Shadowfax-ST Blog

An opportunity to pop out for a quick spin while Ka slept off nights and the kids seemed occupied well enough to make an escape possible. First up; donning. I think it's great you can get togged up with the chin guard up out the way and there was none of this balancing a helmet on the seat stuff; just donned, secured, and ready. I didn't use my ear plugs in order to guage how quiet the lid actually is and I did have some trouble sliding my glasses over my ears without entanglement, or other somewhere withing the lining. More practice required, I guess, but later the lenses rode up off my nose and gave me double vision looking to the instruments. It sorted out later, but was a little distracting for a while. On starting up it was obvious the helm is not a magical noise cancelling device, but sounds were certainly muffled in the high range. Normally, with the HJC all of Shadowfax's sounds are crystal; with the BMW it was just, well, diminished. I started off with all...

New LId The quest for a Shuberth just evaporated. We planned to get to Helmet City in West Bay, Bridport but I guessed I should at least cover all my bases and check out the Bahnstormer BMW outlet up by Alton, first. The kids behaved long enough for a patient bloke to talk me through the various features of the BMW Motorrad System 6 helmet. It pinched my temples a touch but has all the features of the Shuberth C3 without the pain in the cheeks...and a few quid less, t'boot. I looked longingly at the fluorescent yellow one on display and idly said, “I like that”. “I have one in your size”, the chappy retorted. So we had a look. Nice. Next we skipped out back into the car and headed to Alton to turn around – mainly for some time to think. The BMW sure looked neat, and 'should' wear in on the temples (already improved on second fitting) and it has the internal sun visor. But, I see no real need for a flip-front and could get a cheaper and as quiet helmet full-face – ligh...

Duff LED One of the LED positioning lights has failed - although its 3 side-facing LEDs are operable, the forward facing one seems to have fried. I don't really need to replace it as I always ride with the HIDs on, but its going to be one of THOSE niggles, I'll bet. Here's the good one for comparison: Oh, and yes, I know he's filthy with bug juice again but its really difficult to keep on top of it.

Meeting the Clan What's this prejudice I've held for the Pan-Clan? Well, I guess they present themselves in an exclusive way – its not being free membership, and what have you. That and I'm not used to clubs. I also have trouble with the magazine and web designs, but thats the same for almost everything except National Graphic, which I love and enjoy a subscription kindly given for my Birthday last year. So, what's better than to face your prejudices to make them opinions than to go meet the crowd. I left work late to time my arrival at the middle-of-nowhere pub location on time and briefed my Wife I'd like as not be home early if I needed to excuse myself. On arrival I parked up and lurked while a couple of couples and a mad man on a Norton 850 'electric start' invited me to sit on his prize. (It felt like my old Sanya, Phut-Phut, but I didn't let on). After introducing myself I recognised the bloke from HG who'd given me a Pan-Clan leaflet a f...

Recognition at Service Shadowfax and I took a reluctant hop over to Portsmouth Motorcycles to pick up some oil , a filter, and rear pads it being calculated by my poorly tired old head Shadowfax was due a 8,000 mile service that very day. The mirror cowls held but I was paranoid they'd part company – so I had taken extra precaution to check their retainers would retain. I was given the speedo for Shadowfax's last 16,000 mile service by the parts guys; 76,366. Today was showing 82,738 – only 6,405 miles since service. Oh, well. The Sun was out and Shadowfax hasn't had much attention lately. Taking a quick look at helmets on the way out with my carrier and a bloke says, “is that your white Pan out there?” Now, last time I had a Pan-Clan leaflet thrust in my mits – so I'm cautious; “Yes?” “I'm PompeyAndy off the forum – you're Shadowfax!” Wow. I've not been recognised before. Oh, the joy: my id! (Funny, I thought all that forum nonsense was an experimen...

Eager to fit The pair of replacement mirror cowls arrived today – Karen was woken from night duty slumber to the thumping of the postie, Bless. They're not as good a nick as I'd have liked ideally, but both are much better than Shadowfax's original ones in that I don't need to worry about spraying. I couldn't wait to fit them and instantly dug the existing cowls off and slung the 'new' ones on having swapped over the amber lenses, and fitted retainer straps to them. Hmm. Neither of them seemed to house properly. Still, they're on – but now the contrast between Shadowfax's new beard of flies caught from multiples of 'bug storms' against the cleaned (by me 5-minutes ago) cowls just fitted. Still, they need to come off for the service tomorrow, I rationalised, so can sort their fitting out properly then.

Popham Bacon Butty Run Peter W organised another meet at Popham on the Sunday. To be honest, as much as I was up for it leading up to the weekend, by the time Sunday morning had come round I was dead beat. The alarm didn't need to go but the grey light of a dank day did little to rouse me from my slumbers. In the end I was showered and out of the door in just under 30-min and running late from the moment my feet were dried. I'd planned to ride up the back ways behind Winchester avoiding (at all costs) the motorway. With time pressed I had no choice but to bomb it up the damp and drizzly M3 and A34. One bonus, it being so cold, and all that, is that I was able to give my ST-Owners Coldest Ride T-shirt a run. Very smart. I enjoyed showing it off. Shadowfax shows 7th at -9C. Cool. Of course, since lumping Shadowfax with his top box again 'bomb it' should cap out at 80mph. My recall of the box's destabilising effects in the wind kept us steady as far as Hedge ...