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Well, she loves you so that proves she doesn't know shit. I rest my case.

I certainly have days when I just can't be bothered togging up for an hours ride. I miss the time when a pair of army surplus army boots, jeans and a leather perfecto "bike" jacket were all that was needed to ride.to quote probably every generation since the dawn of time "Life seemed simpler then" I also now work only 10 km's from home so it'es not worth moving the car to get the bike out, putting the car back, getting togged up, organising a chenge of shoes and trousers for work etc for 6 minutes of riding. With the job change came the luxury of not working weekends... which means I no longer have a "me" day midweek when I can ride. I imagine that I will probably ride less this year than ever before, but losing the bike or stopping altogether has never been an option so far.

You are the exact reason why every vehicle in the world needs an annual MOT type test

I'm probably coming at this from a slightly different angle but when I had the accident where I lost my leg one of my first thoughts was how I was going to be able to ride a bike again. Ridng a bike gave me all the motavation I needed to get walking again asap and get back out on a bike. I definitely have days now where I can't be bothered to put all my kit on just to go out for a couple of hours and I find cleaning a chore nowadays but I do it as I hate working and servicing on a dirty bike. I'm also leaning towards smaller, lighter bikes now so that hopefully I can extend my riding time into my seventies.

I've never had a bad bike in the way that I didn't like to go places because of them, so I never considered that. Also never got scared enough on a motorcycle that it put me off. I do have a little lack in motivation now and again when going out on a specific ride but that's overall motivation like "what is the point of living" "why do all that just to come back again" sort of thing, the bike doesn't factor into it. I do ride a lot less when up north but that's because it's a chore to get out of the house here, and the roads around the house don't motivate me at all to face them and then face annoying petty traffic, when at my place I ride everyday that's not raining. Overall, going out on the bike and staying two nights out, or even just a couple of hours, really helps my mind coping with life. @Tango, contemplating your own mortality and fear has a way of changing your approach to life and some activities. If your wife thinks of the risk of motorcycling more than the joys she gets out of it, in fact there is no point to that activity as it's just torture. I would advise you guys pick a small hotel with a nice restaurant about 100/150km away, and plan an easy ride to go there for a night, somewhere via easy smaller roads and just float along at 80/90kmh. The weather is about to change and become great (if you don't suffer from pollen allergies) so a couple of hours riding on a pleasant perfect afternoon there, relaxing time out of home and then getting on the bikes the next day for a little more leisurely motorcycling sometimes helps you spark the feeling of adventure. If by that point she's not excited about it you can just ride back home, or do another 100/200km and sleep somewhere else, that spontaneity is addictive. To me, there's nothing like starting my bike in the morning out in the countryside and point it somewhere else, it really changes my perspective on life and puts sadness and doubts away. Other times it doesn't, but it's still comforting.

A bad bike can knock you back a bit......where ownership becomes a continual drama of battling against the thing. The 1200GS being a prime example of that. Fucking POS! So that's why the allegedly boring Honda suits me......I don't need any more complication in my life.

Exactly why my wife bought a Goldwing. I'd have never bought one on my own as they don't do much for me. But it makes her happy to ride again. She hated 2 up on the GS and the Tenere. Even after a couple of severe crashes, I never really lost my riding desire / mojo. Have ridden for 54 years and still enjoy it each time. I must have a pretty sad life away from bikes <ggg>.

No Buckster trolls everyone i only troll you

Or go to an abandoned village with @XTreme and don’t talk about it afterwards in anything other than general terms.

Absolutely, third date he puts the old school uniform on if you ask nicely AND buy him dinner (no mash). It's a whole romantic Angus Young vibe with him.

The NHS is great, even better without you freeloaders.

You are right, we don’t need to hear that.

Had a gentle run on the XR today, out with a lad testing his bike out for a trip to Morocco later this year. we covered all the terrain he could encounter on his trip except warm and dry but he's an expert in wet muddy and cold now though He was close to loosing it exiting this puddle One big f off old sweet chestnut tree Damn disappointed i didn't get the whole tree in here, oh well i'll just have to go back there for a ride again.

