For context – I drive >50k miles a year self employed so no allowance or financial incentive to buy anything specific

My advice would be to buy something you really like sitting in/looking at – All other considerations will eventually go out the window

I’ve had a run of Mini Clubmans and my last one was sold on at 175k miles – they’re not particularly comfortable or quiet or even economical (50mpg ish) I just really like sitting in one and If you’re doing that for most of your working day it helps.

I had a breif stint (2years) in a Volvo V60 and it was perfectly capable but completely numb to drive and in the end hated it – Fuel costs you can calculate, but the reality is – You put X£ of fuel in every X number of days – but you’ll resent pouring it in a car you hate and not feel so bad if you love the thing.

uselesshippy – Unfortunately a similar argurment was used in F1 and GP motorcycle racing in the 60s and 70s and it did change.  Both sports are far more sucessful since those changes.

5% of racers going out for the TT wont come home in 1 peice.

You’re right, the racers love it and the families wouldn’t want it any other way – These guys dont have a death wish, none of them are wanting to kill themselves round there – ALL of them believe its not going to be them.  They are not going to take up an equally high risk sport because the TT is no longer running in the same way.

I guess its time the collective had a sensible conversation about it and I’m not the man to make those decisions.

But to put it in perspective – if 3 GP riders were dying every other round we’d be up in arms about it.

To answer your point teenrat – yes they know the risks, however if you are a pretty average supersport racer in the UK and someone drops £50k down every year for you to head off round the island, perhaps that pays your mortgage for a few years you might put the risks to the back of your mind.  No one has a gun to their head granted, but neither are people lining up to sign ‘X’ rider to ride BSB or SBK every weekend and a ‘safer’ wage.

My point of view is controversial – I am a fan and (have been) a circuit racer, my father named me and my sister after places on the circuit so my enthusiam for bike racing is life long.  However – F1 and MotoGP changed and reduced the deaths to practicaly zero and the fans didn’t leave – there is no reason the TT would finish, just because the race is changed.

Just checked – From the TT and MGP – 59 people have died competing since 2000.

Now this is a controversial opinion I know – but maybe its time the TT made some significant changes to reduce the amount of deaths.

If we are handing out penalties, where was the Zarco ride through or position change for the same incident on Pedrosa?  They need to be consistent with the rules otherwise they can be expolited.

Stoner was never a “racer” so he quit. Another great bike rider though.

Ha – this is quite the statement said about a double MotoGP champ.

Using your opponent as a “stopper” in corners is not racing.

Unfortunately Rossi has form in this particular area, although people do have short memories.

We had a really cool VW T25/3 hightop Westy for 12months and it was great but very limited.

Sold that and bought a LHD Hobby – That was 9 years ago and we’ve done nearly 70k miles in it since.  Mostly mainland Europe but some of the UK too – Last year I drove to my office in Germany then cruised to Milan to meet my wife from the airport – we then hung out in Italy for a week and cruised home via Eurobike to go to the trade show.

Check out https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/

This is a really useful website for UK based stopovers all over the country – Pub stops mainly which are ace, had a weekend around the borders stopping at pubs for ‘free’ by having a drink and something to eat in the pub over New Year

Ours is like this – Garage in the back for upto 4 bikes or a moped and 2!

@Trailwagger – What role do you perform in the company that the rest of us can rip apart because we dont understand you role function?

GP4Season 28mm are great – Not Black Chilli though, but grippy. Dont feel heavy like a touring tyre but dont last quite as long. If i’m completely honest, I cant feel they are any slower than the 26mm road race tyres I use on the race/summer/non mudgaurd bike

My mudguard/winter bike runs them – I’ll probably get 2 winters out of a set before they’re shagged and thats about 5000miles all in. Even did a winter 10 with the guards and didn’t come last!

I could never be described as Ducati fan, but was fortunate enough to go to EICMA this year and this V4 is a work of art. It appears smaller than the outgoing model, its about the size of an RS250. Even the MotoGP bike looks big in comparison!

It makes the RSV4 look dumpy and overweight and the jap stuff floundering.

My best advice is dont – turbo training is just awful and unless you have a very specific goal it will suck any fun out of riding a bike.

If you just want to stay fit and you have the option, lights and mudguards are far superior

If you must ride indoors, learn to ride rollers as this at least gives you sensations of riding properly.

I my experience its almost always a twisted hanger and with modern stuff with short chainstays it needs to be less than you think.

Get into a decent bikeshop with a hanger alignement gauge rather than eyeing it with some adjustables.

As above – check the business class price.

Went to Nice earlier in the year

Flight £75 + £60 for a bike
Business £110 – Extra allowance and get to feel like you’re ‘better‘ than other people.

