Відео

Thanks Hugh.. all the best to you and yours for 2025! 🍻🍻

Cheers Gerry, best wishes for you an yours in 2025... Hopefully we all keep our bikes upright.. 😂😂

We no longer ride together Janice. 👍 thanks for watching. 👍👍

The whole of this ride was unplanned Geoff. On a map it didn't look interesting.. just goes ter show doesn't it? 😂😂 thanks for watching. 👍

Thanks Ernie.. it was a good day's riding..👍👍

@ looked like you enjoyed it Ray.

​@@erniebrooks2400This was the first time I'd ever toured alone outside the UK Ernie. I was outside my comfort zone for sure, BUT, I'm already well into planning a bigger one in 2025... And tentatively looking at 2026... Cos I absolutely loved touring alone. 👍👍

@@rayjones4115glad you enjoyed it mate.

Thanks Ernie, I'm glad you like them. 👍

It was a really good days riding James. These roads were unexpected, but prove once you get into the mountain areas, there's fantastic riding in every direction. Thanks for watching.. 👍

I haven't spoken to Paul in 6 months Jan, and I have no idea what he does. Thank you for watching my videos, it's very much appreciated. 👍👍

Thanks, it was a cracking day. 👍 Thanks for watching. 👍👍

I'm going back Geoff.. thanks for watching. 👍

Thanks. My VFR hasn't done 13k miles yet, so it's good ter hear it'll do better shortly. I was using 3rd gear a lot on this ride, so could probably do better already. 170 miles on a tankful is pretty normal as far as I can see. Thanks for watching. 👍

I think the only downside is the fuel consumption up to now. I've toured on worse, an I have a habit of filling up every hundred miles or so anyway. Nevertheless, I'd agree on some tours it might be an issue. 👍👍 Thanks for watching.

Cracking answer... I need more pees tho.. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

I think the VFR was discontinued cos it couldn't meet new emissions regulations.. 🤔🤔

I think it was discontinued because it didn't sell! A sports tourer that needs petrol every 130-150 miles is really not very good at the tourer bit. It's then too heavy as a Sunday afternoon blast sports bike that doesn't need the range. It needed another 40+ miles on its tank range or 40kg less weight.

The Pan European ran from 1990 to 2013 (across both the 1100 and 1300 models). That's a pretty good run for any model.

Yes the pan had a very good run. One of the pans main competition is the BMW RT. How long has this bike been in production.

I'd agree with that as it happens. I spent a lot of this ride enjoying 3rd gear. 👍👍

I normally start looking for fuel after 100 miles. An check there's a station on route within my tank range. Hasn't stopped me having scares tho. The Honda will need more care fuel stop wise I think. 👍👍 Thanks for watching.

It's a lil low.. but in the range I can live with. 👍 Thanks for watching.

I had a lot of fun in 3rd gear... But I'm still not far off MCN figures. As it happens, the Kawasaki did between 45 and 50mpg.. so I'm not too worried. Thanks for watching. 👍👍

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I had ter check when I got home that I was charged motorcycle rates cos I went through at least one height restricted lane. 👍👍

That's true.. but it's not clear when the refund applies from their terms and conditions. The only reference I could find was under cancellation of a direct debit. Thanks for watching. 👍

@ It seems pretty clear on their first page where it states the price etc and says ‘Refundable security deposit(No local VAT) Returned back to you when we receive your tag’

Technically, without a ticket, I would have had a penalty to pay. As it happens, It HAD read my tag, and it did so at the other end too... so I didn't get a penalty. Until this moment however, I didn't know what was going to happen. My advice, that the tag should go in the tank bag is based on this experience, and is entirely consistent with it. .

The day before, my tag didn't work, so I threw it in my tank bag in disgust. On the second day, I went to a ticket lane cos I didn't expect the tag to work, and I pulled up to press and get a ticket. The barrier lifted, and I rode through without a ticket in my hand. But I had guessed it had read my tag through my tank bag. Nevertheless, I felt vulnerable without the ticket. 👍👍

I don't live in France, and I have limited time to get to the places that really interest me. I make a choice to get to the area of interest quickly. I know it means missing a lot, but that's a trade off I have to live with. Thanks for watching. 👍

I have been living & bike touring in France for 21 years. I do avoid the Autoroutes, even the free ones when possible. Sometimes I have to be somewhere sooner or treat a short stint as a bypass route to avoid a city.

Most people just want to go through France as fast as possible. Brits don't speak the language anyway. Just let them pay and pass.

@davidmatthews3093 - just because you don't want to use the autoroute doesn't mean that no one else should either! Others may have good reason to use them on the bike and don't want to be faffing around at the toll barriers trying to use their card. If I want to get across to Montpellier from where I live quickly, then I'll jump onto the A9 and use my tag to save the fumbling around taking the ticket and stashing it when I enter the autoroute and then retrieving it and my bank card when I get to the other end. It works well for me on these occasions.

I didn't see any manned booths at all as it happens. Thanks for watching. 👍👍

@@rayjones4115Manned booths and no toll both autoroutes are two completely different things.

