the last day of june

And the sun was a demon! (with thanks to Bobby Goldsboro)

Well it shone for most of the day and I went out and rode my bike. Did about 150 miles and loved every one of them. Jeremy Clarkson asked, on Top Gear once, "if bikers can go out and ride for fun then why can't normal people?"

Well, he'll need to get a bike if he wants to find the answer to that one. I would never even think of going out in the tin box and, with no real purpose other than going nowhere in particular, just drive.

It really is true what they say. 

"It's not getting there which matters, but how you travel."

summer

It's back!

But, as this is Scotland, who knows for how long? So tomorrow, I think I'd better get on the bike and put some miles behind me.

I got my goggles the other day and they really do make a difference. I decided on a pair of Davida  Aviator Pilot T2 which can be worn with spectacles. They're not quite so easy to wear as the half visor I had on the jet helmet but as that wont fit on the speedster another solution had to be found. I was riding with just my specs but that wasn't too secure feeling and the dust and insects just kept on getting in my eyes. I had bought a pair of padded reactive sun glasses and could have got the insert glazed to my prescription but somehow they didn't sit right on my face. Also, they didn't react quite as quickly as I would have liked but I'm probably being just a touch too expectant with that!
At least with the goggles I can wear my own specs and change to sunspecs when needed.
So I'm now looking forward to a good day out. Fingers crossed the weather stays dry.

running again

Got the jackets and one of them, an older style wolf leathers, fits great. It's a really heavy weight and good quality jacket and I'm pleased that I persevered and kept on buying. Now I'll just have to put the spare one back on e-bay.

So, I have been getting out and about on the bike again. Running up the miles while the sun shines. Even got to use the pillion pad for the first time last Saturday on a 40 mile ride up to the Trossachs. First time I've carried a passenger on the Harley and the power in the engine and the balance of the bike makes it feel as though there's no-one else there. Or, maybe she fell off and I was on my own!!

Now I've got my helmet and jacket sorted out, what's next?

Oh yes, goggles. After all - I've already bought the carb! (More on that when it arrives.)

safety first

I'm still waiting to get another leather jacket. I've bought two from e-bay with the hope that one of them will be suitable. Both in fit and in quality and some thing I can be happy wearing. If I do get one I'll put the other back up for sale.

Meanwhile, I am still riding my bike, albeit only for short journeys. I wore a combat jacket the other evening because I was going out for a slightly longer ride (15 miles approx). It was just too loose and was flapping about and the sleeves rode up constantly. My denim jacket was not much better and even though it's the middle of June, the cold got through! Wearing either, I'm so aware of a feeling of vulnerability. I think I've just been wearing leathers for so long I can't get used to not having that protection. It's a bit like us who are (almost) too young to remember not wearing helmets, or seatbelts in cars. We are just too used to it.

Hopefully though, I will have a leather in the next few days. Especially as the weather looks like its getting better and I just want to get out.

helmet fitting

One thing that I have got (and it fits!) is a new open faced Davida helmet. I just couldn't put up with the Classic Jet I have been wearing for the past twelve months. It was a nightmare to put on and take off and wasn't too comfortable when I was wearing it either.

I have gone for a speedster which is almost as well made as the Jet but doesn't meet the same safety standards. I'm sure it was sold as meeting Nordic safety standards as recently as last year but now the sellers don't mention them at all.

The jet was an XL and was a tight fit in some places, around my upper jaw and the back of my head. It was also very loose aroung the temple and would slip down causing pain in the back of my neck.

The Speedster is a large which is the size I would normally take and it was also ordered according to my actual head measurements (60cm).

The cool thing about it is that I no longer look like a spaceman wearing it!

Now I just need a jacket.