Shiny new machines !

Another great day out at Motorcycle Live on Saturday, a welcome Birthday treat from my son Will, we both enjoy spending what would otherwise be a boring rainy November day looking at the shiny new machines instead and visiting the exhibitor stands while hunting out a few bargains to spend my birthday money on. 

Most of the usual manufacturers were there, but surprisingly no Harley Davidson stand this year but the big news was always going to be the new BMW R1300 GS. I’d seen many of the launch videos last month so time to see it in the flesh and make my own mind up about that weird looking headlight. A few other bikes did take our fancy though, for me I really do like the retro Kawasaki 900 RS cafe racer. I think as a second bike it would be a lot of fun on a sunny day. I was out yesterday on a club ride and coincidentally the exact same model pulled up next to my bike at the Cafe in Herefordshire, so kudos to the owner who took on those wet mud splattering roads!     

The ‘Kwaka’ aside this Norton V4sv won the retro racer category for us though. Just look at the build quality. Beautiful! The Norton’s latest re-incarnation of the famous marque is better than ever. I didn’t get to see the price tag, I think it was an ‘ask’ list on the spec’ sheet and enquire but with all of that carbon fibre and nickel coating it’s going to be top-end of the price bracket. A 1200cc 185 bhp machine I think I’d go for this over the Panigales for sure (in my dreams). 

I did quite like this new Triumph Tiger Rallye Pro, the 900 model, but some oddities do amaze me with this CFMoto NX I think it was with what looks like a re-purposed Amazon Kindle used for the clocks, and just seems like a cost saving exercise to me, but having said that the KTM 790 based Chinese model is really good value. So on to the BMW stand to see the new GS and we watched the demo ride on the new Rallye model by two guys from the BMW Off-Road Skills school doing donuts, burn outs and the jump demonstrating braking control in the very limited space. We were introduced to the low speed auto suspension height adjust feature designed to lower the centre of gravity and no doubt to assist riders with a shorter leg flat foot their stops. The suspension adjust has far more fine-grained manual control now and as well as the bigger motor the frame has been stiffened up too and the whole bike has lost some weight. I’m still unsure about aesthetics of that new headlight and radar plate on the front though, but having looked around the different model options now and listened to the presentation interview with the chief designer I look forward to a proper test ride - in a year or two of course!

After the demo we signed the waiver and entered the arena for a closer look. I got to sit on one and start the engine and play around with the settings, and we both took part in the ‘pick the bike up’ challenge. I put my back out picking up one of my GS’s in the past, so the technique taught by the instructor using full lock and pushing up in the direction of the front wheel made much lighter work of it - without panniers though. Of course Will was much better at it than me, he got the technique straight away and quite pleased with himself  in showing me how to do it. I really was quite proud and impressed considering the state of his arm after having a rod fitted through his humerus after that Snowboarding accident last February. 

Of course Will was more interested in the ZZR Ninja H2 and the BMW M1000 RR sports bikes, who can blame him? I grabbed a few bargains from some of the accessory stands on the way out, and stopped by a visit to the ABR stand where the young lady twisted my arm into attending their Rally next June at Ragley Hall with a 20% discount voucher, and I bought their 2024 calendar. Time to head back home to eat our 20% off M&S Chinese meal washed down with a nice drop of cider. A really good day out … Cheers Will 👍😁.

 

Advanced Rider…a thinking rider !

Last month I put in for my IAM Advanced Rider Test, an observed ride by a retired Police Rider/Trainer over in Warwickshire on a test route unfamiliar to me designed for the examiner to gain good insight and assessment of my ride. It was a very challenging 75 minutes, with a pre-ride talk beforehand and a post ride de-brief detailing the examiners observations with additional questions after. After some initial nerves at first, I settled in to the test well and really enjoyed demonstrating my new found skills and ability as taught on the IAM Advanced Rider Course. I’m now very happy to report I achieved a Pass, taking me from IAM Associate status to Full Membership. 

