formula400 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 5:17 pm
I’d like to have a go on a current litre bike. See what all the fuss is about.
Thats an easy one to sort, pop down to a dealer and take one out
For me i have done the big Northern European tour and around Scotland and bits of the Uk, just fancy the Spain and Italy tour now. Might be able to sort it in the next couple of years as the missus seems interested in that trip too.
Always wanted to ride Western US as well but keeps getting kicked down the priority list as well as a trip to an off road school in the UK. Maybe one day in next few years as i dont bounce as well as i used to when falling off
NZ again for me. Top half of N Island (Coromandel, Bay of Islands) - haven't done it yet, and we'd go back to the S Island again. Great roads, great weather if you time it right, and we stayed in some excellent BnBs. V friendly, helpful, interesting people, and I think that's the best way to explore a new country - they're interested in you because you're on a bike, and you get to spend time with the locals. You don't get that in a campervan or motels. We used VFRNZ and would again.
Bigyin wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 7:11 pm
Always wanted to ride Western US as well but keeps getting kicked down the priority list as well as a trip to an off road school in the UK. Maybe one day in next few years as i dont bounce as well as i used to when falling off
Are you thinking big adventure bike off reading or enduro bikes? I’ve done a couple of enduro days which were good fun, now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Are you thinking big adventure bike off reading or enduro bikes? I’ve done a couple of enduro days which were good fun, now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Enduro bikes Cam, possibly the Mick Extance or that sort of thing
Beancounter wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:27 pm
now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Feck me you're brave, there's some round Thetford in Norfolk that might be a good place to start, they're marked on OS maps (Byways Open to All Traffic) I don't have a trail bike at the moment, otherwise I'd offer to show you round them.
Beancounter wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:27 pm
now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Feck me you're brave, there's some round Thetford in Norfolk that might be a good place to start, they're marked on OS maps (Byways Open to All Traffic) I don't have a trail bike at the moment, otherwise I'd offer to show you round them.
Stupid more like. Only thinking light green lanes/fire roads, nothing muddy as I've got the mountain bikes for that. I've got a Caponord (ETV1000, not the 1200) for commuting but because I'm working from home 90% of the time now it's not seeing as much use. Was on a group Capo ride last year that took us on an unpaved path up through a wind farm somewhere in the Brecon Beacons, was nicely different from road riding without being very challenging.
Last edited by Beancounter on Thu Nov 12, 2020 9:36 am, edited 2 times in total.
Are you thinking big adventure bike off reading or enduro bikes? I’ve done a couple of enduro days which were good fun, now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Enduro bikes Cam, possibly the Mick Extance or that sort of thing
I did a day with Rob Morris Trail Riding in Llangollen on a recommendation from Diablo and Sloth. Covered about 80 miles of green lanes a KTM 250. Quite a large group, probably about 12 of us IIRC. Emphasis was very much on doing rather than talking. Was an excellent day out with a lot of variety and very few tarmac roads.
Beancounter wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:27 pm
now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Feck me you're brave, there's some round Thetford in Norfolk that might be a good place to start, they're marked on OS maps (Byways Open to All Traffic) I don't have a trail bike at the moment, otherwise I'd offer to show you round them.
If I can get a Rockster across Salisbury Plain (just), then I'm sure Beanie can get a Capo down some green lanes.
Beancounter wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:27 pm
now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Feck me you're brave, there's some round Thetford in Norfolk that might be a good place to start, they're marked on OS maps (Byways Open to All Traffic) I don't have a trail bike at the moment, otherwise I'd offer to show you round them.
If I can get a Rockster across Salisbury Plain (just), then I'm sure Beanie can get a Capo down some green lanes.
Didn't your engine blow up?
I think you should put some knobblies on Rock 4 and head to Salisbury Plain with me.
Feck me you're brave, there's some round Thetford in Norfolk that might be a good place to start, they're marked on OS maps (Byways Open to All Traffic) I don't have a trail bike at the moment, otherwise I'd offer to show you round them.
If I can get a Rockster across Salisbury Plain (just), then I'm sure Beanie can get a Capo down some green lanes.
Didn't your engine blow up?
I think you should put some knobblies on Rock 4 and head to Salisbury Plain with me.
That was heading to the 2nd rideout, the first was fine apart from heavy mud when we had to cross a ploughed field where the farmer had ploughed the bloody BOAT. The only issue with the Rockster off-road is that the front mudguard collects mud like you wouldn't believe - it was barely able to rotate after that field.
IIRC this was earlier in the day when that "puddle" in the background swamped 2 or 3 of the GSs. I (and a couple of others on road-oriented bikes) found a slightly drier way around it!
