And today's commuting highlight is...

[rat840771]

GSXR being viewed by a potential buyer tomorrow so rode it into work today for what could be the last time.

I will be gutted if it goes as i don't think i can live with just an Africa Twin, i am beginning to regret my decision to sell.

I will try my hardest to put the buyer off. If it does go there are plenty of other options for me in the future

[Jazoli]

rat840771 said:

GSXR being viewed by a potential buyer tomorrow so rode it into work today for what could be the last time.

I will be gutted if it goes as i don't think i can live with just an Africa Twin, i am beginning to regret my decision to sell.

I will try my hardest to put the buyer off. If it does go there are plenty of other options for me in the future

Why not just tell him its not for sale anymore?

[rat840771]

The thought had crossed my mind.

Pressure from the wife
I need to slow down
Room in the garage
Cost to insure, maintain
I have 2 other bikes and 5 push bikes in a single garage

Are all good reasons to sell

But, i do still love it. I will stand firm on the price and not except any less. If he accepts i will sell and in 3 years when the PCP is up on the AT i will give it back and hopefully JB Honda will do another great deal or i will pick up a decent 2nd bike for around 6k ( another GSXR or go naked)

[sjtscott]

Spookily zero traffic or queues this morning on the north side of the river. My commuting 'friend' on the blue blackbird I've seen many mornings (who def is useless in the wet) helped keep the boredom at bay away from the lights
However once over Southwalk bridge solid queue all the way along Southwalk street towards Blackfriars bridge road junction. Got to work in almost record time. This probably means a terrible trip home tonight as payback lol

[black-k1]

My last day on the bike today until spring next year. Traffic was light until the North Circular, where it was nose to tail all they way to the Olympic Park at Stratford. The cause of the hold up? Rubber-neckers looking at some police operation on the north bound A12! After that it was very traffic free all the way to south of London Bridge.

Hopefully a nice run back this afternoon (with my new brake pads fitted courtesy of FWR!) then the bike will be put in the shed and I'll be back on the cattle trucks

[Sea Demon]

I don't know what it is but over the last few weeks people seem to be all over the place on their bikes riding in, especially the old kent road - groups of bikes all riding really close and wobbling all over, no need for it - just twist it a bit more and go or move over a bit so I don't have to sit and watch you all wobble around and get stuck behind you at massive gaps Some bloke on a Ducati Monster, yellow open face helmet looking like Judge Dredd just wandering all over and then squeezing into a gap that doesn't exist at the side of me - F**k off!

[bgunn]

sjtscott said:

Spookily zero traffic or queues this morning on the north side of the river. My commuting 'friend' on the blue blackbird I've seen many mornings (who def is useless in the wet) helped keep the boredom at bay away from the lights
However once over Southwalk bridge solid queue all the way along Southwalk street towards Blackfriars bridge road junction. Got to work in almost record time. This probably means a terrible trip home tonight as payback lol

It’s Southwark, by the way

[sjtscott]

bgunn said:

It’s Southwark, by the way

Thanks, but done on purpose I heard an american say it like that on the tube the other day and I'm still laughing.

[bgunn]

sjtscott said:

Thanks, but done on purpose I heard an american say it like that on the tube the other day and I'm still laughing.

Hah, yes. It is amusing listening to tourists describe things and try to pronounce names.

Best one I heard the other day was an American pointing at The Gherkin and saying “That’s the pickle up there..”

[CaptainSlow]

A very foggy ride in this morning, especially when crossing the Thames near Marlow and then the M4 towards Reading. Looks like a temperature drop next week so will be the car for me....hopefully comes back up the week after.

[Felters]

bgunn said:

Hah, yes. It is amusing listening to tourists describe things and try to pronounce names.

Best one I heard the other day was an American pointing at The Gherkin and saying “That’s the pickle up there..”

You think you have a problem? We live in Leicestershire... or Lyecesstershyre according to our Merkin chums.

[bgunn]

Felters said:

You think you have a problem? We live in Leicestershire... or Lyecesstershyre according to our Merkin chums.

No problem.. just minor amusement!

[kiethton]

And I had the confirmation from the Mayor that the Ultra Low emission zone is being brought forward to April 2019 (from September 2020).

Guess I'll only have to eek another 18 months from my CBR600 :/

Annoying as I have a few limitations:

Insured TPO (so value <£1500)
+100bhp
and now post 2008

Going to be difficult and will just mean a load of nice new bikes/scooters for the s to steal....