Over the last 12 months my assigned Observer Patrick (Kidderminster Advanced Bikers) has been a great help on many Sundays and at other times to offer excellent advice with regular run-sheet reports and video footage coaching me on where I could make improvement as laid out in the course. Other ride Observers from KAB helped too with additional advice given to gauge my ride consistency, and increase my overall knowledge and skill level.

As mentioned in previous posts I found the course quite challenging at times. My test pass was a second attempt, the first back in June though disappointing did make me realise I needed to be more consistent in applying what I’d learned. When I started the course my overall awareness of hazards needed improving, rear observation was minimal, and overtakes were often untidy and unsystematic without sufficient planning. The first test highlighted a few of these areas where my ride was still not quite up to standard, but thankfully Patrick and Derek (KAB Chief Observer) worked with me over the summer months to get me there. The IPSGA system as used by the Police and taught by IAM, RoSPA and BikeSafe really does require a much more heightened level of concentration than I was used to.

A goal of IAM and Kidderminster Advanced Bikers (KAB) has always been to make us more of a ‘Thinking Rider’ at all times, and maintain that going forward. I now feel much more at ease riding to the system with much better hazard awareness and understanding of how to mitigate for potential dangers. It’s well understood that achieving an Advanced Level of riding has to be maintained though, and because I found the whole learning experience enjoyable I intend to meet up with other KAB members and friends on the ‘free rides’ days in the future to help improve further and continue. It really has been a lot of fun so why wouldn’t I ?

Recently I found it interesting to recall that way back in 1982 I managed to pass the old RAC Star Rider course to Silver standard while riding my first ever motorcycle a Suzuki GP 100. Back then I wanted to challenge myself further and try for Star Rider Gold (an early form of an Advanced Rider qualification) but alas the years passed by and despite attending an excellent BikeSafe course in 2008, I never got around to achieving that level until now. Forty years on from my Star Rider Silver pass there is evidence no matter what your riding is like you can still learn and improve, gain more skills and maintain or revise those skills that are often lost over time through complacency, with the added benefit of learning while having fun and making new friends along the way! 

Many thanks to Patrick, Derek and the rest of KAB for all of their help. 😎🙏

Late Summer fun

 A few rides over the Summer most notably a ride out to Hay on Wye then on to Llangorse Lake near the Brecons. Nice ride managed to dodge the rain. Not a lot else to say really! 

After work one night I went for a ride out with Tim to one of the Cotswold Bike nights in Gloucester. Great atmosphere!

Besancon to Reims across country

Today, after a brief ride to view the  Citadel and river we track North to Reims for the night. This will get us in range for the tunnel crossing early on Sunday. We set the GPS to avoid motorway and had a blast up through some of the finest French countryside consisting of mile after mile of wheat fields and some forested sections. The temperature rose to above 30 degrees so it was good to keep moving but if ever we slowed due to traffic or speed limits in towns it became almost unbearable. 

We stopped a few times and I remembered the McDonalds trick from some years ago. It’s not French cuisine but on hot days like this the Air con and clean washroom facilities of Maccy D’s really helps. In one town in the Champagne region I noticed a covered market square to stop and get out of the sun. 

While we were waiting another biker turned up out of nowhere on a Kawasaki 650 and it turned out to be a lady biker from Paris out for a weekend tour of the region. After a brief chat we said our farewells and made it to the hotel in Reims in good time. 

A nice evening spent viewing the famous cathedral and the rest of the city, a few beers and a meal while people watching in the centre!

The following day we left the hotel at around 7am and travelled the A20 peage back to Calais and made an early tunnel crossing. Usual snarl up on the M25 near Heathrow, but managed to get home by 2.30pm. 

Night stay at:

ibis Styles Reims Centre

21 Boulevard Paul Doumer, Reims, 51100, France

Reasonable quality near the Town centre and Cathedral area. 

