Road Trip

[LewFZ1]

Heading off on a road trip on Thursday. I am going over to N Ireland for a weekend meet with the Z1000SX forum. Why the Z1000SX crowd you may or may not ask. I used to have one of those fantastic bikes but sadly it was just getting to heavy for me and a lad in Spain where I used to live offered me silly money for it.
I have been doing these meets with the same crowd now for 5 years and we have fun.
I will be clocking up a few miles to get there and back.
Heading up from Marmande SW France to Cherbourg and catching the Cherbourg / Rosslare ferry. I would normally have caught Calais / Dover and met up with mates. I just do not want the hassle of dodging asylum seekers at Calais.
Anyway looking forward to my trip and hopefully some decent weather.
Will post a pic when I have the bike loaded and ready for the off, wish me luck.
Lew

 

[MJ09]

Well, good luck but don't be to put off Calais, I go though there once every couple of months and do not have any problems with the Migrants, the French police, dogs and a big barbed wire fence keep them away from the terminal. I read that many have now moved to the other channel ports where security is much less. Mind you, you must have a big top box if you are worried they might climb on board...

 

[Fulfilled-09]

Enjoy your trip, Lew. Hope the weather holds for you.

 

[LewFZ1]

Okay she is loaded up and ready for the off tomorrow morning, fingers crossed for good weather. The panniers are Shad, the silver bits are the water proof covers , hope they are not required, tank bag is a Givi tank lock thing, good gear but we will find out how good they all are.

 

[LewFZ1]

Back from my trip left last Thursday and back this Thursday bike was great miles covered 1,916. Not bad for an aging biker.

 

[Fulfilled-09]

That's some miles. Highlights? Lows?

 

[LewFZ1]

The highs , got there reasonably dry, the lows it was bloody freezing coming home to france. In N Ireland the ride back down to Rosslare I had to contend with high winds, hail stones , sleet and snow, the sun did shine.
The bike performed really well never missed a beat. On the run up and down I left it in B Mode. I was stopping for petrol on or around 230kms/143 miles. That was when the last segment started to flash and there was still around 2.5 ltrs in the tank.
There were 20 bikes in total nearly all Z1000SX's one lad had a 1000 versy and another had a Tarcer.
We stopped at the Premier inn in Lisburn N Ireland arriving on the Friday night. The group split into two groups as some wanted to go see the Tandragee 100 road races. Weather for the whole weekend was excellent but cool sunshine but dry roads. Being a die hard road race fan it was a good days racing. We left early and went for a blast along the county Down coast to Newcastle. Sunday we did some cracking roads and I decided I would run the bike in A mode all day, thirsty wee bastard. All I can say against 1043cc sports touring bikes the 09 was never struggling and by no means was I last man home, sadly one lad did bin it through a hedge but was walking wounded. A cracking long weekend

 

[Spook99]

Sounds like a great trip and a bonus to have some dry roads, I also noticed how thirsty he gets if you thrash it in A (for arsehole mode) and that's the Tracer. If possible, got me more excited about my adventure to the Alps on Friday coming ��

 

[LewFZ1]

Spook have a great trip and enjoy, if you are out to enjoy the scenery and are in no rush just leave it in B mode, it did become a pain in the arse having to top up so often. 14 ltr tank is ideal with a standard seat as this is just about when numb bum kicks in, but for touring it is at least 3 ltrs short of a decent range. If and when funds would permit +getting new knees a Tracer could be on the cards.

 

[LewFZ1]

Heading off for another road trip 3rd week in September, SW France to N Wales. Meeting up with the lads from the SX forum. looking forward to it.
I did try and get a joint meet organised but from this forum I think there was only one taker for sure. I pulled the plug on it as I thought I could not make this meet myself. Circumstances having changed off I go.
Now were did I put my wet weather gear. lol

 

[Fulfilled-09]

Enjoy your trip, Lew. Safe and fun riding.

 

[LewFZ1]

Right that is me getting the pannier carriers back on , good check over, chain adjusted so roll on the 22nd. Unlike some I have a few miles to cover just to get to England never mind Wales. Looking forward to the run up through France. As a rule I try and avoid the toll roads. Fingers crossed the weather Gods play ball.

 

[LewFZ1]

Right that is me getting the pannier carriers back on , good check over, chain adjusted so roll on the 22nd. Unlike some I have a few miles to cover just to get to England never mind Wales. Looking forward to the run up through France. As a rule I try and avoid the toll roads. Fingers crossed the weather Gods play ball. View attachment 4312View attachment 4313
Lew

 

[Fulfilled-09]

You're a Tracer rider in the making, Lew Have a safe and enjoyable trip.

 

[LewFZ1]

Can you get a lowered seat for Tracer? now if that was possible !!!!!!!! What colour to go for lol

 

[chump]

Yes, I think Yamaha offer one.

 

[LewFZ1]

Back from my road trip and enjoyed every minute of it. Only thing I will say, maybe an age thing but the lights on the MT09 are crap. My Sat Nav packed in on me on the way back. I had planned to take 2 or 3 days coming back through France. I had a basic French road map with me so did the best I could with that. Still I got tired of messing about with it so just headed home on the Motorways and RN roads. Calais to La Savuetat du Dropt is according to Breakdown cover, Insurance, Route Planner | AA is 530 miles did that in 13 hours. The stock seat is ok but I was getting numb bum between tank fill ups. I just wish the tank was bigger. Maybe the Tracer will be my next bike. Anyway will post a few photos of the rip but here is one for starters. I am sure this guy is on here or the FB crowd. I did hang about to see if he would appear and ask WTF I was looking at lol. It was taken in the car park of the Ponderosa on the Horse Shoe pass last Wednesday 28th

 

[Fulfilled-09]

Glad you enjoyed your trip. You must have taken some good breaks as you covered an average of 40 miles each hour. Stock seat is firm, huh! I did 16 junctions on the M4 recently, and that was bad enough! Nice plate on that MT. Orange really is the best colour

 

[LewFZ1]

Some more photos of my welsh trip, hopefully not sure if I will have to cut the file size down. I will add a few more later.?
The first three are on the way through France. Stopped off for a night in a village called Vernantes. The guy with the tache is the bar owner . I was the entertainment for the night, had a good laugh with a load of the locals.

 

[Toppie]

Pity I missed the thread earlier. But, I wasn't on this forum back then.
It'd have been good to meet up along the way. I live in 'Bandit Country'. The borderland 'tween North & South.
I enjoy longish road trips as well.

Here's this years longest one. It's in parts 1 & 2. Might be a bit long winded for some.


https://youtu.be/zUA3oymo49A

https://youtu.be/Zw0Tq7xbXTk