Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Glawster on May 02, 2019, 11:56:57 AM
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I had a surprise visitor rock up at my place this afternoon. Fresh off a flight from Australia, then over to Felixstowe to find his Norge, his first call was to view the V85TT in Aylesbury, then he added a loop on to Cheltenham. We had a very entertaining hour putting the world to rights before he was off again to meet friends in Surrey, despite the near biblical downpour. Good luck for the European trip Pete and hope to see you again before your return. Cheers, Derek
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32814322917_1a4d50de93_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RZFYYe)DSC_1090 (https://flic.kr/p/RZFYYe) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32814320027_f111aac119_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RZFY7p)DSC_1094 (https://flic.kr/p/RZFY7p) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32814317767_e573524390_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RZFXrr)DSC_1085 (https://flic.kr/p/RZFXrr) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46968574114_38e688587b_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2eysdHY)DSC_1095 (https://flic.kr/p/2eysdHY) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
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following the epic journey......
Mark
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Nice to see another Norge rider who appreciates stickers!!
Enjoy another fabulous trip!
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Have fun Peter :thumb:
Oh , we are gonna make this *the official Huzo travels around and spreads cheer* thread :grin:
Dusty
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Have fun Peter :thumb:
Oh , we are gonna make this *the official Huzo travels around and spreads cheer* thread :grin:
Dusty
Who knew that Santa rides a Red Norge!!
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:thumb:
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Stay safe my friend and keep pictures coming on a regular basis.
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Noting Huzo’s non-EU license plate I’d be interested in where he buys his ‘green card’ liability insurance for European roads.
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Thanks Derek and company.
Sorry that I forgot to ring Derek, upon getting to London as I said I would..
No excuses.
The rain was diabolically intense at some points, but clearly survivable. I am in London as mentioned and have been invited to attend a rally with Paul and Serena somewhere around Lincolnshire or something on the weekend. The old red rattler clicked over 162,000 as I rolled into Paul’s place and the old thing still feels sweet.
Monday I’ll be off to Paris to pay a visit then up to Amsterdam I think, (no not THAT)... :embarrassed: :rolleyes:
My Tom Tom could do with a software upgrade and a screen replacement, given that the HQ of the whole shooting match is there, I’ll have a crack at attending to those little matters.
From there it’ll be on to Tilburg and Appeldorn then off to the Black Sea via whatever exists between the two.
From there down to Turkey and onwards.
Today was fun checking out the V85.
Even though it was one of the Ronald Mc Donald signature series examples, I reckon once I get mine home I’ll be happy with it.
The only criticism of note that I have is the bash plate, I thought it might have been a bit on the frail side and appeared a fraction under engineered, but will suffice...(initially)
Also could probably do with a black rear hugger, I’m a fan of those.
Some big shoes to fill though as an adjunct to the Norge.
(https://i.ibb.co/TM9sGNc/277-A85-AC-438-D-46-AF-B81-B-1799-FA7-D23-C1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TM9sGNc)
Time will as usual, answer all questions..
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Noting Huzo’s non-EU license plate I’d be interested in where he buys his ‘green card’ liability insurance for European roads.
Tourinsure Germany.
All done over the phone and the documents are sent to the collection warehouse.
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You are inspiring!
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Thanks for that, it’s definitely worth comparing. I’ve been using Mototouring in Milano since ADAC (the German auto club) stopped selling highly subsidized short term coverage a few years ago.
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Have fun Peter :thumb:
Oh , we are gonna make this *the official Huzo travels around and spreads cheer* thread :grin:
Dusty
Much appreciated Dusty.
(Very much actually...)
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When visiting Amsterdam you mite do a little WINDOW SHOPPING for ol-FUBAR :evil: Gee I love that place :thumb:
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Ride safe Peter and report often.
Enjoy your trip. :thumb:
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Have fun and ride safe!
Looking forward to the stories that follow!! :popcorn:
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Have fun Peter :thumb:
Oh , we are gonna make this *the official Huzo travels around and spreads cheer* thread :grin:
Dusty
Hmmm..
Not a moment too soon mate.. :wink:
Also.
It seems I have to endure a two day rally in Lincolnshire in expected good weather with Paul and Serena starting tomorrow. Invited on the spot, and fortunate to have been.
Tough life.
These people treat me very, very, well and involve me in their rides without hesitation..
Priceless.
I’ll take some shots and post them on this thread.
A day hob nobbing in London today and off tomorrow with the guys.
There won’t be much of general interest I expect for a while but for those kind enough to take an interest, things should become good soon. If there are any WG members that are nearby (or not nearby) and if you wish, we can catch up for a natter. But maybe talk to Glawster first, so you know what you’ll be putting yourself through...
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Great to see you safely arrived and on the road, and say hello to Serena and Paul :laugh: from Scott the Aussie to them - I used to be a "Moleie". I'm pretty sure you are not venturing down the South West this time, but if you do drop me a line. Your Norge looks unfeasibly excellent. Love the stickers - they wont stay on my HB panniers.....
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..... It seems I have to endure a two day rally in Lincolnshire in expected good weather with Paul and Serena starting tomorrow. Invited on the spot, and fortunate to have been...........
I'm away all weekend Pete or I'd have come and hunted you down
I'm intrigued as to where your'e off to though.
The only events I'm aware of are the Wolds Run (https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/events/whats-ontaxy-runs/wolds-motorcycle-run-2019.htm) which is worth the trip to East Kirkby to see Just Jane do her stuff and the Notts Classic car/bike show (http://www.classicshows.org/notts-classic-car-motorcycle-show-sun-5-mon-6-may-2019/ ) but over the border in Nottinghamshire so probably not that!
Cheers and have a good trip wherever you end up
Tris
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Road trip!!!! Have a most excellent time, sir! :thumb:
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(https://i.ibb.co/0nWrJ0z/FABEA6-A8-C7-F4-44-A1-A6-AE-458-F579-B0-D03.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0nWrJ0z)
Great to see you safely arrived and on the road, and say hello to Serena and Paul :laugh: from Scott the Aussie to them - I used to be a "Moleie". I'm pretty sure you are not venturing down the South West this time, but if you do drop me a line. Your Norge looks unfeasibly excellent. Love the stickers - they wont stay on my HB panniers.....
I was in Moleie’s last night.
Most people say an Aussie wouldn’t shout if a shark bit them, but I broke with tradition and did so.
(don’t tell anyone...)
PS
I reckon you could pinpoint my lunch location.
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I'm away all weekend Pete or I'd have come and hunted you down
I'm intrigued as to where your'e off to though.
The only events I'm aware of are the Wolds Run (https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/events/whats-ontaxy-runs/wolds-motorcycle-run-2019.htm) which is worth the trip to East Kirkby to see Just Jane do her stuff and the Notts Classic car/bike show (http://www.classicshows.org/notts-classic-car-motorcycle-show-sun-5-mon-6-may-2019/ ) but over the border in Nottinghamshire so probably not that!
Cheers and have a good trip wherever you end up
Tris
Not around Monday perchance ?
I don’t know either, but Serena said there were Spitfires and Lancaster’s nearby.
Also summit about the odd Lancaster run up and taxi demo.
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Road trip!!!! Have a most excellent time, sir! :thumb:
Thank you TW... :thumb:
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You are inspiring!
If you get yourself over to Melbourne, you can take your pick of the V85 or my Norge, and we can do a couple of weeks in Oz.
Accomodation and collection at Melbourne International Airport (Tullamarine), is part of the offer.
(Free of course)
Why don’t a bunch of you blokes get together and come over ?
We could scratch enough Guzzies together for a mass ride...
I could drag the Mk 2 out.
I’ll be in it !
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Here's the link to the little East German Motorcycle Museum I was telling you about Pete. It's just off Alexanderplatz and well worth an hour if you're in Berlin. A charming overview of DDR motorcycling.
http://www.erstesberliner-ddr-motorradmuseum.de/
Also I can recommend the following company for a guided walking tour. If you do it try to get on a tour where the guide is Nigel Dunkley. He's an ex British Army Major and was interpreter for Rudolph Hess! He has great stories to tell.
https://www.insidertour.com/
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Here's the link to the little East German Motorcycle Museum I was telling you about Pete. It's just off Alexanderplatz and well worth an hour if you're in Berlin. A charming overview of DDR motorcycling.
http://www.erstesberliner-ddr-motorradmuseum.de/
Also I can recommend the following company for a guided walking tour. If you do it try to get on a tour where the guide is Nigel Dunkley. He's an ex British Army Major and was interpreter for Rudolph Hess! He has great stories to tell.
https://www.insidertour.com/
That was interesting when you mentioned it Derek and still is..
I will keep it in the front of my mind (as it were).
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Hey check this out..
Today I was heading off to Tattenham Corner to see a bloke in South London.
I was stuck behind a bus that was belching smoke and emitting every carcinogen known (and a few yet to be discovered) from it’s 6” exhaust pipe.
After several attempts to get past and try to find my way again after getting hopelessly lost in the mega city, I thought best to just settle down and follow the bus ‘till I could find a place to stop and enter a more exact destination into the GPS..
At that moment I spotted an off shoot that I could zoom into and was just about to do so when I looked back at the bus which had grown a little larger while I was looking everywhere but ahead.
I pulled up behind the belching bus and looked above the rear window where the illuminated sign is showing the destination.
In bright red/white letters, there as bold as brass was the destination displayed for all to see...
Oh, where was it going...?
TATTENHAM BLOODY CORNER..!
So I turned off the GPS and followed the bus...
(successfully..)
WELL..ALRIGHTY THEN...!
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:laugh:
So Cedar Vale next year Peter ?
Dusty
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:laugh:
So Cedar Vale next year Peter ?
Dusty
I did have something else planned, but CV could be on my CV...
All very doable Dusty.
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Not around Monday perchance ?
I don’t know either, but Serena said there were Spitfires and Lancaster’s nearby.
Also summit about the odd Lancaster run up and taxi demo.
Sorry mate - away then too
Lancaster run and taxi will be Just Jane at East Kirkby
Make sure you get up against the barriers when they open the throttles
Spits + Hurris + DC3 + Lanc will be the Battle of Britain Flight at Conningsby
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Great to see you safely arrived and on the road, and say hello to Serena and Paul :laugh: from Scott the Aussie to them - I used to be a "Moleie". I'm pretty sure you are not venturing down the South West this time, but if you do drop me a line. Your Norge looks unfeasibly excellent. Love the stickers - they wont stay on my HB panniers.....
Serena is racking her brains and can’t quite place your identity.
What did you ride when you were a Molie and how long ago ? What was your address at that time? Can you PM me with your surname ?
Serena is going mental and we can’t tell the difference.
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It looks like you're enjoying the English weather Pete.
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It looks like you're enjoying the English weather Pete.
Yeah.
Summer’s kicked in right on time mate..
At least the hail has thawed out to become rain.. :rolleyes:
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Nice to see another Norge rider who appreciates stickers!!
Enjoy another fabulous trip!
Funny thing that..
I like to have them on the panniers where appropriate, but never on the bike.
A touring bike is only a touring bike while it’s touring, to my mind. I feel it’s ok to display stickers of destinations and statements of achievements when in that mode, it seems appropriate.
That’s why I don’t have such “advertisements” shoved under people’s noses when the panniers and top box is off and I’m just riding into town for a box of washing powder.. :rolleyes:
The Australian licence plate/number plate/tag, is a good little conversation starter though.. :wink:
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Who knew that Santa rides a Red Nogre!!
Only ‘cause it goes with his outfit..
And absolutely nothing to get excited about..(yet)
But here’s a shot of where we stayed with Paul and Serena’s bikes at the Pub in Old Bolingbroke.
(https://i.ibb.co/856gtZm/E695784-A-E371-4-A74-A8-B8-9-BEB7-E93-E32-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/856gtZm)
(https://i.ibb.co/DW0Kc0B/C30-B513-A-019-C-4111-8-E85-E122-DB7-CD1-C0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DW0Kc0B)
(https://i.ibb.co/WfwL6kq/7-A6-DC2-C9-36-C5-4117-9059-BAF833697464.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WfwL6kq)
(https://i.ibb.co/vwdNsNy/361-D00-E8-004-B-488-D-B873-62-B7-ABD46569.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vwdNsNy)
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Funny....If I remember correctly that pub landlord has/had a Centuro....visited it with a Friend who lives in the village a few years ago.
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Funny....If I remember correctly that pub landlord has/had a Centuro....visited it with a Friend who lives in the village a few years ago.
You do remember correctly..
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Slightly more damp than this time last year
(https://i.ibb.co/pLthKRK/IMG-0329.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pLthKRK)
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Slightly more damp than this time last year
(https://i.ibb.co/pLthKRK/IMG-0329.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pLthKRK)
Yes Paul.
But was a nice dry run down to Dover from Lincolnshire and forecast for France looks quite good, so we’ll see.
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Currently at Dover awaiting the ferry across to France.
I soaked up a bit of culture yesterday but 20 minutes later I had descended back to my usual level. The weather looks fine for the crossing and tonight I’ll stay a5 the camping at Isques on the French Coastal area and into Paris in the morning for (another) croissant.
A mate of mine has an apartment 4 km from the Arc de Triomphe and I’ll be parked up there for one or two nights. He has a good selection of bikes, and I expect we’ll get a bit done.
(https://i.ibb.co/ZTn0rCb/4-B6-CD8-E8-CB5-F-4592-B4-CF-6-EF452-C92-ECC.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZTn0rCb)
(https://i.ibb.co/kqhpShC/C7525-A72-027-C-4362-BFB1-4689106387-CE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kqhpShC)
(https://i.ibb.co/Z6dyJ78/024-CC276-3376-4962-90-F2-26-FFA4-C00-AF4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Z6dyJ78)
(https://i.ibb.co/ngbCk8t/1485-ABEA-F8-DF-416-A-A2-E1-9-AEC600-E5-E9-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ngbCk8t)
(https://i.ibb.co/8YzzG4D/A6-C3-CBFA-2475-45-F0-A540-821-F8-E39-EF84.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8YzzG4D)
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It’s official...
I’m too damn old, parked the Norge on a patch of ground at Isques on the French Coast (almost), that looked and felt fine.
It was fairly upright but not hazardously so. I turned away to attend to something and the stand sunk a bit and the fully loaded Norge with panniers and top box went arse up..!
I removed the right pannier and top box with it on it’s side, fairly confident that a mixture of subdued anger and blind panic would lend me enough strength to pick it up.
Granted it still had the left pannier on and that stopped the expensive bits hitting the ground, but I just could not get it past the point where the wheels and left ‘peg were on the ground.
I had to get help from an old bloke and that was enough.
I wasn’t far short of success on my own, but I could not have done it without him. No damage to the bike, the grass was pretty soft.
I guess that’s why she went over..! :rolleyes:
That V85 is a lot lighter.
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^^^Peter , mate , if no one witnessed that it didn't happen :laugh:
Dusty
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That's a bit of a bugger Pete. Only damage to your ego. I'd be struggling to pick up the Griso.
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Have a good trip and always love your adventure!!!
Look forward for more updates!!! :thumb: :gotpics:
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^^^Peter , mate , if no one witnessed that it didn't happen :laugh:
Dusty
Hmmm.
Lucky it’s only the world wide WG community that knows..
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Hmmm.
Lucky it’s only the world wide WG community that knows..
Yeah , but we ain't tellin' :grin:
Dusty
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It’s official...
I’m too damn old, parked the Norge on a patch of ground at Isques on the French Coast (almost), that looked and felt fine.
It was fairly upright but not hazardously so. I turned away to attend to something and the stand sunk a bit and the fully loaded Norge with panniers and top box went arse up..!
I removed the right pannier and top box with it on it’s side, fairly confident that a mixture of subdued anger and blind panic would lend me enough strength to pick it up.
Granted it still had the left pannier on and that stopped the expensive bits hitting the ground, but I just could not get it past the point where the wheels and left ‘peg were on the ground.
I had to get help from an old bloke and that was enough.
I wasn’t far short of success on my own, but I could not have done it without him. No damage to the bike, the grass was pretty soft.
I guess that’s why she went over..! :rolleyes:
That V85 is a lot lighter.
A crushed beer can makes a good kickstand puck. :thumb:
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A crushed beer can makes a good kickstand puck. :thumb:
Not too labour the point, but dropping ones bike is never fun!
However, these look like they'd be useful https://www.thethunderfoot.co.uk/
Unfortunately 10 quid compared to a free squashed beer can makes the economics a bit leery! Especially if you use your posy puck and some tea-leaf has it away but isn't courteous enough to replace it with a squashed beer can :violent1:
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Phucken good idea. :thumb:
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Not too labour the point, but dropping ones bike is never fun!
However, these look like they'd be useful https://www.thethunderfoot.co.uk/
Unfortunately 10 quid compared to a free squashed beer can makes the economics a bit leery! Especially if you use your posy puck and some tea-leaf has it away but isn't courteous enough to replace it with a squashed beer can :violent1:
That is a clever ideal! We have some hellish states where you can't even park your bike on pavement without the risk of the sidestand sinking into tar. I have a collection of sidestand plates given out over the years. They have a small hole on one end to tie some string to but don't automatically retract.
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Parked up in central Paris.
Out today with a bloke being toted around in a Precision sidecar pulled by an old R60 BMW with an 800 donk. A bit Wallace & Gromit. But like kissing your sister..( good fun if your mates don’t find out)..
(Pics to follow)
Bloody hell..! I didn’t think it’d be that much fun, but I reckon I could sit in that for quite a ways.
I’ll post some good stuff shortly..
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Good thing I don't have a sister. I've 2 brothers and they're both uglier than me.
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G'Day Pete.