Stay here

http://miramar-beachspa.tiara-hotels.com/en/

Go here

http://www.museesdegrasse.com/en/presentation-museum

Eat here

https://www.lecafedefrance.fr/fr/jazz.php

Or here if you like the film ‘Ronin’

http://en.nicetourisme.com/nice/535-restaurant-la-barque-bleue

Go for Coffee at the Cafe De Paris on Casino Sq in Monte Carlo.

All miles apart but hire a cheap car – Enjoy the riviera lifestyle.

Pah. If you’re not going to mess about, then get a Kestrel.

http://www.kestrelcyclestands.co.uk/professional-range

Ive tried them – I’ve used one but always found myself tripping over the sticky out legs. Park stand is tidy-er in my opinion.

Park PRS-3.2-2 – If its for the garage, just dont mess about…

Its gonna take some fettling (huge adjustment range), but in initial tests it feels awesome and exactly like you’d expect – It might be a *shade (lots) overkill!

For context I also dropped a coil onto a Trek DRCV Fuel EX a few years ago and that turned it into a trail monster. More grip, more support from the spring everywhere and no mushy feeling.

I’ve just dropped a coil X2 on my 120mm T1-29 trail bike.

Coil or Air?

No

Thanks for all the help – There is a few in there I hadn’t thought of. Volvo being one of them!

I’ve done nearly 5 years in a Mini Clubman so anything is going to be a step up for comfort!

I highly recommend a Slovak powerlifter to anyone who enjoys the smell of a man. And raw onions.

User-removed – does your heart sink to an all time low when you’re asked to do those ‘fun’ family photos where everyone is having fun in a fun photo studio having fun – In a featureless white box. Not wearing shoes

Ride round and round in circles until someone waves a fabric chessboard in your direction.

Even the guys at the front dont really know what they’re doing.

I have and they’re awesome – Bought 1 disc and 1 canti and i prefer my canti bike. I’ve come off more expensive Cx bikes (Ridley X-Night SL) and I much prefer the feel from the Crockett.

Even built mine Di2 with all internal routing.

The only thing I’ll probably change it for is the new one when they launch it.

Buy something from a brand you’ve heard of more than once.

I have a Honda MSX125 for popping to the shops on and its excellent. sipps fuel, will do 70mph on the motorway and is a whole heap of fun. If I had to commute on something, I think i’d take the bus – Commuting by motorcycle is miserable unless its sunny.

They wont Stanza for it, they’ll come at them with the full force of the Laurel

They wont Stanza for it, they’ll come at them with the full force of the Laurel

Inverse is a great option – low MOQ, good quality and a 3 week lead time – they also do MTB gear if you wanted it

Inverse

Yay – motorhomes!

Ours cost us £15k 7 years ago, and I dont think we’ll be that far away getting our money back now…. All over Europe over that time

We had updated from this – Glad we made the change. More of a being part of the scene thing than actual camping performance.

Thanks All, seems to be lots of information available, whether it make any difference to me I’m still not sure. I guess I want to be able to press a button and a nice fresh espresso appear.

BillMC – Which one have you bought?

If you want something for a family – coachbuilt all the way. If you can find it, German built and you wont go far wrong

Hobby
Hymer
Knaus

Most of the Mavic sponsored pro riders use that wheel and many have raced early season on them so I cant see its the wheel.

(just for reference, I’ve been close to your weight on those wheels)

What frame is it in?
What QR lever are you using?

Frag trap – building with inner and outer walls of very thick concrete with offset openings to let rapidly expanding gas escape while containing projecting objects – as if you’ve put you Gore Tex Y fronts on and shat yourself.

Hats

When rally cars weren’t as cool as trucks – or as fast…

Worked on my thingy

Copy paste/make work for me?

https://youtu.be/OKW88O9JiEE

Is it flat out all the time racing (conditions allowing)?

Only for the front guys

Who’d uv thunk it.

Thanks and delete thread as appropriate

You need this – proper job

Thule Magic

We’ve been invaded by a Labrador dog for the last 12months and MrsTM happened to take 6months off work at the same time. It was great for him as he took to being with us really well – When MrsTM went back to work we found a really good local dog day care – Hes with them 3 days a week, loads of socialising and doggy play, and the other 2 days hes at home with one of us (working from home) – I couldnt imagine leaving him for more than a couple of hours on his own and maybe he is spoiled by all the attention.

blocked by some unprofessional riding from Pedrosa

Thats one helluva leap of faith there! Its highly likely that Pedrosa will disappear off into the distance never to be seen again. Rossi does not have the form of Dani around Valencia and would do well to follow him throughout practice and qualifying.