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Category: Tourism & Travel
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The wealthy love their toys and the creativity of some leads to some incredible innovations in the recreational industries. Even during the pandemic and increased emissions regulations, motorcycle sales were staggering at times posting double-digit percentage growth over the previous year. Boat sales also followed this trend where sales dropped in March 2020 when COVID restrictions hit, but rebounded to post one of the best years ever. Without the ability to seriously travel, people either hit the road on their bikes or took to the water for enjoyment. 
For yacht owners, cruising from South Florida to the Northeast is an annual migration that happens in early summer with destinations like the Hamptons or Newport, Rhode Island. Others spend the year island-hopping through the Caribbean, moving from marina to marina with family and friends in tow.
For motorcycle owners that are part of this yearly, seasonal activity, this presents a challenge as to how to bring your bike with you during your on-water adventure. Many yachts have large spaces near the transom of the boat, but these are often devoted to an extra cabin for crew, water toys, or storage. While most are large enough for a motorcycle, getting one down to the swim platform creates too many challenges.
One custom motorcycle builder has gone above and beyond to create a solution for one of their clients. The “Lauge Jensen Tender” is a safe and elegant way to store and transport your motorcycle while cruising on your boat, assuming its got a large enough deck to handle it. Many motor yacht have large cockpits and decks that stretch 18 feet wide or more making it possible to install this portable garage.
A mechanical arm, similar to what is used to put a yacht tender into the water, actually unloads the motorcycle right from your boat, to the dock. And away you go! 
Another major British boat builder, Princess Yachts, employed a company called CJR Fabrication to develop a Motorcycle Display Unit, or MDU for short, for their 30-Meter Superyacht. The MDU was constructed of stainless-steel and toughened glass, but also was designed to be aesthetically pleasing as well. To suit the look of the Princess 30M, CJR mirror-polished the metal structure, as well as painted some of it with a white gel finish to match the color of the fiberglass on the yacht.
This particular yacht owner wished to continue riding his new Lauge Jensen Viking custom motorcycle as he traveled abroad. Another requirements included the need to be able to see the motorcycle at all times. The MDU was placed on the forward deck of the boat with the three toughened glass panels facing out, so all could easily see the bike.
No matter what the obstacles may be between you and the road, with enough creativity, ingenuity, and resources, anything is possible.
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See below more details of the address for each place voted for*, A-Z below, in smaller sections -
A - D
Blu-Belles Cafe, OX9 2NU
Cafe 33, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9XX
Custom Cafe, Pevensey Levels National Park, TN39 4QR
Devils Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth, Cumbria, LA6 2SE
E - M
Faun Cafe, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 5TL
Filling Station Cafe, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5PR
Gilks Garage Cafe, Kineton, Warwick, CV35 0JP
Headlands, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, YO15 1AR
H’s Cafe, Kent Motorcycles, Barnham, Canterbury, CT4 6SA
H-Cafe Berinsfield, Wallingford, Oxford, OX10 7LY
Hot Tram Roll, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5DF
Krazy Horse, Bury Saint Edmunds, IP32 6LJ
Loomies, West Meon, GU32 1JX
Mavericks, Mostyn, Holywell CH8 9DQ Nell's Cafe, Watling Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 5UD
O -S
Salt & Pepper Cafe, Newcastle, NE4 6AD
Seaways, Fridaythorpe, Driffield, YO25 9RX
Strawberry Fields Café, Crockey Hill, York YO19 4RH
Super Sausage Cafe, Northamptonshire, NN12 7QD
T - Z
Tattershall picnic site, Lincoln, LN4 4JG
The Bike Shed, Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9LT
The Green Welly Stop, Tyndrum, Perthshire, FK20 8RY
The Haven, Firsdown, Salisbury, SP5 1SP
The Nook, Alston CA9 3BG
The PitStop Diner, Stockton-on-Tees Durham, TS18 3TG
The Old Stores Motorbike Cafe, Pontblyddyn, CH7 4HR
Union Road Moto-Velo, Devon, EX17 3AL
Whistlestop Cafe, Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, LL18 5UZ
Yonderman Cafe, Wardlow, High Peak, SK17 8RW
*From the details we have on our systems.
Vote for your favourite Biker Friendly Cafe in the UK!
We have seen lots of new Biker Friendly Cafes opening in 2021 and becoming popular with visitors to the website and facebook group members, so we have decided to once again hold this poll.
To cast your vote simply go to our facebook group as -
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Sweden is one of the most picturesque countries in Europe for a motorcycle tour, due to the wide, open roads and stunning scenery. As an adventure motorcyclist, you'll be treated to a range of landscapes, depending on which area you tour. Choose the Dalarna country in central Sweden and you'll be charmed by traditional red cottages surrounded by gorgeous lakes and mountains. Tandövala's ancient pine forest will remind you of a Lord of the Rings novel! If you opt for a trip in the south-west, you can visit the stunning nature reserve Bohuslän — an area famous among locals for its delicious prawns and granite cliffs. 
