Gerontious

I would bring it into line with the European standard. With extras.

AM requires a 7 hour training course (CBT) and the bike bears a different colour licence plate.

A1, A2 and A requires CBT plus lessons and 2 part test.

L plates to be abolished except when having lessons and worn as a tabard.

No more riding “forever” on L plates with only a CBT

2 year ban and then back to square one on achieving 12 points.

vehicles to be immediately seized and crushed or sold, if any of the above are ignored.

all bike thieves to be tagged and subject to a 12 hour curfew. Regardless of further litigation. Same for anyone caught riding following a ban.

Im not so sure about September being less conducive due to closures. in my experience that comes later as September is still very much "summer" this far south and a favourite time for holidays for people who are 'without responsibility'. ie older folks and childless couples and so on.  its only later into October and early November that the switchover from summer to winter sports begins in earnest. at weekends in particular these places become rammed as people take advantage of the dog days of summer. where the length of daylight is still reasonable and the risk of snowfall or indeed a frost remains low. Theres quite a contrast between September and the period between easter and the start of the summer holidays for example. of the two periods I would opt for September every time as the weather trends towards being more settled compared to the earlier period I mentioned.

although a bad September is always possible, its far less likely than a bad May for example. or even June.

that's been my experience anyway. though it excludes Switzerland as I avoid that country as much as possible.

There’s nothing I can say that’s useful about the XT2.

i wish you had mentioned you were considering buying an XT in advance, I would have strongly urged you to get either the original XT or an earlier model.

the XT2 might look like a simple upgrade of the original - nothing could be further from the truth as unlike the original it’s almost exclusively reliant on a smart phone and smart phone apps.
 

I don’t need to think about them aside from one which feeds live updates to the device when I’m actively using it - the Drive app.

Everything else I do at home with the device connected to my Mac computer via a usb cable.

I tried MRA for a week and deleted it as it added nothing to my user experience

Its probably easier to rent as the rental company will very likely sort out all the associated documentation, liability insurance and assistance you might need to carry or have available.

you might find that you are not allowed under the terms of the rental agreement to leave the country that the bike was rented in. or there might be further restrictions, on distance covered for example.

its probably best for you to search for rental companies in the rough area you have in mind, or that are close to your arrival point. (airport) and talk to them via email or read what they have to say on their websites. find out what documentation you must provide to them and any limitations there are and proceed from there.

At a guess I would suppose that Switzerland would be the most expensive country to rent from. followed by Germany and Italy.  but that's really only a guess.

You make no mention of where you currently live or what nationality you are. thats important. if you are non-european then I cannot see how buying would be easier given the requirement for insurance.

it can be a positive as it keeps the switch moving.  I cycle through all the 3 methods as Ive seen people having issues with Africa Twins where the emergency stop button in particular becomes faulty and the bike refuses to start. in most cases the owner stated that they had never used this button before. it was an easy fix with contact cleaner. but a pain in the neck nonetheless.

so, using these various methods in cycle might be seen as a preventative measure. its certainly not going to cause any harm. The only thing I do and this is particular to my bike and its odd gear system is I always put the bike in neutral before turning it off. whichever method is used.

I keep the ignition key entirely separate from all other keys. and then luggage keys on the same ring as my house keys. so obviously whenever I go out I always have the luggage keys with me (with my house keys)

Because my ignition key is remarkably valuable.. its chip key so replacement is very expensive. I keep the spare with my documents, in a safe place. And my daily use ignition key also in a safe place ready for use, downstairs. so, when going out I pick it up and with my house keys have everything. Im also very careful to put the ignition key back where it belongs upon my return - without fail.

If Im out and about on the bike and the bike is to be left, the ignition key goes in my pocket. separate from my house keys, I did used to have a separate clasp on the ring to secure it, but when that failed I didn't bother ton replace it.

Its become habit to always look at the ignition as I walk away too make doubly sure the key is not there.

When I travel... I take the spare key with me and store that in one of the internal pockets in my jacket that can be zipped closed and is never normally used. so, if I were to mislay my normal use key, I have a spare.

