Back on a Bike

Just back from Flitwick Motorcyles, who used to look after my old Yamahas. Changed my details in their system to the Bonnie. Got their service charges which seem okay, so as I know them and they are a good bunch I'll be using them. Took thebiglad's lead and copied his helmet. My specs fit neatly under the visor and the sunglasses push in without needing to take it off. The fit means no need for googles unless I really want that old rocker look, and yeah Dave, with a snood covering the cheeks and bits it seems the business. Grabbed a winter Frank Thomas jacket for £50 down from £150 cuz a popper is missing. A little long in the sleeve and like a tent with the inner zipped out, but it'll def do till it's time to bring out my better-weather leather. A pair of short-arsed RST trousers too. Also booked in for a one-to-one refresher course next week - just to be safe. Four more days till I pick 'er up. The anticipation is killing me.

 

Pulled forward the collection date to tomorrow. Booked and collected train tickets to Walsall. Cheapest Bedford-Walsall is £39. So I booked Bedford-Birmingham for £21 and will buy Walsall ticket at New Street for £3.30. Okay, the actual journey is via Bletchley rather than the faster route via Leicester so takes 20 mins longer, but the saving will go in the tank. Expect to be on the A45 1.00-ish for a gentle ride back to Bedford. A45/A6 rather than M6/M1 so I can get used to mixing it up a little. Like a little kid on Christmas Eve. Vroom! Vroom!

 

S'alright, I'll wear thick socks.

 

Spoiler Alert: long and boring report on the first day on my Bonnie.

So I picked up the bike today. The seller is clearly a knowledgeable bike enthusiast. He bought the Bonnie Feb 2014 and is responsible for all the mods. He's got rid because his wife now only rides pillion after an accident on her own bike; the Bonnie doesn't really suit two-up touring so he's bought a Victory. So the Bonnie has become surplus.

Remember I haven't ridden for 15yrs or so, and my dodgy hips are older than they were back then. I just hadn't realised quite how inflexible they had become, though I should really have known. Getting my feet to the ground and back up again was awkward, to the extent at one stage we were planning alternative ways of getting the bike back home. Once in motion I had no problem. Slow turning was a doddle. In the end we decided to have him ride the bike to near the M6 while I followed in his pick-up. Then I hopped on, negotiated a couple of traffic lights, dropped on to the motorway, waved good bye and was on my way with a change of plan. I would now just cruise down the M6/M1/A509 in to Bedford. If worst came to worst and negotiating slow traffic in Bedford (notorious) became difficult I would just pull in to my ex-wife's place on the outskirts of town and park up there for the time being.

The reduced flexibility in my hips wasn't helped by the boots I had bought; the TCX X-Blend dual purpose boot. It has a heel so I couldn't really slide my foot across the rests and occasionally the right heel got lodged behind the rest and braking became jerky. Maybe not a problem for those with standard hips, but a real p1$$er for me with sub-optimal flexors. I won't be using these for biking again.

In the event I made two stops on the motorway to relieve the discomfort on my arse on a 90 mile journey at 50mph-ish most of the way. My sit bones do not like this seat (those gel underpants are def next on the list). I was wearing gel cycling shorts underneath, but the padding is in the wrong place for motorbiking. Getting on and off in the car parks was awkward but achieved whilst getting away was accomplished with increasing dexterity and confidence - still not particularly good though. I was able to comfortably make progress 'between the lanes' in slow moving and stationary traffic. On the A509 I left extra room between me and the vehicles in front and was easily able to slow crawl all the roundabout queues bar one where I had to put my foot down. The outskirts of Bedford had the usual long line of stop-go go-slow traffic queue and not enough room to make progress, so I left extra room from the boot of the car in front so that most of the time I could judge a continuous slow crawl ... right up until the left turn at lights 50 yards or so from home, where I stalled with both feet down at the Pelican crossing 30 yards or so from the main junction lights.

Overall impression? Not a motorway bike. Cruising at 60mph was okay, but 70mph behind the Dart fly screen was not very pleasant - doable but not enjoyable. How that all changed on the twisty A509. Those bends were seamless and a joy on this nimble and responsive little beaut. I'm going to have to try different settings on the shocks to find the best for me, but I'd be happy as is atm. The sound from the 2-in-1 exhaust when gunned is how a motorbike should sound, and throbbing along at 50mph was just a delight. So now I have a real incentive to do flexibility exercises for my hips daily, and to get that physiotherapy done (already signed up for NHS treatment), so should be in the next few months hopefully. Tomorrow I'm off to a local business park (empty Saturdays) to practice low speed and stop-start maneuvering. I'll be wearing my Meindl flat-soled walking boots for now, and another pair of cycling shorts that have much more generous gel padding.

So, to cut a long story short (eventually), this bike is an absolute cracker. It might take a few moths before I can really take her out on some long runs, maybe not until Spring, due to the sclerosis in my hips needing treatment to loosen it all up, but soooo pleased I bought my bonny wee Bonnie.

 

Hi ade, cheers, and I do have ibufen gel on prescription as an anti-inflamatory so really should start using it again. There isn't any strain with either or both feet down. The problem is mobility and flexibility - just negotiating my feet around the pegs basically. I just did not consider that would be a problem. I never had this issue when fitter, and just hadn't realise how decrepit I have become. X-rays show sclerosis of hips and lower back. May need hip replacement but trying physio first. Hopefully that will give me a greater range of movement. A problem is that for many years past now I have done little walking and much cycle riding (plus free weights and body weight exercise). So there is some repetitive strain and muscle memory issues to. Cycling is not problem or strain so I just did not give any thought to the lower limb flexibility you need to ride with an engine. Soooo, gonna get those stretches done to start loosening things up a bit, plus slow maneouvre practice to re-progamme some muscle memory.

 

• @Dave. Cheers. How does the Air Hawk compare to the comfort seat? Do you know?. The bars are Norman Hyde, a little lower than the standard and nicer looking. I brought the originals back with me so will try them to see how that feels for sure. Lower pegs seems def a good idea. Atm it feels a little cramped down there. btw, for a more comfortable seat I'd be happy with a solo, as I have no intention of ever taking a pillion rider.

 

I've been checking out the comfort seat option and am taken by the Corbin manufacturer guff. Various configurations too.

 

Will do crispey. Re: replacement seat I see that the Tourtecs one rebuilds on the original frame, so the bike would be seatless for up to three weeks. It's theapest option though. I've also emailed for more details of ones made by Dave Burton and Norman Hyde, and for UK prices for the Corbin, the most expensive.

 

that's what you get using a cheep spill chucker