Welcome To Bikes And Travels...
...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
Autumn is almost here followed by a winter (of discount-tents). With the spiralling cost of energy BAT's latest recommendation is to keep
your full winter riding kit on at all times. In the meantime here's a lovely image to keep you going through these harsh times.
This update is brought to you under duress from the grumbling BAT readers.
What's New?
Holy Water On Departure
It's Rev. Mick!'s day of departure, in spite of his wife's misgivings. He's crossing Ireland and he's already lost in his own country.
Ganesh To Gary
The title page for Rev. Mick!'s travels across The Outer Hebrides.
Friends With Food
The group temporarily fragments while Bogger and Fatboy visit Bogger's French friend. Food abounds all around and of course there's a beer or two to wash it all down.
Prologue - This Time It Is Up North
Ren has made this kind of trip many times and several trips of much greater magnitude. The bikes are fine and everything is under control. Don't worry dear readers, Ren is worried about having nothing to worry about.
An Island And Way Out West
Title page for Sharon and Ren's latest Highland adventure. It's time to head way out west.
Dead Man's Corner (And Less Beer)
Bogger and the crew take in a WW2 museum but have to curtail the rest of the day due to unforeseen circumstances. Not to worry, there will surely be more alcohol to soften the blow.
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
The tired old 125 is giving Ren some grief. Fuelling issues? Low compression? Sensor errors? Plug fouling? It is quite remarkable which parts can get a little weary after 97,000 miles
Normandy Beaches And Booze
Bogger and his entourage might have been to the D-Day beaches before but there's still more to see and do. They might have been tipsy before too but that won't stop them joining the locals for a round or 6.
Shameful Spannering
Assumption is the mother of all messups. Leading by example Ren imparts his wisdom for you to all become wiser and enlightenend.
The Ferry and France
There's a ferry then there's some getting lost then there's some drinking. It seems there's an ongoing theme to this tale that involves alcohol. This time beautiful Bayeux hosts the liver apocalypse.
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Latest Posts
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Nice pics!
06/10/2022 10:23:44 UTC
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
Crofty said :-
06/10/2022 10:11:13 UTC
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
Crofty said :-
If your 125 doesn't make it to the 100k and you need another small tourer here is another recommendation for the Suzuki 250 in GW or DL form. Just back from 18 days touring on the dl250 a few days in Yorkshire but mostly in Wales.
Up to 16k now which is nothing compared to your 125. Bike still going great, heavily loaded with 30 ish kilos in luggage and me a 110k, 95 mpg when bimbling about the lanes and small roads, still go 74 mpg when I thrashed it back up the motorway to Scotland at 70. Great little bikes and if the 80k Inazuma is correct capable of big mileages too.
06/10/2022 10:09:51 UTC
Holy Water On Departure
Ian Soady¹ said :-
When we were on our caravan trip to France this year, a very hot and sweaty rider pulled up on a large BMW just behind us. Well it was 40 degrees at the time. He then proceeded to capsize in just such a way as you describe. Very easily done when you're tired and the judgement is going a bit. The two of us managed to right the bike and get it on its stand but it wasn't easy.
The rider told me later over a glass of Bordeaux that he'd decided to cut his trip short and head for home as riding in the heat was just too unpleasant.
05/10/2022 10:15:04 UTC
Holy Water On Departure
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Nice pictures your Most Reverend.
Upt'North.
04/10/2022 18:59:26 UTC
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Well I'll be damned! Let me think... I *would like* to say there was enough juice left in the battery to run the computer and injectors and ignition. However if you can barely see the lights then yeah, that's pretty darn flat I figure. So how are they doing it?
I figure - the kick has enough "ooomph" to spin the alternator sufficient to power the requisite parts enough to squirt and spark accordingly? Is it possible the computer has a backup battery and/or a very rapid boot time? No matter the answer it's a useful piece of information ROD.
04/10/2022 09:42:31 UTC
Prologue - This Time It Is Up North
Sharon said :-
Sharon and luxury. Now that's two words that go together very well. Alas it's a rare event so if it happens be glad for this littlest hobo that she may know some warmth and comfort ?.
03/10/2022 21:41:03 UTC
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
ROD¹ said :-
Lexmoto Assault 125.
03/10/2022 16:34:48 UTC
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
ROD - What bike was that?
03/10/2022 16:07:44 UTC
CBF125 (Almost) No Start
ROD¹ said :-
Yes Ren I thought the same as yourself, but!
I have been using a 12 v kettle for many years, in the works van, in the car, and yes on several bikes.
When trying this kettle on the 125 I found it was not boiling in the usual 25 minutes, so I pulled over to check.
The kettle was warm but not boiling.
I turned on the ignition, and nothing. No idiot lights were showing so my first thought was a blown fuse, but then I saw a dim light, and realized that the kettle was to much for the charging system and battery on the bike. I used the kick start, and the bike started instantly. So new bikes do start on the kick start with a flat battery.
03/10/2022 14:28:39 UTC
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Latest Repair-Chat
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Upt'North ¹ said :-
Thanks for the suggestion Rod......but no.
Upt'North.
05/10/2022 18:42:01 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
It's fashion over function Upt'.
I am sure if you ask nicely Ren would make you a hugger from an old oil can!
05/10/2022 18:39:59 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Agreed, it's as though they are in cahoots with the aftermarket brigade. It'll need a hugger too over the winter lay up. Surely someone at Honuzuamakionumph know that water and crap flings off tyres.
Strange innit.
Upt'North.
05/10/2022 16:12:16 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Call that a mudguard? This is a mudguard.
However, you do realise you're not supposed to ride it in the rain......