Where to eat when you're touring
There's a meal to suit every taste in Sweden's many eateries. Traditional Swedish meals enter the realm of fusion cuisine where old meets new. Delicious wild meats are cooked in berries, 'ripa', a white fish, is cooked in many creative ways in the Summer.
Some beautiful, lesser-known towns in Sweden
Jokkmokk's a tiny town in Northern Sweden and Lapland. In summer, it's ablaze with the midnight sun and in winter it's a magical, snowy place where you can almost hear the reindeer bells jangling. Grundsund is a charming town on the west coast of Sweden. Here you'll find a traditional fishing village and all the delicious fresh fish you could ask for. Multicoloured houses contrast with the blue sea to create a postcard-esque picture. If you crave a city but don't want the hustle and bustle of the bigger ones, try Västerå. Built on the shores of Lake Mälaren in central Sweden, its medieval charms will wow you.
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Motorcycle road trips are memorable experiences, but any great adventure needs a good soundtrack. You want music that will heighten your sense of adventure, evoke powerful memories and fit seamlessly with life on the road. That’s why we’ve assembled our comprehensive list of the best songs and riding playlists for motorcycle road trips to help you make the most of your experience.
1. “Motorcycle Mama”
Neil Young’s laid-back cruising song from the 1978 album, Comes a Time, is perfect for those long highway touring days. Neil Young and Nicolette Larson sing together about love, lust and trouble–all timeless themes for all motorcyclists.
2. “Smoke on the Water”
The guitar riff, the angsty lyrics–all of the details of Deep Purple’s 1971 classic tune–evoke the free-wheeling spirit of motorcyclists everywhere.
3. “Born to Be Wild”
It’d be impossible not to include this song on a motorcycle road trip list. Steppenwolf delivers the ultimate, rebellious biker song that captures the thrill of the open road.
4.” Ezy Ryder”
Another 1971 classic, “Ezy Ryder” by Jimi Hendrix evokes an era of crazy hippies while also creating something altogether timeless. The lyrics say it all:
“There goes Ezy, Ezy Ryder
riding down the highway of desire
he says the free wind takes him higher
tryin' to find his heaven above”
As far as motorcycle lyrics go, it doesn’t get much better than that. The Hendrix guitar doesn’t hurt, either.
5. “Midnight Rider”
The Allman Brothers are an American treasure. This 1970s song strikes all the right chords. The lyrics evoke freedom, the highway, poverty, evasion and the life of a nomad. The guitar bridges and sweet, haunting high notes of the guitar riffs coupled with the steady beat of the drums conjure up life on the road.
6. “The Ballad of Easy Rider”
The Byrds’ “The Ballad of Easy Rider” is all about the flow of the ride and following the flow of life. It’s spiritual, it’s earthy and it touches on timeless themes of freedom, desire and the beauty of the natural world. Play this while you’re riding down country roads, and you might just find yourself someplace like heaven.
7. “Bat Out of Hell”
With this ten-minute masterpiece, Jim Steinman made the ultimate teenage tragedy anthem. Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman take this song from the end of the road, over the barricade and all the way to the watery depths of the ocean.
Making Your Playlist
When it comes to crafting the perfect riding playlist, you obviously need more than seven songs. We’ve provided these incredible songs to get you started and to give you an idea of how to cultivate the atmosphere you need and want while riding. However, there’s much more to it than that.
Maybe you want to have one massive playlist where you put any and all your songs for riding, but we recommend that you build playlists based on themes. That way, you know exactly what playlist to go to, regardless of mood and landscape.
Choosing Your Themes
Choose playlist themes that will work well with the landscapes you’ll be encountering over the course of your different rides. For instance, cruising along a highway out West evokes a very different mood from the back roads of the Northeastern states. Seaside Southern roads are different still and twisting mountain roads have a character all their own.
Build playlists that reflect the mood you want to cultivate while riding through these different terrains. Choose songs that evoke the hard-driving, amped-up freedom you love, or choose songs that fit seamlessly with laid-back, open-sky tours.
Ideas for Themes
Here are some ideas for perfect motorcycle playlist themes that can keep you going on all roads and in all weather.
* Chilled-out cruising
For this theme, choose songs with a steady, calm beat, well-crafted melodies and poetic lyrics. Neil Young’s “Motorcycle Mama” or almost anything by The Eagles is an ideal song choice.
