Any bikers here???

[AJB]

Hi Ged,
Yes, the R1200 GS Adventure and it's a PEACH! It's not my first bike, but my first big bike and although I past my test 20 years ago it's the first for a LONG time - I know it's not the best idea but I doubt I'll ever have the funds to work up to it, it was a once in a life time, now or never type deal. I am terrified and will be very, VERY careful! I intend to do a few slow careful days than when I'm used to the fear and the controls I'll be going on a course.

Thank you for the concern.

 

[Fin]

Congratulations AJB!

Great Mile Muncher - and one of the best bikes in the world to take camping (MG Stelvio being another notable). It's a statistically safe ride too. Although heavy, the Boxer engine keeps the weight low and you'll get very little brake dive from the paralever suspension (I used to have one by the way - see earlier post for my current ride).

Just be aware that with a bike like that - you're most likely to come a cropper at low speed. It's a tall bike so make sure you can get both feet flat on the ground, BMW do a low seat if you can't - it's a horrible feeling pulling up to the lights on a heavily cambered road, putting your foot down onto thin air and the bike starts to topple! Once it's past it's tipping point you ain't going to stop it falling over and the first thing to hit the deck will be those nice shiny cylinder heads (you can get guards for these as an extra).

Anyway, dead excited for you (I know just how you feel!) - now you'll have no excuse to not go and explore some continental forests! Fontainebleau Forest is a good start - 4 hours from Calais and you can look me up in my, soon to be opened, biker cafe and camp ground (sorry - blatant plug!).

All the best!

 

[Stingray]

Enjoy.I wander all over the place on mine.Throw over panniers,a good attitude and a smile will win over most opposition on the night time setup.
My pipes,however,will clear all known wildlife within a vast area in the morning.

 

[AJB]

Congratulations AJB!

Great Mile Muncher - and one of the best bikes in the world to take camping (MG Stelvio being another notable). It's a statistically safe ride too. Although heavy, the Boxer engine keeps the weight low and you'll get very little brake dive from the paralever suspension (I used to have one by the way - see earlier post for my current ride).

Just be aware that with a bike like that - you're most likely to come a cropper at low speed. It's a tall bike so make sure you can get both feet flat on the ground, BMW do a low seat if you can't - it's a horrible feeling pulling up to the lights on a heavily cambered road, putting your foot down onto thin air and the bike starts to topple! Once it's past it's tipping point you ain't going to stop it falling over and the first thing to hit the deck will be those nice shiny cylinder heads (you can get guards for these as an extra).

Anyway, dead excited for you (I know just how you feel!) - now you'll have no excuse to not go and explore some continental forests! Fontainebleau Forest is a good start - 4 hours from Calais and you can look me up in my, soon to be opened, biker cafe and camp ground (sorry - blatant plug!).

All the best!

Thanks Fin - 6'4" - not a problem with getting my feet down

Keep me informed of the cafe and camp, me and my mates will come and see you!

Andy

 

[ged]

May I ask why you are concerned that I ask?

Sorry, only just spotted this. Email notifications from the forum are danged unreliable.

Perhaps I read into the question something which wasn't there. It seemed to me almost to be saying "I know it's frowned on but can you guys give me the all clear?" As I said later in that same post, as your riding progresses (assuming that it does) you'll start to be more concerned about the things that really matter. What the policeman behind you thinks doesn't really matter, that's just one of the consequences of how you ride. There will be others. The things that matter are things like staying safe and legal, and being considerate to all -- including the neighbours, passers by, and the bike. If you ride within those guidelines then you won't have to worry about what the police think and they won't have to worry about you.

Or at least they'll have to worry less. There's still the issue of people on four wheels who are effectively blind to anything on two wheels even if it's clothed head to toe in dayglo, and I had one close shave where somebody in a Mini deliberately tried to knock me off the bike. I was saved a trip to the hospital by the guy's passenger, who recognized me because we worked at the same place and yelled something just in time. He later told me he couldn't remember exactly what it was.

And everyone makes mistakes. The problem with being the one on the bike is that no matter who makes the mistake, you're the one that cops it.

 

[ajevans85]

Another biker here, Manchester based. Currently refining my kit for some Euro and hopefully further distance tours.