Room was a bit tired I suspect because of high turnaround of guests, breakfast was good and very friendly staff. 

Safe gated parking with passcode off road for a fee. Ideal for getting to / from the A20 peage for Calais etc.

The planned route.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu  of rides from top right in player.

Jura wine region to Besancon

Todays ride started from the little town of Saint Jean en Royens in the Vercors as we took in some more of the Vercors spectacular scenery before heading north on the motorway for about 50k to get us into the Wine region in the foothills of the Jura mountain range. 

We visited Baumé les Messiurs and the Abbey and then wound our way up through vineyards to Chateau Chalon near Arbois. Tonight we are staying in the most impressive Besancon full of Roman ruins on an ‘Oxbow loop’ of the river Doubs. Good night in the restaurant district and a few beers too (didn’t try the wine though!).

Night stay at:

Best Western Citadelle

13 Rue General Lecourbe, Besancon, Doubs, 25000 France

Usual Best Western quality, in the city near the river.

Good quality breakfast.

Gated car park, bikes were parked safe and reserved space out of the way but did cost 10 euro each to park.

Ideal for night out on town and sight-seeing.

The planned route.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu  of rides from top right in player.

Route Napoleon and the Vercors

Todays planned route would take us up the Route Napoleon from Grasse to Sisteron before cutting North West across some of the Verdon region before riding the Col de Machine and the famous balcony road .. Combe Laval. First though we took a slight detour and had a good ride around some of the F1 circuit Monoco/Monte Carlo. Chaotic traffic we couldn’t really stop for photos so I grabbed a few low res stills off the GoPro. 

After some toll motorway work around Antibes .. where Mark paid .. I just rode thru ;-) we started a wonderful ride up the Napoleon and it’s fast sweeper bends through amazing countryside not stopping until we reached Castellane for lunch just as the rain started. It soon dried up though, a refreshing down pour to clean the tyres and cool off after the last few days of 30 degree heat. 

As we approached the quiet forested Vercors region with long straight roads leading to the col du rousset mountain pass we had the roads to ourselves. It was quite eery riding alone snaking up the valley to the balcony road at Combe Laval. Mark changed his mind about riding the balcony with 1000ft drop over the side of a small wall, but I figured I couldn’t remember the last time I’d accidentally ridden off the edge of the road recently, it’s all about positioning I guess ! So I went for it. Another fun days ride. 

Night stay at:

Logis Hôtel le Castel Fleuri 16 Place du Champ de Mars.

.26190 ST JEAN EN ROYANS (FRANCE)

Good value Logis with good breakfast.

Ideal for riding Combe Laval in the evening or morning.

Gated car park with passcode.

Book early for evening meal in the nice restaurant overlooking the valley

 ( we arrived too late but they phoned a bistro bar who served us just up the road)

The planned route.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu  of rides from top right in player.

Routes des Grandes Alpes .. part 3

Our final leg of the Routes des Grandes Alpes from Valberg to the official finish in Menton was just shy of 100 miles via some really twisty switchbacks consisting of hairpin after hairpin as we climbed up high with spectacular views below. The other side of Col de Turini was blocked so we had to divert slightly on the way down to Sospel finishing up at our hotel on the sea front in Menton around 3.30pm with a nice cool dip in the Med’ followed by a few beers as reward near the official finish point. 

Todays Mountain passes: 

• Col de Vars
• Col Saint Martin
• Col de Turini
• Col de la Colombiere

Spectacular views but hard going at times because of the switchback hairpins. We stopped at a cafe on the top of Turini where myself and Mark tucked into the obligatory cheese, mushroom and ham omelette with fries. Perfect, not the most expensive in the world either this time. It was afterwards while sat there we realised other bikers were turning around which was odd, only to see a road maintenance crew had blocked the road off just on the other side of the pass so we were forced to take the sign posted diversion.

