2013, The New Beginning

Well, it is finally here. 2013. We've had 20 hours so far, and the sun has shone, and I've been out to meet some friends, that I only seem to see on New Years Day.

So, a list of resolutions for 2013. Sod that, who keeps them?? I just have a list of jobs to do, and get them done in the best way possible. Hopefully they will be completed without the aid of a bodge job here and there.

At the tail end of  2012, I managed to get organised. A new tool chest, some new tools and I made some space in the workshop. Work is currently under way on the old (now 20 years old) Ducati Monster, to hopefully rectify the escaping electricity. A new battery has been ordered, the starter solenoid and wiring has been checked. Lets hope the new battery cures this annoying problem!!

 Chaos in the workshop

Now onto the MINI One. Well, the top and bottom radiator hoses split on Saturday. The car is off the road, until tomorrow. The replacement hoses and clips were ordered on New Years Eve at my local BMW dealers and should arrive there after 12pm on Wednesday! Tomorrow will be filled with a bit of paperwork in the morning then some refitting of hoses and bleeding of the coolant system. Exciting eh??

A nice clean engine bay

2013 is starting well. It's looking organised at the moment. I've even started (yes, I've actually started) planning the restoring of a 14 year old Suzuki GSF600n. It hasn't moved under it's own steam since 2006, and has been stored under the stairs at work since then. I could end up with a classic Suzuki Bandit and a working classic Ducati M900. Now, that would be a good year if I get both working.

Off I go, back to reading the workshop manual for a Suzuki Bandit.

2013

Happy New Year to one and all

Time to return to the workshop from the wilderness

Slack....

It's been over a year since I've popped in here. Where have I been? Well, obviously not here!

2012 has nearly finished and I've been to lots of MINI meetings and shows. I've also had a few upgrades fitted to my MINI and I will remember to document them later.

I've been addicted to the world of Instagram as well, with a large collection of pointless, daily picture uploads on there under Banditloon.

The Monster hasn't been used much this year, just because, 1; I've been busy with the car, 2; It has run out of electricity, 3; I don't want to get it dirty!!

Well, time for a reshuffle and a bit of general housekeeping on here. Let's see how long I will keep this blogging lark up for!!

MINI Adventures, they are fun!!!

It's coming up to nearly three months since I collected the MINI from Cooper Tadworth. On the 11th September I said good bye to the Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaag and hello to Dinky. Before you wonder why are you calling the MINI Dinky? Well, to go from a Jag to a MINI is a bit of a downsize (as mentioned earlier in a blog), so Dinky fitted quite well. Anyway, back to the present....

I had a trawl through the interweb, and thanks to Mr Google and lots of well placed words from those interweb geeks, I managed to find millions of Mini clubs and forums across the world. The only problem being, they were Mini clubs and not MINI clubs. Some are very anti BMW MINI, lots of them seem happy that you are in a MINI or Mini of some description, and some, after a bit more searching, just cater for MINIs.

As with the Alfa, MX5 and Jag before, the forums were joined and off I looked for inspiration and maybe more inspiration and possibly a few runs out to MINI or Mini or both meets around the UK. This is when I found SnM. After going through the TotalMINI site and wondering what was happening, I found the Surrey New MINI forum, and since then it has gone downhill since.

Two pub meetings, Nelsons Diner meet, Goodwood Meet, Winter Brighton Run and lots planned for 2012! My first real run in with them was at Brooklands Museum last year at the Mini day. I still like the classic Mini, and I would get one, if I had the time, money and space to rebuild one. But when I decent second hand classic Mini costs nearly the same as a 10 year old MINI, I think I'll go with the one that has air con, ABS and a CD player built in, rather than a possible rust bucket, that would eat my wallet contents like a... erm.... Ducati Monster!

Anyway, the MINI Adventures have been fun. Driving in convoys from Goodwood to Shoreham Airport for lunch with 35+ MINIs. Driving from Box Hill to Brighton in the wet conditions last weekend, was good fun, even with the strange folk of Brighton wondering why 15 MINIs were all heading towards Maderia Drive, well we want fish and chips of course!!

