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To The Most Southern Tip Of Europe
Andy reaches the final destination of this trip. "You can see Africa from 'ere".
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.
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Haulin' Ass
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
As you suggested Upt', I suspect that this "special exception" will soon be removed and motorcycles will no longer be able to cross The Barmouth Bridge. That... would be a shame. I don't like the walker's attitude that everything not a major highway is THEIRS and THEIRS ALONE with numerous green lanes and byways already lost to the much larger walker's lobby. This being said motorcycles riding along a narrow footpath with rails either side will inevitably lead to someone getting injured sooner or later. In which case losing access will be a shame... but not unexpected and perhaps understandable.
03/02/2026 16:53:02 UTC
To The Most Southern Tip Of Europe
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Very nice Andy. I remember warmth, does any else remember our distant friend?
Look like Chestnuts to me. But not of the horse variety.
Upt.
03/02/2026 16:51:33 UTC
Haulin' Ass
Upt'North ¹ said :-
That's straight from the horses mouth. But....Network Rail said it's nowt to do with them as the local council cover rights of way issues. It would seem that the Environment Agency would like to remove the motorcycle covenant but the company which allows it didn't know they had allowed it in the first place. Maybe it goes back to a time when workers travelled from one side to the other and that's when access was granted. I can sense there's going to be a meeting or eight.
There'll be tea and biscuits Ed.
Upt.
03/02/2026 16:39:00 UTC
Haulin' Ass
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
How ON EARTH did you find this information Upt? Do you have sources? I'm sure I can trust your word as an ex copper(?!) but we need definitive sources. Well done you - you and your questionable antics with random hauliers back in the day.
03/02/2026 14:24:18 UTC
Haulin' Ass
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, you thought we'd forgotten about your naughtiness didn't you.
Namely motorcycles across Barmouth viaduct. As it stands, there is a permissive right of way for motorcycles granted by Network Rail as owners of the structure but there are discussions with Network Rail and the Welsh Environmental agency taking place to clarify and review the situation.
Ride it while you can.
You wouldn't believe how hard that was to sort out.
Upt.
From the Coastal Access Warden
Adran Amgylchedd – Environment Department (Cyngor Gwynedd).
03/02/2026 13:19:55 UTC
Haulin' Ass
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Quite right, schhhhh.
I knew you wouldn't let it pass, you didn't disappoint. You rarely do.
Upt.
03/02/2026 11:20:03 UTC
Haulin' Ass
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
"In a previous life I used to pull a big Irish haulier on a regular basis..." Did you meet this big Irish haulier on a seedy car park of a service station? What goes on at Knutsford Services stays at Knutsford Services.
03/02/2026 08:06:33 UTC
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
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Having played about with the (twin) radiators I think I can see a way clear by spacing the left hand one out about 6" or so. It would look a bit odd as a solo but will merge in with the struts etc especially when the rads have the obligatory coat of satin black.
03/02/2026 14:15:48 UTC
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
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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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