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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.
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.
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Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
ROD¹ said :-
Yes, that's Clun. I think that is the cafe and bridge that CrazyFrog references.
The roads in any direction from Club are not too shabby.
08/04/2026 08:34:30 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
You've sussed me out ROD, gosh darn it!
Now for a moment I thought to myself "I dunno where Clun is" then I Google Mapped it and streetviewed it - oh yeah! Had a brew stop there with friends recently. I'm guessing as there's a bridge and a car park for the castle we're all talking about the same place. If so then yes it's blummin' lovely.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HNscSLtGa1GLeipBA...
08/04/2026 08:08:44 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
CrazyFrog said :-
There's a really nice little cafe by Clun bridge too, and the road up Clun valley is a bikers delight!
07/04/2026 18:03:39 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
ROD¹ said :-
I have been through Much Wenlock many times as it's on the way to my favourite stopping place en route to Wales.
I understand all this "can't work the heating, oh it's getting too hot" so Sharon does not wear any clothing to bed!!
The favourite stopping place Clun castle car park. With toilets, a picnic bench, and a walk around the castle ruins it's a great stop.
07/04/2026 16:43:19 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Put ya big jumper on Upt' - you'll be fine.
07/04/2026 15:55:35 UTC
Prologue, Rain, Lost, And Hot
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Brrrrrrrr, just Brrrrrrrr.
Upt.
07/04/2026 12:33:49 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I suspect you got distracted while writing it Andy...or you fell asleep.
02/04/2026 10:44:18 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Andy G said :-
I’m sure there should be more words on the end of that but neither Facebook or my phone diary has them!
Ian, I was surprised how many mountain ranges that I found to piece together my routes. I had expected central Spain to be all flat plains.
01/04/2026 22:51:24 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Very nice Andy, enjoyed that.
Upt.
31/03/2026 16:20:24 UTC
Better Weather, Getting High, Warm And Cold
Ian Soady¹ said :-
More great photos, thanks so much. I've never been to central Spain but it looks quite interesting. I love those aqueducts and keep meaning to go the Pont du Gard but haven't made it yet. Amazing how much the Romans built that's still in place - and often working - today. When you think how long HS2 is taking - will it ever finish? - it makes you wonder.
Our back garden abuts Icknield Street and I'm so tempted to dig up the tarmac and look for the Roman road underneath. Mind you if the potholes get much bigger I won't have to......
31/03/2026 16:04:57 UTC
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ROD¹ said :-
Ian, do you have a large carpark local to yourself which is empty at weekends.
If you do that would probably be the safest option to set up the outfit.
09/04/2026 17:25:45 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I suspect if I was brave enough I could probably ride out the shakes - various people have said that they get better with speed. On the other hand it might get bad enough to end up in the ditch. It would be a shame to scratch the nice new paintwork let alone the damage it would do to me.
09/04/2026 15:21:21 UTC
nab301 said :-
I remember in the early 80's , my Em Zed was off the road waiting for spares , a local lad offered me a lift to a bike show in his Em Zed sidecar outfit in the sidecar , (on the R/h side...)
It handled exactly as you described yours Ian , i.e horrendously , it had a factory friction damper fitted , he'd ridden the outfit through Europe and seemed unperturbed by the wayward handling and by my uncomplimentary comments!
Maybe it's time for a Factory Harley Trike...
Nigel
09/04/2026 13:43:39 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Oh by the way, harking back to the previous conversation, as testing staions no longer actually ride the bike it could easily have passed the MoT despite being potentially lethal.
09/04/2026 12:51:10 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
OK, have fitted the stiffer rear units (Falcons) and reduced the tyre pressures to 28 front and 32 rear (left the chair one at 25) and checked aligment carefully. The back wheel was about 5mm out of alignment with the front so have corrected this but toe in is still between 1/2" and 3/4".
so full of trepidation I tried it out. The shake has definitely reduced significantly but is still there. It's worse under power: coasting seems relatively OK although still only tried at 10mph and under. I feel there may still be some play in the steering head bearing so will jack the front up and adjust it.
