tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45287945027889298272024-03-13T13:39:26.714+00:00Joe Bourne's Brain Dump Blog!This is my blog - the place where i can pour out useless ramblings and the stupid ideas that pass through my head on a regular basis.
Please dont sue me for anything i publish. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-86033957820592270122014-07-23T12:42:00.000+01:002014-07-23T12:42:19.273+01:00Error With Google WalletSo when i smashed my Nexus 5, i tried to buy a replacement. Unfortunately the Google Play store was not playing nicely, and all i got was this fairly unhelpful error message:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fa6dRDvUA41f2FHhTcYmcTS5GZhPX0MK7wgd0gBWg0kA78MLhlJreMgyuRFbvjDhLew5ZJj_jdVpcMvBrd8hyCPfK1cvfAvtAUgPR001-geHbFCILE4oNj2rbAh8ljkBwblSirAzWvOg/s1600/Google_Wallet_Error.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fa6dRDvUA41f2FHhTcYmcTS5GZhPX0MK7wgd0gBWg0kA78MLhlJreMgyuRFbvjDhLew5ZJj_jdVpcMvBrd8hyCPfK1cvfAvtAUgPR001-geHbFCILE4oNj2rbAh8ljkBwblSirAzWvOg/s1600/Google_Wallet_Error.PNG" height="130" width="320" /></a></div>
Over the course of a week, i tried a number of times, but still with no luck.<br />
Finally i called up Google to ask what was going on, and they didn't seem to have a clue either.<br />
Then i scanned my Gmail for anything to do with Google Wallet and found this email:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58VUa9zwo9QyJ0rawS6M3puzL2eUDaPXGMv3jmQSKFOeE3Q7SxnI03YYMTszZZKsJpR2WzSmWJdp6jwyArSeLsj7HL4ywEm0YIpnyE4KEy1hXUOhLpugQrKjFIRXbF7iq0HD3Q-3ahsjb/s1600/Google_Wallet_Email.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58VUa9zwo9QyJ0rawS6M3puzL2eUDaPXGMv3jmQSKFOeE3Q7SxnI03YYMTszZZKsJpR2WzSmWJdp6jwyArSeLsj7HL4ywEm0YIpnyE4KEy1hXUOhLpugQrKjFIRXbF7iq0HD3Q-3ahsjb/s1600/Google_Wallet_Email.PNG" height="118" width="320" /></a></div>
So thanks Google - you had cut off my Google Wallet and, all you could show me as a picture of a stupid broken robot!!<br />
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Even though I've been using Google wallet for years, ordered many products, not to mention phones from Google themselves, they still want me to prove who i am and where i live!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvz1srWexMEUoSocIsF3lhGcphHGXcp0Tqqd5r54GAbb4haAUwkKse6qk5b-Jpx5dgmzPyf8Ga-39j61R3s5g5dUGgG1UDxUKSVrh1pzzobNuxbdHUG8EFIxqjCNEWZH0m3r2EPJGRgnb/s1600/Google_Wallet_Document_Requirement.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvz1srWexMEUoSocIsF3lhGcphHGXcp0Tqqd5r54GAbb4haAUwkKse6qk5b-Jpx5dgmzPyf8Ga-39j61R3s5g5dUGgG1UDxUKSVrh1pzzobNuxbdHUG8EFIxqjCNEWZH0m3r2EPJGRgnb/s1600/Google_Wallet_Document_Requirement.PNG" height="197" width="320" /></a></div>
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So now Google have a copy of my passport, and my utility bill.... scary stuff!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-74884665823226111542013-03-05T14:30:00.002+00:002013-03-19T20:19:43.593+00:00BMW 300cd Cleaned and Machine Polished<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/onewebstatic/d641b74279-DSC_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mouldy Window Rubbers BMW330cd Convertible" border="0" height="212" src="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/onewebstatic/d641b74279-DSC_0130.JPG" title="Mouldy Window Rubbers BMW330cd Convertible" width="320" /></a><a href="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/onewebstatic/70ec46b9a1-DSC_0159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Mouldy Soft Top Roof - BMW330cd Convertible" border="0" height="212" src="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/onewebstatic/70ec46b9a1-DSC_0159.JPG" title="Mouldy Soft Top Roof - BMW330cd Convertible" width="320" /></a></div>
My BMW 300cd Convertible was looking very dirty.<br />
The paintwork was dull and covered in bird droppings and tree sap, and the soft top roof and window rubbers had all gone green with mould!<br />
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This was far too much work for the local hand car wash - it was time to call in the experts.<br />
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And here we see the finished results. Ive owned this car since new, and ive never seen it look so clean and shiny.</div>
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<a href="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/onewebstatic/8061b07406-DSC_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/onewebstatic/8061b07406-DSC_0183.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you want your car cleaned like this, best get in contact with Keith from <a href="http://firstimpressionvaleting.co.uk/" target="_blank">First Impression</a> Mobile Valeting. </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-6290189818133483812013-02-27T10:23:00.000+00:002013-03-07T10:30:59.758+00:00M&S AirFlex Shoes Cracked Sole AGAIN!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH_Qbv04R7jL974_0bDGCsrAagXnBH1IXnGbQy4CzVkZdNDbckVBRvFqFDji2PbUzyce3ZsGtpRKF2h_sYP-mfjKgmA_WH6SJyAssC2CPJ3JqbNLkyos8dF-kPlJcOGKDur_Lux74f35I/s1600/IMG_20130307_095547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH_Qbv04R7jL974_0bDGCsrAagXnBH1IXnGbQy4CzVkZdNDbckVBRvFqFDji2PbUzyce3ZsGtpRKF2h_sYP-mfjKgmA_WH6SJyAssC2CPJ3JqbNLkyos8dF-kPlJcOGKDur_Lux74f35I/s320/IMG_20130307_095547.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So after i chucked my last pair of <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/2012/04/m-airflex-shoes-fail.html" target="_blank">Marks & Spencers AirFlex Shoes</a> in the bin when the rubber soles cracked, letting in water and making my feet wet, i stupidly bought another pair.<br />
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Big Mistake - its taken less than one year of normal office wear for the replacement shoes to crack.<br />
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Do M&S know about this problem i wonder? maybe i'll post the cracked shoes back to them.<br />
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One thing's for sure, i wont be buying M&S Airflex shoes ever again!!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-50814570771803101332013-02-26T23:30:00.000+00:002013-02-27T00:35:55.282+00:00Trail Tech Vector Has Arrived<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xzabLO42swDZno_84OgateELxiaoZsBxkQU3aRd1CZFoBNSRwnKDPccTmBPSJFQe5Yp5NZshUt_oI5ycSbI6qYgNgosPn0cKsYoRufpJc4tjo2anIAgSvROXZoVkDNtMo2DFBiZW6XMc/s1600/IMG_20130226_231424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xzabLO42swDZno_84OgateELxiaoZsBxkQU3aRd1CZFoBNSRwnKDPccTmBPSJFQe5Yp5NZshUt_oI5ycSbI6qYgNgosPn0cKsYoRufpJc4tjo2anIAgSvROXZoVkDNtMo2DFBiZW6XMc/s320/IMG_20130226_231424.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Trail Tech Vector that i ordered a couple of days ago arrived today!<br />
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As you can see from the time in the photo, i only managed to get to play with it late at night, so certainly not had chance to install it on the bike yet but i couldn't resist getting it out of the box and having a little play with it.</div>