Great to see that your on the road and enjoying Europe! Looking forward to reading your upcoming posts.
Ride safe and soak in the wonderment.
It's remarkable that your bike wasn't the only one in that Get-Routed container I am Familiar with.
Larry n Norma picked up their 1200S in Spain, and are now in Greece/Turkey.
Maurice Turner from Torquay and others are Laverda mounted, also collecting bikes at Felixstowe, riding to the 70 Anni in Breganze.
Allthebest,
Craig.
Saving the "Pacific Pesos" for 2021
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Good thing I don't have a sister. I've 2 brothers and they're both uglier than me.
Everyone’s uglier than you Wyno..
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Yeah mate..
I saw that orange Jota and commented to the young bloke that it was the tastiest bike there probably bar none!
Anyway, yesterday was about 3 hours in the sidecar touring in and around every back alley and promenade in Paris, (seemingly).
I cannot imagine a better way to soak up the sights, sounds and tastes of a remarkably beautiful city. Francois’ generosity seems to know no bounds and he’s toying with the idea of coming to Oz for a reciprocal visit.
I told him he can have the unlimited use of a Norge, V85 or Mk 2..
Here are some shots of yesterday’s fun..
(https://i.ibb.co/b5WdrkQ/C2-D5-F7-A0-405-B-4037-AC88-81-E27-F2-A9613.jpg) (https://ibb.co/b5WdrkQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/bN78VMs/A509-FAF9-6507-433-F-AC13-27-DE6695-AEB3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bN78VMs)
(https://i.ibb.co/kKCm6by/3-F1-C20-F2-7-FEF-45-ED-8631-6-C65-F251-DD69.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kKCm6by)
(https://i.ibb.co/JtHbdny/F9-CD0-B8-D-BBD1-4-F5-E-969-A-6-D0-B790-B5954.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JtHbdny)
(https://i.ibb.co/CJfWb49/6-C585-D1-C-0-F2-A-4-B99-8981-556-A40602-BC2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CJfWb49)
Ok...
The Wi Fi in the servo is slower than a 2VPC Norge, so I’ll wait ‘till I am at Franz Belgium’s, or another guy I’m visiting in Tilburg.
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More..
(https://i.ibb.co/WV37LXP/6-B0-DC31-E-096-F-40-C2-B626-1471-FC8-D7169.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WV37LXP) (https://i.ibb.co/Dp3zcrF/B9914-B0-E-D178-4027-9-C19-9-BC0-A080-EFCA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Dp3zcrF) (https://i.ibb.co/9Ygh704/58-F19-EEF-911-F-4-E1-D-AF85-431-F94-D9-DAE8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9Ygh704) (https://i.ibb.co/yQX74kS/95508-C4-E-65-E8-450-B-B85-A-E089-B3423438.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yQX74kS) (https://i.ibb.co/mq0LyJT/BCC51-D6-F-FE27-4-ECB-B2-D0-51-BF18-E1-CB0-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mq0LyJT) (https://i.ibb.co/zZ94brd/B5940853-D15-F-4-D4-F-896-A-D051-C6-E62-AE6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zZ94brd) (https://i.ibb.co/LRK1c6c/EDC7-FC73-A2-B1-4509-9-EDE-26890-E19675-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LRK1c6c) (https://i.ibb.co/J3CGBZh/1456-F8-E4-F28-B-4-B62-8-BBA-BAFF2-B0-EB145.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J3CGBZh) (https://i.ibb.co/tYGtvQd/D2-D9-E151-97-B7-4-BE8-972-F-A0-AA35-DC36-EC.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tYGtvQd)
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BMW ..... AND a Sidecar :tongue:
Jeez you are getting old Huzo :weiner:
Yeah mate..
I saw that orange Jota and commented to the young bloke that it was the tastiest bike there probably bar none!
Anyway, yesterday was about 3 hours in the sidecar touring in and around every back alley and promenade in Paris, (seemingly).
I cannot imagine a better way to soak up the sights, sounds and tastes of a remarkably beautiful city. Francois’ generosity seems to know no bounds and he’s toying with the idea of coming to Oz for a reciprocal visit.
I told him he can have the unlimited use of a Norge, V85 or Mk 2..
Here are some shots of yesterday’s fun..
(https://i.ibb.co/b5WdrkQ/C2-D5-F7-A0-405-B-4037-AC88-81-E27-F2-A9613.jpg) (https://ibb.co/b5WdrkQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/bN78VMs/A509-FAF9-6507-433-F-AC13-27-DE6695-AEB3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bN78VMs)
(https://i.ibb.co/kKCm6by/3-F1-C20-F2-7-FEF-45-ED-8631-6-C65-F251-DD69.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kKCm6by)
(https://i.ibb.co/JtHbdny/F9-CD0-B8-D-BBD1-4-F5-E-969-A-6-D0-B790-B5954.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JtHbdny)
(https://i.ibb.co/CJfWb49/6-C585-D1-C-0-F2-A-4-B99-8981-556-A40602-BC2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CJfWb49)
Ok...
The Wi Fi in the servo is slower than a 2VPC Norge, so I’ll wait ‘till I am at Franz Belgium’s, or another guy I’m visiting in Tilburg.
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Everyone’s uglier than you Wyno..
Just because you said that doesn't mean I'm your pretty boy.
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Just because you said that doesn't mean I'm your pretty boy.
In the dark you’d not know the difference.. :wink: :kiss:
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BMW ..... AND a Sidecar :tongue:
Jeez you are getting old Huzo :weiner:
Yeah Paul, I’m gunna’ have to confront that issue.
Problem is, I actually felt good in it so I think the rot has set in.. I rode the Norge a bit with all the luggage off and it felt like your Stelvio or Wyno’s Griso by comparison, for the first few minutes...
(Only the first few..)
But I gotta’ tell y’all. Leaving France entering Belgium, you start to curve away towards the East and I saw a solid wall of black, lightning encrusted weather ahead. I had my rubber over boots on and outer gloves that go with my normal ones.
Suffice to say that once I hit the wall of weather, the road was awash and the squalls were blasting the surface water and the wind was intense for a while.
I raised the (electric) screen and hit “stun” on the heated grips.
The Norge absolutely purred along at 120 k and I snuggled in behind the protection of the screen and took solace in the bass notes coming from the Staintune and the bike felt like a Rock of Gibraltar.
It’s moments like that when I don’t care if the engine has three and a half valves per cylinder or two or four..
It seems to take over for me and cover for my mistakes or fatigue when I’ve had enough and still have 450 k’s to go.
It’s a romantic notion I’ll admit, but I “feel” at that point like I’m not riding “on it”..
I’m riding “with it..”
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Sounds as wet as work commute this week
I do confess that a good second hand Ural Outfit is in my near future Sigh :sad:
Will still keep the Stelvio though
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The side car rig is beautiful!
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Sounds as wet as work commute this week
I do confess that a good second hand Ural Outfit is in my near future Sigh :sad:
Will still keep the Stelvio though
Yep.
With advancing years, it’s always handy to have a Urinal within easy reach..
I concur...!
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The side car rig is beautiful!
It was good fun I’ll freely admit.
The tug has a donk from an R 800 RT I think, at close inspection of the crankcase you could see it was relatively modern.
It sure as hell pulled like a 15 year old boy with a Penthouse..!
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...and th eprecision chair is one of the nicest designs ever. Replicas are available but at a big price thesedays.
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Currently thrashing around Como and doing the usual pilgrimage to the Factory/Museum.
This time though, I thought I’d take up the offer to go for a thrash on their V85.
A couple of things are better than I thought they were going to be and a couple weren’t as good.
The clutch adjustment was so far out, I thought I was in neutral as I went to move off, but clearly that was remedied in short order. I’m sure the red gum wooden internals in the gearbox will smooth up in time, although the shifts required perfect timing (which I didn’t completely possess), they were positive and certainly no worse than a new GS.
I thought the vinyl cover over the granite seat was a very nice touch though, and if one could get it a bit lower to the ground, that would be all to the good also.
Now..
I thought the passing power was very good indeed, granted I’ve just put a quiet 2 1/2 thousand k on a heavily laden Norge, but if both were empty, I’d have a couple of bob each way on a drag to 140 k’s.
The brakes were as I expected radial Brembo’s to be and it felt extremely positive in the handling.
I’m glad I bought one, but haven’t seen it yet.
Looking forward to Franz Belgium’s visit to have a perv..
(https://i.ibb.co/cXC3qCW/C2982-A0-D-C558-49-B1-A94-F-C3-A259-CF7-A60.png) (https://ibb.co/cXC3qCW)
That seems a little harsh considering his parentage...!
(https://i.ibb.co/DRMbkqB/38723926-C29-C-4-FBB-9-AD6-6-B2-B24-B82996.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DRMbkqB)
(https://i.ibb.co/HNJX50M/41012-B09-3-CCB-4502-9185-39700689-EBFF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HNJX50M)
(https://i.ibb.co/DwtxdKL/705162-EA-3-AEC-4-CAD-BBDF-F39-B366-ED0-AD.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DwtxdKL)
(https://i.ibb.co/phXRZ9j/A8-DE29-D9-FC1-A-402-C-B3-E2-B72947682-FC8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/phXRZ9j)
(https://i.ibb.co/d7rN65Y/34-DC2-F3-C-EC9-E-4686-9380-65-A381-E95-A06.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d7rN65Y)
(https://i.ibb.co/GdpBDyn/58-C10545-9-B2-A-4-BED-808-E-7-FB19-A7354-D1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GdpBDyn)
All pretty standard I’ll admit and nothing compared to Photo Guzzi’s stuff, but they’re just for my “private” collection..
Now.
I have to workout where to put the staple...
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Nice! :thumb:
How many kms were you allowed on the V85 before they wanted it back Peter?
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Nice! :thumb:
How many kms were you allowed on the V85 before they wanted it back Peter?
There was no limit on distance Muzz, but 30 minutes is about the thing. Stefan seems like a pretty cool bloke, so you wouldn’t overdo your welcome.
I was gone about 25 mins.
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(https://i.ibb.co/S5BM7MH/FDACDFBA-6-AC8-440-B-885-C-808379218-D2-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S5BM7MH)
(https://i.ibb.co/pXHtRLR/15606-E3-D-3-E41-4-E79-8-B0-F-34-CE6-B49176-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pXHtRLR)
(https://i.ibb.co/ZGc8pJq/7203-F6-E4-2053-4387-9886-1-CD3-AC093901.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZGc8pJq)
(https://i.ibb.co/YcLyQXY/BAC51194-7-ED3-42-B3-A69-B-55-F0-ED29-D05-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YcLyQXY)
Also..
(https://i.ibb.co/28Yyt9W/54133476-2856-43-B0-B2-D4-AAD235-A7-B9-CB.png) (https://ibb.co/28Yyt9W)
That’s from 2 years ago, so I guess we can rule a line under that one...
(https://i.ibb.co/gMRfxWs/CD7-F6611-4-D77-4262-8913-E29-CC4-A49479.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gMRfxWs)
Anyway..
I was going to head directly from here across to the Black Sea and down into Turkey, but that would get me around to Albania too soon to meet my friend there for his Enduro.
So...
I think I’ll go down to Sicily and do the Mt Etna thing now and that will use up about 2 days each way and a couple there, so there’s a week.
That’ll mean that by the time I get back to the top of Italy again, I’ll be more in the frame for a meeting in Albania on or around June 10...
(I think..)
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I'm green with envy ! First on the scope of the trip , then on the V 85 !
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Molto bene Huzo!! You did it!!
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:thumb: From the videos I have watched the road around lake Como looks awesome!
Not even sure when I will get to see a V85 in the flesh.
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:thumb: From the videos I have watched the road around lake Como looks awesome!
Not even sure when I will get to see a V85 in the flesh.
I said to Stefan that I had bought one in Oz, so no chance of a sale, but he said “ for sure is no problem...”
The main man said he had sold 30 in a month and a half..!
Saw quite a few since arriving in Mandello.
As mentioned, the seat is a bit tall and hard but that’s really about it.
Damn thing is not short of oomph...!
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Just finishing up a Tortellini dish for breakfast @ Caffe’ Umberto.
Guzzies all over the place and 50 metres from the Lake. I’ve decided that I’ll whiz down the Coast to Piombino en route to Sicilia and put the Norge on the ferry...
The V85 was nice and I’m glad I’ve got it..
But..
That Norge is so damn good.. :bow: :thumb:
I can’t think of an exception to the rule, so I’ll say it again...
Anyone from these pages only needs to get themselves here and the V85 or Mk 2 will be at their disposal.
You may go alone but if you want I’ll come with you on the Norge..(but you might wish you went alone..)
I will collect you at Melbourne Airport and you can rest up for a couple of days at my place in the hills and then bugger off..
Roper lives fairly close, so you can go and harass him or organise a get together of Aussie Guzzisti.
Other than your ticket, it will cost you.....NOTHING...!
Come on lads..
Off your arses.. :thumb: :bike-037:
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:thumb: Since we no longer have the "like" feature.
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Just finishing up a Tortellini dish for breakfast @ Caffe’ Umberto.
Guzzies all over the place and 50 metres from the Lake. I’ve decided that I’ll whiz down the Coast to Piombino en route to Sicilia and put the Norge on the ferry...
The V85 was nice and I’m glad I’ve got it..
But..
That Norge is so damn good.. :bow: :thumb:
I can’t think of an exception to the rule, so I’ll say it again...
Anyone from these pages only needs to get themselves here and the V85 or Mk 2 will be at their disposal.
You may go alone but if you want I’ll come with you on the Norge..(but you might wish you went alone..)
I will collect you at Melbourne Airport and you can rest up for a couple of days at my place in the hills and then bugger off..
Roper lives fairly close, so you can go and harass him or organise a get together of Aussie Guzzisti.
Other than your ticket, it will cost you.....NOTHING...!
Come on lads..
Off your arses.. :thumb: :bike-037:
I am planning to tour New Zealand summer 2020. Need to start researching and figuring out the logistics of renting, shipping, or buying and letting my son sell when I leave.
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I am planning to tour New Zealand summer 2020. Need to start researching and figuring out the logistics of renting, shipping, or buying and letting my son sell when I leave.
Renting...?
My arse...!
Let’s know if you’re serious and I’ll put something under your bum..
E mail Dave @ get Routed or Brent’s Bikes Abroad.
Contact me if you want info.
You’ll spend nothing really. I’ll give you the bike to use free and shipping will be bugger all from Oz.
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Ok, Pontremoli.
Maybe some of you guys can help me out here..
I left Como a few hrs ago and it’s fair to say that the locals there seem...”privileged”.
Now I don’t know that I can explain the difference as you head South, but there is one. The general lack of social etiquette is evident, in that people carry on private conversations that are inappropriately loud and contain a simmering anger in your immediate vicinity.
A lot like when you’re working in a hotel and the crowd is starting to turn, it’s 10 pm and you close in another 4 hrs.
Katrina and the Waves (Walking On Sunshine) come on the radio and the locals start singing along with the “new song..”
The girls working in the cafe look impoverished and the male owner chews gum and berates her in public while he swaggers around in his Romanian lookalike Cacescu signature series, muscle shirt and chain smokes in the shop.
There’s another KPI that I think I notice, and that is as you get away from the epicentres of indulgence, the people seem on average to have less......
Teeth.
The town square contains a mass of people that seem to have nothing to do other than kick a plastic ball with no air inside, around and engage in physical skirmishes in response to someone else having a go..
One bloke launched a stream of vitriol in the direction of a pigeon, that dared to land on the hood of his prized Fiat Panda.
These are the places that you do not want your Guzzi to break down...
Also the older males sit and stare for inappropriate lengths of time and maintain their gaze when you return the look.
I’m reminded of the feeling I had in Estonia and down through Latvia, Lithuania and the like, a subterranean hint of jealousy, it didn’t go away until Poland.
Here it is..
(https://i.ibb.co/fppxbs6/B83-DA366-BDB2-4216-B553-C8-C6-B6-DAE56-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fppxbs6)
(https://i.ibb.co/JvjDYjv/0-C292247-FBEB-4233-A654-6-A8-E9-F3534-CD.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JvjDYjv)
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Now that's a pretty antisocial rave there Huzo old mate 😉
We've not had too many problems except the landlord at our hotel in Brindisi. Total disrespect for his bread and butter. We had words.
Also the daft customs chick at Ayvalik who wouldn't clear our bike because our Australian Rego papers didn't state cc, hp, # of cylinders, etc. Even her work colleagues were yelling at her in the end, butt she controlled the stamp.
We're now at TJ's in Eceabat and heading for Istanbul tomorrow.
You take care now mate.
Larry
lnblackmore.wordpre ss.com
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Now that's a pretty antisocial rave there Huzo old mate 😉
We've not had too many problems except the landlord at our hotel in Brindisi. Total disrespect for his bread and butter. We had words.
Also the daft customs chick at Ayvalik who wouldn't clear our bike because our Australian Rego papers didn't state cc, hp, # of cylinders, etc. Even her work colleagues were yelling at her in the end, butt she controlled the stamp.
We're now at TJ's in Eceabat and heading for Istanbul tomorrow.
You take care now mate.
Larry
lnblackmore.wordpre ss.com
Hmmm..
Istanbul you say..?
Stay in touch big guy, and we might grab a quiet one somewhere.
You take care too.
Is that you on the Jota ?
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I was a bit late getting away from Como, after snapping a pic of George Clooney. (As you do..)
Not BS’ing actually...!
Really only got a picture of his car, but that was good enough.
On the way down to my selected destination, I saw a sign and thought I really should go there..
So I did..!
