Gerontious

For my part... I really wanted to get a flavour of the Morvan as a possible destination in its own right for some time in the future and that included seeing how tedious (or not) the ride there was,, also what the campsite was like and what its facilities were. Was nice to see that it had a common room, with Fridge, Microwave and water chiller.. so somewhere to sit inside on cooler (or wet) evenings. there was also seating outside.. patio style. and a Swimming pool. The campsite was below the village in a little valley surrounded by rocks.. off a quiet lane. there was zero traffic noise at night. The place even had a proper swimming pool. so as far as Municpal campsites go it was right up there and on a par with some 4 and 5 star sites Ive stayed at. Security was high and the owners/managers lived on the site in a totally incongruous Alpine chalet type house.

We were a bit weary and didnt have either the time or the energy. But the town above looks very nice and is likely worth a visit if you're in that part of the world. a typical french fortified village that seems to have escaped the ravages of war to a great extent.

The campsite was called http://www.campingsousroche.com

From reading your post when the bike was stolen it seems fairly certain your bike was targeted by professionals with a shopping list and one of the bikes they were after was an F800GT. They knew where the bike was, probably because they followed you home... that might have been a car, or more likely another bike or scooter type bike. They looked at where it was parked, what security was in place and concluded they could get it away nice and easy. My bet is its no longer in western europe.

so.. the new bike. 1. never park it where it can be seen from the road by passing vehicles. 2. always have an eye on your mirrors for the final approach to your home, if you have the slightest suspicion you are being followed then take a turn around the block and see what happens. 3... always use your locks and chains and cover it fast.

Rather than a tracker... maybe look at some kind of alarm system that will send you a text.

If they dont know where it is... how can they target it?

if they do target it.. make it as difficult as possible.

covering it makes it more anonymous. make it difficult to spot.

Theres nothing wrong with paranoia.. but if this was a professional job. then they are long gone and moved to another area... with another shopping list.

Not really... my own experience with the USB cable i have on my bike.. thats been there since 2012 i think.. says: no.. it doesn't effect the battery at all. The bike stood for almost 6 months this past winter SORN... as it has every winter since i bought the 800.

I dont have a tester.. but it would be interesting to know what the draw from one of these things when not in use actually is.

erm. if it has nothing plugged into it.. like a phone or sat nav. then how on earth can it drain a battery?

I got my Zumo.. a 660 in 2010 and its still going strong. I had an issue with updating the maps recently and Garmin asked for it to be returned to them.. it arrived back within a week with the software re-installed the latest mapping for Western Europe and a 32GB SD card in the slot. A gift.

Its been used all over Europe.. had more than a few accidents most memorably coming off its mount (my fault entirely) at 60mph.. and then promptly ridden over by a TRX850. only damage.. a bit of paint wear.

Swap it between the GS and the S with no problems.. I use it entirely as a visual aid. no sound.. blue tooth and everything else disabled this suits me. Software to create routes is a free download and for my needs simple to use... there is also a wealth of routes available to download.. created by riders with local knowledge and these can be great if you like your routes.. rides.. days out to be a surprise magical mystery tour. I like Gpsies.. Kurvenkonig. Best biking roads.. and others. sites created by riding clubs that tour all over europe and keep their routes in an archive. Even local tourism agencies create these for visitors for example this site for the Auvergne in france.. rides created for bikers freely available to download. http://www.auvergne-motorbike.com

My device cost £380 in 2010... today an identical second hand unit with all fittings and latest maps costs about £230 so they hold their value very nicely. I see no reason to replace mine... for all I know it'll keep on working as it does for another 7 years and more. it currently has 28GB of free space more than enough for all my needs and future updates.

I use my stirrup pump... It's made for bicycle tyres which mostly.have extremely high pressures compared to motorbike tyres. 100psi is fairly normal.. So it's over engineered for motorbike tyres... It's also very quick and less hassle, for me anyway than the foot pump. I also have a 12v bike powered pump... But it's for emergency use only.fixing punctures at the roadside. An Airman. Tour. Currently £19on eBay. You. Will need. A power socket for it though.. Lighter. Or BMW type Hella.

I generally go for the 1:200,000 michelin maps.. they have a great selection in Waterstones. you should make the effort to go there.. and see what they have. there may be something even better for the area you're heading for. though.. i really do rate the ADAC map Ive already provided you with for simplicity it cant be beaten as easy to follow.

ah.. it appears there may not be maps to the scale above available for spain. still.. its definitely worth it trotting down to waterstones. 3rd floor.

Home, safe and sound... if a little weary after almost a 400 miler from Épernay to Nottingham. 2278 miles door to door over 8 days (wednesday was a rest day)

Languedoc and particularly the region around Millau has a lot to commend itself... those gorges are just stunning. Combe laval is something else. Im more of a doer than a writer upper... so i'll leave Rob to fill in all the gory details.

So.. after Rob Ms touring mate got clobbered in an accident I asked him back in April if he fancied a trip this summer... in addition to the one already planned for September to the Alps. and after a few weeks he came back to me with a YES. From the start the destination was weather dependent and with this recent heat wave it really looked promising to head across to Bavaria. but, as luck would have it the heat wave is coming to an end and rain from hell.. plus thunderstorms and all sorts are in the forecast.. so plan 'B' - the south of France. we both know the Cote d'Azur really well.. and the mountains/Alps are out of the question due to weather. so. The Languedoc.. somewhere neither of us has ever been.

we're crossing on the saturday morning and taking it fairly easy... over 2 days to get to our base at Millau... with a great view of the bridge. But also.. the Gorges du Tarn on the doorstep and plenty of great roads etc to explore. 4/5 days there.. then 2/3 days to get back to the Tunnel on sunday week. (July 2nd) 9 days away in total.

weather looks good for the week.. and if it changes, we can always go a little further south towards coast where the forecast is glorious... maybe the french Pyrenees south of Narbonne... But, as Rob was there fairly recently its not a priority to get that far south unless absolutely necessary. we'll just follow the sun if rain threatens.

a few photos to give you an idea of what we're heading for... and more added when we get back.