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My initial impressions of the Trail Tech Vector Stealth are that its a pretty solid looking product. Well mate and a lot more glossy in colour than it looks on the TrailTech website.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgMC6CE_CtzMTFFrP176GnJ71BBbv8Pld_cjkIAweXpR27u9JlFTZAoLf00KFGKMjdJcw6kxWSksrMAYCntWu5_1XMDFzpr-DpoKC_QmnXcBDiOSiSW7DDcBG6CyI9eV7ZtwxCbbPu3d5/s1600/IMG_20130226_231434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgMC6CE_CtzMTFFrP176GnJ71BBbv8Pld_cjkIAweXpR27u9JlFTZAoLf00KFGKMjdJcw6kxWSksrMAYCntWu5_1XMDFzpr-DpoKC_QmnXcBDiOSiSW7DDcBG6CyI9eV7ZtwxCbbPu3d5/s320/IMG_20130226_231434.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I ordered the complete kit for my KTM 300 exc which includes the inline temperature sensor, the speedo sensor and mounting bracket.</div>
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I was pleased to discover that the temperature sensort housing is made from black anodised metal, and not horrible plastic as i was expecting. Also the cable is very flexible, if possibly a bit short, but i wont know until i try it on the KTM.</div>
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The Speedo sensor is the magnetic type. I need to attach the included magnet onto my front brake disc and the sensor on the brake caliper bracket.</div>
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The cable from the sensor the the main unit is cased in a protective sleeve to help keep it safe from rocks and branches.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTsuMGPunnRF7BwPsFNtiiYBx88nYseH30s-udsYfCmzNffJk9gO7tWyvfcxbOQ_GKuFHN91QCef-34pu3ZGYJAbnBi-RyOBaEnHiV8eBkbI8ICa5fUgXXTHuMpkn4eI7bCPI_syKkSs6/s1600/IMG_20130226_231452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTsuMGPunnRF7BwPsFNtiiYBx88nYseH30s-udsYfCmzNffJk9gO7tWyvfcxbOQ_GKuFHN91QCef-34pu3ZGYJAbnBi-RyOBaEnHiV8eBkbI8ICa5fUgXXTHuMpkn4eI7bCPI_syKkSs6/s320/IMG_20130226_231452.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the back of the unit is the battery compartment and two captive nuts for mounting the unit. The battery in the TrailTech Vector is a CR2032.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWET8FzsTiwGcrkVWtZmIW6KZE-3VHPviP9iLllEdBMOLc38UQ5RLgLOceac2LTmzVJuLQ4tONNE9DlWVyUKf0fgFD29HunFbwfOVpl-wma0oJVVgSBohRaz77GY-qpq2U3qLuvvrnoyNE/s1600/IMG_20130226_231506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWET8FzsTiwGcrkVWtZmIW6KZE-3VHPviP9iLllEdBMOLc38UQ5RLgLOceac2LTmzVJuLQ4tONNE9DlWVyUKf0fgFD29HunFbwfOVpl-wma0oJVVgSBohRaz77GY-qpq2U3qLuvvrnoyNE/s320/IMG_20130226_231506.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here you see th back of the box describing all if the Trail Tech Vector's functions and features.</div>
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One thing i have been disappointed to discover is that the "Hour Meter" is based on the wheel speed sensor, so it will record moving hours, and not actual engine hours. </div>
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This is disappointing because since im fitting this to the KTM300 and the bike wont always be moving forward when the engine is running, so the "Hour Meter" working on wheel revolutions is going to record a very different figure to an proper engine hour meter fed from the ignition coil.</div>
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Besides the hour meter disappointment im pretty impressed with the unit so far. Of course the real test comes when i come to install it on the bike..</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-33677565254138998572013-02-24T11:20:00.000+00:002013-02-27T00:01:02.826+00:00Trail Tech Vector Stealth For KTM 300 exc<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApMNG_8zG4QGismLeuhe84EdSwRjljvdukvVI2_8HFzR0btnioXSSizksan8R5efD3grE0jET7r7mnKS5d9wBZ0577Bx3Z4JfFMqf54_p9_op4MR0q77MQAae6I5gl-7FjROr9D86YZYb/s1600/VectorStealth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Trail Tech Vector Stealth for KTM 300 exc" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApMNG_8zG4QGismLeuhe84EdSwRjljvdukvVI2_8HFzR0btnioXSSizksan8R5efD3grE0jET7r7mnKS5d9wBZ0577Bx3Z4JfFMqf54_p9_op4MR0q77MQAae6I5gl-7FjROr9D86YZYb/s1600/VectorStealth.JPG" title="Trail Tech Vector Stealth for KTM 300 exc" /></a></div>
The OEM speedo on my <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/search/label/KTM300">KTM300</a> exc was looking a bit tired. <br />
When i bought the KTM it wasn't even working, so i replaced the internal battery, and managed to get some info showing on the screen, but no mater how hard i pushed, the Function button just wouldn't work, so i decided i would scrap the OEM KTM digital dash and replace with a brand new Trail Tech Vector Stealth.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMSH0yGat2-2tPMsDwzdW7eB9Tra6pQbPt6H8IE8FosqHFp5IEznD8ErLqKPpmHUPSmhbfwxTxlpK-XfFCF3tNyOlvxCJr4ed4fYuAlZaoAdPJtyw-MQ7bW4qTsT7A-9N0AQhlSj6feAS/s1600/vector_remote_control_w350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vector Remote Control for KTM 300 exc" border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMSH0yGat2-2tPMsDwzdW7eB9Tra6pQbPt6H8IE8FosqHFp5IEznD8ErLqKPpmHUPSmhbfwxTxlpK-XfFCF3tNyOlvxCJr4ed4fYuAlZaoAdPJtyw-MQ7bW4qTsT7A-9N0AQhlSj6feAS/s320/vector_remote_control_w350.jpg" title="Vector Remote Control for KTM 300 exc" width="320" /></a></div>
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Trail Tech do a range of digital dashboards for bikes (Vector, Vapor, Striker and Enduro II) but i settled on the Vector Stealth because it has the option of the Remote Switch which allows you to operate the unit without taking your hands off the handlebars.</div>
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I placed the order last night, so its not arrived yet, but as soon as it arrived i'll post my thoughts on my new little gizmo!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-12689723188115235852013-02-23T11:31:00.000+00:002013-02-25T11:35:31.120+00:00KTM 300 exc Digital Dash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNACS1qxg0ULFDhD8deR1tBAHu5xzFACeqtVwBJoc9VSHC1kLs6pegIpPay5EqrQs-pwwxGP7MuYgp_uf6SLPURKWaoghdshYXlXnduXbJLyzC2EKyCxe3Q8wom2kR7_BwtkH6Rfkxz3u/s1600/IMG_20130224_121801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="KTM 300 exc Digital Dash" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNACS1qxg0ULFDhD8deR1tBAHu5xzFACeqtVwBJoc9VSHC1kLs6pegIpPay5EqrQs-pwwxGP7MuYgp_uf6SLPURKWaoghdshYXlXnduXbJLyzC2EKyCxe3Q8wom2kR7_BwtkH6Rfkxz3u/s320/IMG_20130224_121801.jpg" title="KTM300 exc Digital Dash" width="320" /></a></div>
When i bought my <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/search/label/KTM300">KTM300exc</a> the digital dash wasn't working. Since i'll will be riding on the road, its always useful to have a working speedo, so i set about trying to get it to work.<br />
First thing i fund out was that the KTM OEM speedo have an internal battery, so i popped to Maplins, bought a battery and replaced the dead one.<br />
