bonio

tbh Facebook is the best place online to find local groups to ride with. There are loads where I live - half a dozen or more. I actually went along to ride that one of them had organised, and although it was great fun and had a good brisk pace, too much of it happened well over 90 for my ease of mind. It was all safe enough, just that I like my licence too much to do that very often.

Welcome in mate. Consider yourself very lucky. You've gone and bought a bike, and on your doorstep you have the largest sweep of England's best biking roads. From yours up to Hadrian's Wall and beyond, it's hard to go wrong. Good choice, the F900R; it's not a crazy wild thing - although it has more power on tap than you should ever need. Ashamed to admit it, but I'm quite envious of the helmet.

My starter entries for numbered pubs and caffs: The One Bull (and enlarged here for those of you with eyesight issues) Four Horseshoes Six Bells

Too many times; all when stopped or going very slowly. Once I was rear-ended at a roundabout and got shunted off the bike, but not hurt. Each time I've been able to pick the bike up and carry on riding.

Welcome in. All the best with your test

Got to pick mine up on Thursday from the dealer. Took it in as the rear shock's not behaving right.

Happy birthday mate. Have a great day.

Not done that one, but I once had the bright idea of moving one of those circular cattle feeders by putting it on its side, stepping inside and walking it like a hamster in a wheel. It all worked fine until the bit that had started out in the slurry under my feet reached the top and rained slurry down all over me. Needed a bath after that one.

Happy birthday mate. 66? I'm not far behind and getting old so fast I'll soon be catching you up.

I didn't know hedgehogs were so mean! I've been taken in by their Mrs Tigglewinkle themed branding.

Crowded roads here are a great reason to go on tour abroad. I guess that's why you see a lot of Dutch bikes, too. That, and there's hardly a bend in the whole of The Netherlands.

You tell me mate.

Thanks for your support buddy - means a lot. The bold text was especially touching.

Bad luck mate. I got so confused once by speed limits changing randomly outside Agadir, they were bound to get me. There was a speed trap just after the fifth or sixth speed change, and I won myself an on the spot fine. Or that's what I should have got, but when I got my wallet out to show the copper my licence, a load of crisp notes fell out. The coppers beamed and his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and suddenly it was understood that I was offering him a bribe, and in an instant I was too far into the deal to get out. £30. Not my finest hour. As you've gathered, we've sealed a new deal with Spain allowing them to send speeding tickets back to us in the UK. It came into force last year - here's the announcement from giv.uk website: Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Notes between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of Spain on the Reciprocal Recognition and Exchange of National Driving Licences and on the Exchange of Information on Road Safety Related Traffic Offences (publishing.service.gov.uk). I don't know what other countries it applies to.

You almost certainly need a Guzzi. Or an Indian - an FTR p'raps?

It was rammed with bikers when we rode passed a few Saturdays ago.

Well done mate.

Report the buyer and ebay should award the auction to the next bidder.

Sounds amazing. Me and the missus are sailing on the River Bure on Thursday. Two of us in a single-handed lug-rigged halfdecker

It sounds like an amazing trip; would be great to read a report once your done / as you're doing it.

For half the year he's as good as gold - never goes over 25 knots.

Hi there and welcome in.

I like the knobblies on that machine.

Great grin on that pic @Birch Vand . Bike looks great too. Well done.

That's fantastic! But we need pictures or it didn't happen.