Gerontious

Ive never come across a battery optimiser that discharges the battery as a part of its normal operation. what they do is charge the battery and then periodically check the battery as it normally discharges over time and add a bit of juice as and when necessary. They keep it fully charged over the months of winter. What they do not do is load test. which in simple terms is measure the actual power of the battery. so a dying battery might show 12 volts or whatever it is but the amps. the oomph to drive the starter motor isn't there. Most bikes nowadays have ABS and that does measure the Amps as part of its initialisation test. so if you start getting ABS errors at start up even if the bike starts fairly normally its often a sign that the battery is on its way out. Normally all it takes is a short ride and then the ABS will set. This state of affairs slowly gets worse and eventually the bike will struggle to start. When I had the GS - ABS start up faults were always an early sign that the battery was beginning to die. Optimisers are good at what they do - but they don't do everything.

Depends on where you're going and how much time you have. My usual strategy is to get to the best bits as quickly as possible. though having said that last year we did the exact opposite and heading first for the Somme - we used ordinary roads - no motorways from the tunnel and basically wandered south east to our eventual first stop at a place called Sezanne. This then put us within easy reach for day two of the French Alps We were doing perhaps 200 miles per day give or take and camping so there was no need for pre-booking or having to stop early to find a room. just a matter of - when the time was right, looking for the nearest campsite and rolling up. So that meant the days could be fairly long and completely stress free. Better fuel milage as we didn't use motorways. no tolls to pay. easy. Once you get south of Paris.. or its line of latitude the landscape gets a lot more interesting. though I was not disappointed by the route we took from the Tunnel on day one. And our first campsite was only €7 and walking distance from the town centre for a meal.

I’m far too busy spending money on”expensive ornaments” to think about bike gear. But having said that I have some history with Oxford clothing. I don’t own anything made by them now and I wouldn’t list anything made by their clothing arm as an option for me. Nothing.

I will keep that in mind the next time we are wandering the streets of Eperney late at night.

European breakdown - absolutely frabjous. Congratulations to all concerned. Reading all that I was in the edge of my seat, poised at a moments notice to rush out and buy some travel sickness meds. Huge sighs of relief and a lowered risk of palpitations. No alcohol was consumed. 10/10 your mother must be so proud.

I don’t have an immediate answer. Older bikes are often tricky. The devil hidden in the small print. However, it can sometimes be best to go with a specialist - you might pay more, but when your bike is something of an outlier then this is mostly just part of the landscape you inhabit. Carole Nash have always dealt with insuring older bikes. There are other insurers that do the same, for example Footman James. And their comprehensive policies normally include full rescue services. Both at home and in the EU. Not simply roadside. Or carriage to the nearest garage. But they will take you home and if necessary pick the bike up from your home and deliver it to your designated garage at a convenient time. it might be that the ease of dealing with a specialist who covers all eventualities goes some way to offset the higher premium cost.

If they carry no branding then you’re stuck I’m afraid. They could easily be fake “made in Italy” from a website like aliexpress or temu. soft panniers generally have loops on top, usually two of them for straps to go through and these straps lies across (or occasionally under) the pillion seat. if they don’t have these attachment points then they might have been sold with the purpose of sitting on the lid of metal panniers as a little extra capacity. It’s difficult to tell without seeing them in the flesh - so to speak.

After almost 6 years, seems the best way to maintain the battery in my bike is to ignore it completely. Though I imagine the fact that it has nothing connected that might be drawing power has helped. Somewhat.

I often get mocked for saying this (on Facebook)but when I see people talking about the tool kit they got with their Africa Twin or other Japanese bike. And replacing it. Or improving it. I always say keep the screwdriver even if you replace everything else - keep the screwdriver as it will always be a JIS. And the right size for the few fixings that need it. The most important of which is probably the brake fluid reservoir lid.

Yes. It’s an unfortunate clash of dates. I’ve been doing these trips since 2011 and every year it’s been the same week. (Aside from during Covid) The first full week after the August Bank holiday.

