It’s a beautiful day as I look out the window so I pull the covers off the fire breathing dragon (NO not my wife before any of the wits out there gets the wrong idea). Searched out all my riding gear and then pushed the Z750 out of the drive. It takes a few more kicks than usual to get her started (again not the wife the bike) but soon she roars into life. Excellent.

I pull off and soon find myself on the A5 single carriageway towards oop north and decide I’ll go visit Lonesome Steve at Northampton. A nice gentle ride along the A5 on the Kawasaki and all is good with the world, blue skies, cool breeze and the sound of the Kawasaki Twin in your ears, can’t be beat on a day like this. As I pass out of Towcester past the truck stop I see a big crowd of bikes in the car park, may have to check that out on the way back.

All too soon I arrive at a truck stop just off the M1 where Lonesome has his home in the layby. A simple affair of a van with just enough conveniences to keep a man going. So he is still here I think as I dismount. And the man himself steps out to greet me having heard the sound of the Kawasaki arriving. Seems I have stopped him from getting about the business of having a lazy day, so apologies to Steve.

After a pleasant hour or so putting the world and everyone we know to rights I decide to leave the gent to his peaceful day and head off back home. I take a little back road just across the M1 and through a village to cut off a corner and soon find myself back on the A5 enjoying the ride at my own pace in the sun. I pass the transport cafe and look across, still a few bikes there but can’t be arsed to go across so I continue home.

Again all too quickly the journey is over, and I’m outside my house dismounting the Z750. Another joyful and uneventful plod of a ride over, I put the beast back in its resting place. Life is good when the stress is taken away with a no deadlines, no rush day of gentle riding on an old Japanese classic from kawasaki. Brilliant.

I finally found the time and the impetus to get the Z750 out from under its cover and take it out. First stop was the petrol station to fill up, and then out onto the open road for the first real test since its failure coming home from Silverstone Superbikes ( http://z750twinproject.info/ride-outs/kawasaki-z750-twin-goes-to-the-british-superbikes-at-silverstone/ ) so it was with a little apprehension I turned on the A5 dual carriageway after coming out of the garage.

Slowly accelerating up to the speed limit of 70mph, I was listening for the first sign of problems. After about a mile of the speed limit riding I relaxed and tarted to enjoy the ride. A few miles of dual carriageway, then off and back along the V4 Milton Keynes North route. Across the roundabouts and enjoying the wind in my last remaining hairs through my crash helmets vents.

Then near home I again took a detour along the A5 and North to Old Stratford before heading home, all with no sign of problems. Grreaat. I got home, and my daughters boyfriend watched as I pulled in. So I asked if he wanted a quick pillion ride. No need to ask twice so we set off again, a quick ride around the block as my daughter was giving him the evils as we left cos she was waiting to get out and hit the shops.

Felt great to be back on the Kawazaki Z 750 twin again, and now it feels like it’s problems are once again behind it I’m looking forward to another nice weekend for a rideout.

Another weekend and another event planned, this time it was a trip to Silverstone to see the British Superbikes race and see if Shane “shaky” Byrne could win the 2008 title in the first race of the day.

But first, I had to wait for Dazza to arrive on the ZZR1100 which he did, at the agreed time, very cold and with a very cold girlfriend riding pillion. So they warmed up for a while at chez nous, I had already got the Z750 out of the garage, and waiting to go so as soon as they were ready we set off.

From my house it’s not a long ride to Silverstone circuit, a quick trip up the A5 to Towcester, left to the A43 and a Z750 speed blast along the dual carriageway saw us there in around 20 minutes or so. We placed our crash helmets in the charity coach for £2 to save us carrying them, and after a quick wander found a seat in the Luffield stands to watch some bike racing.

After watching the Triumph Triples race, we moved to a better vantage point to watch the 1000cc class racing, and found a great spot to view a few bends and the final chicane, and the pit straight. Marvellous. We were well attended as Dazza’s ‘ho’ went back and forth for provisions. Only don’t tell her I called her his ho, as she is a bit sensitive about that.

