NEC

Living a few miles from Weston Super Mare means that I get to show up
at some of the regular rides and events which end up at the seafront.
Rocking up on one of the SOBs always gathers a bigger collection of
interested admirers than any of the latest sportsbikes or blinged up
Hardleys. Modern bikes have become a boring collection of me-too
offerings from the big manufacturers.

 

Sorry, I going to have to pull an Ace.

 

Precisely.

"Hi, are you over 27, employed, like green, have a mediocre car but
like speed? Then our research tells us that you should sign up to the
Kawasaki lifestyle. Here's your paddock jacket, iridium visor and a
list of reasons why you should feel sorry for Chris Walker."

 

err, exactly.

 

No. The Employment Act 1990 outlawed closed shops.

 

I love motorcycling and have really missed not having a bike for most
of 2009. I was hoping the show might inspire me a little as to what
direction I wanted to go next but it almost did the opposite.

 

So.. why go back to a bike show if you're over it, eh?

Perhaps you should join a BMW owners club.

 

Where did I say that? I love bikes and I love biking.

Maybe I should see which lifestyle package best suits my demographic.

 

You need to get more sleep.

Rebel? No, I'm certainly not a rebel but I'm struggling to get my head
around this idea of yours that because people do things in a way you
don't want to they need to evolve.

 

Maybe it would help if you actually read what I said.

 

The best direction from here is west, to the Dales and the Lake
District, but to the north lies Northumberland and Scotland and to the
south the North York Moors. They are the best inspiration of all.

 

Sold, but what should I ride?

 

If you are going to ride up north then there is no need to buy anything.
Just borrow whatever Nige has bought that week. You should eventually find
something you like.

 

This bit perhaps?


Does the first paragraph not give the impression that you disagree
with how some motorcyclists act and the second one say that
motorcycling should evolve?

 

It seems to have given you that impression but all it actually states
is something that I don't want as, I feel, it is rather past it's sell
by date.

Yes, it says exactly that. Well done.

In an effort to move on, as I've said elsewhere in the thread I was
hoping for a little inspiration from the show but found it a bit stale.

 

At least Kawasaki broke away from the boring crowd by bringing back
a 250. Time for you to take a look at some SOBs, which one is a matter
of personal taste and your chosen era. Just choose soemthing interesting
and reliable with decent spares availability and you are unlikely to
suffer any depreciation.
You should, for example, be able to pick up a tidy 400/4 for under a
grand or a decent RD350 for maybe 1500.
Bikes should be FUN so I tend to pick something light and agile rather
than particularly fast, YMMV.

 

Aye, I'm trying to work out how something that will cost me about 250
quid a month can be classed as a perk.

Allowance looks like the way forward.

 

See Facebook

 

I chose Kawasaki at random. I could apply the same gag to any of the
main manufacturers.

Maybe you're right.

 

Oh dear, that didn't last long.

Does one have to be on Facebook to get an explanation or are you going to
share with us dinosaurs?