05/10/2022 14:06:32 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
And again......
05/10/2022 13:30:27 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
So.......they must sell some'at on the interweb thingymabob? Nope, nowt any blummin good anyway. How hard could it be. £14.00, several days and much bad language later.
Upt'North.
05/10/2022 13:29:45 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Do you agree that this rear mudguard is probably useless? I mean what we're they thinking?
Upt'North.
05/10/2022 13:26:54 UTC
Glyn said :-
Manual Advance / retard reminds me of the Allen Millyard video on You tube about the construction of his V twin 5 Litre "The flying Millyard" motor Cycle. He fitted a lever operated Advance retard on the power unit he made from 2 cylinders of an Aeroplane engine. It rotated the points mounting backplate by a lot of degrees. Add to that his hand gear change and carburettor mixture enricher (enabled by lifting the float chambers vertically up and down the carbs)and you have a very interesting program watch. We were discussing the building of Centre stands recently, Allen Mllyard made a ratchet operated unit for his 10 Cylinder Viper engined bike. I think the bike weighs in at about 600Kgs.
The new fuel solenoid valve that I've fitted does have a manual override lever but its not possible to fit it anywhere that I can get to it.
04/10/2022 16:41:09 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
There was a vacuum tap on the Honda CB400 "Big One" (I kid you not) I had for a short while. It was a real pain and I converted it to manual operation. I fail to see why manufacturers insist on automating things that cause grief when they go wrong. Manual ignition advance/retard anyone?
04/10/2022 16:18:45 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
You are right about vacuum valves failing Glyn, but I wonder what the failure rate of electric valves would be? I think the problem we all have is that everything seems to be made as cheaply as possible in a rush to the bottom. So trying to find a quality new part is a bit of a suck it and see exercise.
I suppose with that in mind it would be easy enough to bypass any valve when on the road if problems occurred on the journey.
Good luck fella.
Upt'North.
04/10/2022 16:17:10 UTC
Latest Chit-Chat
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Good to see a wide range of tastes! Henrik is right I don't get the point of dub. But then my parents didn't get the point of the Rolling Stones.
Yes, Noel Redding was a sad character who thought he was a better guitarist than Jimi. The fact is he wasn't even as good a bass player. Mitch Mitchell was a decent drummer however, and as Mick says from a jazz background like Baker and Watts. Although I'm not a drumming fan I've recently watched a series (on Sky Arts I think) about the art of drumming that opened my eyes. Baker on the Crossroads clip is sublime.
Mind you I do like that Sly & Robbie but have always been a sucker for reggae.
01/10/2022 14:36:19 UTC
Rev. Mick! said :-
By Sly I mean Sly &Robbie.
01/10/2022 13:00:35 UTC
Rev. Mick! said :-
Henrik
I love that track. Lee “Scratch”Perry the man. All that Black Ark stuff.
Noel Redding ended his life living in Clonakilty. Hendrix often played the bass parts on recording himself. It is rumoured he wanted to replace Redding with Billy Cox ie Band of Gypsies.
I preferred Willie Dixon on bass on the 1954 “Hoochie Coochie Man” but that’s only me. I do love stand up.
Jack Bruce was like his peer Charlie Watts a jazz musician who adapted to rock. All a bit loud and fuzzy for me.
Charlie Mingus? Danny Thompson? Sly? Family man Barret? Flabba (despite Ian’s reservations)?
Leo Williams? Bill Black?
The list of Bass players each of us loves is huge. Maybe we should focus on our motorcycles each with our own sound track playing in our heads.
01/10/2022 12:57:10 UTC
Rev. Mick! said :-
I love Ian’s tracks too. The second I sent the Personal Dub reference I thought Oh! No. All art is subjective. I would hate this to turn into an argument where one persons preference is argued to better than another person’s preference.
My Dub reference takes me back to smoking huge spliffs in the car park in a mk1 Escort waiting to get with some young one winding her waist in the Jamaica Club. Or laughing playing Doms with geriatric Rastas.
Music is owned by each of us in our experience. The music I made love to maybe the music your father beat you to!
01/10/2022 12:36:56 UTC
Henrik said :-
Funny, I am a devote dubhead to
I am not sure that Ian get the point
(about dub)
Or the history and culture behind
Let's take Lee Perry f.eks.
Assisted her by late Robbie Shakespeare (bass)
You could call Robbie non-talented also
But how comes that Dylan, Grace Jones, Sting, Stones, did call Sly and Robbie to make the foundation to some of the tracks ?
https://youtu.be/bs53uu4hjus...
30/09/2022 23:04:06 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Or even (some proper bass playing as well as Clapton's screaming 335)....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=becWr0vc6cA...
29/09/2022 10:31:45 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Or....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFfnlYbFEiE...
29/09/2022 10:24:14 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I've just listened to a bit of that. Absolutely dire. The bass player can't even hold a beat and some of his/her intonation's way off. Try some real music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_l6A7krjrQ...
29/09/2022 10:23:05 UTC
Rev. Mick! said :-
Ren,
“Scientist v The Space Invaders”
Start there all Dub follows. King Tubby?
28/09/2022 00:02:56 UTC
Rev. Mick! said :-
Dear All,
To sit down at last in my own house. Herself of course has put a ribbon in her hair, a dash of perfume behind he ear and has asked me nothing of my day.
You would think all thoughts of motorcycles have gone. No! Could Paul Brown make me up a SS bash plate, I’ll just look on line for better shocks, there must be some one who does custom SS exhausts. Etc!
Sleep needed. Innova.
28/09/2022 00:00:26 UTC
Random Link - Into Mid Wales