Anyway after a few races, and a classic racers display to celebrate the 60th year of Silverstone, the Superbikes were on. This being my first time I had to have some video, and pics of the events, and had already taken a few of the other racers. So when the Superbikes did their parade lap, I had the camera on video and recorded this clip.

Then I started the video recording as they cam around the first lap, only for the batteries to go flat just as the bikes arrived in view. DOH!

I do have some pics and videos to put up of all the other stuff later, but unfortunately no superbikes ones. But I was engrossed in watching the action anyway, those guys are awesome to watch as the wheels slide away on a bend yet they carry on feeding in power and clicking up the gears, they have some serious balls. Some of the overtaking at the chicane was spectacular too, watching the subtle change of line to get an exit on the inside of the other guy, all while manhandling a bike through a sharp left-right turn and getting back on the power. WOW.

There was some more action from other classes of bikes, and then the Second Superbikes race, which featured more of the same thrills, and spills. If you have never seen them ‘cept on TV then get to a live British Superbikes race, it’s so much better being there firsthand.

And all too soon it was time to go home. We stood in a long line to retrieve our helmets from the storage coach, then got back to the bikes. The Z750 started on the button after a few attempts, as I was too lazy to kick it this time. I decided to go with Dazza out along the A43 towards the M40 which may be a better way for him to get home. I peeled off at the A422 to Buckingam, after a stint at 70 on the dual carriageway which the old twin buzzed along ok.

Through the country lanes was a bit of a nice ride, and through the old town of Buckingham it was all just a great steady run towards home. Then a few miles to the Milton Keynes side of Buckingham the Kawasaki started to miss a little. It would clear at low or high throttle but midrange missed badly. UH OH.

I nursed the sick twin to the Old Stratford A5 roundabout, and steadily around it. At the other side it seemed to clear a little. Then about a mile from home I lost power on one cylinder completely. It’s luckily a slow bit of road, so I didn’t need to hold up traffic as I limped the Z750 into the housing estate where I live. There I managed to keep it going through the last few turns to make it home.

As it was getting dark I’ve had no time to look at the bike yet, but I’m hoping it’s just a sparkplug, or something in one of the carbs. Still winters nearly here, and the tax and mot run out in October with no plans to renew through the winter anyway I have plenty of time to sort out the stricken twin.

It was a bit of an “on-off-on” affair really. We booked the bikes in (that’s Delboy and his BSA A7 and me and the Z750 Twin) a few months ago as exhibits at a local classic vehicle show. The night before we were to be going, Delboy rings and we both decide we can’t be arsed to go to the show anyway. As I put the phone down and contemplated a quiet day, the long suffering wife chimes in with “I’d like to go, so would Phoebe”

So we decided we’d go anyway, I can show the Z750, and we’ll all get into the museum and show free and it’d be a nice family day out. Sunday morning, and Delboy rings to check once more if we’re going, I tell him the latest, and he and his mate Austin decide they’re coming up to Milton Keynes, and showing their bikes. So it’s all back on.

Anyway, Delboy and Austin arrived on their BSA’s, as I finish a quick spruce up of the Kawasaki (degrease the wheels, and wipe off the mud and crap from the roads). We saddle up and head for the epic journey to Wolverton, I say epic, it’s about 2 miles or so from my house. We arrive at the museum, get waved through even though Austin isn’t actually entered. Then my wife and daughters arrive in the car and we go back to get them in on the exhibitors passes. Parked the bikes along with the other exhibitors and went to get our exhibitor numbers. But first a pic of me and the Z750 twin, with Delboys BSA just in view on the right.

Here is a shot of the Z750 twin with Delboys BSA, and Austins BSA just behind it, and all the other bikes along this side of the track.

Here is a better pic of Austin and his BSA which was involved in an accident earlier this year, and he and Delboy repaired it (for more on this, follow this link)

It turned out to be a brilliant warm and sunny September day, and the bikes and cars turned up in great numbers to fill the museums grounds. We had a walk around the manor house / museum and then around all the bikes, cars and stationery engines for a few hours.

There were some great looking bikes at the show from all the different continents. Old British bikes like the ones below…

Some Japanese classics like the Honda nestled in this pic….

