Back from the Alps with Motorrad Tours ..

Read all about it here.

Riding up the Stelvio.

On the Penserjoch

Using BMW R1200GS TFT with Phone, Nav VI and Schuberth C4 SC1S v1.2

(Updated 02/10/2018)

Recently I have been getting used to my new GS before heading out for the continent and the Alps next month. There's quite a bit of new Tech' with this bike to get used to, including the new BMW Connectivity TFT and the Navigator VI. A few minutes preparation in my garage before I head off is better than getting the manual out and 'faffing' about at the side of some Alpine road when I should be riding.

Altogether I have the following Bluetooth aware devices to set up:

• BMW Connectivity TFT
• Motorola Moto G Play (Android) Phone
• BMW Navigator VI
• Schuberth C4 Helmet with SC1S Comms System (Sena based v 1.2 firmware).

(Click Image to see enlarged)

Here's the best set-up process I have found so far:

• Remove existing SC1S pairing from the phone Bluetooth menu- choose 'forget device'. This is essential so as to avoid the helmet from connecting directly to the phone instead of via the TFT.

• Pair the phone with the bike TFT system as the 'Mobile Device' on the TFT list. This is straight forward set the Bluetooth on the Phone to pair for new devices at the same time set the TFT to do the same. 

• Pair the Helmet SC1S system with the TFT system as the 'Rider's Helmet' on the TFT list. To start pairing with the Helmet SC1S system press and hold the (+) Button or the (-) Button for 10 seconds until you hear the voice prompt, “Configuration menu”. Tap the (+) Button until you hear a voice prompt, “Phone pairing” (item 2 on the menu) . Then, on the TFT select pair with helmet comm's to add the helmet. At this point should see both helmet and Phone Icon on TFT:

• Once connected confirm via the TFT you can access and play music. You may have to open the Music app on the phone and start playing a play list first via the music app on the phone. Check music is playing routed through the helmet headset (SC1S). Also check you can access the Phone address book and make and receive calls via the TFT Phone menu system.

• Install the Navigator VI and onto bike and select Settings-> Bluetooth -> Scan for Devices. On the Helmet SCS1.2  hold the (+) Button or the (-) Button for 10 seconds until you hear the voice prompt, “Configuration menu”. Tap the (+) Button until you hear a voice prompt, “Second Mobile Phone pairing” (item 3 on the menu).  Eventually the Navigator will be paired with the SC1S Helmet comm's system:

• Using the TFT and handle bar wonder wheel select a music track to play. Then switch the menu from TFT to NAV (hold menu button up) And select and hold the 'Speak' option. With a route loaded or destination selected the Navigator voice instruction will interrupt the music on Mobile Phone 2   

Power Up Sequence:

1. Phone - Switch on Bluetooth.
2. Headset = Switch the Helmet SCS system on.
3. Power up the Bike ignition - TFT comes on with Nav VI connected and Bluetooth active.
4. Wait a minute for devices to pair. Should eventually see the Helmet and Phone on the TFT.
5. Switch to NAV from TFT and select the Speak menu option to test the voice instructions.

Expected Operation:

• The TFT has access to the phone menu system to make calls and play music.
• The TFT routes audio from the phone (and microphone) to the SC1S headset system.
• The Navigator VI will interrupt current audio / mic from the Phone using the Second Mobile Phone channel for voice route prompts or when playing media from the Nav VI.

All sorted 👍

Meet my new Ride (and our old ones)

Not much activity on here lately because my GS was reaching 30K after the Ireland Trip, I started to look at a trade in before I needed to spend the best part of £1.5K (predicting clutch replacement and other work). With the up-coming tour of the Alps in September I thought how nice it would be to embark the tour on a new bike. I took a test ride (Rybrook Wolverhampton) on a 2018 R1200GS TE Exclusive. After a three hour test ride I was smitten. All that was left was to hand over my requirements (Nav 6, Vario Panniers and Top Box, Engine Bars and Tank Bag) to Helen and let her attempt to negotiate a TE Exclusive with the complimentary BMW TFT Connectivity and three year warranty. She always says if she can't get a good deal it's a no-go, and much to my surprise after much negotiating between several dealerships to my utter amazement and relief she didn't let me down !

