Gerontious

Harrogate.. its like Royston Vasey with 'A' levels.

Its the main reason there is ZERO interest in returning to the south of France any time soon. This wasn't the only road that had been so carelessly surface dressed. But was definitely the most notable. I did mention going back there one day... and the reaction was... a definite NON!! Stunning scenery - shite roads. or too may shite roads for the effort in getting there.

I'll keep an open mind.. but at first glance, I'm hugely in favour of this.. in case of an accident its extremely simple to remove from the head without risk of disturbing the spine. no cutting tools required. It has passed ECE 22/05 and now only the UK SHARP test remains to be done.

A misspelt Forza 300

My Africa Twin has switchable ABS.. but only on the rear wheel. The front wheel ABS cannot be turned off. You will always find some oddballs who say that ABS is dangerous.. because it can effectively turn off the brakes completely in certain, albeit extremely rare situations. But this is where your eyes come into play.. if you are riding on a road covered in loose chippings then SLOW DOWN. We had this in the south of France a couple of years ago. one road in particular was a river of gravel. we slowed right down and ploughed ahead, mainly because trying to turn around was the greater of two evils. Coming down a slope i felt the ABS kick in a few times.. but the bike still slowed down and although it was extremely dicey in parts. Nobody came off or had a near miss. But we were all damn glad when it eventually came to an end. The road was called Col de la Mort. (Pass of the Dead) and so appropriate.

The front deck bag is quite good too. ideal shape for over the pillion seat.

Honda only produce fog lights as genuine accessories. With a simple on/off switch.

Repairs are pretty much the same as on a motorcycle tyre... Just on a smaller scale. Small punctures can be patched from the inside. Larger holes will need plugging. On my bicycle I don't bother repairing. It's much less of a faff to just replace it. But, nowadays you can easily buy tyres that are effectively puncture proof, they're not as energy efficient so it's only commuters and MTB types that use them.

I've always been of the view that if I get a puncture I want to know about it. Can it be repaired or is it inherently unsafe and the tyre needs to be replaced? I guess I've been quite lucky and have found every puncture in my own back yard. Spotted a screw or nail head in the tyre. Pulled it out and listened to the hiss. 10 minutes later it's repaired. If I had a puncture on the go then if I had the gear with me, which I normally carry for any kind of journey, then I'll fix it there and then. If not.. Then I will call out the AA and get some return on the fee I pay. I see no reason to put anything like this in my tyres. If the tyre is damaged. I need to know about it.

Normal for stock euro4 bikes. Nothing to worry about. My 2018 Africa twin does it and makes me feel like a hooligan. It's a constant subject on the AT forum, they all do it. For the older bike it's likely a small leak in the exhaust, probably and again, nothing to worry about.

No... its easy enough to buy one new in 1000cc or 1200cc If you have the cash and the patience to wait while its hand built. One sold at Auction for about £30,000 not all that long ago. Its not unique.. you could have a brand new Brough if you're so inclined. (not made in Nottingham though)

2016 onwards. (in theory) 2017 onwards - definitely. look at the photos. the ABS ring should be visible on the front wheel. like on this wheel from a 2017 MT07

And what has this to do with biscuits ? Nothing. just as the title of this thread has nothing to do with the Brexit Fiasco. or lack of any discussion. or maybe you need to renew you current prescription specaticules.

what amuses me most about the whole Brexit fiasco so far is the one "win" the UK government has announced after 3 years. The return of the BLUE passport.. as though that was something we lost. It wasn't. Changing to Maroon was a choice.

They took a two stage approach, which added up to the same thing. ABS must be standard equipment on all bikes over 125cc from 2016. And must be fitted to all new registered bikes from 2017 aside from 125cc bikes. Of course there is nothing to stop you disabling it if you don't want it and in most cases that's fairly simple to do. The sensor ring, usually on the back wheel is now normally part of the speedo/ODO. So is often seen on older bikes where ABS was an option. And cannot be removed. I've had ABS since 1997 on a bike and it's saved me several times over that 22 year period. The only time it didn't save me was when I went into the side of a car in the Black Forest. And that time it didn't engage, fact was the car pulled out right in front of me and there simply wasn't enough stopping room. I'm really quite glad that ABS has become mandatory because over the years I have seen so many accident reports where if the rider had had this on their bikes, nothing would have happened. Maybe not every single time... But a lot of them. When I see posts about ABS creating longer braking distances.. Which occasionally it does. What they tend to forget is that this is because the system engaged and continued to engage over a distance. And for any rider with normal skills, this would almost certainly have meant an "off". With all the pain, anguish and expense that can involve. It adds a few £100 to the price of a brand new, or nearly new bike. Offset that against the effect of an insurance claim on your next renewal. Loss of NCB. And the higher risk bracket you will be shoved into and all that goes with that. As well as, perhaps losing something that you have had to work towards, save for, get into some debt and struggle for, to buy.

ABS adds value to a bike. When you come to sell it. ABS does nothing in normal circumstances. It only has to save you once to pay for itself. It can turn an "Oh my god!!!" Moment into nothing at all... A non event. It can help a lot in normal riding, in the wet and on particularly dodgy surfaces. Like at junctions, white lines, over banding, salt/grit piled up in winter. And so on. Is it worth having? Definitely. You don't really want to be making a claim so early in your riding career due to getting braking wrong, which is easily done especially in a panic. Or with inexperience on a new bike.

