Met Jack Brazier at South Brent at 8:30am and we headed to Sainsbury's at Penn Inn for 9am to meet Biff Burnard Paul Brown Paul Crowley and Tim for a ride up around Whiddon Down.
Lanes were easy going, hard packed and dry, very dry! to the point where the dust was really hurting my eyes ...... until I thought (half was through the day) to lower my visor each time we hit a lane. It was a tad hot and stuffy with it down but jeez, that was referable over the dust!!
We headed out towards Simms and Tipley which were both easily scaled by all. Then on to Manaton woods and the ford at North Bovey - the water splash was refreshing to say the least! Then onwards to Chaford and stopping at Whiddon Down services for lunch and a chat and catch up - been a loooooong time since I've ridden with Biff and Brownie.
South bound and home bound from here to Drewsteignton then Fingle Bridge which was rammed!! Dunsford, Bridford, Trenchford Reservoir then ending on the racetrack lane behind Bovey Tracy. We had a chat - in the shade! - before we went our separate ways, Jack and I heading home on the A38 to get some airflow into the clothing! Jack peeled off at Wrangaton and I continued towards Marsh Mills but only got as far as Ivybridge when my bike decided to cut out at 70mph odd on A38 I coasted to the hard shoulder on the exit slip by Endsleigh. A fellow KTM rider heading in the other direction gave me a thumbs up to which I replied with a thumbs down. Shortly after he appeared by my side to assist with the fix. A dead battery was diagnosed - which seemed strange to me given I'd recently replaced the rectifier with a new one AND installed a new battery. My aid nipped home to his house in Ivybridge in which time another biker came to my aid (how nice was that!) The first guy soon reappeared with a powerbank USB jump starter. We got the bike going but as we closed up the bash plate to secure it the bike died again. Upon further diagnosis the positive cable from the rectifier an inch or so back from the terminal connection had been rubbing on the metal battery shroud and had severed the wire (tbf the bike was being bashed about a fair bit on today's ride but goes to show how cable routing is something not to be overlooked!) I unsheathed some bare cable and wrapped it around the battery terminal bolt and all was good again and I got home no probs.
A thousand thanks to the two guys who stopped. Makes the world of difference when you're not alone in such situations and cos two (or three!) heads are better that one!
Not many pics as it was too hot to stop!
120odd miles door to door, home by mid afternoon. Great day all, thanks
I coasted to the hard shoulder on the exit slip by Endsleigh. A fellow KTM rider heading in the other direction gave me a thumbs up to which I replied with a thumbs down. Shortly after he appeared by my side to assist with the fix. A dead battery was diagnosed - which seemed strange to me given I'd recently replaced the rectifier with a new one AND installed a new battery. My aid nipped home to his house in Ivybridge in which time another biker came to my aid (how nice was that!) The first guy soon reappeared with a powerbank USB jump starter. We got the bike going but as we closed up the bash plate to secure it the bike died again. Upon further diagnosis the positive cable from the rectifier an inch or so back from the terminal connection had been rubbing on the metal battery shroud and had severed the wire (tbf the bike was being bashed about a fair bit on today's ride but goes to show how cable routing is something not to be overlooked!) I unsheathed some bare cable and wrapped it around the battery terminal bolt and all was good again and I got home no probs. 