But alas, my 2011 MINI Adventures have come to an end. Nothing else to do but clean the car, buy more Union Jacks and clean the car some more. I'm looking forward to next year. Lots of meetings to go to. The Brooklands Mini day, London 2 Brighton, Mini Action Day at Castle Combe, maybe also some MINI racing and plenty of other stuff inbetween, a service and MOT being two things!

Right lets upload some snaps!

Dinky at Goodwood

SnM MINIs lined up at Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit

The Winter Brighton Run

Now with added Union Jacks

A lot happens in 20 years.

1991, my last year at Rydens School. GCSEs done, and looking forward to not going back to school forever! (Well ok I did do some sixth form and college). School as I knew it was over any way, and after spending 11 years in education, I was glad to see the back of it! As the years passed by, I found out life is very interesting. I discovered motorcycles, overtime, weekends off, four jobs, alcohol, cigarettes, naughty cigarettes, paintballing, more overtime, even more unpaid overtime and cars.

So, 20 years on, and yes the class of '91 had their reunion in Walton on Saturday 20th November. The Nobel Vine was the venue and yes I was scared shitless about going. Scarily, I was the quiet geeky one at the back of the class, staying out of trouble (most of the time), doing my homework / course work, and just trying to blend in with the greyness of my school shirt. How things have changed in 20 years. From the quiet, shy kid at the back of the class, to walking into the pub on reunion night to be greeted with... "It's the legend Danny Morl". To then be told by my postman that I have become the Rydens version of Jeremy Clarkson was a bit of a shock. One, I'm short, two I'm not that annoying and three, I'm better looking and speak more sense (sometimes, without the added ingredient of alcohol).

 Ok, I have no idea what I did at school to make me a legend. Apart from a brief spell in the school football team, we did win a trophy as well! I think the rest of the school football matches I spent sent off with my mate Nik as we just used to hack everyone to the ground (even our own team mates!). I didn't set fire to any class rooms, I didn't graffiti the common room, I never smoked behind the bike sheds, I can only remember ever getting one detention for Tipexing Andrew Thomas' work out in Home Economics. Then to be told by some of my (ex) school mates I haven't changed much in 20 years worries me! Did I have grey hair and was fat in the fifth year at Rydens?

Then it dawned on me, no one at the reunion had changed much in 20 years! The girls from the Class of '91 had got married and were in the process of have had kids, married, divorced, more kids and jobs, the blokes, well they are just as bad now as they were at school! So, after a alcohol fueled night of memories, conga, beer and more conga, the reunion came to a close. Twenty years to turn myself into a legend (not that I know how I became one), to catch up with some of my old class mates, to be in awe of one of my best mates at school now owns, and uses it daily as his daily transport, a 1977 mark 2 Escort, getting bored of tales about Lexus IS400 and IS200, and to not remember how I got home. Still, the reunion was a good laugh, and yes I would go to another one. They best arrange one sooner than the 40th anniversary of the class of '91 as I don't think I will make it that far!!

Then again, The Loon is a legend, my alter ego, the part of me that never came out when I was a spotty yoof. 20 years to discover the Loon inside me and release him into the general population. Maybe I have become a legend, just in my own head!

Which brings me nicely to....

The MINI One.

Test drive day, yes it did rain a lot!

I'm now two weeks in to ownership. I have a silly grin on my face. Only once in the last two weeks have I not driven the MINI, as I decided to bring the work van home instead, and that night I had the van, I missed the MINI!!!

A little bit about the car I didn't want to buy, but I bought it, and I am enjoying it!

It's a lightning blue, 2007 1.4 MINI One. It has most of the options you can throw at a MINI fitted, still with a full years TLC pack to go and has only done 26k miles! Cloth interior, panoramic sunroof, air con, multifunction steering wheel, alloy wheels, bluetooth and usb connectivity, heated screen, heated mirrors, heated washer jets, cruise control and a six speed gearbox (which is a novelty for me in a car!). There is a few more things, but I can't remember them!

Union Jack scuttles installed, and for a change when the instructions say two minute job, they were correct!

