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
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.
Once again it’s Christmas time with GBMCC London’s Xmas Lunch pulling in a house-full of London bikers and our friends. Good to see again rider-friends and followers from my many years of biking. Then on to the RVT (Royal Vauxhall Tavern), which was packed out from the start; the first act of the evening was the Dame Edna Experience.
- GBMCC London Xmas lunch 2022
- GBMCC London Christmas lunch 2018
- GBMCC London Christmas lunch 2017
- GBMCC London Christmas lunch 2016
View over Windermere to the fells
Blencathra (868 m.)
Early ride out from Keswick on a fine November Friday with hardly any traffic, so easy to stop as well as enjoy the route on my Ninja Z250SL. This light bike’s ideal for these roads. Fine clear morning light with a typical November pure blue sky after a cold front had passed over the Lake District. As being well layered up, I took a flask of coffee. When I got back to Keswick the sun was setting on Skiddaw and the chill was coming on fast.
More photos: Ullswater and Kirkstone - Lake District National Park
Riding through the last burst of colours on the trees and vines as the autumn closes down. The autumn air is so clear I was able to make out the Cévennes and Ventoux to the west and the Écrins to the north. The sky was clear over the canyon but the storm at the weekend had closed the South Rim Road with a rock fall (as last year). Access was possible to the gorges for the 14 km in from Aiguines, but not a through route and I saw just a pair of scooters and one cyclist in the hour and a half or so I was in the canyon!
Just can’t beat riding a sportsbike in Provence on clear, dry roads as here, and let alone the scenery and fantastic food.
This was pretty good fun, the R3 is the smallest of Yamaha’s sportsbike range but it can be “raced up” to something similar to the spec of a Moto3 GP bike, there’s also a GYTR race kit. It’s a twin cylinder engine with a rev red line up at 14,000 rpm. I found it handles like a scooter getting out of the dealer’s lot, the riding position is about the lowest of any sportsbike I can remember riding, including my Ninja Z250SL. It’s not a problem to manoeuvre to fill with petrol or to park, the weight overall is just 169kg and the centre of gravity is low.
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.
