Your biking highlight of 2019

[8IKERDAVE]

Definitely my first track day. Why I've not done one sooner I will never know!

Cadwell - you rule!

[Birky_41]

Biking highlights for me...hmm

I think its more 'Willy Waving Moments' but I've had a few good ones to think back on

I've done 7500 of fun miles on the Aprilia this year and 2000 on the GSXR

Some highlights over the months that I liked was picking up my new bike in March, putting 600 miles on it then then getting it to Nurburgring (although loads came loose out there and it used 750ml oil but thats another story) but not before getting a few shots with mates also on Aprilia's like below



Nurburgring April was the best one yet and I experienced the GP circuit for the first time - Simply wow! Was great racing around with the cars although had to hold back a bit as the OEM supercorsa chewed up very quickly and I still had to ride back home to Essex!

Small video here although the SD card corrupted some of it https://youtu.be/mtVxVDal7-o



Then went onto IOM TT...which was a wash out. It also had police presence on speeding like I have never seen before. Just about every national was now a 50 and I dunno maybe it was just me but I think it lost its appeal. I wont be going back for a while

I did enjoy a couple days with YouTuber/Instagramer 'Usernamekate' who was a great laugh and we rode about the Island



Managed 1 whole lap in a semi dry/moist mountain https://youtu.be/yuAqtjOYj2E

|https://thumbsnap.com/PyNeAmj3[/url]

And competed in the Ramsey sprint getting 1st road bike by 0.03 second https://youtu.be/-Xyk8TGLB8c

I found a 'Airy Dick amongst my rainy riding days too!



And finally a good biker bud got wiped out by a foreigner on the wrong side of the road. I narrowly missed but my mate was not so lucky. Completely the Czech riders fault coming out a blind corner to see him flat out on our side of the road. The unjuries are bad but quick service and us applying pressure to stop his blood pumping out meant he kept his leg and has a long recovery. I'll be honest that broke me and I came home early



Skip a month and I had some surgery to get my wonky leg working more like it should (old race injury). That was painful having the metal taken out and I couldnt walk for 4-5 days. I was limping for a month but the problem was I forgot I had booked Cadwell 9 days after surgery and being the tight arse that I am I wasn't going to miss it...so I went but I did fatigue quickly and slept well the night after being on track!



I got a great shot of the mountain though...if I do say so myself and video here https://youtu.be/N-Cru2iOYzQ



2 weeks later I had a Doni Aprilia Track day booked from a FaceBook group (TAF). Left the Aprilia in complete road trim, other than putting the electronic suspension in track I just thrashed it round. It actually did ok but felt a bit soft compared to the GSXR

There were quite a lot of crashes not helped with the 38-39 degree heat

Video here https://youtu.be/QBSY3m2PHa0

[url]

From Doni I went back to Nurburgring again (I have a thing for that place as it scares the crap out of me) but only did the 'ring. Managed a few laps this time and felt comfortable going for me a decent pace. Just constantly got stuck in traffic/yellow flags

Was lucky with the weather as it was thunderstorms at the end of the second day when we were riding home!

Video here https://youtu.be/kPxQAqmoUAw



I decided after 5 years off MX to have a dabble again. I ended up running some poor fella over although he came over in the pits and said he was fine. It looks much slower than track but this was inters and fast if I recall mixed. Video here https://youtu.be/jsW57B10cLg



Over summer I did a few big group meets at night, one being the Zed Heads. Getting over to various places around London was cool...but the urban bikelife isn't really my thing



And finally I have just finished a project with my dad rebuilding one of the 2 Maico's we own. This one being a 1981 'Mega 2' 490cc 2 stroke air cooled single. It was positively old school, vibey and quite nippy to say the least. I will be looking at doing some evo/vintage racing on it in 2020

These video's are not public so you need the link to play (Its not something I will put public)

First start up since the rebuild and yes Im wearing my boots as these are a pig to start and known to kick back: https://youtu.be/aIg-39QE9VY

And first ride up the road: https://youtu.be/5odilAdd45I



Im sure there is plenty more but they are my favourite memories

[Matt_Zeus]

Does having my first crash count? Right into the back of the wife....
Only my pride, my wing mirror and her backbox were hurt in the process

[podman]

Sidecar Man said:

podman said:

RemaL said:

Sidecar Man said:

Sub 20 minute lap and top 5 at the TT. Happy with that

OK you win

Agreed, cant argue with that...was you driver or passenger Sidecar Man?

