Arrrghhhh!!!!!! What a massive pain in the backside. Its all fairly minor really, but still flippin annoying. The 1098s hasn't been run now for about four months. The battery hasn't been on the trickle charger for the last two and with the security measures I have on the bike, the power in the battery has slowly been getting depleted. The wires on the original Oxford trickle charger I had were compromised, so that had to go. I ordered a Ctek, which came with a different connector, so I tried to access the battery to change it, only to find I can't get the cover off as the thread on the bolt has gone. Bugger. So, I ordered up a cheap, but still good quality Oxford charger as the connector is the same. Its not the end of the world having two, as if both bikes get parked up over a long winter, I'd need two anyway. Sorry, I digress. Anyway, I got home and plugged it all in and...nothing. Double bugger. The battery still has enough charge inside to prime the starter, the dash and turn on the lights, so its not dead, its just the connector isn't, well, connected. 
I've got some time tomorrow so I'm going to have to get that cover off, one way or another. When it comes down it, it's now a good excuse to head up to Moto Rapido in Winchester, who are now my nearest dealer and have a chat about a few things.

Well I guess it happens to us all at some point and well, yesterday it happened to me. I rode the 'Blade to my local petrol station, filled up and then realised my wallet was in my desk at work. Yep, I am indeed an idiot! Cue a quick call to my other half. My original idea was that maybe she could pay over the phone, but that wasn't the station policy, so a plan B was needed. This took the form of her best friends partner, who was extremely kind enough to pop up the road and pay for my fuel. Would hate to think about what would have happened had I been in the middle of nowhere. Mike, you sir are a lifesaver. 

Like so many things, nothing is ever as simple as you hope it will be. My new Ctek charger turned up yesterday to replace the Optimate I had, which was well past its best. I took a risk when ordering a different make as I wasnt 100% sure that the comfort connector for the Optimate was going to be compatible with the Ctek. It wasn't, so I quickly whipped off the left hand side fairing of the 1098 to get to the battery, but I found that the thread has gone from the front of the battery box, which in turn means that I cannot get access to the battery terminals. Yeah, massive PITA. After moving house, the bike hasnt been hooked up for far too long and as the battery is low, I really need to get it hooked up to a charger before it dies completely. My plan therefore, in the short term at least, is to splice the Optimate connector into the new Ctek comfort connector and hook it all up. It should work, but if it doesn't, it will only cost me the cost of a comfort connector....or a battery and a whole new electric system......maybe I should just borrow an Optimate off a mate until I can get the battery cover off.

Since I moved house just after the New Year, my 1098s hasn't been plugged into the trickle charger, which as you would guess, is a pretty bad thing. I finally got around to hooking the thing up to the mains today and noticed that the wires going into the charger have seen better days. As I didnt like the thought of setting the garage on fire, I bit the bullet and bought myself a new Ctec charger, which always seem to get great reviews on other blogs and inside the magazines.
This one www.ctek.com/gb/en/chargers/MXS%203.8 seemed to fit the bill, so I'll let you know how I get on. Thankfully riding the Ducati is probably around four to six week away, so there's no real rush. Saying that, the tank is still empty after I drained it to have it resprayed. Must get that sorted nearer the time too....oh and the clutch for that matter.

Well after a few days away from two wheels, I was looking forward to getting back on the 'Blade today. Ten minutes after leaving the house, I was utterly soaked. The rain and spray was really giving the Gore Tex in my gloves, boots and suit a really hard time, but it stood its ground. I cannot begin to explain the satisfaction of knowing that I'm totally waterproof even when the heavens split above me. Its bloody brilliant. Before buying some Rukka kit, I was heavily reliant on my El Nino Suit going over my leathers. There's no doubting that that solution worked, but it was the faffing around that started annoying me after a while. I love my Rukka kit. I really do.

Well for the first time in a long time, today I was able to ride to and from work in the daylight. I know this is a weird thing to say, but after over ten years of working the early shift where I always had to use two visors, this is a nice change. The other great change today was that the roads were dry. After riding around on cold damp and greasy roads, this was an actual pleasure. I could commit to corners and just concentrate on putting the bike in the right place, you know, riding. Yeah riding is exactly what it was.

I was able to get back on the bike today which is always a good thing. The overnight temperatures were a little higher than in the previous week so there wasn't any ground frost and on the whole it was fairly dry. Annoyingly there was still enough dirt and rubbish on the roads to give everything that fine film again, but its still February after all. 
I've been looking around the area to find myself the perfect place to pitch my tent. I feel that I'm possibly very much in the minority, but I'm more than happy to sacrifice bedroom space for a decent garage. I know what I'm like and to start with, I'll put ten times the effort in fixing the garage up than I would do the house. After using other garages in the past I've realised the importance of decent lighting, a decent floor and a proper bike ramp. I'm going to love my garage.

I woke up yesterday morning to a soft 1 inch covering of snow. The evil white stuff had invaded Dorset. I detest snow. All modern literature goes on about hell being hot. Not in my world, for me hell is cold, freezing cold.
When you're a kid, or if you're into your winter sports, skiing, snowboarding whatever, then snow is clearly great fun. Now that's great for ski resorts and what not, but having to navigate through it in the UK is a pain in the backside. When I was riding my Z1000, I had to ride in the snow once when a very heavy flurry during lunchtime left an  inch of so on the ground. I made it to within hald a mile from my house when I fell off at 5mph when the back wheel came round on me during braking. With a few little scuffs and a small dented in my pride later, I learnt my lesson.
Good news through, looks like next week its going to warm up again. Time to lube that chain.