OldEssexMan

Fogtech DX anti-fog wipes. Single use only but they do work and stay active all day. They are no good if you have fancy coatings on your lenses though, they just bead up and don't produce a film. Nano Magic anti fog: a small bottle contining the jollop and a microfibre cloth. Not cheap but woks on the coated lenses as mentioned above. I agree with the OP, opening the visor a crack is fine in moving traffic but, if you are moving slowly or stop-start, you get a cold face and, if it's raining, rain on your specs as well.

This post does back up my comment about BMW reliability. The bike is being sold at 53k miles and has already had a new clutch and a new cam chain adjuster. My Yam XJ900F had had no major parts replaced when I sold it at 100k miles. My first Pan was bought at 40k and sold at 140k with no parts replaced. My second Pan was bought new and sold at 180k miles having had the alternator replaced at 98k. To have to replace major components by 53k does not fill me with confidence about BMWs.

I too am in the market for a new bike. Having had shaft-driven machines since 1991 I am not exactly spoiled for choice these days! What has happened to the manufacturers to make them all so shaft-phobic? No Japanese company has a shaft-drive in their portfolio (except Honda with the Goldwing) and, having heard too many stories about BMW unreliability, I am loathe to go that route. Guzzi? No thanks! Yes, another Pan would be nice but they are all at least 10 years old. I fear I will be 'forced' into having something with a chain - ugh!

i have tried Beadmaster (like a beaded seat cover) and Cool Covers. Of the two, I prefere the Beadmaster but, they are USA-made and there may be import hassles now. CoolCovers are good, I have one on my1200 Explorer now, and both have the added advantage of allowing water to run off the seat if riding in the rain so you don't end up sitting in a puddle!

OK. Firstly, this is a great trip. DON'T GO IN THE CAR!!! Riding in Europe is an eye-opener whichever route you take. Personally, I would make the journey out as quick as possible to enjoy the Slovak hospitality with your contacts there and make the return leg a bit more meandering - if you have time, etc, etc. Make no mistake, even if you just grind the miles out on the Autobahn you will learn so much about your bike, see riding from a different perspective and whet your appetite for more. Yes, your girlfriend's family say they can do it in a day and a half in the car - that's pushing it! I used to drive to Poland and Czhechia quite a lot and I'd be looking at minimum two days. And don't forget, it's easier in a car, there's snacks and drinks on hand, stopping for breaks is easier because you just lock the doors and walk into the restaurant, not like on the bike where you have to faff about with gear and worry about people nicking stuff. I would do it by leaving UK late afternoon/early evening by the Tunnel. It's so much quicker and easier than getting on a boat. Get into France and head for into Belgium and after maybe 100 miles rock up at a motorway hotel for the night. "Wild camping" may be your thing, it ain't mine, and I'd be worried about security. Also, in a hotel, you get a good night's kip, up early, breakfast and on your way by 07.30-ish. If you put in a decent day that day you'll have broken the back of the trip and be a good way there. Most of your luggage will be going in the car, you hardly need to take anything, just clean undies and waterproofs. Don't worry about borders, I think all the routes you mention are through Schengen countries and there are no actual borders as such. If you go via Hungary you'll need a "Vignette" to stick on your bike for the motorways, i.e. a toll sticker. get it at the border when you cross. You have probably looked at all the document requirements but don't forget bike insurance, travel insurance, bike V5 and MOT (if it has one) Hope this helps, have a great trip!!

I have found Traders and General Insurance Services in Essex to be very helpful. Give them a call on 020 8519 5950, ask for Steve.

Another EU myth! White and yellow plates were introduced here in 1967, we didn't join the EEC, as it was then, until 1973

Well the tank-badge says "Chaise", a French manufacturer in the 1930s

I don't want opinions, I want facts

In response to the OP's point: I too have difficulty with this question of "character". I have asked many people what it means and received just as many answers. The nearest I can get to understanding it is, "the indefinable aspects of a bike that either mean you like or dislike it." As it's indefinable that means it's a matter of personal opinion, let's keep our opinions to ourselves!

Well, I did say MOST and I wasn't including cyclists.

An entertaining vid, rather like riding in central London apart from the ignoring of road signs, which MOST riders here still obey! Interesting that he only reached the heady heights of 25kph once. I particularly liked the section where they passed the copper on traffic duty, the step-through rider on their right was riding one-handed, phone to his ear. Hardly anybody was using the horn, unlike when I have been in Saudi or Jordan where everybody seems to have the horn sounding all the time.

The manual for my newly-acquired 1200 Triumph Explorer says the engine should be run for 30 seconds before moving off

Let's not lose sight of the fact that filtering is seen by the law as overtaking. So, all the caveats and restrictions and warnings about being observant, etc, that apply to overtaking, apply to the special type of overtaking commonly referred to as filtering. There have been numerous cases through the courts over many years that reinforce this view, i.e. filtering is perfectly legal provided it is done with regard to other road-users and in a safe and controlled manner. Living as I do in SE England and having to travel frequently in London, if I couldn't filter there would be no point in having a motorcycle!

