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
Pain aux raisons at a village boulangerie
A day’s ride on Honda’s alternative to the popular adventure style bikes from BMW and KTM. I found the Transalp 750 very rideable even with the high riding position and wide bars. It felt more secure (planted) on the road than did the CRF300 Rally I owned and sold on. The Transalp 750 will take a racing line on a hairpin curve and (as a twin cylinder) there’s not much need to change gear for ordinary road riding. So a miles muncher, easily going faster than I think but then nothing like the fun level as my CBR600RR in the workshop getting new tyres, pads and a service.
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.
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.
