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Historic Write up of DB2 Rebuild/Re-commission, 2010 onwards
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:15 pm    Post subject: Historic Write up of DB2 Rebuild/Re-commission, 2010 onwards Reply with quote

Ok Guys, a few have said yes to the above, so I'll start a new thread for late night winter readers viewing pleasure.
Story started back in 2009 after getting back into biking, or as it is for many, after getiing married then divorced and realising that whilst somethings old went out the door the ability to bring other old things back in was once again resurrected. After rekindling with a Ducati and a KTM (Old favourites) I was looking for a Ducati Superlight and was scanning the internet feverishly most nights trying to be first through the door for any potential projects. One saved link from Pistonheads in my "Favourites" section though did not have the usual link to it and by pure chance came up with the following advert on the evening of 31st March 2010

BIMOTA DB2 (1994)
12,442 miles £




Custom painted in Italian colors. Owned since 01-06-1998, 3rd owner. Big bore 944 kit, flat slide carbs, polished and gas flowed heads, titanium light weight exhausts, ohlins front forks.

Not started or ridden for 6 years. Stored in a heated garage all this time. Missing front brake calipers, Were swopped to another bike some time ago). Paint work in good condition. Mileage 12,
442


Not content with being Overly ecstatic that not only could I get a Ducati engined bike, but nonetheless A Bimota edition of same engine, but with the ultimate added exclusivity of it being a Bimota, that I also noticed also for Sale by the Same Owner was the following:-

BIMOTA YB11
17,333 miles £





second owner since 10-05-1997. Tuned engine, flat slide carbs, gas flowed and polished heads, titanium con rods, big bore kit, larger radiator, 20litre ally fuel tank, dymag carbon wheels, Ohlins front forks and rear, close ration gearbox, private number plate, B1 MTA Some small scrapes to paint work. two seater and passenger seat hump to make a single seater. Dyno'd at 160 bhp.

Stored in heated garage for past 6 years without being ridden, or started. Needs some attention from a new loving owner. Very dusty!


Well, Even though it was gone 11pm at night and being weary at both the seemingly cheap prices they were offered at, and that certain details were clearly incorrect on the advert, some bits missing and some broke (Keen SPOTTERS this is your homework for this POST) That I just had to email the guy that night and give him a call the next morning.
Turned out that the DB2 had already been promised to a n other on this Forum (apologies made a thousand times already), Yet I spent a good hour chatting to the Owner and he sounded very genuine and very well-to-do. Upshot was he had relocated overseas for what was to be a short time but extended to 7 years, getting married in the process. New Wifey had asked him to clear out his motorbikes as he was clearly not using them. Poor Owner and poor wifey were being inundated with phone calls to home, mobiles and emails, courtesy of some nice guy posting the adverts on this Forum. He could'nt concentrate on work and wanted both bikes getting "rid". He proposed a figure, we talked, we agreed a figure, on the provisio that he informed the other punters and that he could live with letting down others, as I was the only one that had offered to buy both simultaneously
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philfingers



Joined: 05 Sep 2009
Posts: 337
Location: Bimota Capital of the UK, Kidderminster

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 11:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking forward to it, as I'm a Yb11 owner but also have a Duke 90 Superlight, same engine as the DB2.
Interested to see the pics of the fuel tank. Look like PVM brakes too. Dymags, nice! Have you felt the weight of an Anterra!
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03 YB11, 03 Aprilia RSVR Edwards, 94 Ducati Superlight III, 95 Honda NC30, 04 Ducati 999S, 91 kawasaki KR1-S C2, 91 Ducati 851 USD Strada, 89 ZXR750H1, 90 ZXR400H1, 205 16v Rally Car, A6 2.7TDI Avant, STM R1 engined Phoenix
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Pompey



Joined: 31 Jul 2008
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Location: Marlborough

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mmmmm, clutch lever broken, chain slide guard on swing arm missing, did they have heel plates?
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Bimota's Db2, Db5 ,Ducati's 851' 92, 888' 93, Honda blade' 93, Triumph speed triple' 07, kawasaki zxr 750 k1
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philfingers



Joined: 05 Sep 2009
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Location: Bimota Capital of the UK, Kidderminster

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pompey wrote:
did they have heel plates?

Mine doesn't!

