bladerunner

well i decided to get all 4 pulleys changed to be on the safe side,might cost a few quid but it would be a lot more expensive if one went and knowing my luck if i only changed one you could bet your life on another going within a few weeks.Over the years ive owned all sorts of jap bikes from all four manufacturers ranging from a CG125 to a ZX 12r and i can honestly say none of them made me as proud to own as the Ducati does.before i bought it i was considering another Fireblade,the one that looks like its been punched on the nose,but i wouldnt get the same feeling every time i open the garage door.I could sit and look at my Ducati for hours but its much more fun to ride it.yes its uncomfortable,hard on the wrists and shakes like a dog sh**ing razor blades around town but thats not what its made for,get it out on an open road and you soon realise what all the fuss is about.It was once said that true happines doesnt come from having what you want but from wanting what you have.

heard on the news this dinner time that someone turned up at a petrol station on thursday and tried to put petrol in some empty paint tins in the boot and even worse a woman tried to put some in empty jam jars.

fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight

to be honest the cost of servicing is about the same as a jap litre bike at a main dealer.my last service included valve clearances,timing belts,a new relay that is a known problem even though mine was still ok,and i also had a front sprocket guard fitted that protects the engine case if the chain breaks. the total was £480,I remember back in 2001 i had a service and valve clearances done on a ZX12r and that cost me £540.the big problem is you have to go to the main dealers for servicing whereas for jap bikes anybody can do it for £150.Reliability isnt such an issue these days either,they used to have a reputation for bad electrics but not any more.the breakdown of the service costs are £170 service,£200 valve clearances,£80 timing belts,£20 sprocket guard and £10 for the usual sundries.

Last sunday i was out on my freshly serviced Ducati and after i passed through Matlock Bath (which took about half an hour because of the traffic) I was sat at the lights at Cromford waiting to turn right towards Carsington water and the engine temperature is bouncing off the sky, I noticed a funny sort of tizzy kind of sound when i blipped the throttle.thought it might just be because it was so hot and when it cooled down it dissapeared but when it got hot it was back again so today i took it in to my "local" ducati dealer in lincoln about 50 miles away and he diagnosed a knackered camshaft pulley.seems like its a common problem, they make them out of plastic these days and if i hadnt caught it I might have ended up grenading my motor,spreading it allover the road.sum total of £130 i could have done without spending.

might try and get to this one.was supposed to be going to brands for the first BSB but it doesnt look like its going to happen.

someone once told me if you fall of at 30mph you slide for about 7 seconds and it only takes 4 seconds to get through the flesh and down to bone.

My mate Stu has just had a little off,no damage to him other than a bit of a scuffed knee but some damage to the bike.He had just had 2 new tyres fitted and took the bike out around the block just to make sure everything was ok.He didnt bother with all the kit just wore his dog walking jacket and jeans,came up to the first mini roundabout and the next thing he knows he's on the deck.Now Stu's no muppet he's been riding for about 20 years or so and knows only too well the dangers of new tyres but he says it just caught him out,just shows anybody can get caught out when you least expect it.So if anybody happens to have any bits for a 98 firestorm, he might be interested,looking for Quill or other cans,clutch cover,brake lever,and other such stuff that would get mullered on the right hand side.I'll try and get a full list off him when he calms down.

@Stue11 wrote:

@streetfighter wrote:

Mike i liked these two

That blonde lass i know very well its Laura Gurney, she rides an sv650 and she kick boxe's

Shes working for gearlink Kawasaki this year and her friends called Corrine Powell,she lives near me.

http://fatfingers.com/

these are in Bolton, http://www.megamotorcyclestore.co.uk/

these are in Doncaster http://www.jsaccessories.com/

Clay Cross http://www.cmcbikes.com/

and these are in Sheffield http://www.smcbikes.com/ but i would rather walk a thousand miles barefoot on broken glass than spend my money there.

@Grumpyowl wrote:

Those average speed cameras must be profitable in these austere times.



Why don't they just stop piddling about and drop it to 50 from 60 and have done with it ??

They have done in Derbyshire

anybody going?

http://www.classicshows.org/manchester2012/

I would go for a t touch http://www.watchshop.com/T-Touch-Watches.html?gclid=CJ_4i9L15K4CFS4NtAoduiOwwg
theyve got loads of gadgets on that your never going to use so in my book that makes them a winner

@BanditMike wrote:

Could be good, Ducati may start getting reliable and mechanically sound . Mind you, isn't that why people buy a Ducati?!!?!?!?

I could find it very easy to fall out with someone..

@day101 wrote:

so they are auctioning off all the bikes they had as p/x bet they go for fairly cheep as well. glad they are up and running again thou such a handy store to have!

unfortunately not its stock bought by the reciever and being sold off to pay their debts off.they are no more.

@Grumpyowl wrote:

Nooooooooooooooo

Spent far toooooooooooo much on the bike in the last few weeks....


I will NOT be tempted get behind me

oooo shiney!! http://www.megamotorcyclestore.co.uk/arai-chaser-haga-replica-full-face-motorcycle-helmet/

as most of you probably know George Whites went t*ts up a few weeks ago.well this weekend theyre selling all the stock off in their Bolton,Slough and Swindon showrooms, starting Saturday at 9.00am.Think i might have a run up to Bolton this weekend.

http://www.megamotorcyclestore.co.uk/

if you look at the speed in the bottom corner, the copper is supposedly doing 150mph and catching the bike who is doing 110 ish by the time he catches up. he then slows down to 102 mph and theyre following a car in the outside lane and just overtaking traffic in the middle lane. it then shows 99 mph when the copper overtakes the bike. looks more like about 50 to me.and personally i didnt see any "dangerous weaving" as the newspaper says. Dont have a lot of faith in these press releases from plod, if you look at the speed of the "offender" in relation to the cars/bikes around him,theyre usually going a lot slower than the readout suggests.

the in the cars obviously got an inferiority complex because he thought he bought a Jag then found out its actually a Mondeo.

might have a bit of a problem with that on my bike..

were really going to have to cut back on our long days out this year me an the Mrs,its getting a bit much when a trip to somewhere like Whitby costs us about £100 with 2 bikes to fill up.cant afford to be doing that every weekend.I remember when she first started riding we used to fill both bikes up and get change out of £20,now were looking nearer to £40

bit of Bling.







typical Italian attention to detail, it fits upside down.Dohhh!!!!

try hammering a socket on (its either 22 or 24 mm cant remember) knackers the socket but theyre not expensive and it worked for me when i rounded the pins in the key off.

greatest rider of all time.. yeah stoners beating him now but one day he WILL come back. and when he does look out....