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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.
Feet Forward Prologue
Bogger is organising his next French escapade. It's the who, why, what, and where this time, oh and the how. The why never makes sense, nor should it.
Best Feet Forwards
Title page for Bogger's latest trip with a bunch of people on weird motorcycles.
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Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Bogger said :-
Two bottles, I'll have you know.
As for bike sat navs, Haaar much? I can't afford one of them.
Bogger
24/01/2026 21:19:08 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Mais qui voilà, our little lost queasy Bogger. Ay up me canard.
I have empathy for your road closure dilemma, they do like a road closure.
As for a list GPS, sounds like a bit of a faff. Tourner en rond.
You know they make electrical boxes of magic that will deliver you to your destination? On the subject of googleit maps I think you can apply road preferences, but it's a while since I used it much. It's usually very accurate if you bother to figure it out, much better than some car based systems.
Never been to that part of Francais, I don't think, but we've definitely traversed Le Mans.
I actually think its very civil to turn up with a bottle, that's not Ketchup Ed!
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
24/01/2026 17:12:17 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
ROD¹ said :-
I was over in France the last week of September and the first week of October.
There were many roads closed, especially the country roads. Most of the closures were road resurfacing.
I did ignore one closure and found men working across the complete width of the road. As I started to turn around I was waved through to continue my journey, only to find that the road disappeared a few yards further on. This was the closest I wanted to get to off roading on a K1600!
I look forward to the rest of the trip.
24/01/2026 08:43:56 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
nab301 said :-
No problem Bogger , I know how it is , I'm only winding you up , looking forward to the next instalment!
Nigel
23/01/2026 14:35:04 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Bogger said :-
Nab, the turn off was well and truly blocked. It also crept up on me fairly quickly.
You don't have a lot of time to think about the 'ifs and buts' doing 70mph.
Yes it was us who moved the barriers in Germany, but we had time to weigh up the situation.
Ian I'll talk about cabins later on.
Bogger
23/01/2026 14:10:10 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I love the Cotentin peninsula. The overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg no longer operates but one of my favourite parts of every trip using it was nosing off the ferry into the early morning light then thundering down through the sleepy pastures with the mist just rising off the fields and the cows raising their heads and no doubt wondering what all the racket was. Magical stuff. A brief stop in Coutances in the cathedral square for breakfast meant I was all set up for the tour.
Of course being a softy I used to book a cabin which meant I got a decent night's sleep. I'd leave work on Friday afternoon, take the scenic route down through the Cotswolds via Roman roads to Portsmouth then enjoy fish and chips on the seafront of Southsea before boarding the ship. I don't remember ever having had boarding cards as such.
Navigation: IGN 1: 1M map in the tank bag window. Choose an approximate direction then just use N and D roads along the way.
23/01/2026 13:53:33 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
...yet.
I've not read the rest of Bogger's missive yet but I'm sure there will be an expected dose of disaster.
23/01/2026 13:37:45 UTC
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
nab301 said :-
Before even reaching France you lose your boarding pass, encounter turbulent seas and stomachs but still enjoy yourself!
A route barre deviation , I thought you would have taken that in your stride by riding around it as you did on an Eastern European trip , or maybe I'm confused and that wasn't you Bogger?
Still the French village and buildings look great and although the analogue sat nav appears to be obsolete already at least the bikes haven't needed repairs or welding yet...
Nigel
23/01/2026 12:44:55 UTC
The Omnipresence Of Olive Groves
Bros Steve said :-
Good pics and write up Andy. Looks really nice there.
21/01/2026 19:26:45 UTC
The Omnipresence Of Olive Groves
nab301 said :-
Every days a school day Ren , but yes I now know that's the man!
Nigel
20/01/2026 12:57:59 UTC
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Good result Jeff. Coils are one of those things that it's difficult to test properly without expensive kit. Yes you can check reistances but that's only half the story as you've found out. Re plug lead length: I needed to change the lead on my DR-Z400 engine but found the HT lead just screwed into the coil like it does with a plug cap. It was however a real hassle finding a long enough plug cap as the plug is embedded so deep inside the cambox. Eventually found one at the green spark plug people who are very helpful.
25/01/2026 14:18:40 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Well done KJ. It just amazes me how you work upside down.
I know!
