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A Rough Last Day
In keeping with the theme of this trip - the return home for the Dynamic Muppets is "wet" to say the least.
Much More Something That Is Nothing
Another lazy day for Bogger before some big miles tomorrow. Ice cream this time with no mention of beer but I'm sure some was involved.
Gerrin' Owd
It's a bit late for Ren to be having a mid life crisis - but that's not going to stop him from having one anyway. To ride or not to ride - that is a stupid question.
Heading North In The Rain
It's wet, it's cold and Andy is just getting on with the business of travelling. There's not a lot to see, just a few notes from the day - and a beer.
Lincolnshire - And Dryness
There's something new in Lincolnshire today - DRY! Contain your excitement folks, Ren has found a cheap cafe and there's an awful lot of flat.
The Art Of Doing Something That Is Nothing
Bogger has many plans for the day, alas the temptation of food and beer is more alluring. It's a chill day but that's fine, I'm sure there's more chaos to come.
Easy Home And Epilogue
An easy ride home today - and a few notes from Ren regarding ashes, Wales and... The Ikea Effect? Maybe Ren needs (another) holiday.
Good Weather, Good Scenery, Bad Surfaces
It's time for Andy to start the return leg of his big trip. It's all sunshine and hot weather, the views are still good too. The roads... well they're not quite as good. You can't have everything can you.
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
It's a much more relaxed day for Bogger and Pete. There's a handful of miles to ride, people to meet, food to eat, and of course the odd beer.
Mooching Around The Mach Loop
The Dynamic Muppets take on the Mach Loop! OK, it's far less impressive than it sounds. There's some countryside, a cafe, and all the things you'd expect.
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A Rough Last Day
Ian Soady¹ said :-
OK.
Abroad: In the Massif Centrale on the big Tiger. It was raining so hard the water was bouncing off the road higher than my head and there were small rivers running across my path. I decided to stop for a break after trying to slow down before a bend and the front wheel locked with the slightest pressure - probably like Upt' aquaplaning. I took shelter in a little cafe and enjoyed saucisson et pommes puree while dripping all over the floor.
Home: I'd been to visit my family in the Center Parc in the Eden Valley, again on the Tiger. I had a very pleasant ride up there sticking to the east of the M6 / A6 corridor and encountering some police vehicles doing high speed testing. Well it looked high speed to me. The return journey was in an absolute downpour and may in fact have been the start of that year's flooding in the NW. I decided to use the motorway. The worst bit was passing heavies and emerging from the spray unable to see a thing.
The Tiger was actually a very good bike for these conditions, as Upt' says a bit of weight helps, and the weather protection was reasonable. And a nice flexible 3 cylinder engine meant I could concentrate on safety rather than which gear I was in. I also am so pleased I abandoned my Mark 8 goggles which used to steam up as well as losing their elasticity for an open face lid with visor. The open face means that rarely if ever does it steam up, being well ventilated.
This is the view from my hotel window in St Nectaire showing the rain and sleet which had calmed down by this time. The Tiger is lurking behind the bushes.
28/03/2026 12:35:41 UTC
A Rough Last Day
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Go on, we can all play along...
THE WETTEST WE'VE EVER BEEN ON TWO WHEELS.....Two categories.....home and abroad.
For abroad, on the E17 from Ghent to Lille, the thunderstorm from hell, it'll only last a couple of minutes, two hours later I was very wet. Probably the scariest wet riding experience abroad, the spray off the lorries resembled waves. I was very glad I was on the Pan, 500 kg's loaded probably helped and Madame had a barn for everything to dry out; including my pants. Pffffffftttttt. Have you noticed how everything shrinks in the rain....just me then.
For Great Britain (are we still Great) riding from the Old Pines near to the Commando Memorial in Wee Bonny Jockland back to Staffordshire. Around 10 hours of constant heavy rain and motorway spray. Other than being literally soaked to the skin, gloves refusing to go back on including the spare pair etc; the scariest moment was aquaplaning in lane 3 of the M6 whilst Er'Indoors was asleep on the back. Double pffffffftttttti'ttttty Pffffffftttttt with knobs on.
Upt and staying dry.
28/03/2026 10:20:59 UTC
A Rough Last Day
ROD¹ said :-
Thanks Ren, that has really helped sell a motorcycling trip in the UK.