It seems every year more and more Japanese classics are being restored, and ridden to these shows, evidence below….

It seems as if the British bike dominance of classic bike shows is slowly coming to an end as the Japanese classics from the sixties, seventies and eighties become the new classics.

It was a beautiful sunny day, with lots to see, and a myriad of classic bikes and cars, but soon it was time to leave. We went back home with a load of pictures, and a plaque to commemorate our bikes being in the Wolverton Museum show 2008. Hopefully we’ll do it all again next year.

It was suggested a few weeks back that a few of us meet up and go to Santa Pod, and watch our mate Rob run his Suzuki GSX 1300 Hayabusa down the 1/4 mile drag strip. Weather permitting it was decided this weekend of the 13th Sept 2008 being a RWYB (run what ya brung or as we refer to it break what ya brought) meeting at the Pod was the one we would attend.

After the usual umming and aaahing, and last minute decisions it was decided I would meet the gang at 8:45 near Newport Pagnall. As the rest of the gang have to come from various places such as Ascot (the not so posh part), Farnbrough (the decidedly rough part) and Maidenhead (well someone has to live there right big gay Al?) and Hanworth (lets just say Hanworth and be done) and all meet up on the M25 to come up the M1 to jct 14 to get to the pod, and Milton Keynes (the new city) is the main reason for junction 14 it made sense.

So I got up on Saturday morning, surveyed the grey skies and wet roads, and almost cancelled. But the trusty weather people did say it would be brighter during the day so I held off. I pulled the cover off the Z750 and wheeled the bike out of the drive and onto the road for the first time in a while. Got my biking gear on, received a phonecal from Dazza to say they were on their way having met up with Rob, Big Gay Al and Steve.

Two kicks and the Kawasaki 750 twin fired up. I checked the fuel gauge (read stuck a screwdriver in the tank to dip the level) and begged for some petrol money, and entrance fee from the long suffering Sue. I set off for Newport Pagnall, filling up along the way, or as close to filling up as a fiver gets these days. I waited a short time in the layby and within a few minutes the motley crew arrived. Late by a minute, but that was better than my estimates of them had been based on past experience.

We rode the A509 to Bozeat, stopping for Rob to fill the ‘Busa on the way, then through the old routes to Santa Pod at a steady (Z750 twin) pace. The roads were damp, and a little slick in places and I took the stick for being cautious when we all arrived (safely obviously due to the very caution I was berated for). We all paid to get in, and parked in the compound

In the picture above you can see Steve admiring his own bike (very nice Blue and Yellow Suzuki something) next to the star of the show (yes I do mean the Kawasaki Z750 twin) which has Dazzas Kawasaki ZZR 1100 to the right. Als 1200 (bum) Bandit is on the far left. This was taken just at the finish line of Santa Pods 1/4 mile.

Here is another view of Steve and the bikes, notice the devolution from the classic lines of the Z750 Twin to the ZZr of Dazza next to it, still I suppose Kawasaki designers thought they were going forward to reach that (deluded fools). To the right you can see Robs Hayabusa just sneaking onto the picture, I was trying to avoid having too many Suzukis in any one shot but never mind.

As we waited for the track to dry out, Dazza and Rob went down to sign on and scrutineer for the days drag racing, and we looked around the pits at the other bikes (pics to come when Big Gay Al sends them to me). There was a fantastic looking Kawasaki Z1000 and a Z900 both of which raced against each other later in the day. I think the Z1000 done a 10 second 1/4 mile if memory serves. While we were looking around, I saw that of all the 5 bikes we had arrived on, one was being looked over, and admired. Yep some guy was wandering around basking in the glory of the Z750 twin, ignoring the ZZR, Bandit, Hayabusa and that other Suzuki.

Soon the sun appeared, and racing started. A scant 3 hours after we first arrived, Dazza and Rob got their turns on the drag strip. Unfortunately they were against other opponents, not each other. Both lost out, in both cases it was lost at the start line with poor reaction times. Both were catching up their opponents all the way up the 1/4 mile though, they said so, so it must be true.