My new BMW R1200 GS Exclusive having just landed the day before at  Rybrook.

A few days later all equipped at home just after the long way home via Bridgnorth!

I have to say this bike is amazing. The handling, smoothness and responsiveness is sublime and the extras - Dynamic adaptive suspension is something to behold. I have a total of 450 miles minimum to run-in before the first service prior to my ride to the Alps with Steve and the rest of Motorrad tours, so a few local round trips to run up the miles are such a pleasure!

Iced Metallic Chocolate - on the top of Long Mynd, Shrophsire.

 

The BMW Connectivity TFT and the combined Navigator 6 showing 58 MPG. The connectivity is great - connected to my Schuberth C4 Helmet and Mobile Phone was easy, I can now make and receive calls via the TFT and using the GS handlebar thumb wheel control the Nav' 6. I'm still finding out other features e.g. the various display options to show while riding e.g. tyre pressures, temperature and fuel all on one screen as well as the 'My Vehicle' screen below. Initially, when these TFT's were released I was sceptical - but now I'm sold for the simple reason that you can see more information clearly and on one single screen. Other features like cruise control work great - can't wait for the M40 ride down to Folkestone now. Roll on next month and those Alpine passes !

Recently, Lindsay sent me pictures of himself and some of his old bikes, and since I now have a new bike I thought it fun to post a few pics of our early old bikes too. Unfortunately, I could only find one  of mine, the one below of my first bike - the Suzuki GP 100 Sport model (fitted with chrome front mudguard and disc brakes). This was brand new bought from the Motorcycle Mart in Kidderminster back when they were in Mill St. The reg. OAB 717Y (1982) I bought using money from my 18th Birthday to get me to and from work and Worcester Technical College.  I think it was a grand total of £585.00, and I had it on HP with free RAC Star Rider Training (I still have my Silver Star somewhere). The bike was 2 stroke with a separate 2 stroke oil tank (luxury). I went everywhere on this bike (pictured outside a girlfriends house).  With my head down I could get 72 MPH - and I did reach 73 just before it seized along the Stourport Road leaving me to snatch the clutch in pretty sharpish and a bit of a brown 'Belstaff ' trouser moment ! 

Me around this time - with more hair (spot the Rush Moving Pictures Tour Sweatshirt).

Here's a pic of me around the same time sat on the wall outside the Wood Colliers Arms in Bewdley. 

A stock Suzuki GS 250 - same colour but mine was a bit more  er ..customised.

Eventually after I passed my bike test I sold the GP 100 to my Dad - who got back into biking to commute to work years after selling his last BSA Bantam 175. He was really pleased with the Suzuki - no oil leaks and always started first time. I ended up buying a ratty looking GS 250 with cow-horns bars (what is it with me and GS's eh?) off my mate Dean fitted with a 2 into 1 exhaust that had a wicked power band. 

Suzuki GSX 250

I always lusted after the GSX variant of the same OHC 250 four stroke as was fitted to the GS. I loved the sporty style and the rear end, so eventually managed to get my hands on one by again swapping the GP 100 back off my Dad for the GS (that he absolutely loved the sit up and beg style) and trading it in for the GSX. This was a cracking bike  until the novelty wore off. Not long after owning it I lost the baffles in the exhaust at speed 'cos the pipes were rotten and coming back from seeing Jasper Carrot show or Meatloaf  concert (can't remember which) at the Odeon in Brum I had a rear tyre flat. A cold November night coming along the twisty section between Blakedown and Kidderminster the rear end started to shimmy around me thinking I was simply shivering in my leather jacket and jeans, when I stopped at the Land Oak lights I couldn't get moving again looked down the tyre was completely flat. I dumped the bike at the Railway Station thumbed a lift home wondering if the bike would still be there in the morning - and it was! However, the following day while parked outside my mum and dads house with the flat tyre it was stolen! Biking days over for a while - the insurance payout went toward my first car, but I always hoped to get another bike someday. Little did I know it would be 20 years ! 

