My greatest biking adventure. Yet.
Discussion
Chipchap said:
1098R = monoposto + Rider had backpack
MV 312RR = monoposto + Rider had backpack
GSX-R had a tailpack the size of a dog kennel + Rider had fanny pack & backpack
Tuono had tankbag and tailpack
= No room at the inn
Share out the gear and you still have 1 spare seat. I'd never leave another rider to have a jolly. Still shocked at someone being left behind.MV 312RR = monoposto + Rider had backpack
GSX-R had a tailpack the size of a dog kennel + Rider had fanny pack & backpack
Tuono had tankbag and tailpack
= No room at the inn
HertsBiker said:
Share out the gear and you still have 1 spare seat. I'd never leave another rider to have a jolly. Still shocked at someone being left behind.
Ok to explain this in some detail:-A} Riders 1 & 2 left from MK one on a single seater the other on the fiery Ducati.
B} Riders 3 & 4 left from Brentford one on a single seater the other on a Tuono
C} Rider 5 left from Solihull on a 2 seater but with more stuff on board than a Pickfords lorry.
D} We were on a tight schedule with only 1hr of slack time for minor dramas along the way.
E} Ferry was leaving from Plymouth. Only 1 ferry every 48hrs I think. Miss it and the trip is over for all.
F} Rose was already distraught and her bike had not yet burnt out it was still running but badly. We sent her back home where she was to meet her Ducati mechanic and perhaps take a ferry from Portsmouth the next evening. The bike burnt out on her way home.
G} I pressed on towards Plymouth unaware that the bike had burnt out.
H} 5 were going but in the end 4 got to enjoy it. If we had regrouped we would have missed the Ferry. Next one from Plymouth was Tue I think so holiday knackered for all or for one ?
I} She does not do pillion and in all honesty it would have been s
t made more so by having to entrust your life to someone that you had never sat behind.J} The options were limited and a s
tty decision had to be made. I made it and I lived with it. I make stty decisions at work all the time, someone has to.So in all honesty unless you are just extracting the p1$$ for fun I suggest that we leave it there before we fall out.
A
Edited by Chipchap on Friday 21st June 19:14
Oh god no! I would have never wanted the guys to wait - they'd have missed the ferry??! WTF? My ducati. My problem. We had only been riding for about 10 minutes when she started to misfire and run badly. I said look - you go on, meet the rest of the guys on the way and depending on what the mechanic can spot, I'll either try and catch up or better still, meet you guys from the Portsmouth ferry on Tuesday.
I would like to think anyone in my position would have done the same and just because I'm a girl, I DON'T RIDE PILLION!! I would hate it. The whole joy is riding your own bike and to be frank, I wouldn't have enjoyed the holiday for that reason alone. Nope, no decision was made by the guys. I made it for them and I'm so glad. I'd have just shown them up going faster than them anyway!! Haha!!
I would like to think anyone in my position would have done the same and just because I'm a girl, I DON'T RIDE PILLION!! I would hate it. The whole joy is riding your own bike and to be frank, I wouldn't have enjoyed the holiday for that reason alone. Nope, no decision was made by the guys. I made it for them and I'm so glad. I'd have just shown them up going faster than them anyway!! Haha!!
Allyc85 said:
Cheers Ally, I didn't even know that thread existed! are you kidding me HertsBiker? Never leave a biker behind? Sure, if after an accident, or a flat tyre, or another dire emergency situation.
This was a holiday, planned, booked, tight schedule and all. One point Ally didn't mention is that the 2 riders who left from Brentford DID NOT KNOW about the issue with the burning bike until we were 3/4 to Plymouth. This was a holiday that the lovely legs 1098 WOULD NEVER WANT ANYONE OF US TO MISS, because that's who she is, a considerate person. Forcing 4 other people OUT OF GUILT to stay behind is just selfish and riders like that often display same behavior on the road (NOT GOOD).
Every step of the way, we thought of Legs1098, texted, posted pictures, carried her in our hearts and minds.
So instead of dwelling on the future, we are planning the next trip, same as Legs1098 is not dwelling on a burnt bike and looking forward to acquiring the next one.
