Previous
ride outs at Motoeuro....
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Saturday
31st April 2006: Mayday Bank Holiday Weekend. |
As Jock hit the dry-stone wall
and the new Buell slid down the road Dave and Mark's
stomachs just turn upside down. We thought he was
ok just a bit winded but after 15 mins Jock declared
"Think my leg's knackered lads". Rather
than call the ambulance, lying on the road Jock pulls
out his phone and calls Buell Recovery first, typical.
We called the Rozzas and the Ambulance who arrived
blue lights flashing to take the old git away. The
Buell was worse for wear with bent folks, missing
mirrors, pegs, levers, damaged exhaust and the engine
casing stuffed. Some cosmetic, some serious. The big
issue is the frame. One one hand if the frame is bent
a wee bit then he gets a brand new bike. If it's £2,000
for forks and leavers etc., then it could be repaired
- Will keep you all up to date in the
News section.
Turns out the flying Scotsman (literally) has a broken
ankle in 2 or 3 places and broken ribs. (Motoeuro
snoops get pix of hospital X-rays, Click here to view
it.) Of course he was taken to Barrow General
Hospital a mere 140 miles away from home, so thanks
to Mark's Espace we headed down to pick him up on
Sunday and delivered him to Wansbeck General.
Currently in plaster now at home everyone at Motoeuro
wishes him a speedy and safe recovery. For comedy,
send decent sarcasm to him...:)
Before |
After |
All joking
aside, Jock is okay (but dented pride). Could
have been a damn sight worse - all this at only
20-30mph. News of Jocks recovery and the state
of play with his Buell will be reported as it
happens in the News
Pages. |
Saturday 22nd April 2006:
It's
the small one ! |
With a couple
of hours spare it's an opportunity to head out
for a laugh, so off to Jock's place as he kindly
lowered my back brake leaver..... Not that I
am usless......Anyway, off to Knowsgate for
a smoke the swap bikes ! After 10 seconds you're
used to it, funny really compared to the 4-cylinder
VFR, this monster twin is good to ride. Past
Otterburn, and Byness and down and then up Carter
Bar...how old are we ? The Buell is a top bike,
monster acceleration and amazing cornering ability,
very confidence building in a word......INSANE
!
Don’t think I would
like to tackle long distances on it, even motorways
at a average cruising speed would be hard with
no protection, but it was never meant for that
really....mad I tell you, mad.... As for the
tyres.....or rather lack of them. 800 miles
and BOTH Jocks tyres need replacing ! Can you
believe that ?? And how much ? £225 JUST
FOR THE BACK ONE !!!!! Owch ! |
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Friday
14th April 2006: (Good Friday, it was....)
Woooha.... All of us out
(No Steve obviously) Swift dash up to Gala to
meet John, ahem, eventually (!), then off to
Moffat, past Lockerbie and on to St.
Mary's Loch. Ride down the side of the Loch
and your bum spends more time in the air....but
the views are worth it even if the tarmac was
ropey in places too. At the end of the Loch
there's a great café (Glen
café) serving anything from hearty
meals to a simple cappuccino ! Fan-bloody-tastic
!
Top ride out totalling 270 miles, and with Mark,
John, Jock and me out together this made all
the difference. 20 smokes later, its home for
bike washing and collapse..... God, I am sooooo
out of shape. (Never was in shape, mind you.)
Motoeuro 2006 - yeah! 1500 miles ? Piece of
cake....err.... err.....
St. Mary's Loch isn't that far away and is good
to visit. Don't get carried away mind more than
5 minutes looking at the Loch and you're ready
for the off, its the ride that makes it for
us. |
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Saturday
15th April 2006:
John and Stace get together
up North for a Saturday blast. Off to Aberfeldy
with great views and roads. Those cheeky chappies
took the unorthodox way back that included some
off-roading..... Well it wasn't tarmac so that
makes it off road, right ? |
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Saturday
15th April 2006:
Jock's off to the Easter
Egg run In Northumberland where 100's of bikers
gather every year to collect egg's for the kids.
One good thing about the run is the camaraderie
of the riders, no matter what you ride everyone
gets along. No snobbery with the sports bikers
or attitude via the Harley folk, just bikers
getting together. Arrrrhhh.... |
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Friday
14th April 2006: Nice crumpets Queeny...
"Not having the benefit
of any friends what do bikes, I geared up and
blasted off along the 329M towards Reading and
onto the tree-lined hills of Caversham on the
A4074 towards Oxford.
