So how was your 2021 biking year all in ?

[weeksy]

Obviously it's been a weird one.... But that doesn't mean it wasn't interesting.

I started the year with the XSR900
2021-02-26_02-36-55 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

I met up with a few mates over in Bourton on the Water, along with the lads up at Ducati Aylesbury.

A fab day at Silverstone with @Welsh Muffin in May with sunshine, glorious sunshine.
2021-05-03_01-55-16 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Then in July i took the XSR900 for it's service and rode this CB1000R
2021-07-15_02-28-27 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

I think that day sealed the fate of the XSR900 but it stayed longer and made it to Pembrey.
PBBlue21_2623p by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

along of course with the might zx6r
PBGreen22_4992p by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Then a funny thing happened and this arrived.
2021-10-08_07-25-09 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Which was quickly replaced by the final bike of 2021
s-l1600 (5) by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

The mighty MT07.... in honesty i've not had much chance to really appreciate the MT07 yet, it's got about 300 miles on the clocks so we're barely even aquainted, but we're friends for sure.

All in all, it was a decent years biking... the only downside being the missing out on Portimao with the RTTL gang which never actually happened.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

It's been a bit meh for most of the year, I had one good track day this year, the rest were wet or I didn't feel well or both, so I sold my track FZR400 in October
Project bikes have been a bit stalled, YPVS got stripped and is in the process of being put back together, but I haven't been vastly interested in it.
Rode my FZ750 quite a bit, quite enjoyed it, but it's 30 years old and feels a bit tired.

My health has been a bit crappy for the 2nd half of the year, so I decided to cheer myself up by buying a new bike, after much thought (and several threads on here) I impulse bought a 2020 GSX-S 750 when I saw one for sale and liked the colour (and that it had a 750cc 114 bhp inline 4 engine) in November, this was a great decision, I think the last time I rode a road bike in November and December was 1986, the GSX is fab, a great bike to ride, really enjoyable and just what I needed to cheer me up, I've done 650 miles on it now and I'm looking forward to riding it more in 2022.

I'm not sure if I'm going to bother with track days in 2022, as this years weren't as enjoyable as riding on the road.

[DefTrap]

Terrible.
Crocked myself in May and was out of action for months (not that it mattered so much, weather was terrible).
Still not 100% right so biking hasn't been high on the agenda.

Probably the worst year yet, in about 30, I must have done less than 500 miles in all.

[Pgm]

I had the Akrapovic le rc8 all serviced up and mot’d did around 200 miles on it and that’ll be about it until I decide what to do with it.
Still waiting for Rottweiler to finish the intake kit for the 790 duke so I can one of those fitted then that’ll be it mods wise , will continue to ride it year round as much as I can.

[Ditchfinder]

Mainly commuting over the summer for me with a few longer rides around the Dales thrown in at the weekends. Got the carbs sorted on the Triumph so at least I had it running well enough to think about what to do with it.

Accumulated most of the parts I need for the Triumph conversion to a naked including a big bag of bargains from someone else's old project which will hopefully pay me back for the parts I've bought.

Had an epiphany whilst riding the Guzzi to work one day and worked out it like to turn in more quickly than I was letting it, once I stopped fighting it dropping in to the turn it felt so much better and so enjoyed the last months of summer riding it much more.

Discovered that earplugs make you go faster

Hopefully next year will involve some longer rides, better progress with the Triumph project and finally finding a pair of gloves that fit my fat, stumpy fingers.

[MrLongbeard]

Better than 2020, but not up to 2019 or earlier standards

[KungFooBob]

Sold a Guzzi, bought a Suzuki.

Rode the KR-S more than the others put together by quite a lot, but still not enough really. Must try harder next year.

[wull]

Pretty much commuting for me this year, I don’t think I went for one proper ride out at all, doubt next year will be any different, only thing that might change is what bike I am on.

[dern]

Was ok. Did several track days that were all excellent except for the one where I drove two hours, dropped the bike on the floor breaking the brake lever and drove home again. Did a bit of off road and a few weekend rides. Was ok, just didn't do any commuting by bike as I would normally do so that kept the miles down. Missed not using the bikes as much but didn't miss the actual commute.

[Skub]

Pretty good year for me,all things considered. I managed just over 10k pleasure miles since August 2020 to end of play a few weeks ago. I didn't do one single trip on the bike as a commute or as a 'must do',every journey was just because I wanted to ride. That's one good thing about being a retired old fart,it allows me the luxury of choice. Many other years my miles were all commuting miles,but happily no longer.

