Today was a fairly interesting bike day, the rest of it as usual, was a minor disappointment. When I woke I looked out of the window and was greeted with a very wet morning, but it didn't seem to be actually raining. Therefore I left the house without my rain suit, but as soon as I got to the garage I realised that I had been dooped and what a fool I had been. I couldn't be bother/didn't have time (delete as appropriate) so I just manned up and got on with the journey. Despite is being very wet, there seemed to be loads of grip and I way able to have a pretty rewarding ride, which at 04:30 is a rare thing. 
I contacted RiDE magazine and offered my services as a volunteer on their stand at the London Bike Show. I was planning on going anyway and although I've worked at a previous show, this one being the Classic and Custom show at Alexandra Palace, I thought it would be a great way of getting some more experience and maybe even pick the brains of some of their writers. Well after a little bit of confusion and some crossed wires, they have passed my details onto the person who's organising it, so who knows.
Finally just before I left for the day, my new carbon key guard for the Ducati arrived from Conquest Carbon. Excellent quality and really fast service. Big thumbs up all round. So with my new toy in my rucksack I headed home on dry grippy and warm roads. I would have enjoyed it even more had there been zero traffic around. Oh well, can't have everything I suppose

For me today is something of a landmark. Although I write for a living anyway, today marks the first time I have been able to publish an article onto another website. It's nothing special, not ground breaking in any way, but for me it really is that first big step. Anyway, you can find the article about Metropolis Ducati here http://ducatiforum.co.uk/ If you read it, I hope you like it

Today finally saw me returning to two wheels. Last night I had run the Ninja up to temperature to make sure that she would start. All way fine so I popped it back on the Optimate and went back to the house. 
The ride in this morning felt good and the bike seemed to feel better that the last ride before the snow but I'm sure that was just a coincidence. Even after two weeks I feel that my 'sixth sense' that really helps me when riding, especially in London had diminished slightly and needed a bit of tightening up. I can't quite explain it, but I didn't feel that relaxed or confident and felt a little more on edge that I would normally, but I don't think that is too much of a bad thing. The short hiatus also seems to have had an effect on my body as I noticed that my forearms and hands were feeling a little stiff after both the ride to work and the one home. 
All in all a good day riding. I even managed to get home before the heavens opened. I don't think I'll be that lucky tomorrow. Waterproof suit to the ready

Well its coming up to three weeks that I've now been a slave to the bad driving habits of others. To make sure it doesn't continue into next week as well, I went out and bought me one of these

This is, as the name on the packet says, an all weather permanent Optimate lead which you attach to the battery allowing for charging without having to remove the seat etc. I've already got one of these attached to the Ducati, but as I haven't used the Ninja recently, I just wanted to ensure that the battery has a good charge, giving it a much better chance of starting next Monday. Putting it on should, I say should, have been a five minute job. Pop the two seats, disconnect the terminals, line up the eyelets, tighten back up, test, put seats back on, hook up and go inside for a cup of tea. That was the plan anyway.

Once everything was back in place and the charger were connected, half an hour had passed. Why is it always the perceived simple jobs, and it really doesn't get more simple than this, throw up really annoying unexpected problems that exponentially increase the time it takes to finish?

Just a very quick post to pass on my thoughts to the family, friends and colleagues of Kevin Ash who tragically lost his life in South Africa earlier today. Rest in Peace
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2013/January/jan2313-kevin-ash-obit/

Due to the icy conditions and the snowy weather I haven't ridden a motorbike since Friday 11th January. This nine day period is the longest that I haven't ridden since my crash in 2011 and I'm really missing it. There is no way that I'm actually going to try and ride either of my bikes in this weather as well, that's just silly. It has however, given me time to do and arrange some other things. I finally wrote and published by review of Motorcycle Live 2012 which you can find, along with an abundance of photos, under 'Out there, riding'. I have also agreed to start writing some articles for the Ducati Forum www.ducatiforum.co.uk where I have also agreed to become a moderator. So far so good and it feels good to have a greater level of involvement. I just have to think of some good ideas first