Classic Bike Spares, my local shop, has a pre-unit BSA steering damper complete which may be worth adapting. I'll give it some thought.
So slowly getting there I think. I may try reducing tyre pressure by a couple of pounds or so more.
On the positive side, I was flagged down by a bloke who besides being very complimentary about the outfit wanted to show me his dismanted TriBSA that had been in the corner of his garage since he built it when he was 17 (now 77). It was a bit sad looking but complete. I did have to tell him that prices had plunged but he was in a position where he couldn't do anything with it and none of his potential will beneficiaries had the slightest interest. While we were chatting another old bloke stopped and loved the outfit and took pictures. Fortunately he'd gone when I wobbled off!
https://www.classicbikeshop.co.uk/triumph-bsa-norton-steering-damper-complete-ki...
09/04/2026 12:50:02 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I've had a lot of helpful comments from the Federation of Sidecar Clubs FB page. Suggestions include stiffening up the rear suspension (I have a spare pair of stiffer units); thicker oil in the forks; yes a different tyre although there aren't any sidecar tyres in 18" size that I can find; reducing front tyre pressure; increasing front tyre pressure. And as you say fitting a damper though I agree I should be able to get it better without. A last resort maybe.....
07/04/2026 14:06:32 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
I think you are correct about the front tyre, a square section tyre is always better with a sidecar.
Although it is treating the symptoms rather than the root cause, a steering damper may help?
07/04/2026 13:42:31 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
First (short run). Needs some attention.
Finally I took the B'Zuki outfit intending a short run round local roads. Fortunately I started by going to the end of our road then down a local cul de sac with a turning circle at the end. It was awful! As soon as I set up there was a terrible flutter from the bars, getting much worse if either the sidecar or one of the bike wheels hit a bump. I never got out of second gear and was thankful I didn't venture onto the main road. Scared me quite a bit I can tell you. Of course my outfit piloting skills are very rusty!
I've checked tyre pressures at 34 bike front, 38 bike rear and 26 sidecar but not looked at anything else yet. My initial thought is that maybe it's due to the Roadrider front tyre which has quite a round profile. This can easily be changed. Second thought is that aligment is not right although I have checked it carefully. Toe in at 3/4", sidecar wheel lead 10", lean out when I'm on the bike about 1/4" at the tyre. I'll check again. Worst case is just that the bike geometry - trail especially - is just not suitable.
07/04/2026 11:25:57 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Interesting article there Nigel, apart from the ranting responses! I vaguely remember the anthropic coffee machine takle but will read the longer article later.
Glyn - I take your point but being tight fisted I'd rather not pay for something I don't need. I will have the B'Zuki outfit tested later in the year but only to check I haven't missed anything. Having said that, what will a 20 year old spotty youth know more than I do?
02/04/2026 10:13:10 UTC
Glyn said :-
I forgot to add that the Morris Minor / Mazda MX5 is fully insured by Adrian Flux in their full knowledge that it is a 2 Litre Mazda with 6 gears. Apart from bodywork it is an unmodified MX5 with many of the safety features intact. Given the modern brakes, steering and suspension mechanisms it is probably a lot safer than a period Morris Minor. So, in the event of an accident Mr Plod might not be overly concerned. It’s the revenue that could be missing out here together with the loss of the MOT fees. Grey area for sure. I understand that the government feels that a 40 year old vehicle generally belongs to an enthusiast but I am seeing more tatty old VW golf’s, full of rust, still on the road and I would feel happier if the MOT test was a requirement for all. I could understand “less stringent “ for vehicles with rod brakes and leather shock absorbers but they should still be covered by some sort of test in my mind.
