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...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
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The Kelpies - Again
It's Deja-Vu time for Ren and Sharon. It's traffic and town riding too. Sharon manages to find some lovely green stuff to brighten the day.
Into The Pyrenees
With improving weather Andy is still heading south. It's all terribly positive, even the diversions are opportunities to explore. The Pyrenees continue to impress.
Perfect Weather And Parking Problems
The weather is wonderful, the scenery is great, the bikes are behaving. Fear not Ren will always find something to moan about and a reason to be narky.
Smiling In The Rain
It's a soggy wet day through France for Andy, but that won't dampen his spirits. He stumbles upon 2CVs and climbing walls, straight roads and twisties.
A Day Out From Marlborough
Another easy rest day for the not so dynamic muppets. Sharon's happy with trees, Ren's happily mansplaining locks, and there's Curry for tea. What's not to like?
A long Ride to Gien
Big miles already on Andy's first day on the road. He's just getting settled into the ride and making his way south through France.
To The Southern Tip Of Europe
Title page for Andy Gray's Facebook posts following his trip across France and Spain - and back.
The Rhins Of Galloway
It's another grand day out for 5 fools in Kilmarnock. There's sunshine, forest, hills, a lighthouse, and a harbour. There's also guilt, a lack of tea, and all kinds of strange places.
An Easy Ride And A Woodland Sprite
It's a short ride today for the Dynamic Muppets and the accommodation transforms Sharon into an ethereal being. Ren is happy because he gets to be grumpy. Business as usual.
The Last Days And Words On The Polish Adventure
It's the final 2 days of the otherwise massive Polish Adventure on small bikes. After all that there's not a lot to say save for a few notes, thoughts and another ridiculously long day on the road.
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The Kelpies - Again
Scot-in-exile said :-
The Kelpies are much better viewed after the sun goes down but not ideal when you have a long ride home afterwards. The route around the Carron Valley was a frequent ride out from my younger days.
Had you turned right, instead of left, at the end of the B818, you could have visited Fintry, a very upmarket village, where there are a few excellent cafes to be found.
03/11/2025 19:26:13 UTC
Into The Pyrenees
Upt'North ¹ said :-
It's just the same with the Picos Bogger. North of the range it can be pretty dismal, green yes but often wet and misty. Go over the top and head south the weather can go from cool and wet to phew it's blummin warm in a couple of miles.
Upt.
03/11/2025 16:48:45 UTC
Into The Pyrenees
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, I much prefer the French side. Better food as well.
03/11/2025 12:56:49 UTC
Into The Pyrenees
Bogger said :-
The Pyrenees is a lovely area. I've been over it four times. The thing I find interesting is the French side is lush and green.
Thirty miles later once you traversed the mountains and into Spain the landscape has changed completely , it's much drier and less densely forested. Not a complaint, just an observation.
Bogger
03/11/2025 09:15:11 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Train you say Ed.
Would you fancy that, as a tourist I mean, not going to Salford to buy a new string vest.
I think it could be an interesting way to travel through Europe, obviously your destinations will be limited, what do think? Maybe when you're old and wrinkly....2026 perhaps.
Upt.
03/11/2025 08:42:31 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Yes Upt' you're quite right. And like many tourists I don't like to think of myself as a tourist, I don't like to think of myself as being "one of them lot". I'm different, I'm not a tourist I'm, errr, I'm an explorer, I'm a traveller. In truth I'm a tourist who happens to choose a motorcycle rather than a train or a car or a bus.
Dagnammit!
03/11/2025 08:08:39 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think you're describing being a tourist Ed.
Although I'm struggling to remember ever paying for parking on the bike here or abroad. They probably pick on you suvverners.
01/11/2025 18:54:14 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I've been and seen the boat lift - see link. I found the engineering fascinating but the fascination was tainted by the tourism and commercialisation of the experience. I totally accept that these places need to be managed with paid for parking, appropriate cafes, shops and facilities, and that the locality should benefit from the visitors. That doesn't mean I want to be herded into managed car parks, directed through the cafes, nor contribute to the local economy. I wish them all great success.
https://bikesandtravels.com/biker.aspx?ride=803...