(https://i.ibb.co/TYtbQyb/37777-C51-C964-4-D6-A-99-C6-FBC450-E15-C6-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TYtbQyb)
(https://i.ibb.co/DRM2d96/B4-AA9-CAF-2-E04-42-B5-925-F-DD5-E72-E86132.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DRM2d96)
(https://i.ibb.co/16zPLgm/0-BDEF354-6-FA8-467-C-BD4-E-2-D52-F236855-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/16zPLgm)
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I think we should chip in and get this shirt for our buddy when he gets home:)
(https://i.ibb.co/nM7HCf1/7-E56-BA4-E-786-B-4-B94-8-EE8-B468-BDE8-EC6-B.png) (https://ibb.co/nM7HCf1)
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Renting...?
My arse...!
Let’s know if you’re serious and I’ll put something under your bum..
E mail Dave @ get Routed or Brent’s Bikes Abroad.
Contact me if you want info.
You’ll spend nothing really. I’ll give you the bike to use free and shipping will be bugger all from Oz.
:thumb:
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I think we should chip in and get this shirt for our buddy when he gets home:)
(https://i.ibb.co/nM7HCf1/7-E56-BA4-E-786-B-4-B94-8-EE8-B468-BDE8-EC6-B.png) (https://ibb.co/nM7HCf1)
My sister used to have one..!
Guess where the map of Tasmania was...!
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:thumb:
Or you could tour Oz and spend nothing..
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Enroute to Sicilia, the night ferry from Napoli-Palermo will cost a bit more than the 'short route' across the straights of Messina. But it's well worthwhile for a couple of reasons: firstly, you escape a night's accommodation expense, & secondly (& more importantly) the ferry passes close by the islands of Stromboli & Vulcano. Well it used to anyway.
Both are seismically active, but Stromboli in particular usually provides nighttime passers-by a spectacular & on occasion (so I'm told) stunningly fabulous fireworks display, viewed to full advantage from the portside decks. Expect anything from a dull summit glow to a full-on eruptive pyrotechnic display.
There's so much to see & do in Sicily that I don't really have any particular recommendations to make. It depends on your own particular wishes i suspect. The absolute highlights for me are the cable car up to the town of Erice near Trapani (NW), the Valle de Templi near Agrigento (S), possibly the world's finest Greek temple complex of 7 major & innumerable minor buildings that I personally think actually surpasses the Athenian Acropolis, the Madonie national park, Alcantara & Cavagrande gorges & Pantalica Necropolis & abandoned railway trail.
The town of Siracusa was once & on more than one occasion the most important town on Earth. The birthplace of Archimedes, the island fortress of Ortigia can be fairly crowded, hot, humid & smelly at the height of summer. I love it! It has withstood the depredations of extended sieges from rival Greek states, Carthaginians & others before eventually falling to the hated Romans, & literally to more than a few earthquakes along the way too!
There's history @ every turn. The place has changed 'ownership' at least 18 times during the last few millenia. The Sicani, Elymians, Sicels (hence the name), Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Vikings, Normans, Germans (Goths), Byzantines, Neapolitans, Normans, French (Aragon) & eventually in the 19th century the Italian State have all laid claim politically, culturally & linguistically. Not to mention of course the Fascists, Nazis, Americans & even the Cosa Nostra that have also briefly held the reigns of power in the last century too.
Leaving the best to last, however. The food is to die for. From the humblest street food to veritable Bacchanalian feasting at any of the many 'Agriturismo' (farm-stay) enterprises. Sicilian wines have rightly laid claim to world-class status in vintage reds of unique & highly diverse characteristics. Some of the best originating from 6,000!! year old varietals growing on Etna's volcanic slopes. Locally caught Swordfish, Tuna & (fresh) Sardine pastas are regional Sicilian seafood specialties.
From such a relatively tiny island - only 1/3 the size of Tassie - the astonishing sense of cultural schizophrenia, radically contrasting landscapes and their inescapable, ubiquitous past makes this mad, messy, frustratingly disorganised & corrupted 'little world' one of my favourite places on earth. It's my avowed intention to buy a derelict townhouse in one of the smaller, cheaper (& cooler in summer) mountain villages as a 'pied a terre' in which to spend about 6 months a year of my retirement. The perfect base from which to tour the Mediterranean basin in rather more easily digested swathes than what you are currently doing now.
You lucky, lucky bastard! What fun, what larks, what adventures, what jolly japes! I'm as envious as buggery!
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Nice turn of phrase for an Antipodean mug...!
I’ll use this as a standard reference source Knuckles..
That’s a nice succinct body of information from a bloke who’s done it, I shall revisit your post mate..
Thanks... :bow: :thumb:
And this..
(https://i.ibb.co/xXn9bJj/640-CDC68-936-A-466-B-9-E03-FB1950-E0-DC6-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xXn9bJj)
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Or you could tour Oz and spend nothing..
My son and his wife are living in New Zealand. That probably wouldn't go over well with the family. :)
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(https://i.ibb.co/YQKQ13R/BA6-D4-EC2-646-F-423-A-B05-A-CCFE3-F689-FB3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YQKQ13R)
(https://i.ibb.co/pwD8ZtV/2-C471-DF0-CDE8-452-D-989-F-52-F00-F3-FA49-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pwD8ZtV)
(https://i.ibb.co/DgBxwSW/CCFCC946-8-E88-43-E3-A593-7-D59-BC9-C29-EF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DgBxwSW)
Escape velocity...(always wondered what that meant)
It seems that the locals down South are incapable of sitting behind something and not passing. It would not matter a bugger if you were 100 k’s over the limit, some tool in a Fiat Panda would have to launch a Kamikaze attempt to get through.
I considered riding at 160 k just to get away, but that carries it’s own set of issues.
Also, there’s a thing they do that I still don’t understand.
You can be cruising along in the slow lane a standard 40 k over the posted limit, and the ubiquitous Audi, Benz, Panda or Festiva will slam past with two of their wheels in your lane.
Then when they are about 4 or 5 metres in front, will sway across another metre or so then drift languidly back into their own lane.
F...wits!
Also I was apprehended by Italy’s finest to enquire about the dodgy number plate.
Once I told them where I was from, they couldn’t do enough for me... Bonus.
But I was not going to be allowed to move unless I produced my international licence..!
The above shots are of the Tyrennian Sea looking toward Corsica.
Tomorrow it’s on the Norge and up Mt Vesuvius....(so to speak)
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Also, there’s a thing they do that I still don’t understand. You can be cruising along in the slow lane a standard 40 k over the posted limit, and the ubiquitous Audi, Benz, Panda or Festiva will slam past with two of their wheels in your lane. Then when they are about 4 or 5 metres in front, will sway across another metre or so then drift languidly back into their own lane.
This is the Italian way of completing the passing maneuver before starting another, sort of. I think it's a a nod to some Italian legality.
Thanks for the IDL reminder. I'll be starting a similar trip next weekend: southbound across the Alps to Croatia, ferry to Italy and back.
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Of course if you slow down thinking you’re being safe..
You’ll end up being Liberace’d...!
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I'll be starting a similar trip next weekend: southbound across the Alps to Croatia, ferry to Italy and back.
We plan to be on the Croatian coast between the 4th and 8th of June.
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Take care of Croatia :grin: I’ll be on the ferry to Italy on the night of June 4th.
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Take care of Croatia :grin: I’ll be on the ferry to Italy on the night of June 4th.
Ok mate..
June 10 I’m aiming to be in Albania.
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Hey Huzo and Larry,
From what Ive read the weather has been a little chilly in Europe. I head off in a couple of weeks from Melb to London and pick of the Breva for this years European tour which will include the Balkans so looking forward to reading you tales
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Hey Huzo and Larry,
From what Ive read the weather has been a little chilly in Europe. I head off in a couple of weeks from Melb to London and pick of the Breva for this years European tour which will include the Balkans so looking forward to reading you tales
Ok stay in touch..
As mentioned, barring misadventure I’ll be in or around Albania on June 10 through to around 14th.
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Crikey, the place will be overrun with us.
We're halfway between Istanbul and Edirne where we're staying tonight then tomorrow it's onto MotoCamp Bulgaria for 2 nights.
I need to lift the tank on the Sport as there's a slight oil weep of sorts coming from above the left side piston. I'm hoping it's a loose oil cooling banjo but think it's most likely the oil pressure sensor.
If that's the case I'll just have to put up with it or do something with JB Weld, because I'm not hanging around for a new one. Even then there's some confusion over which is the correct one to get.
What is it with Guzzi that they haven't sorted that issue, really bad business practice.
I'll keep you posted.
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Crikey, the place will be overrun with us.
We're halfway between Istanbul and Edirne where we're staying tonight then tomorrow it's onto MotoCamp Bulgaria for 2 nights.
I need to lift the tank on the Sport as there's a slight oil weep of sorts coming from above the left side piston. I'm hoping it's a loose oil cooling banjo but think it's most likely the oil pressure sensor.
If that's the case I'll just have to put up with it or do something with JB Weld, because I'm not hanging around for a new one. Even then there's some confusion over which is the correct one to get.
What is it with Guzzi that they haven't sorted that issue, really bad business practice.
I'll keep you posted.
I still wonder why you can’t run a flexible line to a remotely mounted one that’s easier to reach.
After all it’s hydraulic pressure, should read the same as long as the sensor is in the line shouldn’t it ?
Currently left Pompeii and en route to Villa San Giovanni.
There in about 4 hours.
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Ok.
Parked up in comfortable digs in Villa San Giovanni.
Had a couple of heart starters yesterday. Stopped at a crappy servo to get fuel, put my card in but the guy came charging across and said cash only..
Ok then.
I foolishly put a 50 in the machine thinking you’d get the change back when you hung up the handle..
Nup.
What the go is, you fill the bike and the left over money is there as a credit next time you go to that servo...!
A bit of a slanging match ensued until I had to confront the fact that €30 was going to go begging.
You do get a receipt with a PIN number, and the credit attached to it, but that wasn’t worth a “you know what” worth of cold water, so I offered the €30 voucher to the next guy who came in and he gave me €20 for it..!
Better than nothing.
Then.
I got into Villa San Giovanni later than expected and began the search for some camping opportunities, of which there seemed to be none. I was directed to a B&B which seemed just great, but the bike was going to be left on the street overnight, not bloody likely..!
The owner then ordered me to follow him on the bike, while he flung his car through a tortuous series of back street laneways, to eventually arrive in a screaming heap, smelling of hot oil and burning brake pads (his not mine), at his mate’s B&B which looked a bit like an Indian brothel from the outside but exceptionally nice indoors and damn cheap.
So I took it..
Worked out ok, with the Norge secured behind a 9 tonne steel gate with locks on the inside.
Bonus..!
Naples
(https://i.ibb.co/PhL2mqc/821-A8555-CD1-C-402-B-947-D-9-CFCEF6-EBB84.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PhL2mqc)
(https://i.ibb.co/RbvyLS7/B4-FD219-E-EDF8-40-DA-9018-597-B9-E25952-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RbvyLS7)
(https://i.ibb.co/CBvqGL6/7-D59-B8-A4-9355-405-C-9-D83-30-CFB0976-A44.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CBvqGL6)
Pompeii
(https://i.ibb.co/cC9ScKD/D1846413-B1-E6-484-C-8-B05-E59-A2597431-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cC9ScKD)
(https://i.ibb.co/9qBwCbq/5-C575-F98-04-BC-48-D9-9-D4-B-181-EFE76-FC22.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9qBwCbq)
(https://i.ibb.co/MDXm4cX/92-B2334-E-5-FFC-460-E-8-EFB-051-F27300-B65.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MDXm4cX)
Amalfi Coast
(https://i.ibb.co/dfbcHDy/F13681-A3-B89-F-4-C60-9-B35-2-B80-B43-C1-DDD.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dfbcHDy)
(https://i.ibb.co/yhtZtJ6/2-CDD00-C5-CEA9-4-A0-A-B75-D-967035-C06507.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yhtZtJ6)
Oh, and THAT room..
(https://i.ibb.co/vh5HHsD/CB54-C594-B0-A0-4-FD5-94-A6-57-AD7-CB5043-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vh5HHsD)
(https://i.ibb.co/23sx86b/8-B92038-D-03-F9-418-E-8-A75-A832-CD793918.jpg) (https://ibb.co/23sx86b)
(https://i.ibb.co/bFpRLfC/88-D9-C01-C-F22-D-4-AFB-BE22-F5-D57-D33-F895.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bFpRLfC)
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Keep 'em coming Huzo. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Looks like a memorable trip is being had.
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Keep 'em coming Huzo. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Looks like a memorable trip is being had.
Yeah, so far Muzz.
For all the right reasons, but we’ll give it time..
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I had a similar gas station experience in Switzerland once, on a Sunday. I crossed the border low on fuel because Swiss gas is less taxed, so cheaper. Then I tried two or three Bancomats to get Swiss Francs, followed by the realization that I'd met my daily cash limit earlier in the day, when withdrawing Euros... So then I traded Euros to Francs with a waitress at a notably poor exchange rate, followed by leaving some money behind at the gas station as described in Huzo's post. I could have used a credit card at the gas pump, but unfortunately they only take Swiss credit cards. It's almost as though they've predicted this circumstance 5 km across the border, and hoped to make a little extra cash from it. It couldn't be :wink:
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Well I headed off this morning and made the crossing to Sicily on this..
(https://i.ibb.co/BBHtnHT/F096-E53-D-763-D-4-F8-A-B9-B6-6430-EFF0722-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BBHtnHT)
With this..
(https://i.ibb.co/dc04FN2/61-EE88-E4-5-DAB-40-B8-8-E48-6-FC0-BF394211.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dc04FN2)
at the front of the vessel along with some rather tasty pieces of Italian kit, one in the shape of a very nice Ducati.
Now for some reason the blokes did not seem to think it necessary to secure their bikes for the crossing and I wondered if I was becoming an old fuddy duddy, as I released one of the straps you see holding my red bag to the bike. The reason was that I thought to run it from the bike to a solid point on the structure of the boat.
The wall was on the left side so the bike would not fall in that direction because the side stand would prevent that, and the strap would stop it falling away.
Perfect..!
Now I could see some of the guys grinning in Italian as I went about my task and I noted that they held no such fears, as they casually swung their asses off the bikes and strolled away.
When done I went to the top deck as you do and off we all went..
Now half way across, the boat was rolling like a drunken sailor and I could imagine the kitchen staff picking up all sorts of broken plates and whatnot in the galley and the passengers chundering in their lunch, even more entertaining was the surety that the bikes would be arse over head on the steel car deck and my Norge would be as safe as houses.
Well we duly made the crossing and down we all went to retrieve our machines.
When we got there I could scarcely conceal my disappointment when not one of the buggers had moved an inch, or seemingly so.
I just do not know how the bloody hell they had not gone arse up..!
They must have thought I was a prize tool..!
(I’m not dead sure they’re wrong.)
Anyway, I didn’t look any of them in the eye and we all left in different directions..(thankfully.. :embarrassed:)
But the trip to Mt Etna went well and I don’t think I was fully prepared for the grandeur of it..
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When I crossed lake Huron via ferry they gave us rope and required us to tie down the bikes. Had tie down points in the floor and everything.
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When I crossed lake Huron via ferry they gave us rope and required us to tie down the bikes. Had tie down points in the floor and everything.
Yeah, usually they do.
In fact I think this might only be the second time I’ve had it happen.
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Just a couple of gratuitous ones..
Etna and the Norge.
(https://i.ibb.co/KGq1j40/421-A4-B52-2-DEA-45-D0-B011-BDAC40-E03-A34.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KGq1j40)
(https://i.ibb.co/nkBqqxv/F50034-A4-4-B8-A-40-CC-A104-4392-ABAFF62-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nkBqqxv)
(https://i.ibb.co/mHGTzx7/649-E4141-A111-4930-8-A1-A-8-D467-AC44-AB8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mHGTzx7)
(https://i.ibb.co/VDY9ZTg/FDC999-BA-CEB4-4-DB0-9-CB8-FEBFA9-B5077-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VDY9ZTg)
(https://i.ibb.co/HqcryZS/A3-B14680-FE93-445-F-A33-B-61-AEED318668.png) (https://ibb.co/HqcryZS)
BTW.
The bike has done about 5,500 k since I started but I’d hoped to have 10,000 on it by the time I passed back through Como en route to Turkey so I could get the oil changed at Agostini’s.
Not gunna’ have that many by then, so I might just get it done a few k’s early..
Won’t be an issue, as long as I don’t get to 20,000 for the trip.
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Also.
I’m not on the take or being pursued by the Sicilian mafia...(I hope !)
But this place is where I stayed prior to and after visiting Sicily.
It’s five minutes from the ferry terminal on the Italian mainland. They are great with good breakfast and only €40.
(https://i.ibb.co/0FDH8Pv/FAD03-D3-D-1245-4-ED9-970-B-995-CFFD1-B4-CE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0FDH8Pv)
(https://i.ibb.co/hsM8v9L/FDEF3055-DD7-C-47-AE-A175-A78-F7010-BF28.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hsM8v9L)
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I’m currently parked up at the Sun Bay Camping In Taranto.
Not too bad either.
Jeez, some of those Coastal villages between Trebisacce and Marina di Ginosa are pretty sad. I think I chipped a tooth on one of the croissant type offerings and the coffee was reminiscent of hydrochloric acid, but it stayed down. So many of the store fronts were boarded up and the young blokes seem to do nothing but thrash around in ever decreasing circles in their buggered Fiat Pandas, driving with their knee, holding a smoke in one hand and mobile in the other..
Pretty skilled it’s fair to say.