Funny, I have a Neotec II and I can have my visor cracked open a little. It's good that Feridax have responded well to your query, I wonder what the new base plate will do?

I'm a member and have been for some years. No, I don't share their keeness for camping rallies that seem to be peopled by heavy metal fans but I do like the idea of an organisation that appears to be well-run, on democratic lines, that is actively scrutinising legislation for anti-motorcycle bias. Most of the bias is down to ignorance, many drafters of new rules, regulations, etc, just don't consider motorcycling as important, we are a minority after all, and MAG raises our profile to the point where legislators mindsets may change. OK, if you don't agree with this, nobody is forcing you to join but I welcome their efforts on our behalf, even if some folk see it as naff or unwelcome. There ain't nobody else doing it, I love riding and would hate to see it ground down. OK, many see their objection to compulsory helmets as unwanted and illogical. I, for one, have no problem with it but I always wear one out of choice. It was the legislation that provided the impetus for the Group to be formed and if they see it as part of their raison d'etre then so be it. Good luck to them and long may they continue.

To answer your 'main question', it will be the best decision to make! Yes, there will be days when things don't go completely right but they will be more than compensated for by the days when your ride flows, the weather is great and the lights are all green! Don't be dragged into the 'must get to the front of the queue at all costs' mentality, hone your observation and anticpation skills and enjoy. The only comment I would make about your choice of bike is, is the lock any good, i.e. the turning circle? You need a good lock to manouver in tight traffic and if the R6 is a bit racerey then you might be frustrated.

If going down the heated grip route, use gloves containing Outlast. This transfers the heat from the grips all round the gloves whereas non-Outlast gloves just get warm in the palm area. I also have heated gloves and, for really cold rides, they are better than using heated grips + Outlast gloves. In rain they also work better because the heat is inside the gloves and it helps the water-repellent membrane function. If you use heated grips and ordinary gloves in the rain it puts the Gore-tex/Hypora/etc into reverse and your hands get wet! Heated gloves are a faff to get on beause of the wires but, I suppose, battery-powered one don'e have this problem?

Bought my first 1300 in 2005 with 40k on the clock. Ran that until 2009 and sold it with 140k showing. At that point I bought a brand new one and did 180k on that until 2017. I would have another like a shot if they, or an updated version, were still being made. Bad Points: They do get hot! Can be a bit of a cooker in hot weather but they keep your legs warm when it's chilly! They are heavy but that's only a problem if it falls over, can be a two-person job to pick up unless you're a big lad. Good Points: Shaft drive, no maintenence needed over the 280,000 miles except changing the final-drive oil at the prescribed intervals. Comfortable, despite what others say I rode with the standard seat no bother. Reliable. Only once let down on the road in 12 years when the alternator failed on my second Pan at 90,000 miles. Good tank range, 250 miles easy. Best bike I have ever ridden.

I too have a Neotec 2 and the Sena comms kit designed for it. I have no problem with comms volume at all speeds. There is a setting in the Sena app called "Volume Boost" and its default setting is 'off'. Maybe this would help?

It's a sprung-hub Triumph, probably originally a 500cc Speed Twin circa 1950

Back in the dim and distant when speed cameras were new there was an article in "Bike" about possible ways to fool them. The one closest to the OP's question was to fit a light-sensing strobe to the bike that would flash back at the camera and white-out the number-plate. Whether this actually worked I don't know and now the cameras are digital I guess it's even more unlikely. Seemed an awful lot of faff to go through at the time.

I bought my first shaft-drive bike in 1991, a Yamaha XJ900F. Over the next 14 years and 100,000 miles The shaft drive gave me no problems. I then bought a 1300 Pan European, did 100,000 miles on that in 4 years, again, no shaft problems. I bought another Pan and did 180,000 miles in 8 years. So, over a total of 380,000 miles with shaft drives the only maintenence has been changing the final drive oil at the required intervals. If I had been on chain-driven bikes I wonder how many times I would have had to adjust the chain, lubricate the chain and replace chain and sprockets? To me it's a no-brainer, shaft every time. As for the theory that shaft-drive takes more power than chain; well, the Yamaha TownMate of 80cc had shaft drive and they are sought after bikes now!

Great bike! I bought one new in August 1991and had it until 2005. It was the first bike I did over 100,000 miles on and had some wonderful trips all over Europe. My stand-out ride was Madrid to Chelmsford in 18 hours. I sold the bike still on original clutch, fork-seals, and brakes. Never had the engine apart and totally reliable. I 'moved up' to a 1300 Pan Euopean and have since covered 280,000 miles on two of those.

To get back to the OP's reason for posting: try Traders and General Insurance, 38 Church Hill, Loughton IG10 1LA. 020 8519 5950 Ask for Steve. They were able to insure a friend of a friend who only had a New Zealand licence.