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03 YB11, 03 Aprilia RSVR Edwards, 94 Ducati Superlight III, 95 Honda NC30, 04 Ducati 999S, 91 kawasaki KR1-S C2, 91 Ducati 851 USD Strada, 89 ZXR750H1, 90 ZXR400H1, 205 16v Rally Car, A6 2.7TDI Avant, STM R1 engined Phoenix
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Evilchicken0



Joined: 12 May 2010
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Location: London

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's the hugger that's missing the chaingaurd is part of it. I'd start looking for that now because ultimately it's an MOT failure.

The clutch lever's a standard Brembo part and easily found, or could fit after market ones.
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2bims



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Almost a full house guys, chain guard correct, part of the rear hugger. Front brakes on the YB11 are Ap racing billet 6 pot calipers, AP racing master cylinder. Main point missing/wrong in the adverts was the owner thought that the bikes had Ohlins front forks, but no they are both Paoli, althought the 41mm version on the DB2 had been changed to a special 51mm version.
Other easy one was that the DB2 was advertised as missing front calipers, when clearly they were there but the discs were clearly not. Bloke loved his bikes but had ignored them for 8 years, not even a wipe down, and had forgotten what he had or hadn't had done to them.

Will update further tomorrow
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philfingers



Joined: 05 Sep 2009
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Location: Bimota Capital of the UK, Kidderminster

PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

51mm sound like the YB11 ones, they're (or were) the largest diameter conventional forks ever fiutted to a production bike I believe.
I guess you've seen the article in Bike mag re the YB11, 748SPS and RSV1000R Edwards Rep?
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03 YB11, 03 Aprilia RSVR Edwards, 94 Ducati Superlight III, 95 Honda NC30, 04 Ducati 999S, 91 kawasaki KR1-S C2, 91 Ducati 851 USD Strada, 89 ZXR750H1, 90 ZXR400H1, 205 16v Rally Car, A6 2.7TDI Avant, STM R1 engined Phoenix
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 1:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

philfingers wrote:
51mm sound like the YB11 ones, they're (or were) the largest diameter conventional forks ever fiutted to a production bike I believe.
I guess you've seen the article in Bike mag re the YB11, 748SPS and RSV1000R Edwards Rep?


Yeh Same diameter as YB11 forks but the lowers are all hand turned solid billet as opposed to cast ends with carbon wrap, still available as RSU51 GSX
http://www.paioli.com/eng/prod.php#
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:25 pm    Post subject: Quick update while I have time Reply with quote

Well it was April 1st, 2010, an ominous date in itself, when a price was agreed over the phone between 2 gentlemen, for sale of both bikes and I agreed to pop down to Hampstead Heath area (but not to visit George Micheal or Portillo), check the bikes were as described and not some mythical mirage, and pay the man.

My brother was only too kind to offer to accompany me on the journey with a very late change and offer to take his van down also and pay and collect there and then. Rushed apologies at work were given at lunchtime with meetings to be cancelled and at 2pm off we set for the big smoke in a rusty mucky Mercedes van. Such rush was taken that all electronic devices such as satnavs and even paper maps had been forgotten and left at home. Only intermittent mobile (my map) was guiding us closer. The owner, a very nice man, was met outside a bank at around 6pm, and he gladly jumped into the van with the complete Northern strangers and directed us to his parents flat with underground garage location of both Bimotas. After a routine check, V5's engine/frame numbers as could be done in a darkened subterranean vault, and a quick check of pushing the bikes in gear to see if the pistons and crank moved, money was handed over and the bikes wheeled into the back of the van.

Top tip for anyone buying a bike thats been "stored" for many years, take a mobile plug in tyre compressor, pushing bikes up ramps into vans would have been a whole lot easier if the tyres had some air in them! The poor Db2 even had "clean me" on its petrol tank where someone had wiped a line of accumulated dirt away. Not even a blanket had been used to cover them for their seven year storage.
Bikes loaded and tied down the journey home began, where we were met with all manner of storm and tempest, rain, hail and then snow as the northern trip home continued, finishing in a 2am return to Mcr.
Well after that I didn't see the bikes for 2 days as my brother paraded them around from friend to friend, just to show people not just a Bimota but 2 together (a seemingly rare occurrence up North)
When they were eventually offloaded, they were given their first wash in 8 years as it turned out to just see what was underneath, pointless stripping off dirty parts, easier to initially clean whilst still on the bike




