Welcome To Bikes And Travels...
...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
What's New?
Skeggy Epilogue
In the final reckoning was the trip to Skeg-Vegas a rip-roaring failure or and majestic success? Neither - but you already knew that. Still, here's Ren's tuppence on the issue at hand.
Everyone Has Their Troubles
A long, cold and moist ride today for Bogger and Pete. Turns out their host isn't having the best of days either. Fear not there's still beer and smiles.
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Another short winter break in Shropshire. This time Much Wenlock provides the location and the weather does what winter weather does. It'll be fine, hopefully.
Much A-Wenlock About Nothing
Title page for a short winter break in Shropshire.
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Andy is still heading homewards while doing some serious looking around. Mountains, a castle, miradors, and architecture today.
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.
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Latest Posts
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I've just read an article about a natrium ion battery which sounds too good to be true - maybe an april fool? It's allegedly lighter & more powerful then lead-acid equivalent as well as cheaper. Why don't you try one for us Nigel?
https://www.bikerstoolbox.co.uk/products/sodium-ion-motorcycle-battery?_pos=7&_p...
20/04/2026 10:07:52 UTC
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I tend to change batteries every 4 or 5 years Nidger. I know it's nuts but they're not that expensive (sorry Ed) and I really don't want a battery fail on a ride far from home. I'm also aware I give my batteries a hard time with winter lay ups, it was 6 months this year and that can't be good for a battery.
Upt.
20/04/2026 09:50:51 UTC
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
nab301 said :-
I was out on the DL250 recently with some friends , got distracted at a traffic stop and managed to stall the engine , no issue , it restarted instantly but wait a minute why's that engine light flashing... ? was it flashing in a sequence ? no matter it cleared immediately but on return I thought I'd read the owners handbook and sure enough engine light flashing in a sequence of 3 = low battery voltage. Got out a multimeter and the battery was a text book 12.7v ignition off. I had recently been thinking the 2018 battery may require replacement so did an ignition (drl headlight on) on (engine not running) voltage test and sure enough the voltage dropped below 12v almost immediately.
It's a standard popular YTX9 type battery of which I had butchered a much newer one into my Enfield Bullet, a quick swop and the Suzuki was holding over 12 volts ignition on and the Enfield with direct lighting A/C headlight wasn't sulking although the ammeter is much more sluggish to recover after maybe a traffic light stop with indicators and brake light on and a voltage check confirms this.
Nigel
19/04/2026 19:05:13 UTC
Farewell to England Tour 2021
said :-
16/04/2026 14:58:39 UTC
Skeggy Epilogue
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I/we hear what you're saying Leader.
But.....there's always a but. I have been to Lincolnshire and driven through it, even had a ride over to Skeggy, long story.
The coast is tired, the roads are a bit normal, it's also quite busy, and did I mention it was flat. Obviously many visit the area and good on em, the area desperately needs tourists, although they're probably outnumbered by wind turbines these days.
Last year we stayed in Yorkshire on a bike trip for a few days, we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. God's country and all that. My honest opinion and that of Er'Indoors was it is totally overrated, we should have just headed North for a few days, less folk, better roads and magnificent country everywhere.
So would I return to Yorkshire or Lincolnshire for a ride/holiday, probably not, there's better places to ride and certainly better places for a vacation. Although I appreciate some, indeed many, will visit and rave about them. That's great, like I said, they need em.
So where do you spend your hard earned holiday pennies, it's personal innit. I mean some are flying off to Benidorm!
Upt.
15/04/2026 09:32:42 UTC
Skeggy Epilogue
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I do honestly think - even as a mountain fan like myself - it's worth having a look around. As stated there's some lovely villages and a sense of space.
Property in Lincolnshire is "cheap". Cheap is a relative term - it's less expensive than many areas. I believe it's due to there not being a lot of work in the area unless you're a farmer (yes I know that's grossly unfair). If your work can be found in Lincolnshire or you can work remotely I daresay it could be a very pleasant place to live.
15/04/2026 08:26:06 UTC
Everyone Has Their Troubles
Bogger said :-
Ian, the next days trip out features one of the aforementioned closed Petrol stations.
Bogger
14/04/2026 19:40:34 UTC
Towing With A Motorcycle
said :-
14/04/2026 17:01:59 UTC
Skeggy Epilogue
Upt'North ¹ said :-
It's flat innit. As flat a flat fish that just been run over by the number 26 bus.
I'm sure some folk like flat but I think personally I probably endure it to get to somewhere else and Lincolnshire ain't the only flat place; areas of France and Spain seem even flaterer.
Glad you enjoyed it, but you're not selling it to us.
Upt.