To access the battery there is a screw off panel on the back of the unit. Its easier to remove the unit from the bike to change the battery.<br />
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With the unit removed from the bike I inserted a large coin (i used a British 50p coin) and twisted off the battery cover.<br />
Once the battery was replaced i managed to get some life out of the speedo, however the big function button on the right hand side didnt seem to work. All i could get on the screen was the speed and the time. no way to adjust the time as the buttons didnt work :(<br />
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So it seems my speedo might be broken. When i get some spare time i'll strip it down and see whats inside... Or i might just buy a new Trail Tech digital speedo.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-26766563202136985372013-02-22T10:27:00.001+00:002013-02-22T10:29:18.895+00:00Dead Bird Found In Tesco Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRz8fm2SCrD9eWV679j1O3GMOA21sBYFXt7TAIiXVFq23Qduw7aTx6_6pFbD_JRbE_guds-oXXPBOC1ijXWJxGkJK00tIi_-lqEwe7hiCVwnf2bpOqPUSiggg84yE_us4NIQ1UCCcAVq2/s1600/IMG_20130222_084045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRz8fm2SCrD9eWV679j1O3GMOA21sBYFXt7TAIiXVFq23Qduw7aTx6_6pFbD_JRbE_guds-oXXPBOC1ijXWJxGkJK00tIi_-lqEwe7hiCVwnf2bpOqPUSiggg84yE_us4NIQ1UCCcAVq2/s320/IMG_20130222_084045.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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So after about a week of telling the guys in the office how bad Tesco's food was for lunch, and moaning that they always seems to want to go there, this news article popped up in the Metro newspaper today!</div>
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Some guy apparently found a <b>Dead Bird</b> in his Tesco salad!<br />
Not only that, but if the photo is to be believed he served the salad up on a plate with chips and started to eat it (taking two mouth fulls) before noticing the poor creature sat on his plate.</div>
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There are a couple of points wrong with this article. Firstly, what kind of crazy dieting book had this guy been reading to think that eating salad with chips was a good idea?? And secondly, how the hell did the guy not notice a dead bird falling out of the salad packet and onto his plate!!?? Did he think it was just a large, heavy chunk of lettuce?? did the feathers and a beak not give it away??</div>
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One thing is for sure, we wont be going to Tesco for lunch today :)</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-86287359800449514742013-02-17T10:40:00.000+00:002013-02-22T10:44:15.184+00:00GSXR Has Gone Mouldy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12Gpz1JxoPdLpPk-A6yRIMpwoBXhr-6P69n9frjln7UvYM83AK3nUNP3XLjvr3OspDP5BqPytPewFLOiJ8hhusHUlIMKKNHfG7SKhI0-uLVmFfHY54kSKqlDbH4KjQL-j9o7TpldJO6H_/s1600/IMG_20130217_202514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12Gpz1JxoPdLpPk-A6yRIMpwoBXhr-6P69n9frjln7UvYM83AK3nUNP3XLjvr3OspDP5BqPytPewFLOiJ8hhusHUlIMKKNHfG7SKhI0-uLVmFfHY54kSKqlDbH4KjQL-j9o7TpldJO6H_/s320/IMG_20130217_202514.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Yes thats right, my GSX-R 600 K7 has started to go mouldy!!<br />
I was in the garage at the weekend looking over my new KTM300 and noticed that my Gixxer that i havent ridden for a while has started to grow mould on the front fairing.<br />
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It looks like whatever flying creature i last splatted across the fairing its taking its revenge by decaying and breading mould.<br />
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Sure sign that we need to get some good weather so that i can take the Gixxer out for a well deserved thrashing to blow away the cobwebs and clean off the mould!!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-92032290403122781612013-02-16T17:30:00.000+00:002013-02-27T00:35:26.038+00:00New UFO Biking Gear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XibfuPXdTh4/USFGF1HXMcI/AAAAAAAAODs/_JWyopIUN5s/s1600/IMG_20130216_141234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XibfuPXdTh4/USFGF1HXMcI/AAAAAAAAODs/_JWyopIUN5s/s320/IMG_20130216_141234.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Here's a quick photo of my new UFO enduro jacket and UFO helmet.<br />
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Both helmet and jacket in KTM orage to match my new KTM300.<br />
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The helmet, jacket and googles all came from MD Racing and i got a great deal too - over 100quid off the list price for the helmet!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnN1PbtkjKtoTUCBVzMBCB9WbfP8bgRoMNPVwwf0yw9RID7xaXmU9HE_ycyQdqIj6HJwsBGYmHgvxK-UvsGcafUHAyH0lv7TqaLKm_w7PkF1iUi-bQhVk-DWq5DhxsgI6DOoWc7sakmCJ/s1600/IMG_20130219_081751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="UFO Warrior Shock Helmet Rear" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnN1PbtkjKtoTUCBVzMBCB9WbfP8bgRoMNPVwwf0yw9RID7xaXmU9HE_ycyQdqIj6HJwsBGYmHgvxK-UvsGcafUHAyH0lv7TqaLKm_w7PkF1iUi-bQhVk-DWq5DhxsgI6DOoWc7sakmCJ/s320/IMG_20130219_081751.jpg" title="UFO Warrior Shock Helmet Rear" width="240" /></a></div>
The helmet is the "UFO Warrior Shock" which carries the GOLD ACU approval sticker on the back, despite never showing the sticker in any official photos.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-47886278774677767452013-02-16T15:02:00.000+00:002013-02-22T10:19:27.029+00:00New KTM 300 exc<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-91t3E27sSuA/UR0pqkz5WoI/AAAAAAAANIk/4xclGBkgNk4/s640/NewBike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-91t3E27sSuA/UR0pqkz5WoI/AAAAAAAANIk/4xclGBkgNk4/s320/NewBike.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Today i took delivery of a 2006 model KTM 300 exc.<br />
Considering its age, its not in bad condition. Im going to spend some time checking it over to make sure its as good as it looks, but so far, im very pleased with the new addition to my garage.<br />
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The reason for buying the KTM 300 is because im intending to start Greenlaning and Enduro riding. Never done any greenlaning or enduro riding before, the closest i've ever got was when i was a young lad racing around farmers fields on old Yamaha DT road bikes. Its going to be very different to riding my <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/search/label/GSX-R">GSXR!</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-39964266957878538392013-02-16T10:30:00.000+00:002013-02-25T23:03:30.548+00:00MacBook Pro Retina Fan Clicking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo-t6Ehd_SRDBX4d5T7FmX__GsaBb7ApJTfl4BcrqXf0B-EslwbfNSL42Lapf_n4ELquLzc4rjf96_Wk0i4egUXIZjdqMJRQIsrKqC802Vv27OslDhXyIxdqjlr8hIv02aurkpGF2ipQI/s1600/20121222_132528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo-t6Ehd_SRDBX4d5T7FmX__GsaBb7ApJTfl4BcrqXf0B-EslwbfNSL42Lapf_n4ELquLzc4rjf96_Wk0i4egUXIZjdqMJRQIsrKqC802Vv27OslDhXyIxdqjlr8hIv02aurkpGF2ipQI/s320/20121222_132528.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My relatively new <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/2012/10/ive-ordered-macbook-pro-13-with-retina.html">Apple MacBook Pro Retina</a> that i ordered on release date has started making a noise!<br />
