First ride of 2014? Had yours yet?

[otaylor38]

Decided to brave it and take the bike instead of the car this morning for the first time this year.

Enjoyed it once id stopped being so wooden (its been about a month or 6 weeks). Then had to stop myself from accidentally speeding everywhere, because its just too easy.

Enjoyed blasting past a 3.0 litre audi while he thought he could beat me (or atleast it looked that way haha) then filtered past miles of traffic.

Rather enjoyed it, kept a smile on my face :).

Any of you other non commuters been for one yet? :)

[dirtyred619]

Yeah took mine for a recall and a service about 2 weeks ago and enjoyed getting out for a day. Might very well be my first and only ride this year though as I've sold the bike now!

[Niall_farley]

Been out several times this year now :) 5/6 trips to work and a couple of runs out

[ClunkintheUK]

Apart from the commute, i've been for a couple of rides. One with my local IAM group and one last weekend round box hill area, cos I felt like it.

On the IAM my end can came loose just as we set of from the first meeting point. About 9am on a saturday and it sounded like I was raising hell. It was awesome...

[atassiedevil]

I'm out most weekends on either the SV or the VF. Always good fun :) Had a couple of good rideouts this year already.

[STRAMASHER]

Aye last Friday for 40mins. Pishing down and nearly froze my hands off. Road gloves all in the loft so MotoX gloves cos I thought I would just go visit the parents and back. 5mins.


Nope could not resist. Detour out onto the moors. Feckin sore as feck!...and dreaming of my old heated grips.


Anyway good thing is winter has not arrived yet. The non-stop rain is washing all the "salt" away. Happy days.

[Red ones]

Wusses. Daily commute. Sick of getting wet already.

[Littlepeahead]

Yep, rode 1600 miles last week!


I should point out that was on an ER6 round Thailand, a mixture of motorway, sweeping fast bendy roads, mentally tight steep twisties and some bits over mountains where they haven't even built the roads yet.

Then last night I had to pillion half a mile in a flimsy frock, heels and a long purple cashmere coat in the pouring rain to collect my car after a repair.

[joshwalker094]

My new sv got delivered Saturday 11th, took it for a 10 minute blast on motorway to realise speedo wasn't working.
Dealer took it straight back off me, and still waiting for the call to say its ready and arrange delivery.

[Niall_farley]

My new sv got delivered Saturday 11th, took it for a 10 minute blast on motorway to realise speedo wasn't working.
Dealer took it straight back off me, and still waiting for the call to say its ready and arrange delivery.


That's a right sh1tter that mate

[dizzyblonde]

Nope.



Apart from the fact we put ours under hibernation, I can't physically get the doors open on the aircraft hanger to get them out, or actually find them buried under the stuff we have in there due to the house being up for sale.


I don't mind tbh. I've done the all weather, all year round thing it no longer appeals and hasn't since I stopped working because of the kids.
There's plenty of entries in the diary for later in the year I'm looking forward to though! :D :thumleft:

[JulesW]

Hope to be out on Sunday, all that nasty salt has been putting me off but the weather might be ok over the weekend and I'll have time to clean her afterwards.

[kaivalagi]

I had some nice pleasure rides for the first 3 days of the new year...but not so much now

Now it's onto the pushy for the 4 mile each way commute in an attempt to get fit as well as freeing the SM-T up to give it a good once over...all the short distance commutes / hooliganism aren't the best for the bike to be fair. I just replaced the rear bearings due to one falling apart (after getting over liberal with degreaser I think), also stripped the brakes and have done a short term oil / oil filter change just to flush any cr4p out now it's up to almost 20K miles. It'll get a nice drop of fully synth and new filters once early spring gets here...I might even treat it to a nice K&N air filter and remove those baffles :)

Going for a ride tomorrow, not sure on which bike yet...if I don't get a ride in atleast once a week I get down ;)

[ZER0]

Been out 4 times in the last 12 days. That was when I bought my bike!

A couple of quick 40 min blasts, and a slightly longer one.

Been really cautious, especially on wet, slippy roundabouts. I haven't ridden since passing my test 4 1/2 years ago, so trying to be smooth, relaxed, and generally getting used to the bike and riding again.

I figure if I'm happy riding in the dark, rainy evenings on wet, slippy roads, I should be a better rider come summer. That's the theory anyway

[punyXpress]

On 1st: looked in on a local trial & ended up towing a solid-rear-end AJS about 15 miles home.
That buggered the average speed for the year so far, but I have a plan :D

[kaivalagi]

I figure if I'm happy riding in the dark, rainy evenings on wet, slippy roads, I should be a better rider come summer. That's the theory anyway
Sound thinking, once the roads dry and warm up you'll be full of confidence and lovin it.

[Mikey360]

Nope, been rebuilding the brakes since December -_-

Plus... it's not easy to escape to the garage when the lady of the house is expecting a baby any day now!

[DJFridge]

Only once, sadly. A nice one though. We got out last Saturday and had a really nice blast along the A27 as far as Lewes and then down to Newhaven and back along the coast road. Chilly, so a good test of Mrs DJF's Xmas present - heated grips :) - but gorgeous. Lovely clear afternoon with the sun slowly setting over the sea.

It would have been nice to be out more but the commute really wouldn't be worth it. The office is only a mile away - it would, quite literally, take longer to get my gear on than the ride itself.

