Any Motörbike riders here?

Moe_Zambeek · December 2022

Have a look at The Highland Scramble / Biker BnB run out of Edinburgh @guitargeek62 they do some interesting looking routes.

Easy enough to do on your own at your own pace but there is a convenience and camaraderie element with these group sessions I guess, if you can handle the high potential for Insta hipsters to end up on the same trip.

Haych · December 2022

@guitargeek62, I have no firm plans for 2023 yet, but if you do fancy a group ride somewhere over a few days I could well be up for that.

Don't suppose you fancy Spain/Portugal too, do you

guitargeek62 · December 2022

Moe_Zambeek said:

Have a look at The Highland Scramble / Biker BnB run out of Edinburgh @guitargeek62 they do some interesting looking routes.

Easy enough to do on your own at your own pace but there is a convenience and camaraderie element with these group sessions I guess, if you can handle the high potential for Insta hipsters to end up on the same trip.

I mean, I pretty much am one... not remotely at influencer status, but I hung out in Shoreditch and at the Bike Shed a lot when I still lived in London!

Good call on the Highland Scramble though - I'd forgotten about them!

@Haych - potentially! When are you thinking? My lad starts school in September, so this is our last year of (relative) freedom before locking trips into school holiday seasons. That said, I've still got a fair bit of flexibility and would love to go back to Spain and on down to Portugal at some point

Haych · December 2022

guitargeek62 said:
@Haych - potentially! When are you thinking? My lad starts school in September, so this is our last year of (relative) freedom before locking trips into school holiday seasons. That said, I've still got a fair bit of flexibility and would love to go back to Spain and on down to Portugal at some point

@guitargeek62, absolutely no firm plans at the moment. It was a suggestion that I meet a friend of mine in Marvão when he visits his mother in law. He was going to fly down and drive back.

However, I reckon spending time with him, his missus and his mother in law is going to be fraught with awkwardness, and if I'm going to go that far I really don't want to be stuck in one place for very long. Plus, I'm sure Marvão is lovely but, if I'm going to go that far I think I'd rather see the mountains and the coast and not be stuck inland.

With that in mind, I was starting to wonder whether I ought to just make my own plans and go anyway. I mean, I can visit my mate and his wife anytime, it's not like I need to go to Portugal for that, he only live five miles up the road.

So, I am flexible I reckon.

thebreeze · December 2022

On travelling light, in my yoof I cycled across Africa (south to north) on the Goodies trandem (the actual bike they used on the BBC). It took a year and we had a mountain bike as a “support vehicle”. That meant just just 4 wheels for 4 of us, so we had just one small pannier each for clothes/personal stuff and 2 big ones for tools, stove, food etc. Ludicrously, but also essentially (as you’ll all appreciate), I insisted I took my acoustic guitar which sat on the back of the trandem between spare tyres, taking up valuable storage/carrying space.
Right at the beginning we did try to pull a little trailer but that got ditched in Botswana owing to the weight.
Very happy days.

AK99 · December 2022

^ I think you've just won the Touring part of the thread outright Breezy

AK99 · December 2022

p90fool said:

I don't mind a bit of luggage, you can't beat going wherever you like with no plans, and having your own tent and cooking gear.

I just love being on the open road, even with practically no mudguards, a jacket with a broken zip, and half a bottle of Sazerac Rye.

What a cracking looking rig

Highway pegs n'all. That thing's got class.

Dominic · December 2022

P90 was born in the wrong country ........should have been somewhere in Southern California like Oakland in the late 50's or San Bernardino as a 20 year old .Hardcore Bobber /Olde Skool .

Dominic · December 2022

guitargeek62 said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

Have a look at The Highland Scramble / Biker BnB run out of Edinburgh @guitargeek62 they do some interesting looking routes.

Easy enough to do on your own at your own pace but there is a convenience and camaraderie element with these group sessions I guess, if you can handle the high potential for Insta hipsters to end up on the same trip.

I mean, I pretty much am one... not remotely at influencer status, but I hung out in Shoreditch and at the Bike Shed a lot when I still lived in London!

The Bike Shed ........bit different vibe to the Clubhouse a bit further down Hackney Road !

