Due to a recent family holiday at the end of August and other family commitments I hadn't been out for a ride since the Snowdonia trip, and was chomping at the bit to get out. Last week, via social network I noticed that Mark had finally taken delivery of a new bike. He'd been test riding quite a few big bikes of the Adventure genre throughout the year but couldn't quite find the right machine to match his silky smooth Bandit. None of the twins he tried quite did it it for him and although he liked the four cyclinder BMW XR, he settled on the very nice Kawasaki Versys 1000 stopping short of test riding a GS that was next on his list. Last Sunday we were both free for a ride, so a good ride out west into Wales was the obvious choice to put the Versys through it's paces.
Crossgates Cafe
After loading up an old trip I had lying around the internal memory of the Garmin to take us out through Knighton then round to Llandovery via Lampeter and back in the direction of Brecon, I met Mark at Cleobury Cafe and parked outside was this 'cracking' looking Versys in a very sexy black with red trim (stockings and garter colour scheme maybe? 😙 ) We set off towards Rhayedar, with a stop at Crossgates Cafe for an all day breakfast where the Versys was drawing quite a crowd, before heading on down to Aberystwyth. Mark had to keep the Versys under 4K revs for the first 500 but you really wouldn't know it. A very nice machine I have to say and following behind he looked much more comfortable on it than he did on the Bandit.
Mark ... very pleased with his new Versys in Aberystwyth.
From Aberystwyth we followed the route, first down to Lampeter, then on to Llandovery stopping at the bikers cafe there. Even late in the afternoon the place was full of bikers as usual. I overheard someone mention Fire Engine and Accident but didn't pay too much attention. As we left Llandovery on the A40 toward Brecon we noticed bikes waving us and car headlights flashing and eventually came to a halt at a long traffic queue. As we understand there was an accident and the Air Ambulance had landed nearby. A guy at the head of the queue was directing traffic to an alternative route, and advised us to take the forest trail road up and over a quarry that would bring us back on to the A40 past the accident. Not sure if Mark fancied taking his shiny new bike on a dirt track so I was pleased when he jumped the lead and headed straight up the gravel track entrance.
The forest trail diversion just outside Llandovery.
The forest trail was great fun, Mark testing his traction control settings almost immediately. I found this quite amusing, a brand new bike straight out on to the dirt 👍. Not sure I would have, but I guess when faced with an adventure on an adventure bike you can't refuse!
Kawasaki Versys 1000 on its first trail road.
The view from the forest trail was amazing, you could see for miles toward the Brecons as the road wound round up and over a quarry and across the valley. The surface was gravelly and churned up in parts, not too difficult, just right for my liking and Mark was enjoying the ride too it seemed. We stopped to take a few photos and were passed by cars pulling horse boxes and all sorts who it seems followed us up the trail. I wouldn't mind riding this trail again I thought, so on my return home I logged the 'route tracks' using base camp.
The trail road winding around with traffic in the distance.
Our ride back led us over the edge of the Brecons as the sun was starting to drop long shadows on the valleys creating quite a a stark contrast in the light from one side to the other, bathing the sides of the valley in a golden glow. We came back in to England in Herefordshire via Whitney on Wye passing by that spooky looking Baskerville Hall before parting our ways in Leominster.
The total route track loaded into Basecamp.
Really pleased Mark has now got his new bike sorted and I have to say I really like the look of the Versys - a very good choice. I can see it fully loaded with the supplied panniers and roll bag next season as he heads off on a few trips away. Good day out, 246 miles door to door, sadly one of the last of the season I guess, roll on next year I hope to ride with Mark again soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment