Plans for next year (or rest of this year..)

[muldoon74]

As title suggests..

 

What are peoples plans for next year?

 

I'm just hoping to get a bit of weather for some miles in Jan/Feb/March in order to keep active to do DAS in March/April..

 

After that... Big Bike.. (yet to be determined on price, insurance, availability, need etc..)

 

When big bike procured.. NC500 or some form of a few days trip round Scotland (it is my back yard after all)..

 

Only issue with that is Scotland can be hellishly expensive if staying in b and bs/hotels etc.. I'm not to keen to camp these days (midges are bast*rds).. Suppose that what savings accounts are for..  

 

 

 

[Fiddlesticks]

I might upgrade the Explorer. It'll be 12 years old and pushing 70,000 miles. I like the fact that the insurance is relatively cheap, but big trips are always a bit of a gamble. One time we snapped the shaft (quite spectacularly smashing through the side of the swingarn like Alien breaking out of Ripley's stomach). Another time we ended up without lights, and a third the shock went, making for a rather bouncy ride home. There's no guarantees in life, of course, but a newer bike would stack the odds more in our favour.

[S-Westerly]

Riding- whenever and wherever I can. 

[ChrisBiggsUK]

For me, it is practice, practice and more practice!

I'm planning on taking the next step in my journey some time around Easter, that being doing my A1.  While yes, at my age I could just jump straight up to the test for the biggest bikes, speed and power isn't my goal.  Thus I'm hoping to do my A1 some time around Easter and get the L plates off my plucky little Honda CG.  After that?  Even more practicing and adventuring further afield.  

I'm hoping in Summer to be able to take myself off on lengthy day trips, and see about attending any motorcycle meetups that may take my fancy.  Getting out and enjoying the weather, enjoying my bike, and letting all the time I have spent practicing really pay off.

I'm also going to be actively learning more about maintenance, and hope by the winter of next year, to be in a position where I'm comfortable doing more advanced maintenance on the bike, beyond simple things like oil changes and such.  

So, between now and Easter 2025 - practice!

Easter 2025 - Make moves towards getting my A1.

Summer 2025 - Meetups, day trips, maybe an overnight camp or two, adventuring! 

Winter 2025 - More advanced maintenance skills. 

So thats my timeline for the next 12 months or so.

[rob m]

I’ve ridden more miles this year than the previous 3 combined and I’ve been loving it so next year will be riding as much as possible. 
 

Haven’t really planned anything as such but a decent euro trip and a return to the IOM TT or NW200 would be nice.

[Simon Davey]

I've started saving for another bike, that I hope will be more comfortable on the neck and shoulders. 

However, I do love my ZZR, so may just carry on trying to ride as much as possible. 

[husoi]

New place,

New refurbishment

Most to be done by others because I just can't be arsed.

Probably hire a container and ship the bikes abroad and move to warmer weather

Sell the place after the works and make a wee bit of a profit.

Say a 18 months plan

[Punts]

Got the ferry and digs booked for the NW200.

[Hairsy]

2 hours ago, ChrisBiggsUK said:

I'm planning on taking the next step in my journey some time around Easter, that being doing my A1.

 

I'd really encourage you to go for your full licence. You don't need to buy a bigger bike yet if you don't want to - do your formal training on the school's bikes. You'll find that the 'beginner' big bikes are more stable at both slow and high speed riding. You'll be intimidated at the starts of day one but after an hour you'll love it.

 

Not now of course - but when the time comes ...

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have a 3 month sabbatical July to September 2025. No plans as yet but I'm working on it. 

 

I've done LEJOG on a pedal bike. Round the coast of Britain seems the next obvious thought. 

[manxie49]

Next year me and my mate are talking about doing the Ride the Himalayas tour (See attached).  We've been talking about doing it for years now after seeing the clips, and photos his brother took when he did it some years back.  None of us are getting any younger so we thought that now may be the time to get it crossed of the bucket list.  A real adventure and it looks like a good fun tour.  https://www.ridethehimalayas.com

[manxie49]

1 hour ago, Punts said:

Got the ferry and digs booked for the NW200.

You were lucky with the accommodation, we couldn't get anywhere.  Great racing and it's a really good event.

[R9XDG]

For me I have my CBT on 14th December and theory on 4th January.

 

After that it’s straight onto my lessons to get my mod 1 and 2 passed.

 

During that time I’ll be buying my gear.

 

Aim is to have my bike by April. 
 

Super excited!

[Punts]

2 hours ago, manxie49 said:

You were lucky with the accommodation, we couldn't get anywhere.  Great racing and it's a really good event.

 

I think there are still some Airbnb places available in Ballycastle

[manxie49]

1 hour ago, Punts said:

 

I think there are still some Airbnb places available in Ballycastle

Thanks for that, we've opted for two days under canvas, fingers crossed for nice weather 

[ChrisBiggsUK]

4 hours ago, Hairsy said:

 

I'd really encourage you to go for your full licence. You don't need to buy a bigger bike yet if you don't want to - do your formal training on the school's bikes. You'll find that the 'beginner' big bikes are more stable at both slow and high speed riding. You'll be intimidated at the starts of day one but after an hour you'll love it.