* Rebel freedom
“Smoke on the Water,” “Bat Out of Hell” and anything punk or metal fit this playlist theme perfectly. Get your adrenaline going and enjoy the rush of life on the road.
* Country roads
If you’re in mountain country, why not enjoy a little John Denver, Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks or Emmylou Harris? Ride to the beat of down-home classics and enjoy the nostalgia of country music.
* ’90s teen spirit
This list has been ’70s-centric, but who doesn’t love a little bit of ’90s angst? Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Incubus, Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin and Chris Cornell all make excellent additions to a ’90s throwback.
* Hippie riders
If you want to get in touch with your inner slow-riding hippie, make a playlist centered on the acoustic classics: Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Paul Simon and Joan Baez all bring back some stripped-down hippie blues.
Download Your Playlists
If you need your tunes to keep you going through the backroads where you might lose signal, remember to download your playlists to your listening device. This can help keep you motivated even in the absence of cellular service.
Add to Your Playlists as You Go
Part of the beauty of playlists is that you can add to them as you go–add songs that your buddies recommend and create a time capsule of memories. The more you build and ride to your playlists, the more memories you’ll have associated with the songs and the themes you’ve chosen. Some things just get better with time, and the best riding playlists definitely fall into that category.
The Takeaway
Whether you enjoy chilled-out cruising tunes or amped-up Rock ‘n’ Roll, there’s something here for every rider.
Enjoy your ride, make those memories and savor the moments and the friendships along the way. The road is calling, and these songs can help you enjoy the journey.
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The UK is blessed with some fine roads that are perfect for bikers, and they are also lucky that there are many friendly bunkhouses and hotels. The list of biker friendly pubs is not too shabby either. Sometimes though, it is nice to know that there might be some other entertainment available on a trip.
The last year saw many travel restrictions that curtailed long journeys, or even unnecessary short ones. So, it seems that now restrictions are loosening and the lockdowns are once again over, it might be time to get back on the road if you haven’t already.
Here are some ideas for destinations, some of the roads are included but of course, half the fun is making up your own route.
Choosing a destination for a bike trip
For some, the journey is everything, but for others, the destination is of as much importance too. One of the most enjoyable things about travelling around the UK is that there is something for everyone.
Some people enjoy travelling between the big cities, while others prefer the country roads, discovering new areas, making new friends in out-of-the-way pubs and/or head to Wales to the Snowdonia National Park.
Not too far from Snowdonia is Wales’ highest pub, the Sportsman’s Arms, in Denbigh by the moors. This is the fun of choosing destinations for a bike trip, as long as time allows, you can just keep adding more on.
Cat and Fiddle / Forest Distillery 
While on the subject of the highest pubs, the Cat and Fiddle was built in what is now the Peak District National Park back in 1813. It was the second-highest pub in the UK, and now has the honour of being the highest distillery instead.
The A537, or Cat and Fiddle Road, will take you from Macclesfield to Buxton and has been a popular route for bikers for years.
Brighton & Hove
It is nearly sixty years since the Mods and Rockers met and clashed in Brighton. Now it has been joined to Hove and been named as a city. While many of the roads around the seafront and centre are becoming pedestrianised, the place is still worth a bike trip.
Brighton itself is home to the British Airways i360 observation tower, the Royal Pavilion, and of course, Brighton Pier. No trip to the city is complete without a stroll down the pier, a bag of chips, and a few quid in the arcade.
The north and south Lanes offer the chance to amble around window shopping before stumbling on one great pub after another. When it comes to eating, there is no end of choice, and no one could fail to find something they like.
The Game of Thrones
This trip doesn’t technically involve any entertainment destinations, more it happens to visit several sites that were used in the filming of the Game of Thrones TV show.
For any serious fans of the books and show, and those who also enjoy stunning scenery, then the Antrim Coast Road in Northern Ireland is a must.
Traveling from Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway means taking in a wonderful route. Along the route, you can visit sites such as Dunluce Castle. Before you head off, download the app from the Official Northern Island tourism website. This will show all the Game of Thrones filming locations along the Causeway coast.
Summary
There are far more worthy destinations in the UK than could fit into this article. For those who love a bit of seaside and kitsch, then Blackpool might be for you. For others, Edinburgh can offer culture and some fine modern restaurants.
Head through the home counties and take in towns like Marlow and Henley-on-Thames. There are fine pubs along the Thames and plenty of sightseeing to do.
Or, now the weather is here perhaps a longer trip is due. Head to Cornwall for a few days of biking between towns and discover beaches, coastal paths, and great sights such as Minack Theatre, and Padstow Harbour.
article supplied by Dennis Hamming - SERPTrust - Unpaid for
Sent article for publishing - did not pay, then Sent abusive messages, very unprofessional and dishonest - avoid www.serptrust.io
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