I know most on here aren't into footy but I happen to be so. So Wednesday night, set up the projector and screen etc ready for the England game which was due to kick off exactly the minute I normally get home from work. Got shit loads of stuff happening at work but miraculously have my gear on and I'm out the door at 4:05pm with about 50 minutes ride home in front of me. Everything looking cosy. Traffic was a fair bit heavier[1] than normal so I planned on seven sisters lane, up through Mobberly, across to Wilmslow, up the A34, M60, 66 and home. No probs, Mobberly despatched with usual aplomb, a few nice overtakes, plenty of throttle abuse everything running as usual, having a hoot and generally enjoying the ride. then it happens... just come round the roundabout by the Ford Garage in Wilmslow and open her up to overtake the BMW that was getting in my way and suddenly the bike isn't responding as expected. At first I thought I'd not grabbed enough of a handful[2] but nope, I'm at the stop and it ain't going like it should be. Pulled the clutch and the bike does a fair impression of someone jumping on the brakes. Made a hasty attempt to get to the nearside of the dual carriageway. Just as I do the back wheel locks up and I slide nicely to a halt. So, Back brake locked up tight. Disc has a slight purple tinge and the caliper and disk are steaming hot. Its going nowhere fast. Pulled off the seat in the vain hope that there is an original toolkit stuffed somewhere under there, nope no such luck. Look for a brick or sommat to wack the caliper with hoping that its just a sticky pad. nothing anywhere to be found. So I wait... 30 mins later it starts cooling enough to let me move it slightly. another 15 mins(remember I'm hoping to be home by 5, its now 4:50 and I'm 35 mins at least from home) and its almost free. A guy on a BMW 650 (Think it was a GS) that had passed about 5 mins earlier comes back to see if I'm OK(Cheers matey!) but its relatively free so I tell him I'm going to see how I get on. I set off and its going OK, I can feel it starting to drag by 2 miles, by 3 its like I've got my foot on the brake. So, pull over, find a place to park up and call the old recovery people. 90 mins later they turn up and stick the bike on the flat bed, So upshot, I get home at 7:20. The bike is of course free by now. Now this is where the benefits of a good SO come to play, I walk in, the beer is poured, the chinese is on the plates and she even set Sky+ to record the game! OK, Its on the telly in the living room rather than the big screen but I can watch it in peace! So, whats the bet, I'll swap the fluid but as the front was free I reckon it isn't water in the fluid that is boiling up and pressurising the syetem, I'll just have to strip everything down and give it a good cleaning/copper greasing. [1] normally I reckon I need to overtake about half a dozen cars tops, it took at least 20 to get to the A34 [2] unlike the Varadero the Guzzi has a lot more 'twist' between off and WFO so occasionally I find myself not holding teh grip right to give WFO without getting a new hold.
