Would you do a cheeky 4/5 day bike trip on your Jack Jones?

[Bigyin]

I forked out on a good Sena 10R Bluetooth intercom kit for me and Gremlinette's helmet. Within 10 minutes of using it she switched it off as I was disturbing the biking holiday playlist she was listening to on her phone...

My missus complained that she couldnt speak to me when pillion so fitted both lids with Cardo kit...... she did the exact same as "the kid" and moaned when i spoke to her just to see if all was alright as it stopped her music

As for a trip on your own, go for it as its about the riding. Every year i do the Pembrey trip which is mostly riding on my own then meeting up with the weirdos at the track. I went to John O Groats on my tod which was a 4 day trip as i managed to take in some great roads on the way up and back down

I intend on doing a Lands End one as well which will be 3 days all going to plan

[Yorick]

I forked out on a good Sena 10R Bluetooth intercom kit for me and Gremlinette's helmet. Within 10 minutes of using it she switched it off as I was disturbing the biking holiday playlist she was listening to on her phone...

My missus complained that she couldnt speak to me when pillion so fitted both lids with Cardo kit...... she did the exact same as "the kid" and moaned when i spoke to her just to see if all was alright as it stopped her music

As for a trip on your own, go for it as its about the riding. Every year i do the Pembrey trip which is mostly riding on my own then meeting up with the weirdos at the track. I went to John O Groats on my tod which was a 4 day trip as i managed to take in some great roads on the way up and back down

I intend on doing a Lands End one as well which will be 3 days all going to plan

It'll be a lot warmer that way

[Beancounter]

I forked out on a good Sena 10R Bluetooth intercom kit for me and Gremlinette's helmet. Within 10 minutes of using it she switched it off as I was disturbing the biking holiday playlist she was listening to on her phone...

My missus complained that she couldnt speak to me when pillion so fitted both lids with Cardo kit...... she did the exact same as "the kid" and moaned when i spoke to her just to see if all was alright as it stopped her music

Mine too, though now she’s on her own bike I get to listen to her making revving noises whenever she’s trying to overtake something.

[wheelnut]

I enjoy solo trips. I try and get away for a few days with the bike and a tent every year.

It helps if you keep the daily mileage on the high side, as by the time you reach the hotel or campsite you’re about ready to grab something to eat, an hour with a book then kip.

[scottyuk]

100% - I did the NC500 on my own. Felt a bit weird not seeing anyone, having no phone signal and being alone. I guess the weirdness was a mix of waryness and the feeling of total freedom.

I'm doing 520 miles tomorrow on my own if that counts

Where are you flying to?

A biker friend passed away last year and due to lock down he had a tiny funeral. Last weekend there was a memorial for him. His wife was guest of honour on Friday with the memorial on Sunday afternoon. I couldn't get much time so I had to bite the bullet and go up on Friday and back on Monday.

Done with just two stops. It's a long time sitting on a bike!

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[GuzziPaul]

Done it a couple of times into France, the first time when one of the groupe got knocked off his bike on the way to the ferry unknown to us and the other member of the groups bike started misfiring after getting off the ferry so he turned round and got the next boat back. I continued on my own but it hammered down for the next two days so I came back a day early.
The next time was a planned trip on my own to Le Mans on my Le Mans, 912 miles in three days. Stopped when I wanted at my own pace.
Was thinking of going to the Guzzi 100th birtday bash down it Italy but that would have been 3 days down there, couple of days at the factory and a 3 day ride back which was a bit too much in both time and money.

[crust]

Used to do them a lot in years gone by.

Hope to do them again in the future. I enjoy being able to pick my pace, where and when to stop.

[gremlin]

Flights, bike hire and hotels booked.

The Billy No-Mates 2021 Tour of Italy is on!

[Whysub]

Got back yesterday evening from a ride to Czechia from my place in Spain. 5,500km round trip for a weekend event spent mostly drinking and catching up with my mates from all over Europe that were there.
I took four days to ride there, three days riding back (home commitments).

I rode up the east coast of Spain, up through France via Perpignan, Narbonne, Millau, Vichy, across Germany to Kamenice nad Lipou in Czechia for the event

If time had allowed I'd have gone up through France, Austria and Germany. But rural France is great at this time of year, and hotels plentiful. When I had enough, then Google/Booking.com found hotels nearby to book on line.