I did see something that pretty much exemplified the nature of things though, there was a Tabbacchi with a children’s toy “store” on one side and I think was an adult book shop on the other, the “aperto” sign on the door of the book shop was intermittent in it’s operation and as I sat at the lights waiting, I saw the owner bashing at it with his fist.
It seemed like it did not want to work...
Kind of symbolic I thought..
The bikers are pretty good though, there was one guy passed me in the town on a Vespa type thing, with his unfastened helmet strap flapping and him sending a text on his mobile...
Cool...!
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Hope the lack of mention of wind/rain/snow/blizzard/windblown dust and dirt means that the weather has started to look a bit more favourably on you Huzo. :thumb:
Years ago when we visited our daughter when she lived in France we leased a vehicle and drove in a loop around France and northern Italy. An Italian guy who was domiciled in Oz said we must have a look at the Italian Riviera. We tried, truly we tried, but even back in '95 the traffic was horrendous and we had to bail for the motorway.
Sad, because we would have loved to spend some time exploring some of those towns.
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A few months ago I noticed that in some areas of Italy the government were giving away abandoned houses and apartments for $1. The only proviso was that you had to renovate said dwelling within the first 12 months and actually live their. I guess they were trying to get work for the locals and some money into those areas.
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Great pics there Huzo...keep them coming! Red Norge looks nicely contrasted against the black / grey of the volcano...
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A great trip report - enjoyable read and photos. :thumb:
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Hope the lack of mention of wind/rain/snow/blizzard/windblown dust and dirt means that the weather has started to look a bit more favourably on you Huzo. :thumb:
Years ago when we visited our daughter when she lived in France we leased a vehicle and drove in a loop around France and northern Italy. An Italian guy who was domiciled in Oz said we must have a look at the Italian Riviera. We tried, truly we tried, but even back in '95 the traffic was horrendous and we had to bail for the motorway.
Sad, because we would have loved to spend some time exploring some of those towns.
Truth be told.
Other than riding for 5 minutes yesterday on an already wet motorway, I have not ridden in rain since back in Lincolnshire. Yesterday I thought the shit was about to hit the fan since I was travelling North towards the mountains into a wall of impending rain.
Fortunately the GPS said I needed to take an exit to the East and that resulted in clearer skies, like this shot I just took @ 7.00 am looking out over the Ionian Sea.
(https://i.ibb.co/GnHJhb5/8359-C01-B-68-E3-45-E2-B374-32605-D511844.png) (https://ibb.co/GnHJhb5)
(https://i.ibb.co/pZ34LY7/2-C4-D7980-6-A79-46-BB-A87-A-CC6-FF5-AE156-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pZ34LY7)
Bonus..!
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Hope the lack of mention of wind/rain/snow/blizzard/windblown dust and dirt means that the weather has started to look a bit more favourably on you Huzo. :thumb:
Years ago when we visited our daughter when she lived in France we leased a vehicle and drove in a loop around France and northern Italy. An Italian guy who was domiciled in Oz said we must have a look at the Italian Riviera. We tried, truly we tried, but even back in '95 the traffic was horrendous and we had to bail for the motorway.
Sad, because we would have loved to spend some time exploring some of those towns.
In 2017 I went along there (as I will today), and visited San Marino, Pescara and such shanty towns.
I’ve been to Tavullia and plan to go there again to visit a bloke for his 46th birthday which I believe might be imminent... :wink:
He wasn’t home last time, someone at his Oyster Bar, said he’d gone to the motorbike races...(where’s the future in that...?)
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Red Norge looks nicely contrasted against the black / grey of the volcano..
Thanks mate..
(I wonder which one will blow up first..?)
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All very interesting Huzo, keep the photos coming. Still no sign of the V85. I'm hoping it arrives soon as I have a meeting in Milan 24-25/6 so was hoping to go on it.
Derek
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All very interesting Huzo, keep the photos coming. Still no sign of the V85. I'm hoping it arrives soon as I have a meeting in Milan 24-25/6 so was hoping to go on it.
Derek
I think I can tell you why mate.
Some bloke just passed me on a signature series Ronald Mc Donald one, coming out of Taranto.
It looked suspiciously like that demo one you rode from On Yer Bike...Maybe he got yours ?
Come to think of it..
It kind of resembled the one I took from Agostini’s on the Bellagio road...!
Word is from Melbourne, mine is expected end of June.
I’ve got my first accessory..
(https://i.ibb.co/x8R1qVp/5-B303-CF5-A403-4583-A4-F4-009-D01-C17-AA3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/x8R1qVp)
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Huzo, I'm coming late to your thread but I am enjoying it. Thank you for the time you are taking to post the pictures and descriptions.
You give us all the chance to live the trip through you.
Beautiful trip. I am very biased and partial to Italy.
.
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......
Beautiful trip. I am very biased and partial to Italy.
.
+1 Italy is one of my favorite parts of the world
I have found memories driving at ridiculous speeds in a recently repaired Alfa GTV that we had driven from the UK, around the streets of Naples trying to keep up with the Italian Mechanic that was leading us to the Tangentialle
Happy days :grin:
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Then of course,
There’s this..!
(https://i.ibb.co/ZVjJCR9/0-D7156-FC-7-E18-4-FF0-8-FB9-E043789-E9073.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZVjJCR9)
Extrapolate that out to a 23 litre tank.
Thank God for Beetle... :bow:
Of course, to put that back into a bit of perspective..
That was JUST under 400 km for 18 litres @ sustained 125 kph
Thank the OTHER God for Beetle.. :bow:
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The 5 year old Tom Tom That I’ve used for everything finally became un readable due to a shagged and almost opaque screen.
Removing the plastic cover reveals a display that is as good as the day it was built, but one cannot use the touch screen, so on with the spare.
I knew I’d left the mount at home, so had to rig this up.
There’s a reason why I didn’t get it replaced before I left, but it’s boring.
(https://i.ibb.co/CJ9Symb/1-EC33-FAB-25-B2-4-CCE-B370-71-AEA415-A15-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CJ9Symb)
Also thought I might indulge in a bit of hero worship, so I went to Tavullia.
(https://i.ibb.co/B24Bp6W/E848-CA2-B-0767-4-A2-B-A705-A3-D99-FDAC4-AA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B24Bp6W) (https://i.ibb.co/jWYKP40/13-B8-B411-738-A-4815-8-A0-C-2-AE608-DB6131.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jWYKP40) (https://i.ibb.co/pj8qtBF/23877-A1-E-ED47-42-F8-A2-C1-1919-BDB692-C2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pj8qtBF) (https://i.ibb.co/KKnGM1V/2-C812371-6910-48-C6-A1-A0-F572-F1-AFA1-F7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KKnGM1V) (https://i.ibb.co/GJ9n1MY/2831-EB7-E-CC70-4-CC4-9814-307-F9-E44-EBCA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GJ9n1MY) (https://i.ibb.co/7gVNzkg/18-AD8-DAB-4-BEC-4229-A4-ED-723-DC2-F04-FD6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7gVNzkg) (https://i.ibb.co/B4pgpNY/32267645-222-C-469-D-A363-FCDF7-C52-C026.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B4pgpNY) (https://i.ibb.co/9cwjdKm/81-D4-DEE1-A214-4-EE5-8-C4-D-4-EFFEE70-E371.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9cwjdKm) (https://i.ibb.co/nbNHDZ7/504-FAE3-E-AAE7-4-CDF-977-B-BFFB65173-F5-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nbNHDZ7)<br /
Also when coming back down from the upstairs display room at VR46, I lightly bumped my head on a beam.
The concerned staff asked if I was ok, and I said I would like to see the “Doctor..”
They all laughed, (for some reason...)
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:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Man, I am going to see if I can peel the screen on my old 765 Garmin. I fried it a few times trying to use it in a tank bag plastic window compartment. Still works, just can't see the screen well. Mmm.
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The 5 year old Tom Tom That I’ve used for everything finally became un readable due to a shagged and almost opaque screen.
Removing the plastic cover reveals a display that is as good as the day it was built, but one cannot use the touch screen, so on with the spare.
I knew I’d left the mount at home, so had to rig this up.
There’s a reason why I didn’t get it replaced before I left, but it’s boring.
(https://i.ibb.co/CJ9Symb/1-EC33-FAB-25-B2-4-CCE-B370-71-AEA415-A15-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CJ9Symb)
Also thought I might indulge in a bit of hero worship, so I went to Tavullia.
(https://i.ibb.co/B24Bp6W/E848-CA2-B-0767-4-A2-B-A705-A3-D99-FDAC4-AA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B24Bp6W) (https://i.ibb.co/jWYKP40/13-B8-B411-738-A-4815-8-A0-C-2-AE608-DB6131.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jWYKP40) (https://i.ibb.co/pj8qtBF/23877-A1-E-ED47-42-F8-A2-C1-1919-BDB692-C2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pj8qtBF) (https://i.ibb.co/KKnGM1V/2-C812371-6910-48-C6-A1-A0-F572-F1-AFA1-F7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KKnGM1V) (https://i.ibb.co/GJ9n1MY/2831-EB7-E-CC70-4-CC4-9814-307-F9-E44-EBCA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GJ9n1MY) (https://i.ibb.co/7gVNzkg/18-AD8-DAB-4-BEC-4229-A4-ED-723-DC2-F04-FD6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7gVNzkg) (https://i.ibb.co/B4pgpNY/32267645-222-C-469-D-A363-FCDF7-C52-C026.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B4pgpNY) (https://i.ibb.co/9cwjdKm/81-D4-DEE1-A214-4-EE5-8-C4-D-4-EFFEE70-E371.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9cwjdKm) (https://i.ibb.co/nbNHDZ7/504-FAE3-E-AAE7-4-CDF-977-B-BFFB65173-F5-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nbNHDZ7)<br /
Also when coming back down from the upstairs display room at VR46, I lightly bumped my head on a beam.
The concerned staff asked if I was ok, and I said I would like to see the “Doctor..”
They all laughed, (for some reason...)
You are officially part of the Tifosi now Huzo! Nice joke there!!
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Ok.
The sharp eyed among you will have noticed that I’ve put Italy in between Switzerland and Croatia, that was not originally the plan, but I did not want to get to Albania too soon.
I passed a V85 coming up out of Taranto to Rimini, it was a signature series Ronald Mc Donald one. It was on the gas around a bend and seemed to be tracking beautifully.
Funny thing..
In Italy, Guzzi rider’s don’t seem to pay any attention to other Guzzi riders.
I was parked at a servo gutsing myself when a guy pulled up next to me on one of those big California or Audace things. I didn’t expect him to fall at my feet and perform a lewd act on me, but he just got off and didn’t even look sideways.
I guess they are just not rare enough to be noteworthy.
I’m currently parked up at this place..
(https://i.ibb.co/16mc6HK/F1-B0-DEB5-DBF4-41-FE-B9-F8-BE6767952632.png) (https://ibb.co/16mc6HK)
(https://i.ibb.co/7Ktjs0R/1-BF9-C290-C312-4-C84-AFF6-182-D59-A17-B21.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7Ktjs0R)
(https://i.ibb.co/FXrDD3x/AC7-B4-EAE-4-C7-B-4942-98-BC-2-BA8-B7-BA5293.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FXrDD3x)
Got a nice site and will take a tour tomorrow in the bus...
Finding a park is horrendous and you only have to miss one turn and you’ll bloody well find yourself on an Autostrada heading out of the city with nowhere to turn around for 15 km..!
I will take heaps of shots and post them.
BTW..
I’m reminded of how clever the people of Venice are by the old adage..
“We’re it not for Venetians..
It’d be curtains for us all...!”
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Goodness you're covering some ground Huzo.
We're currently in Targu Mures after travelling up from the infamous Bran Castle today. 200k which is normal for us.
We'll hand around here tomorrow then onto Sebes at the top of Transalpina Highway which I'm hoping to traverse but I'm doubtful it's open.
Will you be getting over to Bulgaria? If you do be sure to drop into MotoCamp Bulgaria http://motosapiens.org/motocamp/Info
(https://i.ibb.co/MR81q1h/20190523-222010.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MR81q1h)
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Yeah will certainly be going through there coming down from Romania to Greece.
I went through Sebes in 2017 on the Transfagarasan trip.
Why not go to Sibiu and go down the DN7c to Pitesti on the Transfagarasan ? I’m about to leave Venice, do you want me to come over there for a coffee ?
It’s a quiet 1000 k on a good day...
Where will you be in a couple of days ?
I have a great idea..!
In 2017 I stayed at a crazy blokes Hotel just outside Craiova,
Great food, room and no charge..!
Wanna’ meet there ?
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Our plan is to stay tomorrow night in Sebes, it's already booked. Then we could do the Transfagarasan on the 26th to Pitesti which is about 225k. The problem would be that it's on a Sunday and apparently the worst day to do it because of the traffic, although it's not 'in the season' yet so may not be too bad.
That would put us in Craiova just before lunch on Monday 27th. Or anywhere along the route from Pitesti to Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
How would that fit.
On another note, we stopped at MotoCamp Bulgaria and I ripped the tank off the Sport and found that I could pivot the air box up and out of the way by removing the bracket that holds it to where the rear of the tank is held down - an easy sort to a usually difficult situation.
It was the oil pressure sensor all right. How nuts is that. Check my fix with JB Weld inside the shroud and epoxy glue outside. I can't see any weeping yet but its only been 650k so we'll see.
(https://i.ibb.co/2k9HnJK/20190520-171025.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2k9HnJK)
(https://i.ibb.co/8MBhwXY/20190520-171014.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8MBhwXY)
(https://i.ibb.co/GtcH9qX/20190520-170342.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GtcH9qX)
upload (https://imgbb.com/)
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(https://i.ibb.co/FXrDD3x/AC7-B4-EAE-4-C7-B-4942-98-BC-2-BA8-B7-BA5293.jpg)
Morning H
Whats the white stuff on the ground, it looks suspiciously like snow - but is it really?
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Ok Huzo.
Please just add 1 day to all those dates I just gave you. I've been on the road too long and lost track of time.
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Ok Huzo.
Please just add 1 day to all those dates I just gave you. I've been on the road too long and lost track of time.
I’ll firm up the date/time for the Craiova thing tomorrow night.
Sounds very doable though.
Here is the location and a street view of the place.
(https://i.ibb.co/4KD2tGw/6-E6287-E2-9-C87-4139-9356-DA87444-AF9-D2.png) (https://ibb.co/4KD2tGw)
(https://i.ibb.co/C94P0t2/4-A3-F13-BB-E032-4708-8779-F545538-F5121.png) (https://ibb.co/C94P0t2)
caricare immagini (https://it.imgbb.com/)
Also there’s a story I did for a magazine which I posted here.
There is mention of the place and I’ve posted that part here.
If you read the middle bit it’ll give you some idea.
(https://i.ibb.co/xFtfDYF/CB764905-2297-4911-81-E4-33-CE612-B847-C.png) (https://ibb.co/xFtfDYF)
Keep me in the loop as to when you will be there and I’ll meet you for one of his fabulous teas and an evening in room #9... :kiss: :wink:
I had two 15 litre drums of home made soup, sausages that looked like something from a John Holmes or Ron Jeremy movie with mashed spud up to your eyeballs and enough of the best bloody cabbage and pumpkin to sink the Bismark...(again).
Oh, and BTW..
No charge for the tucker OR the room... :bow: :thumb:
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Morning H
Whats the white stuff on the ground, it looks suspiciously like snow - but is it really?
Ahhh..
The old “white stuff on the ground after a camping trip, question eh...?
(You sound like my ex wife..)
Nothing that good, it’s some crap that blows off the trees and gets everywhere but up your blurter...!
I’m gunna’ take a mirror off the Norge and launch an investigation on that one...!
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Ok Huzo.
Please just add 1 day to all those dates I just gave you. I've been on the road too long and lost track of time.
I thought you had it right but anyway, I’ll be there if you wish and we’ll get on the piss...
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Those Venetians have got more culture than a penicillin factory..
Cop an optic on this.
(https://i.ibb.co/TwqDBHN/2740193-C-8353-458-A-BFC5-8-ECF96-EBE2-A4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TwqDBHN)
(https://i.ibb.co/RCJqGvB/7-D2-C9143-0-F4-E-4-B68-A299-7-C9707-ADA18-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RCJqGvB)
(https://i.ibb.co/ZHnSPHg/AF424-BF6-E9-CF-44-A1-AD26-E697-B9-B8-C751.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZHnSPHg)
(https://i.ibb.co/MDqsJDP/92-E38-EF5-4212-472-B-ABAD-C7-BF3-EF9-B15-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MDqsJDP)
(https://i.ibb.co/XzHNyBC/AC4-F6-CFE-892-E-4-E3-F-8-A4-F-36682025570-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XzHNyBC)
(https://i.ibb.co/dgMvmGc/AB0-C883-B-4-ED7-455-A-B0-E3-52-FCC7493-F2-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dgMvmGc)
(https://i.ibb.co/tp44mqM/43-A6-AEA4-73-D8-4-C76-9-D3-F-31-EFB15-D800-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tp44mqM)
Do you think 140 horse, is enough to push a 16’ boat around the canals of Venice @ 10 mph ?
