Motorbiking
"Biker" for me usually means motorbiking, though I also have a Marin mountain-bike...
My current motorbikes are a Honda CBR600RR ABS 2017 and a Kawasaki Ninja Z250SL.
Previously I have owned: Honda CRF300 Rally, Honda CBR600RR 2005, Honda CBR600FW, Honda VF750F, Yamaha FJ600, Suzuki GSX750EX, Yamaha FJ750, Yamaha XJ900, Kawasaki Z750 and I passed my riding test on my Kawasaki KH250.
See also my Motorbiking web links
Short ride out to Maryport in Cumbria to see the hills of Galloway across the Solway Firth. A balmy +9°C in the sunshine and out of the low cloud clinging to the Lakeland Fells. A seize-the-moment ride, heavy frost is forecast.
Sitting on a ZXR750 from the 90s on show in Carlisle for Kawasaki’s Ninja 40th anniversary events. Still love the winning colour scheme of green/white/blue. Track versions won many World Superbike races and the 1993 WSB title, piloted by Scott Russell.
Afternoon session on the very technical south side of the Col de l’Espigoulier (723 m.). Running in the new helmet and new gloves, these now including scaphoid protection.
Talked with a couple of local bikers also out enjoying riding in the 18‘C sunshine.
Bit of a view from the col on the north side (728 m.) of much rougher weather to the north of Mont Sainte-Victoire.
AGAT rules as usual, all the protection gear including the stuff you don’t see: back protector, earplugs etc. Helps get in the zone.
End of year lunch with the French bike club AMA getting together in the deepest Camargue; friends coming in from Nîmes to Nice, enjoying the Camargue wildlife on the way: flamingos, herons, black bulls and white horses, and all in very fringe 4G coverage. But for a fantastic traditional meal of Provencal specialities with a wood fire burning bright in the corner of the old barn that’s now a family-run restaurant.
Out and back to Puyloubier on the twisty route to the vineyards under the limestone crags of Mont Sainte Victoire. Wonderful Provence countryside making wonderful wine. Still the remains of the morning mist and a bit fresher than anticipated, this ride out from Marseille was to check out my new helmet. Now the second Saturday in December, the ski pistes are now open not far away in the Alps so even getting out for a ride at all was good going.
Subcategories
Alps Biker 2016
I'm riding light for a week on the mountain roads of the Alps. No laptop, although I do have my SLR camera but photos will have to wait till I'm back in Marseille..
I left Marseille for a long ride north via the Col de la Croix Haute (1179 m.) to Saint-Gervais under Mont Blanc. A bit of rain towards the end of the day which cleaned the Provence dust off my white leathers and boots but didn't soak me through.
