And today's commuting highlight is...

[308mate]

Occasionally I flick the bike off at red lights I know will take a while to change. did it yesterday and the fker didnt restart.

BMW roadside assist (via Allianz) came out, reported a shagged battery (it was loose in the battery holder so maybe had a internal issue?). He then called the nearest BMW parts dept, checked for stock of a replacement, jump started the bike, followed me there, went in and bought the battery and then fitted it in the car park. I had to pay for the battery which was 130 quid but otherwise, I was pretty happy with the service.

[Biker 1]

Weather forecast wrong, yet again. Apparently dry & mild, but no, mizzle the order for the day. Damp roads with lots of leaves, & on one rather nasty stretch, someone had been herding cows for half a mile to the next field. My pride & joy now absolutely covered in cow st

[kiethton]

Biker 1 said:

Weather forecast wrong, yet again. Apparently dry & mild, but no, mizzle the order for the day. Damp roads with lots of leaves, & on one rather nasty stretch, someone had been herding cows for half a mile to the next field. My pride & joy now absolutely covered in cow st

hahahahaha the joys of a countryside commute

Aside from being dark for both the way in and home my commute has been bloody boring, good thing I guess.

Separately tyres - are Pilot road's an ok tyre for all year round commuting on a CBR600?

[Biker 1]

kiethton said:

hahahahaha the joys of a countryside commute

Aside from being dark for both the way in and home my commute has been bloody boring, good thing I guess.

Separately tyres - are Pilot road's an ok tyre for all year round commuting on a CBR600?

I had PR3s a while back on an XT660 & they were bloody good even in frosty weather. I believe the PR4s are even better.

[sjtscott]

kiethton said:

Separately tyres - are Pilot road's an ok tyre for all year round commuting on a CBR600?

There are 4 versions - which ones are you talking about?
I've used PR2, PR3 and PR4 (my current tyres)
Equally have a look at Dunlop Roadsmart 1 or 2, (used both of these) even 3s are out now
Or have a look at Metz Roadtec 01 - these will be my next tyres

[Cbull]

Pilots for me too, they've done very well up to now.

Opposite for me. Forcasted for rain in the morning throughout the day. Got my waterproof pants on but they're a little tight and very uncomfortable to ride in and an extra under jacket because my current one is not waterproof at all. It was dry all the way and still is. Expecting heavy rain on the way home though.

[kiethton]

Interesting - can get a lot for a very similar price (£65-£75)

Sportmaxx GPR-300
Pilot Street Radial
Pilot Power
Bridgestone Battlax
Metzler Roadtec Z6

Would go to the £140+ fitting for the proper tyres but the bike doesn't justify significant expense as all it's used for is commuting

[308mate]

kiethton said:

Interesting - can get a lot for a very similar price (£65-£75)

Sportmaxx GPR-300
Pilot Street Radial
Pilot Power
Bridgestone Battlax
Metzler Roadtec Z6

Would go to the £140+ fitting for the proper tyres but the bike doesn't justify significant expense as all it's used for is commuting

Given what else is wrong with your bike, I woudn't worry too much about tyre brand. Pretty much any road/touring tyre will be fine. Spend the money on the other issues that will keep it on the road in the first place. If you can find a cheap set of Battlax, I've only had good experience with them, if not particularly outstanding.

[mitzy]

Love that term "Mizzle"

BBC said dry and then over Southwark Bridge it started

See the high Viz polite vests are making a show again

[CAPP0]

Had to chuckle at the guy in front this morning on the VFR, who did that "I'm so angry with you Mr Car Driver that I'm going to rev the tits off my bike right alongside you" thing. Trouble was, he was running a standard (massive) end can. I was right behind him and it was so quiet that I wondered what he was doing. I imagine the guy in the car thought he'd stalled it

[supercommuter]

kiethton said:

Interesting - can get a lot for a very similar price (£65-£75)

Sportmaxx GPR-300
Pilot Street Radial
Pilot Power
Bridgestone Battlax
Metzler Roadtec Z6

Would go to the £140+ fitting for the proper tyres but the bike doesn't justify significant expense as all it's used for is commuting

I used batllax 021 / 023 as commuting tyres. Last ages and you can still get your knee down in the dry with them haha

[Biker 1]

Well, it dried up at lunchtime, so I secretly hosed down the cow gravy with the office outside tap. All nice & clean, but the fking st mizzle has just returned FFS!!!