Corvus · December 2022

LastMantra said:

Corvus said:

Thanks all re the gloves/warmth, all useful stuff. The reason I ended up wondering about heated gloves is part of the problem is self-inflicted, I've never got on with big winter gloves, so am knowingly compromising there. Partly an old thing I suppose from riding daily in London where you wanted every last factional bit of feel & response you could get.
And most of my carcass is fine, reckon heated gloves would sort it and don't really need a vest/inner layer. I did think about heated grips Mike but wiring HD bars is a faff, it feeds through the bars, needs 1" so less choice etc.

So I've set watches on some quality gloves going on fleabay, see where they end up. Hopefully will snag a pair to try, and could still go for the heater inner layer if I fancy it.

If you know what can happen to people's hands when they've came off their bike it would certainly make you consider getting decent gloves

I've done my share of tarmac surfing, or more, and I'm happy with what I wear - these are basically more like 'sport' type gloves vs fat winter types that's all.

AK99 · December 2022

Kittyfrisk said:

Gosh. Where do you all put your Louboutin's & posh frock in case you go out to dinner in a nice restaurant?

I just wear them under the Belstaff, all the time

Dominic · December 2022

Because the Belstaff costs more than the Designer brands these days (by a long way ! )

guitargeek62 · December 2022

Dominic said:

guitargeek62 said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

Have a look at The Highland Scramble / Biker BnB run out of Edinburgh @guitargeek62 they do some interesting looking routes.

Easy enough to do on your own at your own pace but there is a convenience and camaraderie element with these group sessions I guess, if you can handle the high potential for Insta hipsters to end up on the same trip.

I mean, I pretty much am one... not remotely at influencer status, but I hung out in Shoreditch and at the Bike Shed a lot when I still lived in London!

The Bike Shed ........bit different vibe to the Clubhouse a bit further down Hackney Road !

I’m friends with a guy in the club there, but have absolutely no desire to partake.

I also went to school with the son of the local chapter’s President too - he was an ‘interesting’ character. Unsurprisingly, he ended up in jail, and is now dead (the dad, not my buddy).

Dominic · December 2022

If you're talking about Marcus B who died in 2020 you may have got your facts wrong and better not to discuss Club business on a public forum.
If you are friends with a member or a legacy I'm sure they would appreciate the discretion.

Haych · January 2023

Hello moto fretboarders.

I have a query you might be able to help with.

I’m now officially double glazed! While I don’t absolutely need to wear glasses when driving/riding, I find that it helps a lot.

However, how do you stop glasses from fogging up with every exhale inside the helmet, particularly when moving slowly or not moving at all?

I’m finding that I need to keep the visor slightly more open that normal even at reasonable speeds to keep my glasses from fogging.

Don’t recall having the same issue with sunglasses so much, which is weird.

Thanks in advance

Dominic · January 2023

I find that in cold weather my visor steams up anyway if I'm in v slow traffic or waiting at lights.
I rode 30 miles today ( Brrr....) and have to lift the visor at lights etc to clear the fogging.
I think there's sprays you can get etc

jaytmon · January 2023

For visors, Pinlock inserts for me have been a game changer. For glasses, as @Dominic said get some anti-fog spray, eg Muc-off. Sportsbikeshop.co.uk sell a few different brands.

Kittyfrisk · January 2023

I recall having reasonable success with Bob Heath Visors Anti Fog Spray, but ventilation is key.

AK99 · January 2023

Haych said:

Hello moto fretboarders.

I have a query you might be able to help with.

I’m now officially double glazed! While I don’t absolutely need to wear glasses when driving/riding, I find that it helps a lot.

However, how do you stop glasses from fogging up with every exhale inside the helmet, particularly when moving slowly or not moving at all?

I’m finding that I need to keep the visor slightly more open that normal even at reasonable speeds to keep my glasses from fogging.

Don’t recall having the same issue with sunglasses so much, which is weird.

Thanks in advance

Might have been a bit warmer when you were wearing sunglasses perhaps ?

Can't offer much help with the spectacles fogging other than suggesting that conversely it might be better to leave the visor closed tp reduce the ventilation and adopt the 'biker's underbite / mouth exhale' to direct your breath downwards until the heat of your head/breath warms the glasses to the point where your breath doesn't condense on them. Either that or try to prewarm them a little in the house / office before you pull on the helmet.

