Banged up in Devon

Certainly no chance of a motoring story now. One month in solitary and only allowed to make essential trips to the supermarket - but it does mean that I am so bored I washed the car!

I've never been a fan of the automatic car washes, nor the 'do-it-by-hand' offerings which always seem to have dirty water, and cloths that have washed a hundred vehicles before they get to mine. So I do it my self, which means not very often.

I have a method. Ideally the day is not too sunny and hot, nor windy and cold. Picky eh!
First, with luke warm (tepid) water and a clean sponge, I wash off the heavy accumulations - a mud and cow shit combo mostly. Sometimes I can use three or four buckets full. This reveals the colour of the paintwork below - already she's looking better.

Next, more tepid water with either a specialist car shampoo (if I've had a gift), or domestic washing-up liquid, not too strong. Most enthusiasts would not recommend the Fairy approach, but it does cut through the grime and grease nicely. I start with the roof, then work round the car at window level, bonnet, down to door panels and grill and bumpers. This keeps the dirt moving downwards. I wash the wheels last as they are the dirtiest. A stiff brush is good for getting between the spokes on the alloys.

Finish the washing process with a rinse with clean water and a fresh sponge, drying with a chamois leather as you go. Super job!

I don't usually bother with polish, but this time I did. It said on the bottle it was for motorcycles, but one shiny body panel is the same as any other, so I used it. A real good shake to get the creamy liquid nicely mixed and we were off. I do one panel at a time, spread the cream on with a circular motion - wax on! Once it has gone cloudy, polish it off with a soft microfibre
cloth - wax off!

By doing the job my self I get chance to inspect the condition of the paint close-up. I get to notice small scratches and blemishes that have been caused by normal day-to-day use, and I get to clean the parts others can't (or don't) reach - door shuts, bonnet edges, wheel arch edges, etc.

So that filled about three hours, I still had time to sit in the garden with a cold beer and admire my handiwork.

Stay safe, stay home, wash your hands, and wash your car - Happy Covid-19 lockdown!

Bit of a Duster-ing

The last post was in December 2017 - it is now February 2020! Strewth - time really does fly!

Anyway, 2018 was good. Settled in to retirement, stopped (nearly) pining for my old Honda NC750, and got to grips with life in the slow lane.

2019, and things got a little hectic. Son moved out, we covered ridiculous miles looking for a new home, them we moved out, and ran away to Devon.

So that was the short version. Continuing with a motoring theme, we found that the roads down here are not really suited to an SRi Astra. Wide, and low profile tyres, combined with low and slightly sporty suspension do not work well with potholes, mud, slurry, unidentifiable lumps, sheep, and random spring water.

The above, together with the prospect of new tyres, a service, and a new cam belt, made us look for something more appropriate.

High on my list was a Defender SWB, Range Rover, or Ford F150. Not surprisingly, Julie thought something a little more in the 'value' bracket was in order. We decided on a Dacia Duster.

Don't laugh. We have a '17' Plate, 2x4 version, which is returning 55mpg, and copes with every thing the south west peninsular can throw at it - including stupid old gits who drive in to it in car parks.

Although it lacks off-road ability, being 2x4 and not something I plan on needing, it has 'proper' size tyres, softer suspension with longer travel, better ground clearance, and being a little narrower in the beam, means it is most suited to life in the lanes.

So if you want something practical, comfortable, economical, and priced right, you can't do much better than a Duster - Renault technology, Romanian pricing.

I still miss riding the bike :(

Formula E, for Ernie*

Formula E (for Ernie); I thought I'd better watch it before I said anything - I should at least speak from experience.

A Unigate milk float from way back
(Wikipedia GNU Free Documentation Licence)

Now, I haven't watched F1 (Formula 1) for a couple of years, because it is boring. It is a two-horse event where all the excitement revolves around which is the quickest team to change a set of wheels. Formula E has just started its fourth season, and I have never seen it, so wondered if it would be better. I sat and watched the second round, Hong Kong, day two.

Apart from the obvious - no engine noise, just whining - there was a total lack of charisma, character, or excitement. The presenters are lacklustre, the drivers (when interviewed), too. It probably is wonderful if you are a computer / electronics geek. For petrol-heads it's about as exciting as racing milk-floats.

The actual race was interesting ... inasmuch as there was a modicum of overtaking (lacking in F1), lightened by the comedic events during the compulsory pit stop. There is more excitement with Scalextric.