Passenger.

even more of lunatic then!

[Mr_Tickle]

I took the bike on a two-week tour of Morocco which was cool, and then did Italy/Bosnia/Croatia in the summer too. Both great trips and both show why I love motorcycling so much.

[Lemanandbeyond]

Birky_41 said:

Biking highlights for me...hmm

I think its more 'Willy Waving Moments' but I've had a few good ones to think back on

Willy waving absolutely appropriate after watching those videos ! I would be jumping around helicoptoring mine if I could ride at a 1/4 of that lol!

Great vids, really enjoyed them. Shame about the knobber going into your mate and hope his recovery is going well.

Highlight for me was to the 4 passes here (Switzerland), being able to ride them early before they are busy is a real plus.

[Dakkon]

STe_rsv4 said:

how loud is that exhaust, I have an Akra on mine and that is pretty loud when you give it some beans

[black-k1]

NS400R said:

Definitely the Old Gits Dolomites trip with my son who had just got his licence. A great week that enhanced his riding no end and one that proved a 30 odd year old 2 stroke can hack 1,500 miles in a week screaming around the the Alps.

For those thinking of it, I can heartily recommend the OG trips. Black K1 does a superb job organising, the destinations are spectacular and the company excellent. There's a real spread of people and abilities.

Write up on Black K1's website here :
http://www.old-gits.org/write-up2019.htm

[Dodd90]

Birky_41 said:

Biking highlights for me...hmm

I think its more 'Willy Waving Moments' but I've had a few good ones to think back on

I've done 7500 of fun miles on the Aprilia this year and 2000 on the GSXR

Some highlights over the months that I liked was picking up my new bike in March, putting 600 miles on it then then getting it to Nurburgring (although loads came loose out there and it used 750ml oil but thats another story) but not before getting a few shots with mates also on Aprilia's like below



Nurburgring April was the best one yet and I experienced the GP circuit for the first time - Simply wow! Was great racing around with the cars although had to hold back a bit as the OEM supercorsa chewed up very quickly and I still had to ride back home to Essex!

Small video here although the SD card corrupted some of it https://youtu.be/mtVxVDal7-o



Then went onto IOM TT...which was a wash out. It also had police presence on speeding like I have never seen before. Just about every national was now a 50 and I dunno maybe it was just me but I think it lost its appeal. I wont be going back for a while

I did enjoy a couple days with YouTuber/Instagramer 'Usernamekate' who was a great laugh and we rode about the Island



Managed 1 whole lap in a semi dry/moist mountain https://youtu.be/yuAqtjOYj2E

|https://thumbsnap.com/PyNeAmj3[/url]

And competed in the Ramsey sprint getting 1st road bike by 0.03 second https://youtu.be/-Xyk8TGLB8c

I found a 'Airy Dick amongst my rainy riding days too!



And finally a good biker bud got wiped out by a foreigner on the wrong side of the road. I narrowly missed but my mate was not so lucky. Completely the Czech riders fault coming out a blind corner to see him flat out on our side of the road. The unjuries are bad but quick service and us applying pressure to stop his blood pumping out meant he kept his leg and has a long recovery. I'll be honest that broke me and I came home early



Skip a month and I had some surgery to get my wonky leg working more like it should (old race injury). That was painful having the metal taken out and I couldnt walk for 4-5 days. I was limping for a month but the problem was I forgot I had booked Cadwell 9 days after surgery and being the tight arse that I am I wasn't going to miss it...so I went but I did fatigue quickly and slept well the night after being on track!