Haych · January 2023

AK99 said:

Haych said:

Don’t recall having the same issue with sunglasses so much, which is weird.

Might have been a bit warmer when you were wearing sunglasses perhaps ?

That did cross my mind too, now that you mention it. They’re also the wrap around type so probably sit closer to my face and hence moist breath doesn’t find its way behind the lens as much.

Not sure about the anti fog stuff, think I read somewhere they’re not good to use on coated specs? Might have to look into that a bit more to be sure though.

TheBigDipper · January 2023

I get good anti fog results on the visor with Pinlock. The surfaces need to be clean for best effect. My glasses will mist up if I have the visor shut at slow speeds, so I crack it open in urban areas. At faster speeds it seems to be OK. I also practice the underbite exhale technique (good name for it, too!).

AK99 · January 2023

^ Thinking about it, it's probably an overbite..but hey, we know what it is

thebreeze · February 2023

I hose down my bike pretty comprehensively after every time I’ve been out. Is this an okay thing to do? I’m a bit worried it’s going to affect the electrics and cause an earlier onset of rust then would otherwise be the case. How often do you clean and oil the chain? Will my continual hosing rust this too?

roundthebend · February 2023

thebreeze said:

I hose down my bike pretty comprehensively after every time I’ve been out. Is this an okay thing to do? I’m a bit worried it’s going to affect the electrics and cause an earlier onset of rust then would otherwise be the case. How often do you clean and oil the chain? Will my continual hosing rust this too?

Shouldn't be a problem for electrics - bikes are designed to survive being ridden in wet weather, and left outside when it rains too. Don't go too high pressure or into nooks and crannies that wouldn't normally get dirty - like under the seat!

Also, maybe get a drying machine - I've got one which blows warm air through a nozzle so you can limit how long the water sits on metal parts. Once dry you can also use something like ACF-50 sprayed or painted onto metalwork which is supposed to give good protection from the elements.

Haych · February 2023

I use a microfibre towel and compressed air to dry and blow the water out of places I can't reach. I've heard good things about the dryers but for the amount of time I actually wash my bike it'd probably get very little use.

You shouldn't have any issues rinsing the bike down after use. As @roundthebend stated above, I wouldn't use a pressure washer on any of the oily bits too much, you don't want to be blasting the grease out of wheel bearings and what-not.

As for chains, mine doesn't have one but, from when I was last bike shopping I seem to recall that the maintenance routine is recommended to be a clean and lube every 300 - 500 miles.

Kittyfrisk · February 2023

I'd hose it down, but as others have said, not a high pressure wash.
Rinsing off the road muck & salt that's around at this time of year is far better than leaving an aggressive corrosion causing agent on your bike. Get a couple of old towels & wipe off the water afterward & give an occasional chain lube.

thebreeze · February 2023

Thanks everyone, that's reassuring. I just use a conventional pipe with my finger over the end to give it a bit of force.

Kittyfrisk · February 2023

Bit of a shame. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64591498
Wonder why there's such an insurance issue there & not elsewhere, or is it an outlier?

AK99 · February 2023

Absolutely shame - end of an era probably.

They don't really do closed public-roads racing exactly like that anywhere else really. The IOM TT is a time-trial with riders setting out in ones or twos against the clock, whereas Irish road racing is full grids of maybe 20 or more riders. That might contribute.

The other thing that could be a factor (which I remember from being charged extortionate fees for both car and bike insurance when I lived there) was that the payments for contested injury claims in Norn Iron were determined without reference to a standard / recommended scale of payments for such things - and as a result were often very much higher than you would typically see in the rest of the UK.

sinbaadi · February 2023

Kittyfrisk said:

Bit of a shame. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64591498
Wonder why there's such an insurance issue there & not elsewhere, or is it an outlier?

I reckon public liability is massive, but at least at a proper track with a ticketed event they get to put "Motorsport is dangerous" in big letters as something of a disclaimer.

They don't sell tickets to 99% of these things, which is just nuts. Risk of damage to public property must be big. They must be making lots of claims, this can't be a shock to anyone involved to be honest.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Any Motörbike riders here?

Comments