Obviously, the way forward for the motor industry is electric cars, and Formula E must be a great arena for research and development, but once we have the world travelling by E-cars (and, heaven forbid, driverless, or should I say, autonomous - although looking at some Audis and BMWs around me in traffic I'm not so sure it won't be an improvement), we will need to build a few nuclear power plants to cope with the extra demand.

Will I watch Formula E again? No. And unless F1 changes, I won't return to that, either. I'll stick with proper racing, with real racers, DTM, WEC, BTCC, MotoGP, Superbikes.

(* for those not old enough to remember Benny Hill, 'Ernie' drove the fastest milk cart in the west)

End of an era

A year ago I posted how pleased I was with my second NC750X - at 5,000 miles, well it's all change again!

Due to a change in my working arrangements, the requirement to commute has disappeared - so has my reason to ride a motorcycle. Since the end of July I have covered only 100 miles on the bike. With no likelihood of that increasing I decided to sell.

She had amassed 11600 miles in the 16 months I was using her, but to leave her in the garage, unused and unloved was a shame.

So now I am a bike free zone. Thanks to Crescent Motorcycles for their help and good service.

I'll be clocking up some miles in the car though. Tomorrow I head for Cumbria for the second time in a month - that's 300 miles each way. I'm sure I will encounter some interesting events along the way.

GONE!

 and now ...   

Half a year on ...

My NC750x 2014-2016

My NC750x 2016 onwards

It's been a busy nine months in all respects, and especially in the transport department.

In my last post I told you about the article in Twist&Go magazine. In that I sang the praises of the NC750x as a great commuter and workhorse.

In March she was due for the annual service, and the two year warranty was about to expire. The nice man at the Honda dealership (Crescent Motorcycles) gave her the once over, to see if anything needed fixing under warranty, before it expired. All was in order, but, of course the showroom is filled with sparkly new machines ...

As the old one was approaching 16,000 miles i made tentative enquiries about PXing for the new model, or maybe up to an Africa Twin, or down to a CB500x.

I talked myself out of the Africa Twin because, although a great bike, it would be the equivalent of taking kids to school in a Range Rover - nobody in their right mind would do that ... would they?

So I took the CB500x for a test ride. And what a great commuter that is, but I found that I had to work it too had for the 50 mile round trip that is my daily commute. So the NC750x was still in play.

The 2016 version is similar, with a few styling changes, but notably the dummy tank storage has increased by a litre, and the front and rear suspension have been upgraded, with Showa forks on the front and a pre-load adjustable mono-shock on the rear. This makes the handling noticeably crisper.

Economy is still brilliant - seems to be slightly better than the 14/15 model, and the new instrument pod is clear and concise. I've retained the standard screen, as it is larger that the previous one. It isn't as big as the replacement, but I am comfortable with it. May be if I was taller ...

Needless to say I was easily convinced of the wisdom of buying the new model, and favourable terms were offered by the dealer. So at the end of March I took delivery - and over 5000 miles later I'm still smiling.

Might be some video on line soon, if I can find some interesting roads or events to show you.

Ride safe.

Twist & Go Magazine

It's been so long!

Well, there hasn't been an awful lot of excitement lately. My job has moved to Winchester, so every day I get to do a 45 mile round trip to work and back. On a good day that can mean 45 miles of filtering along the M27 and M3. Great.

The NC750X has now clocked up13,000 miles and she's looking good. So good that I wrote a review for Twist & Go magazine - The January issue should be in the shops now - look for us on page 60.

Other than that, BMW drivers continue to prove that stereotyping works. Of all the prat drivers I encounter those in BMWs still score highest. Audi and Mercedes are starting to climb the charts, but they still have some way to go.

The daily commute

Well, not every day. Some days I go to other destinations around Hampshire, but this day I managed some particularly fine filtering.

Traffic was pretty much solid from J9 to J5 on the M27, and slow again on the approach to J3. I left the motorway at J2 and took the Totton by-pass in to the office.

I've edited the 45 minute trip to around eight minutes for my latest video.

Nip over to YouTube and take a look.

A bit windy!

Ride out this morning with the rejuvenated RoSPA Hampshire RoADAR group; a 100 mile round trip to Goodwood for coffee.

We met at Wickham Square and the weather seemed to be getting brighter after a wet start, although it was pretty gusty. Andy led the group and Lillian was back marker. Six of us, three BMWs, Two Hondas and a Suzuki, headed towards Southwick but were soon being trailed through country lanes with a whole variety of surfaces, bends, gradients and gravel.

As we went across the South Downs the wind increased, and the rain returned in patchy showers. After slightly more than an hour we got to Goodwood for a break, coffee and a chat.