I would rather be seen as paranoid by checking and double checking. refusing to be rushed, especially when abroad as the one thing I don't want to have to worry about is losing or mislaying the key and ending up stuck. a nightmare scenario.

when on tour always take a spare and keep it somewhere safe. on your person. hidden safely in your jacket or trousers. (jacket in my case)

The biggest difference between France and the UK. Which also made the UK unique in the EU, is that L plates do not exist outside the UK. There is no such thing as riding a bike of any kind on a CBT only. Bikers are only allowed on the road while having lessons.

you will not be allowed on the ferry/tunnel with L plates displayed.  Ive heard in the past of such difficulties.

To ride a moped in France normally requires an AM license. And as these involve training I wouldn’t be too sure that a gendarme would be sympathetic if you can’t answer his demands in full. A French AM license is highly likely to be different in how it’s validated to over here.

There may be a loophole. Read this page for details. Though I do worry about loopholes when trying to argue the case with a non English speaker.

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/france/transport/driving-licences/motorbikes-scooters

Lost mine yesterday - just shy of his 15th birthday. His decline was very quick - a week. One of the most common ways for an older dog to go. Kidney failure. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next. I’m still in a state of shock and to an extent denial, the habits of living with a dog don’t disappear over night. I’m very conscious of his presence and yet he’s no longer here. It’s very strange. I’m dealing at the moment with waves of grief due to the constant reminders, the daily rituals that have ended.

anyway, onwards and upwards. This state of mind will soon fade away and I think that at some point I’ll perhaps welcome the freedom from responsibility. I often tell people in this same state of grief. Don’t wait. But this time it’s me and right now I’m in no rush. It’s all too raw and shocking. So fast. I’m actually consoled by that. Some previous dogs in my life didn’t have that luxury.

I would buy one of the covers that are made from - effectively - tent fly sheet material. These will keep most of the wet off, any that does get through, or if the bike is wet when covered, will more easily evaporate off as the material is very thin and breathable. Most cheaper covers are like this.

33 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

 

ignore me.. totally wrong. 

though.. if appropriate a shock sock might help protect the spring etc until something more permanent appears.

Aah… counter steering. Memories of a past on this forum when this was by far the most controversial topic ever. It used to amuse me no end. As for me I learnt it, long before I owned a motorbike - during the transition from dual to single and then no stabilisers at all. I must have been 7yrs old or thereabouts. And later. When I was 11 and would sometimes cycle to school, which was 11 miles away. (And I missed the coach) it became somewhat more important. Not something you think about, it just happens when you go round a curve in the road at any speed. Would have to be walking pace to turn by physically turning the handlebars. Can’t think how long it was before I realised that something that was instinctive had a name. And was actually controversial.

happy days.

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and pay. If someone has the parts go and buy them. You will at least save the costs of the labour if the warranty will cover that. Maybe there’s something I’m missing.

6 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

Looove tubeless tyres.

me too, which is why I have a set of tubed wheels and tyres that have just 500 miles on them. I’m not entirely sure why I still have them cluttering up one of the spare bedrooms.

My favourite one. Often used. But only by me is OLAT. Which I pronounce Olé (obviously)

Oh Look A Twat!

Im not sure there is such a thing - after the fact.

even adding these liquids to a undamaged tube that can fill a hole are hit and miss. you just can't guarantee they will work. ask the question and some will say it worked. others will say it didn't and just created a mess. and then further problems when they had the tyre fixed professionally. or at home. side of the road -wherever. I know a lot of people with tubed tyres rely on good luck. That they won't get a puncture or, alternatively practice changing the tube and carry a spare with them plus the tools needed of course. My bike came with tubed wheels as standard. I paid a hefty amount of cash to avoid all these problems and bought new wheels.

seems to me the best course is to buy the level of assistance that will at least get you home. or to somewhere open that can fix the tube there and then. or fit a new one if you carry a spare. carrying a spare is probably the best thing you can do. Though I guess that doesnt help much if you're already stuck.

27 minutes ago, RideWithStyles said:

yep that is oldschool? what make is it?

 

well if that fails whats the plan? budget? and compromises?  what do you already have?

