Background
The summer of 2007 was the summer of getting a motorcycle licence via a course at Camrider in Sawston and buying a Suzuki Bandit 600 just at the end of the summer. First here's some good biking links, the last one to my travels to date by motorbike, and then the inevitable photographs.
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On the day I passed the test (I failed it first time round) I visited a friend who lent me the Long Way Round documentary. Love 'Ewan and Charlie' or hate them, its hard to ignore them and harder still not to be jealous. | |
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Then there is BMW Motorrad: | |
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The fascinating International Journal of Motorcycle Studies | |
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The lovable Ted Simon rode around the world when he was a journalist in his 40s on a Triumph and, amazingly, a second time at the age of 69 - on a BMW of course. The book of the first trip called Jupiter's Travels is seminal. He also has an interesting website. He also now has a travel writing foundation. | |
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The useful Motorcycle News site, nearly as nice as the newspaper you can drop into your supermarket basket: | |
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Some reviews of motorcycle travel books and DVDs
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My motorcycle travels in Europe |
Here are the photographs
My son, Dante and I.
In May 2008 I bought a Triumph Sprint ST to move me one step closer to my planned journey to Europe later that Summer. Here it is parked next to my nice Bandit which I sold earlier this week. It was sad to see it being ridden off but the Sprint is a real bike - it makes a whirring sound when you turn the ignition on.
In August 2009 I found myself buying the bike I had imagined that I would have to wait for an inheritance before affording. Luckily a cheque from a publisher coincided with the appearance on ebay of a locally placed 1200GS Adventure - with, crucially, a low seat and at an affordable price. Here it is just after I arrived home with the other seat strapped to the back. It needed a new clutch which BMW paid for even though it was out of warranty. In March 2015 I traded it in for...
This, a 2014 R1200GS TE, liquid cooled and super agile and slim compared to Bertha above (you can see her deposited at SBW Motorrad in the background next to the white van). I got £5000 for Bertha which I was pleased with. They are selling it for £7995.