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A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
France! Well northern France because our soft arsed lazy writers can't be bothered to go any further. It's time for excuses and explanations as to why The Dynamic Muppets are off on holiday and not an exciting expedition.
A Holiday In Normandy
Title page for A Holiday In Normandy
Rain In Northern France
Yep - the rain has returned, the temperature is colder, and the accommodation is below par. Andy must be getting closer to Blighty now, obviously.
Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy
It's probably best not to compare things, there's always something bigger faster smarter lighter neater more stylish etc etc etc... And yet we are a competitive species. Ren is trying to rationalise logic against feelings.
Bogger Back To Base
Just a few notes for His Boggerness on the final ride home. It's been a crazy, fun and yet somehow relaxing adventure. Go figure!
Much Wenlock - Charming, Dry, And Cold
It's an easy and pleasant day in and around Much Wenlock for The Dynamic Muppets. It might even have been romantic if it weren't for Ren, the mean old grumpy curmudgeon.
A Cave, A Gratin, And Tired
Andy is making his way back up through central France now. The day is uneventful save for the quiche that's not a quiche and the GS1250 is "having a moment".
Last Day Of Fun In France
It's a lovely start to Bogger's last day in France. Malestroit is pretty and interesting, the museum is fascinating, and there's food aplenty. Shame the ferry crossing is not up to scratch.
Drawing You In
Our resident cynic Ren is bemoaning the tactics of salesfolk. It's a trap - IT'S A TRAP!! Anyone would think shops have to sell things to make a profit.
Not Much To Report, Save For More Wonderous Views
All in all it's a fairly uneventful day on the road for Andy as he makes his way homeward bound. The scenery is good, the accommodation too, although the big GS has a "moment".
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A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Ian Soady¹ said :-
After decades of exploring the farther flung parts of France, in the last few years we've been cotent with the more easily accessible areas like Brittany, Normany and the Loire. All of which have some lovely places to stay, visit and eat. In my bike touring days they were just places to pass through. Although the early morning mist shrouded Cotentin peninsula was always a joy.
So looking forward to Ren's hints and tips.
07/07/2026 14:54:59 UTC
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Kickboards, units? I'll have you know I use industrial shelving and concrete floors in my kitchen. Yes I concur, it is unhygienic and un-aesthetic for a man to live on his own too long.
Was there a heatwave while we were away? Maybe, you'll have to wait and see.
07/07/2026 13:57:48 UTC
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Upt'North ¹ said :-
There's no criticism Ed and Madame of Much Moisture. Some folk jump on a plane to Benidorm, Bodrum or some other location that I hope never to encounter but it's their vacation break, not mine. Indeed our little Ian seems to love all that France has to offer, I'm somewhere in the middle but it's not somewhere I would avoid at all costs. I've enjoyed many parts of Northern France amongst the other more far flung bits of France land.
This heatwave news is making me nuts, OK I'm already nuts, but! It's the 7th July, we have 17c's, light rain and 20 mph+ winds. That is not a heatwave! I blame socialism and Trump and LePen and Putin....but never you Ed. I hope you had decent riding weather in France because that really was a heatwave. But I'll wait for the jolly jape to unfold.
You might want to take the kickboards off the units first.
Upt.
07/07/2026 12:56:46 UTC
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I see what you mean Upt'. There is little doubt we could get farther afield if we weren't camping because at the end of each day we don't need to pitch up, get the sleeping kit set up, find food and cook food... then in the morning we don't need to decamp and ram everything into stuffsacks before we even turn a wheel. Plus sleeping in the tent is never quite the same as sleeping in a comfortable real bed.
You say you'll ride 5-6 days before resting. Ideally, in a perfect world, we'd like to travel a day, rest a day, travel a day, rest a day... repeat. It's not a perfect world and we can do travel, travel, travel, then rest. Yes even on our rest days we'll ride and on this trip there's never a day where I don't actually ride somewhere. On our rest days we choose our ride dependant on our mood and the weather, if we ride at all. You'll see that happen on this trip as an example.
It's not a question of "we cannot do that". It's a question of "do we want to do that". If you said there's a million quid in Dordogne, all you have to do is ride there to get it in the next 2 days - I would bloody well do it. If you said let's ride to Dordogne in a way that would be fun, relaxing, interesting, and chilled then I'd want a week - each way.