01/11/2025 15:43:04 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Upt'North ¹ said :-
The boat lift is remarkable Ian.
01/11/2025 12:37:06 UTC
The Kelpies - Again
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I saw the kelpies a few years ago and was impressed. In the same area is the Falkirk boat lift which is a brilliant piece of engineering - didn't you go there?
01/11/2025 10:01:14 UTC
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Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
DOH!!!
30/10/2025 10:46:28 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Don't bite Ed, oh you already have...hook, line and sinker.
30/10/2025 10:16:24 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Wait a minute...hang on....!!!!!
"This is why you keep having to buy new ones...."
Right. OK. So. The current "68" plate CB500X was purchased in 2019 which means I've owned it for 6 years and put 60,000 miles on it (including 2 quiet years due to Covid). Before that I owned the '16 plate CB500X for 3 years and put 39,000 miles on it (traded in against the 68 plate). I also owned the CBF125 for 10 years and put 100,000 miles on it.
It's hardly like I'm having to swap bikes annually. It's not like each bike doesn't hardly get used. Oooooh the cheek and impudence of some folks!!!
29/10/2025 13:20:11 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, we've seen your bikes Ren. This is why you keep having to buy new ones....
Refinishing the XBR tank and side panels did take a huge amount of time and effort which is one reason I'm farming out the Steib body. A proper paint shop has good professional machinery for flatting etc rather than the copious amounts of wet & dry or production paper I use. And I've never had the courage to attack what to me is the final finish with more wet & dry as I envisage it all ending in tears and having to do the lot again. Still that's some lowlife's problem now.
Just been checking what I've got and I have a surplus of the alloy trim strips which need a good polish. How on earth I'll get to the fastenings up near the nose beats me - I may have to enlist the help of the young woman who helps Electra with the gardening as she's pretty flexible. I've ordered a tyre & tube from demon tweeks.
29/10/2025 12:16:18 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
In my world the only purpose of paint is to prevent (further) rust.
I admire Glyn's efforts with the TZR panels and Ian's work on the XBR, but I would have neither the skills nor the patience to properly carry out the preparation and painting. I figure if I were truly "into" the aesthetic then I would find the patience, take time to learn, and put in the effort.
29/10/2025 08:12:22 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
You're right about where most of the costs are but it's a big thing and my energy isn't unlimited. Blasting / powder coating did cross my mind but (a) I'm looking for a pretty exact colour match and (b) the finish wouldn't be as good as a proper spray job. It would be cheaper though. The main problem is that when done it'll make the rest of the bike look very scruffy.
26/10/2025 14:23:25 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think most of the paint shop costs are down to the prep time. Do it ya'self and save a few quid. Deliver it in primer and let them finish it off.
Have you thought about sandblast and powder coat Ian or wouldn't it be suitable for this.
Upt.
26/10/2025 10:18:36 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Thanks Glyn, I think I spent about £50 on the tank and side panels. I got a local paint factor to scan one of the original side panels and fill aerosols for me - they used a silver base coat. The metalflake effect doesn't come out well in the photos but was quite evident in real life.
I'm happy using brushed coach paint - I use Paragon which inmy experience is better than Tekaloid - for most things but an area as big as the sidecar would stretch my abilities too much hence using a professional body shop. I've been quoted £550 which although sounds expensive is probably reasonable. I remember paying about £350 a few years ago for a Guzzi V50 tank and side panels.
26/10/2025 10:02:26 UTC
Glyn said :-
That paint looks great Ian. The real finish is obtained after the paint has been applied. Rolls Royce used to hand brush paint their cars and then the real work began. My local paint supplier says that many top bike restorers use rattle cans to great effect. It’s not possible to paint a car with rattle cans because of the large areas and large amounts of cans needed. I have a decent spray gun with a large compressor but I hardly ever use it. It’s such a faff to set up. I painted these panels with Rainbow aerosol cans specially mixed after being scanned on a spectrograph. The total invoice for the cans came to £159 so it’s not a cheap thing to do. After the 3-4 base coats are on, I knock it back with 1000 wet and dry until all blemishes are gone and ( if there’s enough paint still on the panel) apply 3-4 coats of Premium lacquer. Then after 3 days, take that down with 2000 wet and dry before polishing it up with T cut or similar. There was about 5 days work on those panels and I haven’t started the side cowls or tank yet.
