Motorbiking
"Biker" for me usually means motorbiking, though I also have a Marin mountain-bike...
My current motorbikes are a Honda CBR600RR ABS 2017 and a Kawasaki Ninja Z250SL.
Previously I have owned: 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
Not the afternoon in Cumbria I had been hoping for. My ride didn’t work... stalled at first junction. And the second. So... battery on order as first try fix. Pretty sure the current battery had one cell dodgy when I tried to use it today and now it’s failed... charger won’t get to its switch-off voltage. Photo shows taking the side covers off to remove the seat to access the battery and fuses.
This battery was new to me in March '22 so made before Covid and I guess it was in storage for too long. Tried asking for a warranty replacement but it’s outside the one-year warranty..
This sort of thing always seems to happen on the one day of fine weather in the week. Grrr.
Wasdale and Scafell Pike (964 m.) on the horizon
After a gloomy start, today turned out to be much drier weather than forecast. I was riding around the west of Cumbria, visiting the seaside villages that still have that west coast feel of otherworldliness that you also get in the west of Galloway or the west of the Isle of Lewis, that feeling of closeness to the ocean but detachment from the mainland. The roads are fantastic biking, quite a workout: not a lot of traffic and a variety between open runs, sharp gradients with blind summits and challenging bends. Plus floods and washouts.
Out and about. Grab a ride while the roads are dryish: the forecast is dire for overnight and tomorrow.
Just a shortish ride round Keswick, Threlkeld and St. John’s in the Vale.
Great joy to be on two wheels again - my first ride since the incident on my RR at Chamonix Mont Blanc.
Relaxed afternoon barbecue hosted by Ben plus Paul and Steve for the London and southeast groups of GBMCC. Great to revive this club tradition. Three dozen or more bikers enjoying the summer afternoon’s sunshine in the leafy suburbia of Zone 5, convenient for both the London crowd and the out-of-towners. Bikes from 125 cc to 1400 cc crowding the concrete on our hosts’ and neighbours’ drives. Understandably the bar was largely soft drinks.
Big thanks to Ben plus Paul and Steve for their hospitality and wonderful garden.
Recovery operation to bring my CBR600RR 2017 ABS back from Chamonix to my preferred bike garage at Manosque. This transfer was ruled out of scope by the insurance who wanted the repair handled locally in Savoie. The damage seems only scratches to metal and fairing but a rough quote suggested there was a risk that the repairs would be deemed uneconomic by the Savoie dealer and insurance assessor.
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.
