2010 Battlefields charity ride announced

Click image or go to Grim Riders MCC for details.

Cool stop-motion video of a bike build

A visit to the 2009 Macau Grand Prix

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hong Kong custom scooter

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

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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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?

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

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?

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.

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.

2nd 3/4 Sleeve tattoo - Session five

As my biking life is on hiatus while everything is in the hands of the insurance company and the valuers, I'm keen to continue the blog. The progress of my tattoo has turned out to be a handy filler. Actually, it was while I was siting for this session that my bike was stolen! So as you can image it turned out to be an unexpectedly expensive afternoon.

I still intend to keep the blog about bike related activities, but without a bike over the next few weeks (at least) actual biking will be restricted to riding my GFs Fazer.

The fifth session of the tattoo concentrated on the purple background and adding extra black shading. It's the background and all the small details which will really pull this piece together. All that remains now is one full session to finish the background, fill in a flying saucer on the back and colour some of the smaller rockets and planets. Then an hour or so, at a later date, to go over the whole thing tidying up and doing final touches.

I'm enjoying the progress, but at this stage I'm looking forward to the finished article.

2nd 3/4 Sleeve tattoo - Session four

Significant progress was made on my sleeve this session. The black background was roughed out, ready for the purple colouring to be added, you can see that this has been started at the top. The purple gives a more colourful look and ads more interest than having too much black. My other arm uses blue for the same effect, but I didn't want them to be too similar.

The swirl  on the elbow, reminiscent of a galaxy, was pretty uncomfortable. Anyone who tells you getting your elbow tattooed is easy is lying to you. Next session I get to go through it again as the area around the black is shaded and coloured.

More pics here on flickr.

Stolen bike case open and closed within hours

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!

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

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

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.

2nd 3/4 Sleeve tattoo - Session three

The third session on my second sci fi / pinup sleeve. Things are progressing a little slower at this stage, but I know it will come together quickly once all the details are on and the background can be started. This session saw the addition of a robot to fill in the bottom area and also a flying saucer, complete with little green man on the back of the arm. The girl was also coloured.

When I took the photo I was not really healed but was about to go in for the fourth session. As I had a few sessions close together, I missed the opportunity to get pictures after the fourth session. So, the next ones I post will be after the fifth session. Things should be really coming along by that point.

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

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

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

2009 Dakar rally - Unusual machinery

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.

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.