Here was a trial run a few weeks back in wales:

Morning brew:

Lost 11pm at night on single track roads, hungry. I did find a nice place to stop but had 3 hours of sunlight left so decide for a quick scout around the area. Big mistake should of stopped when it was light, as it turned out I ended up 70miles away before finding a reasonable spot.

I learnt a few things, I took to much.

Cooking kit is now replaced with a Evernew Titanium pot + cup which stores 2 x 100 cartidges + optimus crux stove. Super light weight so can also park up and walk off say up in the lakes for a night.

Also added a DD tarp + rsvops bivi pole for a pyramid tarp setup. Current sleeping bag is a old Vango Ultralite II 1100, I reckon eventually I'll fork out for a snugpack bag, when I do I should fit everything in the panniers and be ok for 5+ days trips.

Anyone else do any tours on their bike and rough it? I'm currently just starting out. Being young, recently single now's the time to do this sort of stuff

 

[Fin]

Thanks Fin - 6'4" - not a problem with getting my feet down

Keep me informed of the cafe and camp, me and my mates will come and see you!

Andy

Aaaaah - 6' 4" - well this bike was made for you! You'll have a truckers eye view of the road ahead! One other piece of advice - The adventurer comes with those big ally panniers - if they're wider than your handle bars then measure how much (mine was the normal GS and the panniers were just about the same width as the bars) - this could save you some embarrassment when filtering through stationary traffic.

Also - GS riders have a bit of a rep for being aloof (undeserved IMO - one of the nicest guys I met on the ferry was a GS rider) - you can negate this by nodding to every oncoming rider (in UK that is - in France you flash a low victory V sign with your left hand - and you stick your right leg out when you overtake another biker or a car that's allowed you passing space). And when you pull up at the bike queue at the ferry terminal or any bike meet for that matter - go up to the other bikers and start gassing - bikers the world over will talk bikes all day - you'll even have to beg the anti - GS brigade to shut up if you ask them about their bike/ where their headed to etc.

Oh! One other thing - when I had my GS - BMW offered an excellent worldwide breakdown package, for not a lot extra - worth looking into if you haven't already.

Cheers!

 

[AJB]

Top tips Fin, cheers

 

[ged]

... in France ... you stick your right leg out when you overtake another biker or a car that's allowed you passing space...

Yes, I see them doing that all the time and I think it's insane. You are seriously compromising your control of the machine, especially at speed, if you take your feet off the pegs. To do it when by definition you are so close to another vehicle is IMO certifiable.

In France I also see lads riding around with their crash helmets perched just on top of their heads instead of actually wearing them. Don't copy things that other riders do just because they do it.

 

[ged]

... Manchester based. ...Here was a trial run a few weeks back in wales

Oooh! You took a chair!

I did find a nice place to stop but had 3 hours of sunlight left so decide for a quick scout around the area. Big mistake ...

Yup. Done that too.

Cooking kit is now replaced with a Evernew Titanium pot + ... + optimus crux stove.

So you won't be needing the Coleman any more?

Anyone else do any tours on their bike and rough it?

Depends what you mean by "rough it". For me, this is getting close to heaven:

http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/dscf2153.jpg

 

[Fin]

Yes, I see them doing that all the time and I think it's insane. You are seriously compromising your control of the machine, especially at speed, if you take your feet off the pegs. To do it when by definition you are so close to another vehicle is IMO certifiable.

In France I also see lads riding around with their crash helmets perched just on top of their heads instead of actually wearing them. Don't copy things that other riders do just because they do it.

Aaaagh Ged!

You could say the same about nodding to an oncoming rider around a bend! Right foot = back brake and how many of us use that! - except to tighten a line round a bend or in an emergency stop. (the back brake on a Griso is notoriously savage and I have locked the back wheel with it - but I've gotten used to the feel of it now - useful on the unannounced hairpins of Provence and the Alps!).

Having said that - I kind of see where your coming from. Perhaps I should amend my post to AJB, re limb signals - "when safe to do so - don't concentrate on etiquette at the expense of control of the bike!"

 

[AJB]

Noted!!

 

[ged]

Aaaagh Ged!

:sadwavey:

Right foot = back brake

Slow down a bit. I know you don't really mean that.

