Me in the U(c)K

[Posh Tourer :P]

Well, just thought I'd let you all know how I am doing over here. At the moment I'm still trying to find a job that I'll like, although I could easily be a motorcycle courier anytime I feel like taking up the job. Unfortunately (?) it is in London with some distance work, and really, I'd prefer to be outside of London and only visit it when I need to. Its cheaper anyway.

So, to set myself up for the possibility of being a motorcycle courier, I have bought myself a Honda Bros 400 with a breathing difficulty for £750. It is sucking in air somewhere, but I'm hoping that after re-seating the rubbers on top of the carbs, and fiddling with the circular clips on the bottom rubbers, the problem will slowly disappear by itself, which it appears to be (mostly) doing. It still needs a bit of a tune up though......... Piccies might come later, when I get to a real internet cafe that has accessible USB ports, but for now the ones in the libraries are free, if limited in time allocation.

It snowed the day after I got here, about an inch or so, but gone again by afternoon. The temperatures have been about or below 10, but today it has come out trumps, and it is sunny (for the first time so far) and it is quite pleasant (think late autumn day-ish).

The roads over here (at least in Kent) are scary. The A-roads are fine but a bit boring, and the B-roads and back country lanes are the bad ones. There are huge manhole covers and things everywhere.... The soil forms banks up to a foot high on the insides of corners and there are often big potholes right on the apexes of corners. The roads have mostly been dug up at least once and finished off roughly. To top it all off, there are nice tall hedges close by the roadside, blocking all view around corners. The roads are narrow and the lorries and vans are usually large. Other counties appear to take better care of their roads, but living in Edenbridge (Kent/Surrey/Sussex border), I've mainly seen the kent roads.

Oh and the ice and other road hazards (mud gravel etc) make it even worse... The Kent road surface is generally worse than SH22, with just as much shiny seal around the place......

Its a bit of fun though, and once I get the Bros sorted it ought to be a great summer Its got BT45s on it and scraping the boots is no worry at all although I'm finding the road surface too odd to try for much more.....

Time running out, TTYAL

[Bob]

Talk about bad timing! I was supposed to be holidaying in Kent last week - but the owner of the cottage rang to say they'd had so much snow the road was impassable (it was on an old Roman road, now given a "B" designation) that they'd had to use an industrial digger to clear their pathway!

On roads in general - you'll find the same pattern repeating. A and M will be well maintained, but B roads will be a mixed bag.

Get yourself over to Sussex when you get the chance - read any of the bike mags and they all go on about how good the roads are there.

Hope you get the Bros breathing properly - at least it is shod with some decent boots!

[6Chris6]

Hey Martin

Good to hear from you.
But... FFS don't become a London bike courier, we would really like to see you back hear with all limbs still attached and working properly.
That job is for people that are tired of life.
Enjoy your time there.
Chris

[wari]

GOod to hear from yar Posh .. keep upda good werk mate ... :spudwave:

<== been crakin' weathrr herre lately too mate ... mmy nose is reddrr in evrr ...

[Blakamin]

Sounds like you're having some fun PT....

Keep it up and watch them apexes

[jazbug5]

What 6Chris6 said- don't do it!

Besides, London sucks you in and you will hate it there, I'm pretty sure...
Also, every courier I know, aside from having more metal parts in their bodies than their bikes, and setting off the security equipment at every airport terminal they go through, has had their bike nicked: and bike courier insurance costs more than you're likely to make.
What did you do about insurance in the end? How much did it cost to get on the road after the cost of the bike?
(I have to go home eventually... *sob*)

Oh, and if you want to go up to Scotland or Cambridge, PM me and I'll see who I can scare up to show you a good time. Well, in Scotland it just might be my dad eagerly dragging you up hillsides, but he does revive his victims with good whisky, so it's worth it!!!

[James Deuce]

Waahaaay!

Nice to hear from you! Sussex B roads are nice. There is a lovely road or two between Blackheath (Sussex) and Petersfield, and if you feel like day ride, the New Forest on the other side of Southampton has some fun roads and interesting villages.

If you can avoid living in London (and working as a pre-cripple status bike courier) and still have a great time then do it, just from the money perspective. My fave cities over there are London, Manchester, and Edinburgh, but Kent is a bit "Southern Bastard" (Jazbug knows what I mean) for me . Londoners are a bit more cosmopolitan than their southern city counterparts.

Keep us updated! Get thee to southern France in the summer time!

[Riff Raff]

Good to hear from you Maarten. Good luck with the job hunting - and I'll reiterate the 'don't do it' point regarding being a bike courier.

Look forward to hearing about your next adventure.

[crashe]

Hi ya Maarten,

Good to see ya made it safely to the UK....
Have a great time over there...
I guess thoses who posted above, who have lived over there know what the conditions are like to be a bike courier... so do listen to them....
Look forward to seeing some pic's of your new bike.

Enjoy life and have great fun on your big OE.

Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures over yonder.

Travel safe and take care.
:spudwave:

[jrandom]

Don't listen to all these big pansies, Maarten. Be a London bike courier!

In the reasonably likely event that you survive, you'll have heaps of stories to tell about the time you got the titanium plates inserted, and the cute nurse that used to work nightshifts when you were in traction for a month. And don't forget, the head injuries will give you a plausible excuse for forgetting things. It's all good!

And we require photos, so hurry up and get them sorted.

[Biff]

Watch out for the London taxi drivers mate. They're mobile bike wreckers.

Be safe, enjoy, and whatever you do don't pick up a London accent "me ole china".

If you ever fancy visiting Wales I should be able to organise a cwowd of wowdy biker wabble to meet and greet you.

[jazbug5]

Biff old chap!

Your avatars get worse and worse. You're clearly a very sick man.
Did they throw you out of Wales for being too perverted even for the Welsh ...?!
*shudder*

[Motu]

Can you get some photos of the wedding for my collection while you are there - and you better bloody hurry if you want to get an audience with your favorite Pope.

Cool,a Bro eh bro,now like me you can feel the power of a 600,or 650 reduced to 400cc.The old R65 is going well,we are all doing timed runs down 22 on it - I'm 3rd fastest so far....

[edit] um,hi.

[Motu]

Now you are gone Maarten I can show you a picture of my R60/5,it was originaly white with black pinstriping,I had a toaster tank for it too.Some of your fathers parts in it,but imported most I needed from Aust.

[SPman]

And which parts of his father worked best?