The weather here in the UK this week has been T-Shirt weather. The difference between this week and last is unbelievable and it really feels like we’ve turned the corner from Winter to what could be a lovely Spring! I ride all year round. I tend to keep the bike in when it’s pelting down with rain but if it’s dry the outside temperature is not a factor for me and if the sun is out I want my right hand twisting the T700’s Grip Puppy clad throttle!
So if my screen, headlight and visor don’t look like the above at the end of a day like today I’m scratching my head and wondering how such a day could have been passed me by! Life’s just too short! The weather seems to be changing here in the UK and we’re definitely seeing more prolonged warmer spells at unusual times of the year. 2020 was an incredibly sunny year from March through to September but unfortunately most bikes we locked in their gardens, not wishing to burden the NHS with possible motorcycle accidents. Global warming is not a laughing matter but for us UK bikers it’s certainly meant more glorious riding weather, so I guess that’s a small silver lining, if not still a worrying one. During times like the last few years, however, you need to keep positive and count every blessing you receive and sunshine really helps the mental health, as does riding our beloved bikes!
For the ultra observant amongst you, yes, this is a picture from a few days ago, before I changed the stock Pirellis over to the Avon Trail Riders but it’s taken on the same Military Road that I blasted down today. Yesterday I chatted to a friend of mine, Michael Menage, who lives close to me in East Cowes, Isle of Wight and is a moderator of the East Cowes Bikers FB Group and member of the Overland Riders FB Group. We agreed that weather like this could not be wasted so I met him and his Yamaha FJR1300 at 10.30am this morning and off we rode!
Stopped for a bite to eat and some very English tea at the Steamer Inn on Shanklin Seafront
and then it was on to Ventnor, followed by the ritual cavort along Milly Road and back to East Cowes. I think we covered only about 60 miles all done but a great day was had by all!
The Avon Trail Riders held up well, despite being greasy new. I’ve now got about 75 miles on them so about 25 more to break them in properly and to allow me to take corners how I like to. Today I babied them round the bends and let rip on the straights but already I feel at home with them, having ridden for years on Avon Cobras. They just inspire confidence on the road and even in their slippy new state I felt perfectly at ease and having broken in a few sets of Cobras I instinctively new I could push them harder from new than I would have done other tyres.
All in all a cracking day in the saddle and glad to see the above little suckers all over my screen, headlight and visor again!! How do your’s look?