In my "Comparison is the thief of joy" post you said "try to enjoy every day and everything you do". This is our way to help steer ourselves towards that goal by not overstretching ourselves. I read Andy Gray's stories with a degree of envy. He seems to have no stress over miles, in fact he relishes them. You yourself seem to achieve considerable distances without any fluster too. I wish I was like that but I'm not, and trying to be makes me unhappy. I am who I am, we are who we are, we do what we can.
As for the next heatwave - I'm thinking of installing a paddling pool in the kitchen - do you think it'll work?
07/07/2026 12:30:01 UTC
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Hmmmmmm, nice. No suffering you say, but you're with family, right?
Just sayin.
Look forward to more on your trip...but it got me thinkin. You and our beloved Madame du Soleil tend to ride somewhere, then stay a few days, then ride back. Whilst you are at your destination you tend to have day rides, where you seem to be out for a fair amount of time. Couldn't those day rides just become the journey, what's the difference. If you're not camping then you don't need to carry too much and packing is a two minute job as long as you've given it some thought.
We don't do anything that different to yourselves, we'll ride for maybe 5 or 6 days, park up, chill, probably not ride, before riding some more and maybe another stop. We're usually parked up by 4 at the very latest and try not to be mileage driven too much. The miles are irrelevant anyway, it's the hours in the saddle. 5 hours can easily cover 300 miles on quicker roads but that still leaves another 19 in the day to eat, relax, drink and sleep.
Please don't think I'm criticising your choice of holiday, I'm not, it's just that I think you've probably convinced yourself you shouldn't go far because it's hard and I don't think it is.
But what do I know....nowt.
Upt and pensive. And waiting for a heatwave.
07/07/2026 11:27:12 UTC
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
You do love a bit of France don't you Ian.
07/07/2026 10:09:47 UTC
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I look forward to reading more!
07/07/2026 09:53:48 UTC
12 Months From New 2019 Honda CB125F Review
Martin said :-
Hi Ren,
Sorry, yes you are quite right. It is a NC750x, my neighbour bought his after his mate rode a similar bike on a continental trip and found it very economical. I believe it is based on half of a car engine, not sure whether that means it has an iron block. I am glad to see manufacturers taking fuel economy seriously rather than squeezing every ounce of power out regardless of running costs.Japanese high power two strokes of the eighties must have been the low point for fuel economy on two wheels. I see those bikes are nevertheless much sought after now, I imagine it is a nostalgia thing.
04/07/2026 21:54:44 UTC
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Well done Alf, I can recommend the Suzuki Ecstar coolant.
Upt.
04/07/2026 17:52:53 UTC
Suzuki DL250 V-Strom 6 Month Review
alF said :-
Thank uou very much for your ideas and concerns. Checked everything step by step: fan spinning freely, no blown fuse and correct coolant level - no issues there.
Then I decided to fix some errands on a hot day and finally when coming back home I left the engine running...still nothing. Then I started revving the engine and kept it around 4000 rpm and the fan eventually kicked in :)
This autumn I will change the coolant level because it is at least 5 years old.
Have a wonderful summer everyone!
04/07/2026 17:06:26 UTC
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nab301 said :-
Glyn , looking forward to seeing and hopefully hearing the fruits of your labours , will you be stripping the engine?
Nigel
26/06/2026 14:53:36 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Ooooh eeeee ouch! I'm glad you didn't post your gory sliced digit Glyn (Flyn). You can show us when it's healed a little and we can imagine the rest. As for the heat... Enough already but it won't be long until I'm griping about the rain/cold dagnammit. The nights are already drawing in.
26/06/2026 09:57:29 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I managed to slice a couple of mm off a finger with the angle grinder a couple of weeks ago removing the chain from the Herald*. I'm usually very cautious around them but a moment's inattention...... It's taken to now to heal up.
*And what's wrong with split links I ask you? Someone had gone to the length of fitting a continuous O ring chain at some time in the bike's 3,000 km life while studioudly ignoring the dreadful suspension units.
Goldie silencer arrived yesterday and it's in new condition. A bargain at just over £30. It does say pre 1985 bikes but this is invisible when fitted. Too hot for anything today.
