Steve_M

I wasn’t sure whether t9 put this under Advanced Training since I’ve stolen it from the Zen School of Motorcycling Facebook page, put it here, put it as worst joke. Admin please recategorise as appropriate.

Agreed it doesn’t exist. CoG… yes - my previous bike was an FJR1300. Big, top heavy sod of a bike. I tried a R1200RS before the salesman’s suggested I try the GS. I did like the RS but the GS floated my boat rather more despite the fact I really wanted to dislike it. I’d taken a couple for a test some years before and had memories of one being excellent and the other not so much. The R would be good fitted with luggage. I’ve seen a photo of one with panniers and they look like they would fit the bill, but then I’d have to fit a screen… I’m not a fan of riding naked bikes… they just feel odd… There’s also the issue of weight. I’ll just have to keep dreaming…

I went from a 100cc Yamaha to a 500cc Honda. But not one of those light, nimble things that are around now. No, it was a heavy old CX500 (fabulous bike, by the way. Don’t listen to the naysayers ). The bike felt substantial and gave the impression of having a far greater presence. The performance was surprising. My (then) wife took me to collect the bike and we had a bit of a rolling drag race on a nearby stretch of B road. The bloody thing walked away from the car. A Peugeot 205GTi… It was only at this point I really appreciated the performance of motorbikes ‘cos the CX was never rated a fast bike. However, don’t be intimidated by the performance potential. You’re the one in charge of the throttle. As an addendum. I would suggest doing a Police Bikesafe course as soon as possible after buying the bigger bike. Worth every penny.

Not sure I could cope with sitting on my ride on mower for any length of time. A friend has a Triumph America which I think is a similar bike form. I took it for a spin… it felt like riding what I imagine a birthing chair with wheels would be like.

Similar to my approach when I toured solo and lived in Norwich. The biggest advantage was that I could get quite a way through France by evening ‘cos I was closer to (spit) the awful M25 and could avoid the worst of the traffic.

I would notify them as a matter of course. Make it clear that it’s not an expensive, fancy custom job (it isn’t, is it?) because that would affect their risk and cost of repair.

And courtesy bike while it’s being sorted.

We’re using Harwich to Hook out, and Rotterdam to Hull in a couple of weeks. Booking well in advance, admittedly, our fare, rider, bike and pillion is around £540. I don’t know where you’re based but for us in Cumbria using the ferry saves one night of hotel each way, and avoids M-bloody-25 / M20 which you can probably tell that I’m not keen on riding. All the best with your trip.

Just thinking ahead about which bike to buy to replace the GS. While it’s going to be a while, I’m gett8ng to the point where I may need to start considering the weight of a bike and looking for something a bit more manageable. Here’s a brain dump message to the bike industry if they care to listen. I hold the right to add to this as those things come to mind. Feel free to contribute. I’ll be looking for a middleweight machine, say 750cc to 800cc, 200 - 220Kg. Producing, perhaps around 100PS and decent torque across the rev range - my old VFR800fi’s unit would hit this mark but I know emissions might be an issue. A comfortable, reasonably upright riding position with good legroom - the GS or my old Tiger1050SE fit that bill. Wind protection… yes please, and no buffeting for this 5’ 9 1/2” tall rider. Gizmos: Cruise control, TCS, ABS electrically adjustable screen. A USB type port so I can plug and play my own choice of GPS, and a RAM mount somewhere sensible to mount it. Shaft drive. Or belt at a push. Luggage needs to be panniers and top box. The panniers to be of equal sizes, so no high level exhaust reducing the capacity of one of them. Yes, that’s a key bugbear of mine with Adventure style of bikes. Edit. I knew I missed something important. A h pannier needs to be at least 35 litres with a usable internal shape. The top box, ideally, 52 litres (capable of holding two crash helmets) Under seat storage for those odds and sods you carry but only need occasionally. The Tiger1050SE had a lovely space for a disc lock, earplugs and tissues. I could fit a full on ABUS chain under the seat of my VFR , and a full set of waterproofs in a little compartment on my CX500… Small lockable (optional) cubby compartment neatly to hand. Big enough to fit a Medium Costa coffee cup in. Not that I’d be drinking while riding, I just struggled to express the size requirement in a visual manner. This for keys, Mars bars, small bottle of water. I found his really handy on my ST1100. Aesthetics. Not that bothered. I’m not looking at it while I’m riding it, though havin a pleasing looking bike in the garage is always nice. I’ll add more later but it seems the sunshine and lawn mowing* are calling me. *I quite enjoy mowing the lawns.