The weather was fairly good,some long dry spells until it all turned to shit around September. Generally,I can't complain too much.

The bike is riding the way I want now,no more mods are required,but that's not to say some shiny thing won't grab my attention.

Roll on either a salt-free Winter,or the Spring of 22.

[MingtheMerciless]

M'ok ish. Plenty of commutes (some rather brisk), trip to Cornwall to see my Dad was great, bikes an absolute dream for long mileage trips. Not enough rides out (however my bit of East Sussex is horrible for riding and driving).

[Dodgy69]

OK all things considered. No great road rides come to mind except a little 2 nighter in the lakes. I do like a few days away, it's getting the luggage on and having nights away I really enjoy. Good roads and evening beers is my world, sad I know.

Trackdays more memorable really, Pembrey is always a great weekender, cadwell was great fun but damp, along with donny and a night in South Derby I'll remember for a long time.

Mt replaced tracer. Still a bit miffed with the crap up my back due to no arse end on the mt and the poxy indicator stems that pop out if the rub against them. Gonna be great on track though.

[Tricky]

Not as good as I would have hoped as Covid/lockdowns etc meant the planned Portimao piss-up trackday was canned, and no Europe or Highlands road trips either , both of which would have been great, but overall, it’s still been a decent year all things considered

I got a few trackdays in,, both on my little project RC390, the 765RS, and more recently the 890 Duke that replaced the 765, and some road miles too both on those and the Multistrada, and have had some excellent days on the lanes this year with Crust and the rest of our little off-roading gang

In terms of garage time, work, moving house, and and other leisure pursuits has meant that I haven’t spent as much time in there as I would have liked and my ongoing project bikes are in pretty much in the same state as they were a year ago, but I have had some fun trying to extract a little (little being the operative word here.. ) more power and suspension/braking performance out of the 390 , and treating the trusty old 525EXC to new tyres, chain, sprockets filters, wheel bearings and heated grips this year and probably doubling it’s value in the process so that’s been good.
Anyway, some pictorial highlights of my 2021 biking year below

















And as for next year, well, I have recently taken the decision that it’s time to take a step back from chasing the money and will be jacking in my day job in a couple of months time, leaving lots more time for garage stuff so expect a lot more from me in the way of build-type threads this year.
First up is the 350N1, which will get an engine refresh and a gentle cosmetic resto , and it will get ridden more this year, and I’ll probably also bring it along to the annual RTTL Pembrey/ Anglesea TD if we have one.
The plan is that will happen in parallel with a complete restoration of my Series-C Vincent Comet, which is a very much bigger project- it lived outside for most of its working life to date and has been in a hundred pieces for at least the last 20 years so really is going to be a 100% restoration/ refurb of every aspect, but it will finish up in Concours original (save for a few largely invisible mechanical and electrical technology improvements) condition.
And there is also an engine refresh (crank seals are fecked from standing) of my Italjet Dragster on the list too. It’s a pretty and fun little thing and I have really missed having it to wazz down to the shops on in my shorts and flipflops in the summer the last few years, so am committed to getting it running properly in good time for this coming summer
On top of that I will of course get out on the roads when the weather is good, and I am also hopeful that I also manage to get out on at least one reasonable length jolly-boys Euro or Highlands road-trip on the 890R, along with a few social track days with some of you lot- maybe even one in mainland Europe this year too- we shall see….

Oh, and I almost forgot- I got to meet up with @Potter at Kop Hill this year which was a good do- have to say, he was looking a lot younger and fitter than when I last saw him

[Bob D.]

the ninja rolled round to 91k - but has more recently developed a weird intermittent clacking sound at low revs in second. Idles as well as it did when i bought it 4 years ago w/ 18k on it - so am assuming it's either a gearbox or clutch thing? Not really that bothered because it pulls as well as it ever did (which is to say, very well!!). I like these late '90s early '00s ninja 9s quite a bit.

[wull]

I forgot I managed two track days on the road bike, but they were shit. Hopefully have better fun on track next season.

[weeksy]

I forgot I managed two track days on the road bike, but they were shit. Hopefully have better fun on track next season.

Why shit?

[wull]

I forgot I managed two track days on the road bike, but they were shit. Hopefully have better fun on track next season.