Union Jack interior mirror cover fitted, just a one minute job for that!

And finally Dangermouse on the boot. That should help me find the car more easily!

Apart from the car is very nippy for the little box it is, and handles well, even as well or not better than my old MX5. Ok, the drive is wrong (FWD instead of RWD), but the little blue car is fun!! MPG running at the moment around the mid 40s, which is slightly better than the best MPG I could get from the Jag!

One thing I have noticed, the original Mini has a whine, just a certain engine or gearbox noise that tells you it's a Mini! You know the noise, you've heard it as a Mini goes past you whilst you are walking somewhere, you know, that little whirring, whining noise, well I've noticed a little whirring, whining noise in the new MINI, it is there, I can hear it and yes it just makes me think of the smaller one. Maybe the BMW MINI has eaten a BMC Mini!

Apart from the addition of Dangermouse on the boot, a Union Jack initerior mirror cover and just some new chrome surrounds for the keys, I'm not going to change anything else on the car (at the moment!). I looked at a fully Union Jack clad red MINI One tonight at Berrys of Heathrow, and yes it does look a bit too OTT and tacky. I don't think I will go with the Union Jack vinyl sunroof decals! Well, not yet!

Other than the little whine and whir, the car is fun! The ICE system is ok, not ground breaking, but it's fine. My iPod works ok through the AUX cable and next week I will found out if it works better with the official BMW Y cable (which I didn't pay the BMW Dealer price for!). I've done nearly 500 miles in the car in just over two weeks and they've been fun! I have no idea where I have been, well apart from the long way to work, the long way home from work and Bluewater, and at just over £40 to fill up and do 300 miles plus from a tank of fuel, it's quite economical.

So, for another three and a bit years I am stuck with Dinky. Long may Dinky continue to give me stupid grins and fun twisty roads to play on!

Down sizing is all in the mind....

The old Jaaaaaaaaaaaaag. Well, not so old, a 2004 X Type diesel. A Transit engined beasty. The Ark Royal of all the cars I've owned in the past 14 years. The biggy, posh and comfy bus! I like this car, I did when I bought and still do now, but it was just BIG. The purpose of the car was full filled, to transport my mum around in comfort, backwards and forwards to the hospital whilst awaiting for her hip operation. The operation was done a few months ago, the car was still comfy, but seemed to be getting bigger. Less walking sticks to carry around, less clutter (not that I have much in my cars), just less.

I wasn't even planning on doing what I did. This is all the fault of my mother! I was thinking about changing the car, but next year. The Jag was due it's yearly medical, and after spending over £300 on tyres and another £70 on an intercooler hose in nine months, I thought that car would easily sail through, which it did!

Anyway, before the MOT date, I was window shopping on the Autotrader website. Alfa 147s, 156s, 159s, Mazda RX8s, MX5s, BMW Z3s, I liked them all and was toying with a swap. Nothing to decided, no harm in looking, just window shopping. The Jag done everything I needed it too, it was cheap on the road tax (£130 a year for a Jaaaaag!, petrol V6 one is nearly twice that amount!), insurance was ok (well I thought, but later about that!), the car run smoothly and did need a service soon. Then whilst flicking through pages of BMWs, I came across the MINI. Well, ok, small car, cheap tax, cheap insurance, could be ok. I knew my brother had one and he said no. Unreliable car that spends more time in BMW garages than on the road. Oh well, back to planning trailers and doing the day job.

Then a couple of weeks ago, I was still flicking through Autotrader and eBay and decided I need a trip to a dealership and have a look at some cars. I will not make up my mind, but just size the cars up. Try out the boot, driving position ect. Well, first of all the Mazda RX8 disappeared off of the radar. The top band for road tax every year (£460 or something like that), and no I'm not going to pay that! Even though I do like the little 1.3 RX8, and if I did buy one I could say Wankel lots! The MX5 also got knocked off the list as I had already owned one, and the boot is small. It's a fun car to drive though and no roof is good in the summer. Just a shame that in the UK we seem to lack summer! BMWs got knocked off for the same reason, then it was just the Alfas, but who knows what you would get with an Alfa. Yes, I love the Alfa, it's a great looking car, but they do need a lot of looking after and if you do get the wrong car, you are f**ked! Expensive and they do not hold their value due to being Alfas!

