Rediscovering My Bike

[Annabella]

(Extensive gloating post, feel free to ignore)

Having broken my car (stupid French excuse for engineering) it became necessary to use my bike to get to Cardiff yesterday. However, with rain forecast and a bald front tyre, I scraped together my pennies and had new tyres put on!



My first set of new tyres, ever.
I had a Pirelli Dragon fitted on the back and a Metzler on the front. What an improvement.



Because the sun was shining gloriously I decided to take the longest route I could muster to Cardiff. I headed up to the Cafe at Quatt, and after a mug of coffee and some entertaining wheelies, I continued on my way towards Kidderminster. For those who don't know the road, it's fantastic. A really good mix of tight corners and sweeping bends through beautiful countryside.

This is where I really discovered how much of an improvement the tyres made. For the first time, ever, I think, I was overtaking other bikes round corners without really feeling like I was trying. The bike had always felt skitterish, which I thought was down to the suspension, but no - exiting corners it stuck right into the road - causing huge grins as I realised how close my knee was to the tarmac!

Even more pleasing was not only the number of bikes I passed, but the fact that no one passed me. One guy on a ZZR1100 followed me all the way to Kidderminster only catching up with me on the straights


From Kidderminster to Worcester is a fairly dull duel carriageway with lots of police around, stopping a cardboard 'improved' Nova which made me chuckle as a bimbled past at 60mph.

Worcester's ring road, no matter how many times I go there, is a mystery to me. So having gotten lost a couple of times and been glared at by the old women I rode past twice (in first gear ) I got spat out in the direction of the A449 to Malvern.

Having navigated Malvern at an average speed of 8mph thanks to the people out 'Driving Miss Daisy', I needed a stretch, and so stopped at the British Camp alongside a guy on a Moto Guzzi, and a couple of bandits. Had a really good chat to them, was bought a cup of coffee, and then off they went.

I left a few minutes later having spoken to my parents to assure them I wasn't dead yet (it's a daily thing) only to catch up with the group a few miles on. They went a different way, and I continued to Ledbury on the A449.

The section of road from Ledbury to Ross has been substantially improved since the last time I rode it, and much is a brand new, smooth deliciously black surface. Heading along this stretch I encountered very little traffic so had even more fun. Caught up with a chappy on a BMW who I followed for a little way, until we met with the A40.

I turned right and started the boring duel carriageway section back to Cardiff.

There's always one thing to spoil such a great day. In this case, it was a man in a white van (surprise surprise) thinking he was Nigel Mansell (he was old enough ).
Being a fairly busy road, we were in a line of traffic doing about 85 in the outside lane. There was nowhere to go, and yet he tailgated me for period. I did the usual, and slowed down, increasing the gap between me and the car in front. Obviously 80mph wasn't fast enough for him, so he went to undertake.

Cue throttle twisting.

Bye bye van.

Reached the line of traffic again, and he goes to undertake AGAIN!
I'm fuming by this point - who does this guy think he is? How dare he spoil my beautiful day?
So shake my fist in as vicious a way as one can accelerating at 90. I once again leave him for dead.

This time, the car in front pulls over, so cranking up some speed I realise that, hey, these tyres feel really good... I've reached about 120 (out of sheer anger) and am cornering still (long wide corners).

At the next roundabout, I have to stop and wait... lo and behold the van appears. I am in the right hand lane, with cars in the left. He pulls behind me and tries to squeeze in between me and the cars on my left

I know that there is no chance he can catch me in the last 26 miles to Cardiff so cruise the remaining journey between 100 and 120.

I arrive home with a HUGE unmoveable grin on my face.
It's still there

Can't wait to get out on my bike again now - I love it!
____________________
Avast! Pirates ahoy!
I did Cadwell!
www.bikepics.com/members/bella

[hustler]

Nice one! God damn I can't wait for the summer to really kick in! Used to live in Stourbridge too, so Kidderminster always has a place in my heart! A449 cracking road in places.
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As I said to that guy with the crutches and full camouflage gear, you can hide but you can't run.

[instigator]

Top post.

Seems the sun's coming out all over the country now...and it's reasonably warm too!

It was people who didn't like me overtaking that spolied my day yesterday. Guy was all over the road, trying to stop me getting past.

[MementoMori]

Sounds like you had a great time Shame about that white van man though.