Why shit?

Brake issues, unfit, not feeling up to it etc etc. All in my k9 thread.

[Noggin]

2021 started of pretty poor and continued that way for a few months. But, a lovely chap from here had offered to take on the ded Monster I bought - originally to race, but never got round to undedding it due to lack of strength/ability in one arm and a distinct lack of general mechanical ability with engines. I'd done the timing belts and spark plugs and looked at the engine. It was the engine that had scared me into stopping way back before the 2nd shoulder op

Anyway - I have to admit to kinda bending/breaking a covid rule around Easter and took the bike lower and across in France and crossed fingers that it could be revived!!

I'm pretty sure that Demannu will never forgive me for that!


But, with his mechanicky skills and the kindness of a lot of people on here, I got a shiny red Monster brought up to me in resort at the beginning of October

Best thing of all - I could actually ride it. Ok, arm/shoulder/elbow was a bit achy after each ride, but I was pretty comfortable on the bike (had been a worry that I wouldn't have any confidence after such a long time off bikes and the huge 2nd surgery/nerve damage)

I did stop riding for a few weeks because . . . . TBH I am not sure. It wasn't anything to do with the bike. I think I was just struggling with life in general and I've never ridden a bike when I felt that bad - too distracted/risky


Anyway - finished on a high as I had a French course in the valley for two weeks in November. FFS, November here is bastard cold!!! So, I left most mornings in freezing temperatures, rode to the valley (heart in mouth at turns 5 and 6 and a little nervous on turns 8 and 10!!), warmed up, did class, saw friends and or physio and rode home


Each day I felt more and more comfortable. The ride home was always the most fun. And each day it was more fun than the day before! It is physically the smallest bike I've ever ridden (I have zero idea how KFB even fitted on one, let alone raced it!! Although thinking about it, he raced a Class A so was probably a bigger bike!!) but I think that when I have another go in the spring and put summer tyres on it, well, I'm gonna be grinning a million miles wide!! It's weird as it feels slower than anything else, that combined with the size is definitely odd. But I love it and I think it's perfect to get my confidence back!!

I did get to ride a mates MT-07 a couple of kms on the last day out, and yes, that will be on a dream list! But I am fully aware I still have a lot of re-learning to do, so gonna stick with the little Monster and relearn some skills before I think of doing anything different!!

So, whilst the year started a bit badly (as the previous couple had been) it really finished on a high. A couple of French friends up here think I'm raving mad cos I rode it in November - I did only quit because the snow came with a vengence!! LOL



Totally looking forward to next year now. Although, the garage the bike is in means I can't sneak out on it on a warm day through the season because where it is means the snow doesn't melt early, it's low down but shady. So I'll be waiting for the warm spring weather to start and then go do my relearning - on mountain roads and find the places I avoided going in the Transit (cos it wasn't going to be fun!). Can't wait


Love you guys so much for getting the bike on the road xxxx

[The Spin Doctor]

Bit of a mixed bag. Training was predictably impacted by lockdowns for the second successive year which means I didn't really have a lot of cash to spend - the bank account has been going backwards since the end of 2019, though I did manage to snaffle a pair of replica silencers for the CB250RS - really MUST sort out its classic status.

The Hornet didn't move but the XJ did a few days out and we did manage a short holiday in September on the bike, off to deepest Pembrokeshire, an area I've not been to since a geography field trip when I was at school. After a rather cool and damp first morning, the weather was absolutely stunning - warm then decidedly hot. The ride over the Devils' Staircase near Tregaron was particularly memorable - not just for the crystal clear views but also for the moment an empty logging truck decided to try to run me off the road.

[weeksy]

Bit of a mixed bag. Training was predictably impacted by lockdowns for the second successive year which means I didn't really have a lot of cash to spend - the bank account has been going backwards since the end of 2019, though I did manage to snaffle a pair of replica silencers for the CB250RS - really MUST sort out its classic status.

The Hornet didn't move but the XJ did a few days out and we did manage a short holiday in September on the bike, off to deepest Pembrokeshire, an area I've not been to since a geography field trip when I was at school. After a rather cool and damp first morning, the weather was absolutely stunning - warm then decidedly hot. The ride over the Devils' Staircase near Tregaron was particularly memorable - not just for the crystal clear views but also for the moment an empty logging truck decided to try to run me off the road.

If you'd had decent training you could have avoided that situation