Modern Vespa

Bollocks!

No, still haven't gotten the hang of it. Sorry, I'll just excuse myself now...

Almost, Jess! A good effort!

UPDATE: There's a Bitubo shock sitting on my desk!!!! Delivered just now In the end I just called my bank and changed the credit card billing address to my work address, which meant that PM had no problems delivering it to work. My bank had no problem changing the address (something they'd been really reluctant to do a few years ago, to help me out of a similar problem). Now that the person I talk to on the phone is on the other side of the world, it seems that banks are less fussy.

Let's hope the new louder horn gets delivered tomorrow, then I can start "upgrading" Mrs BB's bike for her. (Whether she likes it or not )

page slipping down............


not anymore

Tyres are balanced. Rear didn't need one but the front had a liitle one added so at least I know that's sorted.
I'll chuck them back on Saturday.
Bill X

Just check your 'parts' are in correct order when you do...

you're doing better jess. at least this time we didn't all put down our pints and watch you in silence as you slowly backed out the door

I'd agree. It's gone from a 3/10 "See Me" to a 6/10 "Must try harder".

Ha, have seen that a few times...

Interesting. Never experienced it. I suppose I've either been scruffily dressed enough or well-spoken enough to get away with social murder in any company.

is it bad luck to lanesplit in a funeral procession? i didn't realize that's what it was until i was almost to the front. i was too busy cussing them for driving at 20mph in a 40 zone.

I bet you didn't bare your head either!

Only if you're in the big estate-type car at the front.

But, tbh, your luck's probably run out if that's where you are.

Um, yes, I think it might be!

If the deceased was a biker/scooterist then they would probably have approved.

Is it bad to filter in a funeral procession ? No because the most important person who may have cared is dead anyway.

Bill X

Funerals aren't for the dead though, they're out of it and there's nothing to give a shit. Funerals are for those left behind.

I think having filtered a bit through the throng and then obviously realising what was going on and then showing respect would have been just fine.

I think the last car/wagon in a funeral cortege should have a sign with 'Funeral' on it. I'm sure I've seen that in a Merkin film somewhere. It can stop all sorts of unknowing 'perceived disrespect'.

I want the 'Faster Pastor' to convey my remains, give everyone a giggle.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2096987.stm
http://motorcyclefunerals.com/

my dad's ashes were scattered by two of my brothers - they took the urn up to the hunting and fishing lodge in newfoundland that dad had loved going to, rowed it out to a rock in the middle of the lake, rowed back to shore, and took turns shooting at it with hunting rifles. it sounds a bit drastic but dad would have approved heartily

Love it!

I told Chris to either burn me up and take my ashes someplace he and the kid would like to remember me. My preference, though, would be for him to take me someplace where he's allowed to dump my unboxed naked carcass in the ground, unenbalmed, to feed the earth the way all dead things are supposed to when they decompose. Gross but that's all we are at that point: rotting meat. Great fertilizer. Plant a tree over my body as a grave marker. Visit it to remember me and have drunken picnics.

just got home from work after an incredibly busy week.

i'm setting up a new specialist therapy service for sufferers of PTSD so have been rushing around town on my scooter all week attending meetings and talking (informed) bollocks.

settling down with a cold bottle of stella and strengthening my resolve NOT TO SMOKE ANY CIGARETTES.

Wow...when I was quitting, alcohol always made my urge to smoke worse by a thousand-fold. You're a stronger man than I.

actually i'm not a stronger man. i just popped out to the shops for a pack of marlboro lights.

it's all recreational in the genie household this evening

Ms. Artois might not be your bestest buddy during a quit phase. All I'm sayin.'

nothing better than a bit of mindless recreation on a friday night

Well I'm a very happy boy because the back end of the Hornet is all back in the right order and the vibration has gone so as a dry run I rode up to Essex then back to Bluewater to meet with my best friend Nik to do some guy shopping.
It's a bit like girly shopping but takes half as long then after much coffee and cake and fudging of the issues I bought the best pair of combats you've ever seen then it was back to mine for a Chinese.
The Hornet now feels totally planted with it's spacer in the right place and it's Pilots feeling as good as Kam and Maver said they would.
On the ride home the Hornet and I saw two cars collide on the on a motorway slip road which shook us up a bit.
Tomorrow it will get it's final polish before it goes to Amsterdam this friday morning and talking of which - Genie and Wonder I'm sorry I can't join you tomorrow evening for the meal but I'm being careful with the pennies and need to conserve the cash for Holland and France.
My God It's Saturday evening and I'm staying in.
Oh the single life for me.

