TimFF

cheers Graham

Fixed that for you!!

 

1. Will370z

2. TimFF

3. Crusty Crab

4. Smudge_don

5. Darren-b

6. Williams

7. Ebized

8. Chris`I + Mrs I (more than likely)

9. HaydnH (if he's social calender permits)

10. SMD+2

11. octet

12. 4RE Leather

13. glrnet (who laughs in the face of triskaidekaphobia)

14 Kev T and Gill

I echo the comments about what a Harley is like to ride!

Some years ago I was visiting some friends who lived in San Francisco and thought I'd treat myself to hiring a Harley for a few days. I got a Sportster 883 (I suspect much the same model as you linked...) for 3 days and looked forwards to riding across the Golden Gate and hitting Highway 1.

And took it back after 2 hours.

The clutch was unbelievably heavy, the front brake the same but bleedin' useless anyway, the rear locked up as you thought about braking and for me the riding position was torture - all the weight on my bum.

I swapped it for a BMW R80 (I did say some years ago...) and then REALLY enjoyed myself.

Try before you buy but as SteveM says - you will drop your first bike. It's not 'if', it's 'when'. Been there, dropped first and second and - oh hang on a sec over nigh on 250,000 miles and a dozen bikes I think I've had a low speed or stationary 'moment' with most of 'em! It's usually a stone underfoot or diesel in a fuel station that are the culprits...

Surprisingly the most drop proof of all of mine was an ST1100 Pan which had built in crashbars covered by sacrificial plastic.

What ever you get, as Stew said, anything over 500cc or so will make the Zed seem slow...

Have fun - it's serious fun!

If I'd come face to face with a bear that would have been me...

1. Will370z

2. glrnet

3. Crusty Crab

4. Smudge_don

5. Darren-b

6. Williams

7. Ebized

8. Chris`I + Mrs I (more than likely)

9. HaydnH (if he's social calender permits)

10. SMD+2

11. octet

12. 4RE Leather

14. TimFF (currently suffering triskaidekaphobia)

Did I hear a pig squealing in the distance???

Seriously, that looks rather pleasant to say the least!

Some friends of ours moved to Portland, Oregon a couple of years back and swapped a 3 bed terrace in Belvedere for something rather similar.

I'm not in the least envious of either of you. Oh no. Not at all.

Hi Stuart and

I used the Parking Dynamics ones fitted by http://www.parking-sensors-fitter.co.uk/ on both my zed and the other half's Mini as I didn't want to make unsightly holes in the bumpers. No issues on the sensors or the workmanship...

cheers

TimFF

I ran an 85 944 2.5 8v (early square dash) for 4 years between 1997 and 2000, taking it from 80k to 150k.

I thoroughly enjoyed it - nice and fast compared to Scimitar I also had, with plenty of torque. Being a Porsche it was well screwed together and apart from a bit of interior wear you'd not have known it had 150k on it.

In the time I had it I suffered just a failed engine mount (typical issue due to proximity of the exhaust manifold) and replaced the clutch at the same time as that's a big job and we were some of the way there in unbolting bits; and a failed front wheel bearing. Other than that it was just routine maintenance which was dead easy to do myself. Parts weren't expensive and it seemed pretty good on fuel, but I never bothered to work it's mpg out.

Rust is a bit more of an issue these days I believe, but you can see inside the body easily once you've removed a vent in the door shut. Mine had none and no scabs, but it was a bit brown...

I sold it as I needed a bigger car, but did spot it for sale a few years later with a blown engine. I was tempted to buy it back but resisted...

I've been entitled to that for the last 20 odd years, but like Wasso I've never taken advantage...

My wife works for the local council and most of her team regard sickness entitlement as annual leave and see nothing wrong with that.

I'm having a cr@p day swearing at 'data' suppliers and that's just made me laugh out loud

"Request granted"

Was that an instruction or an observation I wonder?

SpursMadDave's encounter with a truck a while back finally provoked me into getting a RoadHawk camera a while back. This is what it (and I) saw earlier this afternoon...

Quite how they managed that when the islands on that roundabout aren't insignificant I have no idea. But I'm glad I didn't arrive a few seconds earlier!

and you're welcome to Crawley too!

Sorry to hear of your misfortune on 2 wheels; hopefully it wasn't a SMIDSY? Like a few others I've got 2 wheels too, mines a Fazer Thou which I've had for a few years now (and has also been lightly tuned...).

There's loads of info on here about what to look out for on the Zed, but they're almost bulletproof with very few 'gotchas'... Your budget should net you a pretty recent example of the latest of the 3 'versions' - an HR engined car (bonnet bulge and 2 air intakes hiding underneath it) - and you're right on the doorstep of Abbey Motorsport for the services of a well respected and known Zed specialist.

