How was your Biking year ?

[fastbob]

All in all , not a bad Biking year . I managed to get to a few events and go on some runs . Let's hope 2022 is better still . 

[Fish]

No real pictures, but I passed my full license and bought a bike I already want to change

[onesea]

First time since I started riding I have not managed overnighter on the bike...

 

Other things kept getting in the way...

 

Quite a low milage year...

[S-Westerly]

Given I missed the entire summer my year wasn't too bad. Spent far too much time on motorway though trekking up to the north east and back. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

We had some good days out. The weather was generally pretty decent until we got to the autumn when it rained non-stop for weeks.

 

It was coolant and brake fluid change year so 2022 will be lighter on maintenance. 

[dynax]

I had a pretty good year for getting out and about, I am hoping to improve on that this year though

[MikeHorton]

A new bike for me but health issues for the wife and me so lots of isolating not great but we made the best of it. Hopefully 2022 will be better 

[Trooper74]

Less commuting this year but lots of long days out and using the bike for business meetings in Bristol, Exeter and Glasgow ... so company picked up the fuel , hotel and food bills ... which was nice.

Moving to semi-retirement ( without a reduction in salary  ) has given me the opportunity to pick the good days for 2-300 mile day rides out.

Possibly need a bigger bike ... BMW F700 GS perhaps ... I’ll have to work out a way for Julie to suggest it  ...

 

[Stu]

Pretty good year for me 

 

had a few good rides out with the missus and a mate and his missus up until June when I decided it was time for a new bike! 

 

Bought the BMW thinking it was a mistake as it was the most I have every spent on a bike! in fact it cost more than all the other bikes put together  Do I regret it? certainly not! probably the best decision I made as I found the love for riding again! 

 

Had a great trip to Wales despite struggling to find hotels and I have had some brilliant rides 

 

2 hours ago, Trooper74 said:

BMW F700 GS perhaps ... I’ll have to work out a way for Julie to suggest it

 

Just keep going in the garage and come back out huffing and puffing and chuntering then declaring the bike needs some money spending on it then pluck figures out of thin air till its going to be expensive and tell her its would probably be cheaper to get another bike...........

[Bianco2564]

Apart from Rugby bike show, didn't go anywhere.

Did around 5000miles though commuting to Banbury.

[manxie49]

Fairly low milage year,  apart from commuting I never really got away and did much at all!  Plus no TT, no FOM and no NW200,  so for a road racing fan it was pretty pants! I did have a few good ride outs with mates, even found a few roads I didn't know existed! Enjoyed a bit of green laning, I still managed to get out most days, regardless of weather.  Hopefully going to do a bit more touring this year, already have a trip booked with a mate, touring Cumbria and Northumberland in May,  will be doing Scotland later in the year and would also like to spread the wings a little bit further afield, will see how the year pans out

[Steve_M]

It was a pretty poor year with only a couple of highlights. 

 

A mate brought a group up from Norfolk so I joined them on a couple of rides. My good lady and I managed three days around Scotland which was enjoyable (apart from the puncture). 
 

I got out a few times other than that but it was all pretty limited by the number of people, friends/relatives, we had stay with us and the need to progress the work on the house and garden. 

[Pie man]

Not a bad year, sad that all of my biking was in the UK and never took the chance to head over to Europe. 

Apart from Commuting to and from work, I think I clocked up around 7K

May - was a busy month with some decent days riding: Several days around Wales & The Peak District. 

June - Trough of Bowland ride out. Peak District (Cat n Fiddle). Southport Carousel. Ride around the South Lakes Peninsular and a ride on the Windermere ferry and onto Kirby Lonsdale.

July - A couple of local evening rides, Peak District ride (I have a 2hr route around the Peaks). Wales ride out to Barmouth.

August - Southport Carousel. Bike Service in Dewsbury

Sept - A week up in Scotland, Ride out to Southport Carousel.

