Motorbikes
Busted Leg - The Verdict
13/05/10 11:43
I attended the Derby Royal Hospital again this morning, I had an appointment with my consultant to discuss the results of my MRI scan and what I can expect in the future concerning my leg following my motorcycle accident.
The good news is that the ligaments are intact. The bad news is that it is unlikely to get any better. I can only bend my leg 90 degrees at the knee and I will continue to need a stick to walk, almost certainly for the rest of my life. The pain may get less after the metal is removed from my leg at the next operation in six months or so, apparently some of the screws are responsible for some of the pain due to their proximity to ‘stuff’ (I’m no doctor 
)
In practical terms driving a manual car will continue to be impractical for any distance, motorcycles and maybe even quads will be out of the question, I might be able to use my mountain bike or road bike at some point though if I’m lucky.
Anyway, according to the surgeon I am lucky I didn’t lose the leg - it was a bit of a mess apparently. Life goes on so I’ll make the best of it, I must admit I never expected my life to turn out this way, but Sh1t happens and you can’t always see it coming.
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Accident Update Jan 2010
08/01/10 13:59
I was at the hospital again yesterday for the triple thrill of Xray, Consultant and OT Splint appointments.
My consultant went to great lengths again to explain how serious the injury was and finished by telling me that another operation will definitely be necessary, but not until the healing has been completed, and that could be 1 to 2 years !
The problem is that the leg below the knee is held in place by ligaments, which in my case are shredded, this means that my leg has become bent quite significantly.
A new splint was created for me yesterday that puts the knee under stress so that it is once again aligned correctly with the top of my leg. This is quite painful and has meant my ability to move and drive has been put back a few weeks.
I have to now deal with the fact that the next couple of years will be tough. It will be an effort to walk, difficult to drive and impossible to ride my motorcycles. For anything other than the shortest of walks I will need to use my wheelchair.
Other than a (hopeful) reduction in pain, as I am now is how I am going to stay for the next couple of years. So I guess I’d better get used to it ...
Sh1t Happens
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Good News and Bad News
26/11/09 22:14
Today I attended the Royal Derby Hospital for the triple thrill of X-Ray, Consultant and OT Splint. I was waiting in anticipation for the appointment with the Consultant as today I was to find out if I could start putting any weight on my leg.
The appointment went well, the injury is healing ok and I can now start to put partial weight on my leg, I can even do a small amount of driving once I can bend my leg a bit further.
The bad news is that my brace has to stay on until at least my next appointment in January, and I may well need another operation in the new year to straighten the leg as it has healed slightly crooked.
I’ve abandoned my wheelchair and crutches and am now limping around the house with only my new (rather stylish ) silver finish carbon fibre walking stick which my wife bought me for Christmas. My progress is extremely slow at the moment but it can only improve
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The appointment went well, the injury is healing ok and I can now start to put partial weight on my leg, I can even do a small amount of driving once I can bend my leg a bit further.
The bad news is that my brace has to stay on until at least my next appointment in January, and I may well need another operation in the new year to straighten the leg as it has healed slightly crooked.
I’ve abandoned my wheelchair and crutches and am now limping around the house with only my new (rather stylish
) silver finish carbon fibre walking stick which my wife bought me for Christmas. My progress is extremely slow at the moment but it can only improve RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker
Stunning Yamaha R1
17/11/09 17:41
This is a beautiful, stunning Yamaha R1 Superbike.
Why ? Why Not ?
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Why ? Why Not ?
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An Update ...
03/11/09 13:57
The last week or so has been very busy. On a personal front I was at the Physio last Wednesday and then on the following day I was at the Royal Derby Hospital all morning. I visited three different departments which meant my leg brace had to be taken off and put back on three times ... I was left feeling rather ... sore ...
I did however speak to my consultant who told me exactly what is likely to happen in the future as regards my injury. He was impressed with my progress going as far as to say that he had not seen anyone with this type of injury start recovering so quickly - but he didn’t pull any punches regarding my future use of this leg. The best I can expect is to suffer from Arthritis in the knee, followed by a knee replacement operation in five years.
The problem is that the break to my Tibia Plateau consisted of approximately six large pieces of bone and over one hundred smaller pieces ... This has obviously been repaired as well as possible but there is a good possibility the repair will not take my weight and allow me to walk. I should know in four weeks time when I will try and apply some weight to the joint.
