What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Topdad]

Been very remiss this year and have to report no activity on the A10 til last weekend  , finally got to the end of SWMBO'ed list of things to do , Honda sold the week before so I could actually get to the bike .I replaced sump plug filled the oil tank , tickled the carb and second kick the beauty was away . stopped her to tighten the choke lever on the handle bar and next kick she was away again purring and roaring like a good 'un . Must be (touching wood )  the most reliable A10 I've ever owned , .Going for a run weather permitting Wednesday night and am really looking forward to it.

[Worty]

Each to their own really.  I wear an open face lid with shades and a scarf to filter out the larger bits of crap thrown up by the road.  My favourite is horse shit chucked up in the wet by the lorry in front of me - tasty.  Don't always want to wear a helmet, but Plod compels me to by threatening to lighten my wallet.  Wear thin leather gloves mainly to stop my hands getting covered in oil.  Old Doc Martins, jeans and a large leather jacket (with inner pocket to store the container of petrol additive) completes the set up.  For me, driving around aimlessly for 200m listening to the old girl chugging and, occasionally, roaring away is bliss.  If I didn't have kids to transport, shopping to get, etc, etc, I'd use the bike more.  Trouble is, there isn't enough time in the day or energy in the body to do everything you want to do sometimes.  Oh, and when it stops bloody raining, I'll be aimlessly riding again.

[RichardL]

Wortluck,

Glad to hear from a fellow aimless rider.

Richard L.

[Black Sheep]

Never get the chance for aimless riding but I do use the bikes at every possible occasion. Had a clash of dates this week. VMCC chip shop run or a quite different meeting and talk. The latter won. A few puzzled looks from club members going on the run as I was heading out in the opposite direction.
I actually think it's quite important to use the bikes as regular everyday transport and let as many non-bikers see that they are a) practical and b) ridden by relatively normal (I do use the term loosely) people.
I did ride the A7 to a job interview and got the job purely on the grounds that the interviewer once had a BSA. My qualifications and suitability were never discussed. Phew!

[Butch (cb)]

Sold a bike yesterday. Winning bid on that auction site was £281, from which you can tell it was quality.

This weekend I'll be doing some work on a pals V50 (Guzzi not Volvo) and putting it through an MOT. Then off to the (inaugural) Essex branch (MGCGB) summer camp at Steeple for Saturday night.  I'll be on my T3 - 'Blue'.

I don't think non-motorcyclists notice what bike you ride. If they register anything at all it is just somewhere on a scale of irritation. If I don't have somewhere to go then I don't go out at all. 

[Greybeard]

I reckon some car drivers see a bicycle in front of them and have to overtake regardless of the motor bike's speed. I've had a car suddenly appear really close beside me! My 6v horn is pretty useless at venting my anger!

[Worty]

Too right GB, I find a suitable rap on the window followed by a broken wing mirror at the next set of lights to be a perfect addition to the 6v horn in getting drivers' attention.

[Greybeard]

Too right GB, I find a suitable rap on the window followed by a broken wing mirror at the next set of lights to be a perfect addition to the 6v horn in getting drivers' attention.

Although that might feel great, it could backfire badly.

[Worty]

The bike or the consequences GB??

[Greybeard]

The bike or the consequences GB??

Road rage might get one a punch up the bracket! Or even knocked off the bike.

[Worty]

Heh, they'd have to catch me first

[RichardL]

I actually think it's quite important to use the bikes as regular everyday transport and let as many non-bikers see...

I know you have several bikes to my one running A10. I don't like the idea of wearing down my bike for the daily drudge. Having it running makes it easier to ride than having it in a state of repair. If one of yours breaks down, you grab another. To put this in perspective, when was the last time you had to order A10 parts from the US?. I end  buying something from the UK almost every time significant repair is needed.

Richard L.

[Black Sheep]

All my life I have used classic bikes as everyday transport, mostly a Norton 99 and then a BSA Star Twin. Using them daily (normally a 60 mile or more round trip) means that they get properly warmed up every trip and any bugs are ironed out very early on. Latterly I added a B31 to the not exactly huge fleet just because I liked the relaxing sound of a single. My wife used her A10 daily until her kickstart leg was smashed by a prat driving a Volvo then had to opt for a Moto Guzzi T3 for the daily commute. Only once in my working life was I late for work due to a bike problem. The first day of a new job of course. I no longer have the daily commute and I now have more bikes in the shed than I can justify.
It was always considered unusual to rely on an old bike for everything but it certainly worked for me. And still does.

[Worty]

I want to use my bike every day, but don't have the opportunities at present.  For me, use it 'til it breaks or wears out then replace/fix it.  I keep the bike in the best condition I can, but occasionally need to 'modify' or replace with something a bit non-standard.  Case in point is when I lost about six engine mounting stud nuts plus a stud itself.  As an emergency, and so I could keep riding, a length of metric, threaded bar and nylocs have done the job.  I know that one forum member berated me for not using the right parts, but I want to ride not sit waiting for the post to arrive just so I can say the bike is 100% original when I go out.  This summer, I'm putting an AM26 on the back so I can lean a bit into corners without worrying about whether it's going to hang on, especially in the wet.  When I'm old and unable to ride and the bike's in the living room and I'm admiring it with a whisky and reflecting on times gone by, then I'll be looking at all the bangs and scrapes remembering the adventures we've had.

[muskrat]

G'day wortluck 
I'm sure a lot of us here do the same, especially me or those living far from the UK.
I haven't touched a BSA for a while. Been doing battle with a mates 1999 HD TC88 converting cam chain tensioners from spring to hydraulic. Took it for test ride and 50Km in she dropped one cylinder. Rode home on one (725cc single LOL) cylinder. One of the adjustable push rods UN-adjusted it's self. Going on 2nd test ride today.
Cheers