I have ridden the Stelvio a few times but today was by far harder going on the wrists and concentration in 3 degree heat and a belly full of lunch. In the end I found that countering my weight on the opposite side of the bike, turning my head and looking into the oncoming straight helped a great deal in getting the bike round and staying over away from any on-coming traffic. Good fun though.

The decision to break the RdGA ride up into three days ride instead of two proved correct, especially since we hit that diversion. Today, along with the diversion on the other side of Turini was hard going in the heat of the afternoon. but the hotel Mark found was ideal, right on the sea-front with the beach over the road - perfect.

Night stay at:

Hôtel Vacances Bleues Royal Westminster

28 Avenue Félix Faure, Menton, Alpes- Maritimes, 6500 France

Quality Hotel on the Sea Front with a city view room of Menton. 

Good value though right in the heart of the Riviera.

Bikes parked in Gardens (limited space), but safe. 

The planned route.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu  of rides from top right in player.

Routes des Grandes Alpes .. part 2

An early start from Briancon today heading across few more mountain passes on the way to Valberg :

• Col d’Izoard
• Col de la Cayole 
• Col de Vars

We decided to start with a ride up to the Citadel on high which was great. Already up to 24 degrees we needed to keep moving. So glad I took the mesh jacket, later in the day it topped at 33 degrees, even at altitude in the ski towns. 

A shorter mileage today due to the slower switch back  passes. The Izoard (the Lizard as we  called it) started off with hairpin after hairpin as we climbed up .. really tight stuff, but then eventually topped out to amazing alpine forest area and river valley just as two fighter jets came screaming through the valley right past us at low level followed by the boom and scream of the engines …  I nearly fell off  ! 

In the afternoon we were up and over the Cayole. This was quite a narrow single track pass quite hard on the suspension and traffic, mostly bikers but then on the descent the road follows the river and an amazing balcony road. The final part of the ride Brayf’ had researched well and chose a sublime red rock gorge loop back in to Valberg with some sheer drop balcony sections. A bit scary, but great fun. I just closed my right eye and didn’t look down ! Can’t wait to replay the go pro footage and have another look. 

• Gorges du avian
• Gorges de Daluis

Night stay at: 

Hôtel Blanche Neige, 

10 AVENUE DE VALBERG 06470 VALBERG

Very basic small room in quiet closed up ski town. 

Not much option for food.  Clean room descent breakfast. 

Ideal for one overnight stay to break up the RdGA.

Parking on other side of road, but very safe with cameras. 

The planned route.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu of rides from top right in player.

Routes des Grandes Alpes .. part 1

After doing our good deed for the day helping a Dutch biker get his Harley Road  King started after leaving his lights on and flattening the battery (my £60 Halfords booster really does work even on a HOG), myself and Mark had a fun day riding the first leg from Lake Annecy to Briancon. With a climb up Les Saisies first before joining the RdGA at La Clusaz.

Cormet de Rosaland was shut due to road works, we had suspicions but had a great time riding up the pass to the cafe at the end. Incredible switch back views as we climb up then back down to Bourg Saint Maurice for a spot of lunch then pick up the Col de l’Iseran via the river valley before the ascent up 2700 metres. 

As we topped out on the pass we came across a barrier blocking the road .. though possible to pass. Eventually after seeing other bikers go around the barrier and go for it we consulted with a couple of lads driving Caterham cars decided to go for it too only to find a rock slide and concrete barriers. No problem for bikers but how those Caterhams squeezed by I’ll never know!

Later in the afternoon we were up and over Col du Telegraph for more amazing switch backs and views before riding the twistiest of them all .. Col du Galibier before finishing up in Briancon for the night. Great days ride .. wow my wrists ache now!

Night stay at:

Hotel Restaurant de la Chaussee

4 rue Centrale , Briançon, 05100, France.

Very good with Bike Parking Garage. Recommended. 

The planned route.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu  of rides from top right in player.