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bippo

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Posts posted by bippo

  1. I don’t think I’ll be able to make a meet-up that weekend. Really sorry.

    Good luck in trying to find some accommodation - tourist hotspots are just manic right now. I have managed to find a campsite in Devon for a week mid-August, but I think it was just pure luck. Places were becoming unavailable as I was searching. I know it’s going to be mental down that way (typically I would holiday there during school time), but I’m just desperate for a change of scenery.

    • Like 1
  2. I’ve been using PR’s on all my bikes, from the 3 to the latest 5.

    Great mileage out of them (I can get up to 12,000 out of a set). They stick well in the wet too which is my main reason for buying them.

    I’m waiting for when my stock tyres need replacing on my Tiger so I can get some PR’s on. I’ve never gelled with the current tyres as they can twitch about in wet conditions which isn’t something I worry about with the PR’s.

  3. Buy a cheap role of that anti slip matting (often used for keeping a sat nav from rolling on a car dash). Put a piece of that between pannier and bike contact points to help reduce marking.

    If the straps on the pannier bags don’t fit under your pillion seat then I would just get creative with my own straps to make sure they are secure.

  4. Another vote for hard luggage. I fill the panniers and aim to keep the top box near empty for any bike gear I want to leave on the bike when walking around. Hard luggage makes great tables and chairs if you’re camping too.

    I had soft luggage on a previous bike and used to hate leaving my bike alone for even a quick toilet break during a fuel stop.

    • Like 1
  5. I’m up for this, as I’m new when is it usually held? 
     
    I’m up for the lakes, I rode a bit around the Windermere area and the roads were pretty decent. However, that was last season before all the ‘salt & nasty’, storms and snow... 
    but happy to travel to any new place, just want to be out on the bike! 


    The more the merrier! It’s a small, but fun group. I’ve not made it to all of them (like Cynic) but did last years which was in Wales. Amazing weather and great roads. I was the “tail-end Charlie” on the rides and captured some footage -


    Anyway we camp (though a nearby B&B is always an option), ride, eat, drink and have a good old laugh.
    • Like 2
  6. Yes, somewhere north works for me too. We might even be able to get Jimmy to join us along with John [emoji846]

    My only bike related jaunt in the Lakes was a leisurely ride up to Scotland for some wild camping. It was a very foggy and cold October on my Street Triple and I spent most of the time trying to find a suitable roadside wall I could jump behind for a wee haha [emoji23] it was an agonising ride over every bump. You men don’t realise how good you’ve got it!

    • Like 1
  7. I had such enthusiasm for biking all year round when I first started on a bike...

    My L plate days saw me riding my 125 at 5am over the Pennines for 50 non-motorway miles. I remember always passing a Bland European rider most mornings who gave me the most excited wave. For 50 miles in winter it was always just him I saw on two wheels. He always helped to spur me along. Aside from that though the commute in winter was tough - the headlight was pants, cars used to sit up my arse, sheep and ducks could be found around most bends and I was generally clueless on 2 wheels!

    Fast forward and I found myself leaving home even earlier to trek 200 miles into central London on my Street Triple. That bike had zero weather / wind protection, and being honest I was a little too tall for it on such a long trek (sore knees). That bike was twitchy as feck on the throttle, but I still managed to ride it in snow and ice. I used to arrive in London with a blue face and even popped round to Airheads home once with my jacket covered in ice [emoji23]

    What has happened to me now I don’t know... I’ll still commute in poor weather if I need, but my car is the preference (I’ve always favoured the car on a short trip anything less than 300 miles, haha). But I’ve gone from doing all the above in nothing more than Kevlar jeans and a £100 jacket to riding about on a bike with hand guards, heated seats and grips, electronically adjustable screen whilst wearing base layers, heated jacket and a Rukka suit haha!

    Bottom line... I’ve been there, done it. Will do it again if needed, but will happily sit in my warm car during winter [emoji41]

    • Like 2
  8. You need to pass another theory for any licence over and above the CBT, even if you’ve already done the theory for your car licence.

    Anyway, it’s great to hear you are building up a family of bikers!

  9. Yebutt you can have both. FB for the inane disposable and here for anything ongoing


    Indeed - that’s what the Tiger 1200 forum tries to achieve. They just want the forum to serve as a valuable resource for people, and then the FB page to be more of a social “look where I went today” community.
    • Like 2
  10. I check here nearly every day too. It’s a shame, but have also just sent a request to the FB group.

    I think part of the problem is that the forum is far reaching to all Yamahas. I tend to join model specific forums, but even those get more traffic via FB these days. I guess others will do the same.

  11. Great pics, Jimmy. Good weather at this time of year is always hard to pass up!

    I went out yesterday for the first time since my Europe trip. After 4,000 miles my rear end didn’t want to go anywhere near a bike seat haha! But I popped out yesterday for a Remembrance Day ride of respect. So many families came to just watch with flags and their own home made banners which was just lovely.