I’ve looked at all the options and possibilities and have contingency plans in place, it’s going to take more than a smashed Tibia to put me in a wheelchair If there is one thing that I learned from my time as a soldier in the British Army it’s that our capabilities are far beyond our expectations and so much can be achieved through sheer belief and determination. Following a Mountain Bike accident a few years ago I have had and recovered from four operations on my spine. I’ll get through this latest inconvenience in the same way.
Every cloud has a silver lining and in this case the silver lining is the fact that I have stopped smoking. My last cigarette was October 2nd, around 2pm as I lay in pain, barely able to move and watching a yellow Air Ambulance helicopter landing a hundred yards away. It’s surprising how easy it is to quit smoking when you are confined to bed in hospital for a fortnight
On the business front things have also been busy. Due to my being confined to a chair at the moment I have had to turn down two lucrative contracts, a Software Development contract and a Security Audit. I have however accepted one software development contract as it came via an old friend who understands the current situation and is willing to act as liaison between myself and the customer. I’ll be starting that contract next week. The last week or so has been spent releasing ooSooM and completing ContaX, which will be released later this week.
ooSooM has been incredibly successful, receiving several five star reviews and having over 1000 registered users already. Of course it helps that ooSooM is released as Freeware !
I’ve had great support from family, friends and customers. Deserving of particular praise is my wife, Judith. While I spend the day sat in a chair like Henry VIII being waited on hand and foot, Judy is responsible for making sure I have food, drink, tablets, toothbrush, cleaning stuff etc. etc. When this is over and I am back on my feet I am going to treat her somehow, show her how much her support and love means to me.
Incidentally, when I mention Henry VIII, I mean I’m more like this one:
than this one: 
Incidentally, please have a look at this page. I have set this up to gather donations for the Derbyshire Leicestershire Rutland Air Ambulance. Please consider donating.
http://www.artenscience.co.uk/artenscience/Pages/donate.html
Anyway, that’s enough for now. Time for me to go and get some work done. ContaX won’t release itself
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I did however speak to my consultant who told me exactly what is likely to happen in the future as regards my injury. He was impressed with my progress going as far as to say that he had not seen anyone with this type of injury start recovering so quickly - but he didn’t pull any punches regarding my future use of this leg. The best I can expect is to suffer from Arthritis in the knee, followed by a knee replacement operation in five years.
The problem is that the break to my Tibia Plateau consisted of approximately six large pieces of bone and over one hundred smaller pieces ... This has obviously been repaired as well as possible but there is a good possibility the repair will not take my weight and allow me to walk. I should know in four weeks time when I will try and apply some weight to the joint.
I’ve looked at all the options and possibilities and have contingency plans in place, it’s going to take more than a smashed Tibia to put me in a wheelchair
If there is one thing that I learned from my time as a soldier in the British Army it’s that our capabilities are far beyond our expectations and so much can be achieved through sheer belief and determination. Following a Mountain Bike accident a few years ago I have had and recovered from four operations on my spine. I’ll get through this latest inconvenience in the same way.Every cloud has a silver lining and in this case the silver lining is the fact that I have stopped smoking. My last cigarette was October 2nd, around 2pm as I lay in pain, barely able to move and watching a yellow Air Ambulance helicopter landing a hundred yards away. It’s surprising how easy it is to quit smoking when you are confined to bed in hospital for a fortnight
On the business front things have also been busy. Due to my being confined to a chair at the moment I have had to turn down two lucrative contracts, a Software Development contract and a Security Audit. I have however accepted one software development contract as it came via an old friend who understands the current situation and is willing to act as liaison between myself and the customer. I’ll be starting that contract next week. The last week or so has been spent releasing ooSooM and completing ContaX, which will be released later this week.
ooSooM has been incredibly successful, receiving several five star reviews and having over 1000 registered users already. Of course it helps that ooSooM is released as Freeware !
I’ve had great support from family, friends and customers. Deserving of particular praise is my wife, Judith. While I spend the day sat in a chair like Henry VIII being waited on hand and foot, Judy is responsible for making sure I have food, drink, tablets, toothbrush, cleaning stuff etc. etc. When this is over and I am back on my feet I am going to treat her somehow, show her how much her support and love means to me.