[Cbull]

Filtering this morning between a 1-2 mile long truck filter lane and the motorway. Approached a white van, proceded to overtake as he was adjacent to car (so he can't join the motorway). As soon as I get mid way he turns his blinker on and starts beeping at me, I filter past and he vigoursly flashes me then goes up my arse contiunf to beep and flash me. Needless to say we're both giving it the 2 fingers n all that.

Admittedly it's not the best place to filter but its not like I was speeding past everyone regardless, I was assessing each and every pass with the mind set that anyone could just move over of which he couldn't anyway. Obviously this pleb thought I was wrong. Crazy mentality and a whole lot something over nothing.

[supercommuter]

CBR600F 9am coming into london this morning? Luminous gear on? Are you on here?

You are on a sports bike holding up a queue of bikers on adventure bikes, you are clearly slow...mooooooveeeee

Apart from that, uneventful ride in this morning. Bit of a nippy start for just a hoodie and the outer skin of my textiles. Might crack out the new Keis heated jacket which has just been returned to me from a warranty return.

[sjtscott]

supercommuter said:

CBR600F 9am coming into london this morning? Luminous gear on? Are you on here?

You are on a sports bike holding up a queue of bikers on adventure bikes, you are clearly slow...mooooooveeeee

Apart from that, uneventful ride in this morning. Bit of a nippy start for just a hoodie and the outer skin of my textiles. Might crack out the new Keis heated jacket which has just been returned to me from a warranty return.

Same deal-ish however replaced heading west from CW black big bang R1 - must have had a small plate at some point looking at the rear end/tail tidy of the plateless bike (yes no number plate) moving slooowwwwwwly all the way through the limehouse link today - slowing down for gaps I didn't even notice or let alone react to - saying that and I take the tunnel extra cautiously due to the terrible driving/phone use random lane changes . I'm sure I've seen this guy before.. he has textile jacket leather trousers but uses brown hiking boots, its an odd lower kit combo that stuck in my memory - bike def had a plate last time. Knew I was there made f**k all attempt to move out of the way - passed him once out of the tunnel didn't see him after that.

[kiethton]

Slower ride in the morning and actually late to work.

Coming back last night I managed to lose 2 bars of the reserve tank in the last mile from home having planned to stop at the OKR Asda/Loampit vale to refil en-route, I however blinked first and ended up at the closest station - Sainsburys Sydenham and on a different, slower route in. This diversion, coupled with the diversion around Bank on account it was 7:03 when I reached the top of London bridge meant I had a diversion up Bishopsgate and up London Wall to get in - why they ban bikes at that junction I'll never know!

[Biker 1]

My sixth sense kicked in & a deer jumped out of the woods several yards in front of me - just braked in time. This time of year can get really dodgy regarding wildlife crossing the road. Pheasants bloody everywhere, the most stupid animal on the planet it seems. They must have a death wish.

[sjtscott]

Biker 1 said:

My sixth sense kicked in & a deer jumped out of the woods several yards in front of me - just braked in time. This time of year can get really dodgy regarding wildlife crossing the road. Pheasants bloody everywhere, the most stupid animal on the planet it seems. They must have a death wish.

We have the same in London except all the animals are humans and its not woods but buildings, parked cars etc. I might beg to disagree with your statement on Pheasants in a London context LOL

[Biker 1]

More fking mizzle, gloom & darkness..... I think I need to emigrate to sunnier climes

[toxgobbler]

Biker 1 said:

My sixth sense kicked in & a deer jumped out of the woods several yards in front of me - just braked in time. This time of year can get really dodgy regarding wildlife crossing the road. Pheasants bloody everywhere, the most stupid animal on the planet it seems. They must have a death wish.

But they are very tasty....