So, here's Lindsay and two of his old Jumpers and Cardigans I swear I've seen him wearing recently, in his own words: 

BSA C15 , around 1971

Ape hangers , chrome tank, headlight and front mudguard and rack , hand painted gold straight through Mega , stuffed with chicken wire , nice sparks at night when it back fired !!!

Yamaha YDS 7 1972

Went like a rocket , thrashed all the English bike about at the time, only my mate on a his Norton commando  could keep up LOL.

In the shadows of the Wye Valley.

A few busy weekends coming up so I decided to plot a route down to the Wye Valley for today (Sunday). I haven't ridden in those parts for a while, in my opinion one of the most scenic rides you can ride in the UK following the river Wye out toward Chepstow. My route runs as far as Tintern via less obvious roads, avoiding the usual lengthy main roads, and the congestion of Hereford and Ross. A quick e-mail of the GPX file to Lindsay, who late Saturday evening called me up to say he could get the V - Strom back together (Air filter change) in time and would join me. We agreed 7.30 am at Great Witley.

 

Keeping the shadies in shade !

This heatwave we are having makes riding with all of our gear uncomfortable, especially as the temperature rises past 25 deg C. But the mantra 'all the gear all the time' must be adhered, so the early start was designed as a cooler ride down staying in the shadows on our side of the road through Bromyard all the way through the villages of Aconbury down to St Weonards and on to Monmouth with a brief stop to admire the valley view then to a Cafe in Tintern for tea and a bite.

The cafe was full of cyclists grrr the muppets (I don't get why cyclists insist on taking the whole of the road up riding three abreast while peddling up a hill). A nice stop though, trying to sit in the shade at the cafe catching up with Lindsay swapping stories of his recent trip to Scotland and mine to Ireland.

A word of of warning, we noticed the roads were literally melting in the heat, the tarmac was shiny and in parts attempts had been made to temporarily re-dress them with chippings so we needed to take care on the bends for loose or a slick surface. 

An equally inspiring ride back up toward home via a different route through St Briavels to Bream then on to Cannop and Mitcheldean using the canopy of the Forest of Dean to keep cool winding our way to Ledbury then Cradley in the shadow of the Malverns back into Herefordshire towards Bromyard while getting much hotter now. The temperature showing 28 degrees I waved Lindsay off at Great Whitley and was relieved to make it home just after 1 pm as the afternoon heat really started to get a grip. All in all though a very pleasant little ride!

Ring of Kerry - Part 5 - Wexford, Rosslare/Fishguard to Builth Wells and Home

Up early today for our ride back home, we met a guy and his wife from New Zealand in the hotel car park. He was a biker too, rides a KTM was interested in where we had been on our travels. He lives in the South Island and passed on his contact details in case we ever travel to NZ on an adventure out there, insisted we look him up and stay over. What a great guy, and that's one for the bucket list?

We made the ferry in good time for a breakfast in the cafe on board. The ride home from Fishguard via Lampeter on luxurious Welsh roads was fairly uneventful even though a sudden rise in temperature to 30 degrees was immediately noticeable after we disembarked.

 

ZZzzzzz .... ugh.. more gravel... zzzz   

I quite enjoyed the ride up the A 475 stopping occasionally for a brief rest. Unfortunately though, on the way I adjusted the route to bring us across Lynne Brianne for Mark to see who had a real desire to visit as he'd never been there and we thought it would add some more interest to our ride home on this sunny day but the Garmin had other ideas and took us gravel hunting up back-lanes much to Mikes concern as he had to ride up to Wigan this afternoon. In the end we abandoned that idea and I put us back on the main road, where Mark carried on to the reservoir on his own. Myself and Mike met Mark again for lunch in Builth Wells before saying fair-well to Mike there, leaving me and Mark to ride home and part ways at the OK Diner in Leominster.  

No more chicken strips

Superb trip, thanks guys.  Many thanks to Mark for booking the first two hotels at a discounted rate and for his route amendment suggestions, and for Mike finding a great hotel on the last night. A great team effort where we soon learned to ride together very well with no real GPS mapping problems (keeping the rider without GPS in the middle helped on this), also the additional attention to waypoint routing/syncing when planning between Basecamp and On-line maps for our different GPS systems,  and using the 'buddy system' as a fail-safe on this one really paid off.

