I have decided...

..not to replace the SV with another bike for the rest of this year.

The decision is partly financial- it's only £10 a week more than petrol (and that's not allowing for further price hikes!!) to get the train and it hasn't really made too much difference on my life, plus servicing and tyres/chain & sprockets are an expense that I'd have to factor in.

Also, with only having £1350 and a time pressure on the insurance to get it treated as a change of bike, rather than new policy, I'm kind of feeling I won't get something I can really be proud of- so I'm going to use the cash elsewhere and look at making my finances a bit easier for the rest of the year.

I'm sort of sad about it but not at the same time-it really feels like the right decision. If I can't replace the Yellow Peril right now with something I can love equally (but not have to keep paying out for!), it seems a good idea to bide my time (plus bike prices are on the up for summer- can't find anything I'd consider within 100 miles of here and it would involve borrowing- something I would rather avoid).

But I'll still be sticking around here to enjoy the banter cos you lot are great. and there'll probably be a few SV bits up for sale in the near future.

I am hedging my bets on getting a decent bonus at year end to facilitate purchase of a new set of wheels- but it'll also still be winter prices hopefully!

It's funny- while I had the bike, I never thought I'd think like this. But I do!!

So there!

It isn't goodbye... more Au revoir!

Yerabsolutely right!

It's a consolation that some of the insurance money is going to a new guitar.

And some to clear the finance on the bed I got last year. That and cancelling another regular payment (Kung Fu membership I barely use), I reckon I'll have a bit more cash to play with over the next few months...

Think this is the year to step back and sort a few things out...

Good thinking.
There's nothing wrong with stepping out of the game for a while, but just a shame it's when the nice weather is coming.

I'm sure I'll have a few moments when the nice weather is about, but hey- got to accept a choice when it's made.

It amuses me how many people around me are relieved that I've not got a bike. Its' no reflection on me- though I did crash into a car!, but it's close friends who care and colleagues who just reject bikes as dangerous full stop!

I do wonder if there's something in the back of my mind about the crash that's made me hold off bikes for a bit, but there you go...