(https://i.ibb.co/L8MyXvx/F85-F0456-C245-443-C-9-AA5-60-E48-D223-A3-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/L8MyXvx)
(https://i.ibb.co/M5kW53D/3-C9-C693-C-2-BD2-4662-8-B25-AF8-A83089-FC6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/M5kW53D)
(https://i.ibb.co/Qnj1ftk/25-F73302-BBDA-4165-81-B1-353085-CAD9-D6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Qnj1ftk)
(https://i.ibb.co/r5XxdMm/C102-D346-7-B83-41-CB-B78-A-C3-C0385-C9-A9-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/r5XxdMm)
(https://i.ibb.co/G7TQCfT/BA32-DB64-1749-4-C5-A-9946-B975-A2379-E22.jpg) (https://ibb.co/G7TQCfT)
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We loved Venice Huzo. Spent about 4.1/2 days there and loved it. Most of the time spent spent exploring where the tourists weren't present. :thumb:
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We loved Venice Huzo. Spent about 4.1/2 days there and loved it. Most of the time spent spent exploring where the tourists weren't present. :thumb:
You didn't consider yourself a tourist, Muzz? :popcorn:
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You didn't consider yourself a tourist, Muzz? :popcorn:
he is a Mo"tourist"...I will show myself out...
:boozing:
love the pictures, keep them coming :evil:
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https://youtu.be/p-_mav0kw44
Some history makes a trip like yours even more interesting . It amazes me to realize just how soaked in blood and misery the ground we tread on is. I appreciate the way we live now because of the sacrifice of these many people.
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Yes mate, I should try to get a bit of culture up me.
You can smell the history in the place, it really is a marvellous joint.
Today I’m back in Como and I’m going to get the oil’s changed in the bike tomorrow., it’s done just shy of 10,000 so far so is now due and I just didn’t want to be in Slovakia or somewhere like that with the mechanic swinging on the end of a 1 metre lever whilst trying to get the sump plug undone...(which he thinks might be a left hand thread..)
Pure fantasy I’ll admit, but these things have a habit of coming true at the worst times. Also I noticed just a very light smattering of some contaminant on the rear rim that had attracted dust and I would like to get the boys to check the state of the seal in the CARC.
(https://i.ibb.co/hdXKNFt/41-D924-A3-83-DD-4258-A257-C420-B2-B3-C0-C1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hdXKNFt)
I bumped into this bloke on the autostrada and we stopped for a coffee, he was utterly enamoured with his Guzzi which he’s owned from new and showed me the original purchase documents (for some reason..?)
I knew he was a bit unusual when I saw the colour of his helmet... :rolleyes:
Anyway while looking around his bike I noticed the rear tyre head a very nice sheen to it and felt moved to test it with my hand, the entire rear tyre was as greasy as a butcher’s dick except for a strip about 2” wide in the middle.
The guy looked nonplussed when I suggested it might be the oil that was coming from underneath and blowing back with the wind, he said it would be fine because the Moto Guzzi was “for sure bellissimo” or something similar...
Unable to resist, I slid under and was treated to the sight of a tsunami like torrent of oil coming from between the engine and gearbox, (rear main..?).
He seemed unconcerned as he was only going from Udine to Rome...!
I suggested that he be careful when leaning over more than 0.5 degrees and was treated to a Homer Simpson like, blank stare.
I then looked at him and just said...Prudenzia, which I think he took on board..
He then blasted off and leaned the darn thing over to the point where he almost had his knee down..!
Dunno how they do it..
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.....Dunno how they do it..
[/quote]
I used to ride with a Swiss fellow. At points, leaned over in a curve, when I felt close to death, he would be lifting his foot off the inside peg of his LM1 so he could increase his lean/speed thru the apex. The footpegs on his bike were worn thru. Dunno how they do it.
G
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Great stuff Huzo - keep 'em coming.. :laugh:
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I’m going to leave Monti’s at Como now and head around to Mandello.
I want the oils changed as mentioned and will need to do the sad puppy eye thing if I’m to be attended to in the short term. Last time I did this, they just pushed everything aside and catered to me, but you cannot expect that to happen all the time..
We shall see.
8.30 am in heaven...
(https://i.ibb.co/rdKd6q2/CCB2097-D-E3-CF-4-AF3-A80-A-21-D5241-B85-C9.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rdKd6q2)
(https://i.ibb.co/fDxR9np/07-A1-DB50-5-BE3-4-C9-B-BBFD-519-DC6-F6790-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fDxR9np)
And while you were away.......Mandello del Lario.
Well folks it’s happened again, rocked up to Agostini’s at 9.30 with a hole full of soap, (scuzzi, soul full of hope.. :embarrassed:).
Stefan recognised me and after 5 seconds pulled my name out of his blurter which absolutely surprised me.
I only met him once on the day when I had the ride on the V85, I must admit I had to dig in my brain for his name for about 10 minutes on the way there, so I would be able to greet him appropriately.
Anyway, he’s young I guess but an asset to that place. Just so damn cool...
So I told him that the Norge had put 10,000 k under the wheels thus far and would it be possible to have the oil changed in the engine as a priority and if there was enough of a hole that could be made in the (already full) schedule, could the gearbox and CARC be done too.
He apologetically said that he could not do it immediately, but if I wished to help myself to their facilities or stroll around to the coffee shop in the square, he would have it done within the hour..!
Talk about shit service.. :rolleyes:
He asked was there anything else and I indicated the issue that I thought I might have inherited with the CARC, re the minute spotting onto the rim.
The main man came up from the workshop to have a look and suggested that the CARC was absolutely fine and I thought I’d indulge in a bit of conventional wisdom and agree.
I bet the chief mechanic at Agostini’s was relieved that an itinerate Australian motorcycle tourist, concurred with his diagnosis...! :wink: :rolleyes:
So anyway, he jumped aboard MY bike and disappeared into the bowels of the place.
Now, it would not matter if V Rossi and G Agostini themselves jumped on my bike and rode off two up, I still feel bereft when I see someone else riding it !
Probably akin to your partner being taken to “dinner” by Ron Jeremy, she might be in expert hands but you’d prefer to be the one in the drivers seat.. :sad:
Now I know all this is a bit old hat, but here is a sample of some of the goodies in and around Agostini’s.
(https://i.ibb.co/KDrLJYp/DA1-DD16-E-04-F0-4-C19-8-F90-809-B565-D64-F6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KDrLJYp)
(https://i.ibb.co/xfjxHhs/7235-DEFA-71-EF-4-BAB-84-F6-6-C35-C25213-A8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xfjxHhs)
(https://i.ibb.co/j9CMy4R/4-AF678-BC-2-EB1-454-A-911-F-8-F00-AC3-CB9-CE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/j9CMy4R)
(https://i.ibb.co/JxT5h2Z/1510-F6-CD-EAC9-499-D-B731-66530717-FED6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JxT5h2Z)
(https://i.ibb.co/6090ZcW/5-E5-B2-A76-ED5-A-4-D46-88-EE-B4-D7-E6-CC8-E35.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6090ZcW)
(https://i.ibb.co/NWxvVgX/0-B96-AD71-1222-4-CC1-8-D8-E-7-AE5-CE90-F67-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NWxvVgX)
Also, while we’re on the topic..(which we weren’t.)
Those engine protection bars on the Breva or Sport are nicely made, but the rear mount utilises two of the threaded holes used to nip the rocker covers down, and it all seems a bit frail to me, if those bars were used in anger, I think those bolts would tear out and you’d be in shit street, because it’d more than likely pull that part of the casting away, new head required.
It’s not all bad news though.
Where the back end of the bar wraps around to catch the rocker cover bolts, it could easily pass right through and connect to the one on the opposite side.
That’d be better actually, also would pass the forces of the impact through, to share with the other side and be much more robust..
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I bumped into these guys as I was leaving Agostini’s.
I still LOVE those V11 things, but I’ve gotta’ admit, in my opinion the work trimming away some of the bodywork on the Centauro has done nothing to make it uglier..!
(https://i.ibb.co/XjF6fyQ/A50-A7-D5-B-6264-4-D48-B9-B4-CEFD80-CF6814.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XjF6fyQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/MBGYxKN/33-C7-E2-DD-F75-F-46-CC-8-DE5-5411-D019-EC8-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MBGYxKN)
BTW.
Here’s a 10,000 k Michelin Pilot 5
(https://i.ibb.co/rZ1c2my/8-B4-DD030-2-E19-4666-ACFF-D3529-B714291.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rZ1c2my)
immagini upload (https://it.imgbb.com/)
It’ll do 18 - 20 I reckon.
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You didn't consider yourself a tourist, Muzz? :popcorn:
We did the tourist spots Dave, well, you gotta, but to actually get the feel of Venice we then tried to spend as much time away from the raging masses.
I remember coming out of some back street, and in front of us on the main road was just a wall of people. I don't think many ventured off the main thoroughfares.
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Saw a sign today and had to think..
“Jeez, I knew no one liked him but that’s a bit rough...!”
Has to be PM only.
Giz a hoi if you want to see it.. :evil: :evil:
Also, here’s the reason I’m going to South of France /Spain as we speak..
(https://i.ibb.co/gScB8q9/A3-DA84-F0-C39-F-452-E-BAE4-F8-B29-B3-A026-D.png) (https://ibb.co/gScB8q9)
(https://i.ibb.co/jryQrXn/FD37-E557-E75-B-4208-8-C9-A-4993-F04084-F4.png) (https://ibb.co/jryQrXn)
Versus
(https://i.ibb.co/ryxnZh1/D99-BC74-B-690-A-4508-8-F56-A8-A08518-E61-E.png) (https://ibb.co/ryxnZh1)
(https://i.ibb.co/sjDYtYY/C06-D5985-B9-E7-4300-BD2-B-3-B1-BCB1-E1-C90.png) (https://ibb.co/sjDYtYY)
A slam dunk..!
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Huzo, I have been enjoying this thread very much! Thanks for taking the time to post all of this!
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I didn't catch it if you already stated it somewhere so excuse me, but D-day's 75th anniversary is coming up starting the 5th-6th of June. They are planning a big event since most of these guys are already gone. I piece of history you might be able to see reenacted.
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Huzo, I have been enjoying this thread very much! Thanks for taking the time to post all of this!
Thank you David..
Always happy to talk about myself. :wink:
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I didn't catch it if you already stated it somewhere so excuse me, but D-day's 75th anniversary is coming up starting the 5th-6th of June. They are planning a big event since most of these guys are already gone. I piece of history you might be able to see reenacted.
Got no idea where I’ll be mate, but I usually firm things up with a couple of days to go.
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Also oi reckon..
Some of you Pommy blokes orta’ get together and we can organise a date to meet somewhere in UK, and we should all go for a little ride around June 25- 30..?
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Also oi reckon..
Some of you Pommy blokes orta’ get together and we can organise a date to meet somewhere in UK, and we should all go for a little ride around June 25- 30..?
I'll be up for that if the V85 arrives, but the dealer's stopped returning my calls...
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I'll be up for that if the V85 arrives, but the dealer's stopped returning my calls...
Go and sort the bugger out Derek. That’s just rude.
If I was a dealer, anyone who bought a new bike from me would have me so far up them you’d be flat out seeing my boots..!
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I call my dealer every two weeks for an update. Another is coming up in a day or two.
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Huzo, I have been enjoying this thread very much! Thanks for taking the time to post all of this!
BTW Dave.
It’s not too bad from my side either.. :thumb:
But really..
There’s just no justice, you know?
I mean, you do all the right things, sweat like a whore in a church at border crossings and random intercepts when quizzed about your number plate, spend like a drunken sailor at toll booths, basically get robbed at Repsol servo’s and freeze your arse off in Camping ground showers..
Ok, that’s part of the “deal.”
But do I really have to get up in the morning and look at what some bottom feeding vandal has put in front of my tent to look at first thing in the morning..?
(https://i.ibb.co/5RT0XFN/3-E88-AD55-E527-4423-967-D-C0-B5-FDCA2-D2-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5RT0XFN)
(https://i.ibb.co/Pzrmr9m/7135805-F-64-A1-471-F-8-D5-C-8-D77-E4-AFE48-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Pzrmr9m)
fast image hosting (https://it.imgbb.com/)
It’s just bloody rude.
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Ok, I know I’m going to cop shit for this, but like any affair outside of your official relationship, there are people who don’t deserve to that pay the price, but the memories are there for better or worse and are indelible.
Again like an illicit night, I might feel differently in the morning but at least this time I can hit the “delete” button and it’ll all go away..
I found myself in a Pizzeria drinking altogether too much red wine and struggling with Italian in the company of total strangers that I felt like I’d known all my life..(and a damn good one at that).
The camping is a dangerously long distance from the Pizzeria from a legal point of view when you’re absolutely maggoted, but I doubt any member of Itay’s finest could possibly take a dim view of a late middle aged Aussie self promoting loudmouth, who just wants to go home with his bike and get some kip.
It’s happened before once in the warehouse at Felixstowe as I walked away from my Norge to head back to Australia after a 20,000 k trip in 2016, and that was the tinkling sound of the cooling V twin after it had selflessly carried me wherever I wanted, over numerous mountain passes and bowed to my changing whims with respect to random alterations of destination.
Again as I parked my bike and was placing my helmet and paraphernalia in the tent, the tinkling sound was crystal clear in the glass calm Italian night air, thick with the aroma of a thousand Pizzas and the crackle of congenial banter.
I felt moved to pause and just look at the damn thing..
It’s as addictive as bloody Luap Mc Keever’s forum and the two seem to have become joined to the point where the separating line is not readily apparent.
Bikes have been the longest love affair I’ve ever experienced and it’s one that for me, will not die until I do.
I’m about one glass short of wine consumption, to come right out and say that I sort of thanked my bike for the good day, but one more and I reckon I would have.
I thought it though..
It’s been very good to me...
(https://i.ibb.co/GPKkm3G/7-BCA90-D7-81-D3-4-A99-8-A2-E-2-D14847-E9009.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GPKkm3G)
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BTW Dave.
But do I really have to get up in the morning and look at what some bottom feeding vandal has put in front of my tent to look at first thing in the morning..?
It’s just bloody rude.
Until I looked at the photos I thought someone had dropped a great steaming pile of it ar your front door! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Nice thread thanks Huzo, keep 'em coming.
p.s. Gotta watch that Italian red wine. :angel:
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Ok, I know I’m going to cop shit for this, but like any good affair outside of your official relationship, it’s sorta’ worth it and I don’t give a rat’s.
Again like an illicit night, I might feel differently in the morning but at least this time I can hit the “delete” button and it’ll all go away..
I found myself in a Pizzeria drinking altogether too much red wine and struggling with Italian in the company of total strangers that I felt like I’d known all my life..(and a damn good one at that).
The camping is a dangerously long distance from the Pizzeria from a legal point of view when you’re absolutely maggoted, but I doubt any member of Itay’s finest could possibly take a dim view of a late middle aged Aussie self promoting loudmouth, who just wants to go home with his bike and get some kip.
It’s happened before once in the warehouse at Felixstowe as I walked away from my Norge to head back to Australia after a 20,000 k trip in 2016, and that was the tinkling sound of the cooling V twin after it had selflessly carried me wherever I wanted, over numerous mountain passes and bowed to my changing whims with respect to random alterations of destination.
Again as I parked my bike and was placing my helmet and paraphernalia in the tent, the tinkling sound was crystal clear in the glass calm Italian night air, thick with the aroma of a thousand Pizzas and the crackle of congenial banter.
I felt moved to pause and just look at the damn thing..
It’s as addictive as bloody Luap Mc Keever’s forum and the two seem to have become joined to the point where the separating line is not readily apparent.
Bikes have been the longest love affair I’ve ever experienced and it’s one that for me, will not die until I do.
I’m about one glass short of wine consumption, to come right out and say that I sort of thanked my bike for the good day, but one more and I reckon I would have.
I thought it though..
It’s been very good to me...
(https://i.ibb.co/GPKkm3G/7-BCA90-D7-81-D3-4-A99-8-A2-E-2-D14847-E9009.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GPKkm3G)
So eloquently put. :boozing: :thumb:
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So eloquently put. :boozing: :thumb:
Tar...
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Bikes have been the longest love affair I’ve ever experienced and it’s one that for me, will not die until I do.
:thumb: I get it, Huzo.. I've had many love affairs myself, but bikes started when I was a teenager, and have outlasted most others.
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:thumb: I get it, Huzo.. I've had many love affairs myself, but bikes started when I was a teenager, and have outlasted most others.
Thank you Chuck..
Coming from you that means a little more...
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I (mostly) stayed off the damn toll roads today and realised that you are not much slower on the secondary roads, but you do cop it up the blurter because of towns and that’s what destroys your distance in a day thing.
The fuel economy is still a bit better overall than on the Autostradas etc.., so the only real thing you lose is time.
Best I can achieve on average on the Autostrada is very low 5’s/100 km at around 110-125 k’s.
It can be done a bit easier on the secondary routes and averaged high 4’s today.
It’s not something I hang my hat on, but I do like to keep one eye on it, I find it a bit of a barometer for how hard or easy the bike is working.
I spotted a mistake that I’m surprised hasn’t been picked up before too. Today I was at one of those booths that they have at the beginning and and of a toll road near the red and white boom gates, they are the ones where a gun comes out and robs you of whatever Euro you may have managed to keep for five minutes after you have had the privilege of riding on their asphalt.
Just near the part where you put your card in there’s a display and under it in France is the word “Prix”.
It actually should if everyone has their say, be spelled more accurately, and that would be..........”Pricks”
Oh and..
They don’t taste the same when you’re outside Italy...!
(https://i.ibb.co/X8RFDzZ/522-F6-DA4-10-AA-45-A6-A858-7-B718-AC6-F6-B3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/X8RFDzZ)
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I hope your talking about pizza and not Prix
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glad you're enjoying the trip Pete. News for you. The V85's have landed in Oz.
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Oh and..
They don’t taste the same when you’re outside Italy...!
(https://i.ibb.co/X8RFDzZ/522-F6-DA4-10-AA-45-A6-A858-7-B718-AC6-F6-B3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/X8RFDzZ)
You're right there Peter.