In the end, a shopping trip to Epsom was planned with a visit to Cooper Tadworth. Well, everything did not go to plan. I drove my mum over to Tadworth and the plan was, I'll look round the forecourt and see what cars they have, get the attention of the sales person and ask if I can check out the size of the boot (with the seats folded flat) to see if my mums shopping trolley will fit in. Well, parts 1 and 2 went fine, I walked around, found two cars, a Cooper in black and a One in blue. The sales girl came out and I asked if the cars were unlocked, she disappeared and came back with the key to the MINI One and as she popped the locks, my mum decided to get in the passenger side and sit down. That was the end of my careful planning.... "oooo I like this, it's comfy!" said my mum. Well, that was it! I had a look at the boot size, which is too bad with the seats flat, not quite as big as the Jaaaag but enough space for shopping and trolley. Anyway, the sales girl explained that the car was off out on a test drive in five minutes with the possible new owner. My heart sank a bit, but oh well, I only wanted to be nosey. The only thing was, two hours later whilst walking round Epsom, I get a phone call from the salesman at Coopers telling me that the couple who test drove the car had decided to buy a Mini convertible. So, test drives were booked for Sunday!

After test driving two Minis, the little 1.4 One felt as good as the Coooper. Cheaper tax and cheaper insurance as well. Still, I didn't fancy a change of car yet, well for at least 5 minutes. So, after filling in a couple of forms, being told my Jaaaag was a CAT B write off (which it wasn't, due to sales man not being able to read his own writing!), I had managed to nearly buy a new car!

On the Tuesday morning, I get the phone call. All the finance stuff had gone through, the car will be ready to collect on Sunday! And that was it! The Jaaaag was going! I had only had the Jaaaaaaaaaag for nine months, but she was off to be part exd for a MINI. Downsizing in a big way!

Sunday arrived and off I went to Tadworth. The Jaaaaaag had passed it's MOT with flying colours, everything cleared out of the car except the bits that should be in there. Sorted! I got to the dealership, spent forever signing sheets of paper! Finally, the keys were handed over. A little blue dinky toy was now mine. I had a few bits to get out of the Jaaaaaag, which didn't disappoint, it's parting shot was to not open the boot on the boot release button. Nice car!! Everything finally cleared out and put into the new car.

I was out of the car park like a stupid Cheshire cat. Grinning insanely! Farewell comfy leather clad, walnut dashed Jaaaaag, hello mad driving, go kart handling Mini! Now, after two weeks of driving the MINI, do I regret the swap... NO!!!!

Land's End and generally being silly!

The title of this blog sums up the last month! The silliness side has returned with a vengeance! I had to be reminded of my little quote; "life's too short to be sensible!" and yes it is too short, go out, have fun and that's about it really!

So here we are, the first days of autumn. The trees are losing there leaves and branches, as I nearly drove into a branch today, and not one of a bank variety! The evenings are colder and there seems to be a bit more wet weather on the horizon, well a bit more than the summer anyway. Snow has been forecasted, so that is it! The end of riding the Monster for another year! What does a sensible, normal person do, well apart from not owning an Italian bike, they hide in their thermals and just go about their normal work.

As for short, stupid people like me, we go out and have more fun! Bank Holiday weekend, the final one of the year before Christmas (yes, Christmas, the chocolates and wrapping paper is in the shops now, well has been since August!), I decided to say bollocks to the normal hum drum going shopping and looking around the shops stuff and head off on my once every seven year adventure to Land's End. The sign post was calling, and needed my bike to fill the gap between the lens of the camera and the sign post to Walton on Thames. After looking at the Premier Inn and Travelodge websites for a room for the night, and nearly laughing at the top price of £103 for one room, no food in Hayle, I decided to try the Land's End Hotel website and scare myself silly with their price.... £40 for a room and breakfast over Bank Holiday weekend! Result! Room booked on the interweb, which now meant I had to pack my bag, make sure I had oil, petrol and air in the bike parts that mattered and head south west!

