My Biking Life

Custom seats

2011-07-11T17:59:00.004+01:00

Fazer S2 custom seat

Hayabusa Custom seat

Today my wife and I treated ourselves to some custom seats from LICS in Eynsford Kent. We set off with the intention of getting a gel seat custom made for her Fazer to improve comfort for longer rides and ended up coming home with seats for both bikes.

Alisa went for a gel seat with a tasteful design and I went for a simple gel seat recovered in reversed leather. The gel in mine had the added benefit of adding an inch or so in height to the seat, so my legs are less cramped on the bike.

The guys at LICS were extremely helpful, providing advice and letting us try different colours and materials until we were happy with the result. LICS provide a walk in service and you can grab lunch at a local pub for an hour or so while the seats are made.

They aren't cheap, but are well made, the gel inserts are extremely comfy and your bum will thank you for it after a day in the saddle.

Some more pics on flickr.

A Ducati 750 Sport and Keira Knightly in a catsuit

2011-05-21T20:33:00.019+01:00

Something a little different today, spotted on Return of the Cafe Racers, an excellent blog for all things cafe racer and retro style. It's a short film made advertising Coco Mademoiselle and it features a stunning Ducati 750 Sport and an equally stunning Keira Knightly in a catsuit....What's not to like!

Starcom1 Advance - Installation (bike-to-bike)

2011-05-15T15:49:00.091+01:00

(StarCom 1 Advance Kit A with Kenwood UBZ Radio)

I've been using Interphone helmet communication system for a couple of years for bike-to-bike when out riding with my wife. The system has worked well, the sound is clear and I love the fact that it's always on so that you can have a natural conversation. But after two years of moderate use the volume buttons on both headsets have stopped working. I also found the battery life was not long enough for all day touring, and there's no option to charge the unit directly from the bike.

With my wife riding more regularly and couple of long trips coming up I decided to take the plunge and upgrade to a more professional system. After some Internet research I decided on two options, either AutoCom or StarCom. A quick look at the contact details on the site told me that they are both distributed (and possibly even manufactured) by Tectstar electronics.

The website appears to have been designed at the dawn of the Internet with "confuse buyers" central to the brief. There's a range of kit and lots of optional extras and it's not really clear what you need for each application. So I gave them a call. The team at StarCom were very helpful. I told them that I was looking to kit out two bikes, I'd like rider-to-pillion comms on both bikes, and bike-to-bike. As my wife and I pillion on both bikes we wanted to be able to use the system flexibly and not end up with four headsets.

I was told that I needed two times StarCom Advance Kit 'A' and two times Two-way radio's.

(Unboxed StarCom 1 Advance Kit A with Kenwood UBZ Radio)

This weekend the two kits and two radio's arrived. The kits contain.

StarCom Advance comms Unit with integrated leads for rider and pillion.
Fused power lead (for powering from bike)
A push to talk button (to override the voice activation in b2b use)
Helmet speakers and mike
Extension cable (for connecting StarCom to headset)
Cable to connect Radio to StarCom
Cable to connect mp3 player to StarCom
Wiring connectors and plenty of Velcro and zip ties

(Installation under rear seat 2007 GSX1300R)

I set to work on the Hayabusa first. The hardest part is deciding where you are going to mount the unit and where you are going to run all the wires. The unit powers up and down when you connect/disconnect the headset so theoretically you could hide it somewhere in the bike. But I wanted to be able to get at the volume controls easily during the setup (the volumes, Vox etc are bound to need tweaking on the first couple of rides) and access the two way radios.

I decided to mount everything under the rear seat for easy access. The units are water resistant, not waterproof so this is also a fairly good spot to keep them dry. All the connections come with long lengths of wire so even on a long bike like the Busa I was able to mount the push-to-talk switch on the handlebars and have no problems running it all the way back to the unit. In fact if anything my only niggles are that it's hard to tidy up the excess wiring.

The connectors for the power lead provided are the type that bite into another wire, these can weekend the wires from which you take the power so I decided to use connectors to go direct from the battery. The power lead is fused which is great. Last of all I placed a cloth in the seat unit (which is expansive) to stop the radio moving around. Time will tell if the radio works well from under the seat or would need to go in my pocket, there's an extension wire for this.

(Installation under rear seat 2007 FZ6 S2)

After a trial run and a bit of practice on my bike I fitted out the wife's, which took about two hours. As always I managed to do a better job on her bike than on my own.

(Installation of PTT Push -To-Talk switch on left handlebar)

A quick test of the headset with the mp3 player and I'm pleased with the clarity and volume. I'll test and tweak the bike to bike system next weekend and take them out for a test ride. The units and radio's don't come cheap so let's hope the system performs well. I'll review this later down the line.

A day at Wheelie School

2011-05-15T14:06:00.000+01:00

At the beginning of April I joined four other London City Riders for a day at Wheelie school. I'd booked early in the year and gained a discount which meant we were already off to a good start. The School is run by Paul Gower a former stunt bike rider for Streetfighters magazine and takes place at Bovingdon airfield near Hemel Hempstead.

The day started at 9:am with a safety briefing and welcome cup of tea and then after 45 minutes we were being introduced to the bikes, stock Suzuki 1200 Bandits. The only mods on the bikes are a bar at the back which is there as a last resort if you tip the bike back too far. We were told not to rely on this, if we started hitting it it would be the end of our day. The Bandit is a well known wheelie machine, but it's a sizable bike, I was comfortable stepping down from the 1300cc Hayabusa, but wondered how others in the group felt moving onto this from 600cc bikes.

The aim of the wheelie school is to learn to wheelie in a controlled, safe and replicable manner. This is done on the throttle only, no clutch. To start with we began running up and down in first gear, accelerating and decelerating the bike. One we got the feel for that we began fast runs, getting the bike quickly up to thirty where the power curve begins and unloading the front suspension. We then started rolling on the throttle to bring the frontend up off the floor.

To start with I found it a lot more difficult than I expected, but Paul gave regular feedback on what we were doing right and wrong and soon I was lifting the front wheel. Once able to do this managed a few small wheelies and a few that jumped up at me. The next step was to progress onto lifting the front wheel more calmly and carrying it along. Again coaching really helps here.

After a quick lunch break and a chat to the other guys about how we were doing we were back on the track to spend the afternoon working on our style. By the end of the day I was lifting the front wheel on 75% of my runs and was very happy with my progression. Some of the team were hitting the wheelie almost every time and getting decent height, others were doing mid height wheelies, but were able to carry them on for a good distance.

The day finished at four pm, we were all tired, but had learned a lot and had more than a few laughs throughout the day. It was fun to start to learn some new biking skills. I'm not likely to do too much more wheelie'ing but I feel that I have a better understanding about bike control; something I hope to progress further by doing a track day soon.

"TT3D closer to the edge" Review

2011-05-06T09:30:00.003+01:00

At the weekend I finally got to see the much anticipated documentary about the Isle of Man TT, "TT3D Closer to the edge". Even though it was a on a bank holiday Monday the cinema was surprisingly empty with just seven people in the audience including myself and my wife.

Despite the lack of atmosphere I settled back with some popcorn and watched. For the next hour and a half I was riveted to the screen.

The film follows Guy Martin and a number of other prominent TT experts through their preparation for the TT and through the racing itself. It provides back story and spends a good amount of time concentrating on what drives these riders to take part in the race and also explores how the riders perceive the dangers and how they handle them.

You can't discuss the TT without discussing the prospect of death. The documentary not only discusses the dangers but features racers and family members talking candidly about how they deal with it in racing and are affected by the deaths of the those close to them at the TT.

The films does a great job of mixing informative documentary about the TT, with beautiful cinematography. It also mixes a light hearted moments provided by following some of racings more colourful characters with the tension as the TT fourtnight unfolds and the Senior race looms.

The only downside for me was the use of 3D which I found distracting at times. More importantly I don't feel that 3D ads anything. This became less of an issue later in the film when my eyes had fully adjusted and I could forget about the 3D aspect.

For bikers this film is a must see for those that are not, expect to see a well shot, well thought out and gripping documentary about one of the most difficult and unique road races in the world and the people that put their lives on the line to compete each year.

Five stars out of five

Isuperbiker premier review

2011-05-02T16:08:00.054+01:00

It's been a while since I saw an intresting motorcycle documentary, then suddenly two come along at once, first Isuperbiker and then TT3D closer to the edge. Both these films hit the big screen and I've been to both, out of a sense of interest and because I think it's important to support the biking community build a better public profile.

I was lucky enough to get tickets to the premier at Leicester square in London. I turned up with about 10 friends, a couple of hundred fans and several of the BSB riders and famous faces from the BSB scene.

The film was introduced by James Witham and a couple of the featured riders; Tommy Hill, Josh Brookes, Gary Mason and James Ellison who set the scene well. But what of the film itself?

The film followed four riders as they prepare for and then race in the 2010 British Superbike series. As such I was expecting to get a behind the scenes view of a summer in the life of these key riders, maybe find out what drives them, how they and their families handle the ups and downs of what is still a dangerous sport.

The film unfortunately failed to deliver for me for a number of reasons and I can best describe it as a season review.It showed clips from almost every race at every round of the season. The shot would show the bikes race from the start line, cut to shots of a crash or two, an overtake, shots of worried looking wags and then show bikes crossing the finish line, repeated over and over and over.

One of the issues was that (for whatever reason, budget, sponsorship, time limitations?) the film focused on four riders to the exclusion of the rest of the field. So much so that the series winner Ryuichi Kiyonari, who was in contention throughout 2010 only appeared in the film and his winning of the title appeared to come out of left field. But it wasn't the fact that they didn't follow the winner that let the film down for me.

Ultimately I think the documentary was limited due to a number of missed opportunities. The most important was that it fails to tell a story other than that of the racing, even when one of the riders was injured, it was barely touched on. There are so many stories to tell in bike racing, big sponsorship teams Vs small; How privateers struggle to keep in the game; what drives racers; how families cope, how racers come back from injury, how the whole traveling circus that is the BSB operates etc etc.

So is it worth seeing? Well I would have to say that even as a big BSB fan, I was disappointing, so maybe it's one to wait for the DVD, or perhaps you'd be better spending an afternoon on the bike or at BSB.

Two starts out of five.

Motorcycle racing and biking on twitter

2011-03-06T21:40:00.003Z

I've been following a variety of people from the motorcycle fraternity on Twitter since I started using the service. I thought it might be useful to research a list if racers and other related tweeters for others to follow.

The alphabetical list below is by no means exhaustive, it's also heavily biased to road racers, so feel free to suggest others and I'll add them. Last but not least, a big thanks to motogpworld.net whose list of motogp twitter accounts got me started.

Racers

Alex Barros: http://twitter.com/alexbarrosrider

Alex Hoffman: http://twitter.com/Alex_66

Alvaro Bautista: http://twitter.com/19Bautista

Andrew Pitt: http://twitter.com/andrewpitt88

Ben Bostrom: https://twitter.com/BenBostrom

Ben Spies: https://twitter.com/BenSpies11

Bradley Smith: https://twitter.com/BradleySmith38

Broc Parkes: http://twitter.com/BrocParkes

Cal Crutchlow: http://twitter.com/calcrutchlow

Carl Fogarty: https://twitter.com/carlfogarty

Carlos Checa: http://twitter.com/CarlosCheca7

Carol Abraham: http://twitter.com/KarelAbraham17

Carolyn Sells: http://twitter.com/CarolynnSells

Chaz Davies: http://twitter.com/chazdavies

Chris Vermeulen: https://twitter.com/chrisvermeulen7

Colin Edwards: http://twitter.com/texastornado5

Conor Cummins: http://twitter.com/ConrodIOM

Dan Linfoot: http://twitter.com/danlinfoot

Danny Webb: http://twitter.com/DannyWebb99

David Knight: http://twitter.com/Knighter101

Eric Bostrom: http://twitter.com/BozBros

Eugene Laverty: http://twitter.com/eugenelaverty

Floreon Marino: http://twitter.com/FlorianMarino

Gary Mason: http://twitter.com/GaryMason101

Gina Rea: http://twitter.com/GinoRea

Guy Martin: http://twitter.com/guymartinracing

Hector Barbera: http://twitter.com/HectorBarbera

Hector Faubel: http://twitter.com/HectorFaubel

Hiroshi Aoyama: http://twitter.com/Hiroshoaoyama

James Westmorland: http://twitter.com/WestyBSS3

Jenny Tinmouth: http://twitter.com/JennyTinmouth

Jonathan Rea: https://twitter.com/jonathanrea

Jorge Lorenzo: http://twitter.com/lorenzo99

Josh Brookes: http://twitter.com/JoshBrookes

Keith Amor: http://twitter.com/keithamor

Kevin Schwantz: https://twitter.com/KevinSchwantz

Leon Camier: https://twitter.com/leoncamier

Leon Haslam: http://twitter.com/realleonhaslam

Luca Scassa: http://twitter.com/skaluca

Marco Melandri: http://twitter.com/MarcoMelandri33

Maria Costello: http://twitter.com/MariaCostello

Mat Mladin: https://twitter.com/MatMladin

Max Neukirckner: http://twitter.com/MaxNeukirchner

Michael Laverty: http://twitter.com/michaellaverty

Nicky Hayden: https://twitter.com/nickyhayden69

Nico Terol: http://twitter.com/nicoterol

Peter Hickman: http://twitter.com/peterhickman60

Pol Espargaro: http://twitter.com/PolEspargaro

Roger Hayden: https://twitter.com/rogerhayden

Sam Lowes: http://twitter.com/SamLowes11

Scott Redding: http://twitter.com/scottredding45

Shane Shakey Byrne: https://twitter.com/67Shakey

Simon Grotzkj: http://twitter.com/Simone_Grotzkyj

Taylor Mackenzie: http://twitter.com/taylormac77

Tom Tunstall: http://twitter.com/tomtunstall

Tommy Bridewell: http://twitter.com/tommybridewell

Tommy Hill: http://twitter.com/ommyhill33

Commentators

Gavin Emmett: http://twitter.com/gemmett

Julian Ryder: http://twitter.com/MotoGPJules

Matt Roberts: https://twitter.com/mattnroberts

Neil Spalding: http://twitter.com/Spalders

Nick Harris: https://twitter.com/NickHarrisMedia

Toby Moody: https://twitter.com/tobymoody

Team crew

Alex Briggs: https://twitter.com/Alex__Briggs

Davide Brivio: http://twitter.com/Davide_Brivio

Opinion

Bike Sport News: http://twitter.com/bikesportnews

Flat in 6th: http://twitter.com/flatin6th

Martin Raines: http://twitter.com/motogpmart

Motogp blog: http://twitter.com/motogpblog

Stay On The Black: http://twitter.com/StayOnTheBlack

TwitGP PR: http://twitter.com/TwitGPpr

TwitGP: http://twitter.com/TwitGP

VisorDown: http://twitter.com/visordown

After the Flag: http://twitter.com/AfterTheFlag

Racing series

British Superbike: http://twitter.com/OfficialBSB

Ilse of Man TT: http://twitter.com/iomttraces

motogp: http://twitter.com/OfficialMotoGP

World Superbike: http://twitter.com/worldsbk

Other Bikers

Charley Boorman: http://twitter.com/charleyboorman

Simon Pavet: http://twitter.com/SimonPavey

Suzi Perry: http://twitter.com/suziperry

The Boat That Guy Built - by eck!