Incidentally, when I mention Henry VIII, I mean I’m more like this one:
than this one: Incidentally, please have a look at this page. I have set this up to gather donations for the Derbyshire Leicestershire Rutland Air Ambulance. Please consider donating.
http://www.artenscience.co.uk/artenscience/Pages/donate.html
Anyway, that’s enough for now. Time for me to go and get some work done. ContaX won’t release itself
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Not for the Squeamish !!
25/10/09 12:46
Below are pictures of the injuries to my leg following my recent motorcycle accident.
The scars left and right of the knee are where the plates and screws where inserted and all the rebuilding work was carried out. The staples came out last week and recovery is going very well, you can still see some of the swelling and bruising, however.
It looks likely that I will walk with a stick when I can finally walk again, so if I’ve got to have a stick I’m going to get a nice one Any recommendations ? Something modern and stylish, maybe carbon fibre ? It has to be a proper, strong stick first and foremost though - not a fashion accessory.
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The scars left and right of the knee are where the plates and screws where inserted and all the rebuilding work was carried out. The staples came out last week and recovery is going very well, you can still see some of the swelling and bruising, however.
It looks likely that I will walk with a stick when I can finally walk again, so if I’ve got to have a stick I’m going to get a nice one
Any recommendations ? Something modern and stylish, maybe carbon fibre ? It has to be a proper, strong stick first and foremost though - not a fashion accessory.RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker
BMW K1300R
25/10/09 11:02
This is fantastic. Looks different, goes like stink. What more do you need in a bike ?
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2010 Triumph Rocket III Roadster
21/10/09 22:46
Fantastic! The 2010 Triumph Rocket III Roadster looks the business. It’s great to see a British company doing so well, especially at the moment. Triumph are increasing market share against the Japanese and looking to do really well when the economy finally turns. The reason for their success is because of brave and innovative products such as this.
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Post Hospital Progress
16/10/09 10:28
I’ve been out of the hospital for a couple of days now and have to admit that I am finding it much tougher than expected.
For starters, my left leg cannot accept any weight whatsoever and can only move 20 degrees, limited by the full length leg brace. This means that I cannot go anywhere without my two crutches. Even with these crutches there are many things I cannot do without the help of a willing third party, in most cases my long suffering wife, who so far has been brilliant.
The nature of the break is such that even the slightest movement causes pain in and around the knee joint, the large metal plates that have been inserted each side of my knee make the whole area slightly bulkier and more swollen that normal and to be honest the pain is constant which mentally is a challenge.
My day at the moment basically consists of the following:
I wake up around 0800 and my wife brings me a cup of tea, a couple of slices of toast and my medication. Following a bed bath, partially by me with my back and legs done by my wife, I get up and come down stairs stopping via the toilet on the way. Coming down the stairs is easy, basically consisting of hopping down each stair using one crutch and the stairs banister rail.
I spent the rest of the day in my chair in the lounge, which has been hired to make it possible for me to get out of the chair without help if necessary. I have small table to the left and right of my chair that contain my essentials, telephone, coffee, Lucozade etc. I then have a ‘TV Table’ which fits over my lap which contains my trusty 15’’ MacBook Pro.
I then work using my computer for the next 6 to 8 hours stopping for a few minutes for lunch. Yesterday I managed to release an update to R10Cipher, answer several dozen emails and sort out most of the after effects of two weeks virtually incommunicado in hospital.
Bed time is where the fun begins - trying to get up the stairs is ... interesting ... the first night it took over 2 hours, last night around 20 minutes so it’s getting easier !
So for the next 3 months my life will follow the above pattern most days, interspersed with the occasional visit to the hospital or physiotherapist.
As I will not be able to meet with my networking groups or new customers for many months, my custom software development business will tail off, that is to be expected. What I have to look at is increasing the marketing and sales of my commercial software products to fill that inevitable gap in my revenue stream.
I don’t expect the next few months to be easy either personally or from a business perspective. Problems however are just challenges I haven’t solved yet.
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For starters, my left leg cannot accept any weight whatsoever and can only move 20 degrees, limited by the full length leg brace. This means that I cannot go anywhere without my two crutches. Even with these crutches there are many things I cannot do without the help of a willing third party, in most cases my long suffering wife, who so far has been brilliant.
The nature of the break is such that even the slightest movement causes pain in and around the knee joint, the large metal plates that have been inserted each side of my knee make the whole area slightly bulkier and more swollen that normal and to be honest the pain is constant which mentally is a challenge.
