Shadowfax-ST Blog

Pan Clan South Central Christmas run (New Forrest) 3 bikes and 4 members attended the Pan Clan Christmas ride out through the New Forrest organised by Peter. As much as it was a good ride through unfamiliar back roads (including a smidgeon between narrow tracts of ‘snice’ in the northern region) it was disappointing to ride in such a small group having expected a club ride. The video With my new toy I guess boring videos of rides are going to become a feature here. Oh, Lord! How boring are these things? Yes, I know. And here's already ANOTHER poor production, a hastily thrown together 14-minute's worth of travel illness. Sheesh. I think less is more - the next will not exceed 3-mins . I've published the video to YouTube - only my 2nd one and wanted it to last 15-min (YouTube's maximum) to check out upload times and what have you, which were long using my Son's underpowered PC and Virgin's sloath-like broadband. Mainly it is to give access to Peter asnd ...

Christmas Present Gosh. It's been a long time away from the bolg - what you get for working long days on a PC, I guess. But there's the holiday and Ka gave me a mini-cam to strap on to Shadowfax's wings to recod all these blizzards she doesn't believe in since the coast has thawed long before the Downs. This is my first You-Tube attempt. Judge not the quality or direction for it is a trial of position completed in darkness. Only celebrate that you may now join us once in a while in acidic viginettes set to make you travel sick at your desk.

So, I explain to the guy that sold me the BMW System 6 last week how, on Tuesday the helmet had leaked through the closed top vent and down the inside of the sun visor. He accepted I should be concerned and said that if it leaks he'll be happy to exchange it. "It does leak", I confirmed. "So, can we exchange it?" "No". He says, "I want to be sure it leaks". "It leaks". The argument was that despite my confirming the vent had been shut he wants me to ride through rain again, check it's shut, that it leaks; and he'll exchange. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE DONE THIS. I tried one more time and his body language became defensive and slippery. I am not happy. Right, fight on Bahnstormer. Fight on. And you're not only going to loose now, but I'm going to make it freaking cost you. Dumb nuts.

Shadowfax was transport of choice for an appointment in Camden Town today. It's the first time I've ridden through London and I wasn't sure what the filtering would be like. In the event it was difficult. We trundled up the A3 past the tunnel works at Devils Couldron and onto the M25 for M4 and an A4 entry; it seemed the thing to do and proved pretty timely compared to the boredom of a full on M3 assault. It wasn't easy to get through the queues at the M4/A4 interchange as the road narrows up, then there are the ubiquitous road works, and more in toward Piccadilly. Around that time I was concerned I'd make my meeting but once on Shaftsbury Avenue things hotted up. A Street View recce in Google Maps gave me an idea of my turn in to Lion Square and we seemed to ride on instinct because of such good intel. I had feared spending an hour searching for a free motorcycle parking bay but I ended up with a choice. It was stupidly on a one-way cresc...

Leaky helmet The BMW Mororrad System 6 day-glo yellow modular helmet is a really superb piece of kit. I've grown quite attached to its colour and the modular feature (being able to open the chin and visor) is already proving useful. Head shake at speed, although not entirely subduing Shadowfax's buffeting, is a huge leap forward and with my ear plugs in its almost too quiet - most of the time. Fault 1: After the 15min light rain experienced on the way home out of Reading this evening I noticed a drip that left a trail in the dead centre of the visor - something I'd read about in a review and been reassured by the Bahnstormer sales guy had been cured in modification. Watching the drips land on the chin piece and drip down onto the chin skirt I realised that after less than an hour in a decent rain storm I'd have a wet chin, excess moisture for the 'pinlock' to deal with, and obscured vision. Another drip ran its course in front of my nose - then stopped - an...

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...