14/04/2026 12:32:41 UTC
Royal Enfield Himalayan Review
Bedhead said :-
I bought a year old Himalayan in 2021 and had no end of problems. The rear caliper seized up and the crappy alloy piston was corroded. I bought another and new pins but it did it again. The clocks misted up and the gear indicator stopped working. At the same time I stripped the rear suspension and found it devoid of grease. The bike started cutting out and the fuel injector was faulty. The first appointment I could get with the dealership was TWO days after the warranty expired. They refused to honour the warranty even though the bike had a full dealer service history and the fault occurred inside the warranty period.
That was the final straw and I sold it immediately with the caliper still messing about. A nice bike but never again.
12/04/2026 01:21:40 UTC
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Latest Repair-Chat
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Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Aaaaah the gate. It's a security feature. Not only is it there to keep people out it also ensure anyone passing by isn't misled into thinking there's something worth stealing inside. I apply the same principle with the bike - if it looks nice then it looks nice to thieves.
17/04/2026 08:07:24 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, Leader, love the gate, it's a real Trigger's broom.
Upt.
16/04/2026 23:18:17 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Good to see variations on a theme..... I must say both of yours look heftier than mine. But yours don't have the rim-supporting frame. Wood is much easier to work with, plenty strong for my needs and also kind to the rim and tyre.
Yes I think I did refer to the tubeless conversion on a Guzzi forum but wrote it up more fully on a Triumph one. Not sure if it's still there or whether I am still persona grata.
16/04/2026 16:42:21 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
This is my bead breaker...
16/04/2026 15:26:56 UTC
nab301 said :-
Thanks Ian, working with what I had at the time years ago I made my bead breaker and balancer frame out of 1" square furniture metal some threaded bar and a few nuts... . Currently I have a couple of pallets so will probably make a square, wheel rim support frame and might even place it all on the workmate.
I remember you posting about the Tiger rim sealing job but I think that was on the Guzzi forum, as you mentioned there a failure couldn't be any worse than a tube blow out.
Nigel
16/04/2026 13:29:03 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Red Leicester for myself, but I did develop a strong preference for Mimolette when I was in France last year.
15/04/2026 19:05:09 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Green Cheese, I prefer a nice Cheddar or maybe a brie if the mood takes me.
15/04/2026 18:01:00 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
....a dn now the wheel is back on the bike, fortunately without fouling anything although it's a little closer to the mudguard than ideal. Will it have the desired effect? Will I come back and tell you if it does? Is the moon made of green cheese? All these and others will be answered in due course.
15/04/2026 16:28:46 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Of course the main use for the frame is to act as a support when fitting / removing tyres as the rim sits on the frame while the spindle / sprocket / whatever drops through.
Anyway, successfully fitted the Mitas this morning although the flanged rim was a bit of a tussle even with the softer tyre. This picture shows another weapon in my tyre / wheel armoury: a jig for adjusting spokes and balancing wheels which is what I'm doing now. It's not perfect for this job as it depends on the wheel bearings being very free, and most sealed bearings offfer slight resistance. This pic makes the tyre look huge - it's not.....
The jig is made from 1/2" MDF (which I had to buy, shock horror) and various bits of scrap wood. It and the tyre fitting frame have been in my shed for 20 years or so. I have a pair of Dunlop tyre levers that are about a foot long and 1.5" wide so help preserve the rims from damage. Both are perforated with a series of holes where I've used them to make impromptu pullers at various times.
15/04/2026 12:04:12 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I'm glad you saked Nigel - shows someone's paying attention. I think I did post about it years ago - it must be nearly 20 years since I made it. Essentially it's a square made out of 4x4 timber with the dimensions such that the rim rests on the square and the hub, disc etc drop through. One of the arms of the square is elongated - to the upper right in the pic. Then it's a simple matter of taking another 3 foot length of 4x4 and loosely attaching that to the extended arm with a strap. A short length of - wait for it - 4x4 is then positioned on the tyre wall. If the far end of this long length is pushed down, the block pushes down on the tyre wall breaking the seal on the rim. The whole lot sits on a workmate to bring it to working height.
That picture shows it in use on the Tiger's front wheel, removing a tubeless tyre (although fitted with a tube). I sealed up the spoke nipples with a heavy duty aircraft fuel tank sealer to allow the use of tubeless tyres which was a great success. The Tiger was still on the road last year so despite the dire warnings from "experts" it hasn't killed anyone.
14/04/2026 16:19:07 UTC
Latest Chit-Chat
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Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Yeah Ian's right - demographics. See the Triumph is a 4 stroke purchased by people who understand logic and sensible engineering. 2 stroke buyers are obviously comfortable with the concept the some of the air and fuel might just get into the piston and maybe some of it will burn, the rest of it will loiter in the crankcase or bypass ignition altogether and go straight out the exhaust. All of this while intentionally burning oil in the hope piston rings last longer than 5k miles.
These people are clearly not of sound mind and therefore can't understand the value of the TZR. Plus they're off their heads on Castrol R and being thrown off mid bend due to the power band kicking in unexpectedly.