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About every 5 seconds, its lets out this strange Chirping sound. Initially i thought it was some software trying to notify me of something, but on closer inspection in seems to be coming from the left hand cooling fan.<br />
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Thinking it might be a stuck fan (maybe its ingested some dog hairs or something) i tried blowing air into the cooling vents to remove the obstruction, but to no avail. The laptop still chirps every 5 minutes!<br />
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My guess is that the cooling fan has packed up, which is pretty poor for a brand new laptop costing the best part of £2000!<br />
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So i have no alternative but to take it to the Apple store and get it looked at. Having never been a fan (no pun intended) of Apples, this will be my first encounter with their "Genius" staff... Lets hope its a good experience!!<br />
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Has anyone else experienced a chirping sound from their MacBook pro retina?? was there a happy outcome??Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-52111372665718812862013-01-21T00:34:00.000+00:002013-01-28T00:58:44.768+00:00New Winter Tyres for the Audi A6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S7Lpn_BXOy4/UP5obk3g95I/AAAAAAAAL-I/NeG1c-APSC0/s1600/20130121_123943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S7Lpn_BXOy4/UP5obk3g95I/AAAAAAAAL-I/NeG1c-APSC0/s320/20130121_123943.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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With all the crazy winter snow we're having, i decided to treat the Audi to some winter tyres.</div>
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The Pirelli P-Zeros that it had on the OEM 19inch Le-Mans alloy wheels, were useless in the snow and even with the 4WD Quattro, i was still left slipping and sliding and scrabbling for grip.</div>
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So here they are, a full set of 18inch "Hankook Winter I*Cept Evos" on a set of Diamond SC7 wheels.<br />
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I opted for these wheels as the 7 twin spoke design looks pretty similar to the OEM Audi wheels so many wont notice i've swapped to winter wheels.</div>
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Lots have people have said I'm crazy for spending a large chunk of money on a set of winter wheels and tyres, but over in Europe, its law in many countries to have winter tyres on the car in winter and summer tyres in summer. Also, whats the point in having a 4x4 car in the snow with summer tyres?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7fMXLcT5OPs/UP5obrhSqRI/AAAAAAAAL94/UXbrksje53w/s1600/20130121_160704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7fMXLcT5OPs/UP5obrhSqRI/AAAAAAAAL94/UXbrksje53w/s320/20130121_160704.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
As you can see from the picture, the tread on the winter tyres is much chunkier and better designed for gripping on cold snowy roads.<br />
What you cant see from the photo is that winter tyres have a higher silica content which means the rubber in the tyres stays pliable at much lower temperatures compared to summer tyres.<br />
When summer tyres go had and lose grip, winter tyres stay soft proving more grip on cold wet roads.<br />
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In fact winter tyres are best whenever the temperature drops below 7degrees, which in the UK is quite a few months of the year!!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-61034014885914416162013-01-12T01:04:00.000+00:002013-01-28T01:05:43.966+00:00Sawed my Thumb Nail in Half!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rKAciD5Ky1M/UP6YJzvkqqI/AAAAAAAAMCY/sf_9MVo0pNU/s1600/20130112_180105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rKAciD5Ky1M/UP6YJzvkqqI/AAAAAAAAMCY/sf_9MVo0pNU/s320/20130112_180105.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Yes thats right folks, i put a saw right through my left thumbnail!!<br />
I was up in the loft, sawing some wood for my loft boarding project when the saw slipped and went right across my left thumbnail - outch!!!<br />
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Blood EVERYWHERE!! and my nail was cut in half and hanging off...<br />
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The photo was taken after i got the bleeding to stop and after i'd pushed the two halves of the nail back together...<br />
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I made a big, comedy bandage from cotton wool and insulation tape and went back up into the loft to get more work done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-84532483376142851082013-01-05T08:42:00.000+00:002013-04-15T08:55:25.235+01:00Concrete Sectional Garage Condensation ProblemLast year I <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/2012/11/time-for-new-garage.html" target="_blank">decided to replace</a> my pair of old dilapidated concrete/asbestos pre-fab garages with one nice new double garage.<br />
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I looked into the cost of a brick built garage and got so many ridiculous quotes from greedy builders, that i decided a new sectional concrete garage was the best way to proceed. Not only was a concrete garage significantly cheaper than a brick garage, it was also a lot less mess. Also, as a proper brick built garage would take a few weeks to build, whereas the sectional concrete garage could be erected in a single day!<br />
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I eventually settled for a concrete garage from Leofric. Leofric have been around for ages, and the sales guy was good and not pushy. Leofric also offered some really nice options like extra wide rear security door to fit my motorbike through, and Horman garage door on the front. All in all, im very pleased with my Leofric concrete garage!<br />
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The downside of all concrete sectional garages (not just Leofric garages) is condensation. I knew this when i placed my order, but decided that the money saved (compared to the cost of a brick built garage) could be spent on lining and insulating the concrete garage to prevent condensation and make it a nice place to be.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xyCe1t0b1ik/USK9onV6PsI/AAAAAAAAOH8/zIht_bWlaxs/s1600/20121219_192346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xyCe1t0b1ik/USK9onV6PsI/AAAAAAAAOH8/zIht_bWlaxs/s320/20121219_192346.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Condensation visible on garage roof panel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Condensation in garages forms when warm air meets a cold surface. The moisture in the air condensates onto the cold surface, and will eventually drip off onto whatever is below. In the bad old days of sectional concrete garages, this meant that in the winter, the warmer air inside the garage would condensate on the cold metal roof, and eventually drip down onto your car, tools, bikes etc - kind of like its raining inside!!<br />