Its a REGA, made in Southend on sea. and they do make CD players that are a big step up from this one, but are very expensive. starting at £2000. and there is no way I can justify that. The one in the photo is from 2018 and at the time cost £700. so hopefully one will turn up for half that price or less. irritatingly enough a posh shop in the Home Counties has NOS but is too snooty to accept PayPal too snooty to even have any kind of online store.

At the moment I do not have any CD player. just a CD rom that I use to rip my CDs onto the computer and then listen to that via my amp and speakers. Ive not owned a 'proper' CD player for more than 10 years. But, I still have a fairly large CD collection... with some that date right back to the very beginning. Nobody would guess that in a previous life I was the manager of a record store. Being stabbed in an attempted robbery ended that chapter.

Im in no hurry. one will turn up. or something that catches my eye and falls inside my budget.

But it has to be a top loader. Ive going through a lot of CD players and its always been the tray mechanism that fails.

if you are interested in seeing the current £2000 model. here it is. out of my league.

4 nights from tonight with the rampaging schizophrenics. money for old rope to be honest.

At the moment Im on the look out for a decent CD transport, not a new one. a few years old. as long as its in mint condition. really prefer a top loader as it always seems to be the tray that pops out that seems to break down. And I definitely do not like this new, or rather a recent fashion for slot loading - where you push the cd into a slot and the mechanism grabs it and draws it in. so many at the more affordable end are going for that.

Apparently.. there isn't a factory left in the entire world that produces Audio CD mechanisms any more. All available stock was bought up when the last ones closed. Sanyo being the last I believe. Though they're rather good.

Quite remarkable and reminds me of the situation maybe 20 years ago when there were hardly any 'quality' record players being made - at the affordable end of the market.

So, thats my weekend. sitting quietly in a lounge while the young man I'm watching over sleeps. I might see him, I probably won't. Looking at consumer electronics - poised to 'buy it now'.

This is the model Im waiting for... Made in the UK (of course)

Patience, Its not easy.

5 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

Wasn't it supposed to damage alloys from the inside for tubeless tyres?

Yes. though it really depends on the coating used on the inside of the rims. if its good, then no problem. But if it isn't and the stuff can get under it and in contact with the metal - it can turn out very nasty. This is why some people will have had no problems whatsoever while others get something like this:

15 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

I won't ask why you haven't a credit card but I couldn't survive without a credit card. Not that I load it with debt as I pay it off in full every month but when travelling its the easiest way to pay. As it is my wallet is cluttered with 4 different currencies in leftovers.

I have two and the most interest I have ever paid on them was an accidental 6p. I was mortified!!

both are travel friendly without any fees and using the proper exchange rate.. rather than a loaded one. 

But, it depends where you are going on whether a card of any type is essential. for example when we go to Germany there is no need for one as all the fuel stations en route and while there are manned. so cash is king. (assuming you're ok with that)

But.. especially in France and when you are away from major routes or larger towns you might not find a manned petrol station and so a card is essential - and people frequently have problems with debit cards being declined. (as Snoddy did one year in Italy) But, there is also the booby prize. if you were to (for example) need to top up your tank and just spend €30 on fuel the petrol companies card company will take up to and sometimes above €100 and hang onto it for a day or two.. sometimes longer. and obviously this will soon add up. Its not a problem if the card has plenty of credit on it. The card I use has £2000.  and I just pay it off when I get back and before they start charging interest.

My mate @smallfrowne had this a couple of years ago in France. he was using a cash card. a loaded holiday card and had something like €70 left on it and the fuel refused to flow even though he only wanted about €20 worth. I paid for his fuel then and he reimbursed me. It refused him because he didn't have enough on his card to cover the entire amount they wanted to hold on to.

All that said it is a good idea to have a credit card. I use a Halifax Clarity as well as my usual Nationwide. so I have a Visa and a MasterCard. means I dont need to load myself with cash and I just pay the card off when I get back. never use any credit card for withdrawing cash from an ATM.

17 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

 

This concerns me, as I haven't had a credit card for 15 years, and my bike is 19 this year, so European cover is unlikely....

