.

What time you heading through Cambridge, Huntingdon and Peterborough?

I think your meant to put it everywhere, in hidden places

... hidden places on the scooter, that is

I really should proof read before posting

Graham did a load of datatagging on his GTS, so he's your man I reckon. IIRC he mixed etch numbering and some stick on datatags dotted all over the body (the scooters, not his!). Presumably if he was stolen, he'd know something about about it, well, unless he was asleep...

Cambridge 5.30 ish

Huntingdon 6.00 ish Possible fuel stop at 99 miles.

Peterborough 7.00 ish.

Bill xxx

Sadly a young motorcyclist died right outside our body shop yesterday.

He lost control, dropped the bike but slid into the path of an on coming car.

Air Ambulance was called and the road closed for 3 hours but he didn't live.

What's worse is that our CCTV points out onto the road and filmed the entire accident.

Nasty.

Bill x

Poor bugger.

Any reason he might have lost control - diesel etc, or was it just 'rider error'?

I think he just over cooked the corner and lost the front under braking.

The scrape marks on the tarmac show that the bike travelled for a long way before it connected so it could have been down to speeding or inexperience because he was quite young.

Although a lot of freight travels to and from the island this isn't really the kind of corner where diesel will spill from the trucks tanks.

This whole area seems to have many accidents and every day on the A249 there's an incident of some sort.

Bill x

Well - take it easy on the way home yourself then.

This is one of the reasons that I always drive to work - it's bloody safer.

Only ride for pleasure now.

Bill x

Stay safe.

Flew from London to California and just watched Bastille and To Kill a King in concert. In a few weeks I am taking me mum to see The 1975 as well. You can take a woman out of England, but not England out of the woman. Miss you all over there. 8)

That's awful, Bill - that poor lad. We all make mistakes but some of us live to learn from them and some don't get the chance.

Chips.

Bill x

Found myself tailing a white GTS in traffic today, thinking mmm, so that's what I look like riding then, I have a one of those.
Coming home, found myself tailing an Aston Martin DB9, thinking I'd like to be riding in that, but I'll never have one of those.

A DB9 that was still running ? I'm amazed.

Bill x

The new DB9, but I often go past an Aston dealership on my work commute that has an original DB5 in the window. Their sales list is pretty cool -> http://www.djsmail.co.uk/sales-cars/

Why would you have one of those when for £80,00 you could have a Nissan GTR and it would start every time ?

Bill x

...because you just don't get to be James Bond (Connery or Craig) or have ejector seat dreams in a Japanese GTR... 8)

+1

Chips

If any of you want me to carry you with for during Ironbutt please send me sticker so you'll be with me the whole way.

pm me.

Less than a month now.

Bill x

If anyone fancies a ride to the Cotswolds, on June 8th there should be a couple of hundred scooters in Bourton On The Water on a ride from Birmingham.

It's a lovely little town and well worth a visit.

http://www.bourtoninfo.com

Just a reminder that in Bristol next Saturday is an Italian Exotica event right in the town centre.

I went last year and it's a hoot.

This year there will be a special celebration of Ducati.

I may be riding down on something other than a BV 350.

Bill xxx

Lots of events and meets starting to come around in the calendar folks now summer's coming! 8)

The main listings here -> UK Rallies and Events 2014

Sat 26 April - LSBS open day -> London Scooter Body Shop Open day on Sat 26th April

Sat 10 May - Bill, Noel and Martins IronButt (ruuurspect!) -> Bill's Group Ironbutt 2014

Sun 1 June - Great London Ride Out to Southend

Sun 8 June - Fearless 4 send off to World Vespa - Sun 8 June, London

Let me add:

Greek Island Rally - 15-28 Jun

Will be several Sköks attending.

Wish me luck in this year's London Marathon. I managed 3 hours, 12 minutes and 9 seconds last year.
This year I will try to beat that, but I usually get bored and turn over to watch something else...........

Finally got round to uploading my video from the recent Ace Café meet
March 30th Ace Cafe, Meeting at COCKFOSTERS TUBESTATION

Just seen them mate, roving Donk reporter eh.