Category: Tourism & Travel

1. Have motorbike - will travel...

   Posted on 10:00am Sunday 20th Nov 2016

   I set off from Barnstaple at 1:00pm on Friday heading to Glasgow and arrived at 11:30pm.
   
   Set off from Glasgow at 8:20am on the Saturday morning and arrived at John O'Groats at 9:30pm Saturday.
   
   On the Sunday morning after a photo shoot at the John O'Groats sign I left at 9:30am and arrived home in Barnstaple at 2:30am on the Monday morning. That was 17 hours with only comfort breaks.
   
   Why?!?!
   
   Because it was there.
   
   Marc Kent
   
   

   

    

2. Countryside Holidays in France - it has been an amazing year, helped by the sidecars and dogs…

   Posted on 12:00pm Saturday 5th Nov 2016

   Very few people these days have seen a sidecar close up, let alone had the opportunity to ride them, especially along dirt roads!  
   
   I think I have the largest collection of sidecars in central Brittany and have even made a little museum for them.
   
   Many Bikers have ridden them when staying with us, including one lady who has spent a lifetime riding pillion, far and wide with her husband (even up to the arctic circle) and had never ridden a bike herself.

   With a little persuasion and help, she rode the Russian outfit - The joy on her face was a picture and she was almost in tears and said she never thought she would be able to do something like that.

   
   
   The pictures of the guys and gals on the sidecars in the bike shed are of Bikers all from Derbyshire.

   

   Sidecar coming through the trees of two brothers
   
   We all had some terrific times.
   
   Rog @ Countryside Holidays in France

   www.countrysideholidaysinfrance.co.uk
   
   

   See them on THE BIKER GUIDE here 

3. Excellent motorcycle packing from Ray F Walton

   Posted on 2:00pm Friday 4th Nov 2016

   "Just packed the Wing ready for a Dads and Lads Big Adventure to Spain. I do like to travel light!"
   
   

   

   1 Kuryakyn Trunk Lid Organizer Bag and The Wolfman Tool Roll*
   2 Honda waterproof jacket
   3 Another Honda waterproof jacket (packed inside its own pocket)
   4 First Aid kit
   5 4.5 litre Petrol Can
   6 THE BIKER GUIDE booklet
   7 SealSkinz Winter gloves, plus a thermal neck tube
   8 SealSkinz waterproof gloves plus fleece neck tube
   9 Bivi Bag - for sleeping in on floor at side of bike if it rains (hopefully not needed)
   10 Passport, AA roadside, log book, insurance documents, E111, travel insurance (all in plastic covering)
   11 GP PowerBank for charging mobile and iPad
   12 Contour helmet camera
   13 Stop and Go Pocket Tyre Plugger
   14 Neck tube
   15 Micro 35 litre rucksack
   16 Motorbike cover - faded and still does a great job
   17 VW Compressor (Fantastic bit of kit)
   18 Water bottle
   19 Warning triangle

   
   * Inside includes fuses, sockets, cable ties and heavy duty tape wrapped around a pencil sharpened at both ends. Also a selection of pain killers, Gaviscon, ear plugs, mosquito repellent, face wipes and tissues. USB car socket adaptor, pens, head torch, Leatherman Pro Multi tool AND two plastic pegs for ferry and tunnel tickets.

   THE BIKER GUIDE would like to thank Ray for this excellent picture and very detailed list of items inside.  

4. Hapless Biker’ Donates Royalties to Blood Bike Charity

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 1st Nov 2016

   Kevin Turner, author of the Hapless Biker series of travel books, will be donating his royalties to Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes (SSBB), his local group of life-saving riders, for all book sales from 1st November 2016 to 30th April 2017. Kevin’s publisher, Veloce Publishing, will match the author’s sales royalties, essentially doubling Kevin’s donation.  

   Kevin’s books, Bonjour! Is This Italy? and From Crystal Palace to Red Square tell of his adventures throughout Europe, Scandinavia and into Russia, first riding a Suzuki SV650S and then on his ’02 Kawasaki Ninja.

   Explaining why he’d chosen to donate to this worthwhile cause, Kevin said: “I really wanted to do a charity ride or a sponsored adventure, but I have twin boys that have just turned two and finding time for a big ride was out of the question. But I realised I could essentially recycle my past journeys in the sense of donating the sales from my books; it’s not quite as exciting as getting out on the road but at the end of the day, it’s about supporting my local Blood Bikers, not going on holiday.”

   SSBB is a volunteer service, providing emergency transportation of blood products, for free, to NHS hospitals across Shropshire, Staffordshire and South Cheshire. 

   Nigel Howells, Fleet Manager at SSBB said: “Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes rely on donations to maintain our machines and support our riders. Our riders embark on mini-adventures every time they head off on a potentially life-saving journey; although we like to think we’re a little better prepared than Kevin seems to be! We’re delighted to accept this donation; we’re sure readers will enjoy Kevin’s entertaining books while at the same time supporting our life-saving work.”

   If you’d like to support Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes and enjoy a good read in the process, Kevin’s books and e-books, Bonjour! Is This Italy? and From Crystal Palace to Red Square are available to buy from Amazon.

   You can find more information about them on Kevin’s website.

   www.haplessbiker.com

     

5. London ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone)

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 30th Oct 2016

   Like and enjoy motors? Bike or Car, this will directly affect you! As well as motorcycling’s future freedom on a wider scale.
   
   The TFL (Transport for London) ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) proposals for motor vehicles are out for consultation only through to 16.12.16 and, at present, the official literature from the TFL/Mayor of London’s office appears to be at least contradictory and it does not make clear whether or not motorbikes will be exempt from the forthcoming proposed ULEZ emissions charging.
   
   The TFL info shown here all appears very complicated. See here 
   
   Read it and you will see that some areas of the document state that motorbikes will be exempt, but in other places on the same page it says exactly the opposite.
   
   Proposals shown in the document include that vehicles (cars and bikes) of 40 years or older (rolling, with the road tax), will be ULEZ exempt, but this is not set in stone – do you trust the powers that be not to renege on it?
   
   Anyway, that stated by TFL does not appear to help anyone who rides a bike built between the mid-1970s and 2008!
   
   As the ULEZ proposals may come into force as early as October 2017, it is a very serious business and could have grave and far reaching consequences for all motor fans, and bikers in particular, unless you act now
   
   To state your views go here
   
   Let them know your view, they act for you. 
   
   www.mag-uk.org
   
   www.bmf.co.uk

   www.fbhvc.co.uk