Friend of mine is an advanced diver and he has always told me that he would recommend BSAC slightly ahead of PADI if available and you are staying in the UK mainly. However if you are going to be going abroad and advance your training in warmer waters, then PADI as their franchises are everywhere. He is a member of both.. starting with PADI then moved over to Bsac. but he regularly goes abroad to dive. He said.. and this may be old info, that BSAC has a greater emphasis on safety and incremental progression, whereas PADI which is for profit takes a different approach. I did a 5 day intensive BSAC course in Turkey many moons ago. i enjoyed it immensely but had no desire to take it further.. just something i fancied trying. I certainly didnt want to dive in UK waters and the idea of going to stoney cove.. not far from me is my idea of hell.

Of the classic looking bikes.. Especially from the 1990s Japanese domestic market. The only one I remember well enough to be able to summon it's name from the cobwebby nether regions of a failing memory is the Kawasaki Estrella. There was a feature on it in one of the mags at the time with the reviewers very excited by it. But sadly it never reached these shores officially. Far too small for me, but lovely to look at.

my guess was only slightly off.. i know nothing about japanese 400s. aside from one I keep seeing broken down. (or disappearing into the distance)

This is one for [mention]Snod Blatter[/mention] Im guessing its a modified/revamped 250. of the CB variety. maybe an import thats been resprayed and given a new seat. Kickstart and rear drum... Snoddy will be over excited!!

I think everyone is over analysing this. From what I gather... you are a recent biker passed early december and no sooner had you passed your test and bought a bike, you had an unrelated accident that put you off the road for 6 weeks.. to the start of January, and a month or so later went on an 800 mile tour. In winter. Amid the worst Winter storms for quite a while and now you're sore. Im not in the least surprised by any of this. I doubt very much its the bikes fault... its your.. mmm.. new biker enthusiasm. I think there is just one answer to the thread title: LESSONS FROM AN 800 MILE TOUR. DON'T DO IT IN WINTER!!! especially with just a month or so experience on the bike you used.

I lost all faith in Moto Guzzi when I arranged a test ride on an 1100 Breva demo bike at what was then the local dealership. Its since stopped selling the brand. I turned up and the bike was wheeled out to me and then refused to start!! This was not a battery issue as the starter motor turned over without any problem. After 20 minutes faffing about trying to get it started the bike was wheeled back inside and I was asked to call them after lunch. I didn't bother. I realise this is just one bike at one dealership, but, for crying out loud. If nothing else a Demo bike should be problem free. But no. And after that I have never given any Guzzi of the modern era a thought. Only (semi-direct) experience i have with the Stelvio, fella that lives opposite me used to work for Pidcocks and they took one in as a trade-in. They had nothing but problems with it trying to get it in a fit state to sell in their at the time, second hand bike dealership. In the end they gave up and sent it to a trade auction. It went.. but the electrics to the dashboard where all over the place. things worked then stopped then worked again. This was perhaps 4 years ago or so. The chap really liked it. And even considered buying it and putting the gremlins aside. In the end he didn't and bought a very trick Ducati 750SS I know of another chap who has one, bought as a brand new model bike 10 or more years ago, and has been all over Europe on it and, aside from paying to get it "properly set-up". which some dealers do not do. he has had no problems with it at all. And as far as I'm aware, he still has it. Though i haven't seen him for a few years.

Yes.. still about and still have the GS, though its currently uninsured and is likely (maybe) to be SORN'd at the end of this month and then some time to umm and aah about what to do with it. maybe sell it. Though that would pain me. (a lot) fortunately, it recently had a major service so will just need a minor oil change at the end of the year. I might just keep it as a runabout and insure it TPO. - I used my 17yrs NCB on the Honda. So, only TPO is 'reasonable' in price. Bought the Honda as a 'change' and I really fancied something from 'New' and something completely different with the DCT transmission.. which I now think is the bees knees. I don't have either the patience or the wallet to faff about with the various issues (brand) new BMW boxers tend to come with and I didn't want yet another second hander. I looked long and hard at the NC750X before going for the AT and only went down that route with the advent of the new 'Sports model. which fixed the biggest bugbear i had with the standard bike its 160 mile tank. if the blue beast hadn't appeared then it was highly likely i would have gone for the NC. in fact it would have then been a toss up between that bike and the totally wacky X-ADV. but hey ho, it never came to that. Anyway.. CC bill is now fully paid off and i managed to do this without any interest charges. The 20th is the start of the new CC month for me and so, Im taking one of the wheels to Tim at MTS tomorrow and talk about him doing the swap.. and I reckon I'll be going for Conti trail attack 3s. (road tyres for ADV bikes) and get it done one day next week. "Smithers" isn't a familiar name, so oo are yoo? Oh.. and regarding the holiday. Glad its done and dusted. but, just to show what a complete masochist I am.. Im taking one of the other guys for a trawl round the travel agents on Wednesday and then put together a budget for him to go to Amsterdam for a long weekend, probably in May/June.

posted in the wrong thread. oops.