revtothelimit - motorbike forum

I recently rediscovered the B4494 from Donnington to Wantage. Lovely bit of Oxfordshire tarmac.

Felix wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:08 pm

Trinity765 wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:43 pm

Cousin Jack wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:27 pm The Grossglockner isnt too shabby.
The B500 in the Black Forest is pretty good.

These are on my to do list.

Score the 500 off. Ill grant you i was in a van but went north up it and thought "This it" Better roads in Wales or up the north of Scotland. For the Black forest the Scenery was even disappointing. Save yourself 400 miles of fuel and play up the Mosel Valley

Oddly enough I didn't enjoy it when heading north either (on the bike), much prefer heading south. It used to be a great road, the part that actually goes through the forest was a blast then follow it down towards Switzlerland and there's some very good stop-off points (ice cream on a lake with a man-made beach springs to mind).
That being said, the last time I was there (a few years ago now) they were starting to introduce speed limits in certain sections. As it turned out, this was a blessing, coming around what would have otherwise been a very fast uphill bend to find a coachload of tourists milling about on the actual road ffs Read a few recent articles and it seems the speed limits have been extended to cover all of the upper section, some say it is heavily policed, others say they've never seen a speed trap there. But regardless, there are some fantastic back roads in the area, so still very much worth a visit.

The N260 in Spain is epic. Lots of roads in Spain are though.

I did the Route Napoleon N85 last week, some bits of it, several times and nearly all of it again, the day before yesterday. (In the car though. The bike was on its trailer.)
My favourite bit is the hill into Castellane from Barrême. I gopro'd it the other day, so I'll stick it on here when I get around to it.

The A6 between Kendal and Penrith over Shap. Before the M6 was opened it was a nightmare: nose to tail HGVs doing about 5 mph up the hill. I haven't driven for a long time but the last time I drove that road it was a revelation: long sweeping bends, hardly any traffic and a pleasure to drive at legal(ish) speeds.
Closer to home: A507 between Baldock and Buntingford,
And there are some nice driving B roads in the area east of the M11/north of the A120: Saffron Walden, Great Dunmow and the Hedinghams, that sort of area. (Don't go too fast, I sometimes cycle round there. )

Druid wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:57 pmScotland: A87 Invergarry to Kyle of Lochalsh

That's half my work commute.
I sometimes have to remind myself that I live on such a great road.

I did the Route Napoleon when I was bringing my VFR back from Monaco.
Really, really enjoyed the ride, but most of all because of the contrast to my trip down, which was Reading-Monaco overnight for a 10am meeting in the middle of Monaco, so was obviously on the boringly fast straight roads!

I was over on Harris and Lewis a couple of weeks ago. That was in the car with the family but I did think I'd like to take the bike over for some of the riding to be had there, mostly on Harris.

I did Route Napoleon. And the Transfaragan (?sp) Pass in Romania. I think Top Gear were inspired by my article to go there.

For my money the Wrynose and Hardnott passes in Cumbria take some beating.

Asian Boss wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:19 pm For my money the Wrynose and Hardnott passes in Cumbria take some beating.

Narrow, poorly surfaced and tight enough to be slow even without the traffic coming the other way. Stunning scenery which you have time to appreciate as you follow another campervan up the hill. Bealach na Bà is the same, but harder to get to

Rockburner wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 6:44 pm I recently rediscovered the B4494 from Donnington to Wantage. Lovely bit of Oxfordshire tarmac.

It didn't seem right to offer up a road I can almost see from my house!


Anyway, turn left in Wantage at the bottom of the hill, then left again at the lights. Head down the A338. Half a mile before the M4, turn left onto the B4000 back to Newbury.

Druid wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:49 pm

Asian Boss wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:19 pm For my money the Wrynose and Hardnott passes in Cumbria take some beating.

Narrow, poorly surfaced and tight enough to be slow even without the traffic coming the other way. Stunning scenery which you have time to appreciate as you follow another campervan up the hill. Bealach na Bà is the same, but harder to get to

Camper vans used to banned from the passes.

Yorick wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 9:04 am

Druid wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:49 pm

Asian Boss wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:19 pm For my money the Wrynose and Hardnott passes in Cumbria take some beating.

Narrow, poorly surfaced and tight enough to be slow even without the traffic coming the other way. Stunning scenery which you have time to appreciate as you follow another campervan up the hill. Bealach na Bà is the same, but harder to get to

Camper vans used to banned from the passes.

Dontthink they are now? My sister came back down one of those in her campervan when she was on her way home from the lakes.

N260 from approx Pamplona to Perpingnon Two days sublime riding.

Taipan wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 9:35 am

Yorick wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 9:04 am

Druid wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:49 pm

Narrow, poorly surfaced and tight enough to be slow even without the traffic coming the other way. Stunning scenery which you have time to appreciate as you follow another campervan up the hill. Bealach na Bà is the same, but harder to get to

Camper vans used to banned from the passes.

Dontthink they are now? My sister came back down one of those in her campervan when she was on her way home from the lakes.

Meh, those signs always exaggerate conditions wildly.

I fucked the head gasket on a Pug 405 SRi on the Wrynose pass

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:19 pm I fucked the head gasket on a Pug 405 SRi on the Wrynose pass

I once played for a whole afternoon in my company Mondeo

Yorick wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:22 pm

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:19 pm I fucked the head gasket on a Pug 405 SRi on the Wrynose pass

I once played for a whole afternoon in my company Mondeo

I trust you wiped the velour upholstery down afterwards.

gremlin wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:23 pm

Yorick wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:22 pm

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:19 pm I fucked the head gasket on a Pug 405 SRi on the Wrynose pass

I once played for a whole afternoon in my company Mondeo

I trust you wiped the velour upholstery down afterwards.

It had nice upholstery. I picked it specially.

Trinity765 wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 2:55 pm Yorkshire B6255 Hawes to the viaduct and then the B6479 down to Settle

Was just about to say that. Rode it for the first time in the summer. So much fun. Plenty of other options not far from there too. I quite like the A537 Cat'n'Fiddle road depsite the average cameras. A483 is also really good in parts, made the journey down to Pembrey much more enjoyable.

Bingley to Kirby Lonsdale was fun in the 80s before all the cops spoiled it.

tricol wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:35 pm I quite like the A537 Cat'n'Fiddle road

What's the surface like these days, last time I rode it in the 90s it was bumpy in comparison with the nearby A6, if you're in that area the Via Gellia road is good.