Modern Vespa

Yeah Bill you might consider the Nolan which is very good (did really well for Greece). Not a true flip but the chin piece does detach.

The view is brilliant and there's a great sense of freedom. Cute eyeshade to flip down and you look like a spaceman.

The downsides are that it is like an open face in the sense that it is cold and loud (the loudest helmet I have ever worn, Mike, how can you say it is quiet???) and the quality. I know you like nice things. It looks nice, but it is not the most durable helmet. But for nipping about town it is hard to beat.

Thank you all for your input fellow Koks but I'm leaning towards the Caberg mainly because of the build quality and I think the Nolan looks a bit cheap.
I tried Dougs Caberg for size earlier on in the year and it felt really comfortable and snug. Saying helmet would have been funnier though.
Alright maybe the Nolan doesn't look cheap but it doesn't look as styish or as well built as the Caberg so I think I'm going to treat myself next month.
This means that I'll be selling my Airoh TR1 in blue that I have worn about 7 times and a Nitro N900-V Aerotech that I've worn even less.
They will both probably end up on Ebay but they will be priced to sell as they say if anybody wants them here.. Mediums both.
They are as new and nighly polished as you would expect from me.

Thanks again all.

Bill X

i wonder what i'd get for my medium sized, hardly worn shoei multitech in matt black......

I wouldn't buy a used helmet, even from a mate. Funny - I have pretty low standards about everything else!

Hoping tonight's predicted snow doesn't happen until I'm snug at home...

I'm meant to be going to the Brass Monkey rally this weekend. Camping just north of Portsmouth. I'm ready for the chill - but getting there depends on how much snow they've got come Friday afternoon.

I wonder if I'll get snowed into the pub this evening.

I am chickening out of riding for the rest of the week - it looks like it will be nearly impossible to ride out of my road if the Met Office have it right.

I'm going to Wait And See WRT tomorrow. We're all hoping for another snow day here.

I heard the Devil whispering in my ear this morning and it sounded just like Maver saying buy my Shoei.

Nice thought but oddly enough I wouldn't buy a used one no matter how little it had been worn.

Strange how I don't have a problem in selling a couple ?

I could do a whole bunch of helmet gags here but for once I'm going to rise above it. Ahem.

Na I'm going to buy myself a Caberg and see if I can't get on with a flip.

It's just a matter of time.

Helmet Polishing

Bill,

Thanks for not polishing your helmet in pubic.

'nuff said

best. freudian. slip. evar.

I only ever polish my helmets in private just in case you were wondering.

They are all very shiney indeed,but that begs a question - shall I get a matt or a shiney Caberg. 4 weeks to decide. Nya ha ha ha

Yes I'm in agreement with Wonder in that the GT is going to stay off the road for a few more weeks.

Bill - get a white one. They are *so much more visible*.

not much snow here but my kids' school is closed!

oh well, that means i can work from home toady and maybe get a spot of sledging in at lunchtime

Got my uncle's 90th birthday party in Surrey tomorrow .... i'm a bit worried about getting down there

in the meantime i'm enjoying sitting in my office, looking out at the snow falling softly and the foxes gamboling about the garden foxes always look so pretty when they're fluffed up for the winter - then return swiftly to maximum skank mode in the spring

...and getting back!

21:30 last night - I arrive home from seeing Nowhere Boy, chortling at the Met Office doom-mongers and all the people who've gritted their driveways.

22:30 - I look out of the window. Road and roofs already white.

Made it in today, almost an hour late; WFH tomorrow if the trains continue to operate their restricted 'service'. I missed three because I simply wasn't aggressive enough to fight my way on board. If other people are that desperate to get to work on time, let 'em, I say.

my uncle's party has been cancelled the roads in rural surrey are impassable. my mum has come all the way from newfoundland for his birthday, and unless we get a break from the snow - which doesn't look at all certain - then she may have to go back to canada without even seeing him. giant bummer doesn't even begin to describe the situation.

... and to make matters worse, most of the travel sites (national rail, travel england, etc.) are down due to heavy traffic

Oh, how annoying! Why can't snow ever be convenient? It should happen at weekends when you don't have to go anywhere, and vanish for Monday.

Let's all move to Camelot.

Camelot! Camelot!
I know it gives a person pause,
But in Camelot, Camelot
Those are the legal laws.
The snow may never slush upon the hillside.
By nine p.m. the moonlight must appear.
In short, there's simply not
A more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here
In Camelot.


Maybe Camdeless (Next door to Islington) should take note.

Fay

Thank Deity for that - the rally's been cancelled. I'll try for this again tonight!

Sounds a better prospect than being snowed in at work, which is starting to look likely here...

i'm putting my scooter on the battery tender tomorrow first time ever.

Oh what jolly fun getting home was tonight.

Spent 2 hours travelling 5 miles which a whole bunch of other people caught in the snow.

I saw sliding buses,wheelspinning vans,stuck trucks and all kinds of hilarity.

The best bit was overtaking a people carrier because it was doing 5 mph and being beeped so many times it sounded like it was an fading siren as I drove away.

I saw more stuck BMW's that you can shake a stick at because they have the drive wheels in the wrong place for snow but I have to say the Ka did me proud once again and got me home without bouncing off any kerbs.

What made it all worth while was a guy in a Freelander shouting " Nice car Mate" at me as I was 500 yrds from home.

It was a little thing but it made me smile.

