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Snod said :-
And I was just getting around to posting pics of my con rods into repair chat..
Personally I think any regulars on here who are retired should be made moderators and can vet all submitted posts to pass the time. By this logic it'll just be myself and Ren who don't need to do anything, which seems perfect. All in favour say aye.
But in all seriousness this sucks for such a small/niche site.
04/08/2026 12:28:02 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I suspect AI is playing it's part Snod. It'll be all too easy to give an AI a set of instructions "Go find images that look the same as the images we have in this folder". I'm using AI at work and to be frank in spite of the warnings and doom scenarios from YouTube developers it is very very good. You do have to check it's work that's fair, but it does good work. And that'll be the end of my current career.
04/08/2026 14:16:56 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Just got back from Hartlepool after visiting Little Richie, the STrom is resplendent with a newly affixed front black round thing. Bridgestone A41 if you're interested. I can now report that the Weise waterproof leather pants work. Almost biblical rain at times on the way down and I just had a damp bottom bit on me t-shirt at the front where water had blown up. I should have zipped the pants to me coat, but I didn't.
Pffffffftttttt. Bike had a quick swill off upon its triumphant return.
Now back wom with a cuppa.
Upt.
04/08/2026 15:59:03 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
HARTLEPOOL! From Wooler to Hartlepool is - according to google maps - 75 miles. 150 mile round trip to get a tyre fitted? I suppose it'll be scrubbed in by the time you get home. Sheez. You are aware there's a big city of Newcastle and the big town of Sunderland closer to you? Heck even Edinburgh is closer to you. Either there's a shortage of tyre shops in the north east or Little Richie has other "attractions" to supplement his tyre business? Got me thinking I need to visit this tyre shop, see what it's all about. 127 miles from my place to Hartlepool.
04/08/2026 20:59:54 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
There's free tea to be had Ed. Sold (!) to the Manchester lad with a big mug.
04/08/2026 23:47:55 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Are you at liberty to divulge the real business details of "Little Richie"?
I'm beginning to suspect this is actually a secret club of tyre fanatics from across the North East. They meet in darkened rooms under clandestine conditions wearing robes bearing brands like Michelin and Pirelli. They chant mantras such as "Thou shalt scrub thy new tyres in carefully" and "Check thy pressures weekly". They meditate to the sound of a vintage compressor and cheer when the little pressure release valve gives off a "PSSSFFFFT".
On the other hand if there's free tea it's worth the journey.
05/08/2026 08:16:57 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Little Richie, the rubber fetishist. There's an image that'll keep me awake.
He was very perplexed yesterday, which replaced the normal, "what do you want you ugly git". The reason for this perplexitiscous behaviour waa a Chinese Scoot. Totally unbranded and even so on the V5. It was just a generic blob of plastic with an engine with no identifier anywhere, even the number plate dealer identification details were no use, "we just supplied the plates mate"?
Why was any of this an issue, because it had snapped a cable of strange sizing and no one knows where to buy a part from for a bike you can't ID. Might be a one off replacement to be manufactured which is worth more than the deliverers scoot. It was just two years old and a complete wreck.
But after a bit of chanting and psssting the job was complete under the cloaks of the Hartlepool Monkey Hangers. Just a tip, if you go to Hartlepool don't call em Monkey Hangers.
I'm almost dry today.
Pffffffftttttt or is that psssssssssst.
Upt.
05/08/2026 13:38:06 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Wasps, I said blummin wasps. Is it rational to hate the stripey little blummin fingies. They're flying into that hole she said. That fetishists attire might come in handy.
Wasps! I hate Wasps, but is it rational.
Upt.
05/08/2026 13:41:57 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I'm familiar with the Monkey Hanging tale Upt', I shall endeavour to not mention it when I'm collecting my free brew dressed in my latex waterproof jacket and pants. I wonder how the scoot got a V5 without any details on marque and model? Might be a fake V5 huh. And yeah I can imagine there's some rough Uber-Eats scooters out there. I was overtaken in a 30 zone recently by a scoot with a back box the size of a Victorian travel trunk. When the rider went around the roundabout it looked as though the rear wheel was either flat, the bearings had collapsed, or the contents of the trunk weighed more than the bike and rider combined. Probably all 3.