A short while later (2 hours is not long to wait to see such legends) Dazza and Rob pulled around to the staging area for their second runs, and they would be racing each other in the grudge match of the decade (I have to make this sound interesting now, you’ll see why). The bikes in front of them staged and took off, then the right hand lane rider had a chain malfunction and left bits down the strip. Cue a clean up, and Dazza and Rob waiting (im)patiently near the start line.

Then it was on, the tannoy announced “in the left hand lane Darren on his ZZR 1100 currently no. 1 in the 11.3 second class with an 11.30 in the first round, and in the Right hand lane Rob on the Suzuki Hayabusa in the 10.30 class with an 11.2 on his first run”. Tension ran high (or probably didn’t but that’s how we writers of history are supposed to put some pizzaz into it) the staging lights came on, the christmas tree counted down to green. Two green lights, a mere 4 tenths of a second and Dazza was away, and just a half a second after that Rob finished his fag, and followed.

Okay, reaction times were off a bit, Dazza took the win courtesy of his 0.4 to Robs 0.9 and only a tenth of a second separated their 1/4 mile times. Dazza’s ZZR an 11.2, Robs Busa an 11.1. See the race in all its glory here now.

It now being late afternoon, and little chance of a third run for the 2 drag racing duellists we made a group decision to head home. I’m sure I heard a gasp of apprciation from all present when the Z750’s twin cylinders burst into life with one kick, unless it was just me gasping for breath with the exertion, you draw your own conclusions.

We all stopped just before the boys went down to the M1, and I carried on across the top of Milton Keynes for a final bit of ribbing. I was criticised for my riding technique, until I pointed out that at least I could get my bike pulled away the same day I was intending to, and not have to be sent a letter in advance that a light was going to go green and I could move when it did as we’d seen from some people that day.

A good fun day all in all, and was good to meet up with the old friends, even if they were jealous of the Z750, I can understand that after all.

One of the guys at one of the companies where I look after the forklifts has a Triumph Spitfire. Said car would not start so I offered to assist in getting it back in the land of the living. So Saturday saw the great red beast breathe fire once again.

OK so I started the Z750 twin to go to the guys house and look at the Spitfire. It took a few more kicks than usual to start the fire in the engine as I’d left the fuel on last time I was out on it, but 3 kicks on a 30 year old bike can’t be moaned at.

One bit of fun was coming off one of MK’s many roundabouts alongside a Mercedes convertible. Winding on the Z750 kept the Merc in check up to 70 then I backed off to take it easy again. A quick blast is fun , but a nice steady ride is just as good. The trip was over too soon.

As for the Triumph Spitfire, that just needed something to burn, as the fuel was “dead” in the carburettors. A quick splosh of petrol in the carb inlets and a turn of the key and it burst into life and idled roughly until some fresh fuel got through to the twin carbs.

Then it was a short ride back home again. Nothing to report on that as the Kawasaki just done its thing to get us home. Great way to spend a couple of hours, riding, and playing with engines.

Last week was a bit busy, so I didn’t update the blog with the latest quick trip. Nothing spectacular happened, Big Gay Al came up on his (bum) Bandit 1200 and we talked crap for a while. Then he decided he needed to pick up a birthday present for his brother.

We decided to go to a well known supermarket which rhymes with Al-fresco (Lily Allen used it to great effect) and buy an Xbox 360 game. As usual the nearest store was deemed too close so we took a ride out to one a little further away.

Al wondered what was happening because the decision that the nearest store was too near was kind of unilateral and kept secret. He dutifully followed the Z750 though, at first because he wasn’t sure which way to go, then because he didn’t know where we were going

A fairly uneventful journey, except for my exhuberance coming off one roundabout which led to the poor old Z750 being over revved to within a few revs of its life. It took it though, and still lives.

Then this weekend my wife announced we were going to go to the cafe for breakfast. On the Z750. With her riding pillion. All a bit of a shock really given her previous dislike of all things two wheeled, especially when she is asked to be part of the cargo.

