Gerontious

It did the job though... but was very large and extremely heavy and had to go. fortunately I got a great discount on the scorpion.

Not said a word to my current insurer about the modifications I have made to the Africa Twin.. which are fairly extensive. though nothing has been 'performance' enhancing.

I went from this: To this: I took the baffle out and went to Germany. I got back and put the baffle back in. very quickly.

Cool in the shade... a rather large Austrian lay-by on the B107

Why are you reposting made up images from faceboook and twitter. this isn't a real weather image you know. its from climate change deniers. Whoever put that image together was too dumb to even change the temperatures which are a more normal heat wave. what we are having today and tomorrow is NOT normal.

I would spend day one on a dash to the Rhine. Then slow down the next day using German ‘B’ roads to get down to Munich. Day 1 head for Strasbourg, for example. Using autoroutes as french main roads are generally arrow straight, for the most part. From Strasbourg I would just let the sat nav guide me. Avoid motorways and then it’s a 6hr ride (non stop) 370km more or less, so a much more relaxed day with a few stops and a decent lunch break. of course you could do the opposite for the return. Autobahn dash across Germany to the Rhine and the slow down for the ride across France. Or you could head north and take in the Ardenne mountain range that stretches across Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. Or hug the border and stay mostly on the French side.

I realise we’re all different, but personally, I just wouldn’t use a mid size bike for such a short commute. Sub 4 miles just isn’t far enough for the engine to warm up properly. And that would be a greater concern to me than the battery. But regardless of that I feel you have created a problem that doesn’t really exis, the drain from a dip beam is negligible and not worth worrying about.

Well.. there is a plus. something positive to consider. The French have seen energy price rises capped to 4% compared to about 50% here. The French Government own 85% of EDF... which also as it happens supplies about 20% of our electricity from UK power stations that it owns (and has 5 million customers in the UK too). This is apparently what business is all about. profits flowing from the UK into the coffers of the French government. subsidising French consumers. But.. if this country wanted to take over power stations in the same way as the French. Thats communism. and we can't have that!!

Its not even a new idea. I remember back in the 1990s - MCN and some of the magazines would be filled with adverts from training companies, where everything was included and often meant a week in a B&B in some small town out in the sticks. days of intensive training and then the test. So, you had a bit of a holiday and the test done in a comparatively quiet town.

Ive visited many WW1 + 2 cemeteries and Ive always found the German ones very understated. On 'enemy/occupied' territory... often an enemy territory where the population was brutalised and yet here they are given some respect in death. Ive never been to one where there was another visitor. I don't tend to walk among the graves though as there are certain grave markings I don't want to see. I made that mistake once and came away feeling sick to my stomach, somehow soiled just being there among the murderous fanatics of the schutzstaffel. Cured later by visiting their victims murdered during the dash to the beaches at Dunkirk.

So are iPhones.. its extremely simple to reorientate an image on the phone in 3 clicks. takes about 2 seconds.

Good suggestion. the restrictor set up for those models is a very cheap option by comparison with some bikes, not only the part itself (a modified bracket) but the cost of fitment... minutes.

I would use the Q-Park on Whitworth Street.

of which 44% is tax. Duty and VAT on that Duty and other costs.

Take a credit card. Paul needed Petrol (so did I) and we called at a normal 24/24 south of Troyes. He had a 'holiday card with more than enough cash on it on it and so wanted to use that.. to use up the cash. He wanted 15L The card machine rejected his card because it wanted to ring fence €500 until the transaction was processed!!! and he had somewhat less than €500. Machine says NON! He used his credit card.

Sometimes I just want to find a nice little cliff and throw myself off it. nothing lethal obviously.. a few inches and then some carefully manipulated video footage and sound effects to increase the drama. Theres a chap on facebook who has just been to the same part of France that we were at last week. he has posted videos and photos of a mountain river that runs below a rather nice balcony road. and every single detail he has written about this place is wrong. Even though as a beauty spot its rather famous and popular if you happen to be in the locale. (the road is a stunner) I commented on his post and he read that, corrected his post and GOT IT EVEN MORE WRONG!!! I need to stop reading facebook posts. really I do...

Be careful about socks. Nobody thinks about their socks until it’s too late. Remember, ankle socks are an absolute nono. And never ever wear those silly ones with the knitted toes or it can get very messy very quickly.

So do I as per the owners manual, but I have never found oil on either part. just general road grime that washes off with little or no effort. I would be quite peeved by the extra work involved to remove oil. Ive found the switch from shaft to chain relatively painless so far though even 3 years on its still a novelty.

why do you have oil on your swing arm and back wheel?

In case of a breakdown.... the most likely culprit being a puncture. take everything you need to repair and reinflate. those little gas bottles are only a 'get me to a proper pump' solution and then you have to trust that the fuel stop has one AND that it works. Spare cash for at worst a new tyre... if the tyre is irreparable. spare cash or at least enough credit. DO NOT USE OR RELY ON A DEBIT CARD FOR BUYING FUEL IN FRANCE!!! NEVER EVER!!! as the petrol company is likely to ring fence anything up to €500 until it completes. and that can mean you're broke. or out of fuel. use a credit card. Don't believe me.. look at this. Unmanned 24/24 Fuel station south of Troyes wanted €500 for a measly 15 litres of fuel. and Paul only had £230 left on that particular card. (he used his credit card instead) There was still €150 ring fenced from 4 days earlier!!! its a really bad situation to be in. This only applies to Debit cards and similar. The credit card companies won't allow this nonsense.

Recovering after 16 days away and not back at work until Friday, which means I can put some serious effort into this recovering lark!!

Last day today. After an overnight In Eperney. This is my favourite picture of the whole 16 days.. despite the lad cavorting. We were on the Mangart in Slovenia. By far the most dangerous road I have ever ridden in my life!! But so worth it.

Yes. Electrics. Side of the road for 2 hours to locate the problem (in Italy) then limped over the border and another 4 hours locating a replacement part. so the seat came off twice in one day which was a great result. not been plain sailing for me either.. but was a 10 minute job and no seats were disturbed. by the way the place he got the part from seems to do a roaring trade in broken touring bikes being traded in for something ready to go. Amongst a jumble of modern bikes of all descriptions. Including an 1800 gold wing with all bells and whistles, plus 2 seat side-car. I spotted this little treasure. It’s almost worth flying back to buy it. These things are highly valued in the UK. an early 80s R90S in fabulous condition. Under all the grime.