Past the frackin speed cameras, I open up Nell
and we head North to Wallingford....wizz over
to Henley-on-Thames, where I always stop for
a Pimms and a triangular-cut cucumber sandwich
with no crusts. (I'm hairy enough thank you!)
Pick my way through the traffic leaving Henley,
wave at what seems like a million Harley riders,
well it IS warm and dry, then past Maidenhead
and almost at Windsor, then a Small Guinness
in honour of the Queen Mum.
A couple of pictures later it's back past Windsor
Great Park and along Forest Ride and home to
watch 24, have an Easter Egg and a nice brew.
Ahh'...... |
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Winter riding
is shite there's no two ways about it. You can't
chuck your bike around and riding with 3-inch
chicken strips is just embarrassing. But, Spring
is almost here thank God. Dave's VFR is still
loosing it's laqueur like a leprosy patient
with Excema. Yummmmm. |
Scottish
Bike Show - 11th March 2006
In fairness, Steve made the trip from Reading to Newcastle
so we could all go to the show in Edinburgh, so it
was cool when Steve and I decided (when pissed the
night before) to go on the bikes no matter what the
weather was like. BAD IDEA.
Snow, sleet rain and freezing conditions made the
trip to the show a hoot. Got there only to have to
ride over a muddy field to park-up (MCN are wankers)
But the show was good (MCN Forgiven). The ride home
not so cool. Well, very cool in fact; down well below
Zero degrees with the wind chill. Bugger. Drop your
balls in hot fat, stick pins in your eyes, chew glass....all
these things more fun than the ride home. And yes,
Jock stayed in Bamburgh for a party and rode home
the next day in 3" of snow hungover - Mad. Mad
I tell you.... que echo and loud laughter......
Ride out up-dates -
January 2006
We have a couple of ride-outs in 2006, met up with
John at St.Boswells which as fun as we managed to
hog the log fire in the pub and indulge in coffee
and chips ! Pity John got pissed on returning home
to Dundee - typical.
Dave and Jock get together for a few hours on Sunday
21st Jan, round the coast ending in Otterburn for
bacon butties and chips ! Top stuff. We both agree
that dry roads are needed ASAP ! Takes the edge of
it when riding on the slippy shit and the flippin'
road salt doesn’t ease things.
Well, well then. Its been a while, there has been
a couple of ride outs but due to the poor weather
etc., its been hard to get out a good days blast especially
as its gets dark at 3.30pm. However, Jock and Spark
manged an 80-miler on Jocks test Buell Lightning !
Gits.
Ha !
Sunday 3rd December
- CBR Day
Jocks CBR1000 is back on the road after the almost
explosive exit back in the spring. I popped over to
see the BMW garage but of course it was closed, so
down the A19 heading for Whitby. Got whizzed on (bad
rain) so into an American Diner for coffee. Turns
out, Jock is out today (1.30pm by now), so shoot over
to Sparks and after more coffee, off to Otterburn.
Got dark very quick, couldn't see a bloody thing coming
back.
3 weeks ago (remembrance
Sunday)
Dave and Jock managed a trip to Kelso via Cater Bar.
Good day out, little damp / slippy in places but not
bad really. Got stuck at Galashields as the village
ground to a halt with remembrance events, but it was
good to see. Greggs at Kelos serves the worst coffee
this side of equator but a warm drink was welcome.
Head back for more coffee and Mars Bars at the caravan
at Cater Bar - Last time we'll see them until March
as they close for the winter.... Boo....
Get
me out of Fu**ing Newcastle.... Sunday 16th October
2005:
Talk about and early start. 7.20am out of bed on Sunday
morning, (I shit you not) over to Jocks place as he
was replacing my Air Filter. Fairing off, seat off,
petrol tank off - then replace the filter. Bloody
hell. Filter was minging, so pleased it was done cheers
to Geordie.
Off to Kielder, Daves gets a shot of Marks Bike, I
really buy-in to the whole Adventure thing, but not
sure if up-top riding position feels "normal"
!! Then over to Hartside
Café in Alston. Great to have the 3 of
us out again. Got to Kielder for coffee and smokes,
then rode some great roads up to Alston. All was cool
until we returning to my place, I heard clicking sound
from the bike and the speedo started giving me all
kinds of daft speeds. Honesty officer, my speedo said
30mph when I was overtaking that Audi.......
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Got
home, switched the bike off and it wont start
again ! Bloody hell. Good job Jock was still
there so we pushed the bike in to the garage.
