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
Dawn in Marseille
So lucky with the weather: warm and dry with little wind for four glorious spring days. Riding out from Marseille through classic Provence; through the techno new towns in the Durance valley, then Apt and the Lubéron. The Gorges de la Nesque are less well-known than the Ardèche but the road is at least as challenging.
Riding on to the villages at the foot of Mont Ventoux, Bédoin and Malaucène, on a route which to be used for motorsport rallies but is now given over to cyclotourisme. On to Vaison-la-Romaine and booking in at a charming old hotel in Nyons in the Baronnies Provençales.
Silloth, North Cumbrian Riviera, Solway Firth
Ride round the Lake District enjoying my Ninja Z250SL newly nippy after its annual service and with fresh tyres. Frosty overnight but I made a prompt start to enjoy these challenging roads nicely clear of traffic on Sunday morning. Riding to Silloth on the Solway Firth, then A roads on to Cockermouth, Rowrah, Cleator Moor and Frizzington to Seascale on the west coast. A treat to see the locomotive “River Irt”, built 1894, in steam and ready to haul a passenger train on the Ratty Railway at Ravenglass.
Riding a sportsbike is an athletic activity where specific training helps performance and enjoyment on the bike. So here is a postcard of exercises for bikers as an addition to general gym plans. Plus, a training aim is helpful to maintain motivation. You can also do these exercises in a gym.
Ride out from Keswick to blow the winter dust off my Ninja Z250SL. I checked out the curvaceous Ullswater lakeside road and the old A6 primary road to Shap summit, both great biking roads. My first sporty ride for a few weeks and my leg muscles (quads) a bit sore afterwards so the green mist must have got me.
Sunlight on the snow on Blencathra (868 m.)
Dowthwaitehead and snow on Hart Side (756 m.)
Winter’s back in the Lake District. A couple of stormy nights. Trees down, rivers full and the tops of the fells are white. The afternoon’s bikeable on my Ninja Z250SL superlightweight but an off-road bike would be better. Heated gloves good. Tyres cold and hard. Lots of water run-off but it’s not frozen. Concentration essential. Dramatic clouds. Epic sights through the visor so worth plenty of halts to appreciate the views.
Home, gear off. Toasted hot cross buns from the Keswick baker with a mug of tea. That’s got to be a good afternoon.
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.