Well the bodywork washed down well, and now time to take her clothes off and see whats underneath

Well the rear disc was pretty rusty after all those years, I suppose I was fortunate that the fronts weren't the same because they were missing, so new discs front and back needed, the rear being well below the min thickness and the pad being down to the backing plate. Evidently the tyres were over 9 years old (theres a date stamp on every tyre on one side of the tyre only giving the week and year of first manufacture , 3 digits before 2000, and 4 digits after, so yeh, of course new tyres would be in order.
Uh Err, a Naked DB2!


And a few close ups of the inherent grime of 8 years stood idle





Yes indeed those are cobwebs on the Front wheel
Everthing basically looked to be there and although dirty had little corrosion other than cast iron disc, although a few things were looking clearly "odd", and bear in mind I had never seen a DB2 in the flesh before so was climbing a very steep learning curve of knowledge, many hours on the net finding archive pictures.
The front forks were clearly non-standard, having preload adjustors on the top as opposed to the one for compression and one for preload on seperate legs, these had preload, compression and rebound adjusters on both legs.
A quick measure with the newly acquired vernier gauge showed the forks to be 51mm diameter as opposed to the "net" telling me they should be 41mm diameter, a miss-print? Hhhmm, time to search the net and find a Forum, and welcome guys, and thanks for the steady stream of knowledge that followed. Yes they were 51mm forks and yes they should have been 41mm.
First spare part acquired was a battery to test out the electrics and find out what worked and what didn't. Copious cans of WD40 were applied almost everywhere and left for a few days to free off what would be most bolts to come out and be replaced, leads and plugs off and a few squirts down the barrel to ease off the rings, and left overnight.
Bike would actually turn over and turn the back wheel on cranking, so first hurdle doew with, engine actually spins, Phew. No chance of trying to start it though until the infamous Ducati rubber cam belts were checked to see if they were still in one piece. Oh and clean out the old petrol still in the tank, oh and renew all the old fuel lines, tank to fuel pump, pump to carbs etc.
The old fuel lines had been left dry for so loong they had "calcified" and gone hard as ceramic, so much so I had to mini dremel them off all the connectors, just no flex left in them at all.
Bike was propped up on head stand and rear paddock stand and wheels off. I noticed that though they were both gold painted, that the fron and rear had chips in the paintwork, showing yeloow beneath on the front and purple beneath on the rear?
Only one night viewing the Bimota Enthusiasts site did I come across this tarts handbag of a Db2

Oh my god I thought, who could do that to a Bimota, although later I discovered that this was a racing colour chosen and put onto several race bikes including a Tesi
Then I came across this picture, and wondered why the registration plate seemed familiar?


Later it was confirmed by the previous owner that indeed that was the colour of the bike when he first purchased it. The previous "lucky" owner to the person I bought it from had actually won the bike in a Motorcycle News Competition, and then promptly sold it on the very next day. through the wonders of ebay I've even managed to acquire a copy of said motorcycle News. I mean, who keeps copies of newpapers from January 1994? Or am I sadder in searching for said newspaper, Hhmm the seed of obsession had begun to germinate....


Last edited by 2bims on Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:44 pm; edited 1 time in total
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well the wheels came off to have the tyres taken off and to be stripped, and powder coated back to white, removal of wheels threw up the problem of the cush drive rubbers being perished and one of the studs had sheared. Later discovered that this is a common problem with Oscom wheels that they were later upgraded from 10mm studs to 12mm and then to 14mm studs to take the force without shearing.
Wheels with tyres off and old bearings out to go for powder coating


And the slight problem of a sheared stud on the cush drive rear wheel


Evidently the parts list was growing and the knowledge of where to get parts also. Although the bike had had quite a bit of work done to it by the previous owner, what remained of the bike I wanted to keep as original as possible. Thus I wanted to source new/old stock front discs. The offset seemed "enormous" and both GeeKay and Vort were very helpful in taking suitable measurements from their Db2 and early SB6 to help identify that the offset was some 25mm on the original cast iron full floater Brembo discs fitted to both of those bikes (both with Oscom wheels).(Thanks again guys, much appreciated
Searching and searching showed that the same discs were fitted to several earlier Bimotas, YB4, 6 7, early Sb6 etc, but I couldn't find any "donor" Ducati or other italian bike that was also fitted with the same discs, other than a full race kitted 888, hardly an easy option to locate.
To the rescue came Rudolf of Bimota-parts.de, who not only had part used discs but also the requisite collars, studs and rubbers to refresh the cush drive assembly.