I much prefer NOT to be on motorways in very wet weather, but they get you to your destination via the quickest route.
28/03/2026 07:58:44 UTC
A Rough Last Day
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Pffffffftttttt, blummin rain. Don't like it, never have. Even if you're being paid to ride in it it's a very Pffffffftttttt experience.
No rush to repeat it. And as you succinctly stated young Ed me lad, after hours of it it's just an accident waiting to happen. Where's me spare warm dry gloves Ethel?
Upt.
27/03/2026 12:51:01 UTC
A Rough Last Day
Ian Soady¹ said :-
... and you wonder why I no longer choose to ride in the rain. I've had enough of it over the decades to last me out, most of it before modern waterproofs. It's just not fun any more.
27/03/2026 12:39:59 UTC
A Rough Last Day
nab301 said :-
Ren , we've all had days like that , it makes the good day(s) seem much better, think positive, you didn't have to wash the bike when you got home....
Nigel
27/03/2026 12:06:42 UTC
Gerrin' Owd
Glyn said :-
Well if you do nothing you will end up like the rest of us; some rich , some poor, some in good health and some in a heap. My thought is that the current time of year makes us all feel a bit like this. Wait till the sun comes out and review your situation. Time goes by, you just need to think you’re living your best life. I’ve done a huge amount of varied things in my life, can I live on the memories? No, not really.
25/03/2026 12:33:59 UTC
Gerrin' Owd
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
So the original point remains - I could live to be 99 and healthy, I could be crippled by some terrible disease next week, I might be rich in retirement but have dodgy hips, I might be poor in retirement but have dodgy hips, and so on and so on.
And who's gonna look after you lot if I go off for 3 months riding around Europe?
25/03/2026 07:49:04 UTC
Much More Something That Is Nothing
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Pull my finger out!!! How rude. I'll have you know some of us have to earn a living. I was actually camping with Andy G this weekend - I'll put together a few notes about that but probably not until late summer. Busy busy busy.
25/03/2026 07:43:53 UTC
Much More Something That Is Nothing
Andy G said :-
I will have to add Brantome to my list of places to visit. When Ren pulls his finger out and posts some more of my trip, you’ll see I stayed in Périgueux which is just down the road. It was a very nice place with lots to see in an evening but a little too big for me.
24/03/2026 20:32:43 UTC
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
They might be but are from a bakery in the Borders. Fortunately Waitrose stock them!
These are they:
https://www.border.co.uk/our-biscuits/biscuit-bars/dark-chocolate-ginger-bar/...
26/03/2026 14:34:08 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ian , Border ginger and chocolate biscuits , would they be similar to the link below?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/classic_stem_ginger_83286...
26/03/2026 12:33:03 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Not yet, but improved a lot over the last week or so. I was starting to think it was permanent. The temptation is always to do too much too soon. Back in the shed in an hour or so to continue the tweaking......
25/03/2026 09:36:51 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
All this tweaking Ian - has your dodgy knee allowed you to ride it yet?
25/03/2026 07:50:06 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Just tweaking the toe-in and lean out. Whenever I adjust one thing everything else moves, so it's backwards and forwards with the planks and big setsquare. So I've stopped now for the day. A nice cup of cocoa and a Borders ginger and chocolate biscuit (highly recommended) await. When I've made them of course.....
24/03/2026 15:34:42 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Glyn, there are some cracking combinations available at prices from £3k up. Most seem to be through the dreaded FB - this page I've found very useful. Still I find most of the trikes I see are pig-ugly, expensive or crudely constructed. Or sometimes all 3. My outfit stands me in at around £4,600. I'd have been more sensible to go for a ready made combination but where's the fun in that?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/245881523066/...
22/03/2026 14:32:46 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Ian, the sidecar looks very nice on the bike and in the correct proportions.
I look forward to the first ride report.
Well done!
22/03/2026 12:30:16 UTC
Glyn said :-
I think the majority of these bikes were daily commuters and so, more often than not, high mileage these days. I agree the 400 is probably a better bet.
22/03/2026 09:34:58 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I had a 250 superdream which I used for year-round commuting duties in the 1990s. It was OK once I'd fitted a 400 engine as the 250 was just too gutless. I found it quite a pleasant machine which handled well.