So, is it the battery, regulator or starter
motor ? Bollox. Will post findings soon... AH
! the VFR Forum has return some ideas, mainly
the Regulator / Rectifer is shagged, along with
battery - a known issue with VFR's. So, a mere
£130 will sort it, I'll just pull that
out my arse then......
Moments after this pic was taken, the nice red
one wouldn't start... |
The Joining of the few:
John eventually made it down to Newcastle,
met up with Mark, Jock and Me and had a fantastic
day out round the borders. ....A decent lunch was
followed by hitting the twisties round Keilder and
as ever Jock didn't disappoint with this knowledge
of the best roads in Northumberland. All in all a
fab day out and to everyone's surprise we managed
176 miles. Cool. However, John is still not happy
with his Capo, clutch too stiff, too clunky and the
gearbox is shite (sure it's not a Honda then ?)
Thoughts of the mighty GS1200 still hang over John
so it was no real surprise that a few days later,
he has gone a got one !!! Oh yes. BMW dealers have
a knack of knowing just what buttons to press, so
after a 20 min conversation about the BMW ride out
to Tuscany, John was too hooked to put up a fight.
Armed with heated grips, engine bars, and the famous
BMW panniers, John is up for touring Norway, Kazakhstan
and Morocco all by the new year. Delivery is expected
w/c 3rd October.
Return
of the Sunseekers:
For Christ sake. Lovely day, warm, dry roads, set
off to Knowesgate for fuel and it pissed down. Legged
it back towards Morpeth, only to get totally soaked.
The rain was MENTAL ! and with thunder and lightning
(I shit you not), this was a dodgy evening ride out.
Pity as Jock as just fitted a box-o-tricks to his
bike to unrestrict the first 4 gears of his SV, couldn’t
really play with it too much as the rain was sooooo
bad ! Took refuge at Grayson's house for coffee, went
home when it was dryer, but gloves, lid, boots, bike
all soaked. Winner eh ? What is it with us and rain
at the minute ?????
The Sunseekers: Sunday
28th August 2005
Although I left Jock waiting for half and hour, (too
much wine Saturday night) we eventually got to Otterburn
for bacon buns, coffee and bike-talk then decided
to ride to Kielder to see if anyone else was out.
The really, really gusty wind was annoying but but
the cherry had to be the bloody rain. Fab. Soaked
we headed back towards the A68 to Cater Bar, but stopped
in our tracks by the bloody rain once more. So to
the Coast then eh ? Off to Rothbury for coffee, fags
and cake (!), then to Alnmouth through Warkworth and
to Amble for chips. Nice and dry, (but we were still
wet) the sun even came out for 20 minutes too. More
like March, not August Bank Holiday, still, 192 miles
done today.
Off to Windermere in
the lakes ! 21st August 2005
Me and Geordie shot odd through Alston to Hartside
Café (very well know as a biker stop) There
were over 100 bikes there and the atmosphere was really
laid-back. Down through some mad corners into Penrith
then to Windermere. Courtesy of RiDE magazine we went
on are recommended route, but to be blunt the speed
limits killed it. Down to 20mph in places, boo hissss...
Back through Penrith and shot back to Alston again
just in time to beat the light fading at about 9pm.
Dave managed to overcook a couple of corners EAK!
As some of them really do catch you out, but nevertheless
a really good day in the sun. Ahhhhhhhh.
Night riding from Cater
bar: 16th August 2005
Tee hee. Met up with George at Matfen
Hall for a spin to Belsay. From here an evening
ride to Otterburn when we decided to go for Cater
Bar ! Covered in bugs, it was hard to see anything
but that didn’t stop us riding down the twisties
and then back up again ! Home at 10.15pm totally covered
in bugs !!! Good laugh !
Dundee: 13th August
2005
Even though the weather was against me, I decided
still to go as John was looking forward to a visit
to the local pub when I arrived 160 miles later. Met
up with him just before the Forth
Road Bridge and he had just taken delivery of
his almost-new Aprilia
ETV 1000 Caponord ! RESULT !!! Mint condition
we headed to Johns hoose after an hour of tyre kicking
at MacDonalds. Pub, beer, bike talk. Magic. Next day
its off Aberfeldy and a nice Loch (I cant remember
the name of) about 100 miles away, really sunny we
talked bikes and drank coffee until it was time to
go.
Fantastic time, really enjoy the Sunday ride out together
all in all 350 miles in Scotland, making my total
for the weekend 502. TOP. Arrived back in NCL at 10.30pm
ish, really spooky riding through the deserted A68
and countryside at night, but added to that 'endurance'
feel, Class !