ETA.co.uk offers european roadside for any bike up to 20yrs old. so thats not really a problem. but its always best if you can fix something minor yourself, rather than wait. possibly for hours.

The problem is a major fault that cannot be fixed and there might be a wait for parts. so, its always a good idea to have a budget set aside for that and if absolutely necessary a cheap flight home. Only the real specialists will repatriate an old bike and the costs for that level of cover is not cheap.

For a more modern bike its in the companies interest to avoid paying for repatriation, so they tend to contact all the local dealers in a desperate bid to find someone who can fix it quickly. often with donor parts. dont ask me how I know this.

1 hour ago, Simon Davey said:

Thanks guys, I hadn't considered taking chain tools or lube, or a puncture kit for that matter. 

if you are going alone, thats one thing. but if you are going with other people then its always a good idea to have a chat as the time approaches and sort out who has what. its a bit daft if everyone brings a puncture kit but nobody thinks to bring an inflator. because they simply assumed someone else would.

Biggest 'luxury' I bring is a 1/2" breaker bar. which again, lives at the bottom of my pannier. I will never forget the drama watching a couple of mad Italians trying and desperately failing to loosen a wheel nut. swore I would never put myself through that!! So I have one and also the two sockets I need to do the wheel. 27mm and 22mm. together with the spanners for the adjuster and locknuts. lives at the bottom of the pannier - no big deal. 

I forgot to mention the multitool. It fits nicely in the pouch that contains the puncture kit. So it’s a needle nose plier, which is useful for pulling out an object that’s in the tyre. And thus find out if there’s actually a puncture or not. One of my mates is an expert at spotting these things.

the one I have is a fairly old leatherman wave. It’s probably the item I’ve used most over the years.

Chain adjust is about my limit and only taken with me for “just in case”. Never actually needed to use it. Sod’s Law is a thing. “If you have it you’ll never need it” and the reverse is true. Most technical thing I do is oil the chain while away. So a little jar with some gear oil in it and a small brush. Puncture repair too, though that’s more about saving time. Repair in minutes rather than wait, potentially for hours for someone to turn up. I would never go away on any kind of tour if the bike was very close to its service interval. Get that done first. I do have a cute little socket set that lives at the bottom of my pannier for just in case. But it’s not usually for my own bike.

A few years ago a young lad came with us to Germany. He had an A2 license and was riding a Honda 500. From what I remember he asked the same question and did the sums and it worked out very slightly cheaper to go for the A2 and it came down to insurance. As well as his albeit brief experience on a 125 when he did his CBT at the very start of the process. His enthusiasm went through the roof when he got to ride a 500 for his A2. He was so impressed he bought the same bike after passing. His insurance for that bike was actually less than for a 125cc. The bike cost only a little more than the 125 too. A little bit more in monthly payments I mean.

i know it’s very common for people to start with a 125 as that’s the way it’s been since 1982 - but when A2 training came along. These old ideas don’t really stick anymore and really the only reason that I can see in favour of starting from scratch with a 125 is due to your budget.

but if your budget gives you the choice - then my question is why wouldn’t you?  I think it’s 5 years until you can move up? Or is it 2. It doesn’t matter - there’s a wait.

why wait.

I don’t own a car and I don’t shop in Sainsbury’s - so therefore my stress levels are very low, if not non existent. This coupled with the fact that I work with people who have made stress into an art form. Schizophrenics of the paranoid type. As well as those with severe bi-polar and various, exciting personality disorders. Means that the most stressful trigger I encounter on any kind of a regular basis is when I see chocolate bars getting smaller while the price still goes up. That and the voice of Farage and Rees-Mogg. Does it for me. I’ve found that rather than fall to the floor and dramatically foam at the mouth (a bit) it’s better for me to go online and window shop for things that I don’t really need. Or, on those rare occasions when it might get too much. Turn off the light. Take a deep breath and relax, and let the rhythm be my guiding light. (Thanks Enigma)

calm. I’m at work, “He” is asleep. And everything is just peachy.

I’m not very good at this rant, thing.

its a constant struggle