2011-03-04T21:15:00.002Z

For those that follow bike racing Guy Martin will be familiar. As well as being somewhat of a TT specialist he's a fast talking and often outspoken northerner who likes nothing more than playing about with engines between copious cups of tea.

He's recently been cast as a presenter for a new BBC programme which aired last Sunday at 6:30, "The boat that Guy built" has Guy fitting out an old canal boat with great British inventions starting with, you guessed it, everything you need to make a cup of tea.

A modern day Fred Dibnah crossed with X-Men's Wolverine? I'll let you decide. The show is well woth a watch and you can catch the first episode on iplayer and the rest of the series every Sunday from 6:30 on BBC One.

T E Lawrence's Brough Superior SS100

2010-11-06T12:53:00.002Z

On a recent visit to the London Imperial War Museum amongst the planes and tanks I came across an unexpected find; one of the motorcycles owned by Lawrence of Arabia and on which he had his fatal crash. The bike was later restored. To bikers, it illustrates the passion for, and danger of these machines.

Next to the exhibit a poignant inscription on the wall read...

"This 1000cc motorcycle was the prized possession of T E Lawrence, better know as 'Lawrence of Arabia', and the machine on which he was killed in May 1935. Lawrence's Brough Superior was tailor-made by George Brough himself and cost £170 in 1932. This was the seventh Brough that Lawrence had owned. He named each in succession 'George I' to 'George VII', and also referred to some of them, including this model, as 'Boanerges' (Son of Thunder).

The Brough Superior was the fastest and most expensive machine on the road at the time. It easily reached speeds of 100mph and was at the cutting edge of 1930's design. The motorcycle was Lawrence's constant companion on the deserted country roads of pre-war Britain. Long distance visits to friends such as Winston Churchill and Lady Astor were achieved in record time. 'It is the silkiest thing I have ever ridden...' Lawrence would famously say.

In May 1935 Lawrence was riding the Brough back home from Bovington in Dorset to his nearby cottage at Clouds Hill. Suddenly he came upon two errand boys on bicycles, swerved to avoid them and pitched over the handlebars onto the road. His head struck the ground and he sustained terrible injuries, which would claim his life six days later. The motorcycle was only slightly damaged in the accident and was returned to the factory to be repaired by George Brough".

'London to Nordkapp' and back

2010-08-10T12:09:00.000+01:00

I got back from my trip to Nordkapp yesterday after riding over 5,000 miles through 9 countries. I'm spending today sorting my kit, my bike, my photos and mostly myself out.

I'll blog about the trip in more detail when I have the energy, but for now I want to jot down a few thoughts before I loose them.

So what have a learned:

Over five thousand miles in 12 days is way too much mileage - I'm knackered
A trip like this needs three to four weeks, not less than two, to actually visit places, rather than pass though them
Surprisingly after 12 days my clutch wrist is OK, but my throttle wrist is hurty
A Hayabusa may be a passable touring bike but it's not a convincing one
No matter how little you pack, you always pack more than you need
International RAC cover is a godsend when your co-rider has a blowout on a foreign motorway at midnight in the pouring rain - don't leave home without it
As confirmed by previous endurance events I can for 12 hours easily and up to 18 when needed
While it's possible to drive through several countries in a day - (the most I managed was five). It's possible to drive though every kind of weather in just a couple of hours
I had an absolute blast and learned a lot for my next tour... oh yes there will be a next

About Europe:

German roads are too fast (I can't believe I said that), but you just can't ride for several hours at 100 mph + especially in the dark. It's a real drivers country - Just how many types of petrol do they need?
Belgians make great waffles
Holland is flat and has the most annoying road system I've ever got lost in
Scandinavian / Nordic roads are way faster than you think
Sweden has no shortage of lakes and trees. It's a vast country, but you'd never know it, as it's flat, you can drive for days through a tunnel of trees without seeing further than the road and the trees at roadside
Finland is rugged, fairly desolate but beautiful, at least the part that we rode through
Norway, stunning scenery, amazing roads, and free coffee at every Statoil when you buy a mug (probably the best loyalty scheme I've ever come across)

When I rode round the four extreme points of the UK in less than 36 hours I came back feeling that the UK was much smaller than I had thought. I expected to come back from the Nordkapp trip feeling much the same, but in fact Europe feels far bigger to me now. I've only touched some parts of the countries I've visited, others, (like Denmark) I simply drove through. If it wasn't for the ferry terminal I might not have put a foot down on Danish soil. Europe is a huge place and I need time to do it justice.

Photos from the trip

The 2010 trip is on - London to Nordkapp

2010-07-26T20:04:00.000+01:00

So this was the trip I looked at last year and it never happened. I'd then planned a trip to iceland this year, but with the economic climate in a mess and the icelandic volcano making the actual climate a mess that didn't come off either. It looked very much like the Nordkapp trip was destined to be another of my many biking dreams.

Then a quick chat with a biking buddy in Norway over Skype later and the trip is suddenly back on! We earnestly set to planning, reading forums (ADVriders, IronButtUK etc), swapping maps and excels etc. Now baring any major mishaps we leaving in a couple of days. The bike is serviced, fresh tyres, packed and ready to go. Oh, and I'm pretty excited.

We have put aside 13 days to make the trip. My buddy will fly to England and pick up his bike, meet me at Folkestone, from there we head north at a fair pace. We will head up through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway Finland to get to Nordkapp. The back down the coast of Norway. I'll drop Alex off in Oslo and spend the last two days getting back to London.

The whole 5,900 mile trip is planned for 13 days, and yes we are pushing it, and yes for many reasons we might have bitten off more than we can chew. We're planning to do our best by taking advantage of being able to camp out in the wilds in most of Scandinavia, and make the best of the long summer evenings (with almost 24 hour light at the top of Norway and Finland). But we can always change the plan as we see fit. We almost certainly will. I'd like to take my time doing the trip, but I simply don't have it. Plus I figure I can always go back.

Check out the route and possibly snigger at our folly here.

I'll be posting pictures and a review of the trip, good or bad in a couple of weeks.

Bike EXIF

2010-07-25T07:36:00.001+01:00

I love bikes and am passionate about photography, so I don't know why its taken me so long to come across Bike EXIF, a stunning site that's all about great bikes, beautifully shot. Customs, choppers, classics, rebuilds, cafe racers, projects and one-offs are all there. Check it out.

Road Trip Lite

2010-07-22T21:18:00.002+01:00

I've never believed the claimed fuel rang (160 miles!) or the claimed fuel economy of the Hayabusa. It's a big revvy engine and it's too tempting and easy to use the grunt. You can practically see the fuel gage plummet as you accelerate on to the motorway from a service station. That said I've never ran a tank completely dry and I have many days where I like to potter along.

There's no more guesswork since I downloaded the free Road Trip Lite app for the iPhone. It's a very simple to use app. You just enter the size of your tank, your odometer reading, how much petrol you put in and whether this tops up the tank or not. You can also enter the price too. The program calculates mpg based on when you say the tank is full. It doesn't matter if it's been filled from empty or half way.

I've used the app on each fill and have been interested by the results, I've seen economies between fills of as much as 55 mpg and as little as *cough* 35. See the screen shot above.

I've used regular and ultra petrol and haven't really been picky on price, but if you shopped around for good prices and stayed on one type of petrol you would soon get a good idea of the mpg (or liter per kilometer etc) and how different types of riding or roads affect it.

If you're a biking geek I thoroughly recommend it.

I like it so much I've just upgraded to the full version available for £2.99 at your nearest app store, ready for a 6,000 mile round trip in a couple of weeks. The upgrade lets you do much more including logging specific trip, tracking multiple vehicles and exporting data to excel. What more could a two wheeled geek need.

Mmmmm Fruity new pipes

2010-07-11T19:01:00.002+01:00

Ever since I bought the Hayabusa I've been wanting to change the exhausts for something that sounds better, not loud, just something a bit more fruity than the standard cans. As pretty much everything else on the bike is black, they could only be one colour.

Budget and finding cans that I like the look of have been the main things holding me back (that and Alisa didn't think exhausts were a suitable item for our wedding list). I didn't want to convert the Busa to a single exhaust as I like the double barreled look and a pair of Yoshi's plus pipes requires a second mortgage. So no luck... until I found these from Blue flame, which look great. Even better they are having a deal on online sales at the moment, 20% off!!! Next thing I know I've ordered a pair.

I can't wait for them to arrive, so I can have a new soundtrack for touring to Nordkapp in a few weeks!

Motoczysz E1PC electric bike

2010-07-11T18:51:00.000+01:00

No matter what your thoughts on the future of electric motorcycles two things are certain, the Motoczysz E1PC that competed at the 2010 Isle of Man TT has to be one of the best looking and worst named bikes in the world!

Here's some footage of testing and check out this blog for more details.

Bank Holiday Ride out to Wye Valley, South Wales

2010-06-03T21:55:00.002+01:00

This weekend I headed out to the Wye Valley with 11 other London City Bikers. Starting at the Ace Cafe, we rode the 140 or so miles to Monmouth on Saturday taking the old A40, just stopping to dodge the rain showers, (it is a bank holiday after all).

Late afternoon saw us arrive at the Mayhil Hotel Monmouth. The hotel is ideal for bikers, as it's within easy reach of London on the edge of the Forest of Dean and right on the edge of some great biking roads. The hotel is basic, but biker friendly, has a car park, secure parking for bikes and friendly staff. The new management have only been there for six months and have made lots of improvements so I'm sure this venue will have more to offer. They even talked about organizing a camping area.

On Sunday one of the locals took us on a tour around that part of wales, stopping in Devils Bridge for lunch and Aberystwyth later in the day. We got to open up the bikes and get them cranked over on some great mountain switchbacks. It sure beats riding around the city and it was fun to scrape some of the chicken strips off the tyres.

The gang spent Monday seeing more tourist attractions, but with chores to do I made tracks and took advantage of the twisty roads being empty at 6 a.m. before crossing the bridge back to England bound for London.

Another great weekend on the bike with some great people, well organized by Alex. The riding has really got me thinking about planning the route to Nordkapp later this summer.

May day ride to Hastings

2010-06-03T21:34:00.000+01:00

Well the blog hasn't seen a lot of action this year, and that's partly because I haven't been doing the milage that I normally do. Since my last bike was stolen I hardly ever commute so the bike is just there for pleasure. Life has just got in the way and other excuses.

In the last couple of weeks I've got the bike out of the shed and put the first thousand miles or so of the year on it. It started with a doing the May Day run from Locksbottom to Hastings. I hooked up with some of the London city riders, made my way to Locksbottom and then took s slow ride to hastings.

There was a lot of traffic and things moved at a sedate pace, but one of the guys still managed to pick up a speeding ticket for being a couple of miles an hour over the limit. I'm not even sure how it was possible, but given the number of police out and about, there were obviously some quotas to fill.

Hasting was packed with bikes, and we wondered along the beach front taking in the sites before grabbing a bite to eat and then relaxing on the beach before and heading back to London.

I thoroughly recommend the rides out with the London City Bikers, especially if you are new to biking or aren't in the mind to go thrashing round the countryside. It's a good group of guys and gals with mixed riding experience and the ride-outs tend to be relaxed but fun.

Tron Legacy concept bike

2010-03-13T18:47:00.000Z

Those of you who are the geekier persuasion may remember the 1982 film Tron. An early and perhaps not that successful attempt at working virtual reality into a film plot. Tron Legacy has recently completed production and is due out in cinemas on December 17th 2010.

Part of the plot in both films works around a duel on virtual reality bikes. Here's a nice teaser shot of the bike for the latest film...no details yet about the battery life or charge time ;-)

Latest Think! campaign - Think bike, think biker

2010-03-09T19:54:00.003Z

As someone who works in the media evaluation industry I'm always interesting in innovative PR/Communications campaigns, especially those that cross mainstream and social media and even more so, those that speak to or deal with bikers.

