What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Greybeard]

Today I rode 150 miles returning from South Wales to home. The bike was superb. I do need to stop every hour or so to allow my botty to recover.

Combined with the outward journey and the ride out with the club members I must have covered nearly 500 miles since Friday.

[Minto]

Nice one Neil, not sure I'd be walking very far any time soon after riding that far on my plunger.

[Gavin]

It was a superb late winters day, no rain, brilliant West Aussie sunshine and the perfect day to add more running in miles to my newly built from the ground up 51 Plunger A10.
Heading home as dusk would soon be throwing shadows further that my 6v headlight can throw its candle I glanced to my left to see old man roo had hopped the wire farm fence and was in the long paddock right alongside me. At the apex of each bound his head was well above my head height. Although they are pretty unpredictable and capable of amazing changes of direction, I guessed he was coming my way. I didn't really need the company, so a smidgeon of common sence heard the purring BSA slowing rapidly from its stately 40mph. True to form old man roo bounded to the right about 2 bounds ahead of me, about where I would otherwise have been. He spied a gravel road off to the right and swung in there. It was a joy to behold, his body was leaning hard right and each bound now kicked up a sharp shower of gravel as he powered his way through the corner on a lean any of us would have felt proud of. My chosen course was to the left so we had parted company but i continued steadily home with eyes sweeping the sides of the road somewhat more than usual.

[RichardL]

He spied a gravel road off to the right and swung in there.

Roos care about roads? (Pardon an American hijacking "Roo" for "Kangaroo.")

Richard L.

[bsa-bill]

Today I continued my summer of shed ology, I built a new shed last year for storage (getting too old to go crawling about in the loft), this year I upgraded the bike shed with a bench and installed the Flash that's for sale in there, then turned my attention to my workshop shed in order to get my other bike in there from the garage where it has to my shame been quietly gaining a coat of rust, and whatever you call alloy corrosion.
So a good old makeover with new paint, despidered (God they are filthy little beasts) and a bit of re-arranging of tool cabinets and shelves, then to get the bike out of the garage into the shed, not easy - muscles seem to have gone AWOL during lockdown, anyway there's a lot to do as you can see to get it back to how it used to look

[RichardL]

Bill,

Despite the excessive neatness of your shed, we will not shun you. 

Richard L.

[Worty]

Didn't do much on the bike today, but started replacing the front struts and springs on the 13 year old Octavia.  Why the fcuk do VAG cars have that clamp system for the strut that requires dismantling everything.  Then, after building the new shock and spring, went to fit it.  New item is 1mm larger diameter than the original so wouldn't go in.  Made a large spreader device out of an M14 bolt, still very tight.  Sanded off all the paint, still a bit reluctant.  Considering you have to put the strut in at the same time as the driveshaft is a right PITA.  Anyhow, tomorrow, I'll remove the bearing carrier completely, tap the carrier onto the strut, then lightly secure strut at top whilst reconnecting drive shaft, then control arm, then tie rod, then anti-roll bar then caliper then I should be f**&*(( done FOR ONE SIDE).  It's taken a day to get one side half done, and it turned out to be a good riding day.

[bsa-bill]

Despite the excessive neatness of your shed, we will not shun you.

It won't be like that for long Richard

[Peter in Aus]

I didn't really need the company,

I know the feeling
C U at Kal
Peter

[Sav]

Had my first visit to the oncology department at Margate hospital 20 miles away and went on the Super Rocket to avoid buggering about and paying car parking charges.

Staff were horrified that I was going to leap on (well heave my leg over) a sixty plus year old bike with not very good brakes after having a pint of blood removed! They kept me there until they were certain I was OK.

Just as well I used the BSA, actually, as there was a two mile traffic jam on the way back that I sailed past.

Nice nurse got me a priority car park pass to stop me doing the same next week!

[BagONails]

Today I continued my summer of shed ology....there's a lot to do as you can see to get it back to how it used to look

Sad to see that lovely old machine deteriorate like that Bill you must have a bit of a damp problem in your garage. Hopefully nothing a drop of Solvol and some elbow grease can't sort out.

I couldn't help notice you're not using your TLS front brake as a TLS front brake, why is that?

[bsa-bill]

I couldn't help notice you're not using your TLS front brake as a TLS front brake, why is that?

I disconnected both front and rear to make it easier to wheel from the garage into the shed as it seemed hard to push.
 The garages are about 50 years old I was working on this estate when they were built (assembled) and know that the asbestos sheets on the roof were porous from day one, over the years I've scraped moss of them and sprayed them with sealer several times but not to any lasting effect the fall on the roof is also very slight and the wind blows rain in between the joints (overlaps), fifty years ago when working men drove mini's the garages were still a tight fit, nowadays you can't get a car in them.
That said I must take the blame for the rust, I threw a bike cover over it when I put the bike in the garage, it would have been better without it I think.

[RichardL]

Rode 31 miles into Chicago for the Motoblot Motorcyle and Hot Rod Strret Rally. Got a nervous 30 minute test ride on a new BMW R18. Why nervous? Shift on the left, breaks that want to throw an A10 rider over the handlebars, Chicago traffic, 70 mph before you're thinking about it, etc.

Richard L.

(Pictures will be here i a minute. Stay tuned.)

[Worty]

Know what you mean about riding modern bikes after ours.  A few years ago my wife paid for a trials experience with the famous Dougie Lampkin.  I'd only just started riding again after a 20 year break.  The bike was only a 250cc single, but by God, the power was incredible.  I almost stood the thing on the rear wheel twice, then had to have the fellas catch me at the top of a slope after giving it too much throttle.  In fact, Dougie indicated to his colleague to 'watch' me using his hand to indicate I was a bit trigger happy.

If I was on a modern whoomera, I'd have to actually learn to ride again.

Nice piccies, by the way.

[RichardL]

I had asked the ride leader to keep a lookout for me in case ambidexterity failed me completely. It was iffy at times, with right toe often seeking the bottom of the brake pedal. Nevertheless, made it through. Actually got up to 6th gear at one point, probably, unnecessarily.

I've attached a few more photos. Two of the Norton that took the Best British Vintage award and one of the red A10 that took the award in 2017. You might recognize the latter.

Richard L.