Just down the road from here
in lovely countryside,
I came across
www.classicbikecamping.com
Nice caampsite in the Charente,
with specialist services for classic bikes
including breakdown recovery!
If youre palnning a camping trip
in Southwest france
Check them out;
it seems they welcome clubs too 
Just back from a lovely day out on the trail.
4 hours in the saddle.
Braving clouds of insects,
python sized brambles tearing at your flesh
30 degree C,
strength sapping heat
Its a world far removed
from the safety of your office seat
-but someone has to do it!
Lovely new trails around home
-in the Rochechouart area.
As usual-never saw a soul.
His and Hers.
600 and 400 FZR YAMAHAS
Anns a 1988 FZR 400 SP-limited edition,
racer from a crate 400.
Loads of special parts
-close ratio box,
alloy frame,
super brakes,
exotic metals;
Mine is a 1992 standard 600FZR,
well maintained and in super condition.
-one lady owner from new.
Despite an horrendous 2 day journey to fetch her from Alsace
on the German border
-I am well satisfied with the bike.
It should make a useful trackday tool
and is nice for a blast on a sunny day.
Incidentally,many thanks to all you bloggers out there
-the next few days
will see me break the 2000 visitor marK;
I must be saying something of interest,to someone.
I found this old photo-
Ann and son John, aged 5 and a Honda CX 500/Squire outfit circa 1986.
Where do the years go?
BE QUICK!
Entries are still available for a trackday,3rd October at val de Vienne.
90 euros for 6 sessions of 20 minutes.
Driving licence,Insurance and log book
Hat, leathers, gloves,boots AND back protector
OBLIGATOIRE!
I,m signed up
See you there?
I found some pictures of the 1980 Powys for you.
I rode the clubman class on my PE400 Suzuki.
Heres the start
at the Laura Ashley factory carpark at Carno.
A very sturdy bike that required a “firm hand”
ie-You had to thrash it like a 125!
I recall the event was very sunny and pleasant,
quite dry
except for the “killer bog”
near the finish at Carno .
I think I was more or less on schedule up to that point
and then lost 10 or 15 minutes
(plus the equivalent weight in sweat)
extricating myself from the gloop!
Beautiful scenery and a well run event
-is it still going?
WE bought the GasGas Pampera 125 in January 08
a good beginners bike for my wife Ann
to improve her offroad skills
The new 125 Pampera sold in Europe
is a 4 stroke air cooled single.
The old Pampera was a 2 stroke.
Low in height and power,
it was a favourite with the ladies
and the “vertically challenged”
The new motor is different though.;
aimed at the teenage market
it is in effect a full sized bike.
The motor is a Kymco supplied copy
of a 125 Yamaha engine.
She produces a lovely soft spread of power
-very confidance inspiring
for the less experienced offroad rider.
The forks are Marzocchis,
the rear shock a gas filled showa.
Lovely detail touches,
great brakes,
VERY VERY light in weight.
A real bargain at 2200 euros brand new.
The only problem is the height of the saddle.
I removed the shock(simple-2 bolts)
substituted a piece of wood,
predrilled with holes at 1 cm increments.
Reinserting the shock bolts
-in effect turned the piece of wood into the shock absorber.
I got Ann to sit on the bike
and decide the optimal ride height.
I marked the relevant hole,
removed the piece of wood,
measured the new length against the shock length;
Disassembled the shock,spring body etc
and cut off the bottom boss.
I shortened the rod by 1 cm
and welded the boss back on to the shaft.
I reassembled the shock and refitted it to the bike.
VOILA-seat height now 80cms,
a reduction of 5 cms in ride height!
(In Imperial-half inch reduction of shock length
produced a two and a half reduction in seat height.)
The lady can now get both feet on the ground
and all fears of toppling over are gone.
A job well done.
Now thats ridiculous!
“15stone man abuses Honda RS125 at Cadwell trackday “
Still went well though…..
Again,I found these photos in my gunny sack!
Since I was on my PE400 Suzuki,
I presume the year must be around 1980?
I remember being a marshall(official)
and being VERY impressed by Geraint Jones
a perfect gentleman
-no heirs and graces,
always ready to give advice to the mere mortals
rather than his God-like crew!
The other revelation was the Legendary
Arthur Browning
and his titanic struggle on board a sponsored Yamaha TT600
-”Boys Own” stuff indeed!
A “Classic” event
fantastic “savage” scenery
-traditionally a 3 day “Trial”
the Welsh always attracts a multinational entry.
The large scale loops
-60, miles plus
-are an increasingly rare commodity
as the PC brigade continues to deny motorcyclists
(or any other group
that doesnt conform to to the “Sunday Times”
stereotypical lifestyle group)
the right to exercise their legal rights……….