It's easy to focus on the negative aspects of biking such as speed or crashes and thus alienate bikers, or focus on the driver mistakes and alienate car drivers. It's difficult to find the right balance and still get the important message across.

I recently came across a link to the latest Think! advert on a local forum. I assume that it's being posted on biker and non biker forums to gage interest and get feedback before a possible roll-out to wider media, (I have no inside knowledge, just assumptions).

The latest ad tries to speak to drivers by dealing with the person on the bike rather than the amorphous biker to which many a preconception is linked. Check it out the YouTube video for yourself and see what you think.

Is it a success? Does it get the message across? Does it go far enough, or is it too softly softly? Personally I like it... It's good to see an approach that deals with bikers as real people not a stereotype.

In addition to the YouTube campaign there's a nice little widget on the Think! Facebook page that lets you personalise your Facebook profile picture and declare yourself as a biker to all your friends.

Ferrari concept bike

2010-03-02T19:35:00.000Z

Here are a couple of interesting concept bikes by 3D design aficionado Amir Glink, in Ferrari red and yellow of course. Something to brighten up winter biking.

2010 Dragon Rally

2010-02-20T14:45:00.006Z

One of the few bits of riding I've done this winter is attending the Conwy MCC Dragon Rally. It's an annual social rally held in Wales, now in its 49th year. I had arranged to meet up with Mike a biker from the IBA forum and we rode up to Conwy together. First stop was finding the rally control where we got our tickets stamped and got directions to the rally.

Dragon Rally control point

After we passed through control we headed to the site, a wooded area near a couple of miles outside Conwy and found a space to park the bikes. Having not been to the rally before we weren't sure what to expect and so we we camped out not to far from the entrance as we weren't sure if we would get stuck later if we took the bikes too far in.

From about midday bikes started to poor in (approx. 1,400 people attended), through the woods and up a steep track to the camping ground at the top. There were plenty of people o hand to push and pul biked that slipped or got suck. It's an interesting site watching someone ride/push a Goldwing up a track that is more suited to dirt bikes.

Dragon Rally camping ground

Once the bikes were unpacked, the tents and a warm cuppa brewed we wondered around, meeting up with a couple of the IBA forum members, chewing the fat and checking out all the weird and wonderful bikes. The rally has a good mix of old and new bikes, road bikes and off road bikes, but most interestingly there are lots of outfits. Some years the weather is so bad a dirt bike or outfit is needed just to get to the campsite

Dragon Rally parking

Dragon Rally classic bike

Dragon Rally Merlin & Yamaha outfit

Once settled in we hit the beer tent, and picked up our free and rather sort after rally badges, as well as a mars bar and bells whisky. Normally I would be up for making a night of it, but I'd been struggling with the flu for a couple of weeks and was soon flagging. Really I should have been tucked up at home rather than camping in Wales, so it was back to the tent for a warm cup of tea, then off to sleep listing to the band and the campfire chatter.

I think I'll attend again with a group of bikes next time, now I know what to expect and to take with me. If you're going, don't expect many facilities, it's more a chance to meet bikers, camp and catch up with friends.

My pics features in 'your pics'

2010-02-20T14:35:00.003Z

Wow, to think it's February 22nd and this is the first blog post I've written this year. To be honest I've hardly done any riding since December. I normally ride through the winter, but now that I don't commute on the bike there's simply no need. It feels like the weather had been pretty bad this winter as well, work has been busy...(insert further feeble excuses here).

Any how to start of the year here's a pic that was printed in a popular bikers publication from my ride to John O'Groats last March, after uploading it to the website it was a nice surprise to open up the paper one day and see the picture.

2010 Battlefields charity ride announced

2009-12-24T10:07:00.002Z

Click image or go to Grim Riders MCC for details.

Cool stop-motion video of a bike build

2009-12-11T13:27:00.002Z

A visit to the 2009 Macau Grand Prix

2009-12-04T13:04:00.006Z

While visiting my partner in Hong Kong we managed to make a small side trip to Macau to watch the motorcycle Grand Prix.

Once we found our ways to the stands which are the only places you are allowed to watch the race from we settled in to watch some of the car races while waiting for the bikes. All the car races were pretty dull, the track is tight, overtaking is difficult, crashes frequent, which means much of the races were run behind the safety car.

The bike race was by contrast full of overtaking, breathtaking cornering and edge of the seat action. Here's a clip from this year showing John McGuinness and just how close the riders get to the walls.

Not only were we lucky enough to see a great race we got to see three Brits take the podium with Stuart Easting winning, Conor Cummins seconf and Ian Hutchinson third.

An enjoyablet weekend was had, but I'd put this down as a one off experience that i am unlikely to do again. The bikes are worth seeing but not a big enough part of the event to make a special trip for.

Certificates from this years rides

2009-11-19T06:47:00.005Z

This year I've completed a couple of certificated rides. The first of which was the IBA UK Four Corners Challenge riding to the four corners of the UK within 36 hours. You can read about my ride here.

Although I've competed in two IBA UK rallies, this was my first certificated ride. I'm hoping to do some distance rides in the near future, but I liked the 4 corners challenge because it was as much about the destination as the distance and endurance and it got me riding to some parts of the UK I had always wanted to go to. Along with the cert I received my official IBA number 40505.

The second major ride this year was the British National Park Ride developed by Grim Rider in support of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire air ambulance. The ride has a small entry fee which goes directly to the air ambulance charity. To complete it you must provide photographic proof of you and your bike at all 15 UK national parks in the 2009 calendar year. I started in March and finished in September. Ride reports here. Grim wis developing a new charity ride for 2010 which is sure to draw a lot of the long distance community.

So what does next year hold? Hopefully a European IBA distance ride and perhaps an attempt at the Round Britain Rally and any other pleasure rides I can fit in.

Thar she blows me hearties! More Busa mods

2009-11-19T06:31:00.006Z

I've made a promise to myself and to SWIMBO to keep the Busa until I've rode at least 100,000 miles on it. I'm hoping regular servicing will see it last that long. Given it's going to be worth next to nothing after that kind of mileage I'm happy to modify the bike as I see fit.

Most of the mods made to the bike have been linked to long distance riding, but recently I added something more cosmetic, something to make the bike a little more recognizable and a little more me.

I found a couple of images online and manipulated them in photoshop, before asking bikedecals to print up some custom decals, (I shopped around and found their price, advice and service to be the best). The old decals were a pain to remove and I ended up using cellulose thinners, a plastic scrapper and a lot of elbow grease to get them off, but this was managed without damaging the paintwork.

I'm pleased with the final result, it's distinctive and understated *cough* i think you'll agree.

Britain's best biking roads - Hartside Pass

2009-09-22T19:58:00.004+01:00

Every so often you happen across a road that's a bit special, a road that twists and turns and undulates, most of all a road that gives you at least one smile per mile, and ultimately a road that gets you involved in riding the bike well.

This weekend following the sat-nav, crossing from Haydon Bridge, through Alston and on towards Penrith I found what surely classes as one of Britain's great biking roads. A 37 mile stretch of the A686 which rises to 1904ft above sea level known as Hartside Pass. A few miles into it I was already laughing inside my helmet.

There were a few bikes and sports cars out and a bikers cafe on top of the pass, so it's a well known route. If you're in the area you must ride this road.

The best way of summing up the attraction of the road is expressed on the sign at the top of the pass...

As I find more of Britain's best biking roads I'll list them on the blog

Four more national parks completed

2009-09-21T13:19:00.007+01:00

I took the opportunity afforded by some late summer good weather to bag four more parks from the BNPR ride this weekend.

Lake District

Northumberland National Park

Yorkshire Dales

North Yorkshire Moors

This just leaves an easy ride from London to the Norfolk broads and back to finish all fifteen.

The ride was about 600 miles round trip; London, round the parks and back via a night spent Camping at Tan Hill Inn where I last stayed 15 years ago whilst walking the Pennine Way.

The BNPR ride has been great for getting me out and about, connecting up the UK a little more and finding some great roads. This weekend notable roads I discovered were the Kirkstone Pass just outside of Lake Windermere on the A592 and the Hartside Pass (A686) connecting Penrith to Haydon Bridge via Alton.

The 16th Annual Ace Cafe Reunion - Brighton Burn up

2009-09-14T19:10:00.005+01:00

This weekend Sunday I joined a couple of guys from the London City Bikers meetup group at the Ace Cafe to join the famous London to Brighton run. Although I've known about the run for years I always happened to be busy doing something when it came around.

Arriving an hour and a half before the run, the place was already buzzing, but not so busy I couldn't get a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich without having to cue:-) Half an hour later it was a different story with bikers arrived by the hundred. By 10:30 the car park, paths, roads and even a footbridge near the cafe were packed with bikes. According to the Brighton Argus around 15,000 bikers were expected! (article)

Once the flag dropped it took about 30 minutes to set off from the cafe, with bikes swarming onto the open road.

All the way to Brighton, bikes were parked in verges waiting to join the run or taking a break, congregated at service stations for coffee and cigarettes. Riders finally converged on Brighton's Madeira Drive around 13:00.

We got parked up after getting stuck for a while in a motorcycle traffic jam; grabbed a much needed cold drink after being roasted by the engine in the traffic; oggled some bikes and then headed for 'Lanes' to get some much earned lunch. After which we headed back to the front to join the crowd and cheer on one of the guys who had a go on the wheelie machine.

The Burn-up is definitely a recommended day out. It's rare to see so many bikes of every style at a single event and I've never been to a run which has had literally thousands of bikes riding together. It's not something I would do every year, but it's a unique biking experience that everyone should do once.

Video of the 2009 Ace Cafe Brighton Burn up

Pics of the 2009 Ace Cafe Brighton Burn up

London City Bikers

2009-09-14T18:58:00.005+01:00

Looking to do a little more riding locally and also do something more social I turned up this group run through the meetup website, which I used to meet people when I lived in the States.

The group is called London City Riders and it's a 60 strong club that organizes rid-outs in and around London and sometimes further afield. The turnout for some of the events looks fairly small so it's a good opportunity to meet like minded people who enjoy biking and what London has to offer.

My first meet-up will be the annual Ace Cafe Brighton run.

2009 Iron Butt Rally is on.

2009-08-24T13:20:00.005+01:00

11 days and 11 thousand miles, that's gotta be tough.

Best of luck to all...and just a little bit more luck for the local riders...

Paul Allison (United Kingdom) riding a Honda GL1800
Chris McGaffin (Ireland) riding a Yamaha FJR1300

Daily updated rally reports are available here

A weekend riding in Wales

2009-08-20T12:59:00.008+01:00

A whistle stop tour of Wales picking up three British National parks Ride locations an IBA UK 'Ride to Eat' and a visit to my old University in Lampeter.

I was up an on the bike for 7pm on Saturday to beat the London traffic heading for an IBA UK 'Ride to eat" near the Brecan Beacons, picking up other riders at the M4 Membury services and more at the Oasis Cafe in Abbergavenny on the way.

After a cuppa and a catchup about 15-20 of us headed out to the Brecan beacons in convoy to get our pictures for the BNPR bonus location. Then it was on to the Abercrave Inn for a good meal and more catching up.

I had a sit on one of the riders Honda Goldwing's for the first time as I have thought about using one to tour the US on but was worried about the weight and size of the thing. it was really surprising to see how light it was when I lifted it off the stand, easier than the Busa.

Around 2pm we all set off our separate ways. I meandered over to the coast where the days drizzle finally gave way to the glorious sunshine so cruelly promised by the BBC. After that I rode to my old university town where, by shere coincidence, I met up with an old friend who was there for the weekend. This made popping into a couple of my old student haunts a lot more fun.

I rose early on Sunday morning to wander round the two taking some photos, before getting s hearty (if unhealthy) fry up to set me up for the days riding. Next stops Aberaeron, Aberystwyth and then the Snowdonia National park.

Lot's of bikes were out in North Wales, and the roads weren't too busy, so I made the most of the weather, the scenery and the roads, before getting the Snowdonia National park snap and working my way back to London for the early evening.

All in a all a successful 600 mile weekend where the miles were broken up by friends and interesting places, plus I added a wales sticker to the panniers, tidy! as they say round those parts.

BNPR - Peak district & The Cat & Fiddle A537

2009-08-03T21:13:00.010+01:00

This weekend I rode up to Burton on Trent to visit family. The weather was nice on Sunday so rather than heading straight back dowN the M1 to London I decided to add another British National Parks Ride location to the list. I'm quickly running out of weekends, so the more I get the better.

I rode through Matlock Bath, which was packed with bikes, on my way to the visitor center near Ladybower reservoir. After stopping in and getting my photo I rode towards Buxton through some lovely single rack roads and out on to the moors to the famous Cat and fiddle pub on the infamous A537 Buxton to Macclesfield Road.

The road is about a 10 mile stretch of reasonable bends which has become a bit of a Meca for bikers. Over the years it's also become an accident blacks pot with many bike crashes, due to people riding past there limits and no doubt some collisions with cars crossing the white lines.

The road has a new 50mph limit, the police are out in force, I saw two police cars, one bike and the police also use a helicopter. There's also a bit of a scare campaign with signs all over the place, saying "Danger, biker crash area" or tallying the number of deaths and accidents. It's a shame, I don't advocate crazy riding, and rode the A537 within the limit but there was so much signage and police presence that it rather fealt that I was running the gauntlet rather than enjoying a ride in the countryside.

