belfastguzzi

Timely post as this is one of a number of parts on my bike that went south at the weekend, due to a 'wind-related incident'. Can someone tell me if there should be a small rod (as described in the Pyro Dan link) between the brake lever and ball, in all V.11 applications? Anyone know UK / Europe supply? Can't access Maplin website at the moment.

Ta. I've sent an e-mail to HMB to see if they still have any, but I don't see one on the site. Perhaps Paul M, or someone who knows about such things, could say if they currently know of any availability in Europe at a decent price.

This is you honking at Gary and driving him round the bend: Macguzzi:'look Gary, this Aultg.... Inn is *&^% and the &*%%@! owners have treated us like $&)&£$@!! but they won't last another season 'cause the whole world is gonna find out that they're &^(@%! and I'm telling you that we all need to get out of this %^$£x* NOW!' Grossohc: 'But I like it. I really enjoyed the invisible rum and blackcurrant pints that they kept giving me last night.'

Time for another timing chest crack repair. Yep, mine's busted. Stupid Guzzi design! Why do they bolt the sub-frame through a big meaty lump on the timing cover – and then bolt the timing cover to the engine through a wee section that's thinner than a slice of white bread, immediately under the sub-frame attachment? Of course it will crack. I think that Baldini's suspicions are right: that this engine is best craddled in a frame, not stressed as part of the frame.

Excellent, the season has opened again Yikes! Where did that come from Martha?! Hehe, got 'em

Not at all! Once again I say thanks for organising the opportunity for a get away. They are few and far between, so I wrote it into the diary when you first posted. With work demands, I then thought that it wasn't going to happen, however at last minute I decided to just go (moral support from Guy). I must admit that on Friday morning, after getting up from two hours' sleep and then driving up the hateful road from Cairnryan / Stranraer in a storm, I was wondering... For the same cost, why didn't I just book into a luxury hotel at home and stand in the cold shower all weekend? The weather was so bad that the ferry couldn't dock at Troon so sailed down to Cairnryan instead. A bad start. A main reason for going was – the company: and that was great. Just sorry that Antonio left early after having a very bad time at the 'inn' and that we only saw Gary and Bertie and others for the first night, before we headed off South. It turns out that Jaap is a real person: I thought that he's a computer programme (beta version). We were, of course, all disappointed that you weren't able to make it and that Martin had other duty to do. Second reason was to get great riding on great roads with great scenery, in company. That was achieved handsomely on our Saturday ride through the hills (which ended cruelly only a mile or so from the day's destination!) and again on Sunday when Jaap and I went west by Lochs Tay and Lomond. We even got sunshine in the end. I'm up for Guy's idea of Galloway next time. If folk would come to NI, we could have a good few days over here sometime too.

Well done getting the pics up so quickly. Sealer stopped the flow of oil, though not completely. Let us know how your collar bone is. Jaap probably in hotel overloooking the sea at Troon. It was nice and sunny when we arrived. I got home after 11pm. Pics and stuff later. Despite horrendously wet start and several 'incidents', it ended-up a thoroughly enjoyable long weekend, Cheers to all.

Things are looking up! And already I've spotted this (piece of phototrickery) See: it's not just for kiddies after all.

ah, but you haven't seen me ride the thing next stop – a Bebo site

I decided to try the MySpace thing, just to see how it works. Maybe I should keep it and maybe add some MG related content? The Scottish highlands outing this weekend could be a starter. Anyone else got a site?

Looks like it could be best to go to eastwards anyway: "Friday: Rain soon clearing to blustery showers, the showers possibly merging at times in the west. Some drier and brighter spells in the east. Strong to gale force southwesterly winds. Outlook for Saturday to Monday: Bright with sunny spells and blustery showers during the period. The showers most frequent in the west, possibly merging at times. The best of the sunshine in the east. Windy." yes, hilarious

Do you reckon that's shorter than west via Fort William?

Well, the locals probably know what's best. Tradition dictates something along these lines: I've no time to sort out clothes, so probably won't bother with any.

Ok I've booked. So who else is in the bunkhouse?

If Antonionio wants to discover some nice place in the general area of Scotland – I would recommend taking a motorbike trip. I know it's a novel idea, but what do you think?

You're not doing much to encourage me!

Well I've checked the ferries. As usual, Stenaline is just a bunch of problems. Online booking hasn't been working anytime I've tried. I phoned them and was told that it is working – use Internet Explorer. However I've tried that too and it still doesn't work. Was quoted £104 for the privilege of booking the short hop to Stranraer by phone. Get real, Stenaline. If I book tomorrow, I'll go for Larne – Troon with P&O. Can't go Thursday night as have important meeting. Early Friday crossing should see me leaving Troon just around 9.30am. Unless you're leaving Moffat very early, that could put me in the vicinity of a Guzzirider slipstream on Fri morn? What's your est. timetable? I have though, been known to, er, miss the boat... My biggest worries about going are: - I might have forgotten how to ride the blessed thing, as it's been mouldering under a heap of stuff since the gearbox was playing up last summer and the top plate came off the Quat - it's a long haul if the weather is bad - will gearshift operate beyond second? - haven't got any sort of tune-up done - Did I say I might have forgotten how to ride the blessed thing? The good things are: - at least the Quat is back together in one piece and - sounding great - and it feels brilliant just to turn the motor on and ride the thing again - it's the Scottish Highlands, och aye - it's not work Let you know tomorrow.

Is anyone camping and if so, where? Edit. Doesn't matter. There's space in bunkhouse.

BBC1 tonight and Wednesday night. Prob 2pm tonight (Monday) Prob BBC1 NI EDIT just noticed that I put 2pm. Don't know how that happened. I meant 9pm. Second part on Wed. is earlier at 8pm. The coverage is brilliant. I'll try to get time to put it on an iPod for Highlands trip and maybe make a few DVDs (don't tell BBC).

The Superbike was brilliant: but have you seen ANYTHING like that final Supersport race? (Actually last year was pretty good, but that was on the radio.) Extraordinary, spectacular racing and fantastic coverage by the BBC. As they said, the best road race in the world.

We've a caravan at the end of the Ards Peninsula. The roads there and up alongside Strangford are beautiful – then the road north, up the Antrim Coast to the NW is regularly rated as one of the must see / must drive / must ride roads in the world. As for next weekend. Will I or won't I? I think I should. Time, as we know, is a tricky thing though. (Some day I'll master it.)

I just checked to see if it was being streamed and then came here to post, but you're on it already. Brilliant. Looks like great coverage. Superstock coming up now. Oh - fab aerial shots While you're in the mood: next year, why don't you guys think about joining the thousands of bikes that come across on the ferry and we could make a long weekend of it? Ride round the coast, paddle in the sea, watch bikes.

Great footage of Cookstown 100 on tv last night. Got home just in time to see it so didn't get posting any notice to let you know in case you would have had a chance to see it. There'll be more of course, though Tandragee isn't being shown due to the accident that killed John Donnan.

Safety devices? A bike doesn't need anything more than a bell(e) surely?