Long term update: Got that loving feeling

“What plate is it?” asks the lad on the conked-out ZXR400 after I stop to enquire if he needs any help. “It’s new,” I reply with a grin. “Wow, love it!” I click the Ducati into first and head off with a crackle-and-pop from the Termis.

It’s got to be good when a retro can convince people it’s actually old, and the Scrambler (mine is the Full Throttle, the coolest of the bunch) has been attracting attention galore. My trip to MCN Live at Butlins on day two of our time together is a prime example.

I was there to help marshal the rideout to Cadwell Park and within nanoseconds of parking up at Skegness people were asking what it was like. Same thing happened post-rideout while everyone was waiting to do their free lap and several folk had a cheeky sit on the bike to check it for size (more spacious than you’d imagine). Maybe I should have charged them 50p a go.

That non-cramped feeling was welcome on the ride up to Skeggy. It’s a good two hours from my house and I was still perfectly chipper when I pitched up at the Butlins security gate. Quick 15-minute teabreak and I was back out in the 400-plus bike rideout with another Scrambler out front – that one ridden by Carl Fogarty.

First service time has arrived with surprising speed and so far the only aphid in the ointment is fuel range. Furthest I’ve dared go on one fill is 137 miles, which had left 0.8 litres in the 13.5-litre tank (but when a tank is that cute, you can forgive it anything).