The old girl made it to Land's End in just over seven hours! No aches and stiffness from the rider, only one forced stop to change to waterproof gloves and jacket due to the typical Bank Holiday weather outside Sherborne! What the hell, it's an adventure!

Bank Holiday Monday comes with a bang! Well, three false alarms on the fire alarm through the night. I managed to ignore them, which was nice! After a wander around Land's End at 8am, which to be fair, apart from the tourist attraction that does spoil it a bit, at 8am the place is great! No tourists, just the odd person wandering about, loads of rabbits, and just the sea breeze, a few ships and a couple of birds to keep you company! After my morning exploration, I headed back to the hotel for breakfast, and then headed outside to check the oil and tyre pressures on the Monster. A couple of bikers who had stayed the night in the hotel were just leaving for the other end of the country, John O'Groats! Mad fools, and they were doing it for fun! And they had sensible bikes, a Triumph touring bike thing (I think it was the ST) and a Honda Blackbird. Amazingly they wouldn't swap their bikes for a 1993 Ducati Monster. No adventure then! After wishing them good luck, I packed my bags, checked out, got a refund of my money due to the fire alarm problem (dodgy smoke detector in the kitchen), and wheeled the bike round to the patio of the hotel to take the above shot.

Land's End or Bust 2011 completed!

Then it was time to get my picture taking at the sign post. Two tips, if it is sunny and early, remember your sunglasses! Second tip, there isn't a second tip yet. My picture was taken and off I went, sort of south east ish. Down to The Lizard Point and another marker knocked off the list, Ness Point (eastern most point on mainland the UK), The Lizard Point (southern most point on mainland UK) and Land's End (western most point in mainland England). Not bad for an 18 year old Monster! All in all, with stops for food, drink and general sight seeing, it took me 10 hours to get home. No traffic hold ups, well I lie, one traffic hold up, there was a red light in Bodmin and about 10 cars infront of me! I headed home via the A30 and A303, and both roads were quiet! Excellent! To start at the end of the A30 (Land's End) and finish at the start of the A30 (Henleys Corner) in the same day just made me smile (I'm very sad about things like that!).

Down at The Lizard

And the weekend ends near Henleys Corner.....

A good weekend, even better getting the refund for the hotel! That paid for the petrol and food on the way down!! So, here is to seven years time. Maybe I'll have a hover bike by then......

That is where it all started with the Monster, five years ago at Liskeard station! Slightly warmer on the day this picture was taken though!

Back with a vengeance!!!

Mange tout, mange tout, bonmarche.....

Bonjour!

Guten tag!

Hola!

Que?

No sense of direction

I must be getting old, or I used up all my direction powers on Saturday heading to Dorset.

282 miles covered on Sunday on the old Monster. Not bad for the old girl, over 600 miles covered in 2 weekends! Sunday started at the secret workshop. The usual checks completed on the old M900 before setting off to Stockbridge for some breakfast. It wasn't an interesting ride as I just headed the direct route thanks to Mr Google and his maps. Well, the only thing that did make it interesting was the sight of a Lamborghini poking it's nose out of a hedge near Stockbridge, and stupid here didn't stop to take a picture!! Oh well, I think hunger was getting to me. A quick breakfast of three cups of coffee, scrambled egg on toast and then a cappuccino was had in two cafes. Stockbridge is a rather nice place and actually gets a few bikers stopping off.

I think I confused a cyclist as well. I was looking over a bridge looking at the fish in the river and the woman asked;

"Are you out on a long ride today?"
Yes, I'm off to Groombridge near Tunbridge Wells for a Ferrari and Ducati meeting
"Oh, nice, where have you started from?"
Heathrow
"Erm........"
She gave me a strange look, the look to say, well Heathrow is east of here, Tunbridge Wells is east of here, why are you in Stockbridge??? Some people just don't understand the curse of sunshine, open roads and a motorcycle!