25/06/2026 10:13:31 UTC
Glyn said :-
Oh no I’ve spelt my name wrong again. It’s these fat fingers I’m working with. Talking of fingers, I almost removed the top of my middle finger right hand in an incident with a sun lounger in Croatia 3 weeks ago. It took 5 stitches to reattach and weeks of dressings which I’m still doing. I’ve got some fairly gruesome pictures of aforesaid digit but I’m sure the Ed wouldn’t be impressed if I were to post one.
24/06/2026 20:54:01 UTC
Flyn said :-
Ian is right Up’t, not really my style to clear-coat it. I’ve decided to respray it colour number 8 in Elfenbein 732 which is a BMW ivory colour. Elfenbein is a direct German translation for “Elephants tusk”. It’s the colour that I painted the BMW K1100 2 years back. However, this time there will be no evidence of the colours that went before.
24/06/2026 20:48:49 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's like archaeology (or a time machine) when you get down through the layers like that, and as Upt' says it would be interesting to keep it. But I think that would offend your aesthetic sensibilities.
Re vinyl dye, the Steib came with a seat cover which is red and would clash with the BSA red so will probably dye that black as well. At the moment, the only passenger provision is a box full of pavers left over from a patio to keep the chair wheel down on left handers although this is scorned by some "experts". No idea why as an empty sidecar limits the speed round these bends. I can understand if a passenger is occasionally carried that you need to understand the handling in different configurations.
24/06/2026 10:17:29 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I wondered where that screwdriver had gone, have you got my 10 mill socket too!
I'd smooth that off and lacquer it as a homage to rattle cans.
You're welcome.
Who'd have thought it, Glyn a screwdriver thief?
Upt.
24/06/2026 09:21:38 UTC
Glyn said :-
Sorry forgot the image
24/06/2026 07:52:40 UTC
Glyn said :-
That is a remarkable upgrade for £15 Ian. It looks brand new. Talking about unsuitable colours this is the rear section of the little Aprilia. It has had 14 owners and been 7 different colours.
24/06/2026 07:51:34 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Looking good fella, like Ren, I have little sense of style and taste but the brown and black bike did look a little daft.
Looking forward to your ride report.
Upt.
11/06/2026 10:06:12 UTC
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Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
There is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel Ian - but is it daylight or the headlight of a huge freight train coming right at ya?!
I may be bringing you a very brief insight into the coast near Dieppe soon enough Ian.
01/07/2026 10:26:04 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
With regard to Rod's friend, I think if he's missing a bike he could do worse than look for a smaller lighter machine. Possibly dare I say like my Herald? Very cheap, weighs only 130kg (it is far far easier to move around the shed than the "lightweight" Norton Electra) and insurance should be available. My broker has even added it to my classic policy! I've been pleasnatly surprised by its quality and have just bought a Gold Star type silencer on ebay which hopefully will give it a deeper exhaust note as the one fitted is a bit high-pitched. Or maybe just louder..... As Ren will testify, small bikes can be just as much fun. I'd rather ride a Honda 50 than get the bus (even with the bus pass).
Re the tunnel: the main things I've held against it are the dreadful M25 car park to get there - although I confess I haven't been that way for a long time - and the fact it disgorges in the Pas de Calais which is not my favourite part of France. Although have been looking at the Alabaster Coast and in particular Dieppe which is a place we've never been to as a potential for our next trip.
My torn meniscus seems to have miraculously improved over the last 2 or 3 days although not nearly back to full functionality and I'm now feeling much more positive after resigning myself to a long slow recovery. Is that a light at the end of the tunnel? Don't be daft....
21/06/2026 14:08:39 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ian, if you haven't used the tunnel before don't worry about it. In my experience it is way easier than ferry travel, even with a butler. If I still lived in the midlands it would be my default option.
The only reason we've used the Amsterdam ferry is we literally have to ride the length of England to reach Ashford, whereas it's 50 miles to North Shields. But obviously you pay for the privilege, but it's only money.....sorry Ed. Plus, you have to plan well ahead which can be tedious.
Regarding getting old, no I'm not quite there yet, but from speaking to friends, relatives, neighbours etc if you haven't done it by 80 you might as well not bother as travel and transport just becomes too difficult because of the dreaded insurance premiums. Some neighbours have had to change fairly mundane vehicles to even more mundane types to get cover. Getting old ain't for cissies.
Upt.