 

[demographic]

Yes, I see them doing that all the time and I think it's insane. You are seriously compromising your control of the machine, especially at speed, if you take your feet off the pegs. To do it when by definition you are so close to another vehicle is IMO certifiable..

Eh? How much do you use the back brake?

 

[ged]

Eh? How much do you use the back brake?

Stop it, guys, you're starting to scare me.

 

[Fin]

Stop it, guys, you're starting to scare me.

He! He!

Again I see where you're coming from but...

C'mon Ged - riding straight and level and sticking a leg out isn't too bad. Sportsbike riders do it all the time to relieve cramp.

I only stick my leg out a fraction for the same reason - if I stick it out to full knee extension then I'll end up with thigh cramp and have to stand up on the foot pegs!

I'm not advocating sticking a leg out on a knee down right hander (nor nodding or waving for that matter). Some bikes (probably the majority of sport(y) type bikes) require weighted pegs to steer properly (I did have a 2002 R1 and that bike steered through the feet and the a*se). Bikes like the MG Griso and the BMW GS (and probably Harleys - though I've never ridden one) don't - the centre of gravity is very low down and steering (counter steering at speed) is all through the wide bars.

I've admired your posts in this thread - your advice has been spot on - but horses for courses mate! I once had a lorry driver cut me up on the motorway and I was incensed by his inattention - my blood was up - I was livid! That lorry driver took the time to look at me through his wing mirror (and take his eyes off the road ahead) mouth an apology and stick his hand out of his window a la "mea culpa" - instantly diffusing the situation (I waved at him on passing) - did he do wrong by diverting his attention from the road ahead? Or was he averting another potential accident by showing courtesy?

I totally agree with you re total control of the bike and this quote of yours should be engraved on every bikers heart in letters of fire:

"And everyone makes mistakes. The problem with being the one on the bike is that no matter who makes the mistake, you're the one that cops it."

But we can help ourselves with a bit of road etiquette when it is safe to do so (indicating a "thank you" to a car that's pulled in to allow you to pass for example). As the most vulnerable users of the open road we cannot afford to be anonymous - biking in France is widely regarded as a safer experience than Britain - In my opinion, it's largely because French bikers engage with other road users, and other road users look out for French bikers.

 

[Robbi]

great post Fin.

 

[ged]

He! He! ... C'mon Ged - riding straight and level and sticking a leg out isn't too bad.

I just want people to think a bit.

I'm not happy with comments like "right foot=back brake" as if that's all you do with your right leg on a bike. There are some inexperienced riders reading this and we'll be doing them no favours at all if we let them go away with completely wrong ideas.

I'm also not happy with the idea that there's only one way to acknowledge a politeness from another road user. Granted that in Europe they use the leg waving thing a lot but I can still get my message across without doing that. If it's safe I'll usually use my left hand to give a big, clear wave over my left shoulder after I've overtaken. If it's even slightly risky then they'll just have to live without it.

You've made a couple of points about riding in France being (regarded as) safer. I'd just like to caution people reading that this doesn't seem to be how the insurance companies see it, as you will know if you've ever insured a bike in France. If you haven't, then you're in for a shock.

You're also in for a shock if you've never bought a French specification bike. The maximum permitted power output is 106bhp.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Had to use my horn for the first time yesterday, I was going along the dual carriageway on the way to take my bike in for a service (btw, is it usual to have a service every 4,000 km?) and people were overtaking me and some were cutting me up a bit but I'm used to that and I was making sure to stay over to the left just in case. Then this guy overtakes me in the same lane! He was literally a foot and a half away so I beep and moved over some more but he still didn't move over. Eesh!

 

[Fin]

Had to use my horn for the first time yesterday, I was going along the dual carriageway on the way to take my bike in for a service (btw, is it usual to have a service every 4,000 km?) and people were overtaking me and some were cutting me up a bit but I'm used to that and I was making sure to stay over to the left just in case. Then this guy overtakes me in the same lane! He was literally a foot and a half away so I beep and moved over some more but he still didn't move over. Eesh!

Ride in the centre of the lane mate - it'll prevent lunacies like you've just described. Car and lorry drivers will be more inclined to treat you like another car when they overtake you.