Today didn't pan out quite as expected.
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:19 pm
Any ride that gets you home without tarmac surfing or sudden deceleration events is a good ride. However there are some days and rides that make you think “Should have stayed in bed”……
Today the RT has been ungrateful, considering it was MOT and Road5GT day. Battery had had a little top up in the week, thanks to C19 its done few miles this year.
It all went downhill after I took the bike out of the garage, locked it up and went to get kitted up [ flats and garage block]. Weather is like being in a cloud, warm and 99.9% humidity – melting as I reach the bike.
Talk to neighbour (forgetting the disk lock is on – you know where this is going)
Start bike – it won’t blip from idle, this causes it to stall – that’s new!, put it down to forgetting the idle sync throttle stuff after having the battery off as it seems to clear. Pull off, travel 2 feet, stop suddenly and the RT decides to have a rest and a little lay down [See disk lock]. With only some twinges from making it a controlled drop, there was no stopping it, I picked it up and went to sort the disk lock, introducing the sleeve of my jacket to the hot down pipe. Hello hole.
Check the bike over and head off for MOT. Cross Surrey, some narrow lanes, gravel, mist, rain, steamed glasses, ¾ of the way there some nutter started shouting in my helmet “You are ****ing mad I can’t see a thing”, 30 mph can be exciting.
Bike passes the MOT no problem, go home, no problem. Head out for my tyre appointment (a thing since C19),after 10 miles I see “Brake failure”. A bit of a test reveals plenty of brake but no ABS. Get tyres fitted, head home. Oh now I’ve got the warning triangle as well now. Six miles from home, 30 miles range showing fuel warning came on, two miles later I ran out of fuel with 28 miles range showing. Rude words were said, only a mile outside local town so I phone a local taxi company for a pickup, petrol station visit and return to start. Short story after 90 mins and 2 Taxi companies saying they can’t find a big blue BMW and a six foot bloke on a main A road given the name of the side road that I am standing next to, one claiming it join the A road. Even Bing maps can find it! I decide FTFAGOS I need to rescue myself, lock bike, pick up helmet, jacket, trousers, tank bag and head off. An hour later I’m back at the bike, melting, thinking next time take some trainers bike boots aren’t made for walking. Add petrol, start bike, swear at it doing the only just idling and won’t increase in revs thing for a bit again, ride home.
Tomorrow I shall be shining a bright light in the RT’s face and asking it some hard questions, well plugging in the GS911 and seeing what it says.
Tonight: Long soak in the bath.
I still enjoyed the bits of the ride between the bits that didn’t go well.
Today the RT has been ungrateful, considering it was MOT and Road5GT day. Battery had had a little top up in the week, thanks to C19 its done few miles this year.
It all went downhill after I took the bike out of the garage, locked it up and went to get kitted up [ flats and garage block]. Weather is like being in a cloud, warm and 99.9% humidity – melting as I reach the bike.
Talk to neighbour (forgetting the disk lock is on – you know where this is going)
Start bike – it won’t blip from idle, this causes it to stall – that’s new!, put it down to forgetting the idle sync throttle stuff after having the battery off as it seems to clear. Pull off, travel 2 feet, stop suddenly and the RT decides to have a rest and a little lay down [See disk lock]. With only some twinges from making it a controlled drop, there was no stopping it, I picked it up and went to sort the disk lock, introducing the sleeve of my jacket to the hot down pipe. Hello hole.
Check the bike over and head off for MOT. Cross Surrey, some narrow lanes, gravel, mist, rain, steamed glasses, ¾ of the way there some nutter started shouting in my helmet “You are ****ing mad I can’t see a thing”, 30 mph can be exciting.
Bike passes the MOT no problem, go home, no problem. Head out for my tyre appointment (a thing since C19),after 10 miles I see “Brake failure”. A bit of a test reveals plenty of brake but no ABS. Get tyres fitted, head home. Oh now I’ve got the warning triangle as well now. Six miles from home, 30 miles range showing fuel warning came on, two miles later I ran out of fuel with 28 miles range showing. Rude words were said, only a mile outside local town so I phone a local taxi company for a pickup, petrol station visit and return to start. Short story after 90 mins and 2 Taxi companies saying they can’t find a big blue BMW and a six foot bloke on a main A road given the name of the side road that I am standing next to, one claiming it join the A road. Even Bing maps can find it! I decide FTFAGOS I need to rescue myself, lock bike, pick up helmet, jacket, trousers, tank bag and head off. An hour later I’m back at the bike, melting, thinking next time take some trainers bike boots aren’t made for walking. Add petrol, start bike, swear at it doing the only just idling and won’t increase in revs thing for a bit again, ride home.
Tomorrow I shall be shining a bright light in the RT’s face and asking it some hard questions, well plugging in the GS911 and seeing what it says.
Tonight: Long soak in the bath.
I still enjoyed the bits of the ride between the bits that didn’t go well.