Tyres done on the car, retest on ITV/MOT tomorrow.

i reckon @XTreme is a taker and a screamer

You should of paid in a bit more to accommodate the invasion taxi for six…

Thought you're 70s were long behind you Bob.. On another note I was the same when I had my accident in 2003 I don't remember it but apparently my first works when I came round from the operation was when can I get back on a bike. Now I only get out on the bike occasionally because I'm wanting to spend time with the daughter

I like Allen Millyard's videos on his bike builds. He's a boring bugger, but a fucking brilliant engineer!

Too much bike for Marcel. He will end up getting bummed in the woods by a grizzly bear.

It's a bit different in France, Pete. The state healthcare generally covers you up to 75% of the cost and you can pay the other 25% yourself or have a kind of top-up insurance to cover it. As it happens, full-time employees in France get the top-up insurance as part of their package, so Mandy gets that, which also covers me. I am booking a private room, because I'm an unsociable bastard, which will cost a little extra over what is covered by the insurance. I think it's about 65€ a night over what's covered. In effect, all hospitals in France are private, but the state healthcare system reimburses them directly and the insurance, if you have it, generally does the same, or you pay it and they reimburse you directly.

Thanks for your considered reply @Pedro. I've said that we could just do a few local bimbles to see how she feels. I'm also considering getting a bike with better 2-up capabilities, so she could ride pillion if we wanted to travel a little farther afield. At least until she gets her mojo back.

Yeah, I think that a bad bike really can do it! My Triumph Trophy 900 was generally a good bike, but it was a barge and really didn't suit the sort of riding that I was doing (except the trips to the NEC bike show in December, where the full fairing and heated grips really did come into their own). So I gradually rode it less and less! The only reason I bought it in the first place was because it was all I could afford at the time!

I don't know if I lost my biking mojo but I was 9 years without a bike through life events (3 Kids) that left money tight for awhile. Sort of age creeping up on me made me go back to biking as I thought if I don't do it now I never will.

I left about 10.45 this morning to meet up with @Skippy in the Natural Park Area across the border in Almeria. First proper run the bike has had for a while, and you'll be disappointed to know there's no abandoned villages this time. Apparently the last village I visited with Skippy traumatised him because he thought he was back in the Blitz! Also traumatised his bike and his jacket cos they both fucked up as well. So here we go......all upbeat, touristy type of shit. These are taken on the way to the Natural Park......a BOTM prospect there I'd say! Roads were jammed as usual! Conditions were amazing......about 20c there and going up to 26 later on. I had to find some grim, devastated shit just to cheer me up though...... And then it was on towards the Natural Park.......there's always bikes here! I parked up by Skippy's Tracer....... Went into the picnic area.......Skippy was already there! Along with 3 groups of Spanish bikers! Didn't take them long for all of them to fuck off when I got there though! So we were there for a while and then it was back to the bikes! The plan was to take him into the Granada province and show him some of the area up around the reservoir at San Clemente. Cos this type of Spain is the polar opposite of where he lives! Eventually we got to the reservoir.......he was surprised to see snow on the peaks! That doesn't happen on the coast! Less and less water all the time! Skippy then followed me back to the town and set his GPS to take the "Adventure" route home! He hasn't logged back in yet.......so maybe he did end up in an Abandoned Village after all?

He bought your GS?

get a room

Going round trolling people on the board you mean?

I basically do what Buckster does, fuck that's twice I've agreed with him this year i'm doomed

Bugger I forgot about Millie, I love his stuff, the man is a genius

Not yet, I was given a spring by a mate (1.5mm buy 145mm) and I got the stand on again last Friday and tried it but it was too weak to hold the stand up. Gonna order a spring the slightly bigger but made with thicker wire. I have found a place that stocks all sorts of springs for industrial applications so I should be able to order exactly what I need. Honda dealer would only supply the main stand kit completely for £190, lot of money for just a spring. On my mates bike the spring in its shortest position on the bike with the stand up was 185mm and made of 3mm wire. Now I am guesstimating that if I order a stainless steel spring 30mm shorter I should be in the ballpark. But I will have to go back to the website and check the parameters needed to order one. The steel spring that came with the stand was 145mm x 3mm but there was just next to no give in it, short of using a trolley jack I couldn't stretch it in any way, and that was bloody sketchy.