My day at the moment basically consists of the following:
I wake up around 0800 and my wife brings me a cup of tea, a couple of slices of toast and my medication. Following a bed bath, partially by me with my back and legs done by my wife, I get up and come down stairs stopping via the toilet on the way. Coming down the stairs is easy, basically consisting of hopping down each stair using one crutch and the stairs banister rail.
I spent the rest of the day in my chair in the lounge, which has been hired to make it possible for me to get out of the chair without help if necessary. I have small table to the left and right of my chair that contain my essentials, telephone, coffee, Lucozade etc. I then have a ‘TV Table’ which fits over my lap which contains my trusty 15’’ MacBook Pro.
I then work using my computer for the next 6 to 8 hours stopping for a few minutes for lunch. Yesterday I managed to release an update to R10Cipher, answer several dozen emails and sort out most of the after effects of two weeks virtually incommunicado in hospital.
Bed time is where the fun begins - trying to get up the stairs is ... interesting ... the first night it took over 2 hours, last night around 20 minutes so it’s getting easier !
So for the next 3 months my life will follow the above pattern most days, interspersed with the occasional visit to the hospital or physiotherapist.
As I will not be able to meet with my networking groups or new customers for many months, my custom software development business will tail off, that is to be expected. What I have to look at is increasing the marketing and sales of my commercial software products to fill that inevitable gap in my revenue stream.
I don’t expect the next few months to be easy either personally or from a business perspective. Problems however are just challenges I haven’t solved yet.
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Out of Hospital
14/10/09 14:35
Escaped from the hospital today so normal service will be resuming from tomorrow.
I apologise if you have experienced any delays in replys to email or anything else over the last fortnight.
Although the I’m not going to be driving or riding this side of Christmas, I am still working on existing projects both custom and commercial.
Thanks to everyone for their cards and best wishes.
-Steve
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I apologise if you have experienced any delays in replys to email or anything else over the last fortnight.
Although the I’m not going to be driving or riding this side of Christmas, I am still working on existing projects both custom and commercial.
Thanks to everyone for their cards and best wishes.
-Steve
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I've done a 'Cracking' Job This Time ...
08/10/09 09:19
I’m into theatre this afternoon for my operation, my surgeon has just been and had a chat with me.
Apparently the CT Scan showed the damage to be worse than already expected, these injuries are rated on a scale of 1 to 6, 6 being the worse. Mine is a 6 ...
The operation is on the left Tibia and will involve reconstructing the whole joint. There will be two plates inserted, one down each side of my knee joint. They may also need some bone from my hip to use in the reconstruction. The bone graft can be as painful as the main operation I was told ...
The leg will never be the same again. I can have no weight on it at all for 6 weeks and it will be at least 3 months before I start to get reasonable use from it. I’m not sure yet how I’m going to cope with work, we’ll have to wait and see
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Apparently the CT Scan showed the damage to be worse than already expected, these injuries are rated on a scale of 1 to 6, 6 being the worse. Mine is a 6 ...
The operation is on the left Tibia and will involve reconstructing the whole joint. There will be two plates inserted, one down each side of my knee joint. They may also need some bone from my hip to use in the reconstruction. The bone graft can be as painful as the main operation I was told ...
The leg will never be the same again. I can have no weight on it at all for 6 weeks and it will be at least 3 months before I start to get reasonable use from it. I’m not sure yet how I’m going to cope with work, we’ll have to wait and see
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Daughters 2nd Motorbike Lesson
28/09/09 11:49
We finally found a motorcross bike for my daughter. It's a 2002 Honda CR 80 'Big Wheel'. After a good clean it looks very well, never been raced and in great condition.
Saturday was spent with her getting used to riding round the field. The first thing she did was flip it completely, I thought that would have destroyed her confidence but by the end of the session she was riding it around the field, admittedly only in first gear at the moment. I'm proud of how she got back on and got on with it, Here's a picture:
The bike itself is a 2 stroke motorcross bike. Despite being only 80cc It goes like stink ... capable of pulling the front wheel up in third gear under hard accelearation and thats with me on it. A cracking little bike.
