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The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
They're off back to Wales. The reasons this time are unusual and some might say quite sad. Fear not, Ren's prudence will make a mockery out of respect.
Odd Reasons To Be In Wales
Title page for a short trip to mid Wales that has some purpose.
The Kelpies - Again
It's Deja-Vu time for Ren and Sharon. It's traffic and town riding too. Sharon manages to find some lovely green stuff to brighten the day.
Into The Pyrenees
With improving weather Andy is still heading south. It's all terribly positive, even the diversions are opportunities to explore. The Pyrenees continue to impress.
Perfect Weather And Parking Problems
The weather is wonderful, the scenery is great, the bikes are behaving. Fear not Ren will always find something to moan about and a reason to be narky.
Smiling In The Rain
It's a soggy wet day through France for Andy, but that won't dampen his spirits. He stumbles upon 2CVs and climbing walls, straight roads and twisties.
A Day Out From Marlborough
Another easy rest day for the not so dynamic muppets. Sharon's happy with trees, Ren's happily mansplaining locks, and there's Curry for tea. What's not to like?
A long Ride to Gien
Big miles already on Andy's first day on the road. He's just getting settled into the ride and making his way south through France.
To The Southern Tip Of Europe
Title page for Andy Gray's Facebook posts following his trip across France and Spain - and back.
The Rhins Of Galloway
It's another grand day out for 5 fools in Kilmarnock. There's sunshine, forest, hills, a lighthouse, and a harbour. There's also guilt, a lack of tea, and all kinds of strange places.
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The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I think it's been easier for me because my mother dying has always been part of the natural process... if that makes sense? For Sharon her sister was only 58 when she died, only 3 years older than Sharon which is scary and her sister wasn't "old". I can only imagine for your father - I bet he doesn't feel old and he didn't think your mum was old and it won't feel natural at all.
I suppose we all feel it differently, handle it differently, and not all of us will ever come to terms with a loss. Complex things us human peoples.
07/11/2025 08:13:42 UTC
The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Glyn said :-
I lost my Mum just over a year ago. I was there in the room when she departed this life. I saw her go and fully understood that she had gone. It was very sad at the time but I was surprised that I seemed to get over it fairly quickly, although I do think of her almost every day. She was 89 when she died. Her wishes were for her ashes to be buried in a cemetery next to where she had lived as a child. My father (90 yrs) cannot come to terms with his loss and keeps the ashes at home refusing to comply with her wishes. I’m thinking that Mrs Glyn and I will be dealing with two urns at some time in the future but tents or motorcycles will not be involved. My thoughts are with you both for your losses.
06/11/2025 20:03:10 UTC
The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Stop being nice folks... it's just plain weird.
05/11/2025 19:28:13 UTC
The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Upt' has nailed it as far as I'm concerned. My thoughts are with Sharon.
05/11/2025 09:54:52 UTC
The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Upt'North ¹ said :-
It sounds as though you both needed a break. It's life innit, until it isn't.
Your thoughts are mine Ed, the soul (religious or otherwise) has departed all that is left is the receptacle of that soul. You didn't love your mum for her left leg or her right ear, you loved her for her soul. It's that which will allow your love to continue forever, the memories, the laughter, the pain, the soul of your loved one.
Upt.
04/11/2025 16:35:11 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Ahhh the benefits on local knowledge Scot-in-exile. We didn't make it to Fintry but I've just had a look on Google street view and it looks like a lovely little village in the hills.
04/11/2025 09:36:54 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Scot-in-exile said :-
The Kelpies are much better viewed after the sun goes down but not ideal when you have a long ride home afterwards. The route around the Carron Valley was a frequent ride out from my younger days.
Had you turned right, instead of left, at the end of the B818, you could have visited Fintry, a very upmarket village, where there are a few excellent cafes to be found.
03/11/2025 19:26:13 UTC
Into The Pyrenees
Upt'North ¹ said :-
It's just the same with the Picos Bogger. North of the range it can be pretty dismal, green yes but often wet and misty. Go over the top and head south the weather can go from cool and wet to phew it's blummin warm in a couple of miles.
Upt.
03/11/2025 16:48:45 UTC
Into The Pyrenees
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, I much prefer the French side. Better food as well.
03/11/2025 12:56:49 UTC
Into The Pyrenees
Bogger said :-
The Pyrenees is a lovely area. I've been over it four times. The thing I find interesting is the French side is lush and green.
Thirty miles later once you traversed the mountains and into Spain the landscape has changed completely , it's much drier and less densely forested. Not a complaint, just an observation.
Bogger
03/11/2025 09:15:11 UTC
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Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
DOH!!!
30/10/2025 10:46:28 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Don't bite Ed, oh you already have...hook, line and sinker.
30/10/2025 10:16:24 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Wait a minute...hang on....!!!!!
"This is why you keep having to buy new ones...."
Right. OK. So. The current "68" plate CB500X was purchased in 2019 which means I've owned it for 6 years and put 60,000 miles on it (including 2 quiet years due to Covid). Before that I owned the '16 plate CB500X for 3 years and put 39,000 miles on it (traded in against the 68 plate). I also owned the CBF125 for 10 years and put 100,000 miles on it.