[Citizen]

Was out last weekend around Boxhill & Newlands corner, good ride outs.

As long as it is dry and not icy I`m happy to be riding

[cb1000rsteve]

Used the cb just before Xmas but ride winter on a moped these days as it only costs £5 - £8 a week in fuel depending on how many shifts in a week I work. Can't wait for spring summer as there is a great twisty road on the commute to my work place which ain't out of my way.

[rb8989]

100 miles today on the supermoto with race wets, exploring the flooded lanes of essex and running a few errands. Great fun, pretty cold though.

[NTECUK]

Its fine this morning .Few bits of wash out from the fields to force car lines round bends is all

[WARDY25]

been out every weekend just about since passing in November, mixed conditions and all that adding to experience, roll on spring though when rest of mates are out

[kaivalagi]

Just got back from a 150 mile jaunt today, great fun until you get off the bike and see all the sh!t and salt all over it....

The only thing to watch out for right now are the piles of salt/grit sitting in the center of the back roads, even worse when all looks clear until you find some on a corner!! Makes you feel alive :)

[JulesW]

With Sunday fast approaching and a decent forecast for north east Wales I'm tempted by a trip out to Pistyll Rhaeadr and the B4936 Bala to Oswestry road combined with a look at the Horseshoe pass.

It's raining just now but will hopefully clear overnight and dry out by midday.

[rb8989]

Yep loads of salt. Sounded like it was raining sometimes, but it was the salt being flicked up by the front wheel.

I ride every day to work, but that was my first proper ride of the year.

[JulesW]

The salt makes me scared that the Suzuki will dissolve like a sugar lump in hot coffee. Maybe the overnight rain will wash most of the salt into the gutters.

[rb8989]

I am riding a british bike, if that didn't melt you'll be fine.

[JulesW]

I'm getting excited :cool:

[Ben Whitcher]

Picked up my new SV today after selling my last one which I duly regretted! 6 months without riding makes you realise how much you miss riding and the sound of a SV. Will know doubt go out tomorrow if the weather is good.

[Mrs DJ Fridge]

Roads still going an impression of lakes around here, so no bikes this weekend, don't fancy going round a corner and meeting a lake as I did today in the car.

[NTECUK]

Sunday.100 mile ride to the Silver Ball café Royston (A10),
Just for fun. tax disc applied for. Be the 675 's last. One

[Matt-EUC]

To work and back every day and about a 150mile ride (nearly) every Sunday.

[otaylor38]

Some of you guys are certainly alot more hardcore bikers than me! Haha.

I tend to wuss out abit and turn the heater up in the car this time of year. Because its cold, yes, but also cos i dont like getting the bike covered in grit. Iv sprayed it up with acf50 but it cant be as good as leaving it in the garage completely haha

Glad to hear your all doin plenty of riding and enjoying yourselves anyway!

[NTECUK]

To work and back every day and about a 150mile ride (nearly) every Sunday.

Not sure if Commuting is counted.
Chooseing to go to the café one thing
Having to clock in to keep the woolf from the door is different. ;)

[leebex]

Commuting still counts, your choosing to use your bike instead of another transport.1st ride was 2nd january, to work. Uneventful but way better than using my car. And I choose not to do rideouts so commuting will have to count lol

[Sir Trev]

At last - my first ride of the year is in the bag. Went to see how well the Thames flood waters were receding. T'was fast flowing and just about at the top of the banks at Cookham and Maidenhead and after a blat down the A4 and turning north at Reading I can confirm that the low lying bits of Oxfordshire still seem to be one big lake! Several of the side roads in that area heading towards the river were coned off which is not too surprising. Headed home via Henley and Marlow where the road passes beside the river at a few places and it looked pretty angry here too. Didn't stop for pics as it was getting cold...

Hope it warms up sooner than last year!!!

[JulesW]

Wow, that was freaking awesome. Fantastic ride to Y Bala, across the Berwyns towards Oswestry then on to Llangollen, Horseshoe Pass, Llandegla and home.

What a tonic, feel tired but great !

[JulesW]

A view from the B4391 with the snowy Berwyns in the background. Stunning scenery, stunning ride!

http://i.imgur.com/yjujW6W.jpg

[leebex]

wow a poster :smt082:smt082:smt082:smt082:smt082:smt082:smt082: smt082:smt082 super scenery though, just flat fields here in Essex.

[JLeo]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/20/ryqyvudu.jpg First ride of the year, hopefully get one in tomorrow if it stays dry :)

[otaylor38]

I like it!

Went out this evening around tea time, tried to get back before the gritters came out, but got caught short on well gritted roads about 20 mins from home. So abit miffed about my bike being covered in it.

However it was a good ride :). So much more fun than the car. Sick of getting stuck behind things in that haha

[joshwalker094]

That's a right sh1tter that mate

yes it is.

Finally got a call, speedo drive failed. They bring her back this wednesday :)

[Niall_farley]

yes it is.

Finally got a call, speedo drive failed. They bring her back this wednesday :)


Pretty quick turn around but a nuisance none the less! Back soon for a ride tho ey ;) fingers crossed it doesn't just happen again. Did they say why it failed?

[joshwalker094]

nope, havent told me why it failed.
only took them a week to fix it, longest week ever!!!
not long now, but with this shocking weather and road conditions, she'll be kept wrapped up till better times.