We arrived in Bologne on the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Italy winning the war. :rolleyes:
Everything was shut, then daughter spied someone wandering along with a takeaway pizza box. We slowly followed the people with pizza boxes back to the source, a restaurant which also sold takeaways. We only had to wait about a quarter of an hour for a table. (The queue was about 100mts long when we left). Amongst us we had language wise English, Dutch, French and a smattering of German. The waiter had none of those so we deciphered the best we could from the menu. It was MEMORABLE!!!! :food: :food: :food: The most amazing pizza we have ever had. The kitchen was on display and they were doing the flying saucer bit to thin the crust out. Just amazing.
20 years ago and it is one of my most vibrant memories. :thumb:
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I hope your talking about pizza and not Prix
That’s funny... :thumb:
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glad you're enjoying the trip Pete. News for you. The V85's have landed in Oz.
You bloody beauty..!
If they sell my red/white one, I’ll shoot the bastards..
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I'll help you with that.
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I'll help you with that.
Merci... :kiss:
Bloody toilet etiquette...
Bugger me, I front up to the showers this morning for a top and tail. Looking above the two doors there is a depiction of a toddler like child on each one which at first glance was identical to the one next door..
Looking in through the two inch thick glass door I could see a couple of things that looked like change tables and since both rooms looked the same and having seen the “casual” approach sometimes taken to bathroom facilities relating to gender, I felt I had done enough sluething to safely enter and complete my intended tasks..
What could go wrong...?
Nothing..(well, almost)
Upon entering I noticed that there were no standing facilities for 1/2 minute stays for men, but that’s not all that unusual, so I entered the cubicle and in deference to the unisex nature of the facility, closed and locked the door.
Any that point and having not visited such a place yesterday, I felt it may be prudent to extend my stay to something more akin to 5 minutes..(or more). So having done the big spin, I relaxed in a pose that is familiar to us all....?
And then “it” happened.
Just at the point where it was not advisable to abort the mission, the door opened in the next bloody cubicle (of course) an individual had begun what was clearly to be a “short visit” but it sounded.....Ummmm.. .”different” .
:wink:
Just then I thought I’d take myself to a “happy place” mentally and get the bloody hell out as soon as possible, so taking my fingers out of my...ears, I hurriedly finished up..Then ?
I bolted.
There was worse to come :embarrassed:
Upon leaving the ablution block I came face to face with the ubiquitous German lady in the neck to knee dressing gown and suitcase full of paraphernalia to make her ready for the day.
The scowl I got would have sterilised a dog... :thewife:
Sensing I had made a social faux pax of sorts, I asked (belatedly) if the toillettes were “all same same..?” The reply was delivered from on high.
“NEIN, DAS IS FOR ZE MEN...!” Pointing next door.
“YOU NO USE FOR VIMMEN....!” :angry: :angry: :angry:
...woops... :boxing:
Oh, BTW.
The depiction above the doors did contain one MINOR difference..
The one I used had an infantile drawing of a child with a piss weak little triangular skirt thing and the other had a piss weak little pair of triangular shaped litehausen looking shorts.
In bloody distinguishable from each other. I would go back up and take some photo’s, but there’s an angry mob forming, so I think I’ll bugger off.
‘Hope the Guzzi fires..! :bike-037:
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:grin: :grin: :grin:
Nice One. Called On Yer Bike for an update on the V85. Tony, this time - who at least seems to have a bit of energy. Another 10 days....
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OK, so where the heck are ya?
We're currently ensconced in very nice digs in Makarska for the next 5 days before heading for Italy.
Whilst in Sarajevo I happened upon a blue V85. The guy had had it for 6 weeks and was very happy with it. He was obviously new to Guzzi because he asked if my red and white 1200 Sport was a Stelvio.
I'm thinking you made a smart move heading for Spain, it's fairly inclement here. We met a couple on a Super Duke last night who were sitting rather forlornly in front of a nearly deserted cafe and nursing beers. They were waiting for the rain to stop so they could go pitch their tent somewhere. She wasn't too happy and said 'I told him to turn right at Milan, but did he listen? '
I'm going to swap out the leaking oil pressure sensor while I'm here - my fix didn't work. I picked up a duplicate one that is usually used in an older model BMW. Found it in an obscure auto shop in Bulgaria where the very accommodating bloke matched the Guzzi numbers. I hope it works after all the effort of fitting it. Cost a whole 10 Bulgarian whatever they use including crush washer. That's about A$3.20 😁
So where the heck are ya?
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The weather is nice a bit north of you. This was the view towards Italy across the Adriatic from Istria (Croatia) at sunset last night. You can see the Dolomites on the horizon, about 150 km away I’d guess.
(https://i.ibb.co/LQYqqnf/27-FB8676-A009-4872-A7-FC-EDA9-D76231-F4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LQYqqnf)
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Ok, where do I start..?
It has become somewhat crazy. It is becoming impossible to stop anywhere and not be given free coffees and extraordinary offers of free accomodation in slums like Switzerland, Lichtenstein and the like.
I have a master key it seems, to most of the doors I would like to go through, it’s the Australian plate on the bike.
Slightly ridiculous and at times a touch embarrassing, but I’ll cope.
I am currently in Dijon, at a rally/race type thing in the.beautiful hills North of Auvergne.
Going back to Paris tonight with François, and then I really have no idea.
Check this...!
(https://i.ibb.co/HHG5pf5/D772-A751-1629-4-D34-BB31-D87-C63320-C26.png) (https://ibb.co/HHG5pf5)
(https://i.ibb.co/wY3Vk1Q/FE463-AE3-91-C5-44-D7-BCA7-241-C649-C436-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wY3Vk1Q)
(https://i.ibb.co/2F7KDsK/486258-DB-63-CC-4-E28-8-C00-DD03-CE71-BCBD.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2F7KDsK)
(https://i.ibb.co/xg41DLm/BD9-E0944-A068-4304-B0-F7-145701-BB9405.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xg41DLm)
upload photo (https://fr.imgbb.com/)
François (the guy with the BMW outfit) forced me to ride the Voxan.... :rolleyes:
The closest thing I’ve experienced was the first gen. Ducati 1098 power wise.
A damn nice thing fair to say and rather rare.
(https://i.ibb.co/xg41DLm/BD9-E0944-A068-4304-B0-F7-145701-BB9405.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xg41DLm)
(https://i.ibb.co/w4pGyd3/AB1-AF296-8-CC2-477-B-AA3-B-1-E0-E31-B2-B35-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/w4pGyd3)
(https://i.ibb.co/YNx5GpV/5661844-F-7-E08-44-B1-825-B-018065-D4-A7-D6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YNx5GpV)
(https://i.ibb.co/W0B8Jgn/1-A0-E16-CC-0-A9-C-4824-80-C1-2-E4313513-A21.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W0B8Jgn)
(https://i.ibb.co/8DyBkLY/208834-C1-811-F-4-EC3-AE98-8330-B263-E7-C5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8DyBkLY)
(https://i.ibb.co/j5Y74QX/E40-ECD86-98-FC-4-F45-80-AC-0-E636-C8-F727-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/j5Y74QX)
And moving right along....
There was this.
(https://i.ibb.co/R4NcF5z/153-C1281-0-F16-4-A23-8-D29-38-F20-C18128-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/R4NcF5z)
(https://i.ibb.co/hY2ZMmS/DA1-DBD9-C-9532-4-C6-B-B8-C8-D4-E578-A8-B81-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hY2ZMmS)
Pardon Misseur..
Have you seen Le Rouge Moto Guzzi...?
And this..
(https://i.ibb.co/6YNbLvh/22-F55-CA3-9-BCE-48-FE-9-BCF-6552-EAA97987.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6YNbLvh)
Also, this bloke was riding with about 10 of his mates... :rolleyes:.
(https://i.ibb.co/Y39KZ94/D5-B761-E0-D913-4-B3-C-9234-D74-B11-F3-A8-CE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y39KZ94)
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Also, this bloke was riding with about 10 of his mates... :rolleyes:.
(https://i.ibb.co/Y39KZ94/D5-B761-E0-D913-4-B3-C-9234-D74-B11-F3-A8-CE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y39KZ94)
He is just letting everyone know that his is NOT in a Motorcycle Club. :grin:
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I think he borrowed the bike..
It should read loan rider... :rolleyes:
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Ok, that’s all done...
Woke up this morning in Francois’ apartment in Paris and scoffed down a coffee and croissant. Now I will have another go at getting to Perpignan and try not to become distracted.
It’s a quiet 1000 k to Como which is dramatically out of the way, but I choose to ignore that bit..!
Then a quick 500 or something to Perpignan.
The Tom Tom stopped working yesterday in Dijon, but I followed François to Paris and some bloody how managed to download the update required and now it’s fine, but jeez I feel lost without it, in more ways than one.
There’s going to be 20,000 k added by trips end and the bike is stomping out the distance...
Wonderful. (I imagine it’d be twice as easy with 8 valves... :wink:)
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Huzo, great ride report. It makes me want to get back over to Europe. Keep the pictures and ride reports coming
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Had any mustard Peter ?
Always wondered about the Voxan , wish they had been successful .
Dusty
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Had any mustard Peter ?
Always wondered about the Voxan , wish they had been successful .
Dusty
Yes Dusty.
Fairly uncompromising in the comfort stakes, but no more so than a Ducati 1098 or such.
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It was going to cost me a Euro to “spend a penny”.
Somewhere near Zurich I foolishly decided that it might be an idea to buy something to eat. Upon entering the palace...( whoops misspelling, that’d be “place”), I thought that a tinkle might be in order so I made my way through the labarynth of chrome one way swivelling barriers and display cabinets to reach the thunderbox...
When I got there I encountered a throng of cross legged, would be tinklers, digging in their savagely depleted cash reserves for €1 to take a bleedin’ piss...!
Now don’t get me wrong, or call me old fashioned, but earlier in the day I paid €1 for a coffee and now I had to pay the same again to get rid of it..!
It just seemed rude.
I thought bugger that for a joke and left to find a tree.
As I was performing the task of saving myself €1, I looked down and thought..
“This thing has been costing me money all my life, at least this time it’s not a house..” !
(But we’re heading that way @ 100 mph.)
Now if they’d charged through the nose for the view..
(https://i.ibb.co/4fXdyw6/C3663-D47-2-A15-4-A37-8435-3-C43-BEDAE161.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4fXdyw6)
(https://i.ibb.co/jZc8F5r/B068-A179-057-E-45-C5-8702-ABE049-E5-FA46.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jZc8F5r)
(https://i.ibb.co/DfYD68L/0-F1010-CC-97-BC-450-E-9-A21-EE418-ADE16-EA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DfYD68L)
(https://i.ibb.co/09b15wP/88-A353-A0-2558-49-DA-818-C-251-F40005-AB0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/09b15wP)
(https://i.ibb.co/vXqHLps/1-FF463-EF-792-C-46-C9-BECF-8077-E48-DD4-C5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vXqHLps)
(https://i.ibb.co/yFJqtkq/DA50866-D-B1-E5-4-DD0-93-AC-ECF0-C5-A8-EA03.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yFJqtkq)
And chucked the piss in gratis...?
I would have called it square.. :thumb:
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Had any mustard Peter ?
Dusty
Nah...
I wasn’t keen.. (an old joke)
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Nah...
I wasn’t keen.. (an old joke)
Groan :rolleyes:
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I used to think that GPS stood for “Global Positioning System”, but I think it might be, “Getting Permanently Stressed..”
The cover on my rock solid Rider 3 had become rather opaque and I missed a few exits here and there while trying to hold my hand over the screen in sunlight..(it always seems to be over your back..?)
Anyway, stuck for something to do in Rimini (believe it or not..) I thought to scrape the screen to remove the flaky deposit that had formed.
I think I mentioned it before but it rendered the unit inoperative.
Out with the spare.
When leaving Lunéville (yes that’s really the name), it became apparent that the charge function was becoming problematic. It seems that the unit will not charge from the jack while in operation, so it’s a matter of fully charging it overnight and use the battery during the day.
All quite achieveble but a bit of a pain, considering I left the dock at home in the sure and certain knowlege that the bastard would never seen the light of day.
So much for that line of reasoning..!
However I’ve come to realise that I can’t find my own arse with both hands without it..
Leaving Dijon to head out to the circuit, I was clueless which way to go. One well meaning guy said the following..
“Misseur you leave to the right (pointing left and upwards at a 45 degree angle) and make always right turns, no left turns.. :undecided:)
I left him armed with this rock solid piece of advice and bloody near crashed into the same sod a minute later..
WELL ALRIGHTY THEN...!
Like a bloke who told me once in Perth when asked how to get to Fremantle...?
Whilst pointing he said..
“Yeah, no wuckers..(burp..!), ya, ya, go stwaight down ‘ere...” (he really meant, “there..”) an, an, the first fing ya’ come ta is two woundabouts” :violent1:
He was scoffing what used to be a Hungry Jacks burger in his pie hole, and as he blurted out this incalculably valuable piece of information, a piece of lettuce flew from his gob and hit my visor, covered with what I hope was tartare sauce... :angry: :wink:
“I fink vats wear it is, I’m fwom Gosnells”
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I got a lesson on relativity from a very old lady pushing a large flower cart, selling flowers in Burntwood Staffs while scrounging Norton alternator rotors in the UK. Woody and I got off the bus and asked her how to get to an address and she told us it was way to hell and gone up a hill. Then we asked a cab driver to take us there and he said why don't you just walk, it just right over there and it was. But for her it was an insurmountable distance. Sometimes you learn stuff asking for directions, just not what you expected to learn, your story reminded me of that
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Great pix.. :thumb:
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Sometimes you learn stuff asking for directions, just not what you expected to learn, your story reminded me of that
Your sage words are well received as always John.
I did learn a valuable lesson that day, don’t walk around with tartare sauce remnants around your gob..
It just brings up a whole load of questions..
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Great pix.. :thumb:
It gets hard deciding what NOT to snap..
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1st, Perth has the biggest population of English people outside of England, Caw Blimey. 2nd, I can't believe you got words from someone who lives in Gosnells :copcar:
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1st, Perth has the biggest population of English people outside of England, Caw Blimey. 2nd, I can't believe you got words from someone who lives in Gosnells :copcar:
Hmmm...
I threw away the visor..
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Just a bit of a comment on humanity.
I was wandering through one of the city squares of a well known Italian city whose name is made up of two “O’s”, one “M” and a “C” about an hour ago.
Bugger me, outside a Cathedral was an old Nun who looked like she hadn’t enjoyed a meal since Christ died, holding a dish with two lousy coins and a trace of a substance that looked suspiciously like dog’s piss, (hope it tasted better..)
The poor old sheilah’s feet were so out of alignment that she looked like an old Valiant with a broken tie rod, I seriously doubt she would move more than 10 metres in any given day, she was basically non ambulatory.
Then there’s the other bloke across the lane..
He had been splattered with gold paint to mimic a brass statue and had one of those steel rods up the leg of his daks that terminated somewhere in or around his blurter !
It allowed him to lean at an otherwise impossible angle, similar to the other poor bugger but backwards instead of forwards and he was built like an Olympic triathlete.
But here’s the thing..
The dear old bird who’d done 3/5th’s of 5/8 th’s of bugger all for herself all her (considerable) life, had a dish predominately full of atmosphere and the aforementioned suspicious substance and couldn’t move if the fire and brimstone of judgement day itself was visited upon her, and the Carl Lewis look alike who feigned paralysis, had a dish that you couldn’t drag home with a D9 bulldozer..
Just seems a bit arse up to me.
Oh...
Did I donate to the old lady ?
Nah, I couldn’t be bothered.
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You're an idiot Huzo 😨😂 I was chatting to someone in the know who reckons most of those beggars you see in southern Europe are people from Romania who are dragged in by the mafia to ply their trade. She had some seriously sad stories about it all.
We're in Split, Croatia, waiting to catch a ferry to Ancona in Italy, before traipsing north and west. All is good, especially now that summer has arrived.
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You're an idiot Huzo 😨😂 I was chatting to someone in the know who reckons most of those beggars you see in southern Europe are people from Romania who are dragged in by the mafia to ply their trade. She had some seriously sad stories about it all.
We're in Split, Croatia, waiting to catch a ferry to Ancona in Italy, before traipsing north and west. All is good, especially now that summer has arrived.
You’re right mate, I am an idiot as you say.
Only thing is, the Aussies and the like on here will know that I related the story in that way for a bit of theatre wrapped around the facts..
You see the whole point was/is, that people felt more disposed towards paying people who ENTERTAIN them than those who HELP them.
The unspoken implication is that the lady could do nothing to help them because they wanted for nothing, but the street performer “amused them”..
Oh, and for the record, of course I made a donation to the lady and took at least a few seconds to look at her eyes..
They looked sad.
But your main point is indisputably valid...
I’m an idiot... :thumb:
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Now don’t get me wrong, or call me old fashioned, but earlier in the day I paid €1 for a coffee and now I had to pay the same again to get rid of it..!
And chucked the piss in gratis...?
I would have called it square.. :thumb:
Huzo....now that's the funniest post of the thread... :) Just imagine if they had fined you for taking a piss outside...or you got caught on one of those famous speed cameras.
By the way, why don't you just buy a used GPS temporarily or get a new one. I found it odd that you went from Spain back up to Paris only then to then go back down to Perpignan? A bit out of the way like going to Timbuctoo via Petaluma, no?
By the way, have you stopped in Nimes to see the wonderful coliseum there - in much better shape than the one in Rome by a long shot, or perhaps the one in Pula, Croatia? Both fabulous specimens still standing after all of these years.
No pictures crossing the Milau Viaduct perhaps?
Keep the pics and entertainment coming!
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Well here’s the funniest bit, I’m back in Como.