I passed through the Harz region in 2014. It seemed pleasant enough with a few twisty mountain roads to explore. If you do choose the Harz region, it might be worth looking at the hotel we stayed at, being aimed at bikers. Tonenburg

Kate, from Hideout leathers said that leathers tend to shrink for any over winter. After 40 winters it’s bound to happen, I rather like the look of the Royal Enfield. I had a gander at a Himalayan which was parked upon Craster last week. They seem to be getting popular. Much better looking in the flesh than photos.

My grandchildren will, henceforth, be known by this term.

We usually try to fit in one night at a high-end hotel as a treat (EG we stayed at the Cambrian hotel in Adelboden one night just so we could chill in their infinity pool). That’s off the agenda this year. The budget for this year (I have a spreadsheet) is way off the scale.

My youngest grandson is a serial infector*. Born 3 years ago during covid restrictions we wonder if the lack of exposure to bugs has left him susceptible to whatever’s going around at his nursery. We had a week’s holiday with them last week so I spent a great deal of time in his company. *Is “Infector” a word? If not then it should be.

It’s a direction the UK has been heading in for some while. I’m guessing that the biking community having an aging demographic, comfort starts becoming a factor. And how we use the bikes, too. I don’t think we’re quite into bike motorsport in the same way we’re we’re when Foggy was dominating WSB, Or am I not aware of that enthusiasm because I no longer read the biking press?

Day 5 of somesort of lurgy, probably man flu caught off a grandson (child flu?). I thought my energy levels were returning to more normal for me level. Ie. Only a bit lazy. But it seems I’m wrong. I feel properly knackered. Unfortunately feet up and rest and recover is not an option since the front door is on my workbench and in the process of being renovated/tarted up. This afternoon will be spent boarding up the gaping hole at the front of the house where the door was, and a second round stripping the varnish off the door. I may then make time to take a doze… or start treating the garden furniture which another task on my to do list.

Go to the Post Office first. It’s staggering how much further it is back from pubs. I’ll get my coat.

Excellent. That’s whetted my appetite for our forthcoming tour which takes in Switzerland.

Gap isn’t on the RAC list but, if memory serves correctly, there were signs indicating the requirement as we approached last year. We avoid cities but, for the sake of €4.61, I’d rather spend the money. Same apples for motorway vignettes for Switzerland and Austria. One wrong turning and an eagle eyed cop*… * I have experience of eagle eyed police officers, spotting a failed tail light on my car back in the days when the police were not underfunded and understaffed (1977, if you’re wondering).

Several of our jaunts into the Alps have been late September / early October. We’ve been generally fortunate with the weather. We came unstuck last year when they closed the Col de l’Iseran early, on the 23rd September, which was our intended date to head from Val Cenis into Switzerland. Fortunately we never book hotels in advance in case of disruptive events such as this and had a splendid time finding new-to-us places (EG Verdon Gorge. Superb). We’re heading off relatively early this year. Into Norfolk on the 2nd September, and then on to the Harwich / Hook on the evening of the 3rd for 12 nights pottering around some lumpy bits of Europe.

Lille doesn’t have a requirement for a Crit’air according to the RAC site RAC Info

Breaking news: A farmer has managed to grow a field of marrows shaped like dildos. Unfortunately he's also having problems with squatters

Some years ago my good lady bought us sailing lessons on the Filby Broad. The sailing group used Wayfarers. Neither of us are particularly flexible, and we weren’t in the first flush of youth at the time, so any manoeuvre involving ducking under the boom - ie. Most of them - became a little wearing after many repetitions. And Filby Broad being one of the smaller broads meant there was a lot of changes of direction to stay out of the reeds. Still, we got our RYA level 2. We subsequently hired boats on St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, and Ullswater where it was possible to sail a long reach without too much buggering about with many major direction changes. Then she bought me a long weekend course to do Competent Crew on a 35ft boat. Oh, joy, no need to crawl about when tacking. Now this was more like it. Now I understood why she was so keen on sailing a larger boat (her dad had a 27ft boat when she was young). I looked at the cost of buying and running something along those lines. The bike would have to go…. Sod that. And we haven’t sailed since. Which is a shame.

I’ve just applied for a Crit’air sticker ahead of our tour in September. We have no intention of going anywhere that requires one but we got mighty close with Gap last year so, for the sake of €4.31, I thought I’d better be safe than sorry. One of the questions is are you Euro 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 compliant or none. Also what CO2 /Km does it produce. Now I know mine is Euro 3 but no idea of the CO2 outputs, and have no proof for either. So I’ve said not Euro and left the CO2 question blank. What a pain in the backside that was. London. Never liked it. As a 17yr old learner driver I had to drive from the M1 through to Crystal Palace (my dad claimed I knew the route better than him) which probably entrenched my dislike for the place. I certainly would never drive / ride through there by choice. It’s good for theatre, museums and Kew Gardens… and that’s it.

Congratulations. Does the saving in travel costs and wasted time balance out the drop in salary?