This Arctic snap that the UK has recently found itself engulfed in has pretty much kept me off the bike since last Friday, which is frankly annoying. This morning it was icy and there was freezing fog hanging in the air, which is not the weather to be championing the use of two wheels. Tonight the temp is supposed to drop to -4, which I know not low compared to some parts of Europe, its still cold enough for me to reach for the car keys instead. I'd rather be stuck in traffic, warm and fairly safe than risk losing it because I can't see nor feel my fingers. I have, however noticed something a little alarming. I've made no secret of the fact the I don't like riding in the city, and that driving in there is not much better. What really astounded me was that in just three days of city navigating, the quality of my driving seems to have gone firmly down the shitter. I'm not quite driving like a loon, but I'm really not happy with the way I've dealt with the drivers around me. Thankfully I'm able to sit here tonight drinking tea out of my NASA mug and I'm able to acknowledge and appreciate the level of freedom and happiness that riding my bike gives me. In the meantime as the weather is likely to keep me off two wheels at least for the rest of the week, I need to break out the Norah Jones albums or I'm going to have other problems to worry about.

Snow. No biking today. Boo humbug. Driving in London isn't wonderful at the best of times. Add some of the white stuff, not good. Got out safe and sounds which is the main thing

I was sat in the steam room this morning after an early morning trip to the gym, which, I hate to admit, is where I do a great deal of thinking about life, love, life and motorbikes. It was either Friday, or yesterday when I was writing up the 'ride to the Ducati factory' article on my bucket list which planted an idea in my consciousness. After thinking about riding the Ducati 'home', I started thinking about what it would take, in terms of time, money, logistics and strength of character to ride the Zx7r home.....to Japan. At the moment, my life is going nowhere and nowhere fast. I feel that I'm in an almost constant state of waiting, waiting for that change and waiting to move in with Sarah, which I have been after for a long time now. I'm not happy at home and I'm certainly not happy at work for various reasons, the main one being that I don't feel appreciated in any meaningful way, which is no way to live on a daily basis. I'm reminded on the book by Matthew Crawford 'The case for working with your hands, or why office work is bad for us and fixing things feels good' which I've reviewed in the 'motorcycle media' section. I've done my current job on and off now for fifteen years and I've seen it all. I've reported of the traffic effect of the London bombings, the IRA's attempts to blow up the M5 and M6, the floods, the snow, riots, the Olympics, stabbings, shootings, suspect 'art' packages placed around Hammersmith, suicides in Marble Arch and at the Dartford River Crossing, the Icelandic volcano, you name it, sadly it's nothing is new to me. I know my job inside out and its now dull and repetitive. I can tell you exactly which roads gets busy in a London morning rush hour, when and for how long. I need new challenges, new reasons to get out of bed at 03:30 in sub zero temperatures and riding my Ninja to Japan may just be it. I may even be able to write a book about it. Not sure how Sarah would feel thou, which is buy far the most important part. She is everything to me. Everything

Anyway, back to a 'normal' topic, I fixed my numberplate. The original idea was to get a small piece of metal to remake the tail tidy, but after popping down to Metropolis, which looks great now that it's got Ducatis in the showroom, I got hold of a transparent numberplate, which I marked up and Artur cut and drilled for me. 

Five mins later and my plate is now back securely attached to the arse end of the green meanie. Not bad for a bit of bodgery. I plan on changing where I park so I don't have to worry about anybody smacking into the back again. London - hate it

The cold weather returned yesterday and I was welcomed by the sight of chucks of ice sitting on the roof of my car in the early hours. We all knew that the cold weather was going to return, I was just hoping we may get another milder, salt free weekend, but that wasn't to be.  Today was interesting. I say interesting but what I really mean is f-ing annoying. When I park during the day at work, I park in a normal bay like this..........note trackday stickers on the front fairing. That's London war paint

As you can see, there are two rows of bikes and I, like most people face the bike outwards which makes riding out a doddle, assuming that is, you can stand the bike up. Anyway, over the years lots of different people have backed their bikes/scooters into the Zx7r, which bends my numberplate back on its tail tidy. Anyway, today, the tail tidy snapped down the middle and my plate was left hanging only by the wires that connect my rear indicators. One kind van driver even got out of his van to tell me this in queues on the A40. Thanks for that dude, I wish there were more people like you on the road. Anyway, I have two options, aside from buying a new tail tidy and they are to bodge something together or to make a replacement. I quite like the second option as I just need a small piece of metal, a saw, a file, a pin hammer and a drill. Should keep me busy this weekend now that the snow is coming.