AS I understand it, the 400 had better performance than the much-loved 400/4 although that was far prettier with its swoopy exhausts.
21/03/2026 10:04:33 UTC
Glyn said :-
The good weather is definitely coming and so it’s time to sort out what stays and what goes. The Triumph, too big, too tall and too heavy will soon be on the market. It is complete and pretty much faultless. The Suzuki 600 Intruder is nice and ready to ride (on sorn at the moment), is easy to manoeuvre around the garage, nice and low and, in my book attractive but really uncomfortable on my back. The TZR is a peach and great for looking at and shows but not really a daily rider. I might keep it but the prices are starting to fall as that generation of rider grows older and less nostalgic. It reaches it’s 40 year birthday on May 1st and will be tax and mot free. My memory of outfits is that when I wasn’t on the wrong side ( offside) of the road, I was in the near-side ditch. It is certainly a dilemma. I secretly fancy a 250 Honda Superdream from the 70s.
21/03/2026 08:07:10 UTC
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Upt'North ¹ said :-
Diesel was £169.9 Nidge. That's got to be around 2€ I would think.
Glad I ain't got the Beemer anymore although to be honest we don't do that many miles anyway. I'm just keeping my tanks brimmed just incase.
19/03/2026 17:25:58 UTC
nab301 said :-
72 mpg is economical motorcycle territory !, The only issue locally for me is petrol (and more so diesel which I don't use) is heading to 2022 prices , over €2 euro per litre...
Nigel
19/03/2026 17:02:10 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
On the Toyota Hybrid front after 250 or so miles it has returned over 72 mpg without trying. Also on the fuel front just bought some garden E5 petroleum and it was only 4 new pennies more than E10.
Strange world innit.
19/03/2026 16:40:28 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
All advice appreciated Nidger.
19/03/2026 16:37:54 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Life's an edumication, in't it.
Found out what a blum dowel and blum screw were today. Who knew I wanted 50 of them to make my life complete?
More DIY Ed, sorry.
Upt.
19/03/2026 16:40:46 UTC
nab301 said :-
Upt , 2 weeks seems poor for a 12v battery , as mentioned already there may be an excessive parasitic drain , amp clamps are handy for measuring parasitic drains without disconnecting the battery, maybe your local friendly garage person has one, and some sort of a graduated discharge test might reveal that the battery isn't performing correctly if the voltage drops too much too quickly. (maybe sitting unused in a showroom for too long and sulphated) , also , apparently a lead acid battery can lose 40% of its cranking ability at 0°C compared to 27°C.
Nigel
18/03/2026 17:52:14 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Thanks Glyn.
I have been reading up on the batteries and performance and also spoken to two neighbours who have a Yaris and Corolla HEV's. They haven't had issues other than one dashboard warning saying 12V battery was low. This is over 6 or 7 years and they often sit for a week or so.
Toyota also advise putting vehicle into Ready Mode and in Park after a longer lay up, the 177V battery will then trickle charge the 12V. There's no information on charge rate or duration but it seems a sensible precaution after a bike tour type period of none use to carry out the above procedure.
Now I've seen the battery is lead acid I will obtain a lead for charging.
Ta me duck.
Upt.
18/03/2026 17:14:07 UTC
Glyn said :-
That is a standard Lead/acid battery. It can supply 240Amps for engine cranking. If you replaced it with a similar sized 90Ah it would last twice as long before it went flat. There must be a small drain to discharge that battery in 2 weeks. It must be maintaining a computer chip or two in one of the systems. The Optimate ( other types available) is likely to take care of that just fine.
18/03/2026 16:41:27 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I found it, it wasn't easy.
39 Ah.
Upt.
18/03/2026 16:07:53 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
To clarify boys, I can't say what the Toyota will do on the 12V front, it's too soon. Just trying to cover the bases before the oh crap moment.
The Hyundai does struggle after 2 weeks plus of inactivity, but there is no drain as far as I am aware and if you check the forums (God help us) it's not unheard of for full hybrids to have no 12V's after only a few days. The manufacturers answer is to use the vehicle fir longer and more often or use a solar charger all of which won't happen.
I will check on the type of battery, it's on the to do list......when I can find it.
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
15/03/2026 21:52:49 UTC
Random Link - Exploring Around St Davids