Build Your Own Bike!

Ever wondered what it’d be like to build your own bike? Have a look at this!

The Bike Shed

There are some really nice retro re-builds there, enjoy!

Try before you buy

Some dealers can be a bit awkward about test rides, so how do you decide which bike’s for you?

Well, I’ve found hiring bikes to see what they can do can be really useful 🙂

Have a look at these;
Superbike rental
Triple Moto
Motorcycle hire

What if?

Ever play ‘what if’ as a kid?

My mate Steve and I did, all the time. You had a fiver and had to buy sweets for a week. We grew – and so did the game. First cars, best girlfriends, that kinda thing.

So it was with a smile (and a beer) that Steve and I had the same discussion last night.

This is how Steve put it, kicking back in my study the other day:

‘So imagine – you’ve got your nice, detached house, your big GS sitting in a twin garage, workshop all kitted out. You’ve got a big garden, pool, drive, electric gates. Wife’s happy. Kids too, getting good marks in a good school.

You’re financially comfortable – you have all the time and money you need to do your thing. 🙂

Life couldn’t be better.

Then you’re told you’ve gotta spend 30 grand. In 48 hours. What do you do?”

Have to say, I had to give it some thought and biking won out. So, here’s my choice:

New KTM 690 Enduro R (7 grand)

Rally Raid Adventure kit (2 grand)

Klim kit (a grand)

Adventure-spec hard parts and soft luggage (a grand)

Airlift bike and me to Cape Town (15 grand?)

Beer, whisky and cigars from duty free (couple of hundred quid)

A bit of female company (the rest) 🙂

What if , huh?

Time and Space in America: the real deal

Someone once asked me if it was ever possible to the capture a trip on a page. A big ask.

I’m standing at a gas station when the cashier says ‘Welcome to the United States. It’s a big country, enjoy it! And have a great day!’ I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone welcome me to their home soil like that. A nice touch.

But she was right – it is a big country. And if you like adventures, it’s a fascinating place. Rocky desert and far horizons in the south. Big sky and grassy plains in the middle. Majestic mountains taking you down to rugged coast and sun-kissed beaches in the West. Superb black top, challenging trails and cheap gas 🙂 At every turn a chance to explore new horizons. A new adventure, a new experience.

And at every turn options galore. You wanna beer – you can get a beer. You wanna play pool – you can play pool. You wanna know the road – someone will show you the right way, no problem. And if you wanna take off, you can take off. No-one holds you to account – it’s your call. Be who you want to be. It’s that good.

I got talking to a father and son in California. They had ridden from Canada on their annual tour, passing snowbirds on the way down. They lived in a  country that has tons of its own natural wonders. And they hadn’t seen them all. But they talked about going further and further into the States, about great new places and experiences. Now they were heading down the Pacific Highway, sea breeze coming in from the ocean.

‘You should try New Mexico. The terrain, the sights – just awesome’.

This wasn’t your typical overstatement. This wasn’t ‘awesome’ as in a new skateboard or the latest teenage sensation. This was ‘awesome’ as in jaw-droppingly, stunningly beautiful.

Like any country, the US has its pros and cons. In my view, a lot more pros. For an adventure biker, it takes a hell of a lot of beating. I’ve done three trips so far and can feel my off road skills and biking experience benefit no end. Those three trips won’t be the last…

For a taste of what I’m talking about, check this

In the Saddle

We’ve all done it, haven’t we? We look for something in an old magazine and can’t find it. But we read the whole thing.

I was going through all my back copies of Adventure Bike Rider the other day looking for an article on the Trans-America Trail (thinking of taking some serious time out for it next summer). Looks great!

http://vimeo.com/13365926

I’d forgotten how much of the world there is to see. Nepal, different parts of Africa, the Philippines. All fascinating stuff. Great new rewards for taking the road less travelled.

Like a moth to a flame, this all inevitably drew me back to the Great God that is Youtube.

Being in the saddle – there’s nothing else like it! Love it!

Classic v Modern

A few thoughts on the age-old pub debate. Which one would you choose for your trip?

Triumph Bonneville Scrambler

Pros

Effortlessly cool

Fuel-efficient

Easy to ride

Easy to accessorise

Iconic

Cons

Crap off-road

Not much power

Heavy

No weather protection

BMW F800GS

Pros

Proven Pedigree

Good off-road

Fuel-efficient

Easy to live with

Loads of after-market options

Cons

Predictable

Expensive

Functional

No soul

Unshackled

It started at weekends. Friday night – slide off work early, hit the road, destination anywhere. I decide! A B&B, nothing fancy. Saturday – good breakfast then back in the saddle. Full tank of gas, head for Scotland. Big space, big sky. Big rain (who cares?!). Freedom!

Saturday night – beers in an outa-the-way pub. Knowing no-one, being anyone. Feels like a million miles away from the office. Just a weekend of me, the bike, the road and the journey I want to take.

No deadlines. No banal chit-chat. No queues. No ‘On my desk by Wednesday!’ Whatever I want. In my own time. My decision. My Choice. Leave behind the paperwork. Zone out the routine. The real me.

And then back for work on Monday 😦

Then it grew. Too short, need longer. So I did it: took out the map, spread it over the kitchen table. Coffee in hand.

‘Wow – where to start?!’

I planned my first week. Further north into Scotland, west coast island-hopping on the CalMac ferries. No deadlines. No banal chit-chat. No queues. Instead – stunning scenery, great people and good beer. Peace, quiet, time and trails. And I thought weekends were good.

And that was it – hooked. This is the real me, and it’s addictive. I like who I am on the bike. It lets me be the real me – unshackled.

I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Biking Beyond Borders

This blog contains my thoughts about Adventure Biking and the opportunities and sheer joy it brings. I don’t claim to be an expert, but simply share my path and what I like. Wherever you are, I hope you find it interesting, entertaining and useful.

Number one – escaping the office. 🙂