Oh reservoir..

Rugby to Hamburg is 670 miles... and you want to do that in a day? and then back to Lancs... 800+ miles. in a day? this done over a 4 day period.

Have you ever done anything like this before? this is real endurance riding.. with the potential to be dangerously tired. all motorway.. eek.

I would fly.

The instruction manual for the charger says.. maybe not. The charger will only work if the battery has a minimum charger of 9v. anything below that and it wont turn on.

so.. will the new battery have this minimum residual charge? only one way to find out.

Heres the direct quote:

In future consider buying a sealed MF (AGM) battery.. these arrive fully charged and ready to fit and use. no separate acid pack or any messing about. Of course.. if the battery you have ordered IS an MF.. then it shouldnt need any charging before first use. (unless its sat in a warehouse for far too long)

About time you actually went somewhere on that bike.

Happy Birthday!!

This Mod gig... is it anyone famous or actually worth seeing? I quite liked Madness back in the day... but, as its the middle of June and a bit warm Im afraid i would have to draw the line at wearing a suit thats 2 sizes too small and a parka thats 2 sizes too large... and Im not sure wear my ray bans are... might take a bit of hunting.

Obviously they hadn't been woggled first... although I've heard that some places have them frozen and pre-woggled.. but they dont taste the same. and theres an inherent risk...

My views the same, I was in the army and been in battle zones, I don't cower for anybody

jolly good.

WOW ,now I'm scared ,I think I'll build a panic room and stay in that for the rest of my life...Not

You might have a different view of these types of things if you have been attacked...

I was attacked.. in 1997. outside my own front door... because i dared to challenge some kids trying to nick a car. I was stabbed in the chest... and in the back for my efforts and suffered a concussion with severe memory dysfunction that lasted over year after being hit over the head with a crowbar. I was forced to relocate before the court case began as the police could not guarantee my safety. My life completely altered.

Salford.. a lovely place. NOT.

If a thief wants either of my bikes.. they are welcome to take them. but they have to find them first... actually know where they are.

I remain very dubious about some of these new security measures and the answers the criminals will have for them.

The problem with these new forms of security.. for cars and bikes is that it puts the owners/riders in greater personal jeopardy. the value of new bikes isn't going down any time soon so they will always be targeted and if a bike becomes impossible to use without a 'key' of some description.. the thieves are going to want that 'key'... they they will find ways to get it... whether thats the rider being attacked when out and about or while parking up. Or... followed home and possibly attacked in their own home.

does anyone think a determined thief with his eye on a bike worth over £10,000 is going to be put off by a front door? they can be through that and in your house in seconds... the household terrorised until the 'key' is handed over and the bike taken away. Hospital? loved ones traumatised? does anyone think a professional thief looking at a 'reward' of £1,000s will care about that?

we are already seeing increasing reports of bikers being attacked in broad daylight... this will only increase. the holy grail for any bike thief is the bike and its 'key'.

Amazes me how this womans words come back to bite her...

last night her party LOST 12 seats... this is what she said on 20th May.

I woke.. I saw.. I laughed.

Hubris. The worse crop of politicians for a generation. self created (for no real reason) disasters and the result.

best news of the night.... Nick Clegg. Not before time... this series of rolling disasters owes a lot to him and his stupendously bad decision.

Another vote in the Autumn after the tories tear themselves apart over the summer. brexit falling apart.. kicked into the long grass and..... interesting times.

ell-oh-ell.

Election? there cant be an election....

30 June 2016, as she stood for the Tory leadership: ‘There should be no general election until 2020.

12 July 2016, to Tory party staffers: ‘Let us redouble our efforts. And let us make sure we put this time to good use, to build the support we need to go to the country in four years’ time.

3 September 2016, speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr: ‘I’m not going to be calling a snap election. I’ve been very clear that I think we need that period of time, that stability, to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and have that election in 2020.’

7 March 2017, responding to William Hague’s calls for an election, a No 10 source tells the BBC it is not something Prime Minister Theresa May ‘plans to do or wishes to do’.

20 March 2017, her official spokesman says: ‘There is no change in our position on an early general election, that there isn’t going to be one… It is not going to happen…

oooh.

18 April 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a snap general election on 8 June.

She said Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership following the EU referendum.

well - I - Never.

The forum expert in all things will be along to tell us that we're all wrong. the tyre makers are wrong. the bike makers are wrong. everyone is wrong BUT... he knows the answer cause he's soooo clever (like)

I best get some pop corn.

I like the fact you can get there without having to ride all the way to the bottom of spain... a quick 'back of an envelope' quote returned a price of £148 for a return.. one adult and a Yamaha XT600 from barcelona to nador.

Barcelona - Nador

Mon 05 Jun @ 16:00 - Thu 15 Jun @ 17:00, 1 Motorcycle, 1 Passenger

thats for a booked seat... extra for a cabin (obviously)