Just as I was leaving Stokes of Stockbridge, some familiar faces appeared on some familiar bikes. Some of the UKMOC members arrived, so a quick chat and then I was off on my travels. The other reason for heading to Stockbridge, well it is the starting point of the A272. So, that was where I was heading, east along the A272. Well, I got as far as Petersfield and then decided, well, not decided, just went for it. A3, new tunnel opened, Ducati, I just have to go through the Hindhead Tunnel! So, I did. Heading north, back into Surrey, until I get to the tunnel and all the traffic stops! I'm filtering through and the matrix signs are flashing "INCIDENT" one lane is closed in the tunnel! Nice!! I'm expecting to see a broken down car but no, someone was moving a traffic cone the other side of the tunnel! Great!! Well, only one thing to do, head through the tunnel south bound! So I did! Stupid, childish, mad, daft, but I enjoyed it! I'm sure the car drivers and bikers didn't enjoy the fact I was enjoying the blast through the tunnel in 2nd gear whilst traveling at 60mph. Well, they may have heard it!

Another classic moment on my days adventure happened in Liphook Services. I stopped off for a smoke and a drink. I'm dancing around the car park listening to Bad Manners and this woman is leaning out of her car talking to me. I switch off my iPod and the woman asks;

"where are we?"
Liphook Services
"I know that, where are we though?"
Liphook Services, you are in a BMW
"You're getting annoying, do you know where we are?"
Yes, Liphook Services on the northbound carriageway of the A3, about 10 minutes away from Hindhead.
"oh, ok"

Some people are just MAD!!!

Back onto the A272 after my small detour, and then I thought I should be on the A264 and now I'm going the opposite way from Guildford. Ok, I'll head towards Horsham! This is where everything goes wrong. My compass had gone. Probably due to tunnel-esia. Somehow I ended up in Godalming to then head down to Horsham then finally getting out of Horsham, appearing back on the A272 heading for Ukfield. Right, everything is a mess. It's now 2pm, I'm heading towards Lewes, which is the wrong way to Tunbridge Wells, but I seem to have picked up a fellow Monster owner and he wants to play. So off we go, playing on the twisty bits of the road then suddenly, ah a sign to East Grinstead, that's on the A264!!! Sorted!

Finally, I arrive in East Grinstead, and after two circuits around the town (don't ask!), I finally get onto the correct road! After a brief pit stop and fuel stop, I was off again, heading to Groombridge Place. Ducatis going past me, heading away from Groombridge as I pull off the road into the car park. Strange..

I parked the bike next to a rather stunning 998, and off I wandered. I get questioned by, well I think I'll describe him as the bridge keeper from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. After answering lots of questions and not being cast into the moat of eternal peril (it had three swans on it!!), I was in. A few bikes were left and a large handful of cars. A chat to the bikers who lasted out all day then I was off on the final leg of my interesting journey back to the secret workshop.

A21, fine. Ok, so part of the A21 is the M25 now, but the Esso garage after the M25 junction is just shocking!! I'd filled the bike up twice already today with no issues, well apart from my finger nail nearly popping out twice (long story involving a case, the side pillar of a trailer and a numpty driver!). I park up, glove off, fuel cap opened, pump put in hole and wait, wait...... still waiting, then a voice from above; "Pump 2", I look up, ooo that's me, have I won the lottery? "Will you remove your crash helmet!" Woman who was filling her car up next to me just looks at me, I have my Roof lid on which has spent most of the day being an open faced lid as I'm covered in dead bugs! So, only one thing for it. pump out of hole, cap closed, glove on, start bike, and as I go to put the pump back, I miss the holder and the pump falls to the floor. Oh well, Mr Tw*t can come out of his little box and hang it back up whilst I'll head off to the next petrol station for fuel and refreshments!

Now, after my day of riding through some of the finest countryside and views the south east of England can offer a road user, I get greeted with South London! God, that just drains the soul out of you. It is so depressing! Brixton, Crystal Palace, Dulwich (the name says it all), Lewisham, Bromley (ok Bromley wasn't too bad). I was just glad to get westside!!!

Finally, after another 10 hours with the bike, another adventure had finished. My route on Google was plotted and I wondered where the fudge did I go??

http://bit.ly/q1Hm0o

It's just madness!!