Why are the roads round here so poop :(

[hongman]

So today I went for a ride after my valve clearence attempt failed, make the most of some alone time with the bike :D

Last time I rode was the trackday and of course the tarmac was perfect.

So off I go blatting round some country roads, a mix of ones I know and some that I dont, and the prominent thought in my head "Fck me I feel like I'm on a a bucking bronco"

I was really "in the zone" today and riding a bit harder than I normally do, but even on the roads I do know I never remembered them being so bumpy.

I put it down to 3 things:

1. Re-accustoming myself from nice smooth tarmac to normal bumpy potholed roads
2. Stock suspendies
3. Yeah still need to change my fork oil...

Have "booked" my mate in for next weekend (bet it ****es it down) to help me do the forks.

No real point to this post actually, come to think of it...

Oh, and it seems the front caliper has decided to eat my pads after the trackday. They felt a bit pants so I took a look...yep, not much left on them. Lets hope the recent caliper rebuild pays off and its a 5 min job ;)

Enjoy the rest of the sun people!

[G]

The roads are rubbish everywhere, and over congested.

[hongman]

Ah yeah, that too.

The amount of nice cornerss that I had to tip toe round becuase of cars in the way :(

Was a decent ride overall though, I dont normally explore. Found some nice roads. Couldnt tell you where they were though haha.

[L3nny]

I had exactly the same problem, gave it some overtaking my mate, probably doing about a ton in second gear and hit a bump causing a massive tank slapper. How I kept it upright I'll never know.

[hongman]

Hehe. Only had 1 proper slapper in my time so far, and that was on an overtake too. I tend to be overly precarious on overtaking on corners, more so than my normal riding would have most believe!

Apparently my mate saw a ZX9R earlier, overtook about 8 cars, flicked the clutch for a wheelie and instead the back end slipped out and nearly highsided him! Had to giggle, showboating gone wrong :D

[Littlepeahead]

I've done 100 miles via Tiptree, Colchester, and the back roads of Sudbury today on my bike. Yesterday I was pillion up to Finchingfied and through Clare and out the back of Witham. I thought the roads were not too bad considering the winter we've had. There were a few moments I didn't enjoy - a roe deer running out in front of us and a car and then a van coming round bends on the wrong side of the road.

If you are still in Harlow then the road from off the A414 from the Talbot Pub out to Great Dunmow is a good one.

[hongman]

Oo, Sudbury (thorugh it) where I normally go on a Sunday rideout.

Funnily enough thats one of the roads I took LPH. I started off at Harlow, thorugh Sheering, and out towards the Rodings, took a right towards Fyfield/Ongar, out at A414, nipped through North Weald and back, and onto the A414 to a mate's BBQ just to say hello.

[leebex]

I've done 100 miles via Tiptree, Colchester, and the back roads of Sudbury today on my bike.

The back roads from maldon through to mersea, then onto colchester are fantastic, best in the evenings when less traffic, tends to spoil a ride out.

[xXBADGERXx]

I must admit I wasn`t impressed with Essex for good roads when I lived in Romford , then I started hitting up some of the places mentioned here and I had some fun . Don`t forget this last Winter has turned a fair amount of Tarmac into scabby surfacing and a lot of it can interrupt your flow . So adapt and survive my man ;)

[hongman]

I dont have a choice unless I move to Wales or Scotland!

[Bluefish]

went to manchester today in the car, and on the way back came across a hole that can only have been caused by an asteroid, if you would have been on a bike forget it, toast, lol.

[Messie]

Oi Hongman! They are no better or worse than anywhere else so stop dissing Essex!

I find the bad surfaces and holey bits ( not religious) a source of fun - they help to keep your observations sharp and can encourage some creative chicaning.

Since finally getting the little black beast back on the road yesterday afternoon, I've travelled many miles on our lovely Essex roads, and they are not that bad.

The track day has spoiled you! ;)

[hongman]

The track day has spoiled you! ;)

I reckon it has you know. It's also made me how crap my front is and the urgency to sort it. I reckon if I find my funds allowing, it wont be too long before a GSXR front goes on.

The roads in Wales (AR) were amazing compared to the ones I rode the other day. I hear Scotland is just as good! Maybe I am just finding the wrong roads to play on :D

[keith_d]

I've just come back from a day riding the roads of Essex and they're fine, lots of tricky little B-roads and the occasional Z bend to keep you on your toes. It's me that's knackered.

[xXBADGERXx]

I reckon it has you know. It's also made me how crap my front is and the urgency to sort it. I reckon if I find my funds allowing, it wont be too long before a GSXR front goes on.

The roads in Wales (AR) were amazing compared to the ones I rode the other day. I hear Scotland is just as good! Maybe I am just finding the wrong roads to play on :D

Mate , a set of Maxton springs and some 15w oil can work wonders on that front end you know without throwing mega bucks at it .

And the AR spoilt you a bit feller , we still have pot holes and scabby surfaces to deal with over the rest of the country . Your just pining for that perfect day my man ...................... the same as the rest of us

[jonny.boyd]

Roads are bad everywhere, looks like councils are starting to 'patch' up the roads a bit, repairs that will last for a few months most probably before an even larger hole appears in said place.... :p

[orose]

It's a massive problem nationwide - it sounded like a lot when it was announced that an extra 100 million pounds was being shared out to sort the damage from the winter (on top of the same amount last year), but a recent survey suggests that winter 2009-10 did about 360 million pounds worth of damage. Adding winter 2010-11 on top of that will soak that extra up in no time flat.

(Survey: http://www.alarm-survey.co.uk/alarm.asp)

[hongman]

And all the fun roads will be the last to get repaired no doubt as they sustain less traffic...!

[hongman]

Well, just back from a nice rideout, and I retract my previous statement. It seems I just dont know which bloody roads to go on!

B-roads all the way to Boreham, then again to Southend. Milled about a bit sweating my bollox off and catching a tan, then the same on the way back with a few detours.

Wish I'd remembered to use that MCN rider thing. Never remember to turn it on!

[carelesschucca]

The roads are rubbish everywhere, and over congested.

You should get up to the west coast of Scotland my man, roads were empty over the last couple of days and smooth. we even got some sunshine.

I dont have a choice unless I move to Wales or Scotland!

Do it you won't regret it (well the roads anyway)... I've done 500 miles in the last two days two up from Glasgow to the Skye area and its been great...

Come up for this years GM and ride some proper roads...