 

Not now of course - but when the time comes ...

 

Oh, fear not, I shall (somewhere down the line) be getting my 'big boy' license, as it were.  For the short term though, I'm keeping myself grounded and setting not only realistic but also achievable goals.  I'm not planning on moving on to a bigger bike in the foreseeable future, certainly not for a couple of years yet (elderly family members and their ailing health necessitates my staying grounded and having a simple, reliable, not too-flashy mode of transport).  Getting the L plates off my humble 18 year old CG125 will be the next step (hence the A1), and then once (but hopefully not for a long time yet!) the elderly ailing relatives thing is passed, I can look on to getting a bigger, nicer, more fancy bike as a special treat to myself.

I'm in no rush though.  43 years a pedestrian, I can hang on a few more.  Just gives me extra experience and confidence out on the road.  Though, in a few years (again, hopefully not too soon though), when I get my 'big boy' license, there will be no stopping me!  

[Hairsy]

I understand Chris but the tests are identical - as, I suspect, are the costs. With the experience you're gaining now, your test shouldn't be a huge issue. Many people (myself included) find larger bikes easier to ride. If you take your test on a small bike then, if you ever want to progress later, you'll simply need to repeat an identical set of tests all over again - not to mention another set of costs.

[ChrisBiggsUK]

6 minutes ago, Hairsy said:

I understand Chris but the tests are identical - as, I suspect, are the costs. With the experience you're gaining now, your test shouldn't be a huge issue. Many people (myself included) find larger bikes easier to ride. If you take your test on a small bike then, if you ever want to progress later, you'll simply need to repeat an identical set of tests all over again - not to mention another set of costs.

Interesting.  I shall have to look in to this and have a think on it.  

[S-Westerly]

At your age I suggest that you get the full licence. Once you've got it that's you done and you can ride whatever you like. If you do the limited one you will be limited and if you want to eventually go to the full fat version you will have to do the EXACT same test all over again with all the costs involved. Also as others have said larger bikes - within reason - are often easier to ride.

[Gerontious]

Somewhere in June for a fortnight around the time of the solstice. Maybe south of France though nothing is certain until much nearer the time. I shall be camping so will be chasing the sun. Seems a million years away in mid November - but it isn’t really.

 

Then back to the Eifel in September for a week at the Schloss in Neuerburg. And see what surprises lie in store this time!!

 

Then after that it’ll be major service time - and this is the big one. Which is subtle code for expensive. 32,000 so Valves and spark plugs and anything else that’s due. (Sigh)

[Stu]

19 hours ago, muldoon74 said:

Only issue with that is Scotland can be hellishly expensive if staying in b and bs/hotels etc.. I'm not to keen to camp these days (midges are bast*rds).. Suppose that what savings accounts are for..

 

We are booked for the NC500 for next year already! 

 

Under 400 each for accommodation for 6 nights which I thought was rather good. The only time I got expensive was when looking at the west coast 

 

Apart from that no other plans made yet but just continue to ride as and when I can as usual 

[Mawsley]

Winter will be spent sourcing some kind of decent soft luggage for the Hog and fitting the rack. Next year, going to do a stack of weekend bashes and (hopefully) venture to somewhere very French.

[Fish]

We was looking at doing a tour up to Nordkapp, Norway, but we worked out we'd need a month to get there and back, so not certain what touring will happen next year. Perhaps the Irish Wild Atlantic Way. 

 

Bike wise, I'd like to replace the Tracer 700 with something a little bigger, perhaps the Tracer 9 but will be looking at other brands also. I'm still enjoying the XSR900, but that will remain for sunny day bimbles.

 

I'm looking to replace some of my gear in these black friday sales, as my boots (Alpine SMX6 drystar) are not do waterproof any longer, and the jacket has been attacked by the velcro on the right arm and looking a little tatty now. Also some new winter type gloves.

[muldoon74]

46 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

We are booked for the NC500 for next year already! 

 

Under 400 each for accommodation for 6 nights which I thought was rather good. The only time I got expensive was when looking at the west coast 

 

Apart from that no other plans made yet but just continue to ride as and when I can as usual 

Average £66 each per night? Doing damn well there..

 

hope breakfast included… 

 

west coast and anywhere north of Balloch/Loch Lomond take the piss quite frankly.. Although the wife and I have found some good deals through a couple of popular websites. We tend not to go big holidays, prefer 2/3 long weekends or midweek breaks a year.. 

 

if you do YouTube teapot1 has a good series of vids on the NC500 when he done it with a few others through his tour company. 

[Essexboy]

Depending on my shift pattern, potentially French/Italian Alps in June with Bonio. Possibly revisit Eifel in September too (he doesn't know that yet so don't tell him) 

Also, if anyone fancies a great day riding in Wales, the national road rally will be held on the 10th May and it's a great day!! (ACU Welsh National Road Rally - see fcaebook)