Tape Ernie? 🤔

@ sticky pads Ray mate, I’ve got a Hm quickshifter module stuck to my frame with one.

I might have to revert to those Ernie. 👍👍

@@rayjones4115 plus when you are done with them they peel off without marking.

That sums up my attitude completely. Thanks for watching. 👍

You do not have to use the motorways to cover distance. That is a myth spread by people who do to justify the cost.

I like ter get as far as possible, as quickly as possible on my first day. Other than that, I used way points ter pick the routes I want. Thanks for watching. 👍👍

@@rayjones4115Don’t you enjoy travelling? What merit is there of wasting a day of your trip getting bored on an autoroute? Perhaps you would be better off touring in a diesel hatchback.

The ferry would have been more expensive and a whole day slower. 👍👍

@@rayjones4115 That's what I like best about not being a child any more. We can do exactly as we please...

​@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne😂😂😂😂😂

@@rayjones4115A fool and his money…

A viable choice for Iberia if a good sailor and prepared for a day & night on board.

But would the autoroute not still be the better way to cross France e.g. to get to Italy?

I cannot argue with that point.

@@richardstewart6900No. That’s simply a wasted opportunity Don’t you want to enjoy your Moto tour?

@@davidmatthews3093 That would depend on the purpose of the trip. Of course I wish to enjoy it, but if the reason for going is to get to Italy, then why spend perhaps days longer dawdling around France? In fact, I've been in the exact situation you describe on my first bike tour abroad. Our planned route once across was, as you say, basically avoiding autoroutes at all costs. Le Havre, Le Mans, east up the Loire Valley, then down and across ending up near Grasse. The return was similar, though we did have to hit the autoroute once for reasons I now forget. We were at the docks in Southampton, waiting to board the outbound ferry with our BMW R90/6 and got talking to another couple on a Honda CX500. Their plan was to immediately jump on the autoroute/s and be in Rome asap. I can't recall for sure now but think they said either that night or the following one. That wouldn't be possible via normal roads. This time, there are a couple of places I want to visit on the way, but the main reason for the specific trip I have in mind is to visit places in Italy my late Dad was as an escaped WW2 PoW. Basically, he walked south from near Macerata and met the advancing Allied lines just south of Chieti. THAT is the reason for that trip - the part that will have special personal resonance - France just happens to be between here and there! He was also a biker (he was a Despatch Rider in North Africa) - "watch out for unexploded ordnance!") and actually rode down there himself after the War to visit the family who, though it was contrary to the martial law in force at the time, sheltered and fed him for several weeks. I'd love to know - and follow - the exact route he took to get there, but it was just one of those things we never got to talk about. Safe and enjoyable riding, wherever you go! 🙂

​@richardstewart6900 Sounds like a great reason for the trip. I don't know if you know the family's name, so you could see if they have any relatives. I bet they'd love to meet you. Have a safe trip. 👍

I'm not normally fussy James. 😂😂😂

We ride separately now, and I don't know anything about his activities anymore. Thanks for watching. 👍

Hi. I asked Ray that question last video. Same answer more or less. Seems like they no longer are friends. I ASSUME. SHAME. I really enjoyed the two together. Followed them from the early days. Enjoyed the BANTER. Miss SPEEDO MICK TOO. Never mind.

It's just enough more of an upright riding position for me, an still quick.. thanks for watching James. 👍

Thanks Ernie. It's riding well, an I'm proper enjoying it. 👍👍

Thanks Richard, I'll keep an eye on those things. 👍👍 Thanks for watching.

What did you dislike about it? Thanks for watching. 👍

I'll have a look David. 👍 Thanks for watching. 👍

Always a gravel road Dave.. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Believe it or not Kevin, I've always wandered off on my own, starting with getting lost in the town centre when I was four. I just imagined solo on he continent was a bit much. It wasn't. 👍 Thanks for watching. 👍

😂😂😂😂 I had a tether on it, but it still near gave me a heart attack ter see an expensive camera part company. 😂😂😂

It'll feel more natural after a few rides Geoff. Thanks for watching. 👍👍

I'll try my usual Metzler roadtec 01's when these need replacing. That little button... Pressed it a couple of times and confirmed the grips warmed up nicely. Thanks for watching Jim. 👍

Thanks Baza... Settling down with it an getting it all set up the way I want it.. 👍👍

It was a cracking tour Baza, already working on the next one. Thanks for watching. 👍

Thanks for watching Geoff. 👍👍 I had a great tour. 👍

I was unpleasantly surprised by the insurance quote I got William. I was expecting twenty or thirty quid plus admin fee. They wanted a few hundred for the remaing few months. A years insurance was only a bit more. 😬😬😬

Yes William, he and I have gone our separate ways. It means I'll need to find a way to make my videos 'interesting' with only my participation. 😂😂 Thanks for watching. 👍

It felt strange heading off the train alone.. took a few minutes ter settle down. Thanks for watching. 👍

You would be exactly right. 👍👍