I ran down to Macclesfield and back to the pub where I stopped for some hearty bangers and mash before riding some great roads which took me to the M1 and London, just in time for Sunday evening rush hour.

Custom saddle for long distance riding

2009-07-27T20:39:00.003+01:00

A tip of the hat to Geekologie and therefixedit for this interesting picture. It could be the perfect seat for covering long distances in comfort

Weekend ride in Wales

2009-07-23T18:19:00.004+01:00

The summer is getting on and it's not long now until the weather gets a lot less pleasant for riding. I've picked up 6 of the British National Parks Ride locations with another 9 to collect.

Completed:

Cairngorms
Loch Lomond
South Downs
New Forest
Dartoor
Exmoor

Still to visit:

Brecon Beacons
Pembrokeshire
Snowdonia
Peak District
Lake District
Yorkshire Dales
North York Moors
Northumberland
Norfolk Broads

I'm planning three rides which should pick up the rest of the locations.

The first will be a Welsh weekend totaling about 600 miles. Saturday spent riding to Abergavenny to meet some of the IBA UK riders for lunch, before going on to the Brecon and Pembroke bonus locations.

For the evening I plan to backtrack to Lampter to my old university town where I'll stay the night. It's ten years since I've been back so it will be nice to spend some time looking around before riding to Snowdonia and then back to London on the Sunday.

Basic route layout above. Let's hope the weather holds.

A trip to China - electric bikes

2009-07-19T20:49:00.003+01:00

I recently visited China, spending the best part of a week in Beijing. The city was completely different to what I had imagined it to be. Modern, very clean (bar the smog), and in places very western. As always when visiting new places I keep a keen eye on the local motorcycles.

While I wasn't surprised to see that there were very few large capacity bikes being ridden in the city I was surprised to find that you can't take a big bike into Beijing without a permit. What I was expecting in an Asian city were thousands of small capacity bikes, (possibly two strokes) belching blue smoke. However, while there were thousands of bikes, few of them were petrol powered, they were largely electric. (pic above)

Beijing roads are full of light weight electrics bikes. These range from basic push bikes with batteries and motors to small motorbikes and mopeds that you would expect to be petrol driven but for the lack of noise.

While many of the bikes appear and no doubt are cheaply built, it does show that electric bikes can be practical and affordable within a city and also a key way limiting traffic fumes.

While I imagine that most western cities will no doubt take some time to catch on to this biking cultural revolution I've already seen one of the same models I saw in Beijing parked up in central London. While I don't see the death of the petrol engine, I thing these electric bikes will be a welcome addition to London's roads.

Busa now with added bling

2009-06-07T10:01:00.007+01:00

Given that my last bike was pristine when it got stolen, Im making an effort to modify the new one a bit more, make it more distinctive and fitted to the me and the way I use it.

So far I've added, heated grips, electrical outlets, panniers, higher screen, wired in a Garmin StreetPilot SatNav, modified the seat hump and indicators to allow for the panniers and fitted Avon Storms to provide some much needed reassurance in corners. Th bike is pretty much now where I left off with the last one.

Next on the list is to remove the safety stickers which are obviously placed where easily seen but which always makes them make the bike look a mess. I'l probably take off the main graphics at some point, but need o find the right replacements. For now I bought some wheel stickers off eBay.

Cheesy and pointless yes, but kinda fun non-the-less.

BNPR - Exmoor and Dartmoor

2009-06-07T09:46:00.005+01:00

On the Brit Butt Rally this year I crossed Stonehenge at daw. and though "why don't I do this more often?" I don't mean ride all day and all night, but getting up early and making the most of the open roads seeing the countryside and getting out of London quickly before the traffic gets crazy busy.

So yesterday I set the alarm for 5:30 am, got the bike out and headed South West to pick up a couple of extra locations for the British national Parks Rally. The weather forecast was mixed with rain likely, but I thought I'd chance it. The ride was great from London out past Andover, but then the rain came and it was torrential.

By the time I got to Exmoor I was soaked and glad of the extra pair of cloves I'd put in the panniers. I grabbed a picture there, but didn't explore as the rain meant that I was no longer in the mood for hanging around. I then crossed to Dartmoor which was an easy ride, but as I came on to the top of the moor the rain was sideways and visibility poor. I snapped another picture and had dinner in a local cafe, where my saturated kit left a puddle around my table. After which I completed the 380 mile run by heading back to London.

It was great to get out early, just a shame about the weather as I want to explore each of the national parks I visit, but it does provide the perfect excuse for getting out on the bike and visiting them again.

Flickr set here

My IBAUK Brit Butt Rally 2009 experience

2009-05-27T13:18:00.005+01:00

A short video documenting my 2009 UK Brit Butt Rally ride. Ride reports from other enrants can be found here.

Hong Kong custom scooter

2009-05-18T18:00:00.003+01:00

While in Hk recently I saw a lot of small motorcycles but when it comes to scooters the larger capacity versions are most popular. Quite a few of them are heavily customized.

I managed to grab a shot of this one as it pulled away from the lights. I think it's a 650cc Suzuki Sky Wave, (there were a lot of them around), but I'm just as likely wrong. It was in an area where Kowloon's hipster kids hang out and was turning a few heads. For some crazy japanese custom scooters check out pink tentacle's scooter section.

Honda CB250 Hong Kong Police Bike

2009-05-17T17:39:00.004+01:00

I've just got back from a trip to Hong Kong. As ever, when I'm in a different country I always keep a lookout for bikes. I like to see the different models, different uses and how biking culture differs from place to place.

In HK most of the larger capacity bikes tend to be owned by expats from Europe or the US. The locals tend to prefer the smaller capacity bikes. There are more scooters than bikes around and these tend to be the bigger ones, 400 cc, 600 cc and up.

I took this photo of a police Honda CB 250 parked in a busy market street. It's not ideal for chasing down cars on the highway, HK police have bigger bikes for that, but perfect for inner city Hong Kong with the busy traffic, steep hills and sharp turns.

Is the future electric?

2009-04-08T19:48:00.007+01:00

Electric vehicles are nothing new. They have generally been either test beds for 'green' transport that never really take off or boringly dull. For instance they have all the attributes that make them perfect for milk floats, i.e. they are quiet and high torque. More recently small town cars like the Gwiz have gone into production in small numbers and can be regularly seen on the streets of London.

As far as motorbikes go, they have never been taken seriously. But, over the last few months my opinion has started to change. It came about when I bumped into the picture of the Mission One while browsing images of concept bikes. It's not often I see a concept bike that I like the look of and would actually want to own, (the Suzuki Nuda from the early 80's is the only one that springs to mind).

The Mission One looks stunning, then I found out that it wasn't a concept but a pre production bike, great! But it's electric. I almost wrote it off until I saw the videos showing rider reactions on their site. The bike has a claimed 150 mile range and can do 150 miles an hour. These are the kind of real world figures that make sense to bikers. It couldn't tour, but it passes the tank range of many liter bikes.

There are now more and more viable electric bikes, appearing in the marketplace, or close to market, such as the Zero X off road bike. Recently the TTXGP has been launched. It's the worlds first clean emission superbike race taking part on the world famous Isle of Man TT course.

Electric bikes are going to play a key role in the race; the Mission One is already signed up and there is speculation that MotoCzysz may also enter a bike. The event will show in real world terms if electric motorcycle technology can stand up to the punishment of the TT course and whether they are truly viable. Either way showcasing zero emission and electric bikes in such a high profile environment will do much to raise awareness of what they can do.

I'm looking forward to watching the race and can't wait to see the Mission One in action.

Here's another video

31ST March - 4,000+ against parking tax

2009-04-05T19:53:00.001+01:00

Award winning safety ads - Now that's more like it.

2009-04-03T13:49:00.003+01:00

It's easy for those who don't ride bikes to dwell on the negative aspects of biking, or the morbid side of it. This has the effect of putting off bikers and also negatively impacting the image of modern biking itself. Good to see that Derbyshire are doing some things right and concentrating on upskilling riders as part of their programme of safety measures.

Now about those boxes on the Cat and Fiddle...

Four Corners ride report (Pt 4) the road north.

2009-04-02T20:01:00.008+01:00

I got up after 2 hours sleep at 5 a.m. It's surprising just how much benefit you get from a short power nap. I didn't feel great, but as soon as I got on the road in the fresh air that would change. Checking the sat nav I had done 961 miles the previous day, the bulk of the trip was behind me and it would now be motorways and major roads for most of the trip north.

By 8am I was ready for a breakfast, a quick late and an almond croissant and in Northumberland and I continued north. The rain was now left behind and I made good time. Scotland soon arrived and I worked my way past Glasgow heading for the A9 towards Perth.

The roads were beautiful, but one minute I was bathed in sunshine, the next rain, then hail and a first for me, I found myself riding while it was slowing. The roads were clear, but I started to worry that I wouldn't make it past Aviemore to Inverness. Every few seconds I would clear snow from the visor and I tried to stay in front of the traffic as the snow would whip off the cars and build up quickly.

Just outside Aviemore the snow stopped and the sun came out again and I stopped to take in the view and get some pictures.

The bike was filthy due to the dirty country roads in Wales and the bad weather. The back tyre was squaring off, but there were only 140 miles to go.

The traffic started to thin out on the road past Inverness and I found myself skipping passed a car every few minutes. Once I passed the Dornach firth the road became a smooth well laid bendy coastal road. I stopped for a break, to take a phone call, and eat a bag of nuts, knowing that bar a breakdown I would make John O'Groats under the time limit.

I enjoyed the perfect bikers road and started to climb around the bike through the bends with a smile on my face as I passed wick and the small villages. Finally I pulled into JOG got my receipt from the little petrol station. Booked myself into the luxuriously appointed sea view hotel *cough*.

It was 3 pm. I'd covered 1470 miles, finishing the ride in 34 hours, spending 32 of those hours on the road, 22 in my longest stint. I'd slackened a fairly new chain, ruined a set of tyres and firmly stomped my carbon footprint into the countryside burning about 15o litres of petrol. But it was so worth it!

A cup of tea, forms signed and to bed by 18:30. I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. I had to get up at 06:00 to bag two national parks for the BNPR and pop into Glasgow for a cup of tea with family before heading to stay with others in the midlands.

Pics of my four corners ride here

Detailed map of the route here

Four Corners ride report (Pt 3) Lands End St. Davids and beyond

2009-04-01T22:49:00.009+01:00

It was just after 3pm when I left Land's End for the second time. I'd been on the road for 10 hours and was feeling pretty good, getting into the riding groove, comfy on the bike. The rain started to ease off as I headed north up the M5.

I hit the Seven Toll Bridge in good spirits, watching the sunset as I came towards the toll booths. Strangely enough, it was light and dry on the English side, but as the barrier lifted it was dark and pi**ing it down on the Welsh side.

Pushing ever onwards past Newport with its brightly lit refineries and then Swansea, I left the M4 for the A48 and then the A40. Soon I was on the smaller roads. I filled up at the 24 hour garage in Haverfordwest just before taking the single lane road to St. Davids.

This was to be an interesting part of the trip. My tank range is about 160-170 miles, but I almost never get this as any opening of the throttle feeds the thirsty 1300cc engine. I planned to go easy at low revs, get to St. David, turn onto the coast road for Fishguard, Aberystwyth, Machynlleth, Bala and then Chester on a single tank of fuel and a prayer.

What I didn't plan on was getting lost on the single track roads, most weren't even on the sat-nav. I rode for about 20 minutes only to arrive at St. Davids again, bugger. It was now almost 10 pm, pitch black and raining. Finally I got on track, and made for the coast road and my goal, Chester, really starting to worry about fuel now.

With the benefit of 20:20 hindsight I should have stopped in St. Davids for the night and pushed on in the morning, but I had booked a hotel in Chester and wasn't too tired. I also know the coast roads near Abber pretty well after living near there for four years. Riding the road in the dark at a pace which would allow me to dodge any Kamikaze wildlife I soon realized just how long it would take me. As I came to the wooded roads round Bala the fuel gage was looking low. As I reached Llangllen I was waiting for the 10 mile light to come on...it did.

Just outside Wrexham after five miles with the light on and a sweat breaking out, which was nothing to do with the Gerbing heated jacket, I found petrol, the ride would go on, but I couldn't go more than a few miles further.

It was now 2 am and I was knackered. I got to Chester but could not find the hotel. Fatigue was setting in and I was struggling to orient myself. When I pulled into the hotel it was 02:50 and I had been on the road for 22 hours, my personal record. In future I know I should stop after about 18 hours. I was exhausted, ready to give up, but asked the desk guy to set an alarm call for 5 a.m. Hey, I'm just a sucker for punishment!

Photos of the trip here

Four Corners ride report (Part 2) The ride starts

2009-04-01T22:24:00.005+01:00

I got up at the crack of sparrows, kitted up, got my witness forms signed by the chap at the desk and rode to the 24 hour garage in Lowestoft to get my timed receipt. I made a mental note, "I've only just started and already I've done one corner, only three to go". There was now the small matter of getting to the other three in 36 hours and almost 1500 miles.

I selected my route in the sat nav and...Houston we have a problem. An error message...you must be sh**ting me! The route couldn't be used. Cursing I selected the way point for Lands End, set the sat-nav to record the route I actually rode, hoped for the best and set off.

Heading toward London, I arrived at rush hour, not really a problem as I;m used to London rush hour. Rather than working my way around the M25, I decided to take a risk and go through the center, it payed off, even with the Hayabusa's ridiculously wide panniers I made good time.

I started to get into the flow of the ride, popped out of London on the M3 and then the A303 south, that's when the sun disappeared and the rain started. Pulling off the 303 for petrol it was sideways rain and it was time to bring out the secret weapon. My girlfriends heated Gerbing jacket. Nothing but nothing could stop me now.

