As in previous years, we had pre-booked to attend the show at Wolverton Museum Of Rural Life in Milton Keynes. My dad arrived with his old DMW Deemster on a trailer behind his car instead of the usual BSA.

1965 DMW Deemster

We unloaded the Deemster and stowed the trailer ready to go. Then we had to drop the news on my long suffering wife that she was going to have my daughter Phoebes bike, which my dad had brought with him,  in her car. Not happy. We loaded the car, and got on our bikes, I kicked the Kawasaki Z750 into life and we rode the 2 miles to the Wolverton Show. On entering we found some bikes already there..

Bikes at Wolverton Museum Classic Vehicle Show

And we set up our bikes in among them.

Our motorbikes DMW deemster, Phoebes lil Blue and my Kawasaki behind them

Phoebe kept returning every half an hour or so to polish up the bike which Grandad Grumps had brought along for her

Phoebe's lil Blue as she calls her motorbike

We walked around the other exhibits. And took some pictures

Well lit Scooter

Mk II Cortina classic car

Bikes at the show

Scooters on display at Wolverton Show

I liked this trike

Phoebe still kept going back to her lil Blue to polish some more

Phoebe on Lil Blue motorcycle

Just before we left we were spotted by Graham our Thursday night rideouts and work buddy, and stopped for a chat. He’d not been brave enough to bring a bike in case it rained, it didn’t apart from a few spots and spits mid day. After a chat with Graham we left the show and rode home. Here we got Phoebes bike started for her to have a quick ride. I was knackered after running around the block with her but she was smiling having ridden lil Blue so everyone was happy I think.

Following a bit of a long hiatus from the Thursday rideouts, this week when Graham rung me on Wednesday I eagerly accepted the invite to go to the pub. Thursday turned out to be a busy day at work leaving me feeling knackered. When Graham rung to organise the evening, I was looking for excuses, the bathroom was flooded, the bike wouldn’t start, you name it. As my mind worked on excuses, my mouth said “yeah OK meet at 8 ish?” and that was that.

I pulled out the pink kwak (don’t ask me but Craig says it is pink and won’t have it any other way but we’ll wait and see if he takes his test and joins us anytime soon and what he rides) and it’s one heavy lump to get up the hill of my drive backwards without crushing myself under it. I went in and got my gear on and walked back out to start it. 2 kicks and the Z750 twin fired again, still find it hard to believe something this old and neglected will start so well.

I cocked an unwilling leg over the seat, and kicked the bike off the centre stand and set off. A little way down the road I realised Autumn is well and truly on its way as the light was fading already, so I put on the sidelights. Everything on the dash wanted a turn too, and all the tell tale lamps lit up bringing to mind a Christmas tree. Damnit, a bad earth somewhere I thought as I hit a small pothole, and at the same time the lights all went off bar the ones which were supposed to be on, result!!

I arrived without incident at the pub (the Ship Inn at Stoke Bruerne, highly recommended) and awaited the arrival of Graham and Pete. And waited, and waited. And waited. Finally at 8:30 they arrived, Graham had pulled out his RD 400 but she was running rough, and after he had filled it with fuel, and run Pete ragged up and down Wilstead he gave up and put it away in preference to the bigger more modern Yamaha which also needed fuel.

There was a saving grace though, Pete was on his newly assembled Suzuki GT380 which looks stunning with all the bright chrome, and gleaming red paint. Anyway, into the pub, chat, drinks and stuff, and soon it was time to leave. At the top of the hill coming out of Stoke Bruerne there was a hella long line of traffic coming along the A508 (found out later the M1 had been closed, forcing people across to the A5). Graham and Pete made it out in one go, a friend of theirs who was behind me and I had to wait and wait and wait for a gap. When I saw one I went for it with a lorry coming up the hill giving me time to get across, as I got on the right side of the road, and dipped the throttle the Kawasaki stuttered, leaving my follower almost in the back of me as he had taken the chance too.

We followed the traffic down the A508 and found Graham and Pete waiting in a layby at Grafton regis at which point a sudden fog came out of nowhere, well more precisely out of the exhausts of the Suzuki GT380, regardless we all continued on together to the A5 where traffic was backing up a ways. We took the decision that getting out in the oncoming lorries could be hazardous, so took the option to go with the flow of traffic. I managed to make myself look like a bum as I pulled out near the end to go past the traffic turning left, not realising Graham and Pete would stay with their friend who was also going to go off left. It was then my turn to wait for them at Old Stratford.

Back to my house for coffees and biscuits, I think Pete got one or two of them but Graham seems to be able to fit more Maryland Cookies in his mouth than most people I know. More chat and then the dynamic duo left to head home. I had started out with excuses planned, but ended having another good night out with the Thursday Night Gang.

My amazing brother Dazza phoned at the beginning of the week and asked if I’d like to go to World Super Bikes at Silverstone today. It’s also my wifes birthday so I had to ask special permission and being the great gal she is she granted it. So it was this morning I got up and fired up the Z750 to go to Silverstone circuit with Daz.

We arrived in double quick time as the Twin performed as well as ever at 70-75 0n the dual carriageway and was a joy to ride on the single carriageways. We had to collect our tickets which turned out to be VIP Paddock passes which included a pit walk through the Team Yamaha World Superbike Garage and opportunities to take pics and pose with the bikes…

We also had unlimited access to the VIP facilities with Team Yamaha all courtesy of Monster Energy Drinks and Team Yamaha

We also got to see the pit lane girls close up which Daz took full advantage of..

We also got to watch the Superbike races of course and the other events on the same venue. It was a truly extraodinary experience with all the bells and whistles laid on thanks to Daz and the sponsors of Team Yamaha – Monster Energy Drinks.

At the end of a fantastic day (I’m trying not to think of the Haircut 100 song with that phrase) it was time to head off home. Once again I mounted the Z750 and Dazza got on his slug of a ZZR1100, but he wanted to get home quickly so we split up at the A43 for him to go to the M40 and I returned via Towcester. A great ride ended a brilliant day and a huge thanks to Dazza and our corporate host Jake at Monster Energy and all the crew who made us so welcome at Team Yamaha World Superbike Racing Team.

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?