01/04/2026 16:52:26 UTC
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Glyn said :-
Good points Nigel. Considering its capacity it only has 150 hp so nowhere near a rocket ship making 0-60 in just under 10 seconds. It is in exceptional shape. However, it has an Achilles heel that is well known and documented. From 81-84 they used a simplex timing chain that was very fragile and the results were catastrophic in the event of failure that happened more often than Merc would like to admit. In late 83 they upgraded the chain to a duplex. Some cars were modified but most of the early ones were scrapped as a result of the chain breaking. What has this one got? I don’t know but the current owner is allowing me to remove a cam cover to find out. The early chains expired at anytime after 40,000 miles. So I’m estimating the cost of replacing the chain, 5 guides and tensioner if I buy it. This job is not for the faint hearted I’ve been assured, but I’m riding high at the moment , what could go wrong?
09/04/2026 18:11:13 UTC
nab301 said :-
Glyn , It's a V8 petrol of course you want it , on second thoughts though while not really familiar with them , I'd imagine they're a bit of an oil tanker in the handling dept, presumably automatic and google suggests it's an all alloy engine , not sure how all that would fare after decades of lying idle ?
Nigel
09/04/2026 13:29:50 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I prefer the E class but the early S class are very nice.....it'll be a keeper.
Just sayin.
Upt.
09/04/2026 09:26:11 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Regarding the S Class. Firstly do you have the space? Secondly it's worth remembering car parts tend to be heavier than bike parts - is the knee up to it? Otherwise GO FOR IT! If it keeps you entertained and you're having fun where's the problem?
09/04/2026 07:53:49 UTC
Glyn said :-
I never calculate my hourly rate Ren, but I nearly always make a profit without that involved. The Triumph cost me £1600 at the end of proceedings so there is £1k there. The most notable loss was the Yamaha Dragstar that had a faulty gearbox ( the vendor failed to mention this). Even doing it myself I lost about £500 overall but did ride it for 600 miles. I made a good gains on the Honda 125, the ZZR1100 ( loved that bike), the CCM, the Deville and the Diversion. The TZR is worth about £2k more than it’s cost me but I expect to lose a few hundred on the Suzuki Intruder. Next project? Well I’m into negotiations with a local widow on the purchase of her late husbands 1983 Mercedes S class 380 SEL which has sat in an air conditioned garage for 20 years. It has a 3.5ltr V8. And covered only 37k miles. Am I getting over confident here?
08/04/2026 19:02:57 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I know and understand you do this for the pleasure Glyn - but did you make any profit? Even if you did if you calculated your hourly rate you wouldn't be making a killing. It's a lovely bike and I'm not surprised it went so swiftly. Well done you.
08/04/2026 10:45:07 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Excellent result. I'm quite surprised it went for so much - as you say, maybe people are starting to appreciate the Triumphs. I really liked my Tiger 955i especially the engine.
08/04/2026 10:13:26 UTC
Glyn said :-
I put the mighty Trumper on Fleabay for £2750. The response was amazing with hundreds of views and dozens of watchers after just one day. The first chap to turn up couldn’t resist it and money changed hands within a fairly short time. It seems rare that I have something so sought after. There have been several messages saying that if it goes wrong, contact them. It was maybe undervalued by me. I think I should be looking for more Mk1 Speed Triples but they are rare these days, perhaps that’s the reason for the popularity.
07/04/2026 18:05:52 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
This one:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2621244144926636&set=pcb.10163053136898067...
30/03/2026 12:09:01 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
"Time for a “step through” do you think? " I thought that while I was waiting for my replacement hip so bought a scoot. One of the worst decisions I've ever made as documented in these pages some time ago. That's the only bike I've fallen over with in the shed and been pinned to the deck, fortunately managing to squirm my way out otherwise I'd have been there till Electra realised her morning coffee hadn't arrived.
Don't do it. I'd still recommend looking at an outfit. A lovely Triumph one on FB.....
I'm similar in that I need the (solo) bike on the side stand to mount but that's more the worry in the back of my mind that the whole plot may tip over to the right if I catch the seat awkwardly. Never used to be a problem when I was in my 20s (or indeed 40s). I always make sure I have a prop stand on my bikes even if I have to make it myself.
30/03/2026 10:12:33 UTC
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