Kent 8 Sunday - 25th April 2010

[Rocketman]

Thats one hell of an avatar by the way

Yep,the BoB monument suits me,looking forward to the ride and more-so the company.

love and kisses to the boss lady

Steve

[Big Ears]

Aye!

[BarryCello]

Aye !

[Royl]

Aye 

[poldark]

Aye Cap'n!

[westy]

Aye from me.

[mdk1]

Aye.

[JohnnyFP]

Aye..

[johnp]

I'll join in then Aye!

[spannerman]

Aye

[smurph]

 AYE

[JJ]

So going by the "Ayes"

We have:

Darek
MDK1
Mike (who has already booked a bed at my place)
Alice
Rocket
Colin
Barry
Roy
Poldark
Westy
JohnF
JP
MickT
Spanners
Smurph
Jules ( Who doesn't get a choice in the matter)

and Me

17 Bikes.... of which;

10 will be Burgmans
3 will be Silverwings
2 will be GP800's

Completed by 2 X9's

How it all changes over time.

When I started the Kent rides back in 2003, there were 19 X9's present, plus a TMax and a Kawasaki ( which had to have a dispensation to join the - at the time - exclusive X9 ride).

Out of the list above, there are only six people left who rode that day ( Barry doesn't count as he was in a car at the time).


Anyway

Anyone else... Jim, Laurie?

JJ

[jimc]

I'm still going to be on the way back from Wales - but I look forward to the ride reports and the pictures.

[JJ]

You'll be missed Jim.

I see you can't make the WB briefing on Sunday either ...busy diary already!

JJ

[Allan Crawley]

Yup, still up for this so does that make 3 Xp's?  By the way some good twisty lanes through the Alkham valley around the back of the BOB.

cheers

allan

[loonymoon]

I might be able to come but can't definitely commit, problem is I'm at a bikesafe the weekend before, a party the week before that, neither of which Jas is going to so he may be feeling a bit neglected and want to do something with me (ooo err... ummmm that sounded bad!) on that day.

[poldark]

I might be able to come but can't definitely commit, problem is I'm at a bikesafe the weekend before, a party the week before that, neither of which Jas is going to so he may be feeling a bit neglected and want to do something with me (ooo err... ummmm that sounded bad!) on that day.

Surely he could manage to wait till you get back!  

[JJ]

Yup, still up for this so does that make 3 Xp's?  By the way some good twisty lanes through the Alkham valley around the back of the BOB.

cheers

allan

Always good to see you Alan.

Any other routing suggestions around that neck of the woods?

Try and get there Carmen. We can all stand around your new bike going Ooooooowwww

[loonymoon]

Try and get there Carmen. We can all stand around your new bike going Ooooooowwww

Well at least it's make a change from Grey/silver burgers...

[spannerman]

Do you know the Cobtree cafe, Maidstone see map, http://www.hotfroguk.co.uk/Companies/Cobtree-Snack-Bar-Cafe
Could be a better and quicker starting point, also the Badgers Hill Farm and Cidery,  http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/map_details.asp?siteID=125
Could be a good half way stop to Folkestone.

[poldark]

Do you know the Cobtree cafe, Maidstone see map, http://www.hotfroguk.co.uk/Companies/Cobtree-Snack-Bar-Cafe
Could be a better and quicker starting point, also the Badgers Hill Farm and Cidery,  http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/map_details.asp?siteID=125
Could be a good half way stop to Folkestone.

Dave,

If Badgers Hill is added to the itinerary could I bring any empty container for the bulk Cider purchase you were talking about, or do you have to buy their container first and only then have a refill option?   

[BarryCello]

Eagerly awaiting your answer Spanners !!!   

[spannerman]

Barry
Just waiting for JJ ideas, in the mean time Captain Darling has just got wind of the rideout and has added 10% to the tax on cider.

[smurph]

Well at least it's make a change from Grey/silver burgers...

There Mettalic , {ahem }

 can we put the date on the subject  Title ,please 

 

 

[JJ]

Date's in Title.

Planning for Kent 8 has taken a backward step this week.

Colin and I were due out on the road yesterday for a pleasant day of riding and recce, how ever I instead spent the day in casualty.

"What's the silly sod done now", I hear you ask. Long story..... get a tea and a biccie and I'll begin.

Having hit the eight and a half k mark on my Burger, I took it into the dealer for it's 3rd service on Tuesday. After the usual banter and a reminder to look at the wheels with a view to a warranty claim, it was time to depart.

"What do you fancy, a 650 or a 1200 Bandit". No contest really, seeing as how I had the former as a loan bike last time and found it peaky. Brand new, with only 155 miles on the clock, I was shown over The bike and warned that the tyres needed some heat in them to perform.

Looked down at the controls of a bike with a larger engine than my car - no temp gauge, no heated grips or seats, no screen of any description and absolutely no storage - maxi's spoil us for other bikes I'd say.

Anyway, set off home, quickly getting the hang of gears again and it was all going well.......... until about a mile from home a white van shot out of a side turning ahead of me.

I moved into the centre of the road to avoid him and at the same time pulled in the rear brake lever....except it wasn't, it was a clutch lever. Pulling in the clutch removed the engine braking I had and the bike started rolling faster. I then grabbed a handfull of the front brake lever instead - did I mention that unlike my Burger his bike hasn't got ABS either - the front wheel hit a patch of gravel in the middle of the road, locked solid and down I went.

Whit van dissapears into the distance and I'm on the floor.

Lots of car drivers stopped to ask if I was OK but no one had the git's reg no.

I picked the bike up, pushed it to the pavement and managed to restart it, rode it home and called the dealer........


to be continued - as Jules has a job for me to do.