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
24/01/2026 18:42:05 UTC
kiwiJeff said :-
Hi All, Inazuma fixed, was the coil. Measured ok with resistances, was firing ok outside motor with plug held to engine earth but obviously didn't like the firing inside the cylinder? I figured out how to disconnect the high pressure fuel line suzuki connectors to get tank of so was able to swap coils and proved the fault. New coils from Aliexpress 30 pound for two so once they arrived swapped a new one in and bike now back to normal. For any Inazuma owners reading this the Aliexpress coils were supposedly for a Suzuki GW250 (Inazuma) but the leads are a bit shorter than standard! You can still use them but need to re-route the plug lead. Picture below to see the difference. Thanks for all the advice was all appreciated. Regards Jeff
24/01/2026 10:18:44 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
ps Glyn, I used to ride in pre-65 trials in the 1990s on my Royal Enfield Bullet. One of the blokes in the club (Midland Classic) rode a fire breathing 750 Triumph outfit with a very brave "passenger" - a misnomer if ever there was one as they do as much if not more work than the rider / driver. It was always advisable to stay well clear of the back wheel when he took off.
Even more so with the Norton Wasps and occasional big BMW long distance trial outfits I was lucky enough to get close to on occasion. These were real monsters and I did toy with the idea of using one on the road till sense and self-preservation took over.
17/01/2026 14:19:10 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's certainly more challenging than I'd envisaged. I am lucky in that the sidecar is actually a new old stock one from a defunct dealer. I got it from David Angel of F2 motorcycles - he had planned to build it but didn't have the time. So I don't have the common problems of rust etc. He supplies fittings but at eye-watering prices - for example a simple frame clamp with clevis is £72 + VAT. My version costs around £12 and I think is actually superior. I attach a photo of his clamp below. A full fitting kit costs over £700 + VAT - more than I paid for the sidecar!
I do enjoy the challenge - as much the thought processes and research as the physical work of turning, boring, welding and tapping.
I'm having a short rest from machining etc. I have a split steel clamp which I bought as part of a job lot but needed to skim .060" (OK 1.5mm) from the inside face. This is easy with the alloy I've used for the other clamps but a bit tortuous with steel as I was limited to .010" cuts and even at that it was a clonky affair. I'd probably have been better off just making another new one.
Would you believe I've already used the whole of a 1 metre length of M14 HT studding and need to buy more?
16/01/2026 14:25:30 UTC
Glyn said :-
Ian, this sidecar build is brilliant, I can almost hear the cogs whirring in your head. I realise now the complexities of the set up. Being heavily into Trials riding , including outfits, in my younger years, I had no idea of how tricky they were set up. I do remember a local chap who got a Triumph 650 twin to fire on both cylinders at the same time. This was to make the engine “less smooth” to allow the rear wheel time to grip the terrain. There has always been clever buggers but, I fear, less of them per shed these days.
16/01/2026 13:53:47 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Your body and your experience will be quite different to mine Glyn - but - coming off the painkillers was a good thing for me. They seemed to make little difference to the pain while simply bunging me up giving me another problem to deal with. 90 degrees is pretty good! Just think about all them muscles and tendons and nerves they'll have been shuffling around to get the joint in. I mean it's pretty complex (not as complex as getting to the tappets on a CB500X though).
16/01/2026 07:59:42 UTC
Glyn said :-
Theres a lot of knowledge on these pages. As mentioned by Ren, there are considerable financial savings to be made on toilet roll when one mixes anaesthetic, codean and liquid morphine. None of the tablets work very well, that includes painkillers and Senna pod derivatives. “Movement” is the watchword here for both of the situations I find myself in. The joint, when attached in the theatre, is pretty much full strength immediately as it’s stuck in with some epoxy type glue. The rehabilitation is generally to do with making the displaced muscles etc work again. I can achieve (close on) 90 degrees bend which is good going after 5 days but theres a long way to gg before I consider that the joint is flexible. I am definitely a determined sort of chap which I’m relying on. Thank you all for your well wishes.
15/01/2026 15:31:13 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
The hard part as always is actually the thinking and going through umpteen scenarios before discovering flaws and having to reimagine. Of course once tool meets steel new issues raise their heads but nothing that can't be overcome. My little lathe is struggling a bit trying to face off 3" square blocks of mild steel. Aluminium alloy is no problem.
Once the attachments are finalised I then will have the problem of the nearside radiator which as far as I can see want to occupy the same space as one of the struts.
And then of course the body. I hope to have the basic attachments and alignments sorted out within a week or so, then to tackle the radiator issue before doing a dry fit of the body before it goes off for paint. But that isn't scheduled till the beginning of March.
15/01/2026 14:48:11 UTC
nab301 said :-
Looking forward to the end result , although you still have your work cut out!
Nigel
14/01/2026 13:06:29 UTC
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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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