We had been out that morning to finish off shopping for her motorcycle kit. She now has boots and body armour so everything she needs is sorted, it's just practice and more practice now
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Saturday was spent with her getting used to riding round the field. The first thing she did was flip it completely, I thought that would have destroyed her confidence but by the end of the session she was riding it around the field, admittedly only in first gear at the moment. I'm proud of how she got back on and got on with it, Here's a picture:
The bike itself is a 2 stroke motorcross bike. Despite being only 80cc It goes like stink ... capable of pulling the front wheel up in third gear under hard accelearation and thats with me on it. A cracking little bike.
We had been out that morning to finish off shopping for her motorcycle kit. She now has boots and body armour so everything she needs is sorted, it's just practice and more practice now
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Daughters 1st Motorbike Lesson
22/09/09 17:39
I've just got back from taking my daughter for her first lesson on how to ride a motorcycle. It actually well quite well. She can now get on the bike, start it and move forward slightly in first gear without stalling it - most of the time. She's taken her first fall as well so that's that fear out of the way ! She was riding my off-road bike which made it more difficult as it was slightly too tall and quite powerful for a first timer.
I've yet to get her any body armour so she wore mine and she also needs some boots, I think I'll take her over DK Motorcycles on Saturday and let her get both those items. Then all we need is a bike for her ... I've seen plenty but the decent ones have all been over budget, we'll keep looking however.
It took me a while to persuade her mother that we should let her get into motocross, but I think it's important that you give your kids the opportunity to experience as much as possible. It's not the safest sport in the world but then real life isn't always safe, I'd rather her be riding a bike off-road rather than doing what a lot of teenagers get upto today, that's for sure.
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I've yet to get her any body armour so she wore mine and she also needs some boots, I think I'll take her over DK Motorcycles on Saturday and let her get both those items. Then all we need is a bike for her ... I've seen plenty but the decent ones have all been over budget, we'll keep looking however.
It took me a while to persuade her mother that we should let her get into motocross, but I think it's important that you give your kids the opportunity to experience as much as possible. It's not the safest sport in the world but then real life isn't always safe, I'd rather her be riding a bike off-road rather than doing what a lot of teenagers get upto today, that's for sure.
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My Daughter Is the Stig
17/09/09 17:25
My daughter in her new motocross clothes. She's like a pink version of The Stig
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Riding with the Mayor
13/09/09 22:19
Today was the Mayor of Derby's Charity Motorbike and Scooter Ride.
I met up with some friends in our local Trail Riders Fellowship chapter and together we rode down to the start and finish point at Markeaton Park, Derby. Here we met up with dozens of others riding everything from Harley Davidsons through KTM RC8's down to 50cc Scooters.
We stood and talked with the Mayor, Sean Marshall, and convinced him to join us for a ride out on the green lanes sometime, which he agreed to do. A major chance for us as a group to demonstrate that we are not all hooligans who ride wherever they want without regard for the law or peoples safety.
You can see the Mayor (the one with the big gold necklace ) talking with members of our group in the picture below:
The charity ride itself went well and money was raised for some good local causes.
Below are some additional pictures from the day:
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I met up with some friends in our local Trail Riders Fellowship chapter and together we rode down to the start and finish point at Markeaton Park, Derby. Here we met up with dozens of others riding everything from Harley Davidsons through KTM RC8's down to 50cc Scooters.
We stood and talked with the Mayor, Sean Marshall, and convinced him to join us for a ride out on the green lanes sometime, which he agreed to do. A major chance for us as a group to demonstrate that we are not all hooligans who ride wherever they want without regard for the law or peoples safety.
You can see the Mayor (the one with the big gold necklace
) talking with members of our group in the picture below:The charity ride itself went well and money was raised for some good local causes.
Below are some additional pictures from the day:
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These Are The Days ...
10/09/09 14:18
If you like bikes and like a good book and even better like books about bikes, then you have to read this:
These are the Days that must Happen to You, by Dan Walsh.
In addition to the criteria already mentioned, you must have a sense of humour
Fantastic book, written in his own unique style chronicling the adventures of a guy on the run from himself. You don't have to like his opinions on politics, booze or drugs but you do have to respect his right to those opinions and admire his forthright manner and storytelling capability.
Great read.
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These are the Days that must Happen to You, by Dan Walsh.
