Last weekend, Carolina and I headed up to Birmingham to go to Motorcycle Live at the NEC. Last yeat I left the show feeling a little deflated and I was a little concerned that this year I'd have a similar reaction to the show. I shouldn't have worried as the show was frankly excellent, with some very high profile bikes on display. Probably, for me, this year was the best one I'd been to so far. I left the NEC feeling very content and that was knowing I'd missed out a few bits of the snow (stunt shows and the stage area mainly) which didn't really interested me very much. Here is part one of my review.

Honda
Honda's bike bike news was dominated by the 2017 FireBlade and seeing the bikes in the metal didn't disappoint. Noticeably narrower that previous years bikes, they had a great display showing a mint 1992 a first generation 893 in classic HRC colours, a second generation Urban Tiger 918 and a 929 from 2000 and directed down to the site of the 2017 machine. Although the lineage was incomplete (no 954, 1000 RR, or RR8s for example) it highlighted how proud Honda remain of their hertiage.

The full Honda range was on show, from their Africa Twin to the their smaller friendlier options, but Honda being Honda, they also had representations of their race bikes on the stands as well, which are always worth looking at. The star of the show was this Marquez replica.

Ducati
The big news coming off the Ducati stand was talk of three bikes which find themselves at the exteme ends of Ducati's 2017 range. Firstly there was the new Supersport and the mini Multistrada, which is most likely taking aim at the smaller Tiger in Triumphs range and the ever growing number of bikes in BMW's GS family. The Supersport represents a bike which is reviving an older name and is in reality a Monster with a fairing, although I'm sure Ducati will disagree. The bike is supposed to sit under the 959 with a more relaxed riding position, but one that still carries that distinctive Ducati look, but hang on a second, this is the same market that the mini Strada will be sitting in isn't it?
I know Ducati are riding on the crest of a wave at the moment and I still love the brand, but I'm concerned that they are just putting out new models because they can. For proof of this, just look at the ever growing Scrambler range (also a Monster clone in my opinion). There are now six different varients all based around the same concept, with the original idea being joined by the Desert Sled, Cafe Racer (which I will admit is by far the best of the bunch) and the recently released Sixty2.

At the other end of the spectrum, we have the beautiful 1299 Superleggera. Sporting the WSBK double exhausts, this bike was drawing a lot attention in the same way the H2R had in previous years. Finished in a wonderful matt finish, its was Ducati doing what they do best. Building exotica that the vast majority of us will never ride.

Sandwiched somewhere in the middle Ducati showed us the updated Monster 1200s, which still suffer from awful peg / exhaust guard positioning, a new 797 Monster, their globe trotting Multistrada as well as other models in the range such as the Diavel, Hypermotard, 959 and normal 1299 Panigale. I say normal, its still over £21,000.

I'm feeling a bit sorry for my Blade. She has been getting some real stick these past few weeks, with long rides, in chilly, wet and certainly fairing dirty conditions. As a result the bike is utterly caked in road filth. The only positive, is that temperatures haven't dropped low enough for the council to start covering the roads with salt. I haven't given the bike an anti-corrosive treatment yet, so that is a job that needs doing in reality, however, part of me thinks that I could just leave the road grime on the bike and that will act as a barrier between the salt and the metal. Internal discussions remain ongoing.
Apart from the usual commute, I've found myself at various locations across both Dorset and Wiltshire this week and as a result have found some excellent riding routes, which I plan on exploring when the weather is more suitable. One such route is the A360 heading between Devizes and Salisbury, which at its best, cuts across open but really undulating countryside. For a few miles its absolute heaven.
This weekend sees the start of Motorcycle Live up at the NEC in Birmingham, with the plan being to head up there next weekend with Carolina, writing up my thoughts when I return. I'm not too sure she knows what she is in for.
In other news, a new toy will be arriving over the weekend, but of the four wheel variety. With a commute that is pretty dangerous in the dark, especially when cold and/or wet, the amount of riding I do, is most likely to reduce over the next few months. I still plan on riding when I can, but its most likely just going to be little chilly daytime blasts, rather than a means of getting to work.
Besides, it will be nice to be warm on the way to work.

Well that wasn't the nicest of rides. Riding at night, along unlit roads in dampish conditions, being sprayed with road grime from those in front whilst being dazzled by the headlights of the vehicles coming the other way is one of those experiences that all bikers go through at one point or another.
Despite that, its horrible and stress levels will always rise despite taking as many precautions as possible. Go too slow and you're likely to be tailgaited, stay behind a vehicle and your vision is greatly reduced and lets not really mention the problems with motorbike headlights. Full beam is always possible, but you risk having your retinas burnt out in reply by anybody coming the other way. All in all, not ideal riding conditions.
With the bike still being (for the time being) my only form of transport, I have to man up and deal with it as best I can. What is the old phrase about more haste, less speed?

After a forced break from work, tomorrow I get to embark on a whole new commute. I'm really excited by the new opportunity, but that's not the only positive. I now have an excuse to get back out on the bike.
With this in mind, I did a dry run this morning, with the dual purpose of checking traffic levels / time etc and buying some breakfast. Seems like a good excuse to me and well, it was.
Traffic and road conditions weren't the nicest, with an irritating level of dirty spray making its way up onto the visor, but thats to be expected. 
Breakfast on the other hand, was really rather pleasant
The ride back was much nicer. Traffic had all but disappeared, the rain had stopped and the roads were mostly dry.
Winter is never a great time to ride a motorbike on the road and with road conditions varying from cold and dry to wet and covered with debris, it the time of year to ride cautiously, very cautiously indeed.