We have bought the car!!

Well we have decided to buy the MG ZR! The pic's are not "our" car, but it is nearly the same, 3 door, same colour, even the same uprated wheels (the one pictured has front fog's, so I think it is a "+", our's is standard). It's being bought as Julie's car; let's hope it works out OK!!!!

It is being MOT'd and a new tyre fitted tomorrow, so we may well have it later in the week.

Will blog as we go along...but I won't forget the Enfield!

Well that was Christmas 2008!

Where to start, I guess in date order would be best...

24th came and went, I was at work until about 2.30pm, then we went to Tidworth last minute shopping. Julie went to see MP (a friend) and then we went to the pub (incl. Dan). Most unusual! Got to bed about 1am.

Christmas Day was great, it get's slower every day! Motorbike related stuff that I received included the crash bars, rear rack, "The Classic Motorcycle Diaries" by Paul Grace (read four chapters so far, very good), and "The Long Way Up", which is Paul's DVD of the Himalayan trip by Enfield. I also got both DVD and book of "By Any Means", Charlie Boorman's latest adventure. And my Aviator watch that I wanted from the wife.

Boxing Day I went to a classic car and bike gathering at Romsey, it was cold but great. Then we all went to Nan's for lunch. After lunch we walked out to see the MG ZR that we are thinking of buying, more about that later.

Saturday/Sunday passed in a blur, we had a look at the MG, discussed what to do with the Mondy, on Sunday we pushed it up the drive (Tash "drove", Dan and I shoved). Fitted the rear rack on Sunday. Did a bit of tidying etc.

Monday discussed what to do with Mondy, I had though of fixing it myself, when I read the manual and looked at the cost of part's and the fact that is still might not work I wavered. Rung the insurance company ref, the MG, not too bad (lump sum of 58 pounds for eight months plus installments as before (21.00). Went to MSC (garage), chap there reckons it would be worth a belt and tensioner for 150 quid to see how it run's, if it's rough change valves, at a 1000.00 pounds! So much for a cheap fix. So we rung Mark (owner of the MG) and had a test drive. It's not too bad, and Julie liked it.

Later I fitted the crash bars to the bike and went for a ride. As I got home the clock turned 37,000 miles. Then I moved Dan's X Box 360 to his bedroom, it's been on our TV in the lounge for 6 months. Now it's on his new 19" TV, and wired to the Internet. Now I am sitting here doing this blog, everybody else have gone to their rooms!


A developement as I blog! The guy with the car has just 'phoned and said he has someone who want's the car. I we want it we have to decide tonite and call him back!

Will blog soon with an update!

Well that was a bit of a weekend! Pt2.

So, we got to Essex about an hour and a half late, and set about eating and having our early Christmas. We had a great time with the extended family. On Sunday we went to St Andrews Church in Hornchurch, with Chris and his girl-friend Tracey. Monday I took mum to Stanstead first thing, for her 11.45 am flight to Dublin. Only she did not get home until gone 9pm, after boarding the 'plane they all had to get off again and wait for another 'plane, which took off about 4pm!

Anyway, we (me, Julie, Dan, Tash) went to Bluewater shopping on the way home, finally getting back about 4pm. After tea I sorted the PC (unloading ESET security software sorted them problem), watched telly and then tried to fit the crash bars on the bike. I need to move the indicators up to fit them, something that Hitchcock's forgot to mention!

So, what to do with the Mondy. Most "experts" here reckon for a car of it's age and mileage it should be scrapped. Other problems with it include:

* warped front disks
* dented rear doors (passenger quite badly) and bumper
* faulty central locking and passenger front window
* slipping clutch

Good bits include:

* it was running well and reliably (until the crunch!)
* new rear tyres fitted a couple of months ago
* taxed for a few months
* MOT'd until August time, and not too many advisories

Our choices include:

* scrap it now and try living with one car and the bike, at least for a little while
* try and DIY a fix (engine, Ebay, 150.00 quid?)
* buy a cheap car as a run around?
* buy a better car, would need a loan

Need to sit down and decide what to do with it. Problem is right now it is sitting right out the front of our house, immobile, and the only way to move it is to push it. No where to "hide" it in the Crescent, and, if I put it up the drive, what then?

