Spring

The weather is getting better, the grit and road salt has been mostly washed away. Below zero during the day seems to be over. This is all good.

I've been using the Yamaha (650 V Star) for the last few months, I care less if winter kills it. It gets me to and from work, and out and about when I need to be mobile when the weather is vile.

I checked out the softail today. It was dusty, has been in the garage for 3 months. I'd been bad, just left it, no battery tender, half a tank of gas. Started first time with absolutely no problem. A quick dusting and polish and all is good. It needs an oil change and a few bits before serious riding since the oil is close to 5000 miles old. Actually, thinking about it, a bit over 5500 miles, I had decided to leave the maintenance until spring, then get everything done at the start of riding season.

Have booked it in for a spring service a week on Friday. I know I could do it myself, but I got a good price, felt lazy, and I get courtesy bike for the day. I have no idea what model it will be beyond being a Harley. No matter what I am going to spend a day having fun riding a different bike. After which I get the softail back, meet Hilary when she finishes work, and head of to the Perch and Pike for the weekend. Our first weekend away on the bike for 2010.

Life is starting to get better.

Yep. Things are warming up here too and the roads are clearing off with all the rain we been having. There are certain roads that I won't get on until probably late April or May because they use a fine chat gravel for the ice and you know what fine gravel in a curve does for a bike. Anyhow, as Chucktx said if they give you an Ultra fror the day, you might get the disease to trade. That's what happened to me. My wife and I tested out the Ultra Limited and, long story short, left the Heritage at the dealer (and it was less than a year old) and took the Limited home.
Glad the weather is faring up over there too. Ride safe!

Cheers guys. No idea what they will give me for the day. It will be a demo model so either 2010 or 2009. An Ultra would be cool, but so would a Nightster for going thrashing around along narrow bendy country lanes. No matter what they give me I am going to have a fun day.

Enjoy the ride and watch out for any loose sheep on the paths. :roflmao:

Dunno yet. It happens this Friday. Should be a lot of fun. I'll post about it when I get back on Sunday.

It was an interesting weekend, had some high points, and a major downer..

It started well enough. As per plan on Friday morning I took off on the Softail to Thames Valley HD. Dropped the bike there for a service and post winter check. The plan was to have a courtesy bike for the day. This did not quite work out, the only bike they had was an XR1200. Sounds good? Well yes, sat on it, my feet did not reach the ground. So no. Not so good.

As a result I got them to prioritise doing my bike over the others booked in, so got it back pretty promptly. Early afternoon, and went riding in the Chilterns and Thames Valley. There are some great roads in the area. It was a lot of fun, not even the thunderstorm dampened my spirits very much.

Met Hilary, took off together to the Perch and Pike, arrived dry despite one downpour. It was a nice ride out. Settled in to the pub, room sorted. Beer and food, all of which was very good.

Saturday after breakfast we went walking in the Thames valley. Saturday was good, until, on the way back I tripped on the pavement (sidewalk), and landed badly on my right thumb. Back at the Perch and Pike, we packed my thumb in ice and hoped for the best. Beer helped with the pain.

Sunday morning and it was pretty obvious there was no way I was able to use my right hand to operate a motorcycle. It had swollen up again, there was masses of bruising, it was too painful to hold and grip anything.

A quick phone call got the immediate problem sorted, got us and the bike back home. Then a trip to hospital. The x-rays revealed a nasty break, the third bone from the tip, a compression fracture with various small bits of loose shattered bone. They did some basic manipulation and fitted a cast the plan being surgery the next day to tie the bone back together.

I am home now. Going to be a while before I can ride.

What a bummer! - ya wait all winter to get a chance to ride and then this happens - Get healed up fast and while yer laided up ya might think about teaching Hilary how to ride and get her licensed. Then when ya fall down ya won't have to worry about getting the bike home. Also works in case the fall was incured at the local Pub brought about be other causes.

Thanks guys. There are some great roads in Scotland, and yes, maybe I should teach Hilary to ride. Yes it is a bummer, I cannot ride. Plus the morphine stopped the moment I left hospital.

Being positive.
1. Winter is not over. Today was 4C (37F or so) and raining. Riding would be no fun anyway. Weather looks to be the same for the next week or so.
2. In 3 weeks we are heading to Guatemala. When we get back in mid May my hand will be fine. So I have not lost much of the UK riding season.
3. At home I found a big box of codeine.

I do need to make certain AA will allow me to fly, but I have 3 weeks to sort this, get the wires out of the bone, the cast off, and / or a medical cert of "safe to fly".

Ashley, so sorry to hear of your accident. Take care and let the hand heal. You need your thumb in top shape to grip the throttle on your Heritage. Enjoy the trip to Guatamala. I would really like for my wife and I to come to UK. One side of my family (Clan Cambell) traces back to Skipness, Ireland. I would also like to see/visit the castle at Invarary (sp). Anyhow take care and enjoy the trip. Better weather is on the way.

Yeh Chuck, they are useful, great for long distances on highways. Also good for when my hand is back in action, needing to get muscles back up to strength. I may well invest in one for when my hand comes out of the cast and they take the wires out from the bone. With luck I lose the wires and cast in about 3 weeks.