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...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
What's New?
Haulin' Ass
It's gonna be a long long long ride for Bogger and Pete today. Our brave heroic riders are up to the task and it all seems rather easy overall. Hopefully the digs at the end of the ride will allow their asses to rest comfortably.
Bothering The Locals And "Hills"
The Dynamic Muppets are bothering the good people of Lincolnshire as well as bringing the house prices down. There's tea and cake and sweeties too, hills, and spooky stuff.
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Rain, wayward boarding passes, useless navigation systems, and rough seas - it's just another day in the life of a Bogger. As ever there's food and booze in the life of a Bogger too.
The Omnipresence Of Olive Groves
Andy's definition of a shorter ride is only 250 miles... sheesh. This time between the fabulous scenery and glorious weather it's olive groves as far as the eye can see.
Lonesome In The Flatlands
Ren is hoping for a better day weatherwise and riding-wise too. Ingoldmells is deserted, Skeggy and Mablethorpe ain't up to much, luckily the countryside is better than expected.
Homeward Bound And Epilogues
Alas it's time to go home. The weather gives Ren deja-vu and there's a moment for a little more cake. Both Sharon and Ren sum up their feelings about the area.
Naughty Boys On Strange Bikes
It's a discouraging start to Bogger's Feet Forwards French expedition. Not to worry, soon the 2 old men are sneaking around like naughty school kids.
More Wonders, Weird Food
It's another day filled with fabulous things for Andy. Knights and bends in the road, mountains and flat bits, and a posh hotel with a sunset.
Wonderous Wales And Epilogue
The ride home from The Elan Valley gives our Dynamic Muppets some delightful scenery - which confuses Ren. It's also time to wrap up the tale.
Braving Barmouth Bridge
Our brave and heroic editor is bravely and heroically doing something many many riders have easily done before. There's also a lot of reminiscing, oh and some chips.
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Latest Posts
Haulin' Ass
Upt'North ¹ said :-
In a previous life I used to pull a big Irish haulier on a regular basis when they were using the M6, the motto was 80 tonnes at 80 mph over 80 hours a week for 80 quid. The company still exists but I don't know if they're still paying 80 quid a week. Their trucks were rough too.
Happy days.
Pffffffftttttt.
02/02/2026 23:22:17 UTC
Haulin' Ass
nab301 said :-
Thanks Upt , sounds the same as Ireland, nothing better than being tailgated by white van man or indeed Artic man (with his 35 odd ton load ) travelling so close behind that the registration plate is not visible...
Nigel
02/02/2026 16:14:32 UTC
Bothering The Locals And "Hills"
nab301 said :-
Yes Ren , currently dissipated , though more forecast for the coming days , the front corner garden being low lying has always tended to be waterlogged in winter. The recent flooding was different in nature with houses cars and businesses in the area nearby flooded/ submerged. 2011 was the last major flood locally with a large shopping centre badly damaged and overspill from the road nearly flooded my house then. Strangely it doesn't stop the constant flow of letters from people wishing to purchase the garden for development purposes ...
Nigel
02/02/2026 16:02:09 UTC
Bothering The Locals And "Hills"
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I hope it's the TV programme and not in his hoose.
Ohhhh Missss Jonessss....!
I bet it's got a warning for inappropriate language. Anyone seen Vienna lately.
Upt.
02/02/2026 15:42:54 UTC
Bothering The Locals And "Hills"
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The TV show Rising Damp with Leonard Rossiter... I've seen snippets here and there but never watched an episode. However it transpires my son has recently discovered Rising Damp. I hope the garden pool has now dissipated?
02/02/2026 08:05:48 UTC
Getting To The Static
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Hey Jim! Retired huh - scabby so-n-so. So Sunbeach has been going for - well - 50 years or more! As you've been there in 2022 I can only imagine it's changed an awful lot over the years. And the level crossing - we did see that when we had a walk around the site.
02/02/2026 08:03:25 UTC
Kawasaki Z800 Test Ride Review
said :-
01/02/2026 12:44:25 UTC
Getting To The Static
Jim said :-
Hi Rod - yes, retired now so riding every chance I get.
01/02/2026 08:40:24 UTC
Getting To The Static
ROD¹ said :-
Welcome back Jim. I wondered if you were still about.
Are you still riding?
31/01/2026 21:32:07 UTC
Getting To The Static
Jim said :-
Just came across this thread, and it tempted me out of several years of lurking. The caravan site at Sunbeach is where TI spent her childhood holidays until she was 13. Her family had an ancient static van there in the 70s. We visited in 2022, and recreated a photo with her and her brother at the level crossing at the top of the site, no longer manned. Great to hear about your visit.
31/01/2026 17:31:40 UTC
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Latest Repair-Chat
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
I'm relying on Suzuki reliability..... and I'd have to pay for a big battery whereas the pavers are free being left over from a patio built by a bunch of cowboys. Plus I can add / remove in a modular sort of way as they weigh 2.5kg each. As I relearn my long-lost skills I can go progressively lighter. Till I end up in the ditch.
02/02/2026 16:44:09 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ian , don't bother with paving blocks for ballast , fit a big commercial battery instead , then when the electrics inevitably fail ( although hopefully more reliable than the Norton!) you'll have no problem getting home , ( does your motorcycle recovery include sidecars...)
Nigel
02/02/2026 16:24:17 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Winter? All safely tucked up in the garage then. But I am toying with putting a single rad between the chair and bike. Otherwise the RH one will almost fit with a couple of small brackets, and the LH one moved out sideways. I'll sit and look at it a bit more. I've also managed to pick up a mounting for the upper front stay which will fit on the "hoop" to make it all a bit more stable.
Meanwhile have drilled and holecut mounts for the indicators and stop/tail lights on the mudguard. I'm using round Mini-type lights which are not as elegant as the originals but then they didn't have indicators back in the day. Obviously I'm not trying for catalogue perfection here.
Other things to do: drill holes for turnbuckle type retainers for the tonneau cover, modify the nearside cosmetic cover to fit round the sidecar brackets, etc etc etc.
02/02/2026 14:10:01 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Maybe mount the rad at the front of the chair, and mount a heater matrix inside the chair so the sidecar can be heated in the winter?
02/02/2026 13:26:00 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's getting there. Paint scheduled week commencing 2nd March and I should have finished all the mechanical bits by then. As I suspected, the nearside radiator wants to be in the same place as the struts so need a creative solution for that. I wonder whether a single, larger unit may do the job. Shame it's not air cooled.
I don't see Electra in the sidecar for some time. I plan to make a plywood box in place of the seat and put redundant paving blocks in it as some ballast to help keep the chair wheel on the deck otherwise left hand bends may be interesting.
02/02/2026 09:58:24 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
They'll be fine I'm sure. You don't want to be losing Electra in the sidecar Wallace and Grommit style so I reckon you'll be checking them for structural integrity. How far off is the finished combo?
02/02/2026 08:08:39 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Oh OK, cleaned up on the grinder and a couple of coats of toolstation's finest satin black and they don't look too bad.
01/02/2026 10:09:14 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Get the grinder out Ian, we'll be none-the-wiser
31/01/2026 16:47:40 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Have done the welding now but to save my blushes and your sanity have chosen not to photograph them.
31/01/2026 09:57:59 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Thanks for kind comments. Nigel - yes, the inserts will be welded to the tubing. Welding's not my strong(!) point. I have a stick welder that works fine for these heavier items but no good for delicate work, not that I go in for that.
I've had some sensible comments from a sidecar forum, one if which suggests I make the forward upper link to the vertical hoop as otherwise all depend on effectively a friction fit around the chassis tube. I think I can manage that, in fact have added a couple of pics showing that configuration.
I think nylocs came in shortly after WW2. There were also variants on the theme, some with a little split that allowed the top of the nut to distort, and I think others which had a slightly oval section.
Actually a quick ask to Claude tells me a version of nyloc was invented in Sweden in 1927 which is long before I'd thought.
28/01/2026 10:14:13 UTC
Latest Chit-Chat
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Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I object to random businesses spamming the feed in the hope of improving their Google ranking. I've no problem with you trying to find the jacket a suitable home.
02/01/2026 17:46:19 UTC
Glyn said :-
If anyone is a size 3XL I have a brand new RICHA jacket. It’s never been worn but the tags are not there as it was originally a gift. There is some light armour in the elbows and shoulders but it can be upgraded. I’m not even an L size these days so it hangs in my wardrobe unlikely to ever see the light of day. Sorry Ed I know you frown on advertising on these pages (so I humbly apologise ) but it’s a shame to see it languishing unused.
02/01/2026 12:23:34 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Your feet must be even bigger than mine Nigel, size 46 is about UK 11.
01/01/2026 16:11:19 UTC
nab301 said :-
A pity they don't have any mens sizes!
Nigel
01/01/2026 14:35:13 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Anybody after new motorsiccle boots.
Check this out, sizes 42 to 46.
Upt.
*Remember there are fees and vat etc.
https://www.johnpyeauctions.co.uk/Browse?FullTextQuery=Motorcycle%20...
31/12/2025 12:55:19 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Yes, not bad looking - te tank seat unit has a Triumph Hurricane look about it. I'm not so keen on the exhaust pipe lines however. It might be improved with something like the Triumph's stacked pipes. Although not the comical front brake.
18/12/2025 15:49:07 UTC
nab301 said :-
That looks great and the original so called (I think) Euro styled versions (although I never owned any) were always my favourite looking bikes , CB900f CB750F etc
Nigel
17/12/2025 15:46:27 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Styling Upt'. As you say it's a modern bike in old school clothing. If you took the same chassis and engine and covered it in fairings it's a sports bike. Cover it in angular body panels its a modern naked. I think it looks lovely just as it is.
17/12/2025 11:35:51 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Is it our own fault? Is it fault? Is it what we really want? I dunno. But some of the latest bikes could at first glance be exact copies of 70/80's bikes with a detuned modern ICE thrown in.
Is it what we want?
Yes, this is what happens when the nights draw in.
17/12/2025 09:12:02 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Yes nab301 this is not going to be one of those bikes that takes you by surprise with rapid speed and arm-wrenching acceleration. I daresay if that is what someone is looking for they're probably looking in the wrong place. I think I would wish to try before I buy if nothing else to convince myself there's enough power even for one as humble as my dawdling self.
16/12/2025 18:53:06 UTC
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