Rock on.

Bill XX

sorry you won't be joining us for the meal, looks like doug won't be either who will represent the DSSC men? jim?

glad the hornet's bum is buzzing properly again what happened?

A Vauxhall pulled into lane 2 from lane 1 on a slip road and smacked into the door of another Vauxhall almost spinning it.
The 1st driver just didn't look. It made a nice thud.
I was going to give my details as a witness but the last time I did that I was called into court and I regretted it.
Everyone was uninjured.

Bill X

rescued from page 2........

just back from vespa club of britain rally in northampton, great weekend, rideout on saturday saw us all lined up on the start finish line at silverstone race track 8)

not many folks can say they've done that 8)

Great pictures, maver. Did you race?

i'm finished packing for greece there was no plan or scheme to my packing, just hauled out all of my summer stuff that's been in storage since september, and slung it into a suitcase.

due to insurance issues we weren't even allowed to have out engines running once we entered the pit lane and ventured out onto the track, understandable really 8)

a lap of the track is being looked into as we speak but doubt we'll be hiring the track not at £35,000 a day

we were there on some sort of launch day for the audi R8 V10 and my word they look good in matt black 8) 8) 8) 8)

I was stopped by the fuzz for riding two up on the Shitty at Trafalgar Sq. Blanked out L plates are not enough, apparently.

Did they whinge a lot or just 'give thoughtful advice'? The latter I hope.

Jim, it was fine. I was coming back from the City after parking the 300 in secure premises for my holiday so rode home on the Sh 125 with David on the back.

They were fine once told I had a full licence (didn't even ask me to produce it). Obviously they ran the number plate and came up with David as a learner.

Suggested that I take the plates off fully but that was impractical as I was only going to make the one trip and he needs to use it tomorrow. Removing the back plate would have involved cutting it off, hence the white tape to blank out the L.

i think kit was admirable on your part that you attempted to cover the L plate up, also good that plod stopped you to check, then once situation explained didn't create 8)

Hi folks - I spent the weekend in Norfolk for the X9 Forum Annual Bash. Turning right onto the A47 as we approached our hotel I spotted a verrry familiar dark-red-n-orange Vespa go by *waves*

Did wonder what a blacked out L plate looked like. Sounds a bit on the over zealous side from the bill. I can understand them pulling people 2 up on Ls but if you've taken the trouble to blank them out? Wouldn't any self respecting reprobate just rip them off?


Oh. And is a self repecting reprobate an oxy Moron?

LOL

yes that was me on my way to vespa club of britain rally in northampton 8)

did you enjoy King's Lynn (my home town)??

Didn't see much of Kings Lynn itself, but plenty of the surrounding roads. Almost anything not an A road was superb, and even some of the A roads were OK.

Well what a hilarious evening we all had at the Arbutus resturant in Soho on Sunday evening with 4 from the UK and 4 from the US prior to most of table leaving for Greece. Well apart from me but I'm not bitter.
There was some amazing food and even better company and there was much drinking to be had.
I do hope someone posts the pictures of the evenings stupidity because it was a great crack and a joy to meet some new faces - if only I could remember thier names. Gene,Deborah Sobo? and a lovely lady whose name escapes me but she laughed at all of my purile jokes so to me she's a goddess.
Much respect to the waiter who knew the name of Steve Seagals first big movie Under Seige which I didn't.
I hope you all have a fantastic time in Greece boys and girls and I know I'm going to miss you all. Please ride safe.

Well I'm finally booked up for a ride to Amsterdam this Friday and I've gone with Mavers suggestion for breakdown cover.
I have a friend who works for Fortis Bank and he has a flat close to the town center and it was tough to turn down an invitation to stay over for a couple of days. This is the same guy whose Scorpion pipe fell off on the ride to the ferry before the Belgium trip.
Now I know what you are all thinking that there is going to be lots of sex, drugs and lots of heavy drinking but that's really not me so I'll be happy for have a long fast solo ride up the coast then some catching up , some sight seeing and some good food to boot.
I'm even thinking about wearing an orange vest for my ride North.

Take care all

Bill X