The maiden voyage - 265km

[AstronautNinja]

Due to @peepae pointing out that I was, indeed the only f**ker not out and about on a bike related adventure I immediately hit Airbnb for a hottub related booking.

 

Grabbed a farm lodge (converted triple garage) with a hottub for the night. Imo Airbnb is worthless unless it has a hottub. 

 

Set the bikes sat nav to "winding" at the lowest level and off I went. 

 

Started off pretty foggy. This being the second trip out it took a while in the misty conditions to chill and get into the groove. I say a while, I mean 3 hours of "this is bollox why did I even buy a stupid bike" 

 

Sat nav immediately once again took me on a motorway. Definitely not my idea of initial fun. Seems anything above 55mph felt like a gale despite the leaves on the trees not even twitching. For some stupid reason the satnav also took me through every possible shite little road available. 

 

Eventually stopped for some lunch and a grumble. Ended up having a long chat with some dude in the carpark admiring the bike. He did say he was going to register and say hi, so if you read this Mr Hyundia bloke I was the idiot in Warrington. 

 

I seemed to be chasing the fog south westerly. This soon fvxked off after lunch and I was rewarded with 18-22° sun alongside some country roads. This is where the ride actually developed into enjoyment and learning and a vast reduction in fear. 

 

Turns out the BMW spaktard app logs instances of ABS and TC activity. It also seems this only ever logged an instance during use of the RAIN map. I can only conclude that the rain setting is sensitive to the greatest possible degree. That's good news imo to keep things in check. I do clearly ride with the gentle finesse of a sex offender. 

 

Revisions for future long ish rides..... 

 

Tail bag. What a fvcking ball ache it was cramming everything into a cycling rucksack! I have shoulder tendon issues and a terrible riding position on the push bike that quickly leads to a numb thumb, a bag on my back only made this worse. 

 

An extra under layer for 12-16° would of made things a touch nicer. 

 

Obviously the bike catagory "naked" is self explanatory but my god is it to be taken in the most literal sense. We're not talking about running to the car in a pair of shorts, we're talking snowdonia balls swinging. Would a screen make motorways less miserable? Or is it a case of manning up? Considering initially 50mph felt like immenent death I soon got into 50-75mph cruising, aware of my speed but below the initial terror catagory and concentrated. 

 

I had told the BMW app to not log my speed because no one likes a grass and let's understand the point of this paragraph isn't speed for the point of speed, it's very much about being able to trim the shit parts of the ride out by being comfortable doing 70-90mph on the motorway. I basically spent 4 hours doing what could of been motorway in 1 hour, I ain't doing that shit on the way home. I'll enjoy the 2 hours through the mountains and finish on the motorway. 

 

Anyway. Top banana. Bikes bonkers, jesus does it feel to shift despite being slower than the car over a 1/4 mile. Got 68mpg ish, IDGAF. 

 

I will also most likely be replacing the end can. It was actually childishly enjoyable on the many occasions I came across the police on foot through town centers ...... Quietly creep past then give it gunshots knowing they're ain't shyt they can do. Sounded fine when I was moving but definitely had a few people jump and the overrun and bangs. I have named it the **** can, needs to go. 

 

Anyway, some pics..... Well, one or two 

Edited September 16, 2024 by AstronautNinja

[AstronautNinja]

[AstronautNinja]

Airbnb guy is also a biker. Guy came out to call me a silly fvck for 1. Buying that bike and 2. Riding it fron Yorkshire 

[AstronautNinja]

[Simon Davey]

Well done, that's got to be a true baptism of fire. 

I had a Z1300 which was naked, only bothered by wind and buffeting past 100.

You've definitely bought a decent and smart bike. 

Stay safe. 

[bonio]

A screen makes a big difference - keeps the cold air off the chest. I usually have on the DRZ, but I've taken it off for the summer. It will go back on come October. Another useful addition is a thin windproof layer immediately under your jacket. Something like a lightweight running jacket will easily pack inside a tail bag.

[AstronautNinja]

Just now, bonio said:

A screen makes a big difference - keeps the cold air off the chest. I usually have on the DRZ, but I've taken it off for the summer. It will go back on come October. Another useful addition is a thin windproof layer immediately under your jacket. Something like a lightweight running jacket will easily pack inside a tail bag.

I have said jackets for cycling etc, I'll have a try. 

 

A screen may well get a trial run also

[bonio]

Don't tell @Stu I said to, but find the F900R forum and see what people have used. 

[Nick the wanderer]

Anything above 60 you'll feel the wind on a naked, I use a generic Puig screen that attaches to the bars. Keeps the main blast off you, much more comfortable.

Sat navs are ok for the last little bit of a journey to home in on your hot tub, or as a guide to distance, but blindly following them is not recommended. Have a look at a map and break the journey into sections. I'll follow that A road there for 20 miles, or cut across that B road there sort of thing. Motorways are great for covering distance in a shorter time (in theory) But ultimately boring.

Get a tail pack or a tank bag or something similar. I never use a backpack for anything more than the shortest journey, they make you ache too much.

Sounds like you are finding this all out yourself anyway, have fun, enjoy!

[RideWithStyles]

14 hours ago, AstronautNinja said:

Due to @peepae pointing out that I was, indeed the only f**ker not out and about on a bike related adventure.

Speaks great volumes of how your viewed and im an not , joking aside great you got out and about.

 

nothing wrong with the bike it’s perfectly fine, more of a case did you choose wisely for your individual use case? 
 

Nakeds- yes you will get the full brunt of it thats to be expected, even a small screen/visor will help some what (with a racing tuck) but how big to be effective and safe will be dependent on a bikes design set up will be the limiting factor or lots of metal work to be added.

 

rain mode very much dulls everything down far too much. over protective mother setting to 11. Most of the time makes things feel worse even in adverse conditions, imo.

 

as nick and bonio says:

in winter at speed a naked bike can be a challenge of weather protection. A good heated vest/jacket makes a big difference to comfort.

tank bag for small thing and urgent need to access them (phone, keys, cards etc) tail pack for slightly bigger things and a top box for bigger and longer term uses of fit and forget.

 

14 hours ago, AstronautNinja said:

 

I will also most likely be replacing the end can. It was actually childishly enjoyable on the many occasions I came across the police on foot through town centers ...... Quietly creep past then give it gunshots knowing they're ain't shyt they can do. Sounded fine when I was moving but definitely had a few people jump and the overrun and bangs. I have named it the **** can, needs to go. 

 

So eventually , your finding out what was said about your choice of can purchase .

 

more pics would be appreciated. 

[AstronautNinja]

Lovely ride home, absolutely cracking weather! 18-22° most of the day. Things very much started to click ride wise. Went up through the center of Wales to Conwy for fish and chips and stuck it out on the motorway home. Turned out pretty well in the end and 330km total for the day by the time I'd gotten home. 

 

Didn't really take any pics apart from one at the harbour. 

 

Bikes back in storage now till Monday I reckon. Away for 2 weeks in Egypt on Wednesday so may try squeeze a ride in if the weather's decent. 

[AstronautNinja]

[AstronautNinja]

Had my son and all the neighbour kids sat on the bike, all of them loved it till one of them asked me to rev it and then we had a few tears

[peepae]

Very nice mah man - straight into the lovely British weather

[AstronautNinja]

[ColinWB]

So that's what you look like underneath your spaceman outfit