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To help tackle the problem of indoor rain, Leofric, and most other pre-fab garage companies now coat the inside of the metal roof with an "Anti Drip" coating. This is basically just a layer of fury material glued to the underside of the roof that traps the condensation and prevents it dripping off. It doesn't prevent condensation, it simply traps the moisture resulting in a cold, wet roof.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ozN1IROqp7c/USK9ojTJZDI/AAAAAAAAOH8/31s8i2EBsqM/s1600/20121219_192438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ozN1IROqp7c/USK9ojTJZDI/AAAAAAAAOH8/31s8i2EBsqM/s320/20121219_192438.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damp Wall panels from Condensation</td></tr>
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In fact its not just the metal roofs of concrete garages that suffer from condensation, that walls can also get cold enough to allow condensation to form, and since there is no Anti-Drip coating on the walls, the moisture runs down the walls and forms puddles on the floor below - not great!<br />
You can see in the picture to the right, the three inner panels look darker that the outer panels. the darker colour is due to condensation forming on the<br />
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So, since condensation only forms on cold surfaces, the only way to prevent condensation from forming, is to remove all of the cold surfaces! sounds simple right?? well, its more tricky than you might think...<br />
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Many people have tried just sticking loft insulation to the roof and walls of concrete garages and boarding over it. The problem with this approach is that if there is any gap between the cold surface and the insulation, warm air can get trapped, causing even more condensation! you then end up with soggy insulation, and a real soggy mess... Worst still is that many people board over the insulation, so they dont see the condensation.. the problem is hidden, but its not gone away. with time the boarding will get wet, and they will find themselves having to redo everything from scratch.<br />
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My solution to the problem of condensation on concrete garage roofs and walls is Spray Foam. By spraying expanding polyurethane foam directly onto the inside of the roof and walls, an insulation layer is formed, meaning that there will be no surfaces cold enough for condensation to form! I can then board over the walls and ceiling to hide the uneven foam surface.<br />
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The only downside of my plan is that spray foam is not cheap, its messy, and I'll have to wait for the weather to be warmer before I can apply it to my garage roof and walls.... hurry up summer!!!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-68325119241666124182012-11-26T11:28:00.003+00:002012-11-26T11:28:49.792+00:00Whats the Keyboard Shortcut to lock my MacBook Pro Retina?So Apple claim that Mac OSX is "the worlds most advanced operating system" but after using it for a couple of weeks, i would have to disagree. Simple things that I've taken for granted on Windows operating system for many years, just dont seem to exist on OSX/Apple.<br /><br />Take for example the ability to lock your workstation. In most workplaces, IT security policy states that you must not leave you workstation unattended and unlocked for fear of unauthorised access. In Windows Microsoft have kindly provided the convenient shortcut "Windows+L" to lock your workstation. Press these two keys, (with one hand!), and you can walk away from your machine safe in the knowledge that one of your joker work colleagues wont be able to send your resignation to your boss from your unlocked workstation!!<br />
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Apple on the other hand, seem to have forgotten this basic security need. apparently on older Mac Books, if you press the the rather awkward combination of Shift + control + Eject (requires TWO hands!) you can lock your workstation, but the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display that i bought recently doesn't have an Eject button as it doesn't have an Optical drive!!<br />
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So how do i lock my workstation??? Do i really need to install an application to allow me to lock my workstation from the keyboard???<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-82677324500740376352012-11-13T17:37:00.001+00:002012-11-13T17:47:56.284+00:00iPhone 5 versus Samsung Galaxy S3Its no secret that I've never been a fan of the Apple iPhones. When they first came out, i could never understand why people were getting so excited about a phone with a non-replaceable battery, and low resolution cameras when every other phone on the market was able to make video, and had a removable battery!<br />
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Moving on a few years, and still the iPhone craze continues. Aesthetically the iPhone has come a long way, and even i would now admit that they do look nice, but I still don't feel that even the new iPhones 5 is really that "cutting edge" when compared to its rivals. <br />
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So here is a link to a nice comparison that i found. See what you think!!<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2012/09/12/iphone-5-compared/">iPhone 5 Compared With Competitors</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-82398052080165706902012-11-03T00:15:00.000+00:002013-01-28T00:21:14.625+00:00Time For a New Garage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGZfeGBAxwczQ97YTXQ6Npso1VOyY8w9g1dyOHnQ2bigoPeu6f9_4ewfO3gxWX4xMvyXvpXa1kGskD8vm3rIA1yOKkPiGfPLhubOCAHoyiEb83Y-BITQEvbATntsKV68sZBfla7rJEcpr/s1600/OldGarage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGZfeGBAxwczQ97YTXQ6Npso1VOyY8w9g1dyOHnQ2bigoPeu6f9_4ewfO3gxWX4xMvyXvpXa1kGskD8vm3rIA1yOKkPiGfPLhubOCAHoyiEb83Y-BITQEvbATntsKV68sZBfla7rJEcpr/s320/OldGarage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My old sectional concrete garage is looking a bit tired, and the asbestos concrete roof is crumbling and falling apart. In fact i've never once put a car in there in fear that the door might fall off and smash the car to bits. Whats the point in a garage i dont dare put my car in??? it has to go!<br />
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The concrete base is in good condition, so i've been looking into getting a blockwork garage built on the existing base, with flat, felt covered roof.<br />
