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Well for mid-winter January last Sunday was a beautiful day. The recent heavy rains have washed all the salt off he roads and cleansed the surface to leave mile after mile of inviting tarmac. The sun was out and the temperature was in double figures! What more could a biker want?? Well a bike would be a start. However I was stuck 65 miles from home at Coalville in my diesel car having dropped my daughter and another gymnast off at a coaching course. But rescue was at hand. Thumper has now increased his bike selection to five, so a few phone calls and about an hour later I was outside his house on his VTR1000, he picked his Thundercat for the day and we were joined for the proceedings by Toggs on his new toy; a 2007 Fireblade. Very nice!
Storm, Cat and Blade looking business like in black.After a brief debate we decide to head out from Sutton Coldfield on the outskirts of Brum in the general direction of Matlock , Derbyshire, a well liked bike meet.
The route took in the A453 towards Tamworth, then the A513 and finally the A515.
The A513 is a fun stretch of tarmac with some fast sections laced with tighter, more challenging corners including some real sharp ones that take the road under bridge parapets as the road thins. You need to be alert to get the best from them. I was really enjoying myself on my first proper ride since last October. God, you just forget how good it feels to be on a bike on a day like this. The Firestorm is fitted with ‘earthquake’ cans and was providing me with a stirring soundtrack to accompany my progress. The Thundercat and Blade are whisper quiet in comparison breathing through their muted factory fit systems.
The A515 is more open and the speeds rose with the confidence. At one point a ZX10R swept past me. I was enjoying my ride and my pace and did not want to get drawn in, however both Toggs and Thumper took the bait and they pulled way at quite a rate of knots. I found it highly amusing to watch Thumper dressed in a mix a of biking gear and chords (?), that gave him the appearance of farmer Giles, give the ZX10R pilot in the full Power Ranger outfit a real scare! LOL
I reached Ashbourne and decided to halt for a cuppa. Toggs and Thumper were already there and buzzing from their dice.
ZX10R and overdressed pilot
Toggsy and Thumper (Farmer Giles) at Ashbourne
Toggsy and his Blade
Ashbourne, bathed in milky winter sunshine, beautifulWell after a cuppa and a hot pork roll (cheers Toggs) we decided to turn for home rather than go up to Matlock. For the return leg I took the Thundercat, Toggsy the Storm and farmer Giles had a try of the Blade.
I picked up my pace a bit as Thumper’s Cat is obiviously very similar in feel to my own. The run back to Sutton was despatched without fuss and Thumper enjoyed the Blade. I turned down the offer of a quick blast as I was not feeling 100% to be honest, and you need to be totally on the ball to ride somebody else’s new 170 bhp superbike!
All in, a superb ride out that was all the better for being unplanned. So cheers to Thumper for the loan of the bikes, to Toggs for the buttys and to both for being good company on the years’ first ride out.
Hope the summer is as good!
It was a real surprise to have double figure temperature, glad you made the most of it. Bet you looked liked biker villains from a Channel 5 film as you all rolled into town on your black beasts (ever noticed how they always dub 2-stroke noises over the bikes when there are bad guys riding?).
The new blade looks nice Toggsy!
I’m really going to have to get some trouser braces, just to finish off the Farmer look.
– more importantly, to stop other zx10s trying to park their front wheels up my chuff! – must of looked like somewhere to park one
Toggsys’ new blade…..fab !
Easy to use, awsomely fast, steadfastly reassuring arround the twisties. Very impressive.
Makes you wonder how they can continue to develop these for the general rider population – how far can they reaaly go now?Fab first ride out, and good company. Hope to see the rest of you all soon.
Now…..to thrash a bike or threash a field, that is the question……ooh arh ooh aaarrhYes the weather and road conditions came as a bit of a surprise for January,so likewise the open road beckoned, I was really amazed at the number of bikes at the Quatford Cafe (Bridgnorth, Shrops)and counted close on sixty. It was a strange sort of day, no one I saw was travelling at breakneck speeds, the roads were completely dry but appeared to have a slightly dusty look and feel about them, and caution seemed the best option as the tyres didn’t feel as if they were working up to the required temperature. All in all, after a shorter than usual break, and with confidence lacking somewhat I am glad I took the smaller bike out, as it was one of those days when yes it was great to get out there again, but a few minor errors due to my lack of attention said take it easy this COULD be a great year, and if so, wait for those heady warmer days when conditions are BEGGING for a long Sunday blast. I look forward to meeting up with other Forum Members in the coming months.
was half decent for january suppose, i took a blast up the a513 and a515 after leaving my sisters house on the afternoon.
thats sirduke off BC in he duc leathers behind thumperquote:
Originally posted by Gixthats sirduke off BC in the duc leathers behind thumper
I never would of pictured sirduke like that. Weird.
Looks like a good blast, shame I didn’t come out to play, I was suffering from ‘man-flu’ and didn’t feel upto a trip out.
Next time though.
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