Motorbiking
"Biker" for me usually means motorbiking, though I also have a couple of mountain-bikes... see Trail Bike
My current motorbikes are a Honda CBR600RR ABS 2017 and a Kawasaki Ninja Z250SL.
Previously I have owned: Kawasaki ZX4-RR (Ninja anniversary edition), Honda CRF300 Rally, Honda CBR600RR 2005, Honda CBR600FW, Honda VF750F, Yamaha FJ600, Suzuki GSX750EX, Yamaha FJ750, Yamaha XJ900, Kawasaki Z750 and I passed my riding test on my Kawasaki KH250.
See also my Motorbiking web links
One of the most spectacular road passes in Europe, it joins Martigny (CH) and Aoste (I). The name Grand St. Bernard Pass is mythic, evoking Roman legionnaires and the big dogs of the hospice reviving medieval travellers with brandy. The Grand St. Bernard Pass fits in a itinerary on the way to Piedmont and Tuscany or as part of a tour of Mont Blanc.
Pits, grandstand and start/finish
Cronk-y-Voddy
Road riding is my thing, not track days, so when the forecasts looked fine for a ride round the TT Course on the Isle of Man, I was happy and excited to book the trip.
Ride to Cockermouth for an after-work decaff with Mikey outside in his yard, back via Lorton and Whinlatter Pass (318 m.). The road over Whinlatter is tricky (a bit twisty and no white lines) but was nicely clear of traffic so I was able to enjoy it on my Ninja Z250SL. The ride down to Braithwaite is demanding and almost scary in places as the road dives in to the shadows of woodland: I ride it more often in the up direction so this was a great end to my evening ride on this hot summer’s day in Cumberland.
Resting up in the forest on the Sainte Baume massif between Marseille and Toulon. Enjoying the buzz of Circadas and high revving sportsbikes quick-shifting through the gears. The Circuit du Castellet is not far from here but you don’t need to have a track day ticket to enjoy the area. A payback ride after I replaced the mirror and clutch lever following the parking incident on the Col de l’Iseran in June. Honda parts fitted first time so an easy fix! 25°C and humid in our garage and 33°C but super-arid out on the roads. Hot!!!
The pretty way home: Penrith to Keswick on the Ullswater route with my Ninja Z250SL riding great after a full service and the annual MoT inspection, including a replacement headlight due to cracks on the lens. Many tourists in the water, not so many on the roads, but there’s been a lot of (welcome) road repair by spraying tar then laying chippings, which limits the fun until it wears in.
More photos: Ullswater: riding the pretty way back from the MoT
Subcategories
Alps Biker 2016
I'm riding light for a week on the mountain roads of the Alps. No laptop, although I do have my SLR camera but photos will have to wait till I'm back in Marseille..
I left Marseille for a long ride north via the Col de la Croix Haute (1179 m.) to Saint-Gervais under Mont Blanc. A bit of rain towards the end of the day which cleaned the Provence dust off my white leathers and boots but didn't soak me through.