DONT GET ME GOING……..
ANYWAY
Its a great celebration of Enduro folk past and present
and long may it continue!
I,ve always liked Boxer BMWs.
If you want to travel in comfort
with little effort
-the flat twin takes some beating.
I once test rode an RS100
from Rainbow BMW Sheffield.
I set off for a quick spin at 2,00,pm
got carried away,loving it,
-ended up in Cleethorpes
Got back to the shop at 6.00 pm
just as they were shutting
-OOPS SORRY
When a friend told me about a police disposal sale of BMWs
(and a couple of Norton Rotaries)
curiosity was heightened.
The sale was held in a special evening event
at National Car Auctions in Stoke on Trent.
The punters stood on the “terraces” facing the auctioneers podium
and the bikes were wheeled in for display
in between.the 2 parties.
Prices were rumoured to be very reasonable
and there was a LOT of interest.
I ended up right at the back on the top row
-barely able to see the “salesfloor”
The auction started
and prices were definitely NOT “reasonable”
-they were scandalous.
Added to which it seemed that the bikes were grouped together
-purchasing one, gave the buyer
an option on several others at the same price!
“Sold to Mottingham Motorcycles
-3 more lots at the same price?
Yes?
Thankyou
-Next lot is………”
There was nothing to buy!
Interest waned along with concentration.
On the way back to the terraces with a cup of plastic tea,
(out of sight of the sales floor I heard
…… £600,any more?”
The bargain of the night!
I bid upto £800 and got it.
Paid my money and went to look at the new bike.
OH MY GOD!!!
No screen,broken fairing,
label attached to handlebar
”non runner,left cylinder US”
By not paying attention
I,d bought a wreck.
(heres what it should have looked lik!)
I collected the bike the following morning
and trailered it home.
To top it all
when I took the BMW off the trailer
I noticed a large hole in the sump!
6 months later the BMW was back on the road.
The only real problem
had been a cylinder locating stud
that had stripped its thread;
A friend helicoiled the block -job done;
The broken sump had belonged to another BMW.
I located the police garage where the bikes were serviced
-mine had been cannibalised for spares.
I spent £200 on spares from Motospares in Yorkshire
-including Krauser panniers;
I got an R80RT “civilian” dualseat.
The bodywork was sprayed
a Mercedes metallic gold colour
(more of a sandy beige)
heres a picture of a similar R80RT
-different colour otherwise the same
I put about 500 miles on it.
Still running a bit rough,
I rode it to Tiggsys(Nigel Hammersley)garage
for him to have a look at it;
“these bikes generally run better
when theyve got slides in the carburettors!”
(Ive paraphrased his actual words
-the original wouldt pass the censor,
as anyone who knows Nigel
and his use of the vernacular would testify).
Incredible!
Their reliability legendary,
I,d covered 500 miles on one cylinder!
1978 BT
(before Thatcher)
-can you imagine…….
Trevor Lyons,my biking buddy, and I,
had had a dalliance with,
scrambling-a young mans sport,
trials-an old mans sport
-NO
the future was
ENDURO!!
We went to weigh the job up at the Tour of Wales 1978;
Easy stuff this!
Park the car where the course met the road,
watch the competitors leave the forest
and drive down the tarmac………..How hard can this Be?
LOOK-heres a CZ250 outfit for goodness sake……
Of course ,you dont see the bottomless bogs,
the unclimbable hills,
the blood ,sweat and tears
of a traditional Welsh enduro-good job really!
No one would enter!
Whilst following the event round the course,
we stopped at a fuelling spot,
by a river,
between Corwen and Bala;
There was a car park by a river,
filled with vans,trailers and bikes ,
stopping to refuel between checks.
Suddenly a bike burst into flames…
Its neighbour caught fire…
Both bikes were chucked into the river
to douse the flames-riders ditto.
The fuel can adjoining the first bike was now on fire
-flames 6 feet high,
the Ford Capri adjacent
-the driver panicked,
reversed,tyres spinning,
Starskey and Hutch style(remember this was 1978!),
hit the flaming jerrycan which then ignited the adjacent Ford Transit van,
which in 2 minutes was reduced to a smouldering crisp!
All this action took place within a couple of minutes
on a quiet Sunday in the middle of Wales.
No fire extinguishers.
No emergency services.
No thought for the Aticulated lorry parked 40 yards away from the fire,
probably 1000 litres of fuel on board………..
Better than “Casualty”-how we chuckled!
WE did the next few “Tours” and jolly good they were too.
Great scenery.
60 mile laps,
the Berwyns crossing,SENSATIONAL!
-the true meaning of negative camber!
Does the event still run?
I,d like to know.