There’s no chance I’d get done on a camera for that, you’d need a macro zoom to get a shot...
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There’s no chance I’d get done on a camera for that, you’d need a macro zoom to get a shot...
So no Grand Prix then?
Sounds like you may want to try out the Guzzi Mia phone/gps thingy for your V85tt and report back the surely humorous results.
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I wouldn’t rule that out actually.
I was talking to the bloke at the factory museum in Como today.
I asked him about the new Le Mans with the new gen donk.
He said he was told it would mean his job if he spoke about it, but told me that the new project is on the go now.
Also he said that Guzzi are working 6 days a week, 9 hrs a day to build enough V85’s.
The bloke at Agostini’s has sold 35 this month.
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I wouldn’t rule that out actually.
I was talking to the bloke at the factory museum in Como today.
I asked him about the new Le Mans with the new gen donk.
He said he was told it would mean his job if he spoke about it, but told me that the new project is on the go now.
Also he said that Guzzi are working 6 days a week, 9 hrs a day to build enough V85’s.
The bloke at Agostini’s has sold 35 this month.
I joke but once mine gets here I'll have the Mia interface to play with. If a Friday Guzzi is something to worry about what happens if you get a Saturday one??
Loving reading about your trip.
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Thanks mate, always happy to talk about myself..
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Hey Peter
On Yer Bike just called me to say the V85 has landed. They've just taken it out of the box and want to know when I'll collect.
Trouble is that I'm currently in Whistler, Canada, so it'll be a couple of weeks before I can collect it.
I'm enjoying reading the tour blog
Derek
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48016078662_7c55f62371_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ga1Xkd)DSCN3930 (https://flic.kr/p/2ga1Xkd) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
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Jeez mate it is nice..
It’s a first world problem though isn’t it ? Slumming in Whistler while your new bike is languishing at home.
They are now on the floor in Sydney and selling.
I am in the same enviable situation as you, buggerising around anywhere in Europe while my new red/white V85 is in Oz getting ready for me to try to wear it out.
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I've been sitting back and enjoying the tour and the comments about the V85.
I'm a little a bit surprised that the V85 was chosen, I assume to take over from the Norge. I have recently bought a R1200GS and was surprised how little weather protection is provided by the screen and bodywork and the V85 seems to have even less.
These adventure bikes make a lot of sense when travelling on tracks or rough roads but for motorway crunching I would still prefer a Norge or FJR1300 type bike.
If you look at GS owners they all seem to finish up with barn door screens with a spoiler bolted on top, which makes a already ugly bike even worse, but that is the prize they seem to pay for extra protection.
Wind buffeting and noise has a big effect also which I didn't really notice when I have ridden a Norge I had to cut the screen down to reduce the problem thus reducing the weather protection even more. Let's hope the V85 is better.
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Hey Peter
On Yer Bike just called me to say the V85 has landed. They've just taken it out of the box and want to know when I'll collect.
Trouble is that I'm currently in Whistler, Canada, so it'll be a couple of weeks before I can collect it.
I'm enjoying reading the tour blog
Derek
What are you doing in Whistler, I can never get through there quick enough, the good road is up fast Duffy Lake.
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What are you doing in Whistler, I can never get through there quick enough, the good road is up fast Duffy Lake.
You're not wrong Roy. Today I've just driven that route between Pemberton and Lillooet, sadly in a Nissan rental car. There must be very few better biking roads anywhere.
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You're not wrong Roy. Today I've just driven that route between Pemberton and Lillooet, sadly in a Nissan rental car. There must be very few better biking roads anywhere.
It's one of the good roads we have in BC.
In fact, most of BC good roads are all at least 2 hours outside the city IMHO
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I've been sitting back and enjoying the tour and the comments about the V85.
I'm a little a bit surprised that the V85 was chosen, I assume to take over from the Norge. I have recently bought a R1200GS and was surprised how little weather protection is provided by the screen and bodywork and the V85 seems to have even less.
These adventure bikes make a lot of sense when travelling on tracks or rough roads but for motorway crunching I would still prefer a Norge or FJR1300 type bike.
If you look at GS owners they all seem to finish up with barn door screens with a spoiler bolted on top, which makes a already ugly bike even worse, but that is the prize they seem to pay for extra protection.
Wind buffeting and noise has a big effect also which I didn't really notice when I have ridden a Norge I had to cut the screen down to reduce the problem thus reducing the weather protection even more. Let's hope the V85 is better.
I lament the fact that their Father did not use the same level of “protection”, then we wouldn’t have to endure the stuck up, self centred, self serving buggers...
Other than that they’re ok though..
BTW (I used to own one...)
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Now umm....
I am back in Como for a legitimate reason, and sitting outside Monti’s.
I just read a comment about the Millau Viaduc and if my mate François does not call me up to Paris to wrench the wheels out of his Voxan and take them for tyres, I reckon I will go there.
I’m gunna be up in Paris soon anyway and swinging over the old MV would not be too shabby.
I just know I will have a mechanical issue with my Norge half way across and have to get off and “make photo” to remedy the situation !
How about this though for a bizarre situation..?
Today I was leaving a place and was expected to go to their reception around the corner to collect my document (passport).
When I got there the bloody joint was locked up like a Nun’s chastity belt and somewhat less attractive..
(Than the belt, not the Nun...I’ve always had a thing for them....... :embarrassed: :wink:)
But as usual I digress..
There was a sign on the door, (but I had to be sure...)
And it read in HUGE letters, “outside reception hours, call the following number...”
And under that was a 9 digit scribble that looked like it had been applied by Leo Bloody Nardo Da Vinci with the blunt end of his appendage, dipped in pasta sauce..
And to add insult to injury..?
The numbers were about 1” tall and here was I locked out about 10 feet too far to be able to read them.
So using my usual problem solving skills, I trudged down the staircase that looked like the one in the Ace Ventura movie where he’s sending the Slinky down.
Now the sign on the door DID actually have two meanings because the numbers were illegible, so I trapesed down the Stairway (and they certainly were not from Heaven), in the stinking heat to get my I pad, thinking to get a shot which I could expand on screen and read..
After trudging down to get the pad I dragged my arse back up to the gate. Sweating like a Whore in a church, I took the shot and expanded it on the screen, still not being able to decipher them, I began to express outwardly my thoughts regarding the Italians.
Just then a young bloke turned up and I asked him could he make out the digits because I was not going back down to get my specs.
He said...
“I can’t read them either, but I’ll go in and get my glasses, but you might not need to, I’m here to open the reception...)
WELL ALRIGHTY THEN...! :rolleyes:
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:thumb:
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The viaduct is rather impressive Huzo plus oodles of very nice twitchy roads around the area...if you need a bed I'm 40 odd km down towards montpellier on the A75...
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It's little things like that Huzo that help make the trip memorable! :grin:
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The viaduct is rather impressive Huzo plus oodles of very nice twitchy roads around the area...if you need a bed I'm 40 odd km down towards montpellier on the A75...
Ok, I’ll be there tomorrow..
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It's little things like that Huzo that help make the trip memorable! :grin:
Yeah it is Muzz..
But jeez you feel like a dick.
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There's loads of great riding around Millau Huzo. Go under the bridge rather than over it for the best view. Then try the Tarn Gorges. The whole area is lovely. We stayed in a beautiful village Saint Enimie. Also the Ardeche Gorge is good and a ride up Mt Ventoux is recommended.
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(https://i.ibb.co/tsbyR4s/72492-B5-A-484-B-4874-A149-5-EEA7-C994-AF3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tsbyR4s)
(https://i.ibb.co/sj0qY2S/CDF3-C539-A3-DF-4-EF7-8-CDD-7674-F40-DC2-A7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sj0qY2S)
(https://i.ibb.co/vxvKQm2/8494-ED52-4-D8-E-4-C87-B1-CD-793-E61-E83068.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vxvKQm2)
(https://i.ibb.co/T4YRXyR/EBC2-B911-AF22-4610-9204-4-C2-ED745-C84-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/T4YRXyR)
(https://i.ibb.co/sqC13SJ/919204-E2-1-ACA-48-DE-808-A-DC6232-AD59-E8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sqC13SJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/2YVNGH9/901-AA9-AB-7514-4623-B94-B-5414-A57731-A6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2YVNGH9)
I’ve abandoned all idea of having a schedule now.
I went back to Mandello to try to spot a Red/White V85 and missed the bastard by 2 minutes. Never mind, I’ll have to settle on my new one in Oz if I do not get to see one here or at Franz Belgium’s.
Planning to drop in at Frenchfrog’s place tomorrow, it’s a quiet 500 or so from here at Bardonecchia so should be a breeze.
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The descent from Briancon was spectacular..!
(https://i.ibb.co/CmK7bv5/2365-E05-B-D155-4-EC9-9-D39-19-AF1061-BADB.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CmK7bv5)
(https://i.ibb.co/5nR0CR3/919-DA72-C-40-CA-4-CDE-8-DB8-E9-B3-DB0-E4-DB8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5nR0CR3)
(https://i.ibb.co/TLTwqqY/31-B118-E4-8-E08-4-DAD-B0-D6-8310626-C8266.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TLTwqqY)
(https://i.ibb.co/TmV9YrL/A5502-E20-64-BB-4-D3-D-A272-446-E846-FAD45.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TmV9YrL)
(https://i.ibb.co/Z26zWNQ/3-FED6-F11-9712-42-ED-97-A0-F652-D64-C9-FFD.png) (https://ibb.co/Z26zWNQ)
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:embarassed:
There's loads of great riding around Millau Huzo. Go under the bridge rather than over it for the best view. Then try the Tarn Gorges. The whole area is lovely. We stayed in a beautiful village Saint Enimie. Also the Ardeche Gorge is good and a ride up Mt Ventoux is recommended.
I can indeed advise both gorges.
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:embarassed:
I can indeed advise both gorges.
The gorges are gorgeous, I could gorge myself on them.
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(https://i.ibb.co/9sn3BKR/C44-E2373-48-B1-407-B-81-E5-4579801091-E1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9sn3BKR)
The old Norge has accumulated 14,000 so far and is going great.
I visited Chris (Frenchfrog), in Lodève and was treated to an enthralling evening of food and conversation before retiring to a lovely upstairs self contained room, complete with a breeze from the rural French countryside....Marv ellous.
Thank you to you Chris and your lady Karin.
Leaving there it was a quiet 700 k up to Paris, where I’m now overlooking the city from Francois’ apartment, he will finish at the office and we are heading to Auvergne to collect his Voxan and down to Switzerland for a hill climb event, so it will be a change to be in a car after 6 weeks..!
The crossing of the Millau Viaduc is always breathtaking and I took the chance to stop illegally (I think) to take a snap, it was as far onto the bridge as I could get without being arrested...! :copcar:
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Well Huzo...we simply couldn't let you ride all the way up to the capital with the Norge looking like such a disgrace could we :laugh:
(http://<br />[url=https://ibb.co/7JQmhDr][img]https://i.ibb.co/7JQmhDr/IMG-1791.jpg)[/url]
[/img]
Look forward to seeing you again!
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Can't post photos at the moment...locked out of my flicr account due to the changes they have made :thewife: :thewife: :thewife: :thewife:
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I’m currently rising from sleep at a place in the Swiss Alps close to Lake Lausanne.
Today I’m going to a hill climb event that just happens to have attracted some of the rarest and best looking bikes you could want to see.
Two personal highlights are the Moto Martin Honda 900 and the Laverda Jota. It’s a bit misty but beautiful and still, with the prospect of improving conditions later.
After today it’s back to Paris to collect the Norge and up into Holland for a sweep East to West for a final visit to some folk and then back across to UK. I’d still like to catch Frans Belgium, I’ve received an e mail from Melbourne this morning telling me that my bike will be a Red/White one instead of the Yellow /White...
Bonus.
More shots later..
(https://i.ibb.co/nR5dLFN/124-EEE07-1743-4-F7-A-BCB2-4-D4-E2553-A470.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nR5dLFN) (https://i.ibb.co/Cbrqhgy/3-F0-BCB89-5-CB8-48-CE-9899-0-FB480-E33956.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Cbrqhgy) (https://i.ibb.co/G5jfK0x/67-D972-ED-2934-41-A9-A64-C-4-D788484-C518.jpg) (https://ibb.co/G5jfK0x) (https://i.ibb.co/GkQ8NVD/854-C0-F66-4-C50-4189-8-D0-B-5-AB18-A8409-CF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GkQ8NVD) (https://i.ibb.co/R9WWfC0/4-EFFF60-E-6747-4-AB3-854-D-F47-C3-A4-BD0-F8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/R9WWfC0) (https://i.ibb.co/1nyFGXv/071-C908-E-60-E6-461-E-AF39-86-B6-BC8-AC1-B7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1nyFGXv) (https://i.ibb.co/kcJpSsz/23-AB61-F8-8-D36-4437-A570-A1013010-E64-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kcJpSsz) (https://i.ibb.co/Y0Gcy0x/AA961014-5-E8-C-4-A64-8-F16-15-F43465-F025.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y0Gcy0x) (https://i.ibb.co/tw0W1W5/E59-BD3-F5-99-F3-4-EF4-B334-5-A0-F23-EC6096.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tw0W1W5) (https://i.ibb.co/Hgbr5cj/0-B30-EAAA-C21-F-4813-AB2-E-4128846804-F7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Hgbr5cj)
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“The hilllls are alive.....
With the sound of”........ chainsaws !
I stepped out this morning to the stunning vista of the Swiss Alps and a mental image of Julie Andrews swinging her arms majestically as the the odd Von Trapp kid got knocked arse over head...!
Fantastic cumulus cloud over 10,000’ snow topped peaks..
Cow bells tinkling as they graze on the moist green grass..
Milk maids going about their pleasant task of milking...
Absolutely postcard beautiful....
Then some bastard fired up the Stihl !
But the two stroke smelled nice... :thumb:
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Well I’m leaving Paris this morning for the last time this trip.
It has become somewhat of a base for out and back expeditions and is great to avail myself of nice amenities. I hate having to push that stupid button to keep the shower running when in camping parks !
My Norge is in the subterranean car park so once it’s extricated from there it’s off up to Appeldorn in the Netherlands and a sweep through there culminating in a visit to Frans Belgium’s before crossing back to the UK late in the week.
A view from the Parisienne apartment.
(https://i.ibb.co/QPg4rNj/B918439-E-7-B11-4-DDA-B54-E-753-B12-EFCCF0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QPg4rNj)
(https://i.ibb.co/5cwD5ZX/967-ABDC6-A316-4-E17-8493-359-F20-ACC862.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5cwD5ZX)
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Some trip you are having there Peter. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Some of the places you mention bring back fond memories of a trip to visit our daughter when she lived in France.
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Hey Glawster (Derek).
I am in Dover now in perfect weather, what was that rendezvous thing of which you spoke ?
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Hi Peter,
Messaged you.
Derek
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Well, things are starting to wind down a bit.
With a bit over a week to go, I’m starting to arrange my movements around the inevitable task of having the bike CLEAN and all the luggage DRY... on the morning of the last day.. :sad:
Given that my train ticket back to Heathrow is pre booked from Felixstowe and I have to ride to there from Harwich (about 15 miles) on the morning of departure, it can be a bit of a logistical juggling act.
The weather pattern has to be studied in an overall sense and a day by day sense as well. The consequences of having a dirty bike with less than bone dry luggage at 10.00 am on the last day does not bear contemplating, I’ve been pinged once ( quite rightly), by customs for the infringement of having some dirt remnants from Dover on the tent pegs back in Oz and was charged (again quite rightly) for the officials having to run them under a tap.
$$$$$$$$$$$
Reality bites.
Right now I’m doing a lot of this..
(https://i.ibb.co/CzQ4mB4/B0-E015-C6-CC35-42-F7-9-ADE-EF905327-CBFF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CzQ4mB4)
However.. :azn:
All things being equal, I will depart Dover early tomorrow morning and go to South London and if Paul is home will stay over night there and go to see Glawster’s beaut new V85 on Monday, or arrange something with him as an alternative.
It’s not easy to organise when both options are fantastic...
A first world problem I guess.
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Damn.. Now I have to make another decision.
I went out with Glawster today on my Norge and him on his V85.
His is the all red one and I reckon it’s gunna’ be the one I’ll have when I return to Oz.
I cannot see how any clear thinking individual who rides a Guzzi can say that the power claim is bollocks. The damn thing is strong and I would have come to grief if I’d tried to out run it on the twisty road. (He’s not a bad rider either just quietly.. :wink:)
There is a clack on the up changes in the lower 3 gears but above that is fine and no clack on the down changes. I am going to love mine for sure..
I wonder if the photo of the new girl with the old one disappearing into the background is a touch symbolic....?
(https://i.ibb.co/3sZWfm7/490-EB0-FA-168-E-4-B3-F-8887-6-D17-EC2-C830-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3sZWfm7)
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Ha! Ha! Yes, we had a nice afternoon out and about in the Cotswolds today. I had the privilege of exercising Hugo's old Norge and I have to say for a bike with 175k kms on the clock it wears the mileage very well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48121354243_f03258e513_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gjjw6r)20190624_151730 (https://flic.kr/p/2gjjw6r) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
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I’ve often mentioned Paul Harris, owner of Corsa Italiana in South London.
Absolutely a gem if ever there was and like all gems, is invaluable now but started out a bit rough.
Well.
Here’s the reality...
(https://i.ibb.co/SVLYSF2/B4-C2-EE18-EAAB-4-DB0-865-B-2-D3502925774.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SVLYSF2)
upload (https://imgbb.com/upload)
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Good thing for me that that all red version isn't available in the States, looks stunning!