So it was that Saturday morning saw the Z750 wheeled out of its parking bay and kicked to life again. This was in spite of the rain which was just starting to fall from the sky. Long term reader(s) may recall I have an aversion to getting wet/riding in anything other than brilliant sunshine. This wasn’t good, and my long suffering wife was not to be deterred by a bit of water, oh no.

So both of us in jeans and motorcycling jackets we set off for the Super Sausage on the A5. I was thinking to myself, it’s not far, I won’t get too wet going there. And I was right, we arrived just slightly damp. We had a great breakfast, and put our jackets and helmets back on to go back home.

As we walked out the door it seems there was a bit of extra water waiting for our departure, as the previous drizzle had turned into some larger and more frequent drops of precipitation. We had to get home, so we just went for it. We arrived home quite wet, my wife less so as I had sheltered her with my body, but jeans are not waterproof. At least it’s summer so the rain was just above freezing and my legs didn’t go too numb.

The main thing is we both enjoyed the short trip as it gives my wife more confidence to get on and go further next time. And that’s a good thing, honest. As for the Kawasaki, its torquey twin engine doesn’t even seem to notice whether there is any extra weight there, it just does its thing pulling like the proverbial train whatever you do. Can’t complain at that can you?

Today my neighbour Emma wanted to dust off some cobwebs from her and the R1, so we arranged a short rideout for a quick blast. First things first the R1 was thirsty so we headed to the nearest garage to quench it’s thirst. The Kawasaki under me felt twitchy for some reason, but when we reached the garage I could find no reason.

Once the Yamahas tank was full, we hit the roads of Milton Keynes for our ride. The mad biker chick was soon on full song, and disappearing in the distance. I realised the reason for the twitchy feel of the Z750 twin was the high crosswinds, as I fought to keep it straight. About two miles down the dual carriageways I caught site of Emma waiting for me. She pulled out behind me as we headed up the A509 towards Olney. Then there was a flash of red and white and she was off again, I was sitting at a comfortable Z750 speed, as she overtook some cars up the hill towards the first section of single carriageway.

Across a roundabout I had a toy with a BMW as he went to overtake, and left him in the outside lane (teehee beaten by a thirty year old classic bike) but Emma was still nowhere to be seen. Next roundabout I went across expecting to see her waiting somewhere ahead. I went up to Olney and turned round and headed back. The wind was getting stronger, and made riding a chore, so I headed home.

I arrived to a chorus of “you ok?” from my wife and daughter, as the mad biker chick had got back an age before. It appears she turned back long before I did, when she realised I hadn’t turned left as she had expected at one of the roundabouts (as no route had been agreed beforehand the chaos was only to be expected.)

Never mind, both bikes got an airing, and we both agreed it wasn’t such fun with the winds blowing us around anyway. The Z750 twin has had a bit of a busy weekend in comparison to the last few weeks, and hopefully the summer will give us more opportunities to ride it more often.

I’m not talking about the American sitcom set in the fifties in which a 30-something guy acts as a leather clad teenager and says “heyyyy” a lot while beating machinery into giving him freebies. I mean happy, sunny days with surprise events. Like this Saturday, which was a happy day. Why you might well ask, well here’s what happened.

Firstly my wife, asks if I’ll take her on the back of the bike to deliver a job application. She has been pillion on the Z750 twin, but only for very short journeys. Usually she has to be persuaded for a month before she’ll get on the Kawasaki even then. For her to ask to be taken on it, and for a couple of miles riding along major routes, well that’s an occasion to smile about.

What else could I do but get out the bike and fire it up? We both got our gear on ( Big Fat Gay Al donated a leather jacket for my wife and kids to use a while back, as it had got too small for him despite several herds of cows having been slaughtered to make such a large leather item) the jacket fitted Sue if a little loosely, and we set off.

I took things very gently, don’t want to scare the lady off of bikes again now she’s got the courage to ride pillion do we. At first I could feel the fingers through my jacket, and digging into my skin. At the same time my hips were being crushed by the grip of my wifes thighs as she clung on in fear of her life at 20 miles an hour! A few minutes along the smooth roads of Milton Keynes and she had relaxed her grip enough for at least some blood to get through to my feet again.

