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
Saint-Julien-du-Verdon, lac de Castillon
Aiguines, lac de Sainte-Croix
Setting off from Les Salles-sur-Verdon on the lac de Sainte-Croix in the Alpes-de-Haut-Provence, a figure of eight loop round Castellane taking in both rim roads of the Grand Canyon of the Verdon, Saint-André-les-Alpes and a sweeping part of the Route Napoléon from Barrême to Castellane.
Fantastic roads to run in new tyres: curves and climbs, impressive geology with snow still on the mountains around the Col d’Allos at the head of the valley. Hazy but unusually warm for early April - low twenties - so the canyon rim roads were busy.
Back to Les Salles-sur-Verdon for a memorable dinner in a restaurant with a pirate theme. I chose a steak Tomahawk and a salade chèvre chaude, both cooked over a wood fire.
This started out as a ride to the chocolate factory at Orton in the Westmorland Dales to arrange our Easter Eggs. That done, riding conditions were so good - light traffic, favourable weather - that I came back the long way round, via Teesdale and Alston. Great riding: sparse traffic, warm enough and brill roads. I needed that! And still sunny when I got back to Keswick.
More photos: Ride to the Chocolate Factory - Westmorland Dales
New leathers on a deal at the London Bike Show and a new OEM spec battery arrived, yet another for my Ninja Z250SL. I fitted it, then went out on a short ride round Bassenthwaite Lake to check it all out whilst the sunshine lasted.
MLU > Looks good. How is the fit of Berik? Is it “standard” or prone to fit slim / bulky in your opinion?
JHB > The fit is OK but not great. The protection isn't the highest level. The ventilation is quite generous, meaning there's a lot coming through. Cost-effective but try before you buy or be prepared to return if disappointed.
Scooters and motorbikes are a big part of the street architecture in many towns in Italy.
Several themes at this year’s London Motorcycle Show. These shows have always been an opportunity to see the faces under the crash-hats, and the way us riders’ eyes light up when astride or peering at a motorbike. Myself included, with at last an opportunity to get my leg over Kawasaki’s new small sportsbike, the four cylinder 400cc Ninja ZX4-RR.
LED lights provide a new design opportunity for the front of the bike; I saw designs reminding of Transformers, wasps and spaceships. Electric bikes get the opposite treatment, making the bike look as conventional as possible.
And a display of motorcycle sport with four riders racing around a jumps circuit in the central arena.
The younger riders visiting the show - some too young for a street licence but clearly accustomed to riding a motorbike - were mainly hanging out at one side of the Kawasaki stand. Elsewhere, there are so many large capacity bikes with relatively upright riding positions.
More photos: Men and Motorbikes at The London Bike Show 2024
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.