In addition to the criteria already mentioned, you must have a sense of humour
Fantastic book, written in his own unique style chronicling the adventures of a guy on the run from himself. You don't have to like his opinions on politics, booze or drugs but you do have to respect his right to those opinions and admire his forthright manner and storytelling capability.
Great read.
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Crash !
01/09/09 09:34
I put my Trail bike on the back of the truck, hitched up the caravan and headed to the Peak District for the weekend.
On Saturday I set off with a map to explore some of the local minor roads and green lanes on the bike. The roads were fantastic and I was having a great time until I got a bit carried away and was faced with 12’’ deep ruts on a downhill stretch and I was carrying a bit too much speed ...
I didn’t bounce, or roll, I just hit the ground hard, as did the bike. Damage was minimal and I considered myself lucky. The bike has a broken mirror and hand-guard and I had a cracked rib and a loose tooth. That put paid to anymore fun and I took the quickest way back to the campsite to nurse my wounds.
Next time less speed, more concentration and I’ll be wearing my body armour !
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On Saturday I set off with a map to explore some of the local minor roads and green lanes on the bike. The roads were fantastic and I was having a great time until I got a bit carried away and was faced with 12’’ deep ruts on a downhill stretch and I was carrying a bit too much speed ...
I didn’t bounce, or roll, I just hit the ground hard, as did the bike. Damage was minimal and I considered myself lucky. The bike has a broken mirror and hand-guard and I had a cracked rib and a loose tooth. That put paid to anymore fun and I took the quickest way back to the campsite to nurse my wounds.
Next time less speed, more concentration and I’ll be wearing my body armour !
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KLX250, Sunny Day and a Deserted Quarry
23/08/09 11:22
I had some serious fun yesterday at a deserted quarry somewhere in the Peak District. The KLX loved terrain like this and except for a few buttock clenching moments, so did I
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A Great Weekend
22/08/09 23:06
Last weekend I went and watched some off-road biking events that were being held in the Peak District, Derbyshire. On the Saturday I went to watch my daughters boyfriend doing some Motorcross training, pics below:
The following day we watched an Enduro race. What a great way to spend a weekend
The picture below is totally unrelated but I think it’s a great picture, if you love bikes and travel then it’s extremely motivational as well
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The following day we watched an Enduro race. What a great way to spend a weekend
The picture below is totally unrelated but I think it’s a great picture, if you love bikes and travel then it’s extremely motivational as well
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An Hour In The Lanes ...
08/08/09 17:25
Determined not to let events from earlier in the day spoil the rest of the day, I got on the Triumph and rode some of the single track B roads north of Belper. Had a great time and got a few photos from the top of Alport Heights.
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Disaster Strikes, Epic Adventure Aborted
08/08/09 09:36
So there I am:
Helmet - Check, Goggles - Check, Big Chunky MX Boots - Check, Bumbag with map - Check.
All ready and prepared for a hardcore epic off-road adventure in the wilderness miles from civilisation and home to all kinds of dangers.
*Reality Check: Actually 50 miles or so of gentle green laning in the Derbyshire Peak District
Fearing for my life and wondering what fate had in store for me, but brave enough to continue anyway, I adjusted my googles and mounted my trusty steed.
Helmet - Check, Goggles - Check, Big Chunky MX Boots - Check, Bumbag with map - Check.
All ready and prepared for a hardcore epic off-road adventure in the wilderness miles from civilisation and home to all kinds of dangers.
*Reality Check: Actually 50 miles or so of gentle green laning in the Derbyshire Peak District
Fearing for my life and wondering what fate had in store for me, but brave enough to continue anyway, I adjusted my googles and mounted my trusty steed.
Which is when the rear suspension collapsed down to the stop.
Being only 5 days old and with 62 miles on the clock the Kawasaki RAC people came out to have a look (thumbs up - 20 minutes!) and declared it would need to go into the dealer for a new shock under warranty. That destroys todays plans
It’s been said that I carry a few extra pounds, but surely not enough to destroy the rear shock of a trail bike just by sitting on it ! I just hope they get it sorted soon.
Updates to follow ...
Welcome to Police State GB
07/08/09 19:58
I joined the Trail Riders Fellowship yesterday. I’m looking forward to joining them on the green lanes of this great and beautiful country, well away from over-enthusiastic and misguided Police hell bent on fining me for daring to have a number plate slightly smaller than the official billboard size dictated by law.