£300 isn’t bad for an aftermarket seat. My own, which is a Sargent would cost me £420 today. Got mine second hand just before brexit kicked in for £250 second hand from a guy in Finland. The high price is mostly related to the seat pan, each bike has a unique base so it costs. A wunderlich will have been made in Germany. I think they use Kahedo to manufacture them and I think it’s pretty certain they don’t pay their staff minimum wage, it’s all relative. Kahedo make seats for German made BMWs as well as those sold by Touratech. And a few others. Good stuff. With some actual care going into the design of their non oem seats.

my bike will be six years old in November and has spent its entire time from new living outside under a cover, which a recently augmented with a tarpaulin as the cover has begun to leak. It’s survived this remarkably well, with some discolouration only on a few of the fasteners. No rust that I can see. I’ve not used any preventative treatment on it. Tend to wash it and just allow it to dry naturally. The only rust I’ve seen thus far is on added parts. Most notably the exhaust hanger which came with them scorpion can. I don’t tend to ride it when the roads are being salted and usually wait for the inevitable rain to wash it away. The worst Honda I’ve ever seen for rust was a Brazilian bike. It was called a CB450DX this was back in the 90s and I was given that piece of crao as a courtesy bike. I felt insulted to have to ride such a wreck. Can’t say I’ve seen many more modern Hondas with corrosion problems. It’s usually the fasteners that people complain about. Or the chain which has suffered from neglect.

I had an IXS jacket quite a few years ago. It was ok. Very much at the budget end of the scale and on sale so seemed a bargain. But it was nothing special. As for their helmets. No idea. Though I would assume these are a generic, made by who knows? with the IXS sticker put on them. Will they be good? I can’t say. They will at least be adequate and meet the safety standards. I would rather go for a known brand. A specialist helmet brand I mean and there are so many of them to choose from.

That offends my OCD.

That’s the cooker clock adjusted, now for the bike.

Insurance is, at the moment artificially high. I guess the multi-millionaires who underwrite the policies are feeling the cost of living pinch. Have you seen the price of a 1947 Petrus? Shocking. jokes aside. Many people have seen their policies double over the past year or two. Obviously because every policy is unique to an individual some will not have seen these increases. But many have. £400 is not an extortionate amount for someone with zero ncb. Because as far as the insurers are concerned you are an unknown risk and will remain so until you prove yourself. seems a false economy to me to pay however much for a bike and focus totally on the cost of insurance. As if that’s the most important factor of all. It isn’t. A bike (above 250cc and less than 5 years old) is now a luxury item. There are scales of luxury and a tourer is fairly high on that scale. Insurance reflects that. If my insurance were to double again, would I pay it. Yes I would. With much cursing and a bit of dramatic foaming at the mouth. But what choice is there? my thoughts. Forget about insurance for the first year. Get the bike you want and worry about insurance after you have made your choice. Use comparison sites to find the cheapest possible premium then phone them up and try to get it further reduced. And then. Don’t ride like a twit. And don’t ever leave the bike on display as it’s just a matter of time until the wrong person sees it. And if it’s nicked. Well you might think insurance is bad now…. It’s nothing compared to what comes after a theft.

I would definitely be cross about that. In fact I would be so cross that I might be tempted to change my name by deed poll to Mr Cross. And then post the pictures on Facebook and marvel at the REALLY BAD advice to take out the offending screw and forget about it which (as it happens) is contrary to everything every tyre manufacturer has to say about how to deal with side wall damage. That made me really quite cross too.