21/06/2026 13:03:00 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Yes, I heard from a motorcyclist a few days ago. He ran various Suzuki hyabusas from 2002 and was refused renewal on this bike just under two years ago at the age of 81.
He sold the bike and got a 400cc scooter, but it did not go well. He missed the riding experience of the big bike, and has given up biking. He still really misses the bike.
I have been wondering about this scenario as I am also reasonably healthy, getting old,(am old)and love larger capacity bikes.
If I was to move to Spain I believe that the bike is insured, not the rider. Could I still ride at over 80 in Spain, or is there an age restriction like vans insured for any driver in this country, eg over 25?
21/06/2026 10:06:03 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I agree it's not cheap but when I compare it with £500 and upwards for an annual policy (quotes via comparison sites) it looks like a bargain.
I'd never previously considered the shuttle but have been treated very shabbily by Brittany ferries. Briefly, I originally booked a crossing for last year but knew we'd probably have to defer due to various health issues so chose a flexi ticket. Defer we did a couple of times but when I tried to do that again a couple of weeks ago I was told I couldn't. The small print said there was a 12 month limit for rescheduling. All I could get was a 50% refund.
Had I known this I would have amended the booking earlier to remove expensive options like cabin etc so the hit would have been much less than the £300 or so we actually lost. So I've gone from a Brittany enthusiast to a wouldn't touch them with a bargepole sceptic. I still remember when I boycotted them for some years after they banned motorcycles over a certain age. Ostensibly because they were ridden by hell's angels......
The shuttle actually may make a lot of sense but we'll see. Haven't booked anything yet.
21/06/2026 10:01:30 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I am reading this with interest, the whole insurance thing sets me on edge with the ducking and diving, dodging and weaving. So far it seems a good policy Ian and while £35 isn't "cheap" for 2 weeks I'd say it's manageable.
One of my occasional friends is 82 and just been informed by his motorcycle insurance that they will not be offering to renew his policy when it expires. He's not made a claim this century, just got older. Yikes!!
21/06/2026 06:05:22 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
As far as vehicle cover is concerned, I rely on Britannia for which the policy covers me (and wife) in any vehicle whether driven by us or not, throughout UK and EU. I've used it a couple of times for bikes in the UK and they've been great, sending out a proper bike transport vehicle (except once when a dirty great low loader arrived which was a bit of overkill for the B'Zuki).....
20/06/2026 14:20:20 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
This the AI answer....
Personal Travel Insurance HighlightsThe core travel policy provides comprehensive protection for the rider and pillion:Medical Emergency: Up to £10,000,000 per person, which includes hospital stays, ambulance costs, and emergency repatriation.Cancellation & Curtailment: Up to £5,000 per person for unused and non-recoverable costs if you must cancel or cut short your trip.Baggage & Personal Items: Up to £2,500 per person (with sub-limits of £350 for a single article and £500 for total valuables).COVID-19: The policy includes specific coverage for coronavirus-related claims.Motorbike Cover DetailsWhen selecting the combined Motor Breakdown Cover, specific details and vehicle protections apply:Roadside Assistance & Recovery: RAC provides roadside repairs or recovery of your motorcycle to a local garage in Europe.Repatriation: If the motorbike cannot be repaired in time for your return, the policy covers the transport of the vehicle and passengers back to the UK.Legal & Licence Requirements: To be fully covered, you must hold the correct, valid driving licence for your engine size, wear an appropriate helmet, and ensure the bike is in a legal and roadworthy condition.Full details regarding the policy’s geographic limits, excess fees, and claims numbers are available via the Eurotunnel
20/06/2026 13:12:41 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Second link:
https://www.iansoady.org.uk/pdf_documents/Eurotunnel-Travel-Insurance-IPID-May-2...
20/06/2026 10:08:25 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I've downloaded the policy documets and T&Cs and can see no mention of motorcycles in either. There is a list of sports and activities which are excluded although motorcycling is again not mentioned. Of course it's only if you make a claim that you'd find out...
I've put a copy of them on a web page. First link below.
https://www.iansoady.org.uk/pdf_documents/shuttle%20travel%20insurance%20T%26C.p...
20/06/2026 10:07:59 UTC
Random Link - Day Out At Goosnargh and Garstang Fords 2004 - By Ren Withnell