Well, no-one was out as I was
at a loose end one night. Right then, off to Whitby
! The A19 is shit, but after half an hour you're on
far better roads over the moors. Arrived for a bag
of chips at the BandStand and chatted to a bunch of
other bikers. Had to be back for 9pm, so I left Whitby
at 8.00pm (!), you do the maths as I arrived home
at 9.06pm. Not bad eh ? Love every minute of it, and
thank god for the big tank on my Viffer. Couldn't
be arsed to stop for fuel coming home ! Summer-night
riding is sooooo good :)
No more ride out for July 2005 as we're off
round Europe.....
Kelso Ride out- 19th
June 2005
Met up at Belsay 12.00 noon for a Sunday blast. All
was well, but far too fu**ing hot. We were all sweating
in our leathers - God knows what Italy will be like....
Good way to lose a couple of stone eh ?
Day went well, up to Jedburgh then to Kelso. Boat
loads of bikes out, Mark and I almost wet our pants
when a bunch of KTM'ers flashed by near Kielder, Jock
was bedding in new tyres, boots and putting his screen
through a test-run for the big trip. Looks like this
is the end of the Ride Outs before we go. Apart from
keying in new tyres and nipping out for a smoke with
the boys, there will be little activity as we're all
working long hours and trying to keep family happy
before we go. Also, Mark and Daves Bikes are due into
M&S on Monday 27th for last minute work, this
SHOULD see us done for
the trip.
Inverness
trip, 706 miles, 2 days, 2 bikes: 4th June 2005
YIKES ! Read about the Inverness
trip by clicking here. Jock and Dave head North
through the Highlands to inverness via Loch Ness
and Ben Nevis. Cool !
Bank Holiday Ride Out
: 30th May 2005
Sunny, dry and warm !! GREAT. Rain on the leg home,
but then then it was too late to spoil the day. Off
through Keilder to Newcastleton, Hot roast beef baguettes
for lunch, then through Cannonbie to Lockerbie, from
here to St.Mary's Loch we all rode thought stunning
scenery, hills, past lakes and some great A-Roads
to open the bikes up. Total bliss.
We ended up slightly north of Jedburgh and rode back
through Carter Bar to stop for coffee and smokes.
Overall, one of the best days out we have had and
with the three of us, only John is missing. Although
Mark was running-in his new bike and with greasy tyres
needing 100 miles to bed in, he did really, really,
well. He is supposed to be the Bike virgin, but nothing
would stop him as he flew through the Scottish countryside.
Saturday Afternoon Ride
Out:13th May 2005
Ahhhhh Sunshine and bikes YUMMIE ! From 2pm 'till
6.30pm, on our favourite ride through Kielder through
the borders to Jedburgh, great day ! We are planning
an overnighter on 28th - 29th May (next weekend) with
the bikes fully loaded as a test run. Should be going
up North but anything is possible !!! Looking at getting
kitted out ASAP, Jock has found good luggage for the
bikes (and cheap) so we'll get loaded up and report
back after the weekender.
Saturday Afternoon Ride
Out: 7th May 2005
Shame Spark couldn't join us but we were given all
kinds of weather on Saturday. Chasing the sun, we
went to Warkworth, Alnmouth and up to Anlwick for
a coffee and a smoke. Arriving in Alnwick rather wet,
a coffee soon warmed us up. A quick shoot over to
Rothbury (stunning scenery) and parked up to help
a GPZ500S with alarm trouble. Unable to assist, we're
off to Scots Gap, back to Geordie's hoose and Iam
off home. A nice easy 85 miles through hail, rain
and glorious sun, very odd day indeed ! Wash the babe,
park her up and a nice content feeling as I lay on
the sofa with a glass of wine....Hummm........ bring
it on.
First wee ride-out with
an extra troop ! 6th May 2005
Met up in Gateshead with Jock and Spark (for the first
time), so it's off to Otterburn. Nice dry ride through
Belsay up past Knowlsgate. Getting a bit windy, but
Spark is holding his own, both Jock and I are impressed
as to how confident the young Jedi is. Until Spark
runs out of petrol. Bloody hell, typical. On to reserve
then back to Knowesgate for juice. Pitty Spark had
no money either ! Is this a sign of future times I
wonder...? Nice time, off to the pub, sweet ! But
joy was short-lived as Spark was in trouble with the
missus so no Saturday or Sunday ride out. Booooooo
not fair !