I opened the throttle on the twin a few times on the dual carriageway, but the grip remained relaxed. We soon arrived at the destination, but alas our trip was in vain as we couldn’t deliver the all important letter anyway as there was no letterbox outside the gates of the building. I made sure she was happy and we set off to ride home. The only incident of note was at a junction where I had to stop, and Sue had started to lean into a right hand turn. I put down my leg, and then had to use all my strength to pull the bike with the wife upright. Phew, that was close.

At home we discussed the journey in depth, the verdict was she liked it, and was looking for other places we can go together, within her comfort zone as a pillion i.e. within 10 miles or so.  It was also pointed out that maybe this could be a moneysaver as the bike would use so much less petrol than her Zaffira for those short trips to get videos (I mean DVD’s, I am modern and with it, honest I meant DVD’S I did) and for other errands when the kids don’t need to come with us.

At around 1:30 pm Big Fat Gay Al arrived on his (BUM) Bandit as someone had told him we might have a barbecue again in the afternoon. After a few minutes of discussing food, Al decided we needed more, and a ride to Tesco’s was in order. Not the nearest one though, we were going to Buckingham for the necessary provisions to feed Al and his amazing appetite. We both geared up and got on the bikes and set off for the A422.

It was a great ride there, along the twistys, and stopping for fuel along the way. £8 to top off the tank which I thought was going to be rather lower than it was having not been checked for ages. £8 equalled just a little over 6 litres of unleaded. Criminal prices, I can remember when it was less than (no wait I’d better not say what I remember fuel costing it will make me sound older than my 21 years).

Anyway, I left the garage with a full tank of petrol, and then proceeded to burn some off quickly with an awesome display of the tremendous acceleration of the Z750 twins 30 year old power plant. Then I backed off to let Al and his 1200 Bandit catch up again As usual the bike was fun, solid and stable to ride around the lanes to Buckingham. And all too soon we were at Tesco. We done the shopping for extra barbecue food which Al packed into his tardis backpack. Al did his best to make babies cry, and mothers complain as he started his (bum) Bandit and revved it with his stubby exhaust can barking loudly.

We were a little along the road back when I realised my helmet strap hadn’t buckled up properly and was flapping around my chin(s) so I had to pull in a layby to do it up. As we left, I tried to spray Al and the Bandit with gravel from my spinning rear wheel, but he hadn’t followed me across to the patch, maybe he knew my plans in advance.

Then it was home, and start the barbecue. We all know they won’t start wihout help, so I added some flammable liquids to the coals. My eyebrows, and lashes will grow back, this I know from experience, but wether the rabbit and guinea pigs will ever be the same again after the loud “woof” of sudden combustion, I’m just not sure.

The eventual outcome of barbecue food was delicious and bountiful a feast fit for a king. I also ought to add that Big Gay Al did get on something a bit more potent than his Suzuki though, as soon as he saw our Honda moped he wanted a go. I was reluctant as his experience of powerful machinery is limited to the Bandit and a couple of Kawasakis (ZX10 and 1000RX) but I let him try it out. He didn’t fall off, which is a shame as that would have made a happy day even funnier.

Yep happy days, may we all have many more of them.

This weekend was another quiet one for the Z750, although it did get a short ride out on Saturday. My wife needed a job application returning to a local school before the deadline so I was persuaded to bring out the old Kawasaki and be a postie.

My daughter Georgie joined me as pillion / delivery boy. The aim was to ride the 5 miles there, she jumps off, drops the mail, and back on the bike to home. There is an old saying about the best laid plans though…

The Z750 twin engine started brilliantly as usual, we both mounted up and in short order were sitting at the gates of the school we had to deliver to. Georgie jumped off, headed for the “Reception” sign then shrugged. No letterbox. She walked around a bit, still no letterbox. I parked the bike and joined in the hunt for the elusive mail slot. Ten minutes of searching and we admitted defeat, and rode home to face the music. End of the weekends riding for the Kawasaki.

It wasn’t all bad though as my new project a Honda Melody acquired for a mopedathon now has a charged battery, and starts on the button. It also drives and the brakes work which is a bonus. More to come soon.