Anyway, back to work....only the rest of today and Wednesday to go until Christmas, and lot's of wrapping etc. to finish off.....

Well that was a bit of a weekend! Pt1.

Better work in chronological order, I suppose:

Friday night we had work's Christmas party, partly organised by me. We had booked a cruise on the Thames, with Christmas dinner and disco. Unfortunately the "captain" explained that the prop had picked up a tarpaulin on the way back from it's last trip and the river was flowing too fast to get a diver to go in and release it.

Party was OK, ish. I thought the food was basic and the upper deck a bit scruffy. Other than that Mike (CEO) ran a great raffle and prize-giving and I got a present for my part in organising it.

Saturday AM did the radio and then set about loading the Mondeo for our Christmas trip to Essex. We had planned to wait for Tash and go about 5pm. She 'phoned at 4.45 so we went off and picked her up, then went up the A303 towards the M3. About 10 minutes in we started to loose power, and I could hear a lot of "tinkling" noise from the engine. Pulled off the A303 opposite a petrol station, managed to get to the top of the junction before car stalled. Would not start.

We pushed it across the junction and had a look at the engine, nothing obvious. Cranking it just made a chug chug chug noise. Called the RAC. They were very good, and Kevin turned up from Basingstoke in about 30 minutes. He tried the electrics and tried to start it with carb cleaner but it would not go. He then decided the cambelt tensioner had gone and crunched the valves into the piston's, hence the noise. 7-800 quid was his guestimate!



So he offered a tow to the garage or home, we chose home. He hooked me up with a flexible towbar thingy, took Tash and Julie in his van, and left Dan in the car with me. The two was horrid, I had to steer in his tracks and do little else than indicate. It made me feel sick! Got home and dumped the car out the front, swapped over to the Focus and went off to Essex, an hour and a half later.

Well I have now spent two nights worrying what to do with it, and I have brought the bike in to work today so Julie can have the Focus to go Christmas food shopping (hope the boot is big enough!). Not sure what to do with the Mondeo, looks like it's dead!

Will blog the rest of the weekend later.

Nearly Christmas....

Can you guess what I have bought from my mum for the bike??

Well it's the Friday before Christmas and the day of our work Christmas party, which is a BBQ cruise on the River Thames! Hope it works out OK, especially since we saw the company when we were in Windsor and suggested it! If it all goes wrong guess who's fault it will be....

Today I brought the bike in, took a while to get fully dressed in all the warm stuff, but was not too cold, just suffering from the visor and my glassed steaming up. Stalled it once on the approach to the Magic Roundabout, and nearly again at the mini roundabout at the bottom of our road. Out of practice I guess, when I go out on Sundays there is little if any traffic, so no need to stop!

Going to Essex to see Mum/Brother/Sister etc etc this weekend, back Monday. Taking mum to Stanstead monday morning, will no doubt end up in Lakeside Ikea later that day, it's Julie's new favourite place!

Anyway, will blog from time to time over Christmas, just to keep up to date....


Bye.....

Just a quick update...

Actually had time on Sunday to get the bike out, refit the centre stand (new stand from India, new springs from Hitchcocks), went for a ride and ended up on Thruxton circuit. Well, not actually ON the circuit, but inside the inner ring, looking at the pit's and airstrip. After a few minutes a car arrived so I thought I had better leave!

Had to clean the bike when I got back, it was filthy from the country lanes. Tucked it away on a bit of red carpet. Will have a go at timing it when I get the disk and TDC tool this weekend, as a Christmas present from my brother Chris.

Will be up in Essex Sat/Sun to see mum and family, not long now 'till proper Christmas!


Bye for now.....

Well you can't avoid it, can you!

Well it's Sunday 14th December and the Christmas lights are up on the house, and most of the shoppings done. The bike's going to get crash bars (hope a never need them!) and a rear luggage rack, plus I have bought a timing disk and TDC (top dead centre) tool to try and time it. The bike's not been anywhere for weeks, due to cold/slippy and for the last two day's very wet (flood's!) weather. Maybe today will be the day for a ride.