Sadiq the said:

Dear stakeholder

Consultation on changes to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in central London

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your views on a proposal to introduce the ULEZ in central London earlier than originally planned. The consultation closed on 25 June 2017. The previous Mayor had proposed to introduce this scheme in September 2020 and we consulted on plans to start it on the 8th April 2019, around 17 months earlier than originally intended.

Today, the Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that we will now proceed with the early introduction of the ULEZ in central London as set out in our consultation. From 8 April 2019, all cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses and heavy vehicles driving in central London that do not meet the emissions standards will be required to pay a daily charge in addition to the Congestion Charge. The ULEZ will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year including weekends and public holidays. For more information about ULEZ and to check whether your vehicle meets the emission standards, please visit our website.

We will be undertaking further statutory consultation later on this year on proposals to widen the zone up to the north and south circular roads for light vehicles (cars, motorcycles, vans and motorcycles) and London-wide for heavy vehicles (lorries, coaches and buses).

Thank you once again for taking the time to respond to our consultation on air quality. To find out more about the consultation results please read the Report to the Mayor which is available on our consultation portal.

[Mosdef]

I’d just parked up at home last night and having changed out of boots, jacket etc, went round the corner to get some dinner, only to see a moped delivery rider on the ground, having obviously overtaken a car that had slowed down to let someone out of a junction. He’d gone into the side of the car pulling out and the moped had crushed him. It can’t have been more than a few minutes after the incident but he was already under blankets and not moving, with everyone involved looking pretty shaken up. Two police cars were already about to arrive on the scene, closely followed by two fire trucks and two paramedic cars. I didn’t hang around to watch but when I walked back past the scene around 30 mins later, all vehicles, including emergency services were still in the same positions they’d been before and the guy hadn’t been moved. I can only assume the worst.

RIP (I assume) but the way these guys tend to ride in central london doesn’t bode well. I have been keeping an eye on the news for Kensington Church Street but haven’t seen anything reported.

[Bikesalot]

It's the finger tips! Just can't stop them getting a bit cold.

-1 this morning. Downward spiral from here.

Really need to pull my finger out and wash the GS and give it a liberal coating in ACF50. It's not been washed in 5000 miles...

[kiethton]

Bikesalot said:

It's the finger tips! Just can't stop them getting a bit cold.

-1 this morning. Downward spiral from here.

Really need to pull my finger out and wash the GS and give it a liberal coating in ACF50. It's not been washed in 5000 miles...

Only 5k!

(I've never washed my bike...had it about 18 months now, used in all weathers too)

Agree this morning was fking freezing - need to get round to putting those heated grips on....

[Biker 1]

Freezing fog & Gary Gritter had done his worst last night, so it was with a heavy heart that I drove in on 4 wheels. Took over 10 minutes to scrape the ice off the windscreen, but was nice & toasty & quite nice to have muzak & not to have to kit up etc....

[SteelerSE]

Bikesalot said:

It's the finger tips! Just can't stop them getting a bit cold.

-1 this morning. Downward spiral from here.

Really need to pull my finger out and wash the GS and give it a liberal coating in ACF50. It's not been washed in 5000 miles...

Heated grips and handlebar muffs. It genuinely works. Otherwise heated gloves but I have no experience of those. In the years that I've commuted I haven't found anything that works better as no normal glove is going to beat the wind chill.

[supercommuter]

SteelerSE said:

Bikesalot said:

It's the finger tips! Just can't stop them getting a bit cold.

-1 this morning. Downward spiral from here.

Really need to pull my finger out and wash the GS and give it a liberal coating in ACF50. It's not been washed in 5000 miles...

Heated grips and handlebar muffs. It genuinely works. Otherwise heated gloves but I have no experience of those. In the years that I've commuted I haven't found anything that works better as no normal glove is going to beat the wind chill.

Couple hundred thousand under my belt now and i have to agree with this. No way you will keep your fingers warm in anything other than muffs and heated grips for longer rides. I will be putting mine on next weekend I think

[IAN1967]

I put some muffs on my CBR650 over the weekend as wind chill on the M25 was getting too much

Used only summer gloves this morning and the heated grips

Felt a bit weird, like driving with oven gloves on, but a lot warmer, suppose i'll get used to them