Hi DGF, if I'm right you've not taken your bike abroad yet ? If that's the case, what about joining some of the other guys who are coming over, that would give you a bit of a "safety net" for your first time ? I've absolutely no doubt that you would love it and once you've 'broken your cherry' you'll be popping across any chance you get !!!! If there's anything I can do to help you, please just tell me and I'll be there, OK ?
Hi mate and thanks But like I've already stated financial restraints and ball & chain stops me I know without even doing it that I would love it
Amazing ride today. We left the coast near Nice and rode up into the mountains only coming down out of various ranges to spend our first night homeward in Grenoble. 6hrs of amazing scenery. Cold in them there hills
Hit the motorway today not to my liking but at least we covered big miles. We nearly regretted it, we were riding along when there was a loud noise/bang from the bike and the back wheel ran over something. We were just 3 kilometers from a service station, I decided to carry on rather than risk a stop. On investigation we find that the front right exhaust pipe has a big dent 15 mm across and at least 3/4 mm deep. I am sure there was nothing in my path to hit but on the inside lane a wagon we were passing must have either kicked up something that hit us or he lost a wheel nut. The bump on the rear wheel must have been the offending item. Very lucky it missed the lamba sensor and certainly the radiator. Must have been our lucky day. We are now in our hotel for the night and been chatting to a fellow Brit who has been here 8 days. His bike broke down and to cut a long story short he has been messed around and messed around. Poor guy he is so upset. So My little dent is ok in the big world of things but still we were very lucky or it could have been 2 of us stuck in a hotel waiting for repairs. Ken.
I liked your post for the write up not the exhaust damage Glad you're both ok Get drunk and forget about it
I understand my friend. The inciDENT came as quite a shock. You can imagine how heavy and loud the impact was to do that much damage. Onward and upward, as you say a few beers and hey hoo away we go.
Oh dear, how things can go wrong. Having met the chap yesterday who had broken down who came from Bath by the way riding or not riding a BMW. Today at a service station we had been chatting to 3 guys from Derby. They left us as we started our coffee only to return some 10 mins later and one of the guys riding a Yamaha Tracer ? had lost his ignition key (no spare by the way) We left them behind some 20 mins later with no trace of the key. They had a schedule to keep for the ferry. So yet another lesson to learn always have that spare key safe. What the heck he will do I know not. Poor chap he was getting very upset. We should be home in Suffolk tomorrow just hoping the weather holds and we get home dry. One thing for sure as we have driven North it has got bloody colder Ken
Glad you had a wonderful time and got back safe and sound would love to see a photo of your America. Tucker
Well I am sure we can do that. I intend to put a bit more meat to the thread. But not tonight. I will include a couple of pics. Thanks for replying nice to know it is being watched. Ken.
Done some sums today, bike has returned 58 mpg at an average speed of 50 mph over the whole 2000 miles.Now that is very good. (We only rode Motorway part way home most of the trip has been done on minor roads). I put some of that down to the power/booster plug I bought of Suffolkbumpkim off this site. Cheers for that buddy it has most likely paid for itself already. The Bluetooth Intercom system made by Interphone of the Urban type (my sons' bought us before we left) has been great. Both for the Satnav and comms with Mrs C. We charged the system every night and it always lasted well over the duration of our rides. The new Satnav we bought after selling the Garmin 660 has been fantastic and easy to use. We bought the Garmin 345LM very compact and robust. I deep cleaned the bike today it certainly needed it. So all in all we are very pleased with the bike. The mods especially the seat has been fantastic, I like the repeater indicator lights where I can see them and the gear indicator works really well and I think very important when 2 up carrying luggage and especially in those mountain tight turns. The screen I cut down is just perfect. So I will sign off from my little updates and look forward to our next trip which is already being planned but not until next year. Having said that I just might have a trip Upt North before the winter sets in. Couple of pics before cleaning one showing the seat profile which has been fantastic and offered me plenty of low back support. If I had one complaint it would be the short TOR pipes Maureen said she could hear them droning all day. Maybe the long TOR for big trip would be better. Ride safe all, Ken
Worth thinking about, simple answer is NO she does not wear ear plugs she has said maybe it is worth trying. I will have a look for the thread. Cheers Ken.
May be purchase the stock pipes off eBay, they go for about £20 these days (just checked clearly prices have gone up but still £50 to £70 will get you a good set) and have little to no sound, which of course is why most change them. Bound to get a perfect set as most are swapped out early in the life of the bike sold mine a few months back otherwise you could have tried them. I have the long TORs and trust me the drone will still be there all be it slightly pushed back past the pillion. It's been great reading how well you have got on with the America, def next year plan to go longer and further on ours sons off to Aberystwyth University next week, so there's an obvious trip to do.
I think this could work, maybe have the 2 sets and change over for the long trips etc. I have had a look and you are correct they are quite cheap to buy. Freedom at last hey! getting rid of the kids. Like you say good reason to use the bike. Keep in touch and maybe one one day we could get a ride out. Ken.