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Good thing for me that that all red version isn't available in the States, looks stunning!
I like it more than I thought I would.
The one Frans has is damn nice too, but I have yet to see one of them in the flesh as it were.
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Ha! Ha! Yes, we had a nice afternoon out and about in the Cotswolds today. I had the privilege of exercising Hugo's old Norge and I have to say for a bike with 175k kms on the clock it wears the mileage very well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48121354243_f03258e513_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gjjw6r)20190624_151730 (https://flic.kr/p/2gjjw6r) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
Parking on double yellow lines, you rebels.
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Parking on double yellow lines, you rebels.
In the immortal words of Elwood Blues...?
“It’s ok..
We’re on a mission from God...!”
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Ha! Ha! Yes, we had a nice afternoon out and about in the Cotswolds today. I had the privilege of exercising Hugo's old Norge and I have to say for a bike with 175k kms on the clock it wears the mileage very well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48121354243_f03258e513_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gjjw6r)20190624_151730 (https://flic.kr/p/2gjjw6r) by Derek0812 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/79848745@N02/), on Flickr
The Cotswold Hills were my AO '74-'76. The Blue Boar in Chipping Norton was my local. Great riding!
Larry
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Well, this is how it went down..
Given that I could not get accomodation in Felixstowe on the evening of the penultimate day, I took a room in a bug house in Harwich..
Harwich is about 10 miles from Felixstowe but you have to head towards London to cross a bridge then double back on yourself to the tune of about 50 k...!
Pain.
Now there’s also a requirement that the bike must be surgically clean and all luggage dry upon departure from UK.
To achieve the cleanliness requirement, it’s prudent to do all the buggerising around on the day before departure, so as to have some chance of getting everything dry and dodging the inevitable showers of rain that are bound to dump on you from a great height, as soon as you go within a bull’s roar of the bike with a bucket and sponge.
So to reduce the workload on the morning of the departure day, I went around to the depot the day before and bubble wrapped the panniers and top box and dumped them in the corner before departing on the Norge to the aforesaid Harwich 50 k’s away..
That bit went ok...
So this morning I got up in plenty of time to ride 50 k’s to Felixstowe (40 mins..?) so as to arrive at the bike wash at 8.00 am. The plan was to spend 20 mins there, rock up to the depot at 8.30, spend 30 mins preparing the bike and bugger off at 9.00...
What could possibly go wrong ?
Now remember that I had pre purchased a ticket on the train from Felixstowe to London departing at 11.30, for 16 quid prior, and this was so you would not have to pay 60 quid on the day, also the train was due out of the station at 11.30 so I had 2.5 hrs. spare time.. BONUS !
The flight was due to leave at 6.00..
Ok.
So upon departing from Harwich I noticed that the 40 minute ride might be a little closer to 1.5 hrs. given that the traffic had STOPPED and I began to think I might be faster if I just got off and pushed the bastard..
(Might have been good practice for later..)
So I arrived at the bike wash around 8.45 thinking that things were now on track, not so..
At least not the track I wanted to travel. It seems that the boys rather prefer to turn up at 9.00 and scoff kebabs and onion juice before launching into the day’s toil.
So the first bit of water hit the bike maybe at about 9.15 and Accchhhmedd thought it might be a good idea after massaging my bike with lovely warm water, to commence his assault with the 3,000 psi water jet. His action with the sponge was mildly arousing and I was thinking to ask if I could have a top and tail, but a wave of caution spread through me when he fired up the pressure jet.
He was a beast..!
The freaking thing was so strong I swear he almost blew the poor bastard off the centrestand and I held some (justifiably) grave concerns for the welfare of my bike.
Upon achieving satisfaction from the torture session, he shut the machine down and enjoyed what reminded me for all the world of a post coital cigarette..
But all appeared ok so I stood bravely for the robbery that follows and thought the pain was over.
Again, not so..
I jumped aboard the Norge and thumbed the starter for what should have been the second last time and was greeted with a command on the panel to enter a service code and intermittent displays on the diagnostics panel, the mode button would not work and there was no light show and no tachometer sweep upon turning the key.
I now had less than half the time I’d planned on to get the “dead” bike to the docks 5 k away and was parked on the foreshore road of a town that was still coming to grips with the wonders of electricity and I’m sure that half the residents were still scanning the sky over the English channel for approaching enemy aircraft, since they’d not heard that the war was over..
I was in TROUBLE...!
If I did not get the bike to the docks in 1 hr. it was goodbye to 60 quid for a train ticket and a small matter of one and a half thousand dollars for a flight to Australia...
It was about to get worse....
In an attempt to divest himself on any guilt regarding the possible destruction of the bikes electrics, Acchhhmeddd passed on the good news that there was a “mechanic man” that would show me how to find the trouble code on the Norge, but in 5 minutes I would need to ascertain what it meant, I felt like throwing the rest of his onion juice/Sulphuric acid cocktail in his eyes and commenced the trudge towards the garage.
Upon arrival sweating like a whore in a church, I pointed out that I would be really happy, if in exchange for an amount of money that would have cleared a small island nation of their national debt, they would throw my stricken bike on the flat bed truck and drag it to the docks...!
“No bovver”, said the geezer...
“I’ll see what Dave’s upta’ “
After what seemed like an eternity under the circumstances, Dave turned up and said not to worry because “ 6.00 pm was a long way away”.
Hmmmm...
Now Dave really needs a meal before he could undertake a gargantuan task such as transporting a bike 5 k’s and for a bloke who looked like he hadn’t missed a meal since Christ died, he launched into a feeding frenzy the likes of which I hadn’t seen since witnessing a heard of jackals tearing a zebra to bits on the discovery channel..
It was shocking!
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:popcorn:
Somehow, I feel like this will turn out ok. Eventually.. :smiley:
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Don't leave us hanging......
Mark
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So my question is, why didn't you just find a car wash and do it yourself?
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So my question is, why didn't you just find a car wash and do it yourself?
A lot of car wash places these days are drive in, and large brushes descend around your car. Not for motorcycles!
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the suspense! :popcorn:
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Well here’s the thing..
You can’t just find a car wash and do it yourself because there isn’t one in Flx.
The only one with functioning equipment is on the seafront, I think there may be another, but it’s not for those that haven’t been schooled in it’s use... :rolleyes:
So..
After placing another (unrefundable) $100 dollars (50 quid) in Dave’s paw, we headed off to hurl the stricken Norge onto the flatbed with not enough time to meet my train and possibly not enough to make check in at Heathrow..
We arrived at the sight of the now gleaming Norge and sweatily dragged all the paraphernalia into place to push it aboard. Upon completing this feat and strapping the sodden mess down I went to jump off the bed, but thought to turn the key.....
Up came the light show and a touch of the button resulted in, Shikook-Shikook-Shikook and...BOOM !!!
1151 cc’s of glorious Italian sound erupted and echoed melodiously off the walls of the kebab shop, you bloody beauty..!
It seems in the intervening period, it had dried out whatever water was causing the trouble, fair dinkum, why didn’t he just push it into the English Channel, it wouldn’t have gotten any wetter..!
But of course now there was the small matter of getting to the depot to MAYBE meet my schedule..
After waving goodbye to Dave and my 100 bucks that I might have well wiped my aching arse with, I blasted toward the dockyards with scant regard for local by laws and my licence.
Now usually it takes about 30 mins to do the required rooting around to prepare the bike, but this time I just ripped the terminals off the battery (figuratively) and strapped my stuff to the seat and contemplated how I would do the 20 minute trip to the train station in 15 minutes...
On foot !
In an uncharacteristic display of manners and etiquette I phoned Jo who runs the depot from her office 10 k’s away to let her know that the bike was lodged and I had no time to chat ‘cos I was in the brown stuff.
“Where are you ?”.. says Jo
“At the depot”..I reply
“Gordon Bennett, you’re lucky, I’m in the shed next door, ‘ang about I’ll see ya’ shortly..”
In 30 seconds I was approached by Jo in company with two other Aussies and Jo provided me with invaluable information that I was running short of time and we should “scarper...” jeez Jo, do you reckon.. :rolleyes:
Yeah I thought so..
We dashed for the train station in a frenzied exercise of squealing tyres and red light running to arrive there with 6 MINUTES TO SPARE..!
I was fanging for a coffee, but did not have the balls to leave the platform, until a well meaning attendant informed me that I’d have plenty of time..
“The trains a bit late guv....”
Armed with this perplexing news, I made a mad dash for the Caff ensuring that I had direct line of sight to the platform. I asked the geezer if he wanted one and he replied “Van Gogh”, which I could not fathom.
Stumbling back to the platform with about half of the coffee that I’d purchased, (due to spillage), I sat and used my “excess time” to attempt to pour it down my pie hole.
“By the way”...I asked the attendant holding a similar cup.
“What’s Van Gogh mean..?”
“It means, I got one ‘ere..”
Funny.
Just as I finished that sentence, I had to chuck my $100 half cup of coffee in the bin because I was greeted with the sight of my ON TIME ! train, pulling up in front of me.
Another 2 minutes I would have missed the bastard ...!
“Sorry...”
Said the geezer
“I fought ya’ meant the uvver one, never mind Guv, all’s well wot ends well eh..?”
WELL ALLLRIGHHTTTY THEN..!
I fell into the train and entered a sweaty sleep.....
Jeez I like Australia..... :thumb: :bike-037:
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Who said that England was boring ?!!!!!
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Safe trip home mate!
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If some idiot had attacked my bike with a high pressure water lance I would have shoved it up his arse to see how he liked it.
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If some idiot had attacked my bike with a high pressure water lance I would have shoved it up his arse to see how he liked it.
I would have, but why reward bad behaviour ?
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^^^^
LOL Good one Pete.
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^^^^
LOL Good one Pete.
Muchas grassy arse Signor..!
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BTW...
The Boeing 787 Wetdream liner, started on both engines (this time...!)
The trip from Melbourne to Creswick in the Toyota Yaris was uneventful... Home at last..!
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"No matter how humble, there's no place like home.."
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How long till your bike gets back.... and when do you pick up the V85?
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How long till your bike gets back.... and when do you pick up the V85?
About 44 days on the water and it leaves there in 3 weeks.
With the V85, if I want a Ronald McDonald one I can have it now, a red/white one will be end of this month.
I’m going to wait for a red one like Glawster’s and that’ll be Septemberish.
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About 44 days on the water and it leaves there in 3 weeks.
With the V85, if I want a Ronald McDonald one I can have it now, a red/white one will be end of this month.
I’m going to wait for a red one like Glawster’s and that’ll be Septemberish.
Wrong choice, the Rosso Kalahari is a tad faster than the red one.
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Wrong choice, the Rosso Kalahari is a tad faster than the red one.
Hmmm...
They do look good.. :undecided:
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1. You already have an all red bike.
2. Deep down inside don"t you really want that red frame? That is where the extra speed comes from.
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I’m starting to get a chubby over this one..
(https://i.ibb.co/VvVLPKL/5-C0-BEDEC-0-D2-A-4-FAB-8507-E2-AAF5853145.png) (https://ibb.co/VvVLPKL)
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Well mate, we may not have been able to organize a crossing of paths, but our bikes finally managed it.
This as we dropped our 1200 Sport off at Felixstowe this morning. Now ensconced in the Premier Inn at Gatwick airport ready to fly out in the morning.
Apparently the 'tent' was full of bikes so ours are inside, but I'm not sure that's such a good thing as it's pretty grimy in there and yours already has a light coating of dust.
(https://i.ibb.co/XZSkRYY/20190711-173234.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XZSkRYY)
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Well mate, we may not have been able to organize a crossing of paths, but our bikes finally managed it.
This as we dropped our 1200 Sport off at Felixstowe this morning. Now ensconced in the Premier Inn at Gatwick airport ready to fly out in the morning.
Apparently the 'tent' was full of bikes so ours are inside, but I'm not sure that's such a good thing as it's pretty grimy in there and yours already has a light coating of dust.
(https://i.ibb.co/XZSkRYY/20190711-173234.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XZSkRYY)
It’d be good if they got up to a bit of hanky panky in the container on the way home Larry..
I can picture it now..
A smaller (younger) baby version of my Norge.
Maybe 900 cc, 7/8 th scale, with the same fairing style but the attractive graphics of your Sport.
I might even ask for my money back on the V 85...!
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You are a concern mate.
Arrived home tonight :sad:
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You are a concern mate.
Arrived home tonight :sad:
It’s never good..
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Nothing exciting but I picked up my Norge from Melbourne ex England today..
Was nice to ride it home. Looks like it never left..!
(https://i.ibb.co/hMTqmct/8-C15-A26-A-F229-4-BEF-9-E85-C8013-F6736-C5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hMTqmct)
(https://i.ibb.co/MkQ9rBZ/BC4-D7-D34-6756-4-D4-E-808-A-B60-E7-D366105.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MkQ9rBZ)
It really IS over now..(until 2021)
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I’m not saying this is anything special but I just learned how to post video, so if you are interested here is a rough edit of Europe 2017
A couple of continuity errors.
https://youtu.be/b_dfQxbGk-0
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Also Europe 2015
Parts 1&2 https://youtu.be/Eq4lzfPxvKw https://youtu.be/hvPPh4q_qgY
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That Jim Croce intro brought back a lot of memories. It was a sad day when he died.
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That Jim Croce intro brought back a lot of memories. It was a sad day when he died.
Yup...and a nice touch with the Dire Straits tracks too...looks like you had fun as always...great adventures!
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That Jim Croce intro brought back a lot of memories. It was a sad day when he died.
Yep..
“Like the pine trees lining a winding road..”
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G'Day Pete.
Great to see that your on the road and enjoying Europe! Looking forward to reading your upcoming posts.
Ride safe and soak in the wonderment.
It's remarkable that your bike wasn't the only one in that Get-Routed container I am Familiar with.
Larry n Norma picked up their 1200S in Spain, and are now in Greece/Turkey.
Saving the "Pacific Pesos" for 2021
How’s that venture going Craig ?
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Huzo....now that's the funniest post of the thread
No pictures crossing the Milau Viaduct perhaps?
Yes mate..
Here’s one I prepared earlier.
(https://i.ibb.co/B2Mnr6d/858-FE95-A-ECE5-41-A0-87-E5-B6-C13-B1724-C3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B2Mnr6d)
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Yes mate..
Here’s one I prepared earlier.
(https://i.ibb.co/B2Mnr6d/858-FE95-A-ECE5-41-A0-87-E5-B6-C13-B1724-C3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B2Mnr6d)
That's like the coolest bridge in the world :thumb:
Dusty
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That's like the coolest bridge in the world :thumb:
Dusty
I first saw it on TV before I’d ever been overseas and I said to Ann..”I’m gunna go there on my Norge and well....You know :bike-037:
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Here are a couple of shots of the crossing.
(https://i.ibb.co/5TjzcrV/94-D4-B9-A1-9-DDD-4550-A216-2-D2-ADF7-FAB0-A.png) (https://ibb.co/5TjzcrV)
(https://i.ibb.co/bHs4Sgr/5-A81-D910-EEE1-4-C7-C-A1-B7-B2-A07-E484-FCC.png) (https://ibb.co/bHs4Sgr)
(https://i.ibb.co/4F61Cxq/B89278-E9-A21-F-4291-A1-EF-9-ACEF7-F9139-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4F61Cxq)
The 37:00 minute mark of the 2015 Europe Part One shows the crossing on video. https://youtu.be/Eq4lzfPxvKw
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For any other venturer's doing the Millau bridge I'm about 30 mn south...good spare room, workshop etc available !
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For any other venturer's doing the Millau bridge I'm about 30 mn south...good spare room, workshop etc available !
What..
And be relegated to that horrible upstairs room overlooking the French countryside, with the warm fragrant air dancing through a beautiful space, all the while digesting a wonderful meal washed down with red wine, coupled with stimulating conversation and the knowlege that tomorrow you’ll be fed breakfast and wished well on your ride through the hills to Paris...?
Then have to drift off to a peaceful sleep and dream about extraordinary riding through the Alps, only to find that the reality is even better..?
What a lousy offer...!
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That's like the coolest bridge in the world :thumb:
Dusty
One day I’ll ride my Norge across the Golden Gate..
Now THAT... is a BRIDGE.. :thumb:
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I’m not saying this is anything special but I just learned how to post video, so if you are interested here is a rough edit of Europe 2017
A couple of continuity errors.
https://youtu.be/b_dfQxbGk-0
Nice videos and great music choices.. Thanks for taking us along.
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One day I’ll ride my Norge across the Golden Gate..
Now THAT... is a BRIDGE.. :thumb:
You could pair that with the Richmond Bridge from Marin back over to Berkeley, and come back along the Bay Bridge from Oakland back to SF (this one also had a big crack/section which fell in the 1989 earthquake). You'd have the trifecta of Bridges all in one day...but then you'd have to go to Big Sur south of Monterrey and do the Bixby bridge, and then of course, down to San Diego to do Coronado island...you could turn it into the tour of Bridges of the US!. You might be busy for a few months at least!
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Nice videos and great music choices.. Thanks for taking us along.
:thumb:
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Here's my favourite bridge photo
(https://i.ibb.co/kyxHc7s/Overlapping-Bridges.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kyxHc7s)
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Where are these bridges? They look very familar, like just down the road from me. If not I will go take a picture on next ride.
kk
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It's been a while, but I think it was on Hwy 70 heading north-east to Belden. Yes, this is close to Quincy.
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It's been a while, but I think it was on Hwy 70 heading north-east to Belden. Yes, this is close to Quincy.
Yes it's an area called Pulga. Did you see the Y where the tracks split on another bridge. I believe it's the only one in the US. I go take a picture and post it tomorrow hopefully.
kk