Soon I was on the road and slowly broiling, running the heated grips and jacket. next stop was Land's End. I got my end to end club forms filled in at the Land's End hotel and decided it was a good time to take some time out, so I popped into the restaurant in full bike kit, put my helmet on the table, much to the surprise of the American tourists and ordered a starter and main.

After I took a couple of pictures and then did the nine miles of winding road to Penzance for Petrol. It's here that I realised I didn't have a proper receipt. So I had to ride back to the Land's End hotel again to get one.

Now I was behind schedule. Taking time out for a proper meal really doesn't gel with endurance riding.

Four Corners ride report (Part 1) Bad luck!

2009-04-01T21:59:00.006+01:00

IBA rides can be split into a couple of separate stages; planning, riding and accounting for the ride. I was unsure I could complete a ride around the UK's four corners, but though that good planning would make me that much more likely to succeed.

I planned the route including key fuel stops a week before the ride with a friend who would be riding with me. Unfortunately he pulled out due to illness, so two nights before the ride I shortened some of the more scenic sections of the route to improve my chances, programmed the route (above) and way points into the sat-na, packed the luggage with clothes, spares and food. I was ready for my ride to the start point at Lowestoft on Thursday, nothing could go wrong now.

Thursday was a busy day at work and I couldn't get away time...and that was just the start of it. I was now rushing to get to the Hotel at a decent enough time to get some sleep. To make things worse, in my rush to get underway I was throwing my luggage onto the bike when I heard my front door slam. Now I was not only late, I was locked out!

An hour later and £75 lighter a locksmith had let me back in, I grabbed my kit, fired up the bike and I hit the 100 miles to Lowestoft. I checked in at midnight knowing I had to be up at four a.m. Note to self, get a decent kip the night before my next ride.

4 Corners attempt

2009-03-24T21:05:00.006Z

Well if I'm not taking part in one hair brained motorcycle scheme it's usually because I'm too busy taking part in another.

My friend Alex and I are pretty much ready for an attempt on the IBA UK's four corners ride. The aim of the ride is simple. There are four points, the most northerly, southerly and yup, you guessed it, Eastern and Western point of the mainland UK. All you have to do is start at one and get to all the others in 36 hours.

Sounds simple doesn't it, but the more we looked into it the more it became apparent that this is something very difficult. Of course there are longer routes, (about 1,800 miles) and shorter ones, (about 1,400) but we didn't want to go back on ourselves and also wanted to ride through some nice areas, so we chose a route which according to the Sat Nav works out at about 150 miles.

The route that would be best appears to be to start at Lands End, then head to St. Davids, the Lowerstoft and finally John O'groats. But save on the miles, (you have to ride to the starting point and home from the end point), we settled on Lowerstoft as the start.

Again the more we consider what is in front of us the more difficult it looks, so what are the plans.

We don't have to finish it

You don't get medals, awards or plaudits, hell most people will look at your funny for even trying something like this. If we can't finish it, then we just can't finish it...there are always other hair brained schemes out there that I can get myself into. If nothing else I'm going to get another blog post out of it ;-)

Safety first

Long distance riding and riding at night put riders at greater risk than those who bimble to the local biker cafe once each sunny weekend. We'll keep the speeds low-ish, stop regularly, keep an eye out for each other and not pushing on when we are too tired. Again if we can't finish it so what.

Preparation

Route planned, awareness of where we need to be and at what time, petrol stops and receipt locations noted to verify the ride and mileage. Bikes are recently serviced and the kit tested, (well mostly). There's always more you can do to prepare but an element of freedom makes for interesting times.

Adaptation

We've picked a scenic route, so we can cut back on the miles and get on the motorway if time gets short, we've not booked the half way rest stop, nor the hotel at the end. We would not be so presumptuous!

Patience

The M25 and slow progress in Wales, (only one motorway) will test this.

Wish us luck...we'll be needing all we can get.

PS there are some great tips for endurance riding and recognising rider fatigue here.

BNPR - First two locations bagged

2009-03-22T21:14:00.006Z

Spring is in the air and the sun is shining so I was looking forward to getting out on the bike this weekend and bagging a couple of British National Park Ride locations.

However, I spent most of Saturday working on the bike, wiring in a satnav, heated jacket and fitting a new pannier rack. Fitting the rack involved re-routing the indicators to the back of the panniers, so I had to splice in some new wires to extend them far enough. I wanted to take my time and do a good job, heat wrapping the new wiring and routing the sat nav power neatly through the bike.

I got up early on Sunday, chatting to my GF on Skype for an hour and then packed up the bike, headed south towards Brighton and then Eastbourne to the Seven Sisters Country Park. The roads south were filled with people heading to Brighton so I was relieved when I was able to get off the main roads. A quick stop for coffee and a look round and I was off towards Southampton riding along the coast road taking my time and enjoying the view.

Next location was the New Forest Visitors Center at Lyndhurst where I arrived at 4pm.

Again a stop for a coffee, a chill out and then back into traffic heading home with what seemed like half the UK to London. Both the new Forest and the Seven Sisters will be worth visiting again at a more leisurely pace. Some good roads and good views and no doubt some good country pubs for a nice ride out with the gf when she's back.

The Sat Nav, an eBayed Garmin StreetPilot 2160, worked great, was easy to follow and clear enough that even I didn't miss any of the turns or get confused. There's a couple more bonus locations in the South, Exmoor, and Dartmoor, which will have to wait for another weekend.

I'm really hoping the good weather continues as I'm planning a first attempt at the four corners of the UK next weekend!.

IBA UK National Meet

2009-03-15T21:22:00.008Z

Rode up to Trentham Gardens in Stoke at the weekend to attend the IBA UK national meet. It was an opportunity to put some real names and faces to some of the guys I've spoken to on the IBA UK forum and catch up with others that did the Brit Butt Rally last year.

The afternoon was also a useful chance to hear some of the guys talk about what has and hasn't work for them when attempting endurance rides and rallies, and to pick up some planning tips from Grim rider who won last years rally.

As I'm planning an attempt on the four corners in a couple of weeks I chatted to some of those that have completed the ride, got some tips on places to go and went through the paperwork necessary to gain an IBA number, (if I manage to complete the ride). Thanks to all those who gave talks at the meetings and to Rocket Pete for going through the paperwork with me.

Some biking truths

2009-03-11T09:00:00.002Z

Some biking truths circulating on the forums...

Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.
Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle.
Life may begin at 30, but it doesn't get real interesting until about 110 mph!
You start the game of life with a full pot o' luck and an empty pot o' experience...The object is to fill the pot of experience before you empty the pot of luck.
Saddlebags can never hold everything you want, but they CAN hold everything you need.
It takes more love to share the saddle than it does to share the bed.
The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror.
Don't ride so late into the night that you sleep through the sunrise.
Sometimes it takes a whole tank full of fuel before you can think straight.
Riding faster than everyone else only guarantees you'll ride alone.
If you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride.
A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.
Respect the person who has seen the dark side of motorcycling and lived.
Young riders pick a destination and go... Old riders pick a direction and go.
A good mechanic will let you watch without charging you for it.
Always back your bike into the curb, and sit where you can see it.
Work to ride & ride to work.
When you look down the road, it seems to never end - but you better believe it does.
Keep your bike in good repair: Motorcycle boots are NOT comfortable for walking.
People are like Motorcycles: each is customized a bit differently.
Good coffee should be indistinguishable from 50 weight motor oil.
The twisties - not the super slabs -separate the riders from the squids.
When you're riding lead, don't spit.
There's something ugly about a NEW bike on a trailer.
Practice wrenching on your own bike.
Everyone crashes. Some get back on. Some don't. Some can't.
Don't argue with an 18-wheeler.
Never be ashamed to unlearn an old habit.
A good long ride can clear your mind and restore your faith.
If you can't get it going with bungee cords and electrician's tape, it's serious.
If you ride like there's no tomorrow, there won't be.
Gray-haired riders don't get that way from pure luck.
Thin leather looks good in the bar, but it won't save your butt from road rash" if you go down.
The best modifications cannot be seen from the outside.
Always replace the cheapest parts first.
Patience is the ability to keep your motor idling.
Only a Biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly.
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.
Ride as if your life depended on it

Think! advert. Look longer for bikers

2009-03-10T09:00:00.005Z

The the dft's Think! road safety campaign has done a lot for bikers over the years and their aims are something I fully support. Think! is present in one form or another at motoring events and shows. It's important that bikers and non bikers are aware of the dangers they face and it's great that they are making car drivers aware of bikers and their vulnerabilities.

When you takes bike lessons there is a lot of focus on other road vehicles and the way the might react or not react to bikes, but car lessons don't make learners aware of how motorcycles react, what to be aware of etc.

Watching the advert above, I realize what it's trying to do, but at the same time I can't help but think that it's yet another image that reinforces the link between bikers and crashes. No one is claiming that biking is the safest form of transport, but TV imagery tends to dwell on two aspects of biking, speed and accidents and as we bikers know there's a lot more to biking that these. I'm sure that the advert is backed up by research into the effectiveness of this impactful image, but I wish we could see some more positive biking imagery on TV.

Caution - Wide Load KTM

2009-03-09T13:31:00.007Z

Sometimes no matter how big your panniers are, it's just not enough. Here's a pic of a friends bike on which he's transported a huge satellite dish! Have bungees will travel.

See other wide load posts here.

New Ride - British National Parks Ride

2009-03-08T15:26:00.007Z

There are a few interesting photographic and touring rallies, (much like treasure hunts, but with locations to visit instead of clues) for bikers in the UK. The Round Britain Rally has been popular for many years. This year there is a new and interesting event on the scene the British National Parks Ride.

The prolific rally rider (and winner) Grim rider has developed the ride as a way of supporting the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, which helped him out recently. It costs only £15 to enter and is a great excuse to get out on the bike, visit some of the best roads and countryside that Britain has to offer and support a cause which benefits bikers on a regular basis.

"The aim of this motorcycle ride is simply for you to visit some of the 15 National Parks of Britain within a calendar year, (i.e. from January to December). The parks may be visited at any time of the year and in any order. You do not need to visit more than one on any particular day or trip. You do need to visit a specific place within each national park and prove proof of your visit by photographing your motorcycle at that place."

For more information see Grim Riders website.

I'm back...back in black!

2009-03-08T15:11:00.003Z

Since my bike got stolen a month ago I've been busy sorting out the insurance claim and finding another bike. I was planning to test ride a few different bikes, but in the back of my mind I was aware that the bike I had always wanted was the Hayabusa. I enjoy riding them and know I can do long hours in comfort on the bike. Anything else might have felt like a bit of a compromise.

My insurance agent made it clear, if I was to continue the policy on another Hayabusa, that it would have to be exactly identical to the stolen bike, even down to the type of alarm fitted. Luckily I managed to locate one only about 40 miles outside of london. Unfortunately this was the same day that I was to fly out to india on holiday. My extremely understanding girlfriend (brownie points c'ching) drove me to the dealership, I put a deposit on the bike and then raced off to the airport to go on holiday.

Back in the UK I collected the bike from Allenby Motorcycles and drove to Southend On Sea and back to London to celebrate. It's good to be back and happy with the final outcome of an unpleasant experience

Bajaj Pulsar, possible Hayabusa replacement?

2009-02-27T11:44:00.005Z

I'm on vacation in Goa India for a few days and as always when I'm out of Europe I'm interested in all the unfamiliar bikes and brands. The marks out here are pretty familiar for the most part, though the names have slight twists; Hero Honda, Marutu Suzuki and of course Royal Enfield which are now only built in India.

The marque which is totally new to me is Bajaj. The bike that all the cool kids are riding has to be the Bajaj Pulsar. While almost all the bikes out here are 125cc the Pulsar lets you tear up the road with up to 200cc of power.

If I moved out to India, surely this sleek black bike would be the practical replacement for the Hayabusa.

My experience with motorcycle insurance

2009-02-16T13:31:00.003Z

When my bikes was stolen and the case quickly closed by the police I moved on to the obvious next step which was to claim on my insurance policy.

I spoke to a number of bikers who I know who have been in the same position, either claiming after a theft or accident of some kind. Without exception the tails I heard were of difficulties, endless paperwork, poor contact, poor customer service all resulting in a lengthy wait for payment. I was now very nervous. I've never made a claim of any kind before and it was all unexplored territory for me. At least my paperwork was all in order.

I can't comment on the experience of others but I can say that my experience has been very different from those that I spoke to. So much so that I went from discovering that my bike had been stolen to receiving a cheque from the insurance company in only 16 days. :-)

My experience:

My broker and first point of contact MCE, was very helpful in guiding me through the process, what needed to be done, and in what order.

Next in line were the valuers ETWB who called me. They were very responsive on the phone and took the time to answer all my questions. They also valued the bike very quickly and fairly, (I've looked carefully at current prices in dealerships).

Next was Close Motor Finance...no surprise that they were happy to deal with me rather than the insurance agency, to take my money and settle the credit agreement. More importantly they were happy to talk directly to ETWB to confirm that there was no longer finance outstanding.

That leaves my insurance company as surprisingly the last point of contact. Royal Sun Alliance sent me one letter with forms to fill in covering all necessary details,. I hate forms so I called them and they were able to take down the details on the phone rather then wasting days on postage time. Next thing I know I receive a cheque in the post.

The only sour taste in the whole experience was down to me. When I got the cheque I remembered just how much excess I had signed up to!

Thanks to all involved I'll be looking for a replacement bike very soon.