I've had a few quotes from local builders, but so far all seem to be astronomically high for what is essentially four single skin block walls and a plywood roof!<br />
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Having looked at the quotes, the problem seems to be the labor costs, so now i'm looking at concrete prefabricated concrete garages...<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-60554859267761799022012-10-24T09:53:00.000+01:002012-10-29T10:45:18.853+00:00I've ordered a Macbook Pro 13' with Retina Display..For quite a while i've been looking for <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/2012/04/replacement-for-my-trusty-old-asus-m50.html">a replacement for my trusty old Asus M50 laptop</a>. It has been, (and still is) a very capable machine, plenty of power, and with the very <a href="http://www.joebourne.net/2011/08/new-ssd-for-my-old-asus-m50-laptop.html">simple SSD upgrade</a> its very speedy. However its getting a little long in the tooth, starting to overheat a bit, the battery no longer lasts longer than a few minutes - its just getting too old :(<br />
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A few days ago i was in PC world looking for a new laptop. All the Windows machines were a bit tacky - too much plastic, low resolution, washed out looking screens, and the "Ultra Books" all just seemed to be bad copies of Apple machines, so i though i'd take a look to see what Apple were selling.<br />
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They new 15 inch Macbook Pro with Retina screen is a great looking machine, but its just a bit too big - i wanted something a bit smaller to carry about with me so i started looking at the 13 inch Macbook Air. In fact i very nearly bought one, but it seems Apple have the retailers in a strangle hold, they are really not allowed to budge on price, and I was only able to negotiate a £30 discount... (booooo!)<br />
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With hindsight it was good that i didnt buy a Macbook Air. It has the same resolution as my current M50 and with only a 128GB SSD i wouldn't really have gained anything besides smaller size and longer battery life. Also i kind of see the Macbook Air as a kind of "Netbook", not a serious work machine... (maybe im wrong??)<br />
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Then yesterday Apple announced the release of the 13 inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display. The retina display has double the resolution of my current machine, and i was able to spec it out with a 256GB SSD and a new 2.9Ghz i7 Intel processor. So without even seeing one, i took the plunge and ordered one!<br />
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My reasoning being that i liked the size of the MB-Air, and the new MacBook Pro 13 inch would be a very similar size, but with the MB-Pro i would get a faster processor, more SSD storage, and the "Pro" physiologically makes me think its going to be better at its job!! (yes im crazy)<br />
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I've never really been a fan of Apple. I dont have an iPhone, i hate iTunes, and their hardware always seemed overpriced. But in comparrison to all the other Windows laptops on the market at the moment, and having played with the new 15 inch MacBooks, i realised that they really are a work of art. Kind of like the "German cars" of the computer industry - well put together, good looking, and Retina screen is truly amazing.<br />
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Anyway, its ordered now and the Apple website says it's been shipped, and should be on my doorstep on the 1st November... fingers crossed its as good as everyone says, and a worthy replacement for my Asus M50...<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-68158534405186951432012-10-15T00:22:00.000+01:002013-01-28T00:31:39.903+00:00New Car - Audi A6 Avant S-Line Quattro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K1KGjSBYNbA/UHu3aEqBufI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/ZgEusHIUpbY/s1600/New+Car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K1KGjSBYNbA/UHu3aEqBufI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/ZgEusHIUpbY/s320/New+Car.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I'm collecting my new car today. I needed something practical. The requirements list was as follows:<div>
1. Must be an estate car to fit the dogs in</div>
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2. Must have 4x4 to cope with snowy conditions</div>
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3. Must NOT be slow (3l+ engine needed)</div>
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4. Leather interior (nobody has cloth!)</div>
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5. Built in Sat-Nav</div>
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So this is what i ended up with - its a Audi A6 Avant 3.0L Quattro S-Line Le-Mans.</div>
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Its fully loaded with all the toys like driver and passenger memory seats, rearview reversing camera etc etc... </div>
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Bet of all I managed to buy it for about £4k less than its market value, thanks to an impatient dealership who just wanted to get it off their forecourt. </div>
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It has been part-exchanged for a brand new car, and the dealership wasnt an Audi dealer so they just wanted it gone. I saw it, test drove it, made a silly offer and they accepted!</div>
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Once ive had it for a while, i'll write a review, but so far, very pleased!!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-47105229076716363122012-09-29T10:54:00.000+01:002012-10-29T11:13:38.372+00:00Crazy old Motorbike in France!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGnMCqSMJ6DboSaDGweuzlUbNY6G7D-MbRMAj4-Utgo4MCbVSKBsrZKNIAnb43sDiNPiPXMTFgtjFFIqWzvJBLhMM1UiP8HkQJt_7CYWVg9cS_l01I10hQzJ1iDFNeNAVFBv__6UaY9ZQ/s1600/20120929_154754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGnMCqSMJ6DboSaDGweuzlUbNY6G7D-MbRMAj4-Utgo4MCbVSKBsrZKNIAnb43sDiNPiPXMTFgtjFFIqWzvJBLhMM1UiP8HkQJt_7CYWVg9cS_l01I10hQzJ1iDFNeNAVFBv__6UaY9ZQ/s320/20120929_154754.jpg" width="240" /></a>I'm staying in Antibes for a few days, and spotted this awesome old motorbike!!</div>
For those of you know dont know about Antibes, its a pretty crazy place. Its an old French seaside town on the South Coast of France situated between Cannes and Nice. There are loads of traditional old buildings, and normal French shops with real life French people going about their daily lives, but what makes it crazy is that there is also a huge marina stuffed full of multi-million pound super-yachts owned by people with more money than most small countries! There is a real contrast between the locals the the super rich yacht owners, so seeing an old motorbike like this really got me thinking about who rides it!!<br />