I got a great shot of the mountain though...if I do say so myself and video here https://youtu.be/N-Cru2iOYzQ



2 weeks later I had a Doni Aprilia Track day booked from a FaceBook group (TAF). Left the Aprilia in complete road trim, other than putting the electronic suspension in track I just thrashed it round. It actually did ok but felt a bit soft compared to the GSXR

There were quite a lot of crashes not helped with the 38-39 degree heat

Video here https://youtu.be/QBSY3m2PHa0

[url]

From Doni I went back to Nurburgring again (I have a thing for that place as it scares the crap out of me) but only did the 'ring. Managed a few laps this time and felt comfortable going for me a decent pace. Just constantly got stuck in traffic/yellow flags

Was lucky with the weather as it was thunderstorms at the end of the second day when we were riding home!

Video here https://youtu.be/kPxQAqmoUAw



I decided after 5 years off MX to have a dabble again. I ended up running some poor fella over although he came over in the pits and said he was fine. It looks much slower than track but this was inters and fast if I recall mixed. Video here https://youtu.be/jsW57B10cLg



Over summer I did a few big group meets at night, one being the Zed Heads. Getting over to various places around London was cool...but the urban bikelife isn't really my thing



And finally I have just finished a project with my dad rebuilding one of the 2 Maico's we own. This one being a 1981 'Mega 2' 490cc 2 stroke air cooled single. It was positively old school, vibey and quite nippy to say the least. I will be looking at doing some evo/vintage racing on it in 2020

These video's are not public so you need the link to play (Its not something I will put public)

First start up since the rebuild and yes Im wearing my boots as these are a pig to start and known to kick back: https://youtu.be/aIg-39QE9VY

And first ride up the road: https://youtu.be/5odilAdd45I



Im sure there is plenty more but they are my favourite memories

Looks like a pretty crazy year! Hope your mate is on the mend That photo over the mountain is mint!

[Dodd90]

For me 2019 has been spent on the new bike. Finally got round to selling my Gsxr600



To be fair I just got really bored with it and had to force myself out for rides. Decided I needed something other than inline 4. So ended up buying a 2018 Superduke R. What a thing! 6 months of 2019 and I’ve done more mileage in the last 3 years on the Gsxr. Nakeds are definitely the bike for me

Edited by Dodd90 on Thursday 12th December 14:47

[CypSIdders]

Dodd90 said:

For me 2020 has been spent on the new bike.

Did I miss the slip in the space, time continuum?

[Dodd90]

CypSIdders said:

Did I miss the slip in the space, time continuum?

st! I’ll change that

[sprinter1050]

Memorable event for me & my biker mate was what was expected to just be a typical ride out to our favourite brekky caff, which happens to be on a popular private (ex-RAF) airfield.

It was on Feb 20th this year but taking advantage of a glorious 20 deg C stunning weather.
The day was made even better as we watched a guy taxi up in a 2 seat Rotax powered Quantum microlight so we got chatting & he then gave us each a couple of circuits of the field!

Excellent experience & real pleasant, helpful & chatty pilot called Ady.
A word of caution though, whilst OK for windproofing etc bike leathers are not ideal wear in a cramped microlight rear seat..definitely not. Squeezed in like a ferret in a matchbox..

Edited by sprinter1050 on Friday 13th December 13:47

[anonymous-user]

Kudat in Sabah, Borneo, via Brunei, to Pontianak, on the Eqater in Indonesia, shipped my bike in and out so had to get back to Kuching in Malaysia for the return boat, on my Vulcan with the wife so not the best adventure bike for Borneo, took 6 hours to cross the border into Indonesia.

[Mr Ponkerson]

Not too many, but for me: being railroaded in to joining my old bike club again (left as I didn't want to be a member but not be around much) and finally getting the trike on the road after years of getting buggered about by various garages and experts.

[crofty1984]

My own bikes have been out of action for most of the year. So my bike highlight was going to the classic TT with my dad and brother.