Which bike next?

2009-02-10T20:54:00.016Z

Since the Busa is not likely to turn up, I'm pursuing an insurance claim. It's early days yet and I've no idea how long these things tend to take. So in the meantime my options are to a) ride my GFs 2007 Yamaha Fazer S2 and b) start thinking about the type of bike I want to buy next.

Of course what I'd love to do is go out and buy another black 2007 Busa with very low mileage and pick up where I left off. Somehow I think reducing my no claims from at least five years to zero might put insuring another bike like that out of my budget range.

So, with that in mind, what am I looking for?

Something nice, but not so flash it will get nicked
Affordable but not budget
Nearly new or a couple of years old
Comfortable for long distance riding and touring
Easy to accessorise and make my own
Big engine for lazy riding >1000cc
Fully or partly faired

A few of the bikes I'd like to try out which could be distinct possibilities.

Suzuki Bandit 1250S

A big typically bullet proof Suzuki engine, budget pricing and an unbelievable amount of accessories in the marketplace make the Bandit a distinct possibility. I'd just buy the lower fairing, add a pannier rack and it becomes a Bandit GT. Downsides are, it's not exactly what you'd call a looker and there's a lot of them around. But hey I've had and lost the dream bike so a couple of years of down to earth biking are needed to build up that no claims.

Triumph Sprint ST

From everything I've read the Triumph is supposed to have a phenomenal engine. Good fairing gives protection from the elements and luggage is optional. It's a little less common than the VFR and certainly fit for purpose. It's little more sporty than the Bandit. I sat on one at the MCN show and it was comfy. But, I can't help feeling that the styling is a little dated already and that it's aimed at a decidedly older demographic. That said, I'll book a test ride and see if I enjoy the experience.

BMW R1150 GS

Although it's a bike I would never have considered a year ago, I know a lot of people that own them and love them. The long distance comfort and tank range really appeal. Though at 5'10" I'd probably need a low seat, or low suspension version. Given the price and popularity of the BMW I'd be looking at 2006 or possibly older for a good condition example. Downsides are the lack of protection from the elements and those I've spoken to have said they can be vibey.

No doubt the more I daydream and research the more options I'll dig up. Would be interested to hear what suggestions others may have. Drop me a comment if you've got a suggestion.

Some bikes I've ruled out

Blackbird - I always preferred the Busa
KTM990 Adventure - tall and vibey
Yamaha Tenere - nice bike, engine too small
Honda VFR - The Steve Davis of motorcycles (sorry Steve)

Britt Butt Rally 2009 - I'm in...almost.

2009-02-08T19:13:00.004Z

Well, as the say: "There's good news and there's bad news". I'll give you the good news first. I got into the Brit Butt Rally 2009! ...Oh the bad news? Did I mention my bike got nicked already!

I'm determined not to let such minor details stop me. The rally isn't until the final May bank holiday and by that time I hope to have sorted out the insurance and be on another bike even if I have to beg, borrow or.... rent one. As a final affirmation I sent the forms off and should be booking the hotel in a week or so.

If you want to find out more about endurance riding or rallying check out the Brit Butt Rally website or the IBAUK forum or have a browse through Grim Rider's blog for some handy tips from a serial rally winner.

Stolen bike case open and closed within hours

2009-02-01T17:59:00.003Z

It has to be said that the London Metropolitan police are extremely efficient, or at least, they don't hang about. I reported my bike stolen on the 29th of January at 15:30 and they managed to open and close the case and get a letter out to me in the post on the same day. Here's my scan of the letter.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect them to catch the people that did it, or even find the bike. I didn't expect them to put resource into it. Hundred must be stolen each week and I've probably got about as much chance of stumbling across it as the police. But it seems that they could have saved the price of a postage stamp and just stamped this note on the sheet of paper that they wrote my crime number on while I was at the police station.

Let's hope insurance company are as efficient and put as much effort into the case as the police!

My hayabusa STOLEN!

2009-02-01T17:29:00.003Z

I took a day off midweek and kinda wish I hadn't. The weather was nice so I decided to take the bike into London; something I do occasionally, but not too regularly these days. I parked the bike on Merlin street in Islington in a bike park, locked it up, set the steering lock, turned on the alarm and immobilizer and went off to my midday appointment.

Three fifteen and I return to the bike bay to find another bike parked in its place. After a moment of shock and a brief thought crossing my mind that I could have parked it somewhere else, reality dawns and I realise the bike has been stolen.

Then, a stroke of luck. A police motorcyclist come by, so I jumped into the road and tried to flag him down. He clearly saw me waving and shouting, looked directly at me and then rode off. I then called the local police, who decided it wasn't within their remit. I needed to call the Metropolitan ploice, but they couldn't put me through as it was "another force. So much for joined-up policing.

Anyhow, at that point another police motorcyclist from the Met rode by and I managed to flag him down. He took the details, reported the theft and was generally pretty helpful. That evening I went to my local station to confirm the details and finalise the report.

Needless to say I'm gutted. The bike I'd always wanted and had spent time fitting out is gone and even if the insurance company pay out the full worth, insuring another with no no claims will probably be prohibitive. Not to mention that this year I had planned three rides including a two week tour to Norway on the bike. The likely outcome of this is that I won't see the bike again, so these plans now hang in the balance.

So: Stolen, one 2007 Hayabusa GSX1300R, colour black, licence plate RJ57WJX. Mileage around 6,000. Bike is stock. Tyres Avon storms. Accessories: krauser pannier rack, oxford hot grips, Scottoiler, tall Power Bronze smoked screen, R&G crash bungs. Please call the police if you see it.

The best thing that can happen is it's found in pristine condition. Or the thief is involved in a fatal accident on it.

No to bike parking fees

2009-01-27T19:27:00.004Z

I just joined up to www.notobikeparkingfees.com. If you are a biker in London you may want to think about doing the same to. The site pretty much does what it says, helping to lobby Westminster council to abandon the implementation of bike parking fees.

The site gives you plenty of information and news as well as making it easier to make your voice heard by allowing you to voice your objections to councilors directly through the site. They also put together demonstrations like the demo ride that will take place on the first of February starting at the Ace. Details here.

Motorycles in bus lanes - Code of conduct

2009-01-18T18:06:00.005Z

Since the 1st of January motorcycles have been allowed in London bus lanes for an 18 month trial period. All red route buss lanes operated by tfl are part of the scheme. This is a landmark in British motorcycling as a successful trial may open the doors to similar systems in other British cities.

The cycle lobby has been (and continues to be) a strong opponent of the scheme so all eyes will be on the accident statistics. In order to prepare bikers for riding in bus lanes and inform them of the issues cyclists face, the motorcycle industry association has taken the proactive step of agreeing a code of conduct with the Met Police, MAG, BMF and the DA. I've searched online and have not been able to find an equivalent briefing cyclists about the threats and issues motorcyclists face. That said, bikers and cyclists are both vulnerable road users and face many similar issues. You'd expect them to be natural allies and a more potent lobby group for those on two wheels.

The code of conduct in full can be found here. The shortened version is below. It's common sense, but if you are using the bus lanes in London it really is worth a read. The next eighteen months will be make or break for bikers in the UK on the bus lanes issue.

Maps of the red routes in use can be downloaded from tfl here.

The Code of Conduct in brief:

We share bus lanes with other vulnerable road users, take extra care around them.
Be aware of pedestrians walking through traffic queues and at bus stops.
Look out for pedal cycles and give them a wide berth, they may suddenly change direction or position.
Pass cyclists on the offside only – never undertake.
Always assume cyclists cannot hear or see you behind them.
Do not use excessive speed when using bus lanes or overtaking cyclists.
Do not overtake each other.
Watch out for other vehicles at junctions and side roads.
Take extra care when riding alongside congested pavement areas.
We are ambassadors for motorcycling, riding in a bus lane is a privilege that needs to be respected.

Oxford heated grips - "They'll change your life"

2009-01-10T12:16:00.002Z

I've rode through winter for several years using the ancient technique of wearing thick gloves and as many layers of winter clothing as possible. This works fine up to a point. But its not great to spend several hours on the motorway only tto find that your hands no longer work and you can't feel the controls when you come to a junction.

I asked a friend if his heated grips were any good and he simply said, "they'll change your life mate." With a recommendation like that I decided to have them fitted to the Busa at the 600 mile run in service. Since then I've used them when riding at night in autumn and all through this winter.

I must say that they are a great product and one that I would recommend to anyone. I can't say how easy they are to fit, as I had this done at the dealership. But I can say, that they increase your range through increasing your ability to stay comfortable on the bike for longer. They also kick out more heat than I expected. So much so that after a 5-10 minutes at 100% I have to turn them down, even when wearing thick winter gloves. They are fairly innocuous with few wires and a small controller which can be placed out of site.

They may or may not "change your life" but at £45, they are well worth the money for anyone who rides in cold weather and must for the year round rider.

The Secret life of bikers - Hibernation

2009-01-06T13:05:00.003Z

An interesting video, part of the Devon area transport safety initiative, done in the style of a wildlife documentary.

2009 Dakar rally - Unusual machinery

2009-01-05T21:20:00.005Z

The 2009 Dakar has begun after a years hiatus due to the threat of terrorism in Africa. The TV footage on Eurosport has been a little lacklustre so far, mostly comprising of interviews in the bivouac area each evening and very little on the road/off road access.

The usual spread of high performance off road bikes are present, but one caught my eye. Bike 195 ridden by the Czech rider Ivo Kastan is not the typical Dakar machine. The rider, placed 175 on day two, has shunned the larger capacity, super tall KTMs and Yamahas for a tiny Honda XR125. He aims to be the first rider to complete a Dakar on a 125. Best of luck to you Ivo, you'll need it.

If you watch the Dakar, keep your eye out for this guy.

Paid for bike parks in London - not there yet.

2009-01-05T19:26:00.004Z

Westminster council is starting to role out paid for parking bays for motorcycles. The aim is for these bays to be well policed and provide security for motorcycle parked there. There's obviously a way to go yet.

Here's a bay I walked past when shopping during the January sales. No less than three cars parked in the solo motorcycle bay.

NEC show highlights - Batbike

2008-12-11T09:00:00.001Z

One of the more unusual items on display at the NEC show this year was the Batbike, or Batpod, from the latest film The Dark Knight.

The bike is designed by Nathan Crowley and is fully rideable, though that said it proved extremely difficult for the stunt riders to control on set. The rider lays down on the bike and steers with the shoulders. The huge 20' tyres make cornering somewhat difficult. The single cylinder engine is geared for torque and acceleration rather than speed. See wikipedia for more, or check out a larger version of my photo.

My other pics from this years International Motorcycle and Scooter Show are here.

Antifog treatment - results a little hazy

2008-12-10T10:39:00.003Z

I normally swear by the Muc-Off product range for bikes. So, when I was at my local J&S Accessories outlet getting a few bit n pieces, I thought i'd get something to reduce the fogging on my visor now that the winter riding weather is here.

J&S had a few brands to choose from but I decided to go for the rather more expensive (7.99) Muc-Off 'Premium Anti Fog Treatment.'

After carefully cleaning my helmet, I applied the product as per the instructions. The next morning I walked out of the house ready to ride to work. My visor immediately misted up, so I opened it to let the air in and this became the routine all the way to work. Basically the visor mists up exactly as it did before application and seems to clear in the same time. I've applied the product once more since then, but found no improvement.

When it comes to fogging, no product is perfect, (even the Moto GP guys struggle with it) but at 7.99 I'd hope that it would have some effect. Definately 1 star out of 5 for me.

NEC Show 'highlights' - Honda V4 Concept

2008-12-08T10:00:00.000Z

One of the bikes at the NEC International motorcycle and scooter show, which was getting quote a bit of attention, is the latest V4 Concept bike from Honda. I say 'concept bike', but as you can tell from the photo, it's a lot more 'concept' that 'bike'.

It very much appears to be an abstract form of a bike that gives few hints about detailed components and even major elements like drive chain. To be honest you can't even tell if it will be front and rear wheel drive, shaft or chain driven, standard or hub centered steering. I think it's really to showcase the engine and get journalistic juices flowing regarding what Honda are about to cook up. And if you are vague enough about the concept, it's much easier to dodge criticism when little of the elements that really spark interest make it to production.

I like to see more bike in my concept bikes, ideally something that at least has a rolling chassis.

New 'must have' luggage for your Suzuki

2008-12-07T10:00:00.001Z

I've added a screen, heated grips, scot oiler and panniers to the Hayabusa, but I still think it's missing that something, that final farkle that will set the bike apart from others.

Today walking around the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show I saw it. Suzuki branded, gun shaped, hard luggage. Surely the ultimate touring accessory.

Cafe Rouge Norton 850 Custom Cafe Racer

2008-12-06T22:59:00.004Z

At this years International Motorcycle and Scooter Show at the Birmingham NEC there was the odd concept bike, a whole bunch of 2009 bikes, new race bikes from BMW and KTM as well as areas dedicated to customs, classics and just about everything else you could think of.

But, the one bike that totally blew me away this year was Larry Houghton's Cafe Rouge Norton 850 Custom Cafe Racer. It wasn't the sheer bling of the bike that attracted me, but the futuristic design which reminded me of the cruel robotic look of the terminator.

It's good to see a custom bike which isn't 12 foot long, with tyres that don't look like they could corner and a dry weight of about a tonne. Even better, it's British designed. The bike was built by Lamb Engineering Ltd. At the heart of the Cafe Rouge is a 1976 850 Norton engine, but the standout parts of the design, for me, are the frame and the clear petrol tank which was machined from two blocks of acrylic.

See a few more pics of the Cafe Rouge Norton 850 Custom Cafe Racer on my flickr page.

Random police safety check

2008-12-06T21:45:00.005Z

After a cold ride up to Brirmingham to visit the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show at the NEC I pulled into the car park and was waved to one side by the police. No I wasn't speeding, I'd been picked for a random motorcycle safety check.

The policeman looked over the bike to see if there were any safety issues and asked me if there were any issues with the bike. "No" I said, "Apart from the fact that it's filthy and it eats tyres." The guys gave it the once over and had me sweating when they thought there was an issue with the forks, but it was just the movement in the floating discs.

So the bike was pronounced safe and I was free to go and park up to see the show. These checks are a great idea, apart from the fact that it's a deterrent for people who might have dodgy bikes, it's also good for people like me who have little to no mechanical knowledge and might not notice an issue which could be serious.

Sometimes being stopped by the police is actually a good thing...cheers guys.

Moterus...social networking site for bikers

2008-11-25T19:41:00.005Z

Well it had to happen sooner or later. An international social network site 'Moterus' squarely aimed at the biking community has opened up. Or rather, been made accessible to the UK.

I checked out the site, which in the UK is very much in it's infancy...read eight users so far in the UK...joined, well I've not reached social network overload yet and will give it a while to see how it does.

The site looks clean and easy enough to use. There's not the constant barrage of applications you get on Facebook which is great. The only thing holding it back at the moment is the lack of people on it and a little dodgy English here and there, but hey this blog suffers from that too.

Anyhow, who knows, given a little time I might find some bikers in my my own backyard who are up for some rides out.

Here's the blurb...go check it out.

"We are very happy to announce the English version of Moterus is now available. Moterus is the biggest social network for bikers in Spain. It was initially created for sharing, planning and organizing motorbike rides. We thought it could be a great idea to have a social network in which all bikers could share their information about interesting routes and could plan their trips together easily. The community has grown in people and features becoming a great success. Now we have decided to share it with the rest of the world, so here we are launching an English version. In Moterus you can:

Keep in touch with your friends.
Meet bikers.
Share photos and videos.
Arrange your own webspace for your group, motoclub …
Discover and share routes.
Organize, promote and take part in rides, trips, meetings …

The English community still new so please be patience as the site grows and everybody joins and share their biking experiences. Help us to build the best biker community around the world!"

A smelly helmet

2008-11-25T18:00:00.002Z

A smelly helmet is always to be avoided...

I've had my HJC helmet for about two years and it's wearing well. The design work hasn't faded or scratched up, the visor is in good shape, the seals are still watertight and haven't even started to perish. Most importantly the helmet appears to have kept its integrity.

The one issue I have is that it stinks. I've ridden for hours in the rain, spent days on end in it in the Mediterranean sun and you can really tell if your anything closer than six feet away. Time for an expensive new helmet, not really. I'm all about the budget on the run up to Xmas.

I found with a little care that the, breath guard, upper liner, cheek pads and the inner carcass can be removed from the helmet (with the exception of the top section). The material parts can go in the washing machine and the other parts can be cleaned by hand. I was careful not to wet, damage or get any cleaning products on the inner shell.

The moment of truth...after washing and tumble drying the parts and cleaning the exterior of the helmet, the pieces went back together easily. It's now pretty much as good as new. That's saved me a few quid. ;-)

My first bike - ZZR400

2008-11-23T22:11:00.006Z

Today while burning some old photos on to CDs I came across some photos of my first bike. And here it is in all it's well worn glory.

I got into biking simply because I had a horrendous commute by train (2.5 hrs) . A car was too expensive and the 50 mile journey would have still taken almost two hours due to traffic. I thought a bike would shave a lot off the journey time and be cheap to run as well. So, I did an intensive DAS course and a week or two later I bought the ZZR400.

At the time I wanted a bike that had good weather protection, was cheap to insure and run, reliable enough to deal with 100 miles a day, every day, in all weathers and something that I wasn't going to kill myself on. Having never ridden a bike before my DAS I decided that a 125 would not be enough for the distance and a 600 would probably be too much for me so a started looking for a 400.

In the end it was choice between the ZZR400 and the Honda VFR400 NC30. The ZZR won on practicality and because I could pick up a good condition grey import for £1,800.

So what's it like to live with. It's very stable and pretty good to A road cruising. It lacks any power until you hit about 9,000 and then pulls hard all the way to the red line at 14,000. It's fine for motorway mileage, but you need to ride pretty much full throttle to stay with fast traffic. Side winds can be a bit of an issue as it's a big slab sided beast.

In the 2 years and 35,000 miles that I owned the bike it never let me down once. It's basically a sleeved down 600 motor so it never really gets strained, though it was run flat out almost everyday.

The downsides to the bike was that it didn't have a petrol gauge, just a warning light which flashed once you have about 20 miles left in the tank. It was a little bit vibey on the motorway and the suspension was on the soft side. The rear shock has to be well looked after or the don't last long.

In short it was a bike that I really enjoyed owning, and brought a smile to my face every time I raced the revs up the gearbox. To this day I still think a four hundred is the best introduction to biking.

Bad news for the Nordkapp ride

2008-11-14T16:18:00.005Z

A reader left me a comment the other day. It seems that on the 6th of November the Smyril Line announced that all 2009 sailings to Bergen and Scrabster have been cancelled. The ferry service was central to the Nordkapp tour...Gutted!

According to a BBC article the "summer ferry links between Caithness, the Scandinavian mainland, Iceland and the Faroes have been axed by the ferry operator as part of savings"

There's another option which runs from Harwich - Esbjerg in Denmark, but I need to start looking at the mileage before deciding if the trip is reworked, off, or replaced by something else all together...

Why do you ride?

2008-11-11T13:00:00.006Z

I've been reading a really inhteresting thread on the IBA UK forum about why bikers ride. The thread started with the simple premiss:

"How would you explain to a person who has never rode, never will and couldnt understand why anyone ever would; why do you ride and accept the risks it brings?"

Old tyres - are over tyred

2008-11-10T22:01:00.004Z

Well, after 5062 miles the OEM Bridgestone BT56R J Spec tyres have totally had it. The winter has begun and with the rain starting to fall, it's clear that the distinct lack of tread wouldn't clear any water.

The Hayabusa is known to be a tyre muncher, so there's a lot of conflicting debate on which ones to go for. So I'll outline my thoughts as I run through them, at the pace of two to three sets a year. If you're not a Busa rider, you'll probably want to move on to the next post.

The Hayabusa is the first bike I've owned that has worn the rear out before the front. The original tyres are supposedly good for about 4,000 miles. I've got a thousand more out of them, but that includes 1,000 running in miles, then 1,200 hundred miles of harder riding over the course of 36 hours and then mostly 'gentle' commuting around London. After this mileage the front is still good, but I have replaced them both rather than mixing treads and compounds.

Bridgestone BT56R J Spec: The grip levels seem pretty good, with the tyres quick to warm, but I didn't have a lot of confidence in them in the wet. Even in the dry the back seemed to step out, without even feeding in much power, as soon as I got anywhere near the edge. The busa isn't exactly light so I might be asking too much of them. Also the soft suspension may play a big part in that.

I will be interested to see how the new tyres, a pair of Avon Storm STs fare. My main requirement is longevity rather than out an out performance, but I do need I tyre that allows me to crank over the lumbering Busa with confidence.

Brit Butt Rally 2009

2008-11-09T20:17:00.005Z

The new website and entry form for the 2009 Brit Butt Rally went live on Saturday. I'd been waiting for this for a while and smiled when I saw that my Eric Morecombe bonus pictures from last years rally was used on the front page. I fired off my entry details straight away. Turns out I was the the third to enter.

Although any number of people can enter, but only 65 riders, 62 of which will be drawn from a hat, will ride. The top three riders from last year get an automatic entry if they want to ride again. The draw will be on the 24th December. If I get in it will be a great Xmas present. If I don't it'll be a terrible one.

Best of luck to all those who entered.

First time at Speedway

2008-10-16T22:06:00.002+01:00

I've seen a little speedway on TV and always thought it would be interesting to go to a race. A friend went to see the Arena-Essex Raceway to see the speedway the other week and has a good laugh so I looked online and found that it was the last home race for the Lakeside Hammers tonight. So if I wanted to see some speedway this year it had to be this evening.

Unfortunately I left work later than expected and didn't have time to get home and grab my camera, (hence the poor camera phone pic). So I set off from Southwark heading East on the busy A13. The winter is starting to draw in so it was getting cold and damp when I arrived at the arena.

I paid the £15 (not the cheapest of nights) and grabbed a hot dog, chips and a cuppa to fend off the cold. I could hear the roar of single cylinder 500cc engines and smell burning oil and rubber. I was surprised to see a decent sized crowd of four or five hundred people there to watch the Hammers take on the Coventry Bees. Many of the crowd are obviously keen followers as they were wearing team colors. The sport is still small and growing in the UK although it's been around for a long time, but is huge in Eastern Europe.

The races are team sprint events with four riders, (two from each team) going up against each other in a number four lap heats. The riders race for positions and points which add to decide the winning team. At least that appeared to be the gist of it. The racing was close and reasonably action packed. The first race, in fact the first corner, saw a rider down and out for the rest of the night.

I didn't get to see the end as I had to get across London home at a decent hour as I'm working in the morning. And I'd like to have had the time to find out a little about the bikes which are interesting bear bones machines with no brakes.

So with that said, I'll be making another visit at the start of next season to find out more.

Bikes in bus lanes, red tape continues

2008-10-15T13:41:00.004+01:00

The latest TFL Commisioner's report is out, in the section dealing with "2.6 Mayoral Policy Implementation: smoothing traffic flow, rephasing traffic lights and fairly dealing with motorists.", it has this to say about bikes in bus lanes

"For powered two wheelers, a launch enabling motor cycles in all TfL controlled bus lanes (on the TLRN) is set for the start of 2009, following stakeholder engagement in the autumn. The initial phase will use 18 month experimental traffic orders and that will provide the opportunity for monitoring and evaluation."

Another 18 month test, come on already! How many more studies do we need before someone actually puts there money where their mouth is? I'm all for stakeholder engagement, but I believe it's been seven years since initial tests were started and we still don't have a decision one way or the other...the red tape continues. Bah ;-(

Wall of death - All the fun of the fair

2008-10-15T13:03:00.004+01:00

Whilst at Brands Hatch last weekend for the BSB I got a little time to check out the Wall Of Death which was at the event. It's something that I've always wanted to see. The show was short at about 5 mins (ideal for between races) and well worth the £3 entry.

The show consisted of a number of riders on a modern and classic bikes, including a 100 year old Indian, riding round the wall. The pace and the difficulty of the tricks picked up through the routine, riding round, no hands, no hands no feet, sitting backwards, you name it. The grand finally had three bikes riding round, dipping up to the top and down culminating in the three riders riding side by side around the wall.

The show was very impressive, nostalgic, fun and seriously loud. If you get a chance to see the Wall Of Death at a bike show or fair, don't pass it by.

Tasty new Chupa Chups Lid...Sweet!

2008-10-13T13:07:00.004+01:00

After seeing Jorge Lorenzo's strawberry Chupa Chups lid on TV, my GF trawled the Internet to see if they were available to buy, but she had no luck finding a UK distributor. However, while at Brands Hatch this weekend Alisa spotted a stall selling them and snapped one up right away. It should provide at least one smile per mile for her and other bikers and no doubt some quizzical looks from car drivers.

If you are looking for one and finding them hard to source here's why: Jorge is currently sponsored by X-lite helmets he rides with a gold or red Chupa Chups branded Xlite. But through a strange quirk they X-lite don't own the marketing rights to the logo, NZi the Spanish helmet manufacturer that Jorge was formerly with do. So you can get the right paint job on a different helmet. If you want to get hold of one try Bulletproof clothing.

Metzler superstock 1000 Final round

2008-10-12T21:08:00.004+01:00

Since we moved to South London, Brands Hatch, only 30 minutes ride has become our local circuit. Today we spent the afternoon sitting on the grass, soaking up the sun amidst the roar of bikes. Is there any finer way to spend an October Sunday.

We were at Brands to see the final round of the Metzler Superstock 1000. First and Second place were already decided. But my cousin, Peter Hickman racing for Ultimate Racing, currently in third place was hoping to close the season by claiming the last step on the podium.

The start of the race saw one of the riders stalling on the grid; he was hit by another bike and the race was stopped... The lap count was dropped to 18 and the race restarted.

Peter went from third on the grid to second where he stayed most of the race. The penultimate lap saw him attack first but run wide. Entering the final bend he got a good drive onto the start finish straight and drew alongside the leader over the line..a photo finish. In the end he lost out to first place by only 0.004 (four one thousandths of second), assuring a second in the race and third in the championship.

It just doesn't get any closer than that.

Cat International Motorcycle Show Ad

2008-10-02T17:33:00.005+01:00

The 2008 International Motorcycle show at the NEC Birmingham starts this year on the 27th November. I'll more than likely pop up and take a look around...though it might be best if I leave the wallet at home.

I've noticed the ad for the show in MCN and a couple of other places. It's a really striking image. I like the way the artist/agency has worked a number of bike components into the design. The cat still manages to get across the the power and excitements of biking without resulting to the tired bike related advertising we normally see which either contain bikes, scantily clad women or bikes and scantily clad women.

I'd love to know who put this together and wouldn't mind getting a high quality image of it. If anyone knows any more info about the design please drop me a comment.

Motorcyclist given 39 points = Numpty!