The weather was no better for the return trip which took us past Cowdrey Park through Midhurst, and on along the A272. Some of the wind on the exposed sections made the going difficult, keeping your line through the bends was certainly a challenge.

We finished at junction of the A272 and A32 at the famous Loomies cafe. Thanks for an interesting run chaps. More at the end of April - hopefully with good weather.

Now what happened in the MotoGP opening round in Qatar ... ?

Just chillin'

Well, I was this morning. I held off riding to work for as long as I could, but in the end I had to go. I got the bike out of the garage at 8.30 am and the thermometer was showing -2C. That's about 28F for those in the US.

Now, that's not extremely cold, but chilly enough to make some extremities quite painful when you include the 'wind chill factor'. According to the Environment Canada Windchill Chart, at 70mph (motorway speed in the UK) it will feel like -12C. That's cool.

Luckily I have Gerbing heated gloves, and Rukka jacket and over-trousers. With the winter linings and an extra fleece underneath, I was pretty comfortable on the ride to the office - about 15 miles today.

 

If you are going to ride all year round, make sure you get the best gear you can afford. You'll be warm, dry,and comfortable.

Christmas is here!

Well it is for me. I've eventually got home from work, and I don't have to go back until next year!

The Honda NC750X will get a bit of a rest. We've done nearly 6500 miles since March. Over the break we will be visiting the dealer (Crescent Motorcycles, Southampton) for an upgrade to the digital dash/readout. Issues have been reported that the trip meter resets itself under certain conditions. Not a big deal but, good to get sorted.

While she's there we'll have a new front tyre fitted. The original is just about on the limit, and as we still have plenty of winter to come, some decent grip at the front would be good. A Dunlop Sportmax RoadSmart II will match with the rear, which was replaced at only 450 miles due to a puncture.

Dunlop Sportmax RoadSmart II

Hopefully we'll make time for a rideout and a wash and brush-up, too.

Have a good Christmas, and keep it shiny side up!

RoADAR, Hi Ho Silver!

To add to the IAM badges, today, I passed the RoSPA advanced rider test, with Hampshire RoADAR (RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders).

I didn't make Gold, but I'm happy to have been awarded Silver. RoSPA have a policy of maintaining, or improving, standards, so in three years time I will have to re-qualify. Will I be able to get Gold? Let's hope so.

A fine pair!

Back in February I announced that I had an IAM red badge - for gaining the Institute of Advanced Motorists certificate (for cars). Now, I am even more pleased to announce that I have passed the IAM's advanced motorcycle test and got a green badge ... to make a fine pair!

Who's a happy biker, then!

Miles on the NC750x

Since March I've ridden 3,000 miles on the new machine. I must say, I'm pretty impressed all round. I bought the X version, a pseudo-adventure style. The other option is the S, a more standard naked style. Both are available with manual or Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).

[Catch my latest YouTube video - Roundabouts and bends on the NC750x ]

It didn't take long to get the hang of changing gear again. That was one of those silly things that I missed with the CV (Constantly Variable) transmission on the Silver Wing.

I could have paid extra for the DCT, which performs like the 'flappy paddle' gear change in expensive sports cars - two clutches look after odd and even gear ratios, the next gear is pre-selected before it is needed - then it disengages one clutch and changes to the other. All very clever and automated, although you can select gears manually, via a switch on the bars. None of that fancy stuff for me - I wanted a man-gearbox!

She likes to rev, and the smoothest gear changes (for me) are made between 3 and 4.5k rpm. Another interesting point is the low revving engine - red-lined at 6500. Doing a bit of mental arithmetic, I reckon that gives her a theoretical top speed of around 120mph. That's enough for me!

The original tyres were Dunlop Trailmax, but at 450 miles I picked up a rear puncture and the rear was replaced with a Dunlop RoadSmart. The Trailmax seemed to be a bit of a soft compound and was wearing quickly, whereas the RoadSmart, appears to be lasting well.

One of the things that got me interested in the NC750 was its advertised fuel economy; at 81mpg from a 750, quite a claim. Well, I am pleased to report that very soon after its first (600mile) service she was achieving 79mpg in rush hour traffic. On longer commuting runs, on a tank of fuel, she is now regularly averaging 82 mpg, with a best of 84mpg. Apparently Honda's electronics are responsible for that. The computer knows exactly how much fuel is needed for any throttle/speed/acceleration situation, and meters it accordingly. Happily performance is not hindered with all this miserliness.

Her slim figure makes her ideal for wriggling between the traffic. Steering is sharp and precise, breaking is more than adequate, with ABS (Anti-lock Breaking System) and wavy disks front and rear.

The novel design feature is the not-a-tank. It looks like a traditional fuel tank, but it is all storage, big enough for a full-face helmet. The 14 litre fuel tank hides low down under the seat. The filler cap is concealed under the rear pad. Neat trick! Also keeps the centre of gravity lower for better handling.

So, all that advertising, was it hype, or was it accurate? Well, as I am a cynic by nature, I was expecting the usual exaggerations, in that respect I am disappointed. But with the NC750X, pleased as Punch. Well done, Honda.

If you are after a good looking, lively, sharp handling, economical, general purpose bike, it will be difficult to find better. If you want speed, boy-racering, and want to impress the one-day-a-week-only-if-it's-not-raining riders - may be you should look at something different.

[PS - I have heard that the DCT option has been hugely popular and there is a bit of a wait for orders. Hopefully, they will catch up soon]

[See my latest video at Roundabouts and bends on the NC750x ]

Tree hugger? No! Wheel hugger!

The Skidmarx hugger for the rear wheel arrived early, so bank holiday weekend is as good a time as any to fit it.

Chain guard off, and clean up around the area to be operated on. (OK, I'll give the rest a clean later.)

 

Anti-scratch pad attached to the hugger.

Bolts in, brake line clipped. Bolts are in on the chain side, too. Position adjusted. Bolts tightened.

ABS feed zipped in position ...

... Job done. That should keep the crud off.



Next job is to give the rest of the bike a good clean, and about time, too! Bank holiday Monday looks like it will be wet. May have to put it off. :)

More miles on the NC750X

I've clocked up a few more miles on the new Honda, and she really is good fun to ride. Some of the reviews are not impressed with the power produced by the 750cc parallel twin, but it is ample for everyday use, and the engine delivers plenty of torque - which is what you need for overtaking - without revving the guts out of it. If I was doing a track day I would choose something else - but I ride to work in rush hour traffic. The NC750X is great for that.

The back wheel is exposed and in wet conditions sprays muck over everything in sight, so I have ordered a hugger from Skidmarx. It's due early in June. I'll post some pics when it arrives.

The weather is improving, so I've taken the linings out of my Rukka. Things were getting a bit warm. Anyway here is the next video - on my YouTube Channel, Scratch600. More miles on the NC750X 

New places to mount the camera

I've been out and about on the new bike, Honda NC750x, and I'm pleased I made the change. Back to big wheels and a gearbox - interesting. We've had the 600 mile service, the next one isn't for another 8,000 miles.

Anyway, there are different places to mount the camera, in this video I've used the mirror stem and the passenger foot peg. Have a look. Tell me what you think.

It's here, on my YouTube channel, Scratch600

To filter, or not to filter

Just added another video to YouTube.
Filtering on a motorcycle is what life is all about. Without it there is no reason to buy a bike for commuting. Here in the UK it is legal, as long as you do it with care and consideration for other road users - and, of course, your own safety.

I've included some bends, and lots of water, just for fun.

The last few seconds of this clip suggest that filtering is not always appropriate.

(Still on the Silver Wing, by the way)

A change is ...

… I said that in June 2012, and in November that year swapped the Suzuki GS500F for a Honda FJS600. Well, in typical 'man' fashion, I'm at it again. I've just signed up for a Honda NC750X.

Why? A couple of reasons: the FJS600 already has nearly 10,000 miles on the clock, and is still good for a trade-in, the NC750X is extremely economical at around 80 mpg (imperial), the dealer made me an offer I couldn't (well, could, but didn't want to) refuse, and it will still suit my commuting purposes, and it is fun to ride.

To be honest the FJS600 is a good bike (OK, scooter) and I would have been happy to keep her if the part-ex offer had not been so good, but as I was about to say, a change is as good as a rest.

Just got to wait, now.

I've got a Red Badge

It's good when your training pays off ...

You can get one, too.

http://www.iam.org.uk

Good evidence

I've been carrying my Drift HD camera for nearly a year, and I've recorded some interesting footage, for sure. My son followed suit with a Go Pro Hero camera mounted in the windscreen of his car.

The attached clip is a good example of how recording your journeys could prove useful if involved in a 'road traffic incident'.

In the clip, even though my son has perfect road manners, he gets cut-up by a woman driving a Hyundai. Luckily, because of son's good observation and reactions, an 'incident' was avoided. What do you think? Deliberate act, or just bad driving?

See the video on my YouTube channel, Scratch600.