Calm down! They're only wasps.
06/08/2026 08:21:01 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Thanks Ed, that helped. It also helped going up a blummin big ladder at 45° yesterday and spraying all kinds of crap in there. No stings to report.
I hate wasps.
06/08/2026 09:45:06 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
It's in the DNA of motorcyclists of a certain age to have a dislike of Vespas.
07/08/2026 15:10:07 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , I haven't been on here in a few days but that's a bummer with the copyright issues , as they say " a picture tells a thousand stories" hopefully you'll continue even if just with text while avoiding visits from the grammar police...
Nigel
08/08/2026 18:35:50 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The grammar police nab301? We'll be fine here if we're visited by the grammar police - innit. Kos we is awl edumicated tipes an speek posh like. I dun av an GCSE level in Engleesh (is "D" a pass?) an I chex all da messejes two, I korect dem all see.
Perhaps I should set myself up as a professional writer? The only problem is what would I write about?
11/08/2026 07:59:25 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ay up Ed, you provided details of the Berghaus overtroosers recently. We popped into GoOutdoors today at Berwick-upon-the-Tweed. Cut a long story short, I am now the proud owner of a pair of Berghaus Storm Cloud Pants, purchased at double discount for around £60.00. They zip all the way up and include poppers. I bought the long length, 33 inch leg I think. They weigh just around bugger all.
Ta me duck.
Upt.
12/08/2026 17:32:55 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Renewed the Home Contents and Building insurance with Admiral. They knocked 20% off last years figure without me asking. I'm confused.
Are Admiral really nice people?
Did they overcharge me last year?
Are they still overcharging me this year?
Should I really care, it's just paid for me pants?
Upt.
13/08/2026 09:34:09 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Berghaus Storm Cloud - I must try to remember that although I think Snod's ex-army pants are worth a shot. They're a lot easier to get off-n-on aren't they Upt', even with ya boots and ya troosers still on.
As for insurance - just smile, take the saving and mutter to yourself "I'm a lucky sod.. I'm a lucky sod..."
13/08/2026 09:59:02 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
If 20% is £60 the you must have been paying £300 or so. Our current combined buildings and contents is just over £220 for an average sort of house & contents..... It includes £50 or so for emergency assistance just in case we get flooded so the base premium is £170. Through Policy Expert.
Of course you probably live in a mansion with millions of pounds worth of jewellery.
13/08/2026 12:23:25 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ian, it is a big hoos for sure but not a mansion. Not by North Northumberland examples anyway.
I did the comparison thing last year and Admiral were the cheapest at around £300.00 for a decent policy so the £60 off is very nice indeed. Didn't even bother checking it this year.
I think the small claim from Storm Arwen in 2021(?) has done us no favours. Lesson learned, don't claim unless your house burns down. Can anybody smell burning?
Upt.
13/08/2026 14:18:30 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I hate sorting insurance. The car is due soon. Urgh.
14/08/2026 08:21:47 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Too hot for the shed.
Regarding insurance I probably wrote about this at the time. Anyway, I had 2 bikes stolen from my garage in March 2004. Fortunately no other damage and they left my Norton behind! I had (and still have) agreeed value insurance as the bikes were "classics". The insurance broker (Howden, then called RH) were excellent and I had a full payout (less excess) within a couple of weeks.
But then the issues started. The underwriter refused to renew my policy as I'd had "two theft events" in the year. In vain I protested that this was a single event but they were adamant. I eventually secured cover from Robin James at around £350 pa - my previous premium had been less than £100.
I stayed with Robin James for a couple of years but tried Howden again this year and was pleased to get a quote of £145 - still more than I used to pay but more acceptable. And when I got the little Herald they agreed to add it to the policy - for an extra £90 or so - despite it being a classic policy and the Herald a mere 10 years old.
I'm not sure what the moral of this tale is (other than that insurance companies in general are greedy money-grabbing vermin) but thought it might be of interest.
14/08/2026 14:11:04 UTC
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