It's hardly like I'm having to swap bikes annually. It's not like each bike doesn't hardly get used. Oooooh the cheek and impudence of some folks!!!
29/10/2025 13:20:11 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, we've seen your bikes Ren. This is why you keep having to buy new ones....
Refinishing the XBR tank and side panels did take a huge amount of time and effort which is one reason I'm farming out the Steib body. A proper paint shop has good professional machinery for flatting etc rather than the copious amounts of wet & dry or production paper I use. And I've never had the courage to attack what to me is the final finish with more wet & dry as I envisage it all ending in tears and having to do the lot again. Still that's some lowlife's problem now.
Just been checking what I've got and I have a surplus of the alloy trim strips which need a good polish. How on earth I'll get to the fastenings up near the nose beats me - I may have to enlist the help of the young woman who helps Electra with the gardening as she's pretty flexible. I've ordered a tyre & tube from demon tweeks.
29/10/2025 12:16:18 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
In my world the only purpose of paint is to prevent (further) rust.
I admire Glyn's efforts with the TZR panels and Ian's work on the XBR, but I would have neither the skills nor the patience to properly carry out the preparation and painting. I figure if I were truly "into" the aesthetic then I would find the patience, take time to learn, and put in the effort.
29/10/2025 08:12:22 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
You're right about where most of the costs are but it's a big thing and my energy isn't unlimited. Blasting / powder coating did cross my mind but (a) I'm looking for a pretty exact colour match and (b) the finish wouldn't be as good as a proper spray job. It would be cheaper though. The main problem is that when done it'll make the rest of the bike look very scruffy.
26/10/2025 14:23:25 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think most of the paint shop costs are down to the prep time. Do it ya'self and save a few quid. Deliver it in primer and let them finish it off.
Have you thought about sandblast and powder coat Ian or wouldn't it be suitable for this.
Upt.
26/10/2025 10:18:36 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Thanks Glyn, I think I spent about £50 on the tank and side panels. I got a local paint factor to scan one of the original side panels and fill aerosols for me - they used a silver base coat. The metalflake effect doesn't come out well in the photos but was quite evident in real life.
I'm happy using brushed coach paint - I use Paragon which inmy experience is better than Tekaloid - for most things but an area as big as the sidecar would stretch my abilities too much hence using a professional body shop. I've been quoted £550 which although sounds expensive is probably reasonable. I remember paying about £350 a few years ago for a Guzzi V50 tank and side panels.
26/10/2025 10:02:26 UTC
Glyn said :-
That paint looks great Ian. The real finish is obtained after the paint has been applied. Rolls Royce used to hand brush paint their cars and then the real work began. My local paint supplier says that many top bike restorers use rattle cans to great effect. It’s not possible to paint a car with rattle cans because of the large areas and large amounts of cans needed. I have a decent spray gun with a large compressor but I hardly ever use it. It’s such a faff to set up. I painted these panels with Rainbow aerosol cans specially mixed after being scanned on a spectrograph. The total invoice for the cans came to £159 so it’s not a cheap thing to do. After the 3-4 base coats are on, I knock it back with 1000 wet and dry until all blemishes are gone and ( if there’s enough paint still on the panel) apply 3-4 coats of Premium lacquer. Then after 3 days, take that down with 2000 wet and dry before polishing it up with T cut or similar. There was about 5 days work on those panels and I haven’t started the side cowls or tank yet.
26/10/2025 08:37:11 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Those look lovely Glyn, perhaps I should commission you to paint my sidecar! Do you have "proper" [ainting equipment or is it done with aerosols? I've had decent results with the latter although the metallic finish on my XBR tank was a bit fraught as it needed 11 coats each applied within 10 minutes of the preceding one. But it turned out well enough I think.
25/10/2025 10:06:04 UTC
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Upt'North ¹ said :-
You might need a wider fairing.
07/11/2025 16:34:23 UTC
nab301 said :-
Leaving my bike in for a new crankshaft!
Nigel
07/11/2025 14:52:02 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , safety in numbers , you need to mobilise all the lurking BAT members and descend (or should that be head up to) and arrive en masse unannounced demanding Tea and biscuits , I'm sure Upts' vegetable patch isn't that big (assuming more than 2 turn up ...)
Nigel
07/11/2025 14:49:59 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I warn you (and myself), if you visit you may never leave. It happens, look at us.
The last visitors didn't leave either but the mounds in the veggie patch will flatten down over the winter.
06/11/2025 08:46:17 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I really must get myself up to Wooler - Upt' has gotten away with it for far too long.
06/11/2025 08:12:01 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Damn spell checker.
04/11/2025 16:23:41 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Ah but upt' said "here here" rather than "hear hear" which must mean he wants you to visit. I've ner noticed any curmmudgeonly attitudes from you Ren. Perhaps I'm not paying attention....
04/11/2025 13:52:27 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
...and people wonder why I'm antisocial and curmudgeonly.
04/11/2025 12:59:24 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Here here!
04/11/2025 11:30:30 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes but the upside is that they could make themselves scarce to avoid unexpected contact!
04/11/2025 09:56:24 UTC
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