mcatrophy
Privileged to ride a 2018 FJR1300AS
Not quite sure where to put this, it relates to my son's bike and other stuff as well as mine, but anyway, here we go ...
Long story cutshort still fairly long
.
Way back in 2008, my son decided he was missing something after frequently seeing me taking my helmet off with a huge grin on my face, so he decided he wanted a bike.
Now, he's of very small stature, so couldn't contemplate most normal bikes. This situation was also complicated by our learner licensing laws, the bike had to be less than a certain horse-power, which either meant a very small-engined bike, or a bike than can be officially restricted in some way.
Because he's a man of strong principles, he wouldn't have anything below 500cc and he wouldn't be seen dead on a cruiser.
So we went round a few dealers and found him a nice, clean, 2003 Honda Hornet
Sitting on it, he could just about reach the ground with his toes. I took it out for a quick (well, up to 80) test ride, all seemed good. So he had them put the official restriction bits in the carburettors, and the bike was his.
(Click on any image for larger view)
The bike and with the proud owner
I taught him all I knew, and in spite of that he became a very competent rider.
We removed his restrictors after the obligatory two years (our bike driver's license laws are very complicated), so giving it a safer amount of power.
Pictures taken during removal of restrictors
He's been with me on a couple of Scottish tours.
Taking a picture somewhere in Scotland, and admiring the view
Anyway, as you all realise, because he wants to ride a motorcycle, he's a bit of an idiot. He likes to do dangerous things like skiing and snowboarding. So, last April (that's just over a year ago), he broke his leg in Whistler, Canada, playing on a snowboard. That's both bones (he never does anything by halves).
Ouch
They
plated it, plastered it,
and, after about 12 days, cut the plaster off and sent him back to the UK.
Well, it was taking ages to mend. For months, he had to use two crutches to get around, and when they let him start weight bearing on it, he was sure it was bending. At this stage, he went out once on his bike, hoping to come to Scotland with me in September. Wasn't sure the leg was strong enough to hold the bike up in anything other than perfect conditions, so decided against. Just as well ...
Come December, they decided that the fibula had mended (that's the little bone), but the tibia (that's the weight-bearing bone) wasn't mending and was unlikely to do so without another operation.
CT scan, much better than a normal x-ray (but these photos are of a screen, so don't come out too well)
So, plate number two.
Well, at long last it seems to be mending. A week ago, the specialist said it was at half strength. When son tentatively asked him about going on his bike, he got the answer "If you're happy, go for it".
So, we've planned another Scotland tour in a week or so. He decided his bike needed servicing, and for legality's sake, an MOT test. He booked it in to our local, in-town Honda dealer, but wasn't yet happy about riding it through city rush-hour traffic to get it there. So, he asked me to do it.
"Ok", said I, I'd ridden it before, all I've got to go is to remember to use the clutch lever and gear-change pedal, no problem.
Being a Honda, it started easily after its few months of idleness, and I rode it in. Three miles, taking well over ten minutes, so you can guess the traffic, the number of gear changes, the amount of clutch usage.
Now, I originally got my first FJR back in 2006 when I'd been suffering from a very painful finger joint in my left hand riding my Trophy. I almost gave up motorcycling, then changed to the YCC-S version of the FJR, and have been enjoying it (and a pain-free left hand) ever since.
After riding the Hornet into town, my left had was in agony, not only the finger joint, but around my thumb base joint (which can hurt even pulling a glove over it).
I was dreading riding the Honda back afterwards, which I did in non-rush hour traffic. I was almost screaming with agony inside my helmet, it HURT. Didn't tell son, didn't want to make him feel guilty.
And that's it, really. Got back on my own bike today, absolute bliss, no more pain (it was still hurting a bit from the Honda yesterday).
I love YCC-S.
Long story cut
Way back in 2008, my son decided he was missing something after frequently seeing me taking my helmet off with a huge grin on my face, so he decided he wanted a bike.
Now, he's of very small stature, so couldn't contemplate most normal bikes. This situation was also complicated by our learner licensing laws, the bike had to be less than a certain horse-power, which either meant a very small-engined bike, or a bike than can be officially restricted in some way.
Because he's a man of strong principles, he wouldn't have anything below 500cc and he wouldn't be seen dead on a cruiser.
So we went round a few dealers and found him a nice, clean, 2003 Honda Hornet
Sitting on it, he could just about reach the ground with his toes. I took it out for a quick (well, up to 80) test ride, all seemed good. So he had them put the official restriction bits in the carburettors, and the bike was his.
(Click on any image for larger view)
The bike and with the proud owner
I taught him all I knew, and in spite of that he became a very competent rider.
We removed his restrictors after the obligatory two years (our bike driver's license laws are very complicated), so giving it a safer amount of power.
Pictures taken during removal of restrictors
He's been with me on a couple of Scottish tours.
Taking a picture somewhere in Scotland, and admiring the view
Anyway, as you all realise, because he wants to ride a motorcycle, he's a bit of an idiot. He likes to do dangerous things like skiing and snowboarding. So, last April (that's just over a year ago), he broke his leg in Whistler, Canada, playing on a snowboard. That's both bones (he never does anything by halves).
Ouch
They
plated it, plastered it,
and, after about 12 days, cut the plaster off and sent him back to the UK.
Well, it was taking ages to mend. For months, he had to use two crutches to get around, and when they let him start weight bearing on it, he was sure it was bending. At this stage, he went out once on his bike, hoping to come to Scotland with me in September. Wasn't sure the leg was strong enough to hold the bike up in anything other than perfect conditions, so decided against. Just as well ...
Come December, they decided that the fibula had mended (that's the little bone), but the tibia (that's the weight-bearing bone) wasn't mending and was unlikely to do so without another operation.
CT scan, much better than a normal x-ray (but these photos are of a screen, so don't come out too well)
So, plate number two.
Well, at long last it seems to be mending. A week ago, the specialist said it was at half strength. When son tentatively asked him about going on his bike, he got the answer "If you're happy, go for it".
So, we've planned another Scotland tour in a week or so. He decided his bike needed servicing, and for legality's sake, an MOT test. He booked it in to our local, in-town Honda dealer, but wasn't yet happy about riding it through city rush-hour traffic to get it there. So, he asked me to do it.
"Ok", said I, I'd ridden it before, all I've got to go is to remember to use the clutch lever and gear-change pedal, no problem.
Being a Honda, it started easily after its few months of idleness, and I rode it in. Three miles, taking well over ten minutes, so you can guess the traffic, the number of gear changes, the amount of clutch usage.
Now, I originally got my first FJR back in 2006 when I'd been suffering from a very painful finger joint in my left hand riding my Trophy. I almost gave up motorcycling, then changed to the YCC-S version of the FJR, and have been enjoying it (and a pain-free left hand) ever since.
After riding the Hornet into town, my left had was in agony, not only the finger joint, but around my thumb base joint (which can hurt even pulling a glove over it).
I was dreading riding the Honda back afterwards, which I did in non-rush hour traffic. I was almost screaming with agony inside my helmet, it HURT. Didn't tell son, didn't want to make him feel guilty.
And that's it, really. Got back on my own bike today, absolute bliss, no more pain (it was still hurting a bit from the Honda yesterday).
I love YCC-S.
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