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Is someone really riding this as a daily commuter machine?? or is it a bit of fun for some super rich oil tycoon?? The lock securing it to the cycle rack looked in pretty good condition, so its not been there for long, which makes me think this really is someone's daily ride!!<br />
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What do you think?? any idea what make/model bike this is? how much power does the single cylinder engine perched above the front-wheel produce?? can he do front wheel burnouts??</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Antibes, France43.580418 7.12510243.5344075 7.046138 43.6264285 7.204066tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-46730459202247932732012-07-02T15:09:00.002+01:002012-07-04T12:50:16.252+01:00"FGN Payment Limit" - HSBC £6 charge <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLjcbOM_824Krm4qey3HbMLI81eDer4DRBTj-Lh8Jj5W3a4A6RmZiGNmNZMjBP-0xlQ8qqVg1Q_aRZ6biQUPpNQaUdXLvCCexS329LWqaaYr8KIE8VsplwagnhMtR_L2nC2iVRubzrl4E/s1600/HSBC+FGN+Payment+Limit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="HSBC FGN Payment Limit - £6 charge" border="0" height="216" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLjcbOM_824Krm4qey3HbMLI81eDer4DRBTj-Lh8Jj5W3a4A6RmZiGNmNZMjBP-0xlQ8qqVg1Q_aRZ6biQUPpNQaUdXLvCCexS329LWqaaYr8KIE8VsplwagnhMtR_L2nC2iVRubzrl4E/s320/HSBC+FGN+Payment+Limit.JPG" title="FGN Payment Limit HSBC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HSBC FGN Payment Limit???</td></tr>
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I was reviewing my HSBC Business banking statement over the weekend, when I noticed a £6 charge for "FGN Payment Limit". Not having a clue what this charge was, or what "FGN" stood for, I immediately phoned the bank to get some answers.<br />
Once I managed to navigate the awful automated telephone banking system (press 1 for this, press 2 for that etc etc) I finally managed to reach a human operator.<br />
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The operator informed me that the <strong>FGN Payment Limit Charge</strong> was a newly introduced monthly fee of £6 to allow me to transfer up to £10k per transaction from my UK HSBC business bank account to international bank accounts via the internet – a service that until now had been included with internet banking for free!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8dAxLKowwwh13V_CdEazOJBT9UGZ3ylZUtu8JKveb1Sto-jV8eMnZ2a8xcTG74c6OPxsL35e05xgmC7SCNOTapoJ6_PKUXE9vtU05I22LuMNj3gxzBgPHh3oGT4U4aF0RC2q3m99bdHv/s1600/FGN+Payment+Limit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FGN Payment Limit - HSBC " border="0" height="177" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8dAxLKowwwh13V_CdEazOJBT9UGZ3ylZUtu8JKveb1Sto-jV8eMnZ2a8xcTG74c6OPxsL35e05xgmC7SCNOTapoJ6_PKUXE9vtU05I22LuMNj3gxzBgPHh3oGT4U4aF0RC2q3m99bdHv/s400/FGN+Payment+Limit.JPG" title="FGN Paymetn Limit" width="400" /></a></div>
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When I explained that I didn’t make international transfers, so didn’t need a £10k limit in place, and therefore didn’t want to pay the £6 fee, I was informed that if I didn’t pay the fee, I would not be able to transfer any money at all via the internet to international banks.<br />
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So, its either pay HSBC £6 per month for the ability to transfer money electronically to international banks, or don’t pay the £6 fee and have to resort to telephone banking to transfer money internationally. It’s a kind of <strong>“Internet Banking Tax”.</strong> If you wish to use the internet for moving money, you must pay HSBC a fee.<br />
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When I opened my HSBC business bank account, the promise of <strong>“Free banking for 18months”</strong> wasn’t entirely correct. What they seem to have neglected to mention was that during my 18 month free banking period, elements of the service that were free would quietly get charged for… <br />
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And I’m not alone! Having spoken to business contacts and fellow HSBC business account holders, they too have been charged £6 for "FGN Payment Limit", and they also don’t remember ever being notified that this previously free service would suddenly become a premium chargeable service. Can we really all be wrong? <strong>Can anyone else rememebr receiving a letter or email explaining that we would soon be charged for this servic??</strong><br />
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I tried doing a search on the HSBC website for “FGN Payment Limit” – the result was zero results found (see screenshot)<br />
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Even though HSBC were “kind enough” to reverse the charge <strong>(and very quick to offer to do so, suggesting I wasn’t the first customer to complain)</strong> , I’ve now lost the ability to transfer money internationally. In my view, this is very poor service. For a bank that sells its self as “The worlds local bank”, to charge UK customers a fee for the privilege of using internet banking to transfer money out of the country is very bad.<br />
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But what really annoys me is the sneaky underhanded way they have implemented this charge. How many companies wont notice this fee? Its just like someone at HSBC as said, “Lets stick a six quid charge on everyone’s account for something that was previously free, hopefully the wont notice, but and if anyone complains, we’ll just refund them”.<br />
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And after all this, I still have no idea what “FGN Payment Limit" actually means…<br />
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HSBC – you have lost a lot of credibility with this little stunt…<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-58303573911762817522012-06-15T18:06:00.000+01:002012-10-29T11:13:56.204+00:00New Tyres for the GSXR - Battlax 023R<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjwBAaz5AvAOFK1sbdMXHCjXw4b97x3OLowzsMSoGUkwhgeBZyh5IpyeqW35CohkwpAY2bPapSssfk5XdfKyovPXOkAHyGsrYGRHJD6uACzJCJWtEtKuMqdJOBCZflQLYjrZ-dcW_nwtK/s1600/20120615_192157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjwBAaz5AvAOFK1sbdMXHCjXw4b97x3OLowzsMSoGUkwhgeBZyh5IpyeqW35CohkwpAY2bPapSssfk5XdfKyovPXOkAHyGsrYGRHJD6uACzJCJWtEtKuMqdJOBCZflQLYjrZ-dcW_nwtK/s320/20120615_192157.jpg" width="240" /></a>The tyres on my new bike were looking a bit squared off, and the tread was very low, so i ordered some new tyres. </div>
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After reading some review i decided to give the Bridgeston Battlax 023R's a try. These are supposed to be Sports Touring tyres with a harder compound rubber in the center for high mileage and softer more sticky compund rubber on the shoulders for going round corners quickly.</div>