 The routes, weather, company and nights of fun made Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way one of the best. In the end I covered 1010 Miles home to home, my tyre stayed inflated, Mike lost his Chicken Strips and Mark kept the creases out of his jacket!

Ring of Kerry - Part 4 - Brandon Bay to Wexford across the Connor Pass

Dingle Harbour Lodge

To start our ride back East we had unfinished business. We had cut the ride short yesterday and hadn't visited Brandon so I added a couple of way points to take us North from Dingle and after another hearty breakfast we were soon underway, leaving around 9 am.

View from the Harbour Lodge Guest House

The route took us via the fast and twisty Connor Pass. Superb vista from up here, we stopped for a short while before taking off down the other side. me leading with Mark getting some speed up on the way down. we met Mike at the bottom of the pass before the turning for Brandon. 

We went out as far as Brandon Harbour riding along the north side of the Dingle peninsula. The day started cool and sunny, just the job to cruise and take in this very pretty coastline.

Brandon Harbour was deserted, not a soul about other than us three. I have to say this is a very special place, and I just have to come back here again. I can see me pitching a tent in a field somewhere and spending a quiet summer down here. I just have to get across here again someday, it was a sad moment to leave.  

We followed the coastline back along the N86 through Cloghane, Derrymore and on through Tralee. 

In the shade - Carrick on Suir

The ride back East to Wexford had a few moments. I had plotted a different route east than when we came west, and it seemed to us less bumpy on the minor roads this time - or that may have been us more used to it? We travelled on more of the main roads too which helped. 

After 50 miles I pulled over for a break at a small two pump garage and shop. While sipping water, Mark suggested we had a problem and pointed to my rear tyre. Looking down I could see a screw sticking out the side wall of the tyre, just off the tread pattern. It had skewered the edge of the tyre. I realised it was not suitable to plug with my fix kit, so we took a vote on what to do, should I remove it or leave it? We agreed that if left in it would do more damage to the tyre and since it seemed I wasn't losing pressure (still up at 2.7 bar) I might get away with it if removed. I spat on and around the screw and no bubbles and with a crosshead driver from my kit I carefully unscrewed it. All good so far. I switched the bike dash to show TPS, and kept my eye on the pressure for the rest of the trip. All good it seems. Phew, a bit of Irish luck I guess. 

On another occasion, the Garmin showed a right turn on a bend with two turns and I couldn't distinguish the two, and make a choice on which one to take. I pulled over briefly and decided on the best condition of the two lanes. A few miles down the road we passed a farm and out the corner of my eye noticed something rushing toward me - a dog came running toward the bike, quite scary, but somehow Mike and Mark behind avoided getting a bite too. It seemed I had in fact taken the wrong turn and should have taken the really gravelly, rutted lane instead. We turned around and corrected ourselves, to find the lane turned into a really nice smooth road a few miles on. 

Later in the day we stopped for lunch (a very nice Tuna and Cheese toastie) in Mitchelstown on the N73 just before the intended stop at Cahir. After lunch the run picked up pace along the N24 and N25 towards New Ross. At this point approaching road works we overtaken by some guy on a naked sports bike, who we met at the temporary lights. I decided to try and see if he would 'twitch' as the four of us were lined up like the start of a race at the front of the queue. I revved my bike, dropped the clutch a little to see if he would take the bait... and then promptly stalled it, much to everyone's amusement 😡, 😊. Doh'.

We headed toward Old Ross, along some more lanes before arriving in the very nice Wexford, with it's big tidy houses on the outskirts. 

Tonight Mike had booked us into the very ideal Maldron Hotel. Well done Mike, great facilities and perfect for the quick run down to Rosslare harbour for our 8 am sail tomorrow.  

Good nights stay for our last one in Eire. Last drop of Guinness after a swim in the pool. Mark even got on the treadmill, much to our gesturing from the Jacuzzi below!

Not the Jacuzzi

Quite amusing moment we ordered a platter of Chicken Wings, Sausages etc as a starter to share. The waitress chuckled when ordered our mains .. we did manage to eat most of the starter though! 

 

Food and Beer, what else ?

Early start tomorrow, 6.15 meet at bikes to start our journey home 😔