Insignificant Things That Make You Happy.

[mangocrazy]

It's totally in the spirit of the forum thread. Every thread goes off-topic within a couple of pages at the latest.

It's the law.

[Count Steer]

It's totally in the spirit of the forum thread. Every thread goes off-topic within a couple of pages at the latest.

It's the law.

General Mayhem: General chat topics, anything and everything you want or need to discuss.

There's no such thing as 'off-topic'.

[Horse]

It's totally in the spirit of the forum thread. Every thread goes off-topic within a couple of pages at the latest.

It's the law.

General Mayhem: General chat topics, anything and everything you want or need to discuss.

There's no such thing as 'off-topic'.

Especially when it makes us happy

[Saga Lout]

It's totally in the spirit of the forum thread. Every thread goes off-topic within a couple of pages at the latest.

It's the law.

And that's fine.

[Noggin]

Nice one - that Hill climb was pretty damn close to the sea, wasn't it? Good to see a TL being used the way it should be...

I've got a place in the Languedoc (close to Beziers) and I've registered an old UK car in France, but was also wanting to register my old (1988) VFR750 in France instead of ferrying it back and forth for MoT/Tax. Has it become significantly more difficult or expensive since Brexit to register a bike in France? I'm pretty sure the old VFR is under the silly 100bhp limit that France insists on keeping.

And what is bike insurance like in terms of cost in France - cheaper, about the same or more expensive than the UK? If it was cheaper I'd probably register it as a 'Vehicule de Collection' like I've done with the car. It's over 30 years old, so eligible.

The main difference now is the import charges I think. So, instead of getting papers from the tax office, you have to pay customs (I think) 15% or 20% of the value - but the value they have for it in the equivalent of Glasses Guide, not what you paid for it!!

If you can do it under the 30 years old thing, would probably be cheaper. If you use FB, there is a good and helpful group for Registering Vehicles in France (called just that!! LOL)

I haven't insured a bike in the UK for a while, but the monster is costing a bit under 30€ a month - possibly not the cheapest, but I needed to do instalments and was in a rush to get it insured!! LOL Will ask around more when it needs to be renewed!!


The hillclimb was Hartland Quay in Devon, I only did three (well, three tracks, did one of them twice!!)!!!! And yes, on one corner, if you went over the wall, you would go down a cliff into the sea!! Wouldn't have wanted to try and go fast downhill

[weeksy]

I don't need to have a heart bypass, that was a few worrying days
I feel like I need a holiday now.

Congratulations on not being dead mate..... we've missed ya..

Well, sort of

[Yorick]

I don't need to have a heart bypass, that was a few worrying days
I feel like I need a holiday now.

Congratulations on not being dead mate..... we've missed ya..

Well, sort of

You told me you had dibs on the Porsche.

[Horse]

My life flashed before my eyes
I went "There is a serious problem"

Can sympathise with that.

When you get a phone call to say that, when reviewing an MRI, they have noticed an abnormality in your brain and you are being referred to neurologists. Immediately think the worst.

[Saga Lout]

I don't need to have a heart bypass, that was a few worrying days
I feel like I need a holiday now.

Just for future reference in case of another panic, who's got dibs on all your watches?

[DefTrap]

I've got a place in the Languedoc (close to Beziers) and I've registered an old UK car in France, but was also wanting to register my old (1988) VFR750 in France instead of ferrying it back and forth for MoT/Tax. Has it become significantly more difficult or expensive since Brexit to register a bike in France? I'm pretty sure the old VFR is under the silly 100bhp limit that France insists on keeping.

And what is bike insurance like in terms of cost in France - cheaper, about the same or more expensive than the UK? If it was cheaper I'd probably register it as a 'Vehicule de Collection' like I've done with the car. It's over 30 years old, so eligible.

I've imported numerous cars to France. The most recent one (the only one post Brexit - my BIL's van) was an extra pain in the jacksie because (a) you def have to go through the customs process, even though there's nothing to pay (the customs man will want to see it) (b) Renault were really, REALLY slow in issuing the COC papers.

I've not bothered with bikes. the only bike I was interested in importing was a UK grey import and computer really said no in the French system. Plus none of my bikes are standard and would no doubt fail any MOT/CT over here just on that basis (or whatever the process is for checking bike imports as there's no CT)

Insurance on my bike is slightly more than it would be on a similar UK bike. But that could easily be because they've decided my UK no claims is invalid for some reason. Gut feeling is that it's higher but not massively so. On the flip side car insurance is way cheaper.

[Noggin]

I don't need to have a heart bypass, that was a few worrying days
I feel like I need a holiday now.

Just for future reference in case of another panic, who's got dibs on all your watches?

Can I dibs the Rudge??!!


@Potter glad you're ok!

[Yorick]

I don't need to have a heart bypass, that was a few worrying days
I feel like I need a holiday now.

Just for future reference in case of another panic, who's got dibs on all your watches?

Can I dibs the Rudge??!!


