Dawn of the Punisher Part 4

So ! Finally I have the trike completed and at home and ready for my first ever proper ride. By proper I mean the meagre 2.5 miles to Double D motorcycles. This was to get the BST carbon wheel fitted along with the now replaced Power Commander. All I can say is thanks Jack ! You have gone out of your way to help get this ready in time.
The experience of being able to "choose" to ride without a helmet is fantastic and in this hot weather so much better for me. When it's just me, on shorter trips in good weather it's brilliant.
Saturday afternoon saw my first proper ride up to Launceston and back which is around 60 miles. A really good shakedown run that saw no problems. Slow off camber corners and small roundabouts are a different matter though !! =:-0 I think I read in a copy of Trike magazine that most rides on a trike have at least one "O shit" moment. Certainly these early rides are following that rule. You must not, I repeat not come off the power going into or through a corner. This just throws the trike wide, which makes you break more, which makes you go wider and so on !! Getting on with this would probably be a whole lot easier if you didn't ride bikes and expect things to happen in the same way.
Sunday saw several friends turning up, one of these was my mate Adam. Having been round the day before I was surprised to see him again but his initial load of cobblers was that he had brought Amelia around to see the trike. However the loon had been paying far too much attention the day before when I had mentioned I had been thinking of getting some new leathers for the record attempt. He had gone the 20 miles home reciting "J&S / BKS", checked with his equally crazy wife Di and come back and bought them for me. I can't say how astonished I was by this gesture and generosity and all I can say is thanks guys !
If this project has taught me one thing friends are worth their weight in gold. From being loaned vehicles, time, effort, skill, muscle and support we couldn't have done it without you.




Thanks so much Gary & Tania


Sunday afternoon saw a 90 mile round trip via Bodmin to the Chequered Flag café in Cornwall, with Tania and Oxo. With no issues showing up it was a cracking ride. In total I covered over 220 miles running the trike in. I was now ready for trip to Elvington the following day for it's inaugural top speed run.

Although this photo was taken the following weekend, it fits well here. This was Tania's first ride on the trike at Yelverton.

 

Dawn of the Punisher Part 3

After all this time it was time to test ride her for the first time. Although I may have had some trepidation the guys from Casarva were worse, with Matt having to walk inside and Steve holding his breath for the entire circuit of the trading estate. Apparently they have had some less than successful first rides by new owners and is why Steve will never stand in front of a new trike on collection day again !!
The guys kindly did the deed of loading the Punisher onto the transporter for me and we set about tying her down.

After the guys had said their goodbyes ! To the trike not us ! We set off for the 6 hour drive home. I have to say that the first miles were not the carefree ones I would have liked. Every bump, every enforced breaking, every oncoming white-line-wanderer had me panicking that if I didn't keep one eye on the rear view mirror that I wouldn't have a trike at all. To be honest I think I only relaxed once we reached the M6 !!
It is reassuring to know that the all powerful rain ritual that is anything to do with a bike is not hampered by the addition of a third wheel. In true bike fashion it through it down around Birmingham and we decided to take a break at Strensham services.

Bloody stupid, bloody English weather !

Overall it was a great trip back with some great reactions on the way from a lot of fellow bikers. Think we arrived home around 19:30 and my Dad came straight over and got roped into helping to unload. Not before a first test sit from Callen.



And once it was in the garage Aliya tried it out for size as well.

After all this time, effort, planning, effort, money, stress, effort, lots of money I finally had my trike in the garage, a very special couple of days.

Time for a severe rest and some medication ! The weekend is going to be a full one with visitors, familiarisation, testing and running in.

Dawn of the Punisher Part 2

OK I admit that Friday 13th was a lot like Christmas morning for me (and apparently it's only unlucky if you're a knights Templar !! So that's OK then ;-). We set ourselves up for the day with a properly good breakfast at the hotel and set off for our 10:00 appointment at Casarva.


I somehow managed to allow a very cool 10 extra minutes before rolling into Casarva to hide the fact I was like a dog with 2 dicks !! Steve, Matt and Mike were waiting for us and led us inside to meet their creation of the thing that had been dreamt up in my head.

 
What can I say ?? When you have had something in your head for so long and it only existed in the ether that to see it made real was quite a moment. I'm not sure I have the literary skills to describe the way I felt or how to thank the guys for pulling out all the stops to get the Punisher ready.

Below is an ultra rare photo even David Attenborough would be proud of apparently ! Matt may be a genius engineer but he never sits on, let alone rides, any of his creations, that's Steve's job !!

I may be biased but I honestly think they knew they had created something a bit special !!



