Anyway Friday just before midday I get a call to say the bike had been recovered and I went to have a look. Upon close inspection (without being able to move/touch the bike) I found the left hand can damaged, small crack in the left mirror mount and a couple of other small scrapes, nothing a couple of hundred quid wouldn't sort out but I just didn't want to. The bike had been abused in a way it should never have been and I lost all heart in it, which was a shame because it was a nice ride.
I spoke to Geo a few more times over the course of Friday and Saturday to sort out this Tuono. Geo arranged an MOT slot for the Saturday afternoon but then I recived a phone call I really didn't want......It may fail as the indicators are not flashing on the left side



He really didn't want to sell after just taking it to and from the test station. I seem to remember he said he felt "sick" at the thought of it. My heart sunk but I knew where he was coming from and I understood, not that I told him that

Sunday morning. Well I was bricking it.....
First time riding pillion........ and on the back of Lloyd........ and all the way to Southampton from Coalville







Anyway we made it down to Geo's and there it was, the bike that was about to change everything....
Geo ran me through the bike, what happened during his off and what had been repaired ect ect. He then planned a route on his sat nav and let me loose. A nice little route, around 30mins riding or so with a mix of roads so I could see what the bike would be like. After reaching the end point on the satnav I was not back a Geo's, I was in the middle of a nice little down on a very very very hot sunny day, so I played with the satnav, found the home button and thought that would take me back to where I wanted to be. Did it, did it heck! I was in the middle of the village where Geo lives, no idea how to plot a new route on this satnav and no idea where I was going. After worrying, and many attempts at trying to reprogram it I finally got under way to making my way back. Then my phone rang. I knew it was Lloyd without even stopping to look at my phone. Anyway when I got back I was questioned to where I had got to and that I knew it was Lloyd ringing but I couldn't pick up due to riding. But then it started, I tried so hard to not smile when took my helmet off that the other two were flabagasted, they couldn't understand why I wasn't grinning from ear to ear but I tell you what, I had a hard on over this bike!


We sorted out the cash, got a couple of photos of Geo and his daughter with the bike, said our goodbyes and we left to a bikers café called Loomies to meet with a friend of Lloyds who knows these bikes inside out.
After leaving Lloyd for dead storming down these single track roads, with no idea of what the roads were like or where we were going besides the sat nav, we made it there and I could not stop smiling. It was fantastic! Lloyds mate looked it over and he must have said 10+ times that it was a "steal" couldn't believe the bike for the price. Ok it needs a few new panels which I'll do over winter but nothing major, its all there and mechanically sound

I managed to reach the limits of the tyres just on the way to this café which was only an hrs ride away, right to the edges on the rear and not far from the front. What the feck! Iv been pushing and pushing to get there on the storm, 1hr on this and I've done it






After a quick ride with Lloyds mates and a coffee we headed back up the long stretch of motorway to get back as it was closing down on 1800 and we had a good 4hrs ahead of us. Supprisingly I was not battered by the wind quite as much as I thought I would be. The small fairing and the screen did well to get the wind around me

The only downside to the day was the screen cracking due to stress but never mind, that can be sorted easily enough.