[Soapbox Mode Initiated]
I’ve nothing against the law at all, it’s when it’s used against rather than for the people that I get annoyed and angry.
The recent case in North Wales when a Police car on an emergency call out to rescue a father and daughter from drowning after falling in a waterfall, decides to stop and spend 15 minutes writing up a ticket for a biker with a number plate 80mm too small. Another Police car was despatched to the waterfall incident but got there too late. The father and daughter died. The statement from the Police ? ‘We are capable of handling more than one critical case at once’. Message for North Wales Police - There was only one critical case here and you failed to handle it after your officers got over-enthusiastic about an easy bust.
What about the 19 Year old who now has a criminal record after he dropped some imperial mints from his pocket whilst riding his bike ?
Or the fact that ASBO rules are being used against motorcyclists doing nothing wrong but filtering in a safe and lawful manner ? Says the officer ‘Your actions could have annoyed other road users this makes you anti-social ...’
Who watches the watchers ? In this country - no-one.
[Soapbox Mode Terminated]
So, yeh - I’ll be attending the local meet next week and hopefully meeting some like-minded riders who are up for some good dirty fun.
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Getting Down and Dirty
07/08/09 09:49
Here’s a couple of pictures of my new toy getting down and dirty
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Note to Self
03/08/09 14:58
Note to self:
Puddles may be *much* deeper than they appear when riding off-road.
PS: Denim is not waterproof.
PPS: Motorcycles cannot swim.
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Puddles may be *much* deeper than they appear when riding off-road.
PS: Denim is not waterproof.
PPS: Motorcycles cannot swim.
RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker
Day 1 of the HU Spring Meeting
18/06/09 17:05
I went and registered at the Horizons Unlimited meeting today, had a wander around and took some photos.
Owned by the HU organisers, this bike has been around the world several times !
This is an obscenely fast sports bike. Well, it was.
Rambos Bike
A couple of nice BMW’s
The sheepskin is very comfy. Apparently.
More sheepskin seat covers ...
An old Beemer
You don’t need a BMW
One of the campsites
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Owned by the HU organisers, this bike has been around the world several times !
This is an obscenely fast sports bike. Well, it was.
Rambos Bike
A couple of nice BMW’s
The sheepskin is very comfy. Apparently.
More sheepskin seat covers ...
An old Beemer
You don’t need a BMW
One of the campsites
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Bye Bye Honda - Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
11/06/09 09:52
A very nice bloke came round last night and gave me a pile of cash for my Honda VFR800.
This means that there is now plenty of room in the garage as there is only the one motorbike, which makes my wife a very happy woman. She can now get to the Freezer and the Tumble Drier easily without navigating through a maze of handlebars and mirrors.
However - man cannot easily cope with only the one motorcycle and plans are already afoot to add another addition
As soon as my Tennis Elbow condition is sorted I intend to get an Offroad / Enduro bike and head for the green lanes at the weekends, I may even take up Enduro racing. Offroad biking as a sport is excellent exercise and very good for building the skills needed to stay alive on the road. It also happens to be really good fun
I don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that I’m going to run through mud and over rocks and almost certainly fall off regularly, so I am looking at something like this, probably second hand.
If anybody has any theories on how to get rid of Tennis Elbow - please let me know. I’ve had it for months and have done the exercises recommended by the Physiotherapist, I’ve had Acupuncture and last night at the Gym my trainer recommended a Chiropractor - so that’s next on my list.
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This means that there is now plenty of room in the garage as there is only the one motorbike, which makes my wife a very happy woman. She can now get to the Freezer and the Tumble Drier easily without navigating through a maze of handlebars and mirrors.
However - man cannot easily cope with only the one motorcycle and plans are already afoot to add another addition
As soon as my Tennis Elbow condition is sorted I intend to get an Offroad / Enduro bike and head for the green lanes at the weekends, I may even take up Enduro racing. Offroad biking as a sport is excellent exercise and very good for building the skills needed to stay alive on the road. It also happens to be really good fun
I don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that I’m going to run through mud and over rocks and almost certainly fall off regularly, so I am looking at something like this, probably second hand.
If anybody has any theories on how to get rid of Tennis Elbow - please let me know. I’ve had it for months and have done the exercises recommended by the Physiotherapist, I’ve had Acupuncture and last night at the Gym my trainer recommended a Chiropractor - so that’s next on my list.
RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker