Looking across to the snow capped alpine mountains seen from the back seat of a motorcycle

Welcome To Bikes And Travels...

...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!

2 motorcycles with luggage with stunning Welsh mountains in the background

Spring has sprung, now we have a few months of warm pleasant rain to enjoy after the cold and miserable rain of winter. What excitement and adventures will this year bring?

What's New?

Off The Ferry And Into The Affray It's all waiting and chaos, confusion and queueing - and that's just getting off the ferry. Despite being in Spain the evening has a very English feel with an English friend.
From Coal To Dole These notes from the road provide a concise review of Upt's first 4 days of his European excursion. He makes it all sound so easy!
Upt's Autumn Bimble 2024 Title page for Upt' North's tale of executive level adventure through Europe.
Hereford And Home A brief note on the last couple of days of this short trip and Ren is reflecting on just how much countryside there is out there.
Distant Memories Ian Douglas heads a long ways back down memory lane, sharing a few flashbacks that seem oddly familiar. Hard times and/or halcyon days.
Onto The Ferry Ren takes a simple short trip and turns it into an unnecessarily arduous ride to the ferry. Then all the Dynamic Muppets have to do is get on the ferry. Should be easy - right?
From The Quaint To The Bucolic Honey coloured stone buildings all around, words like "quaint" and "charming" abound. Ren endures another day of likeable towns and comfy beds. He'll have to find something to gripe about.
Easing Into The Trip After plenty of flapping and fretting Ren can calm down and start to enjoy the ride. It's a simple journey today with no purpose other than getting closer to the forthcoming ferry.
A Cotswoldian Reconsideration It's about time Ren rethinks his position on what is generally considered a nice part of England. It's all very nice, but is it too nice?
Prologue - Some Iberian Mountains Organising a simple 2 week bike tour should be easy peasy. Watch Ren make this simple task as difficult as possible.
See More What's New

Latest Posts

From Coal To Dole Upt'North ¹ said :-
Bogger, I was thinking it was you who recommended Dole.
Nice town, that picture was taken quite close to the River, on the north side, it was probably the town hall.
We weren't heading there until we found Austria was a snowy sodden mess.
Thanks bud.
Upt.

20/11/2024 20:50:53 UTC
From Coal To Dole Bogger said :-
Up't Im sure that last image was by the Cafe 'Chez Tina' that we visited last year on our jollies.

Ref Autoroutes/motorways. I don't mind them. they are a means to an end.

Bogger
20/11/2024 19:24:06 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Upt'North ¹ said :-
Touché.
Although be under no illusion, I'm not rich, I just have many credit cards.....
And identities.
Rod.
20/11/2024 15:02:46 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Alas, and alack. I fear you may have been misguided Upt'. Regrettably and unfortunately it's a regular old bag, 80 litres or 120 litres expanded. It is big enough to put Sharon in as hand luggage - we know, we've tried.

Would it not be splendidly marvellous to have the exploding self-setup-ing bag?! Pull a rip cord, stand well back and KABOOM! As if by magic the tent lands upright, pegged, and with the sleeping kit already laid out neatly. Next to the tent just as it lands the cooking kit and the food and the chair fall into position and ready to go. If I could create such a system I'd be wealthy! Wealthy enough to use swish hotels and not need all this nonsense... I'd be just like YOU!
20/11/2024 14:14:45 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Upt'North ¹ said :-
Yes. Seems a magnificent invention.
Just caboom and hey presto you're unpacked.
I'm guessing you need a certain Madame Du Soleil to prepare for pre caboom, i.e. packing.
Upt.
20/11/2024 12:35:30 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Is this the exploding bag you're referring to Upt'?
Posted Image
20/11/2024 10:39:07 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Upt'North ¹ said :-
But more importantly Ed.
Where can I buy one of them splendid exploding bags.
20/11/2024 09:46:36 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Upt'North ¹ said :-
Time and fun, and as always the cost.
More time and fun equals more cost unfortunately.
Another point of course is where you are heading for in that time allowance. We would never have visited Holland, Belgium or Luxembourg on that recent journey, maybe Germany too if we hadn't used the Ijmuiden ferry. It just wouldn't have made good trip sense.
Holland was meh, but the other three were delightfully splendiferous. Good roads, mainly..., nice folk, nice towns etc.
Upt.
20/11/2024 09:45:15 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
There's costs, and there's time, and there's fun.

From Calais to Pamplona (just over the Pyrenees into Spain) is 700 miles according to Google maps. Now our friend Andy could do that in 2 days but Sharon and I? Hell no! As stated many times before we are NOT hard ass big miles riders - as is evident from our travel tales. We could, if absolutely necessary, do 350 miles in a day. This would definitely NOT be our idea of a pleasurable and enjoyable holiday. It would be a trial by sore ass and boredom.

I'm sure there are those among you who think nothing at all of 7 hours in the saddle, relishing the wind, soaking in the changing scenery, feeling the thrum of the engine below you and entering a Zen like state of man and machine in perfect harmony. I envy you, but that doesn't happen for myself. I like to ride a bit, stop to look, ride slowly to enjoy a view, maybe a little play through some twisty bits, sit outside a cafe drinking tea, then another few miles to see what else is going on.
20/11/2024 08:20:17 UTC
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray Upt'North ¹ said :-
I don't think you are Rod, but riding from the Borders to the tunnel is nothing to relish. It's just 50 miles to North Tyneside. The last time we did the tunnel I think it was about £40 one way for two and the bike. Cost wise, I agree it would probably be cheaper to ride the A1, A1M, M1, M25 etc, but, pffffffftttttt. Meh. Like you say it would depend on the amount of stops and how you travel.
I think the costs riding through France would add up pretty quickly from experience, Hotel for 2 people for ? nights, plus all other costs there and back? It wouldn't be cheap. Camping for 1 and eating alphabeti spaghetti, yes it could be done cheaply.
I think when we did the ferry to Bilbao two years ago it was also £1000 or thereabouts inclusive. It was bloody boring. But the free wine eased the pain.
Upt.
20/11/2024 00:04:51 UTC
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Latest Repair-Chat

Go To Repair-Chat Upt'North ¹ said :-
Can't disagree Nigel.
If the light reappears I will consider it being turned off.
But it would be good to know from anyone with real life experience of the same.
You never know, it might stay off.
Pffffffftttttt.
20/11/2024 20:47:00 UTC
nab301 said :-

Upt , you really need someone with a decent scan tool that can read live data (not just fault codes) and interpret said data , eg , fuel trims , check and confirm that the lambda sensors are switching correctly etc etc. It seems that the days of parts substitution are behind us. Lots of cars appear also to have wiring harness issues , corrosion etc which can cause all sorts of issues.
Nigel
20/11/2024 17:15:27 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
VAG huh, explains the curious naming. They called the sensors Bank 1 and Bank 2 and are trying to sell a 1.0 3-banger as a V8... remember dieselgate?
20/11/2024 14:25:09 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Oooooo, who put your knickers in a twist. You rude boy.
It is a 1.0 three cylinder non turbo petroleum spirit engine fitted within a VAG product.
Bank 1, don't blame me I didn't invent the name, is a sensor in the exhaust nearest to the engine.
Bank 2, is the cat sensor.
Bank 1 and 2 have been changed today. 1 for the second time. All reset.
We'll see I spose but I predict it will reilluminate my life shortly.
Pffffffftttttt.
20/11/2024 12:44:20 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
When you say "Bank 1 sensor"... what is a Bank 1 sensor? Lambda on the exhaust? Presumably a V4/6/8 engine? What car, what engine. Give us a bleeding clue!
20/11/2024 09:11:36 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Can I pick your brains? It's about Er'Indoors motor.
The EML is glowing brightly. It shouldn't be.
Read the code, "Bank 1 sensor".
Changed Bank 1 sensor.
Light returned.
Read on the forums.
Seems low battery voltage and non oem air filters can cause issues.
Changed both.
Reset light.
Light returned.
Tomorrow I will change Bank 1 again and Bank 2 as a just in case. I will also do the aux drive belt but not for this reason.
I will report back, but.....have any of you used the companies that state they can turn off the fault permanently, not the EML light but only in relation to Bank 1. So as and when Bank 1 says it's iffy it would be ignored.
There are no issues driving the car.
Upt and inquisitive.
19/11/2024 16:39:27 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Those look a bit more substantial than the Chinese ones I had. I wasn't confident that the little steel pins were strong enough.
19/11/2024 13:50:59 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Money? It's always blummin money innit.
Sorry Ed.
My plates are Cymarc I think Ian, they lowered by an inch and forward by a quarter of an inch. The SW motech pegs, I wasn't really looking for but I didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. They were about a fifth of new price and other than being a bit corroded up and a test of endurance to release the various parts, they've cleaned up like new and the rubbers are like new. They allow movement by being concentrically mounted. The rubber is probably x 2 the original size. Very comfortable.
They're in three parts, the bit that slots into the original mount which is splined, the concentric adjuster then sits on these splines and then the peg is splined to the outside of that.
They're very hefty.