    • Like 1
  12. On 10/24/2019 at 2:55 PM, slice said:

    Yeah I'm thinking 1 week poss 5 days and as to fuel it's not the north pole they do have fuel stations! But as Bippo said I can hang a gallon off the side and not even notice. In fact you can get soft fuel carriers that they use in Australia for the outback and they are available here as well tho they are not cheap.( Alex might be able to offer some help as he's in the colonies!) Anyway it seems some might be interested let's see how many others are thinking about it.

    The only thing which dawned on me...   Drewps and Tommy already have their trip to the Black Forest planned.   They are guaranteed regulars on YOC meets, so it's likely they wouldn't be able to squeeze another in next year...

    Re. fuel, I did stumble across a few stations which were closed, but typically the majority have pay at pump.   I quickly found out that when holding the Tiger 1200 at a steady 130-140kph (on their motorways) it resulted in the least economical vehicle I've ever owned...!   I was just watching the gauge run down...   I'm so glad I only needed to do that on the final day, returning to Calais.

  13. I have a couple  of these MSR canisters bought specifically for camping (stove fuel).   I've never used them for petrol, but have carried them with me on my bikes.   They do have a very narrow neck, but are very well made and I wouldn't hesitate filling them with petrol and chucking them, upside-down, into a pannier.

    I've never carried additional petrol with me on a bike, just not needed where we live!   But I'll confess to nearly running out in the UK when I first rode the NC500 on my Street Triple.   Tank range was around 180 (when behaving, which is kind of hard to do with such a twitchy throttle!) anyway the first time I completed that ride, 24 hour petrol stations were unheard of up in the Highlands.   Plus it was a Sunday...   Panic stations ensued as I was scrapping the barrel, but then I found a proper old-skool shop with a single pump outside and an old gentleman to operate it for you.   I was so thankful!   The next time I completed the ride, I was kind of sad to see 24 hour petrol stations (along with a sharp increase in traffic!)

    Anyway, for my Europe trip, I only ran really low a couple of times, but that was my own fault.   I hate stopping for fuel when I'm in the groove, so was pushing my bike to the limits.   I was carrying a Givi canister around with me which is designed for petrol (but I had it filled with fuel for my meths stove.   I would happily use it to carry petrol if we do end up on a 'YOC does Italy' trip.   It has a 2.5 litre capacity, so very pretty decent for a back-up, and it never leaked.   Here's a picture of it from Strasbourg (attached to a removable mount on the rear of my left pannier):

    6abojCC.jpg

    The canister itself is cheap to buy and didn't leak once.   It comes with a separate hose which I didn't need for my stove.   Downside is perhaps its built specifically to go with the mount (expensive) and again, really only designed for Givi hard cases...   But I'm happy to fit more to my bike if required.

    I do also have a small Rotopax canister, but I wouldn't waste your money!   They are a great concept, but ridiculous money, and I've yet to use mine without it leaking, so wouldn't feel comfortable strapping it to a bike.   Out of all my canisters, this is the only one I have used to carry petrol (when topping up at a station in my car and then filling my bike up at my lock-up).   I do like the fact the hose is stored internally though...

    For those who feel the need to take extreme measures... the president of the UK Iron Butt Association has gone to the effort of installing an auxiliary tank in place of his pillion seat on his Tiger 800 to reduce fuel stops...!   I did have a twin tank fitted to my classic Mini (needed filling via it's own fuel cap).   It was always amusing at busy petrol stations because you could see impatient drivers pulling up behind me because they assumed I wouldn't be there for long.   You could see their regret when I then pulled the hose round to the other side to repeat the process...! 🤣   Here it is right after installation (before I tidied it up):

    IKy8cKq.jpg

  14. 7 hours ago, slice said:

    Ok I'm game! Anyone fancy a trip to Italy next year? Those roads look awesome and the hotels are cheap enough (yes I'm old!) Shall we have a pole on who "might" be interested in  the "YOC does Italy"? Bippo can lead this time and not get a gob full of gravel and mud (yes I'm talking to you PAT!) :)

    (I might wish slice had his dodgy wheelbearings to give me a chance in the corners.) 

    Christ mate that bloody TDR is greased lightning around corners, my poor bloody FJR was wallowing like a whale trying to keep up! Plus the VMAX would be awesome on a trip like that.

    I'd be game for next year!   I'll be planning another trip for next year anyway (I was originally thinking about Ireland), but I'd be able to do both. 😎

    6 hours ago, Cynic said:

    How long would the trip be, any ideas. I mean in time not miles. I haven't a clue and would need to get it past the boss. 

    Boring detail. The max needs fuel every 100 miles at best or your pushing 286kg. High speed cruising could see it in the 80's.

    Just letting ya know... ;)

    Hmm, that's a good question.   I guess if it's too long then it'll be hard for folk to fit it in with family and work.   No more than a week I'm guessing?   Mind you, I guess there'd be no issue in others staying out there for longer, if they wanted?

    Re. fuel range, I'd happily carry additional fuel on my bike for those who need it. 👍

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