Love and Rockets

Bill X

Ya'll be safe with all that white and slippery stuff. I only have fog to deal with and it never piles up past the curbs.

Be safe.

The biggest problem is that in the UK is that most people panic when it snows and don't know how to moderate thier driving when it does.

It's that simple.

True story Bill.

My brother had a tale of driving in snow on a dual carriageway in Cambs or Norfolk or somewhere similarly South Eastern and passing a whole queue of folk plodding along at such a speed, their lane having been ploughed and the other lane not. As I remember it he received similar treatment.

He maintained it's not nearly as bad up this way for people having such a freak-out because we get it slightly more frequently. Another brother reckons West Coast drivers just have to be first all the time, and are more than willing to risk life and limb to get in front. I don't have much experience driving South of the border but the few times I have done I've found the Motorways to be rather more civilised than up here.

Anyway, as Tech Chap said, looks mad down there - hope everyone's well wrapped up and being appropriately careful.

I think that's the problem, it's just that we aren't used to it.

Your instinct says that when you put your foot on the brake you'll slow down and if you put your foot down harder you'll slow down faster but with ice and snow it's difficult to take your foot off the pedal to moderate the pressure when your body is telling you to push as hard as possible.

ABS is brilliant and I'll admit it's saved me a few times when I've run out of talent but you can recreate the effect buy pressing hard on the brake pedal then just before it starts to lock up take the pressure off then as quickly as you can re-apply and repeat until you have avoided whatever you wanted to miss.

It also helps if you brake with the top of your foot because it's easier to measure out the pressure from there.

When it comes to gaining traction try a higher gear and use less revs.

Sorry if I'm teaching Old Grannies to suck eggs.

Bill X

I'm going to have to walk to the pub - I could probably get there just fine, but getting back with a pint or two (or three!) inside just doesn't seem right even to me.

At least I'll then know what the roads are like for tomorrow.

Sounds like most Californians when is snows (or rains for the first time after the summer).

We have chain restrictions going up to Lake Tahoe that they are very vigilant about requiring them very early after a storm starts. We don't get any snow here but it starts snowing just 40 miles away... and only 80 miles away the accumulations from a single storm can exceed a meter and it has exceeded 3 meters accumulation before it starts melting.

I walked - as far as the bus stop - the main roads were fine and the buses were running. The bus does four sides of a pentagon to get to where I wanted, but better than the very icy and dodgy pavements.

The driver on the way back was taking lots of care - with temps down to -5C in places it was a good precaution.

Looks like I'll get the Fuoco out of my road tomorrow in daylight and park it near the junction with the main road. Should be good from there on. I need to get to the Post Office depot tomorrow to pick up some new steering bearings for the Fuoco anyway.

Actually I did cheat a bit last night. I parked the Ka up by the main road in a bank car park because I live at the bottom of a hill at the far end of an estate so even though I have great faith in front wheel drive I wasn't going to risk it not being able to get out.

Even the Audi A4 Avant that I borrowed from work had problems getting out of the estate on Monday.

What jolly good fun eh ?

Keep safe all.

Bill XX

My road is like a bloody ice rink and I nearly slipped over 3 times whilst scraping the windscreen. I live on a hill but the trusty Saab motored up no problem and once I was on the main road it was fine. My very smooth, gentle driving style for the snow actually resulted in the best fuel economy ever for my commute (24.6 mpg - now I know why I'm skint !) so I may moderate my general driving style as a result as previously I've struggled to top 21 mpg in town.

I am Working From Home to free up the trains for people who really need to go in. Aren't I generous? Where's the coffee?

me too the coffee here is unlimited, free, and delicious. the only distraction is cats thinking i've stayed home specifically to create a lap for them.

I've just sent my mum off downtown to meet her godson for lunch. Even though she was born and raised in london she hasn't lived here since about 1953, so i had to show her the route downtown on the map, and send her off with my spare phone, a list of all the buses she needs, and instructions to keep her handbag close to her body.

looks like we won't make it down to see my uncle at all. there's still a foot of snow on their road, my aunt has only seen three cars go past their house since the day before yesterday, and none of the taxi companies are running

Most cars were unable to get out of the cul-de-sac bit of my road as the surface was so very icy - but the Fuoco was easily pushed along with the tilt-lock on.

My intention was to park it further from home where the road wasn't so skiddy, but it turns out the two front wheels find enough difference in which way they want to go they just stay pointing where you want. The back squirrels a bit, but no problem with a tad of back brake applied.

I have Fuoco envy now. There's no way I can push mine out (though last night the roads seemed pretty icy, so I wouldn't have fancied it anyway).

Did I show you guys the handwarmers my mum knitted me for Christmas? The perfect gift for this weather, and they match everything I own:

http://pics.livejournal.com/huskyteer/pic/0009d6dq/

those look great alice i really like the lumberjack sock puppet aesthetic. i've got about 6 pairs of handwarmers. they are second only to underpants and socks as Vitally Important Items in my winter wardrobe.

Well I am also at home today, but due to receiving a head rotting cold from Mr WM.

Everything is covered in ice. Took a stroll to the shop last night and saw a woman having a cigarette outside the local club with an admittedly perfectly chilled glass of white wine....at a table. I know the English are starting to adapt to a cafe culture but that's a whole new level!

Oh, I like those socks! Sort of husky-coloured, if the husky was wearing a red collar.

Alas WM - the perfect excuse to stay in bed, but I bet you're not enjoying it.