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No, not that helmet.

And not me bike helmet either.

I got a new welding helmet.

ESAB Origo-Tech - 9-13 auto...

Got it for £15, which I'm rather happy with... Dunno why the yellow has washed out on the pics - but it's black and yellow:



But, I'm not looking forward to cleaning up the mess that was caused going to get it....



Welcome to Scottish roads in winter time....and this was only a short 80 mile trip...



...where stuff set's like concrete and even a power washer doesn't get it all off after it's dried in with the heat....

Look at that poor can beside the caliper ....once upon a time it was clean n' shiny...but now they look like they've been powdercoated in cement...

I know I like to polish stuff, but this is gonna be ridiculous. I don't think I've got enough Autosol



My boot's will stay like this until it rains, as I can't be arsed cleaning any of it off. As for the bike? Any volunteers?



At least we got there and back in one piece. Came close a few times to running off the road, bearing in mind me speedo isn't working....meaning I ran a bit too fast into some pretty hairy bends. Yeah...I know I said I could use the rev counter, but the visor took less than a mile each time to get clarted again, and add to that I virtually drove all the way there with one hand (the sun was in my eyes nearly all the way).

A coffee and a change of shorts were required when I got home

woo man that's some serious crap. wait till the suns up and go clean it.
Was a few storms out between yours and Inverness yesterday.
bit chillier this morning for a trip out.

did you use roads or fields . nice helmet by the way.

grumpyfrog wrote:Was a few storms out between yours and Inverness yesterday.

Never saw a single bike yesterday on the road, but I was down Mintlaw/Peterhead taking in the Broch coming back home. (Decided those twisties at Mintlaw were not a good idea considering the few ''moments'' on the way through)

And sods bloody law, by the time I finished up doing me dealing, went to get a sit down meal and recharge the bloods, the bloody sun was in me eyes all the way home as well. So, another one handed ride home, which is fine, until you try and negotiate the S bends after the Pitsligo junction.

Why do we continue to do it? When I got home, a bike-building guy arrived to collect some stuff, and said ''yup, you need rides and days like that. It lets you know your alive, and it hones all your skills into one session. If you ride just in summer, then lay the bike up over winter, that's when accidents happen, as you're not in the saddle long enough and you forget stuff...or are a bit rusty when it hits the season again....where-as riding all seasons keeps you tuned on a regular basis...

True, and I forget sometimes how much skill it takes to keep upright in sh1tty conditions - it's just instinct and ''second nature'' I suppose after all these years of riding.

I though he made sense (for once Bruce if yer reading this )

Good to hear from you Stu. Hope all is well. Take 'er easy!

fabiostar wrote:did you use roads or fields...

yup, there be a lot of tractors dragging crap in and out of the fields, so, I suppose you could say ''field'', as most of them are spread over the roads. Combined with the usual grit salt (now with an additive that is a bugger to shift off yer machine) it makes a nice clean bike look like I've ridden through Mongolia and back. I've ridden a couple of off road bikes in the past, and had them cleaner than this after a session.

There should be a law stating that you shouldn't allow the road to get into that state, with mud and sh1te...but it's farming community, and no-one really gives an ass. Until some poor bugger comes off his bike....then the roads cleaned that quick, it's like it was freshly laid tarmac. Most folk (as ya know) don't think or care about the risk to bikes, as they're all wrapped up in a safety cage, side impact bars, seat belts, air bags, Radio 2, heaters on full, and the ability to clean their windscreen on a regular basis at the touch of a button. Then, at the end of the day, they just slot in a few quid and drive through a car wash - again, never getting off their backsides.

When a road bike turns up in the supermarket carpark, looking like this, and the rider is white from salt and covered in other sh1t, it's no wonder we're looked at with contempt and fear! It's quite an imposing look, sitting down for a meal with amongst all the other ''clean'' people.

Had another weird dream due to low blood levels...It played like a film, full colour, and different view points:

It's like you've just stepped out of an arena after winning a battle against a big scary thing...and are now walking through lines of people who part and look away from you, as you proudly wear the ''splattered'' clothing of defeat then victory. Exhausted and mentally drained, but happy that yer alive! Realising that this was only Round One, and you have to go back out there for more of the same...so you sit quietly in a corner...relax...recharge...refuel...and plan yer next move.

And it worked. I live to fight another day!

PAH! - this Russel Crowe in Gladiator? He has it easy. I reckon he should be made to ride a bike in winter time. Now THAT keeps you on yer toes. (All 12 of them).

The pup's on here may not get this one...

HAHAH! - Yup - I get that -



And for those that don't: Mud (the name of a band 40 sum years ago) had the hit Tiger feet....

Before my time!

Kev L wrote:Before my time!

Yeah right...

You was probaly still listening to Perry Como when The Mighty Mud were at their peak ...

makes me glad that i'm riding in spain thru winter, no road salt or crap to deal with, well not unless i head for the mountains...

Nice new helmet Dave A bargain price, something I've said I would get sometime, not that I use my welder that often. Even so still a nice piece of kit to have,

Chris.

MacV2 wrote:

Kev L wrote:Before my time!

Yeah right...

You was probaly still listening to Perry Como when The Mighty Mud were at their peak ...

Kev, didn't you go to school with Jimmy Clitheroe

agentpineapple wrote:makes me glad that i'm riding in spain...no road salt or crap to deal with...

I'm jealous. Mr Green Eyed Monster is out, front and centre! Not particularly of Spain, but for the heat, the clean roads, the road salt free riding. It means, like certain places in the States, you can polish and wax yer bike, and it stays like that for 11 months and 2 weeks of the year. The last short couple of weeks is spent drying it off from the warm rain, and wiping off the collected dry dust.

If I could, I'd ship my bike over to you so you could clean it. Afterall, there's nothing else for you to do with yours apart from ride them.

With that helmet the weld is your oyster.

You will finally be able to live your dream of ruling the weld.

Weld domination.

You'll have all the time in the weld.

Etc, bored now.

tony.mon wrote:With that helmet the weld is your oyster.

You will finally be able to live your dream of ruling the weld.

Weld domination.

You'll have all the time in the weld.

Etc, bored now.

Arc at you