@Potter glad you're ok!

Hush child. I want the Porsche.

[Noggin]

Just for future reference in case of another panic, who's got dibs on all your watches?

Can I dibs the Rudge??!!


@Potter glad you're ok!

Hush child. I want the Porsche.

You can have it - I mean I like them, but I've lusted after that Rudge since I first saw the photos of it!!!

[Yorick]

Can I dibs the Rudge??!!


@Potter glad you're ok!

Hush child. I want the Porsche.

You can have it - I mean I like them, but I've lusted after that Rudge since I first saw the photos of it!!!

The Porsche is worth more.

[Noggin]

Hush child. I want the Porsche.

You can have it - I mean I like them, but I've lusted after that Rudge since I first saw the photos of it!!!

The Porsche is worth more.

Yeahbut - not everything is about worth!! The Rudge is just so awesome!!!! If I was looking for worth, I'd be dibsing a watch

[Skub]

I don't need to have a heart bypass, that was a few worrying days
I feel like I need a holiday now.

Good news,being dead sucks.

[Skub]

It has been the sunniest March on record for Northern Ireland.

There were 182.9 hours of sunshine recorded up until 30 March, beating the previous record set in 1929. The records go up to 1919.

That figure is likely to go up following the good sunshine on Thursday, the last day of the month.

Much of the month saw temperatures above average as an area of high pressure dominated the UK and Ireland and plenty of sunshine.

On 28 March, the weather station at Belfast International Airport broke its record for sunshine in March.

It had 167.4 hours of sunshine up until that point, beating the previous record of 166.4 hours.

In fact, in the seven days up to that date, the station recorded an impressive 66 hours of sunshine.

The following day, the weather station at Dublin Airport broke its 67-year record for sunshine in March.

It recorded 190.4 hours of sun, beating the previous record of 171.7 hours in 1955.

Temperatures close to 20C (69F) were recorded in the days leading up to the end of the month.

That was before colder air moved south across the islands from the Arctic.

[mangocrazy]

Nice one - that Hill climb was pretty damn close to the sea, wasn't it? Good to see a TL being used the way it should be...

I've got a place in the Languedoc (close to Beziers) and I've registered an old UK car in France, but was also wanting to register my old (1988) VFR750 in France instead of ferrying it back and forth for MoT/Tax. Has it become significantly more difficult or expensive since Brexit to register a bike in France? I'm pretty sure the old VFR is under the silly 100bhp limit that France insists on keeping.

And what is bike insurance like in terms of cost in France - cheaper, about the same or more expensive than the UK? If it was cheaper I'd probably register it as a 'Vehicule de Collection' like I've done with the car. It's over 30 years old, so eligible.

The main difference now is the import charges I think. So, instead of getting papers from the tax office, you have to pay customs (I think) 15% or 20% of the value - but the value they have for it in the equivalent of Glasses Guide, not what you paid for it!!

If you can do it under the 30 years old thing, would probably be cheaper. If you use FB, there is a good and helpful group for Registering Vehicles in France (called just that!! LOL)

I haven't insured a bike in the UK for a while, but the monster is costing a bit under 30€ a month - possibly not the cheapest, but I needed to do instalments and was in a rush to get it insured!! LOL Will ask around more when it needs to be renewed!!


The hillclimb was Hartland Quay in Devon, I only did three (well, three tracks, did one of them twice!!)!!!! And yes, on one corner, if you went over the wall, you would go down a cliff into the sea!! Wouldn't have wanted to try and go fast downhill

Thanks for the tip about the FB group - I've registered and found out that post-Brexit I can no longer register a vehicle as a non-resident. Prior to Brexit I could (and did). So that's a real bummer. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to keep my French registration for the car - and that would be a real PITA ...

So questions about insuring a bike in France are a bit pointless, really.

That hillclimb sounds bonkers (in a good way). Not keen on taking a long dive into the sea though...

[MrLongbeard]

That figure is likely to go up following the good sunshine on Thursday, the last day of the month.

I was building garden furniture whilst being bloody snowed on today

[Yorick]

Can sympathise with that.

When you get a phone call to say that, when reviewing an MRI, they have noticed an abnormality in your brain and you are being referred to neurologists. Immediately think the worst.

Yes indeed.
They walked me through each test and every one pointed to something quite bad, right up until it didn't. At one point I was lying on my bed talking to the doctor (who was trying to keep me positive) and I listed what we knew so far and he sighed and said yes, it did suggest a troublesome outcome.

Turns out I just have an unusual thing that tricks the less sophisticated tests and it can be managed, it's still a thing but it's not going to kill me any time soon or possibly ever if we manage it properly.

I've had a couple of scares lately that turned out to be actual things but not as bad as first thought, before Christmas it was skin cancer but it was removed and I'm ok now. Getting old is not something I planned on and it's interfering with my peace.

Still, I get to see another sunrise, so I'll take what I can get

You can take a 3* pension now.
Or chase a 5* pension that you might not see.