Apologies For My Absence.

Thanks very much, Markus.

 

Exactly, and thank you.

 

It's a tough decision, isn't it. I suspect the the feelings of remorse quickly dissipate as New Bike Day approaches, though (I hope so, anyway).

 

Thank you very much indeed, Paul, on all counts. The first trip will be touch and go in terms of my symptoms being more under control and having the new bike, but here's hoping.

 

Ah, Sandi... how is it that you always manage to say just the right thing, in just the right way. Thank you

 

Much appreciated, thank you.

 

Yes getting the new bike has certainly put a smile on my face. I will miss the 1050, but the reality is the 660 is smaller, and lighter and more importantly more manageable.

 

Well, apparently the eagle will be landing between 27/4 and 5/5. Very exciting

 

That's brilliant! It'll be in time for the DGR. You'll definitely be looking your best!

 

Thanks, Paul. Yes, that was always my target, so fingers crossed!

 

Well, annoyingly Triumph have made a bit of a cock-up with regard to my new bike, which should have been with my dealership in Watford last week. Rather than the Jet Black as ordered, they seem to have allocated the upgraded paint colour (sapphire black/matt sapphire black); I can have that if I want it at no extra charge (it carries a £350 premium), but it just so happens that it's the one finish in recent years that I don't like. I've therefore rejected it, as I've been offered an alternative solution.

My guy in Watford is instead swapping a bike they have in stock - a Tiger 900 - with a Jet Black T120 that's due to be delivered to another dealership (run by someone with a connection to the Watford team) on 24th May. I've been assured that I'll be able to collect it from Watford, fully spec'd up, ten days later. However, that means it'll have zero miles on it by the time I set off for Wales for my 9-11 June long weekend. I'll therefore be running the bike in during the trip (and likely scrubbing in the tyres as I set off), which in reality isn't much of a problem given the nature of the roads in Snowdonia, the overt police presence in the area and the carefully enforced speed limits. In fact, the official running in requirements are unlikely to limit me at all, and I'll just need to be sure to mix it up a bit on the journey out there.

What it does mean, of course, is that I'll be doing te DGR on the Harley. It'll fit in well, of course, but will likely be more of a handful stop/starting for 3 hours amongst 350 other bikes!

 

Afraid not, unless I'm offered something I'm not expecting when I pick up the bike. The head of sales at Watford (who I know well) did offer to take the bike offered, spec it up for me, and then (having done the deal with Destination Triumph to swap the Tiger for the correct T120) swap the tanks over. However, for the sake of a couple of weeks that didn't feel right to me at all.

 

That’s a real shame. I get what you are saying about the Matt finish, which is also not my choice of paint finish.

 

I also don't like the way that the gloss element fails to reach the pinstripe separating the two finishes. it looks off to my mind.

 

That’s a real shame. I agree with your feelings about Triumph’s colour scheme it looks like it’s trying too hard to be clever. If you’re going to make “modern classics” then the paint scheme needs to be classic.

I don’t need to tell you this but just relax as best you can into the DGR and for the Welsh trip, the running in will just give you more time to enjoy the views and get to know that lovely new T120.

 

Thanks Paul, and that's the plan. I'm pretty comfortable with the running-in issue - I guess I'd have liked to have been on a lighter bike for the DGR, though, so will just have to be a bit more careful.

The real challenge is my health, as my recovery is a bit up and down right now and my next consultation isn't until 2nd June.

 

Well, new bike day is now scheduled for next Friday. Ironically, the dealership is directly opposite Watford General Hospital and I'm going straight from a consultation there to the bike collection. (I'll probably need cheering up!)

I've gone entirely crazy with options and extras on the basis that this is probably going to be the last bike that I buy; certainly, it's a long term keeper. So, just as a warning, this is what can happen if you fail to keep track of what you're actually spending and just let your heart rule your head instead

 

Hmmm. Same thing happened to me when I bought my SC in 2019. I thought I was under control when I added some Triumph accessories:- the black intake covers, Fox shox, dresser bars, sump plate, engine protectors, fork gaiters, U-Lock + carrier.

But over the next couple of years almost all the accessories catalogue ended up on the bike, along with a few T100 parts to replace some SC parts (all from eBay and never more than 75% of Triumph's list price). I blame lockdown and a variant of C19 that infiltrates the brain fog with "wouldn't the bike look good if ...".

That said I think my SC is extra fabulous and (from what you've specced) so will your T120, just think of the grin that will be on your face every time you open the garage door and anticipate the next great ride.

I realy hope and pray the consultation before collection will be as positive as possible if not better.

Enjoy new T120 day.

 

Thanks, Rev - appreciate the effort to make me feel relatively normal (and your SC must be a peach).

Sadly, the consultation is due to some problems with my treatment in that the infusions seem to have stopped working and I'm in a flare up again. There is another drug they want me to take (that's on the agenda for discussion) and I'm also going to see if I can get the time between infusions reduced; I actually had to have another colonoscopy a week or so ago and the consultant who performed the procedure said he was going to recommend that to the IBD team himself).

Aside from the general impact, it's now looking tlike my trip to hook up with half a dozen biking mates in North Wales - scheduled for 9-11 June - is now very much in doubt as well. We've been planning it for weeks, in not months, so that will feel like the final straw if it's cancelled

 

Well that's frustrating. Just know there are people here rooting for you.