MOT

Testing Times

Shadowfax came with an MOT put on him by MGM motorcycles on the day I bought him and Tax I'd bought only minutes before; insurance was just a phone call away. A year later and all three costs coincide with a needed 16,000-mile service and only 5-weeks following the last expensive rear puncture. Testing times indeed.

The Bennets Insurance I raved about last year has shot up to over £300: that's over a 50% increase and I know I am not alone. Utter thriving bastards! On phoning them it seemed my milage did for me, too. Although I am gaining experience with every mile each one penalises me as a higher risk. Bastards, again. So, if I ride 1000 miles in 3 trips over a year I'm less a risk? Fine, obviously the fact I'm "new" to the bike each ride has no stock in this? Idiotic.

I digress, but I'm also pleased to not I had 3 quotes from £135 to £175 FC; not bad and they come with similar packages and a lower excess than Bennets. I follow this lead up tomorrow.

Anyway, back to the MOT. I had thought to get this done by the nice man on the A33 just North of BStoke but Shadowfax was fast approaching a service date (and need, too) so I needed somewhere I could trust and the only place I know that also offers loan bike was Portsmouth Motocycles; the main Honda dealer for these parts. "I need a service". Bloke checks records from last visit. "you need a 16,000-mile service". Fine, I accept knowing this is not cheap. "I'll need a bike with a full fairing and none of that 600cc crap, either", I demand materfully. And it's agreed.

I arranged a late start and finish with work and dropped Shadowfax off at 8:30am and pick up a pig-ugly transformeresque hooligan of a bike; a CB1000R. Black, with a freaking fairing no bigger than my helmet - and no discussing which - and an adolescent attitude demanding a riding style of the BMX.

The hooligan.

We (Billy and I) cautiously rode off to the A3 West but let rip on the M27. 90mph came up quickly and somewhat violently but had me hanging off the bars, head dragged back alarmingly, and Behring gear flapping with incredible drag and 70mph was re-sought for safety reasons. We played though and Bily remained in what felt like a permanent state of wheelie the entire trip. Although feeling quick we really made very slow progress. There's no point to such a bike, the engine is fantastic with a note in harmony with my racing pulse and 6000rpm left in 5th gear at 80mph but I just couldn't enjoy it. It was just far too blowy without some protection on the front. By the Junction 11a I had to peel off onto the A32 as motorway speeds were impossible and I valued my head being attached to my shoulders!

We rode together for 2-days. Although due to return the little bugger back to PMs on the 2nd evening a meeting overan and the rain was near Biblical. We crawled home; it felt like the back end was near constantly stepping out on the rain soaked tar macadam and without any protection I was dazed by the water not clearing from my visor. My arse got wet.

Billy's Badge

Although a fun change I couldn't put up with that thing much but I do see the attraction. It was like riding a lightweight ST in 2nd to 3rd gear all the time (we know that feeling).

Anyway, the MOT. Yes, it went well. The mechanic replaced corroded exhaust brackets that gave Ian trouble a couple of months back before he bought his £12k BMW RT1200 Ltd Ed and I didn't mind. Sensible process, after all.

We were advised to replace the 12,000-mile worn front tyre (soon) and that was it. Of course, I'd spent the previous evening taking Shadowfax's cowling apart to swap back out the HID lamp for a halogen H4 and I need to reinstall the thing, but ce la vie when UK Law is so out of date on that matter.

There was a thread on ST-owners.com about the memories of the fist ride on an ST. tTis was bouncing through my mind as soon as I swapped back to Shadowfax and positively flew up the A3 to RV with the B3020 through stunning villages and divine lavender fields. Shadowfax can do everything Billy did but in some style. 95mph was effortless; on Billy, that'd be the edge of his useful envelope! The ST is firmer, stronger, and has far superior power over the CB1000R and it has a fairing a d screen! I haven't smiled like that for a while; a right cheeky grin at how fast Shadowfax can be - and forgiving in the Twisties.

So glad to have him back!

Anyway, photos may follow once we get a new ISP but that's another story.

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