the CVRDA online....as it was then

[Ancient Geek]

Intensly practical, hell of a work rate, easy going. Just the sort of chap you would want on a desert island just as long you do not choose Wagner as your discs!

[Garry R]

I also had a black Belstaff wax jacket (with belt) and a silver skid lid which would have given no protection but might just have stopped my brains from leaking out onto the road in an accident - how safe we thought we were, eh!

[Southern377]

No Garry, We didn't even consider safety. We just knew we were indestructable!

Too many bikes to list, lots of them off road...up to ZZR600...to brink of too many points.....now ER500..and a clean licence.

Alan.

[JB9]

I loved my ZZR600, much better than a Fireblade. What would I really like now? A new Royal Enfield Clubman or an old Moto Guzzi Le Mans.

[davidh]

The trouble is, this is a sensitive email for me as last autumn my son, who'd got into biking through me, really did prove that we're not indestructible. Like Humpty Dumpty, all the kings horses and men have yet to put him back together again...... a lesson to us all.

He works for Ducati so I could, if I so wish, ride any of the bikes but frankly I don't wish. Like many dinghy sailors, I have the start of arthritis in the wrists, the race replica position of 'chin on the tank, arse in the air' puts all the weight onto the wrists and that is, I guess, a case of 'give me a sign oh master' - except that the message is that riding sports bikes is no longer for me!

Given the choice - what would I have next? Oh dear..how booring... I'd spend the a fraction of the money and glam up my vfr, then spend the rest on a new boat!

As AG says....Simples

D

[Pat]

Moderator! Moderator! Severely off topic!

Can you split this off into the banter section?

Oh, it is in the banter section.

[JB9]

David, speaking of which I sailed in (well on really) my son's 29er for the first time at the weekend. It is great fun to sail if a little tippy. I was pleased that we remained upright, even with the kite up!

[Ed]

It is in the banter section

[Rupert]

Do we need an "off topic banter that no one will ever read", section?

Or just a poetry corner that 99% of us can never click on, where posts can be sent to automatically if some of this flashy new software you speak of recognizes it as such?

Please, people, stop cutting and pasting poems - it isn't big and it isn't clever...

And the motorbike bit needs its own thread.

I had a Yamaha QT 50, which is pretty much like the Puffin.

[davidh]

Rupert,

Does it excuse you if instead of cutting and pasting, you know the words anyway?

I've never posted a poem on here but thoughts of sailing last year with Roger the Commodore bring to mind

"sink me the ship master gunner
sink her, split her in twain"

Very apt I thought!

A flat calm here today so went to the launch event for the new Ducati Multi Strada, really a case of " I want I want I want". But seeing that these are on a par wiith the Devoti D-One I will not be changing bike - or boat, anytime soon

D

[Michael Brigg]

I've never posted a poem on here but thoughts of sailing last year with Roger the Commodore bring to mind

D

Poetry can be expressive of emotion in ways the emoticons can only begin to aspire. Some while back David I recall "on the old forum" a number of poetic posts, some certainly better than others. The particular quotation from David about seeing the Triremes of Greece dissapearing from the Trojan beaches had a very specific and reflective mood attached to it relating to the manner in which Wooden boats are vanishing before our eyes. The use of romantic poetry on a post about a farey constructed 505, was especially apt.

AG's contribution here also was forgiveable, if only by using a reasonably clever pastiche of Poe's "The Raven" (another on thats been on the "old" forum before) to pass comment on computer related problems, so in its way not out of context or even off topic.

However, there can be too much of a good thing. I generally prefer quotations.

The point of the Banter section is that it is an area of the forum where if you wish to pick up the ball and run with it then you can.

[Ancient Geek]

"I stand astonished by my own moderation".

[jonathan]

My last school year sailing season was ruined due to m/c accident. My commuter machine was a humble Honda 50 (SE Asia's transport of choice) from which I was catapulted by a passing car. I landed on the car roof then boot with a mangled hand lacerations from shoulder to foot and concussion. For once I was wearing my crash hat which in summer was usually to be found on the luggage rack. The driver actually picked me up from the road and bundled me into the passanger seat and took me to hospital. My only memory of the journey was his alsation in the back trying to lick up the blood from my wounds which was dripping all over his vynil seats. I thumped the dog on the nose when its tongue made its way into the wounds! The driver threatened to kick me out if I did it again.................. then I passed out. Next recollection was coming round to fing my hand starpped to some sort of plank and some masked peaple prodding around then I went to sleep again. In those days you came out of that with a hand swathed in copious bandages looking like a cartoon character and there was no way on earth that I could have got back on the water. Motorbikes and boats do not always go together and there is not much room for the tool box, spares containers, kit and sail bags and on occasions a 48lb steel centreplate. Having said that I am sure one of you has managed all that on his Brough Superior or whatever. The spares container and tools were more than likely needed for the bike as most British bikes seemed to spend most of their time in a state of dis-repair with a nice oil slick under them. After unbending it I traded the Honda in for a BSA Bantam. So long as you didn't flood it on starting than one ran and ran. German design as part of UK war reparations. They got the Marshall Plan and an economic miracle, we got clapped out industry resting on its laurels. Ce la guerre! But we did have some nice boats. Finished on topic!

[alan williams]

Hi
Once had a guy turn up at an Enterprise open meeting towing the boat with a motorcyle combination. I think the bike was an Ariel Sq4. Those were the days, proberly illegal now.
Cheers Al

[PeterV]

I've also carried Swift catamaran masts and Finn masts on my bicycle and Finn masts on my motorbike. No it's not legal!

The Finn mast wasn't as difficult to transport on my motorbike as my Landrover engine block!