Been busy with a couple of community events, last Tuesday was Bluez N Zuz Christmas Party, and very good it was too, and Wednesday we went carol singing in Tidworth and Ludgershall. Take a look at the news on www.castledownradio.info for an update. And on Thursday I had the pleasure of two hours of teenage high jink's when I stayed with the 1st Helmsdeep Explorer Scouts, when none of the leaders could make it. Played table tennis for the first time in ages, which made me realise how unfit I now am! I used to say that running around after scouts kept me busy, and I think it was true!

Just renewed my brothers 1300E Owners Club site (it's a classic car club, if you don't know). Designed it earlier this year using Mr Site, and although it's not exactly exciting, it has worked out okay. We can both edit it (we are 100 miles apart), and it's been reliable in terms of hosting (with Daily.co.uk). Take a look if you are interested, www.1300eownersclub.org.

Today Julie and Tash are off to Basingstoke (hopefully that will finish the present shopping!) and maybe Dan and I will finish the Christmas lights, sort out the tree (bought yesterday for 28 quid!) and maybe even get the bike out for five minutes. Would be nice!

Dentist at 8.15 Monday morning, then work, sales meeting at 11am, not looking forward to it. Wales on Wedesday, in the office rest of the week.

Must go now, see you.....

NEC Bike Show Pic's

Just a few pic's from the NEC last Friday, top to bottom:

* Me on the Triumph Scrambler (for more details see earlier post)
* Me having a go on the BMW F650GS, probably just before I fell off!
* Dan on a Pari-Dakar KTM
* Dan on the KTM stand on some sort of KTM! (our favourite bikes, I think!)
* Me on the Royal Enfield stand with a new unit construction 500 Bullet Classic

We had a great day out, thanks to Charles for driving and Doug for coming with us.

Bye....

NEC Bike Ride

Had a great day at the NEC last Friday, actually rode one of these BMW's, just indoors in first gear! Going out now, will do more on the NEC later.

Jack Lilley special Triumph Scrambler

Motorcycle News have an article on-line about the lovely Triumph Scrambler pictured above, it's based on a standard 2009 Scrambler with satin black wheels and other painted bit's, high level exhaust and uprated shocks. And it's available to buy from
www.jacklilley.com. For the full article go to www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2008/December/1-7/dec0408-Jack-Lilley-special-Triumph-Scrambler.

I wonder how hard it would be to make a RE Bullet version, I suppose it's a cross between the military green RE and the trail bike version. I bet with lot's of time and bit's (try www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com)you could make one.

Off to the NEC tomorrow, looking forward to a great day out. Of course I must see the new Enfields and visit the Triumph stand, plus all the other stuff! Will blog it when I get time.

Bye......

Been away again....

Been away to France overnight, and just so you don't get the idea that it is all 5 star, take a look at the pic, which is the view out of my hotel window! The other pic is the famous bronze statue at St Pancras.

Decided to use Eurostar, because of the timing of the meeting, and had to travel Monday. Left home at 11am for the 10 minute drive to Andover, caught the 11.37 to Waterloo, then two tube trains across London to Kings Cross/St Pancras. Arrived a bit early so had a look around. Checked in at 2.45 for the 3pm Eurostar. Once it was going the Eurostar got to the Channel Tunnel in about 30 minutes, then waited 20 minutes for a "comfort break (smoking break!)when we got to France. Got to Gare de Nord at 7.10pm, French time. Used the Metro to find the hotel, arrived at 8.10. Just over 8 hours!

Hotel was basic, went out for a meal, slept OK, mtg next morning, then travelled back as follows: French overground (RER) 4pm train to Gare de Nord (nearly got crushed when loads of people squeezed onto the train!). 6.45pm Eurostar to St Pancras, 2 tubes, just caught 9.20pm Waterloo to Andover train, home by just before 11pm. About 6 hours.

Would I use Eurostar again...not likely! Ive had enough of trains for a while.

Other than that all's well, no biking due to the weather, last Saturdays Day In Radio was great fun (Hi Simon if you are reading this!). This Friday going to the Bike Show at NEC.

Bye....