It has mate.... I'll get on to you about sorting it out mate

His arse is probably too sore and his memory too vague to give proper details

And get her drunk and give her a good rogering in the Hotel.

Says the man who goes to events full of sado-masochists and transsexuals!

Thanks, now fuck off you traitor!

Do you go around the street in France doing the same thing?

Like being a twat?

Not it wouldn't, terrible choice, that's a bike for a couple if they're 25 or 30, skinny and want something sporty. A BMW is what you want to carry a passenger on if you care about your passenger's comfort at all. Riding a motorcycle for the sake of it is fine, I like it, but if all you're doing is going out and coming back home in an hour or so you're missing out on what I really like to feel. To the extreme is like going out to ride on track, you're properly enjoying motorcycles but 100% motorcycles only. It is a way more romantic way to enjoy a motorcycle if you use to go somewhere, and keep going, that makes you connect with the bike like you're both going somewhere instead of just treating it like a machine. It's the way to rekindle a love for two wheels and live an adventure without actually pushing the limits of your abilities regarding speed and actual motorcycle handling.

That's my point, consider doing those rides but instead of riding 30 or 40 or whatever km and coming back home, sleep somewhere else. Go on a trip without the big hours on the bike. That'll bring a sense of adventure into it, the starting your bike in the morning out of home is what you need to feel like you're not just going on a motorcycle for the sake of it.

That is how I think about it and probably why I bought a Honda. I wanted an Interceptor or Bonnie type of bike but knew I would be forever messing with it, I just want to ride now.

I think a lot of these people who do reviews are to anal about things … informative if there is a certain thing you want to know , if your interested in a bike best just to test ride one

When my wife stopped riding pillion I went out on the scoot/bike less and less, I hardly ride nowdays, i could go into greater detail but it would just sound like me moaning. If I sat down and really thought about it I would come to the conclusion that the scoot is really not needed. So in effect I have lost my mojo.

Thanks. Yeah, it's under a GA, so I'll not be aware of anything until later in the day! Mandy isn't planning on coming in until the afternoon, so the humiliating pictures of me off my trolley may have to wait!

I go in on Thursday evening @Slowlycatchymonkey, to be zapped on Friday morning if it all goes to plan. Spent a few hours over the weekend filling in the various forms, with the help of my good friend Deepl!

Morning minger losers One more day of major slog before I make it back to the sunshine, I hope. Will have to do a fair bit more work when I get there but it should be a much more reasonable pace ps remembered I didn’t reply to @yen_powell about “Morning minger losers.” What Boboneleg said about it being a West Country thing is right. Hard to believe it’s mostly affectionate. Hello ugly losers generally means you’re saying hello to your own kind of mates, they’re losers, so are you, thats why you’re mates. It can be used in a more insulting way if you sneered implying they’re losers and you’re not but it’s always received with smiles cos they know you’re a minger loser too. Usually said - AWWWRIGHT mingerrr loozerrrrs

A few pictures. It was really busy so it was difficult getting good pictures, I actually went for a specific purpose and I didn't have enough time to see everything. They had a classic show in the Lowland Hall but it was ramming in their so I only had a quick look, apparently "classic" now means anyone's winter bike as the majority were crap. I was hoping to get a new leather jacket but the vendors were selling tat. I did however get ear moulds done and will have custom ear plugs in a few weeks time. Not keen on the current KTM offerings, they are too mainstream now. A few from the classics and custom. One for Six's van, it sure as shit shouldn't be out in the open. A Busa that isn't owned by a feckless pussy. I liked the CCM's Some chinky shite for Pete, either this Moto Morini or a Benelli. Shame to see those names on these things. Harley Davidson were there of course. There were sad twats getting a stationary test ride. Here is a bike leaning further than Pete has ever managed without falling off. i quite liked this customised Triumph Scrambler. I spoke to the designer, he was a knobend. He didn't like getting told he was a knobend but there you go, I still like the bike.