Dawn of the Punisher Part 1

After all this time dreaming, plotting, planning, arranging and creating the week of delivery was upon us. Apologies it's taken this long to update the blog but it's been hectic and it's taken it's toll on me. On Thursday we got ready to go to Peterborough, everything sorted and planned for ! All eventualities with contingencies in place can't leave anything to chance, not with my luck. The car has been fitted with it's brand new tow bar we are good to go. Everything loaded we head down to Tamar towing, "Good morning !! I've come to collect the trailer I've had booked for over 3 months with the car you knew we were going to use ! " "Sorry sir you can't tow that trailer with that car"
The next part I will edit for family consumption, "Goodness me I exclaim why ever not the combination of the trailer and trike is 1000Kg and the car can tow 1250Kg, I've done my homework !!!" "Ah says Mr Tamar but that trailer COULD carry 2000Kg so your not allowed to tow it" Is it just me or is that the biggest pile of bollox you've ever heard ?? With that logic no car capable of more than 70 mph could be rented because you COULD go faster than the limit or you could at any time be arrested for drink driving because you COULD go to a pub and get bladdered !!!
The next 3 hours involve an awful lot of swearing, thinking, swearing, phone calls, bit more swearing, a trip to Lee Mill and some more swearing. At this point my outstanding sister and Barney come to our rescue and offer up their car. You beauties !! You have saved the day I can't thank you both enough. So 3 hours later than advertised we are back at TTC hitching up a trailer and we are off to Peterborough HOO-Bloody-RAY.
After this blood pressure bursting start the rest of the trip passes without any issues. I'll gloss over the swearfest that was the wrong turn in sight of the hotel that had a bridge less wide than the trailer ! Arse !! At least I now know I can reverse turn a trailer in some blokes driveway !!
We finally park up in the hotel car park and check in at the Dragonfly hotel. For the money it's brilliant and we sit on the terrace with a well deserved beer, in the sun overlooking the Peterborough rowing club

Another beer, a nice meal and another beer, did I mention it's been a stressful swearfest of a day. Off to bed, tomorrow we collect The Punisher.

Official Straightliners post on the June Elvington event

Fantastic weather saw a lot of people attend and a lot of very impressive speeds being set, including one slightly more unusual one.


Less than a month to go now until the July event.

Straightliners News Channel

Top speed!!!!!
Straightliners top speed & wheelie Tuesday today the 19th June at Elvington!
Elvington Airfield, North #Yorkshire, England. Video Worldreach Comms Please share and like this post and don't forget to follow us. #topspeed & #wheelie

Becci Ellis not just a very fast lady but the fastest over all with a top speed of 248.827 mph !! That is not far from her worlds fastest woman record. In all 14 riders posted speeds in the 200+ bracket so a very quick day all round.

To prove that you don't always need an engine to be quick.

Straightliners News Channel added 2 new photos.

· 17 hrs ·

Neil Soupy Campbell set a new European cycling speed record of 135.3 at Straightliners top speed & wheelie Tuesday today 19th June!
Taking place Elvington Airfield, North #Yorkshire, England. Photo Adam Roberts /Worldreach Comms. Please share and like this post and don't forget to follow us. #topspeed & #wheelie

Official Straightliners post for TST in June

Please see the official Straightliners post below for tomorrows TST (Top Speed Tuesday) event at Elvington. The significance of this post is that it means it is only 1 month to go before I take The Punisher on the track for the first time. It really is all happening so fast (pun intended !! ;-). Currently the build news is positive but with only a month to go and that's without going to Peterborough to collect her, it's all getting a bit exciting. As I have written previously the July event is the last one that I can attend that qualifies me for the records weekend in September. The August Straightliners events are other record dates including 1-way records and the Motorcycle World Wheelie Championship.

Straightliners News Channel

· 12 June at 00:00 ·

Time for top speed & wheelie practice again! Straightliners top speed & wheelie Tuesday takes place next week on the 19th June at Elvington! Another chance to prepare for top speed and wheelie records.
Online entries close Friday night. £25 extra after that. Here is the link https://www.straightlinersonline.co.uk/…/117-top-speed-tues…
Taking place Elvington Airfield, North #Yorkshire, England. Photo Bikedealer4U. Please share and like this post and don't forget to follow us. #topspeed & #wheelie

Official Straightliners post for the Ramsey Sprint

With nothing new to report for a while and still and long way to go in the build, I thought I'd post this latest update from Straightliners. Maybe in a few years I could take the Punisher over and set some times on the famous sea front.

Straightliners News Channel

· 25 May at 00:00 ·

Come celebrate the 40th anniversary of Straightliners Ramsey Sprint 2018 at the TT. To take part just turn up with your licence, riding gear and of course your vehicle of choice.
On the 3th June it is Run What You Brung (RWUB) / practice and the real thing on the 5th June. See you at Ramsey Promenade (beside Mooragh Park). Advert D.R Photography . Please share and like this post and don't forget to follow us. #Isleofman #Straightliners #dragracig #RamseySprint #TT #RWUB #RunWhatYouBrung