Ah,
bollox. Sunday 24th April 2005:
Piss. Best sunny day for weeks and I was in the bad
books with the missus. A 4.30am return from the pub
with the boys doesn't help. Bugger. We ran up to Otterburn
for a smoke and coffee, chatted to a couple of other
folk out on their bikes, then home. Both of us were
earning brownie points on Sunday so only about 50
miles done – booooooo.... Also, Geordie is thinking
of buying a BUELL !!!
Last entry for 10 days as I'm off on holiday and George
is away with the wife over the Bank Holiday. Mega
brownie points to both of us ! But no biking. Booo
hissssss. Wait for a monster ride out when we return.
We could always watch Tera Circa for the 5th time
to cheer us up ?
Sunday
'incident' ride out 17th April 2005:
Sunday ride out started with trouble straight away
! Jock was on his CBR 1000 and not the SV for a change,
So off to Knowlsgate for fuel, I arrived at the garage
followed by Geordie 5 seconds later, he was followed
by a Police Bike !!! So much for ‘Eagle eyes
Jock’ eh ? Got a bollocking from the Northumbria’s
finest for 95mph but let off with a hard warning !
Phew.....
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Same
day - Jock's EXPLOSIVE
EXIT >>>> Tail between
our exhausts, set off to Newcastleton. Nice
lunch in the Café on the high street
and set off over the hills. Great views and
cattle grids until we descend into Langholm.
Join the lovely A7 ending up in Kelso. Its getting
on a bit now, about 4pm, so time for the off
to Morpeth, then home. Yeah, right. On route
to Morpeth, Jock rides over a slight hill, I
follow into a cloud of smoke !!! Oh God, that’s
it. Jocks hit on coming traffic, blue smoke
= tyre smoke. He’s dead. |
Apparently not. Smoke was in fact steam ! Looks like
the radiator of the CBR 1000 has gone pop or cylinder
head gasket has blown, either way really, really scary.
Stopped a garage and took the CBR apart, chucked in
Radweld and crawled back to base for 7.30pm. Fun ?
Yep, eventful ? Yep. Do it again ? go on then...
Sunday ride out: 11th
April 2005
Off to Rothbury this time, past Linden Hall. Nice
ride out from there to Alnwick, the scenery was fabulous
! Stopped for a Coffee in Alnwick and then to Amble
market. All in all about 60 miles and with dry roads,
great views and a bit of sunshine, good day had by
all.
Best ride out yet !
Sunday 3th April 2005
The mother of Sunday ride-outs. From Newcastle up
through Ponteland, Belsay and to Otterburn. Cut through
to Kielder and after a stop to chat to other lads
in the Visitor Car Park, its off the the Anglers for
lunch. Stuffed after roast beef, we set off right
through the to top Kielder, in to Scotland. Through
the countryside sheep (!) and then to Newcastleton.
From here Canonbie and the lush A7 to Galashiels for
an ice cream. Top this off with a ride through to
Lauder and then back via Jedburgh and the twisty roads
leading us back into England and back to Belsay. 220
miles later, we’re home and knackered, how the
hell are we going to do 3,000 miles through France
and Italy then? Great day, hard one to beat I think.
Cheers to Jock who knew the best roads for Sunday
riding.
Scottish Motorcycle
Show in Edinburgh: 14 April 2005
And what a show it was ! Dave got to ride the new
VFR800 VTEC courtesy of Honda UK, as well as meeting
with Charlie Boorman from Long Way Round. Brother
John got to play with Goldwings and we were both smitten
with the range of BMW Mototarrd machines too. Perfect
for a trip through Peru in 2007 (!) All the big boys
were there including a Classic Show by Carloe Nash.
Sunday ride out: 11
April 2005
And to think that Jock was busy on Mothers Day so
I buggered off up the A68 to Jedburgh - Magic ! Dry
roads, snow on the hill tops...ahhhh... What a day
to miss guys ! Like being in the Alps 3 months early.
Sunday
ride out: 27 February 2005
Bloody hell it was cold !! Ride
to Belsay, through to the Military Road, then up to
Matfen
Hall's pub, the Keepers Lodge, for the biggest
coffee you've ever seen. Stayed here for an hour to
warm up, then blown to hell by gusty winds back home.
A whole 30 miles if you're lucky.
Pre-Feb
2005 Ride Outs....
I collected
my VFR on Xmas Eve, so really theres been quite a
few 50 milers so-to-speak, just to get used to my
new pride and joy. This website was set-up in January
2005, so you havent missed much !
Back to previous
ride out page
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