Now whilst Rudolfs English is as strong as my German (read Nil - my German at least) The powers of google translate and Rudolfs translator enabled more than sufficient communication to ensure the right parts were forthcoming. Well packaged and quick posting from Rudolf for sure. Just had to get over the uneasiness of directly paying into a German bank Account, quite common for them, but without back-up of credit card or Paypal, it was a little un nerving initially. Lets face it, aside from the initial purchase the parts bill was growing, and as yet I had no idea if the bike would run or whether the crank/gearbox was AWOL, or whether if it did run would I actually like riding the bike! Its not as if you can pop to your local dealer beforehand for a quick test ride before buying.









The cush drive on the rear sprocket also had a couple of bearings hiding in there that were also taken out and replaced, Koyo bearings in both wheels and cush drive assembly, read the number on the old bearings and buy new same number, simples.
Sheared pin was tapped and extracted and wheels sent off for powder coating before fitting of new bearings. Old rear disc was very reluctant to come off, and the hex headed bolts simply rounded (same typical spaghettti steel bolts aka Ducati normal fitment), Thus bolts were chiselled off and new bolts procurred again from Rudolf, thanks.
Wheels back from the powder coaters, Triple AAA from up north, fine job, they always ask you exactly what you want masking off and always clean out threads for you before returning.
Hhhmmm fresh new lustrous gloss white




And from the other side, new bolts, nyloctited, and a NOS rear disc also, fresh from Germany and a bargain at 25 squid.

Powder coating cost a little more than initial price, there was the gold paint, and beneath that the yellow and purple from previous paint scheme and then the original white again beneath that, Hey Ho, in for a penny in for several pounds!


Last edited by 2bims on Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:38 am; edited 2 times in total
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2bims



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seeing as the floodgates of expenditure had now been prised open, and knowing that even if the engine was AWOL, a suitable donor could be easily had from a Ducati 900SS, further late night trawling between daytime work and family was undertaken. Seeing as the wheels would be like new, new bearings, new rear disc, Part used fronts, I came across some NOS serie d'oro front and rear calipers that were a snip, Bimota trawling parts bins from suppliers to the likes of Ducati, aprillia, Laverda etc, certainly helped keep the prices down. Front calipers with new Brembo pads were picked up for 125 squid for the pair and the rear (same as Cagiva Mito) picked up for 25 squid, again including pads


Rear disc NOT bought from Bimota-Teille, but a source from anyone needing one, standard to most Bimotas.




Thus I would be pretty assured that as long as the bike "went" it would also "stop", pretty much my first priority (again don't forget, still never ridden a DB2)

Front Forks were taken off the bike and sent off for thorough bathing, cleaning, and reassemble with frsh Rock Oil and new seals, they were completely dead, no action and no fluid at all left.
When taking the forks off it became apparent that the yokes were also non standard, to accommodate the upgrade to 51mm dia tubes. Likewise the steering damper bracket, the clip ons and the ignition barrel bracket.



I was still in contact with the previous owner via email, and his interest in the bikes, once forgotten, had been reawakened. He had spent the night trawling through old boxes and the rest of the next night reading all of his old documentation on the bikes (both the Bimotas bought). He had forgotten how much they became a passion and how much he had spent fuelling that passion. (Be aware any potential Bimota Owner - Any present Bimota Owners excluded, you already know!)
Like a good feloow he was he packaged up all paperwork he had found and sent it on its merry way to me.
Only now was the final picture merging of the work he had done to both bikes. The changing of the forks to 51mm, cost over 3.5K and that was back in the 90's, all aircraft grade billet ally for the yokes, hand turned and finished, Harris clip-ons, new brackets for damper, new mudguard clamps. Work on the engine, to come later....
Well New Pirelli Diable corsa tyres were fitted and the bike, minus bodywork was dropped off at Ducati Manchester in Sale for them to check the engine, clean the carbs and give me a diagnosis...I was needing the space in the garage, not to mention the house, and had started on the YB11 that had sat there for 2 months untouched looking sad.
Nice boys at Ducati Mcr phoned me soon after they started work to tell me it took about an hour to get it started and it was running fine, even on the old belts of last century, and invited me down to check it out. Apparently they use shotgun barrel cleaner on carbs to remove build ups and deposits. Anyone heard of this before?
Well bike was getting ready for collection so the rest of the bodywork had to be readied and dropped off for fitment. Idea was a quick once over to get her MOT'd and actually ride for the Summer to see if I liked it.
Carbon fibre front and rear guards and mirrors had gone completely flat over the years, and thus I rubbed them down with 1200/1500 grade wet and dry , relacquered them, followed by several polishing coats




