Tango

That's certainly something we can consider.

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!

Bike Reviews: Missenden Flyer - I quite like some of his reviews, but do get annoyed when he lists subjective opinions in the Pros and Cons. His nighttime videos of the lighting of the bike being reviewed is always preceded by "the GoPro really doesn't show how good these lights are...." MotoBob - Not bad, but I've yet to hear him proclaim as bike as a bag of Shite! RocketMan - I find his reviews to be a bit more balanced and he will say if he thinks a bike is a bag of Shite! Darcy and the Old Man - most bikes are quite good, but not as good as Harleys! Should appeal to @Buckster!

I guess that there's different categories that are covered. Bike reviews - varying degrees of reviews of new or old bikes Bike ownership reviews - longer term reviews of Bike ownership Bike travels - more travelogue than Bike specific reviews Biker lifestyle - more about the general lifestyle around biking. Any others that you can think of?

I guess that there could be many and varied reasons for it, @Clive, but sometimes it's hard to really put your finger on one specific reason?

Had an interesting conversation with Mandy at the weekend about biking. Her bike has sat in the garage since we moved in and, in fact, has probably done no more than a couple of hundred km's in the 2.5 years since we moved here. She says that, since her cancer, she has become more fatalistic about things and completely lost her biking mojo. Has anyone else found that something has happened that has shaken their biking mojo?

Do you watch any of them regularly? If so, which ones do you like/dislike?

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!

I remember when one of my mates got a CX500 when they first came out, it looked huge at the time! I laugh when I see them, as they look tiny now!

Only a couple of days with luck, Pete.

Probably not doing a lot this weekend. Maybe a cycle ride tomorrow morning, but only if the wind drops a bit! Got to get the forms filled in ready for hospital next Thursday. Just been uploading all the required documents to get our French Tax return done. Mandy is hopeless at the admin side of things, so I need to make sure that it all gets done!

Got your monies worth out of them then! The Audi needs new tyres and brake pads/disks, and the service is overdue, so that could end up costing a fair bit! The insurance for Mandy's car has just renewed, 905€! It's not like it's a performance car or anything and that's with the full NCD that you can get here (50%)!

20C, but blowing a hoolie here!

What's the tread depth limit there, Pete?

It actually was. I wonder if the new Transalp would suit the roads around here too?