Well... that was 'interesting'

So, picked up the outfit at about 10 this morning in sunny walsall.

Within 50m I had to negotiate a junction. So I braked, the outfit
veered to the other side of the road into the path of a van. Oh dear.
Fortunately the van stopped and looked on amused at my expression of
horror (since I'd frozen; my instinctive countersteer made things
worse...) Oh well, only 110 miles to go.

Within another coupla hundred metres I managed to mount the pavement
with the sidecar... near a bus queue. Whoops. Still, it gave some
people some exercise as they got the **** out of my way.

After a little while it all sort of made a bit more sense. It weaves
about a bit with a lot of bar juddering at sub-30mph speeds so I guess
it needs a look at the tyre/steering damper (note, the tyre suggestion
came from Pete Fisher; thanks)

Once I got to the M6 it was OK except it was hard work to steer in a
straight line, with a bit of camber it really pulls towards the gutter.
More later.

So then onto the M5 and getting a bit more comfortable. So, let's see
how fast she goes... 80 was OK, it didn't really want to pull much more
so I didn't push it. Leave that for another day.

THe fucking surveillance cameras were clearly working; I saw a message
"Debris in road, slow down". I thought this was a bit fucking personal.

After a while cruising at 65-70 was comfortable (ignoring the steering
input required) it was misfiring slightly, ignition thing I supposed;
coil or something along those lines. Then came into traffic and ended
up in the outside lane, overtaking a lorry... and it cut out on one or
two cylinders. Arse. Came back on song soon enough though but not
enough to avoid worrying me.

Eventually get to the Cheltenham turn off and went to see Champ, Peter
Fisher, Platy and Sweller at the hill climb. On my way there got the
chair off the ground, accidentally. Nice.

Pete was helpful pointing out "it's leaning towards the chair, not away.
You'll need to fix that". Platy asked if the vendor was a large chap,
he was; this explained the setup... Platy and Sweller sat on the bike
and the suspension compressed looking approximately correct. Fiddling
required.

After that ended up back on the M5 and heading south.

Journey home without incident, well excepting misfires (advice of all
and sundry was condenser breaking down) and also running out of petrol.
Fortunately I had reserve to rescue me.

Final piece of stupidity was fucking about lifting the chair Make sure
you're close to the centre of the road when you do this... if you aren't
then you run the risk of drifting towards the gutter... and being unable
to put it down!

So, short version, in conclusion.

1. Thanks to Pete and Platy for sundry advice.
2. Thanks to Sweller for bringing the Guzzi; that bike looks better
every time I see it.
3. Chair's are perfectly safe as long as you don't get too cocky.

 

You got all uppity when somebody tried your chair out.

 

I thought that was mandatory? everyone I've seen has done much popping,
backfiring and making great clouds of smoke.

 

I must admit, I fancy an outfit too.

 

I sat on it, didn't compress it enough, got Sweller to climb on the back,
which made it compress enough to look like it wasn't actually leaning
towards the chair. So, no.

 

You probably won't fit in the chair. I barely got in and out.

 

Burnt, hold the suspension adjustments

 

Don't take this badly. I wouldn't trust you not to abuse the poor
thing.

 

wrote in

You sentimental old fool.

 

Calm down. You can have a go on the Ural. It's inured to abuse.

 

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:18:59 +0100, said

The experience appears to have completely fucked up your grammar,
though.

 

Don't listen to him. The fuzz has nothing to do with you - I'm simply
trying to look like as big a **** as possible.

 

Hmm. You may well have a point.

 

This is it, in a nutshell. Once you've learned the Black Art, they're
easy, but if you try and show off and be a ****, you'll soon find out
how unforgiving of error they are.

 

<shrugs>

 

Heh.. sounds like fun.

 

Bollocks.

 

I am a God - now supplicate before me.