26/10/2025 08:37:11 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Those look lovely Glyn, perhaps I should commission you to paint my sidecar! Do you have "proper" [ainting equipment or is it done with aerosols? I've had decent results with the latter although the metallic finish on my XBR tank was a bit fraught as it needed 11 coats each applied within 10 minutes of the preceding one. But it turned out well enough I think.
25/10/2025 10:06:04 UTC
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ROD¹ said :-
It's a lovely peaceful location.
If you are in the area a great ride is to head east from the reservoir and pick up the Welland valley just north of Corby, then pass under the Harringworth viaduct and then along the valley to Stamford.
It is known locally as the Rutland TT course, and there are warning signs for bikers along the route.
Ride it soon, because I can see speed restrictions coming onto force soon, with speed cameras. Not to stop accidents, but as another stealth tax collection system.
03/11/2025 12:40:36 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
My solution is to give all the money to ME!!! That way everyone else will be equally poor. In my benevolence I shall allow a meagre food allowance because I am kind. In the interest of society I shall be the only one with the cash to keep on riding motorcycles on the now delightfully quiet roads. Obviously I'll keep this blog going but there'll be no other websites or media or TV etc so EVERYONE will have to read my ramblings!
Very pretty ROD - I had to google that location - not an area I know around there.
03/11/2025 08:15:06 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
On a lighter note.
I did get out for a short ride over the weekend.
02/11/2025 20:17:08 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Ian, what is the answer to that problem.
Reduce the wealth of the UK by 50 percent by raising tax on the wealthy so they leave the country?
I know they can't take the land they own with them, but their tax haven based companies can own the land for them, out of the reach of UK tax.
Of course my theory is that our governments over the last 25 years do not believe in countries and are aligned with the WEF. They would prefer a world government so rich people have nowhere to move their wealth.
This is why they are destroying this country.
Sorry for taking the bait!!!
02/11/2025 14:26:41 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Without wishing to inflame any debate, in my opinion there's plenty of money about. It's just in the wrong places. Nearly 50% of UK wealth is held by the richest 10% of the population. But I speak as one of the lucky ones with a defined benefit pension.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances...
02/11/2025 10:46:12 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Glyn, I really don't want to make this party political, I don't think it is really, it's just the aftermath of years of mismanagement of our nation and socially living beyond the means of the nations receipts.
I believe many retirees will be looking for work sometime soon, the bills get no smaller and the income becomes less. Retirement is perhaps an out of date ideal that will simply not be an occurrence in the future and those of us that have enjoyed retirement to date may see it slip away.
I'm just going to have a quick cry and then move onto the job adverts in the local paper....don't they do that anymore?
Upt.
01/11/2025 09:53:03 UTC
Glyn said :-
Unfortunately Ed, it’s also paying for the things you want to do, malarkey or not most people have the money and no time to enjoy or have the time but no money. It’s the curse of the workers.
01/11/2025 09:01:52 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Much to my shame nab301 since I've been working from home my annual mileage has dropped somewhat. I'm more of a weekend warrior nowadays, usually between 100-200 miles per weekend. I need to retire, this working malarky is getting in the way of the things I want to do.
31/10/2025 09:13:52 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren just accept that maybe it's time to become a fair weather biker! or buy an older bike and fit a HID conversion....
Nigel
30/10/2025 16:26:14 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I was taught if blinded by oncoming traffic, concentrate your vision on the N/S kerb, it works quite well. Although never forget to blast your own headlights in the face of the offending vehicle. I wasn't taught this it just came naturally. I know, I'm rude.
Upt.
30/10/2025 15:39:41 UTC
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