Anyone else got carbon fibre mirrors on their Bimota? Seen them on one SB7, but no others, they are pure carbon, not wrapped (well other than the glass)


Instead of a cast "b" logo they have a gold "b" sticker instead


Last edited by 2bims on Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:30 am; edited 1 time in total
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MARTIN



Joined: 09 Dec 2009
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Location: ABERDEEN SCOTLAND

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Superb story line,one dreams of finding that "lost soul" and bringing it back to life.The work you have done gives the bike "character" that few can appreciate.

Cant wait to read the following chapters, gives inspiration , even to those whom find the finance side of it a bit drastic.
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MARTIN wrote:
Superb story line,one dreams of finding that "lost soul" and bringing it back to life.The work you have done gives the bike "character" that few can appreciate.

Cant wait to read the following chapters, gives inspiration , even to those whom find the finance side of it a bit drastic.


Cheers Martin, it did/has become a pleasure, although don't think for one moment that the finance side wasn't also drastic for myself. I kept telling myself that even when they were in the process of rebirth, if they were "defunct" then I could as a last resort, break for parts and recoup my outlay. Unfortunately this wasn't the case, they both came to life so I still have the outlay but at least the bike to use.
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Pompey



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Location: Marlborough

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That was a great find. Very useful pics for mine to try to get it into shape, keep em coming!
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Bimota's Db2, Db5 ,Ducati's 851' 92, 888' 93, Honda blade' 93, Triumph speed triple' 07, kawasaki zxr 750 k1
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ode to Bimota Ownership......Penned when the Db2 got her first MOT and outing.....

Please keep it to yourself, but I have fallen in love, there are many who will criticise and tut, possibly due to our differences in age, others will stop and stare at the young athletic Italian beauty, and wonder what she is doing at the side of the aging portly Englishman, but I don’t care and I won’t care, absolutely refuse to.

Yes she is only 16 and I am 45 but please you must understand, she has years of experience and worldly travel under her belt for such a young age. She is strong, powerful, and full of charisma and comes from an established family with years of provenance and heritage.
True, she can be “flighty” and occasionally rear her head in indulgence, and yes she needs a firm hand to keep her under control and to get the best from her, but when she is treated in the right way, nurtured, caressed, given the best of everything possible and given a chance to shine then there is nothing that is beyond her and she is free, free from the worries of the world and able to take you to the outer limits of sheer pleasure with pure indulgence.
I find myself unable to sleep at night wondering if she is resting OK and that no one else is trying to steal her away, I find myself creeping around to check she is ok at strange times, just to be sure. Obsession? I hear you ask?, yeh sure, but do I have to justify myself? I mean its love and not just infatuation, this is true love, and I struggle to eat, finding time and any excuse just to be with her for a moment longer, until time and circumstance force me briefly away.

Picture attached, she just loves having her picture taken, others too have asked if they can take her picture, seemingly needing my permission, I stand beside her, and they politely ask me to stand to one side, or I sense the camera zooming in on her and away from me, I know its chalk and cheese, beauty and the beast but, for now, at least, she’s mine and that’s not changing. Sure there will come a time when the age gap of generations becomes too much and as she matures and I become simply older, we may part company, but until that time happens, and within the bounds of modern surgery and medicine I will enjoy my time with her whilst I can, where I can, whenever I can.

Yours, infatuated, but justified




Apparently I was stood just to the left near the lamp post, but was cut out of the picture, again...


Last edited by 2bims on Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
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