I did something similar yesterday, didn't go half as far as you and fortuntely there was not much traffic around, but after having it sit in the shed over winter, going out again was great. People were staring at me cos I was grinning so much inside my hat.

Can't wait for that kind of weather to become more permanent
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The tiger who came for a pint

[Annabella]

Just to make my grin even wider, my insurance renewal came through...


£159



____________________
Avast! Pirates ahoy!
I did Cadwell!
www.bikepics.com/members/bella

[instigator]

That on the 600 or 400?

Jammy sod. I want a £159 quote

[Flip]

Thought both her bikes were 400's?

[Annabella]

A 400, but it's still a group 14 (I think)... I'm warming to being old
____________________
Avast! Pirates ahoy!
I did Cadwell!
www.bikepics.com/members/bella

[instigator]

[Blink]

22 isn't old. However i'm 19, ha

Don't happen to drive a Saxo do ya? lol I know the feeling. Goddamn french.

Sounds like you had quite a day. Love the CBR 400 too.
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The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.

[Frost]

I had a similar expirence, my car being parked in shrewsbury was broken into by chavs who couldnt figure out how to hotwire it, so instead they left it mashed to fuck. Which leaves me with the bike, of well, at least the weather is great!

Every time i went out on it, it refused to start next time due to a fla battery. Well, it had been stood for a year, so i bought a new battery. Many miles of merryment later it cuts out completely in the middle of nowhere when i had a pillion, GREAT!

Turns out now it's the reg/rec thats fucked, £60...ouch!

The VFR doesnt corner as well as the RGV, but it is helped along by an old but totally unused pair it michelins. Chickeen strips have been reduced from a alughable 75% of the tire down to about a centimetre either side. a nice trip to the twisties should help irradicate them

roll on summer

[Annabella]

[stevo as b4]

Yep, i know nearly all of that route pretty well, and yes there are some really nice bits of road in places. It sounds apart from the efforts of the twat in the van, that it was one of them really amazing rides that we all have from time to time.
Ive just got to get my 6R mot done now and fit my new can etc, and hopefully it will feel just as brilliant to be riding it again after not even sitting on it for 16months.
This will be my first set of new tyres as well on this bike, and at 5yrs old, and 8600miles it's well due for its new Diablo Corsa boots!

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Cbr400 good huh?

Did some twisties riding today, handles great as always.

Good fun. Good to hear it's riding better.

Claud

[feef]

[JonB]

/me wants more posts like this!

Can't wait to pass that test and explore the country on bike!
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[instigator]

[iCraig]

I realised today how badly my GPZ handles compared to a borrowed bike, which is Keiths FZR600 after my bike decided to shed its magnets off its rotor once again.

Myself and Shaun went into wales up the horse shoe pass and stopped at the Ponderosa for some food then we went down into Denbigh moors, I had such fun on the bike and was amazed at how much feedback and grip I got from the tyres, though knowing it wasn't my bike I didn't push it whatsoever, but still had a damn good time!

Really wanna thank Keith for lending me his bike for the next few days while I get the parts for the GPZ and you'll get it back Keith though rather reluctantly.

[JonB]

[bazza]

Nice story. I agree - new tyres[1] rock. Went down to the Cheltenham Bikesafe thing with Stryker yesterday and due to his sense of direction ended up heading towards Oxford as part of his cunning plan to get home, so we ended up hooning around the countryside trying to find our way back.

Good, it was.

[1] Once they're scrubbed in.
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"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[Going2fast]

Lol, was laughin' at the msg you sent me.
Glad you had fun
Did my first 100mph run today so

Cya soon
Andy
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Passed My Test 15/03/05
BikePics Profile ||| 96' RVF 400 ||| 01' CBR 600 F Sport ||| 2009 Yamaha YZF-R6 Delivered 23/06/09
/-\ndy

[marc_yorks]

i have just put new 020's on my firestorm as replacements for the crappy squared off macadams and it feels like i'm riding a new bike,can fly round corners now

[Jrod]

Have your restrictors fallen out yet Andy?

[Going2fast]

Never were in lol
shhhhhhhhh
____________________
Passed My Test 15/03/05
BikePics Profile ||| 96' RVF 400 ||| 01' CBR 600 F Sport ||| 2009 Yamaha YZF-R6 Delivered 23/06/09
/-\ndy

[Annabella]