Incidentally I found out that the cheap Deauville 650 I bought specifically for long trips is brilliant. It lacks torque and power BUT I can ride it for 10 to 12 hours a day without feeling broken biscuits. Comfort beats everything on a long trip. Dull but does exactly what I bought it for.

As for camaraderie, a bloke on an R1 passed me coming out of Millau. About an hour later, he came passed again, then in the afternoon, a third time. About 90 minutes later he came passed for a fourth time, but this time rode alongside, and gestured "a cup of tea". Stopped at the next service station and had a chat. We couldn't quite work out how we crossed paths so many times, as we took different routes that only crossed a few times. He told me that he was on his way to the Pyranees for his annual 10 day holiday there. Must have been in his 50's, badly scuffed up leathers and an open face helmet with luggage strapped to the pillion pad. Just wish I had taken a photo of us both, but I'm not a selfie sort of bloke.

[wheelnut]

Done with just two stops. It's a long time sitting on a bike!

I can happily do 500 miles plus days on cross country A + B roads, but 500 miles on a straight road is arse numbingly awful. Just the effect of of moving around on the bike slightly as you go round corners stops the numbness.

[Cousin Jack]

Done with just two stops. It's a long time sitting on a bike!

I can happily do 500 miles plus days on cross country A + B roads, but 500 miles on a straight road is arse numbingly awful. Just the effect of of moving around on the bike slightly as you go round corners stops the numbness.

I have done 690 miles in a day (Bonneville, France to Milton Keynes), but it isn't enjoyable. I wouldn't do it again. I find the best way to do big miles is to get an early start, miles done before 10:00 in the morning seem much shorter that the same distance later in the day.

[Whysub]

Yesterdays trip recorder. From Millau France to home near Elche, Spain.

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[Asian Boss]

Surely better to forget about bikes and take the S-Class, loaded up with many prostituta.

[Rockburner]

Flights, bike hire and hotels booked.

The Billy No-Mates 2021 Tour of Italy is on!

Good stuff!

My 'serious' reply to the question is "do it: every time you get the chance".

I've not done a complete trip by myself, but I've done several FLASH tours 'by myself', ie the only person I'd previously met was FLASH himself, the others on the group were all strangers. That's a great way to have a fun long weekend on the bike.

Mind you - I'm very happy with my own company, I had an absolute ball going round Spain by myself in the van.

[G.P]

I like both. I've done a 2 week+ bike trip on my own and really enjoyed it. Done plenty with mates and I think there's something nice about the shared experience.

[Whysub]

If i need to get a move on, travelling in a group makes that difficult. Quite a few of my friends said that they would not be able to have done the mileages I did for one day, let alone seven.

I do like riding with mates, like in 2019 four of us did a 3000 mile ride around the Pyranees, the Picos, Portugal (north to south) and west to east back across Spain. Very leisurely, stopping for a few days here and there.

[gremlin]

Well, landed in Florence this afternoon. Took the tram from the airport and dumped the bags in the hotel room and went for a wander. I know Florence quite well, a beautiful city sat on the Arno river and filled with enviably stylish Italians. Sat outside a trattoria and ate boar stew then a few beers in a bar.
Pick up the bike tomorrow and on to Perugia...

[gremlin]

The beast...

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Typical BMW. Agricultural lump of an engine, but fairly well put together. Had to laugh at the fly screen, the lady at the hire place raised her eyebrows and explained somebody had tried to get the flies off using a scouring pad.

[gremlin]

Found a route from Florence to Perugia taking the Strada Provinciale roads, thus avoiding dual carriageway and motorways. Plenty of twisties and varying scenery from industrial centres to stunning Tuscan hills covered in vineyards.
Currently enjoying a coffee and pastry in Ambra, one of the many tiny hamlets that line this route.
Quite hot on masks and the 'Green pass', which is required anywhere indoors. The NHS QR code is accepted, thankfully.

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[gremlin]

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As you can see, the weather isn't the warm, sunny Tuscany I usually encounter this time of year...

A slight chill and a numb arse forced a stop for coffee and sustenance. I give you the traditional torta della Maria, flat bread stuffed with various fillings, in this instance sausage and spinach. Delicious, but very filling.

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