Posted Image
18/11/2024 21:14:51 UTC
Glyn said :-
I’ve had to buy used front footrests for the TZR. They’re complete albeit filthy. The originals had been replaced with Japanese Beet units due probably to a slide down the road on the left side. They work ok as footrests but the brake lever doesn’t fit directly underneath the master cylinder and that will need a mod to get it to work. The spring return doesn’t have anything to mount on and the brake light switch doesn’t join to anything on the lever. Furthermore, the only way the gear-lever would couple up was to have it set up as 1 up as 4 down. I could overcome these various issues but thought that to take it back to “stock” would make more sense. What didn’t make sense was to have to pay £120 for second hand parts.
Posted Image
18/11/2024 18:41:21 UTC
Glyn said :-
I’ve had to buy used front footrests for the TZR. They’re complete albeit filthy. The originals had been replaced with Japanese Beet units due probably to a slide down the road on the left side. They work ok as footrests but the brake lever doesn’t fit directly underneath the master cylinder and that will need a mod to get it to work. The spring return doesn’t have anything to mount on and the brake light switch doesn’t join to anything on the lever. Furthermore, the only way the gear-lever would couple up was to have it set up as 1 up as 4 down. I could overcome these various issues but thought that to take it back to “stock” would make more sense. What didn’t make sense was to have to pay £120 for second hand parts.
Posted Image
18/11/2024 18:41:21 UTC

Latest Chit-Chat

Go To Chit-Chat Upt'North ¹ said :-
A feels like of 26f's or minus 3c's here today. Daytime temperatures.
Just light snow and a bit of ice.
The B is wrapped, it's going nowhere.
Although Ed says it's spring, so there's hope.
Er'Indoors was reading there were 8 motorcycle fatalities in the borders in the last week, nuff said.
Upt.
20/11/2024 20:59:26 UTC
nab301 said :-
cool alright , 18°c on a sunny day last week now below freezing...
Nigel

20/11/2024 17:19:32 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Everyone's a blummin' critic...
20/11/2024 11:44:34 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
May i draw your attention to the following...
"Spring has sprung, now we have a few months of warm pleasant rain to enjoy after the cold and miserable rain of winter. What excitement and adventures will this year bring"?
Pffffffftttttt.
20/11/2024 00:09:26 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Ooooooh frosty seat season.
Posted Image
19/11/2024 21:11:25 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , as always, the voice of reason , that's what I meant to say in my first post..
Nigel
14/11/2024 11:16:48 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I kinda know what ya meant nab301 - a mostly tubular frame rather than Honda's usual tubes and metal sections frame. That frame's more Ducati and KTM. Now I've typed that I'm not sure that's a good thing...
12/11/2024 08:05:38 UTC
nab301 said :-
Upt, a bit of a senior moment there for me , I have a CBR500 with mainly a tubular frame but if you look at the swing arm end it isn't strictly tubular .... I probably meant to say vfr , and the one in the photo seems to have a swing arm pivoting on the engine allowing a more or less 100% tubular frame...
Nigel
11/11/2024 17:55:28 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Current Hondas with tubular frames that come to mind will be the,
NC's.
CL500.
Is the 500X tubular too?
Certainly lots of the scooters are.
Obviously I may be wrong.
Upt.
11/11/2024 16:20:23 UTC
nab301 said :-
Is that the first Honda with a tubular type frame as opposed to I think they're called an aluminium beam type frame , the latter presumably being cheaper to manufacture.
Nigel
11/11/2024 13:28:08 UTC
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