Today, the sun?s finally out, the skies blue, and it?s a barmy 11°c outside. It?s the perfect day to go for a quick lunchtime spin on the bike. And that was exactly what I intended to do. But it wasn?t to be, and I feel like crying.

It would have been my first (road) ride of the year so I spent quite a while faffing around, deciding what to wear, setting my helmet up with a GoPro (so that I could take you lot along with me) and just generally getting myself sorted. Once I?d got myself all kitted out and ready to go, I started getting pretty excited! I think the last time I went for a ride on the ZX-10R was probably November, so I was desperate to scratch the itch. I?ve really missed riding. I wasn?t planning on a long run, maybe just to the seaside and back, but I couldn?t bear to waste the good (for January) weather.
When I opened the garage, I saw the big Kawasaki looking just as splendid as ever. Deep joy. ?Let?s get you out,? I thought.

Out I wheeled it, into the glorious sunshine, where I duly put the key in and turned it. That?s when I realised something wasn?t right. I knew from many previous sorties on the ?Ten that when you turn the key, you?re greeted with an instantly recognisable whine from the fuel pump. But the whine never came.

Nauseating

I felt my heart sink beyond the pit of my stomach as the grim realisation set in. I?d done what so many have done before me, and so many will do after. I?d let the ZX-10R battery go flat.

Could it ...