manxie49

Welcome .... Nice area you plan to tour, that's also on my bucket list

https://bikeswiki.com/Honda_NC700_(NC750) Dual sport version with ABS

Some people gotta learn .... The hard way

TT week over here springs to mind, you'd end up like a Churchill the dog effigy in the back window of a car

I would personally go for replacement, however, that's going on my own experience and skill with welding, which certainly isn't my favourite DIY job.

I nod to all bikers, including scooters, and yes I ride a Beamer .... Cheers Tiggie In my experience, I find the ones who just look at you are the power rangers who think they're WSB heroes, just my experience that though. But like Tiggie says, if they don't nod back, I just think "cock" and ride on with a smile on my face. You're right what you say about experience though, my mate bought a GSA and said exactly the same. He nods or waves to all bikers but said, since getting the GSA a lot of bikers don't acknowledge him, this guy has years of experience and also used to race. A lot more experienced than most. Some attitudes are pretty pathetic really, helping / acknowledging all bikers (Except cyclists ), was the biking way of life I was brought up in.

Welcome, Triumph T90, lovely bike, I'm sure it's a labour of love

I ride all year round and find Rukka to be the best gear I've ever owned. I wish I'd have bought Rukka years ago rather than wasting my money on cheap crap that just didn't cut the mustard. The down side is that it is expensive, I remember grabbing lots of overtime at work to afford the kit. I've had my gear a few years now, clean it, treat it with Nikwax and thus far it has never let me down. I've ridden in all weathers, from heavy rain to sub zero temperatures and still love the kit. That said, remember for warmth, you need to think layers. A goretex jacket alone may keep you dry but IMHO won't keep you that warm on it's own. I wear a down filled liner under my jacket when the temperature gauge starts to fall and usually some sort of base layer under that. I've never used one but I believe Keis heated gillets worn under your outer coat are also extremely effective.

IMHO it's not just the charging issues that are going to kill off motorcycle touring, it's the eye watering cost of the bikes. A British company has just produced an electric bike, nothing special, it was tested on the Bennett's web site, starting price for the bike is 90k!!!! I mean FFS what ordinary mortal is going to be able to afford that. I think what this video confirmed for me is that the bike is ok for commuting, but a ten day trip to Spain, or even the NC500 .... Forget it.

Ground anchor and as Daveinlim said, Monimoto is pretty good. I used to have one, I was in Northumberland a few years ago, staying at a hotel, phone starts messaging me that my bike is moving, thankfully it wasn't someone trying to steal it, it was someone sitting their kid on it for a photo. But it did it's job and definitely gives you a heads up if someone starts tinkering with your bike, you could even put it on the inside of the garage door, so you know if someone is trying to get the door open.

Sounds like you handled it quite sensibly. Personally, from my own experiences, I do tend to scrub the speed down a little on single track roads, especially in crap weather. I often find myself doing 25-30mph, especially around some of the single track roads in Scotland and Cumbria. As has already been said, some of the locals can be over familiar on those roads and be a hazard to themselves and others. Being able to stop safely in the distance you can see to be clear is sound advice, as is, always expect the unexpected around every bend.

If it was me, I would personally seek advice from a Podiatrist. They may be able to advise on different types of supports or even inserts that can be worn under boots.

IMHO it's about time. Most cyclists I come across are genuinely ok. However, it's the same with everything, the entitled minority ruin it for all. I've been undertaken twice now in a 20mph zone near where I live, on one occasion, two numb nuts on e-bikes, who I imagine thought they were being very clever, one undertook and the other overtook me. I even had helmet cam footage of that incident, not worth reporting it though because plod just don't seem interested, even if they could trace them. I do cycle myself, but only around the plantations on my mountain bike, I don't go on the roads but I still have 3rd party insurance, it isn't expensive, so yes, rightly so, all cyclists, the same as all other road users, should also have to comply with this law.

Happy Birthday, have a good one

Belated Happy Birthday, hope it was a good one ....

The visor shop sell them, if this is what you're looking at? Never used one myself or know anyone who has. I did see a cyclist last winter wearing something similar, certainly made him easier to see. https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/gb/Nolan-N-COM-ESS-Helmet-Brake-Light/m-26284.aspx?PartnerID=21&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shoppingUnitedKingdom&msclkid=128c85c4bf2c1b2099cbe6d946e35151

It's like this place, I know when summer has arrived because the rain is warmer

Getting the bike ready for a short trip to the Lakes, on the boat Monday morning and the forecast looks like heavy rain .... Happy days

Mental health issues are a minefield, getting him to admit that he has a problem is the first hurdle. Once he realises, and is willing to admit to this, then he may be more receptive to getting help. IMHO all you can do is to give encouragement, support, and try and involve him him things that may rekindle his love of motorcycles again. The worse thing you could do is force, coerce, or push him into something he isn't ready for. Crap place to be, and I know we're all different, we all have different coping mechanisms, but with mental health issues I would always recommend professional intervention. Words of wisdom from friends and good meaning advice from people like me on forums is no substitute for help from people who know what they're talking about .... Hope it all turns out ok for you both

RIP Ma'am, there will certainly never be another monarch like her ....

I thought this may be of use for some riders travelling abroad. Interactive Google map showing the towns and cities in Europe enforcing the 30kph speed limits https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1BY2obyDIe2fus7Ci7UGVKRIowoI&hl=fr&fbclid=IwAR1RapyAo1p6Wvs8HMt7LPnnB1Oi_ZzKeeg-ycg8gjNufsw0_6vK6xMHla4&ll=47.304881650670445%2C2.245582748144539&z=6

Not a great lover of any politicians personally, yet to see one who has done anything to make my life better .... However, I believe everyone deserves a chance, and TBF she's walking into one of the biggest shit storms this country has ever faced. So I'll hold off opinion till I see how she performs, and what she does to fix, what IMHO is a seriously broken country on so many levels.

Happy Birthday

Another fan of EP90 gear oil here. I've tried lots of the expensive types and EP90 seems to do just as good a job, if not better. Make sure you also get a good chain brush, keep the chain clean, especially during the winter months. Again, you'll get lots of differing advice on cleaning, personally, I use paraffin and have never had any issues.

As S-Westerly said, gel seats or pads are worth a go .... The only ache I ever really got was back pain, mainly due to being 6'2" and riding a cramped sports bike. The physio was brilliant for that though. My wife however, on longer journeys, used to suffer the same sort of pain as you, riding pillion though. At the time we invested in one of those gel pads for the rear seat, and although it didn't totally cure the problem for her, she did find it made the ride noticeably better. She could go a lot further before digging me in the back and asking me to stop. Have a look at these. https://www.wild-ass.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-motorcycle-gel-seat/