2008-10-02T12:30:00.004+01:00

A video on the BBC this morning about a motorcyclist caught several times in one month doing up to 82mph on one wheel in a thirty zone. What a numpty!...He got 39 points a ban and a fine. He was caught not by the camera, as it was front facing, but because the police traked him through his leathers, one of only two pairs imported from italy by Dianese.

As if the image of bikers needs another knock, thanks alot mate!

Though the piece is did make me chuckle when the newsreader states "with the front wheel in the air, steering and breaking are affected."

See the clip here

Suzuki Nuda

2008-09-29T13:22:00.003+01:00

The Suzuki Nuda is probably my all time favourite concept bike. It looks like a real world bike and one I think would sell well given the styling. For some it's not extreme enough, but I think the beauty of it is that it's not such a huge leap from what we ride now.

Back in 1986 when the Nuda was shown at the Tokyo Motor show it was a huge leap forward in motorcycle design and engineering. Though the bike features a conventional Suzuki GSX-R750 engine it transferred power to the front and rear wheel via a shaft drive and single slided swingarm. Steering was accomplished via the wheel hubs. It's claimed that the bike was a fully operational concept.

More pics here.

Trimetals - Motorcycle garage

2008-09-19T19:21:00.004+01:00

I recently moved to a new place and for the first time had the opportunity to reduce my insurance by not only parking off the street, but on my own property.

In order to make things as secure as possible I needed a garage. Something big enough for two bikes, but small enough not to be an eyesore. A brief search and read of a few reviews online and I came across the Trimetals motorcycle garage.

As well as being secure the garages are non-corrodible, better still 'painted' green so it's actually surprisingly unnoticeable at the bottom of the garden.

Trimetals offer the garages in a range of sizes, a quick call for some advice and I had decided on the the MCG 960 which it fits two bikes and has a storage shelf. Another call to my insurance company and yes, they would accept the garage as secure and reduce my policy payments.

The garage arrived even earlier than promised, and I set to work. That weekend I happened to enlist the help of my dad and my gf's dad. I'm reasonably good at following instructions (contrary to what my girlfriend might say) and with the help of both and electrical engineer and civil engineer I thought we would have the garage up in a snap. Tip - Trimetals offer an installation service...take them up on it, it's worth every penny.

Three hours (nine man hours later) we had laid everything out, started installing, but were hampered by the instructions. These were Nth generation photocopies which by now were pretty poor quality. Nuts and bolds were names and listed, but the pictures too unclear to identify them. Instructions mentioned that certain parts must be assembles with the bolts facing two different ways, and warned that it was important to get them the right way around. Though they failed to say which way this was. Also a couple of parts were incorrectly numbered.

Not wanting the wear away all goodwill we finished for the day. My gf and I set to work a few weekend later, finishing the outer shell, and a couple of weeks later we finished the roof and door. The installation probably took 20+ man hours and was a bit of a pain.

However, one up the garage is sturdy, reasonably well designed, it doesn't stand out, I'm also happy that it's secure. The MCG 96 fits a Fazer and a Hayabusa, both on side stands, with enough room to get them in without danger of scratching the bikes. That said, there's not enough room for the shelving unit if you are storing two bikes.

Overall I'm very pleased with the finished garage and will probably invest in a mini version for garden tools which again I'll install myself. The installation of the large garage is best left with the experts.

Planning - London to Nordkapp and back 2009

2008-09-15T20:51:00.010+01:00

Alex and I have been mulling over a motorcycle tour from London to Nordkapp and back for a while, tonight we finally sat down to look at the distances, the ferries and general options...hmm it's further than we thought!

First off, the plan is to go when there's lots of daylight and goodweather. So we decided on July-August as this is generally the warmest in Northern Norwat. Due to the high mileage of a round trip, and limited days off, we planned to take a ferry back to shorten the route.

The one remaining ferry from Norway to the UK runs a 6 day circuit, the last day being Bergen to Scrabster in Scotland. While it's preferable to have a loose agenda this has narrowed our dates down even further and provided a timetable of sorts...so here's what the trip looks like so far.

Oh, by the way, we're hoping a few other bikers might join us, but we're also aware that we're probably slightly more unhinged than your average rider so, it might be just the two of us. The first couple of days will be high mileage slogs in order that we can then slow right down and enjoy the scenery at a more sedate pace for the rest of the trip.

The trip will take us through England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and back to England...we may even pop over the border into Finland to tick tat box ;-)

Plan so far based on this rough route...

9th July (Thur) ride from home to Dover = 76 miles and a late night ferry to the Formule Une in Calais

10th July (Fri) Day one of Calais France towards Stockholm Sweden unknown destination = 500 miles*

11 July (Sat) Day two of Calais France to Stockholm Sweden = 500 miles*

12th (Sun) 2nd nutter day Stockholm Sweden to Lulea Sweden = 561 miles*

*We added a day to split the 1500 miles into three 500 mile days but will wing the actual destinations. It's still high mileage but we've done these kind of days before and it will significantly reduce the milese per day for the rest of the trip. After this stretch if we start out at 9 am ish each day we should be off the bikes by early-mid afternoon ready for a beer.

13th (Mon) - 20th(Mon) Lulea, to Nordkapp, to Bergen Norway = 8 days averaging 243 miles per day

21st (Tue) Ferry from Bergen at 1pm 17 hours R&R

22nd (wed) Arrive 5 am at Scrabster Scotland. Head From Scrabster a couple of miles to John O'Groats and then down to London = 3 days averaging 223 miles per day, or two if we feel like it

24th (Fri) arrive in London

Recover.

Obviously our girlfriends think we are nuts and turned down invitations to join us.

2008 Brighton Speed Trials

2008-09-13T17:40:00.009+01:00

I got up this morning early, dropped a freshly charged battery into the bike and it started first time, great. Even better, I checked the weather forecast for Brighton, 21 degrees C. So I put the panniers on and headed out of London on the M23 to Brighton.

Getting into the town can be time consuming as there tends to be traffic ques, but not this morning, even though today Brighton hosted on of it's biggest events, the 2008 Brighton Speed Trials which is run by the Brighton and Hove Motor Club.

Parking was a cinch and once I paid the reasonable £10 entry fee, I found a good spot on the first level of the promenade to sit back, watch the action and take a few photos.

The speed trials see a mix of recent and vintage cars, bikes and sidecar outfits going down a 1/4 mile strip from a standing start against the clock. There were, as expected on a dragstrip, lots of Hayabusa's there, but many older marques, Vincents, Norton's and even the odd Brough were there as well. The air was soon full of tyre smoke, the smell of burning oil and the crack of exhausts.

All in all it was a really enjoyable event, whether you are into cars, bikes or just looking for a fun family day out. It's amazing that such an event is allowed in these days of health and safety and politically correctness gone mad...but long may it last.

Some biking books for the winter ahead

2008-08-05T13:13:00.003+01:00

If the British weather is getting you down but you can't escape on the bike this summer; you're looking for inspiration for next years big adventure, or you don't ride through the winter and need a shot of biking to keep you going. Here's some reading recommendations.

Over the last couple of years I've read and enjoyed each of these books and they would make a good addition to the bookshelf of most riders. Do let me know if you can recommend any more, as I'm half way through Mondo Enduro.

Jupiter's travels - Great account of a solo journey around the world over three years, the book concentrates on the encounters with people he meets, not on the biking itself.
Adventure motorcycling handbook - A good 'how to' book. Read this if you're planning a big trip somewhere wild. Almost everything you need to know about biking, kit and adventure travel. Supported by a really useful website.
Against the wind - truly inspiring account of the 11 day 11,000 mile Iron butt rally in the US, a great insight into the mind of endurance riders. An inspirational read which makes you want to enter the rally next year.
Long Way Round - the book of the TV series. An easy and uncomplicated read, but interesting to see how they did it. They get a lot of grief for the support they got, but when you read the book you realise that they were the ones pushing the bikes through the swamps.
Race to Dakar - off the back of the Long Way Round, Charley Boorman trains up for and competes in the Dakar the worlds toughest race.
Mondo Enduro - I'm half way through this at the moment and really enjoying the read. 7 guys, on 350DRs, little budget and even less mechanical expertise, set forth on a 44,000 mile round the world trip taking a year and a half. Hilarious, fast paced and interesting diary of the journey.

SYM - Smart Cities - RoboScooter concept

2008-07-29T13:18:00.000+01:00

The RoboScooter might sound like something from a science fiction book, but in fact it's a concept scooter developed by the SmartCities team at MIT in collaboration with SYM. The scooter is only part of the concept...

"The RoboScooter is a lightweight, folding, electric motor scooter. It is designed to provide convenient, inexpensive mobility in urban areas while radically reducing the negative effects of extensive vehicle use – road congestion, excessive consumption of space for parking, traffic noise, air pollution, carbon emissions that exacerbate global warming, and energy use. It is clean, green, silent, and compact."

The scooter would be available to the public on a hire system, akin to that used by Zipcar or Streetcar. An article from MIT News states that the vision is for...

"the scooters being provided in racks at convenience stores, train stations and other convenient city locations as one-way rentals. Users would swipe a credit card to remove a scooter from the rack (in which its batteries would be kept fully charged up), unfold it for the trip and then fold it up again to deposit at another rack at the destination."

With only 150 working parts the concept would be cheap to build and repair. With fuel prices rising we are likely to see more and more people on two wheels, so a quiet and clean electric scooter could be just what busy cities need.

M28 Norton Concept

2008-07-09T13:06:00.002+01:00

An old marque meets a new designer. The Norton M28 was designed by Arron Rogers a 22 year old design graduate from Coventry University.

The Norton colour scheme is evident and it has the feel of the traditional stripped down bikes, but when it comes to the frame and layout it's a far cry from the Norton feather beds of the 50's and 60's.

The engine used is a 500cc Norton which is used a structural element, part of the frame. The fuel tank is kept low behind the seat leaving the space traditionally kept for a fuel tank to expose the engine. According to Arron the engine:

"The engine is an air-cooled 499cc Norton single, running on bio-ethanol and featuring a desmodromic valve drive, originally patented by Norton in 1924. With modern materials and technologies, this fuel injected engine should be capable of an estimated 70 bhp at 8,000 rpm, giving performance figures of 636 bhp/tonne, with an estimated weight of 110 kg."

The suspension follows a variant of the currently popular girder style at the front and introduces a centrally mounted rear shock inspires from down hill mountain bikes.

The m28 certainly has an aggressive look and although it takes ques from classic Norton's it doesn't feel in the least bit retro. It's great to see such promising talent from a British designer.

Yamaha Tesseract conept

2008-06-24T13:12:00.000+01:00

This motorcycle, hold on car, no motorcycle, no car...whatever it looks great, was first shown at the 2007 Tokyo motor show.

The tesseract has the styling and handling of a motorcycle, with the ability to lean into corners with the four wheel stability of a car. The leaning feature can be locked when parked.

To add additional innovation the vehicle is a hybrid with an electric motor to compliment the V-twin engine. See a video here.

Ryka's Cafe Box Hill

2008-06-22T20:09:00.003+01:00

Sunday afternoon and I'm just back from a quick run out to Ryka's Cafe at Box Hill. I had a busy morning of chores and as the weather forecast was for rain I didn't have any other plans this weekend. I should have put money on the BBC weather being wrong again, as the afternoon turned out to be warm and sunny. So a quick run out on the bike was in order.

I've been to the cafe a couple of times, but should have taken a map as I managed to miss the turn for it today. The Cafe is really just a burger bar and a car park. It's pretty basic, but there always seams to be plenty of bikes there on sunny weekend afternoon. It's busy but not packed. Don't go expecting it to be the Ace Cafe, but it does have it's plus points and it's definitely a place to spot some nice bikes. Today I had a look round a new KTM RC8, a Ducati 1089S and a Bennelli Cafe racer to name just a few.

One big plus is that they do a mean burger with several options to go large. Egg and bacon on that sir? The main attraction is that it's in easy striking distance of London and it's on the edge of Surrey near some reasonable good biking roads. Head out from London, grab a burger and a cuppa and set yourself up for some back lane riding and then grab a cuppa before working your way through London weekend traffic on the way home.

Caution - Wide Load Hayabusa

2008-06-22T19:25:00.005+01:00

Who says motorcycles are impractical? This weekend my gf and I went to buy some light fittings. Rather than get caught up in South London traffic we decided to go on the bikes. We arrived at Bromley in no time, went into the the light shop asked for our order and then looked at each other when the guy lifted two huge boxes onto the counter. "They're only supposed to be bedside lights!" said Alisa, " I better go back and get the car."

Any how I asked the guy to take them out of the boxes, convinced I could get them into the luggage. When we go back to the bikes it was obvious that they still wouldn't fit. That said I managed to fit them in with the panniers open but secured with the cargo straps.

Riding home filtering was out of the question, and leaning into corners isn't advised, but it just goes to show motorcycles are a practical mode of transport...almost ;-)

Goodwood festival of speed ad

2008-06-17T13:22:00.004+01:00

A hat tip to bikes in the fast lane for this video of Dougie Lampkin, world indoor trials riding champion turning Goodwood house into a trials playground. The video is an ad for the festival of speed which takes place on the 11th to the 13th of July.

If you've not been before and your the slightest bit interested in cars or bikes, you should go. It's a wonderful weekend, you can seee everykind of car go up the hill climb. It's a motorsport weekend with style.

Cars and bikes from the early days of motorized transport to the latest concept and race machinery are all on view. Even if you're not a car/bike fan, it's a great day out, just relax on the lawns, grab a picnic, some champagne and strawberries and enjoy the sunshine.