Yorky

And the midges

Not on a bike, but I have driven down from Durban to Cape Town stopping in various places on the way down. As it happens Cape Town was the only place where we had any issues. It's a lovely city but life is cheap in SA.

'Kin 'ell, have you got boots on your feet or a dustbin??

Do NOT buy Oxford Rainseal overtrousers. I bought a pair 3 weeks ago, before my trip around Eastern Europe. I put them on 3 times and took them off twice, the third time they came off using the Leatherman and stayed in a skip on Rotterdam docks.

Flattened the battery

I've done a few track days at Oulton, it's a lovely circuit to ride. With it being on the BSB Calendar you get some really fast riders there, these are generally reasonably safe people to have around you because they are used to tracks and know what they are doing. Unfortunately you also get some who think they are really fast riders, and they are a liability who you need to steer clear of. A friends philosophy is always book into the fast group, regardless of your ability, because the experienced fast riders will simply go around you and disappear into the distance (until they pass you again )

Firstly the bike, for green laning you don't need anything bigger than a 200 (or similar). I had a KTM EXC200 for many years, they have ample power. I now have a Beta Xtrainer which is a very softly powered 300, it's only advantage over the KTM is that it doesn't try spinning the rear wheel when trying to get up tricky climbs. As for routes your best bet it to look up and join your nearest TRF club. Doesn't cost a lot and you will meet lots of like minded people who know the legal trails (which are getting fewer and fewer).

I've changed mine as well

How do you know that you've never seen and unmarked bike??

+1 on the Halifax Clarity. I too use mine for all card purchases when abroad, fuel, meals etc etc, due to the lack of fees, plus they give a decent exchange rate so don't try to recoup the lack of fees in a sneaky manner. And likewise I just pay it off as soon as I get home

You ever been to Donny ????

Get the grinder out and cut the extra inch off, that'll tell you.

I might see you in Slovenia I'm doing Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands. Starting in 26 days time

BMW do a modular on which the chin bar can be removed completely. Won't be a cheap option though.

I'd hazard a guess at the fact that you give your location as Darlington

The Ninja SX1000 is not a tourer. I know because I fell for the sports-tourer hype myself ( 2nd time so that shows how bright I am). I bought one new in 2019 and traded it in last year with around 4000 miles on the clock. It's neither a sports bike nor a tourer and doesn't do either roll very well in my opinion. Cracking engine but the ergonomics just don't work for either of it's hyped rolls.

Why not???? When things go wrong it still hurts as much falling of a 125cc moped as falling of a 1000cc superbike.

That's a lovely road. If you do it again on your own, when you meet the Castleton Road head for Castleton and then take the 1st left. It takes you over Kildale Moor and eventually into Stokesley, another cracker

If you are heading back up from the south, taking in Barcelona, and heading back to Santander then I would suggest that you take in the N260. That will get you from the east as far west as the Pamplona area and is a cracking road.

I'm also a shortarse, about same as you at 5'6" and not long legged. I bought the R1250RT last year and am very happy with it. Yes, it's quite a heavy bike, but all the weight is low down. When you are touring it is all day comfy and a very capable mile muncher, cruising effortlessly at legal limits, even on the Autobahn . A couple of years ago I had a Tiger 800, that I found, was top heavy and a bit gutless and didn't offer what I like in a bike. As stated there a lot's of options so best go out and give them all a try.

Yes, 3 of us have just got back from a few days trail riding in France. We put all the bike fuel on one credit card, 9 transactions over 4 days, and each time they ringfenced 120 euros. It has all started to sort itself out now though.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is the one fixing on either side is nowhere near enough. Imagine the leverage on the rack with the weight of the topbox and contents. It would certainly need modifying in some shape or form but without actually seeing the bike I don't know where that could be done. ( I wouldn't imagine the indicator fixing points being strong enough, but as said without seeing/knowing the bike it's impossible to say)

I'd hazard a guess that that may depend on where you're starting from.

If you have it showing distance to the foot surely the numbers will be changing faster than you can read them??

Yes, mine are the 40ltr and the 30ltr Dry Bag Holdall. Unfortunately I bought the 40ltr first and had a lot of unused space in it. The 30ltr was ideal for myself for a 10 day trip. I simply tied it to the rear seat using 2 of the aforementioned Rokstraps.