Pie man

Next year I will be taking my tent, however; after the 633 mile ride, the first nights accommodation will be a Hotel, then decide where to go from there. 

Next year will be an Iron Butt Tour. Day 1 will be a Big Ass Ride to Langres then 4 Days camping around the Swiss/French Alps, weather dependant

Good Evening - its time for some Vino

I have to disagree and say 'no you shouldn't pull over or stop on double yellow lines' unless in an emergency or told to do so by plod. You pull over, you stop, you stop, you're waiting, you're waiting you're are parked. Unless they play a dirty trick on you to see if you have been observing the seasonal signage and even then you can argue it wasn't safe to stop, so you carried on until you found a safe place to stop. But then again I don't think I could pass my test again  

If you want cheap as chips, there's always ex military clothing to go over your riding gear 

Good Evening 

£15K? Where are you based 'Helmsdale'

Good Evening   

For us too. We're off to Ibiza, for a weekend of beer 

Well England just blew it. Clearly in the driving seat for the 1st half, but too many penalties in the last 10, a cruel ending.

Good Evening - Just ordered the beers

I think its what makes touring fun. Just enough French to ask for a room with a shower, 'please and thank you' and number of petrol pump etc, same in German, but add knowing  'road closed' and 'diversion' or 'detour'. I don't mind making a fool of myself trying to order food etc, breaks the ice, everyone knows 'beer/bier'. There's still  lot of good people out there. 

Good Evening from a windy and rainy Lancashire

19 hours ago, daveinlim said:

We've all seen the cold and rain roll in this week. 

I've been dressed for the weather but still getting wet.

I'm wearing a Oxford hinterland jacket and trousers plus a Oxford rainseal one piece over suit. Gloves boots helmet too.

 

I've been out in heavy rain twice this week. Both times I was dry but my belly was wet. Rain is getting into the suit and must be pooling and soaking through my jacket. 

 

The rest of me was bone dry including my chest and legs so I don't know what's happening.

 

The times I got wet were going home from work which isn't too bad. But as the winter hits I don't want to get to work wet. 

does the outer suit form condensation on the inside, I wonder if the semipermeable membrane is allowing condensation through or is it that much it must be rain. 

17 minutes ago, husoi said:

I get a lot less wet since I waterproof my 2 piece suit with some marine waterproofing liquid.

It stinks, you won't be able to use for a couple weeks until the smell disappears, but boy if it works.

DO NOT apply indoors (You have been warned)!!!!!

1 bottle is more than enough to treat both the jacket and trousers.

Is it strong enough to keep those bloody Scottish midges away 

If your going to commute all through winter, invest in some good clobber, it took me over 20yrs to come to that conclusion, not being able to afford good clobber at the time. Keis heated gilet and heated gloves, gone are the days I used to shove a news paper up my jumper. If on a budget, I see Nathan Millward suggest buying ex military or French/German gore-tex jacket to go over your motorcycle jacket, not sure of sizes though

Hello and welcome 

Go and find a good motorcycle clothing retailer and try some gear on. My Oxford Mondial Jacket is a 4XL, I think they go up to 5XL. 

I've been thinking and thinking and thinking. If I can get to Dijon in a day and then spend a couple of days around the Swiss Alps and then leave a couple of days riding home. Then spend a couple of weeks recovering from Monkey butt . If all else fails, Scotland.

I don't know your project but here's my two penneth.

I only use people I already know however, if you don't know the builder, ask for a recent project they have completed and ask for references or addresses and can you go and look at the works. Especially If the works you intend to carry out are costly. 

You need a project plan, very simple one which will outline the project and a sequence of works along with anticipated cost and payment schedules. 

Nothing wrong with interim payments as long as you have a project cost. I would never pay up front, but would pay for works completed as per project plan. Usually every two weeks. 

i.e Example Extension

Week one - Groundworks - excavate ground works/footings, carry out drainage works. inform building control to inspect, then concrete footing and prepare for brickworks and groundwork and sub base

Cost - Footings/concrete £800, building inspector £80. Blockwork £400, Sub base materials £400 + Labour ? once satisfied - pay builder. On to week 3&4 and so on. 

I have paid for materials i.e steel, bi-folding doors, underfloor heating etc. 

But it does depend on the project and the builder. I have a good repour with mine, and we agree I buy certain components when he doesn't have an account with that supplier. (He makes a butty from the discount he receives on his accounts with all other building materials) + Labour. 

Edit: ensure they are quoting apples for apples and nothing lost in translation 

1 hour ago, Joe85 said:

Even with the V5C I don’t think Aprilla will be able to cut me a key though, right? Assume they’d need the code that came with the keys when new, which I won’t have.

 

Does this mean a new barallel?

A decent auto locksmith should be able to sort you out with a key, note, there isn't as many wafers in the petrol cap as in the ignition barrel. Do you know if the bike has a factory immobiliser system, if so you will need a transponder key programming. 

I purchased my first Rev'it! suit back in 2005, great bit of kit back then, and now. They have certainly come a long way.  

I wish I had your dilemma. I'm trying to sort out a trip, but I only have a week. 

I would chose a Yamaha WR125X  or R