So, its that time again where I risk life and limb and reputation by taking a group to this region. And once again we have spaces available for anyone who wants to join up and join in. as little or as much as you want. So, what's involved. firstly the dates - which are now set in stone. Crossing to France on Sunday 1st September and returning the following Saturday 7th We do it this way and at this time because the kids are back in school, the holiday season is effectively over and the region we are going to is much quieter. very quiet. We have 5 days "There" during what is a normal working week. But despite that places are still open. it doesnt close down completely until much later in the year during the build up to the winter season. You can compare this region to Mid Wales perhaps - only on a much vaster scale. Low mountains, winding river valleys. Bordered to the south by the Mighty Mosel. and to the East by the Rhine. we are apt to cross both. (probably) We stay in a very nice and affordable hotel. Half board. and you get your own room with en suite. Breakfast is huge and typically German. Evening meals are 'home style' and very filling. you will not go hungry. Half board - own room. all-in is €59 per night. As with everything prices have gone up.. but, it still represents great value for money. just over £50 per night. Bed. Breakfast. Evening meal. Single occupancy. Our days out are usually about 200 miles. more or less. Lunch stop is completely random about 'lunch time'. other stops and pauses as it goes. Fuel as an when its needed. there's never a problem with that. And we are usually back at the hotel by 6pm. sitting down to eat at 7. Then availing ourselves of the bar afterwards. as you do. We'll be crossing using the Tunnel arriving in France at about 10:30 local time. Because most of us need to cover a fair distance to get to Folkestone. (for me that's 200 miles) we ride down the night before and stay at either a Premier Inn or Travelodge that is about 12 miles from the tunnel and usually have an evening meal at the adjacent Beefeater. The ride from the tunnel to the hotel is also very relaxed, in both directions. no-one is under any pressure to ride outside their comfort zone. And I couldn't care less if you have a small fuel tank, you won't ever be stressed about fuel. Times for the crossing and return are yet to be confirmed. I get these first then tell the guys the timings.. though they are usually the same every year. We ride from the Premier inn between 8-9 in the morning and then are back in the UK about 5pm. There is no deposit to pay for the Hotel in Germany. so the only up front costs are the Tunnel return and overnight.. if you need that. Probably getting those in July. As per usual this is 'not for profit' - we all pay exactly the same. I don't do this for money, its just something I like to do. this will be the 12th time. And I must be doing something right as there are guys who come every time, year after year. The maximum I want is 8 and there are already 4 and possibly 5 so.. another 2 would be great. Male or Female. Women will get no grief on my trips. All you need is a bike that is capable of motorway speeds. that has been serviced up. And a passport. There will be other things but these are easily sorted in the coming months. Theres no rush. If you have never been abroad before. Then this is I think the ideal opportunity to dip your toe into European touring. Thats how it started all those years ago and since then many who have come away with me have gone on to tour on their own or with friends. This isn't really a tour though. think of it more as a riding holiday. a week doing what most of us cannot. ride every day for a week, for pleasure and through a really nice landscape thats very different to the UK. Roads that are sublime. And all very easy going. We're not there to race. Though if you want to try that then we can very easily call in at the Nurburgring one of the days and you can have a lap. Anyway, best to send me a private message if you have any questions or are at all nervous about anything. 150 days to go.. 21 weeks. tick tock.

Some random Canadian with an opinion. Who cares. The moment he opens his gob my reaction - “go away”. I can’t remember the last time he had anything useful to say to me. He lives in Canada. What use is that to me here in the UK? It’s why I pay no attention to American sites and videos. Except occasionally to look on in a kind of ghastly fascination like you do when passing a car crash.

Due to our wonderful climate, for me any gear I buy (unless it’s specifically for summer heat) must be waterproof and to guarantee that over the long term that means Goretex. For summer gear I would also pack a waterproof over layer (suit?) and this can be anything really, making such items waterproof is fairly simple without the extra technical expense. Those removable Goretex layers you sometimes see in multi-season gear are cheaper but are more prone to fail however that’s not usually the case with laminates. Unless there’s some underlying problem with the stitching and this is where the warranty comes into play either via the retailer or if that’s expired - Goretex themselves. The sales are your friend. Now is approaching the best time to buy cold weather gear for the future. With styles and so on being cleared or replaced with updated versions.

Wind dams are a fairly popular modification - perhaps check if this is a known issue with a fix. Often the fix starts with an owner making them and then later one of the parts manufacturers copies it. Turbulence is a common problem on the Africa Twin and there are all sorts of ingenious fixes. But as with anything what might work for one person won’t for another. It can be a rabbit hole. What I did was sidestep all of that and put on the shortest screen I could find. Thus I get a clean air flow rather than one that’s disrupted by the screen - which is the primary cause.

You need to tell one of my friends this. He regularly tours with wifey on the back with luggage. I guess when you are so used to litre plus touring bikes it’s easy to forget that much smaller capacity bikes are entirely appropriate. Not everyone can afford one of the larger bikes. And not everyone wants to spend huge amounts of time at motorway speeds. I would not write off a modern injected 650 out of hand.

I have a scorpion end can on my bike. They also sold a full system but I just couldn’t be doing with the added faff. And with modern bikes there’s nearly always added faff when you go down that road. And I get all the faff I ever need every September so why add more? The vast majority of the more quality leaning makers will have tested the can in your bike… or one if it’s family. It shouldn’t be a concern unless you’re going as cheap as possible.

exactly right. It’s a real boon when I go off gallivanting to foreign parts where it ain’t half hot. (Mum) that and the flip all helps when the sun is so hot I could fry an egg on the tank. The tanks also white so that picturesque little analogy doesn’t really help. But hey ho. i don’t really worry too much about being visible or not… though I mostly am. Mostly. Except to German pensioneers. (Rarely) anyroad. Comfort is everything. So that’s my excuse. They do tend to be cheaper sometimes too which just adds to the sense of outrageous smuggery. And couldn’t give a figness.