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Now they've been delivered, the next step is finding someone to fit them for me!! - thats a job for the weekend :)</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-30187085282774420042012-06-14T17:58:00.000+01:002012-06-18T18:00:56.896+01:00Best Bacon Roll in London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRi-ruE7wKvbKeUHcPi1Dod8Din7dwqQqOKv35vYwYKmaiRJkb54DgL1ADZRTq6PP0EQQvRQEvdFHUfuw1EZLHvZCRadezj12_Xw0K-4QAxEgCt0aiPitXWodqeGVfRX9N6zGmNxsCT9I/s1600/20120614_070911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRi-ruE7wKvbKeUHcPi1Dod8Din7dwqQqOKv35vYwYKmaiRJkb54DgL1ADZRTq6PP0EQQvRQEvdFHUfuw1EZLHvZCRadezj12_Xw0K-4QAxEgCt0aiPitXWodqeGVfRX9N6zGmNxsCT9I/s320/20120614_070911.jpg" width="320" /></a>Every morning on my walk from Cannon Street station to the office i have to resist the fantastic smell of cooked bacon that wafts from the butchers shop on Wattling street. </div>
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The aroma of freshly cooked bacon is so enticing that sometimes i just cant resist and find myself drawn into the shop to hand over £2.50 for what i believe to be the best bacon roll in London.<br />
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The secret seems to be that before the four slices of bacon are expertly inserted into a freshly baked warm baguette, they are first cooked in the juices of other meats, to give the bacon a really meaty, juicy, slightly spicy flavour that is totally out of this world!<br />
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I defy any non-vegetarian to be able to walk past this place first thing in the morning and not be tempted to buy one!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-58998903444110032642012-06-10T12:45:00.000+01:002012-06-18T18:01:19.695+01:00Exploding Aubergine Leaves Alien Remains. <br />
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Ok, so the weird looking "inside out alien thing" in the photo below is not the mangled remains of a crashed extra-terrestrial UFO pilot, its origins are from much closer to home.<br />
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Believe it or not this is what an aubergine looks like after its been baked in the oven for slightly too long and explodes.</div>
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Not really too sure what went wrong, but I guess it was in the oven a bit too long, and we should have probably put a couple of holes in it to release the steam, but we didn't, so when it came out the oven it exploded with a loud "POP" scattering its tentacle like innards all over the chopping board.</div>
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The noise was so loud i heard it from a another room, and actually thought the oven had exploded as it sounded just like an electrical explosion..</div>
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But look at it! its hideous, it really does look like some kind of exploded squid or alien creature.... but mixed with some garlic and blended down, it still tasted great :)</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528794502788929827.post-2948368149001409202012-06-04T12:39:00.000+01:002012-10-29T11:14:32.202+00:00My New Summer Toy - GSX-R 600 K7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, after many year out of the saddle I decided to get back into motorcycling. </div>
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My first ever motorbike was a very old Yamaha DT50 (with twin rear shocks!) which my Grandad bought for me as a present when i was 10 years old. We spent many happy hours stripping it down and putting it back together, and i've loved bikes ever since.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWbn4ECg_VDP9VOmR1C7IJpf87s_Dv2ygd-RvUSn3XuW4qYuBQWxwfgMN2EWZQlHxKhIaX-s7lrJrbBEaqhkfADDWCa-TkR1lTn9fBtxAiJ-GmFBVPWKc4Ic0nh5mqq4-1L2X3k8I0zDi/s1600/20120604_180134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="GSX-R600 K7 in Blue and White" border="0" height="240" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWbn4ECg_VDP9VOmR1C7IJpf87s_Dv2ygd-RvUSn3XuW4qYuBQWxwfgMN2EWZQlHxKhIaX-s7lrJrbBEaqhkfADDWCa-TkR1lTn9fBtxAiJ-GmFBVPWKc4Ic0nh5mqq4-1L2X3k8I0zDi/s320/20120604_180134.jpg" title="GSX-R600 K7 in Blue and White" width="320" /></a>I passed my bike test when i was 17 years old (many years ago!) but because of living in London, its always been difficult to own a bike. Without secure parking, bikes are too easy a target for thieves and vandals, so apart from a short stint with a Gilera Runner SP180 (that people kept trying to steal!) i've not ridden on the roads for about 6 years.</div>
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Now that ive moved out into 'the sticks' (Sevenoaks Kent), and i have a secure double garage, i decided i no longer had any reason not to get a bike, so i started looking and found this very clean, '57 plate Suzuki GSX-R600 K7. The GSX-R (or GIXXER) was always one of my dream bikes as a lad, so the possibility of owning one was pretty exciting.</div>
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The bike was being sold by a dealer down in Southampton, so i popped in to take a look. I liked what i saw, but i didn't show too much interest. When i got home i found the same bike for sale on eBay with an "Offers" button, so i clicked the button, put in a cheeky offer (£250 less than the asking price) fully expecting the offer to be rejected. The next morning i woke to see an email saying my offer had been accepted - I was soon to be the proud owner of GIXXER!</div>
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So i HPI checked the bike, transferred the cash and arranged for it to be delivered to my mum's house in the New Forest saving myself an expensive delivery charge from Southampton to Sevenoaks.<br />
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The plan was that i would go visit my mum, check the bike over, take it for a short ride around local roads to get back into "Biking Mode", then ride the bike the 110miles home. Of course this meant that my first ride on a bike for over 6 years would be a 110mile ride on motorways on a powerful sports bike, that i'd never ridden before - Needless to say, many people thought i was crazy!!</div>
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The day of the ride came, and i was so excited - not at all nervous (i don't really do nerves). I got on the bike, fired it up, and immediately got back into "Biker Mode". Having learnt to ride as a kid, the controls were all very instinctive, and I had no problems remembering how to ride. In fact it was just like being a teenager again on my Aprilia AF1-125 that i had when i was 17. <br />
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After a local ride round my old neighbourhood, and stopping off to show a few old mates my new toy, i set off for the epic first ride home...</div>
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130miles later -yes i took a few detours ;) i got home. I had a sore bum, but apart from that it was a very enjoyable ride..... Feels good to be "A Biker" again....</div>
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