20/04/2026 08:12:12 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's funny how variable ebay can be. I've never had any real problems apart from the odd fairly cheap thing not arriving when buying but always been sorted out eventually. I don't sell a lot of things but can't remember ever really being messed about. It's easy to get carried away with the number of watchers, who in many cases are wanting to sell something similar and are seeing what they fetch. I confess to doing the same on occasion.
I've also had excellent transactions on facebook although I hate to admit it. I've bought at least 3 bikes there - all sight unseen (including the B'Zuki) - and all have been easy friendly processes. I've also sold 2 or 3 bikes there and again have had no hassles. Maybe I'm just lucky given the horror stories I hear.
Re the TZR - of course Triumph enthusiasts are a cut above whereas people interested in lairy 2 strokes mya be a different demographic.....
19/04/2026 10:10:31 UTC
Glyn said :-
I’ve just had a most unfortunate week at the mercy of EBay. I put the TZR on there for sale on a classified ad. Within the 7 days the ad was viewed over 2200 times and 101 people had added it to their watch list. The notifications came offering to swop wives, cars and other bikes for it. On the last day I had many offers to take this “unpopular bike” off my hands, some of which were offering £1k less than asking price. I’m beginning to think there are various classes of motorcyclists. The Triumph attracted sensible questions and offers. It eventually went to a chap who arrived in a Porsche and lived in an executive home. The TZR appears to have been attractive to a different type of person. Needless to say, I didn’t accept any of the offers and still have it in my garage.
19/04/2026 09:36:48 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I'm sure you would receive the digital knock on the door Ed. I text Timmy Tester and retain it for proof if required.
Plus I'm pretty sure there's no ANPR on that journey. Although strangely I did see a scuffer in a motor.
Upt.
15/04/2026 13:11:37 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The purpose of my original question was - I know we can ride a motorcycle to a MOT station if the bike is not taxed because you can't tax a bike if there's no MOT. But with ANPR everywhere I wonder if people get fines through the post "You were seen riding along the A123 at 1230 March 23. This vehicle is not taxed (or MOT'd) please send us £100 you naughty naughty criminal".
I have heard tales of riders booking a MOT many miles away to "bypass" the law. Or to have an agreement with the local dodgy MOT place in that "if PC plod calls asking if I'm booked in - tell him I'm booked in OK?" Much as I hate spending money and hate the pensive wait to see if I've passed - I do agree it's probably for the best someone casts an eye over my questionable spannering every now and then.
15/04/2026 09:58:44 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think there are different classification of faults Glyn, but yes if you ride it there in a dangerous condition I believe they can slap a no ride/drive type notice on it. Although it was obviously illegal to drive it there anyway and just because it's going to a pre arranged MOT wouldn't provide a defence.
That's the case for the Crown m'lud.
14/04/2026 16:36:46 UTC
Glyn said :-
Well done on the B mot Up’t. My MOT tester told me that I could ride to the station whilst on sorn and back again if it passed. If it failed however, I would be breaking the law driving / riding a dangerous vehicle. A failure usually ends up with a piece of paper that says vehicle in a dangerous, unroadworthy condition, not to be used on the highway.
14/04/2026 13:52:31 UTC
nab301 said :-
No bike test (yet) in my part of the world but a quick check reveals that a car declared off road (but still insured) can be driven directly to a pre arranged test and back home with no deviation.
I wonder though if the issue might be with insurance ? Would you have to declare the off road declaration to your insurer? It may not be an issue with a single bike policy but with a multi bike policy I'm guessing the calculated risk may alter ( enough to affect any claims submitted)...
Nigel
14/04/2026 13:42:30 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think my memory dates back to a classroom in Ryton Upon the Dunsmore in 1981 (!), flipping ink.
It would basically be down to the court to decide if the law was being complied with, I think the example was something like, a bloke puts his family in the motor and drives from Walsall to The Lizard in a car with no MOT and pre books the MOT in Penzance before leaving. Would that be reasonable and of course if it failed he could do it on the return. All this before ANPR and digital records.
Obviously this example would never work because no one from Walsall can accurately communicate anything to someone in Cornwall, ooooo arrrr rrrr kid.
Upt.
14/04/2026 12:22:58 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Very nice too. You can take upt' out of the midlands.....
Before the no MoT for old bikes rule came in I usually tried to find an MoT station with a decent run. I don't think there's anything that says it has to be the nearest one. I adopted this strategy when a local bike shop - Fred Hanks in Erdington - failed my BSA to which I'd just fitted new front brake linings. It needed 20 miles or so to bed them in.
I'm still mulling over whether a 400cc single cylinder 4 stroke carburated engine has the same "technical characteristics" as the 400cc single cylinder 4 stroke carburated engine that could have been originally fitted. It would help if someone who wasn't technically illiterate drafted the regulations. Although no doubt it was a lawyer who thrive on ambiguity.
14/04/2026 10:04:51 UTC
Random Link - DIY Wheel Balancer and Balancing