As a couple of others have mentioned there's several local meets a year nearby, with one coming up in about four weeks.

I'm over on the east side of Crawley if you want to peer at a Zed, although my roof stays put!

cheers

TImFF

1. Mr & Mrs DoogyRev

2. MK-Ultra (Lionel)

3. Clown probably

4. Chippychip123

5. Coldel

6. SpursMadDave

7. Sorry cant make it....Zugs...

8. Freebird (Josh) - finally should make it to a zed meet. Edit: Crap, im meant to be at Oulton Park that day. So im a possible for this meet

9. Mr and Mrs Chris`I

10. Sized

11. Pbomb

12. Taffyjason

13. Humpy

14. Mr glrnet, (mrs glrnet is available later )

15. TimFF (some spare weekends at last by this time!)

Just spotted this thread (not much surfing time lately) - count me in!

Done Buckmore a few times, the full length circuit is great fun and you could do a large part of it on full throttle...

TimFF

That's 2 of us today - I passed Will and Rosie about 1330 on the A25 at Gomshall, he eastbound, me westbound. I had my window down listening to my exhaust combo but it's a 30mph zone and I bet neither of us could hear the other - I could barely hear mine...

Pity it wasn't just under the railway bridge where you can at least get a blip of throttle in!

You must have done a few miles now Will?

Hi Simon

No, I don't - my video gear is rooted in the Hi8 tape era and I haven't done anything about recording the Zed on anything that can record a decent sound. Must admit I'm curious to hear what it sounds like from the outside myself...

cheers

TimFF

I've added Berks HFCs and a Stillen Y pipe to a standard Nissan exhaust - it sounds so much better!

Lovely rasp starting at about 3k, it's quite noticeable inside but not obtrusive, 'droney' or loud from the inside - and no neighbours have complained on my 0530 departures to work since they've been on.

I've gone back to driving with the window open again just to hear...

And they came from one of Tarmacs group buys last year.

If you can get yourself to Gatwick you're welcome to have a ride and listen for yourself.

TimFF

As you've mentioned Europe this is a bit off the mark, but for much the same reasons as Sarnie we decamped to Antigua in 2002 and got hitched by the beach. Gloriously sunny and warm in November and nice quiet location in the hotel we chose - we don't like being the centre of attention...

It would have been just the 2 of us but my folks had been stiffed by my brother when he got married in Australia so they came too!

Suddenly I'm back to being about 6 and me lil bruv and I are in trouble - again...

(me lil bruv - who has now been grey for years, ha! - is also a Chris)

Edit - SNAP!

Oi!

No-one calls me Tim**** and gets away with it...

No worries, just wondered if you wanted some readies Christopher...

How we doing on this Chris?

me me me!

Was about to spend some dollars with the Z store, cheers Chris!

A bit late but I’ve been a bit busy at work!

Mine was in the day before Grahams; this time to fit the goodies I’ve been acquiring since I bought the Zed and to have a P1 service which wasn’t strictly due – but now it’s out of warranty I wanted to have the goodies fitted sooner rather than later!

So I’ve now joined the Uprev club – complete with Berks HFCs and a Stillen Y pipe on a standard back box. I haven’t had much chance to do many miles, but it sure as hell sounds and goes differently! It’s got the lovely 4k rasp which is audible but not intrusive – I reckon my right ear is going to be getting cold with the window open most of the time now…

So that’s the Zeds 3rd trip to Abbey – it’s previously had a 4 wheel alignment and a checkover following an attack by a suicidal pigeon plus a new gear lever gaiter.

Each time it’s been collected by Scott (I live within a few hundred yards of his commute) so I’ve never been there, just passed it probably a hundred times over the years. I really need to drop in and take a look!

I’ve also had the personal delivery service – the pigeon took out the grille centre (it’s somewhere on the A25 between Wotton and Abinger Hammer) and Scott dropped the new one off early one morning on his way past.

I’m fortunate to have such a well respected outfit close by; whilst their presence wasn’t a deciding factor in acquiring the Zed it helped me make the choice…

First chance I've had of being in front of a computer I can use to post on here...

My thanks also to Graham for organising the meet ; nice to see some familiar faces (and be recognised!) and to meet a few more folks - Bry, ChippyChip, Clown and the owner of DJI (who's tag I've forgotten, sorry! ) in particular as we spent a bit more time outside as we were later arrivals...

It's also made me realise that mine is one of the few that still looks (almost - stubby!) standard. Didn't realise how weedy the Rays look without spacers... Uh oh... Now where's me credit card???

Till the next time!

cheers

TImFF