Oct - Cheshire ride out - Jodrell Bank and surrounding area. Wales twice in two days

Dec - Peak District end of year ride.

 

I need to have a word with the ride out coordinator as November was relatively quiet. 

 

 

 

 

[skyrider]

well my riding year was crap the old bike didn't turn a wheel just hope it's better this year

[Gerontious]

Alright, made it across to euroland (west) instead of euroland (east) which seemed overly complicated this year. Had some great weather too, which was an unexpected bonus.

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by Gerontious

[Steve_M]

4 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

Alright, made it across to euroland (west) instead of euroland (east) which seemed overly complicated this year. Had some great weather too, which was an unexpected bonus.

 

 

 

How did that go? 
 

We may be doing that this year so do you have any hints and tips? EG. Is it best to book all accommodation in advance, or is there plenty so booking one day at a time would be ok? 

[bonio]

Still working from home, so missing my old commute, which had some cracking roads in it. But was lucky enough to get in some good rides-for-pleasure, some bike nights, plus a tour of the Highlands. First year riding the MV, too. All in all a good year.

[Gerontious]

On 01/01/2022 at 19:00, Steve_M said:

How did that go? 
 

We may be doing that this year so do you have any hints and tips? EG. Is it best to book all accommodation in advance, or is there plenty so booking one day at a time would be ok? 

We were camping. So I can’t speak to accommodation. But where we were was extremely touristy and despite it being off season, very busy. I definitely wouldn’t want to be there during the holidays!!

I would recommend it and at the same time not recommend it. Very touristy so avoid school holidays like the plague. And be prepared for days off due to rain. We were extremely lucky our week, but even so. We still had rain , just lucky with timing more than anything. I decided on Ireland because Europe suddenly became very complicated and I didn’t fancy Scotland. We crossed to Rosslare and so Kinsale, the start of the wild Atlantic way was just a few hours ride distant. We ended up at Killarney and stayed there for various reasons. It was great. But.. the caretaker told us that the summer had been a washout. “Holiday makers here for the rain and yourself here for the sun” we left when the rain arrived and was forecast to settle over the entire west coast. And so we headed east and eventually returned via Dublin - Holyhead.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Gerontious

[Stu]

5 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

despite it being off season, very busy. I definitely wouldn’t want to be there during the holidays!!

 

Could that be put down to covid and everyone deciding to do holidays differently instead of risking booking flights? 

 

I am led to believe caravan and camping sales have gone through the roof and they are putting it down to covid and more people having staycations

[Bender]

22 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

Could that be put down to covid and everyone deciding to do holidays differently instead of risking booking flights? 

 

I am led to believe caravan and camping sales have gone through the roof and they are putting it down to covid and more people having staycations

They have indeed gone through the roof. 

[Pie man]

I will take a chance and if possible, head over to Euroland this year. 

[Gerontious]

Americans. Pensioners and the inevitable Dutch. And lots of British plates. No kids. On the touring sites it’s well documented that the scenic routes become a nightmare with coach after coachload of tourists being taken round the various sites. So perhaps this was abnormal for September but that wasn’t my main point. Avoid the usual holiday season. And be prepared for highly unpredictable weather at any time of the year. It’s not unusual for people going in august for a week not to have a single dry day. I would suggest that you go there if you must and expect days off due to bad weather.

[S-Westerly]

I've had good weather in Ireland in late May / early June and not much in the way of crowds either. 

[onesea]

3 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

I've had good weather in Ireland in late May / early June and not much in the way of crowds either. 

I have been flooded out of consecutive campsites in Italy, Switzerland France, with Gothard pass closed due to snow in July/August.

Spent 2 weeks in Scotland in April 1 day off light rain....

 

Bloody weather, never seems to read the text books...

[geofferz]

Not bad. Hired an mt09 in Jan and rode from miami to the florida Keys which was fun. Got back to the UK in May I think and rode a bit, did my first trackday in July which was a highlight. Lots more of those this year.