I'd be up for another day of off-roading next year when it's a touch drier. (and I've had the chance to do more than a couple of hundred miles of riding!).
If I can get a Rockster across Salisbury Plain (just), then I'm sure Beanie can get a Capo down some green lanes.
Didn't your engine blow up?
I think you should put some knobblies on Rock 4 and head to Salisbury Plain with me.
That was heading to the 2nd rideout, the first was fine apart from heavy mud when we had to cross a ploughed field where the farmer had ploughed the bloody BOAT. The only issue with the Rockster off-road is that the front mudguard collects mud like you wouldn't believe - it was barely able to rotate after that field.
IIRC this was earlier in the day when that "puddle" in the background swamped 2 or 3 of the GSs. I (and a couple of others on road-oriented bikes) found a slightly drier way around it!
I'd be up for another day of off-roading next year when it's a touch drier. (and I've had the chance to do more than a couple of hundred miles of riding!).
I think you should put some knobblies on Rock 4 and head to Salisbury Plain with me.
That was heading to the 2nd rideout, the first was fine apart from heavy mud when we had to cross a ploughed field where the farmer had ploughed the bloody BOAT. The only issue with the Rockster off-road is that the front mudguard collects mud like you wouldn't believe - it was barely able to rotate after that field.
IIRC this was earlier in the day when that "puddle" in the background swamped 2 or 3 of the GSs. I (and a couple of others on road-oriented bikes) found a slightly drier way around it!
I'd be up for another day of off-roading next year when it's a touch drier. (and I've had the chance to do more than a couple of hundred miles of riding!).
What tyres were you using out of interest?
IIRC Pirelli Scorpion (Trail?) - not sure if they still do them. Because it was just 1 day off-roading I wanted 'some' off-road tread, but the vast majority of the usage of the tyre was on-road, so I wanted something biased that way. As I remember, they were fine on the road (no different really to my preferred Diablo Stradas or Angels, apart from longevity), and not that bad off-road.
Love to go back on track, not been on one in nearly 10 years.
I really fancy green laning too. A mate of mine recently consolidated his 3 bike collection into one Africa Twin and did the Honda off road school. Now he spends a lot of weekends on BOATs. He rode almost all the way from his house in Essex to our place in MK without using the road.
Sadly having a 3 year old child means I don't have much money or time for motorbike adventures. Well its not that sad TBF, shes worth it.
Mr. Dazzle wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 3:51 pm
Love to go back on track, not been on one in nearly 10 years.
I really fancy green laning too. A mate of mine recently consolidated his 3 bike collection into one Africa Twin and did the Honda off road school. Now he spends a lot of weekends on BOATs. He rode almost all the way from his house in Essex to our place in MK without using the road.
Sadly having a 3 year old child means I don't have much money or time for motorbike adventures. Well its not that sad TBF, shes worth it.
I used to go from Ipswich to Bishops Stortford nearly all off tarmac (BOATs are roads) it used to take all day, and in winter bits of it were impassable without decent knobblies - there's a byway near Cambridge known locally as "the Somme" for good reason.
Ridden to and through lots of Europeright down to Greece, but never ridden in Scotland. Now I live in south east Spain, it seems to the ideal place to head for!
And attend a few more MotoGP's. This years trips to Austin, a few European rounds and Sepang had all the travel and hotels booked but destroyed by Covid.
Can't think of another bike I'd like to own, so happy to stick with what I've got. Makes me realise I have no ambition though!
Whysub wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 9:02 pm
Ridden to and through lots of Europeright down to Greece, but never ridden in Scotland. Now I live in south east Spain, it seems to the ideal place to head for!
And attend a few more MotoGP's. This years trips to Austin, a few European rounds and Sepang had all the travel and hotels booked but destroyed by Covid.
Can't think of another bike I'd like to own, so happy to stick with what I've got. Makes me realise I have no ambition though!
Are you thinking big adventure bike off reading or enduro bikes? I’ve done a couple of enduro days which were good fun, now I’d like to try taking the Caponord on some green lanes.
Enduro bikes Cam, possibly the Mick Extance or that sort of thing
Don't know if you'll be able to read these but Bike magazine's December issue did a one-page feature on the Mick Extance Experience:
Many years ago (pre-marriage) I had planned an Alexander the Great tour but things went a bit too Taliban and I shelved the idea. I saw a Michael Woods documentary on the subject and it inspired me. It is is still lurking in my subconscious, awaiting for some reasonably stable regimes to appear.
(and I've had the chance to do more than a couple of hundred miles of riding!).