HertsBiker, please keep your opinion to yourself if you are going to make a mockery of the inherent and respectful camaraderie between bikers
This was a holiday, planned, booked, tight schedule and all. One point Ally didn't mention is that the 2 riders who left from Brentford DID NOT KNOW about the issue with the burning bike until we were 3/4 to Plymouth. This was a holiday that the lovely legs 1098 WOULD NEVER WANT ANYONE OF US TO MISS, because that's who she is, a considerate person. Forcing 4 other people OUT OF GUILT to stay behind is just selfish and riders like that often display same behavior on the road (NOT GOOD).
Every step of the way, we thought of Legs1098, texted, posted pictures, carried her in our hearts and minds.
So instead of dwelling on the future, we are planning the next trip, same as Legs1098 is not dwelling on a burnt bike and looking forward to acquiring the next one.
HertsBiker, please keep your opinion to yourself if you are going to make a mockery of the inherent and respectful camaraderie between bikers
HertsBiker said:
Share out the gear and you still have 1 spare seat. I'd never leave another rider to have a jolly. Still shocked at someone being left behind.
You talk as if the rider was injured, but she wasn't. She simply no longer had a bike to ride. We even discussed the option of her borrowing another bike to ride, but this was a non-starter due to the insurance issue. This wasn't a simple weekend jolly as you suggest, and neither was the group callous in it's thinking. If you knew the group involved, you'd realise that they were biking friends who have ridden together, are friends, and have a significant deal of trust between them. Your aspersions on the callousness of the characters within the group are misplaced and unwelcome as nothing could be further from the truth.The trip had been carefully planned and prepared for upto 6 months prior, with significant upfront financial commitments by the group. Sadly, there was no contingency plan in place for Legs (or anyone else for that matter) should their bike fail on the morning of departure.
When travelling/riding as a group over long distances, trust and understanding of each other (should the worst happen) are critical. I would be hesitant to ride over long distance on a trip like this with someone I have never ridden with before or am unfamiliar with. The risks are high.
Great write up Ade and hats off to you guys. A group ride of 300 miles every day is proper hardcore!! And you're right about the extra miles. We plan for 180-200 miles a day but normally do around 250. We call it the Déjà vu factor because even with satnavs we generally see somewhere at least twice
Interesting that your Ducati didn't use any oil because we covered around 2000 miles and my BM used a litre!
Interesting that your Ducati didn't use any oil because we covered around 2000 miles and my BM used a litre!
Andy XRV said:
Great write up Ade and hats off to you guys. A group ride of 300 miles every day is proper hardcore!! And you're right about the extra miles. We plan for 180-200 miles a day but normally do around 250. We call it the Déjà vu factor because even with satnavs we generally see somewhere at least twice
Interesting that your Ducati didn't use any oil because we covered around 2000 miles and my BM used a litre!
Cheers Andy, it was such a great experience, I really can't wait until the next tour. Distances suddenly become recalibrated, and we were joking that perhaps our next weekend rideout will be a little farther than from London to OYB... maybe somewhere like Yorkshire or Scotland LOL! I thought the Ducati would use oil, but even after checking several times on days 4/6, the oil level remained resolutely firm at the half way mark. She gets pampered but also used as intended. I'm a firm believer in exercising engines properly to keep them fit. Interesting what you say about your BMW. Even the BMW M-car engines use oil - maybe it's just a design philosophy in their design?Interesting that your Ducati didn't use any oil because we covered around 2000 miles and my BM used a litre!
rsv gone! said:
I have done quite a few of these trips over the years. I always fancied taking a tuono around those mountain roads. I reckon it would be perfectly suited with its wide bars and sportsbike chassis.
The 2014 tour will most probably be on more sensible steeds as myself, Floris and Ade all have Tuono's too.MrOrange said:
Nice, inspiring write-up. Good idea using the Autorail to get the boring bits out of the way. This will be on my list one day, soon hopefully.
It was a good service and quite reasonably priced too. Would definitely use them again. Importantly, you get to keep the key on you.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff