Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

I'm in. Undecided whether to take the XTZ750 or the Katana 1100 but need this break, have been working too hard for too long and this trip would ba an ideal diversion.
What's the score on booking ferries and accommodation and so on?

Excellent!

When I checked ferries earlier this afternoon (leaving thursday night -overnight ferry- and coming back on sunday evening) the return ticket with a motorbike was around £60, but it might move in the next weeks, we should firm that up quickly.

Once we are all happy with a time/date, I think we should all book separately (rather than one of us booking for everyone, as with a bigger number of people this time that's a lot of money to pay upfront)

For Hotels, I don't know. Coppi / BlueQuinn, do you remember how much it was last time in Saint Malo?

L

Excellent!

When I checked ferries earlier this afternoon (leaving thursday night -overnight ferry- and coming back on sunday evening) the return ticket with a motorbike was around £60, but it might move in the next weeks, we should firm that up quickly.

Once we are all happy with a time/date, I think we should all book separately (rather than one of us booking for everyone, as with a bigger number of people this time that's a lot of money to pay upfront)

For Hotels, I don't know. Coppi / BlueQuinn, do you remember how much it was last time in Saint Malo?

L

Cool. Can you post a link to the ferry and booking you have in mind so we can all be on the same boat? Booking separately is fine, just as long as we all know we're going on the same boat at the same time. Cheers.

Cool. Can you post a link to the ferry and booking you have in mind so we can all be on the same boat? Booking separately is fine, just as long as we all know we're going on the same boat at the same time. Cheers.

Link to LD Lines - http://ldlines.co.uk/

BUT, we are not set yet as what boat we will travel with, let's all touch base over the next days: If we could make a decision by mid next week the latest that would be great!

L

In unrelated news my exhaust finally arrived. It has saved nearly 20 kilos from the bike, and it looks prettier too, but, and this is a huge but, it is loud. Way too loud. I simply hate loud pipes. The maker will send me a quiet core, but that is probably six weeks away. GRRRR.

^ Loud pipes may be anti-social but they also have a positive benefit in that they make other road users more aware of you.

True, but in this case it is likely to be the law that notice me! I have just dismantled it and packed it with loft insulation, but it is dark the neighbours are settled, I daren't fire it up now!

And they sound fucking awesome in tunnels.

Loud pipes have no place on shit sounding engines (hello harley davidson, hello Honda CBR600) but are the bollocks on a nice thing like a Ducati or Suzuki V twin, or a Honda V4, or a Triumph twin.

I used to have a Polini pipe on my Vespa. According to Americans, the Polini was good because you could unscrew the can and put more wadding in there. According to the Brits it was good because you could unscrew the can and "take all that shit out".

Not sure I could take the monday off, but why not, I've done this before, straight to work after a night on the ferry...

If you pay the extra for a cabin you should get a good night's rest.

The Katana is loud but it's not just the stainless pipe or the flatslide carbs with no airbox. The noise is unique, it's a combination of everything - pipe, carbs, pods. It's very stripped out race in terms of how it sounds but we're talking stripped out race from 20 years ago. None of the plastic fantastic from today :)

I've never really been a fan of IL4 noise but I absolutely love the sound of my GSXR. It's more bellow than scream, if that makes sense.

Love the sound of the oil cooled 1100s of yesteryear also.

On loud pipes in general, I'm not really a fan. I always used to wear earplugs when I wanted to go fast as I found the noise distracting.

Wouldn't be without one on the road though. It's amazing how invisible you suddenly become on a standard 'zorst.....

I'm just going to leave this video here for your enjoyment.

I did Enduro India a few years back and really want to do this trip

Enduro Himalaya 2012. A short film by Iain Crockart - YouTube

People rave about Triumph inline triple noise, but I don't really see it myself. It's just a gruff bark.

I love that triple noise. Reminds me of RC30s 45s and the ilk but a bit rougher.

Ducati monster open cans,

I love triumph inline-3 sound. Maybe that's why I ride one.

re trip - sounds good to me. I am quite flexible here.

SR125s are fucking awful tractor-like machines. And you will find it too small and too low. YBRs are CBR-alikes so if the CBR is too small then that may be too.

Stretch the finances a bit and you could have this
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/honda-varadero-125-2005-learner-legal/1000956314

Or a bit further to get http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/derbi-mulhacen-cafe-125-2011-with-warranty-yamaha-ybr-honda-cbf-yzf/1000867707

or a Mito with a new engine http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/cagiva-mito-for-sale-1400-pos-moped-swop/1000891268
If you are feeling brave...

Contacted the seller of the Varadero and it's already got a deposit put on it, but the seller will contact me if that falls through.

Really like the Mulhacen 125 but it's way out of my price bracket at the moment.

Not a fan of the last one :/

Have a look at this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-YAMAHA-XT-125-X-RED-/251145063965?forcev4exp=true#ht_696wt_1343

Could be worth a punt. Your choice in your price range is going to be limited. Bear in mind what you want the bike to do. Long distances, quick easy around town hopper, bit of everything. Being stuck to 125 is going to make distances a pain to be honest. Doable but not ideal.

Also, why are you stuck to 125?

Have been looking quite a lot at these and Honda XR as they both look good for taller riders I think.

I only have my CBT at the moment and am quite content to get a 125 to begin with, to get used to motorbikes .

I'll do my full license in the next couple of years, hopefully before the CBT runs out in Jan 2014, and then move on to bigger and better things.

That XT looks like a good deal.

I had an XT660X and a few mates have had the 125s, sound bikes. Finish on the engine on mine was a bit dodgy but I whipped it out and repainted it easy enough.

If you are stuck to 125, try and not look at it as being stuck. I owned the XT660 then a 500 Enfield, shared a 1200 BMW then owned an 883 Sportster and I'm now on a 250 Superdream and really enjoying being back on a smaller bike.

Insurance costs are much better finally bearable and the bike cost me less than my fixie did so if it has to sit out in the rain, who cares? If I drop it, meh, I'll fix it.

Ulitmately I want to get something other than a 125 but I don't think I want something ridiculously big/fast/noisy.

And I like your point about leaving the bike out and not worrying - I don't think I want a bike that I'm constantly worrying about!

Cheers for your help guys...

Am hopefully going to go to a dealer this weekend, not with a view to buying anything, more with a view to sitting on a few bikes and seeing what feels right, then concentrating on finding that on eBay/gumtree.

... ah - I just hope we can do non-motorway ride (comfy pace). I feel like I should have bough a cruiser.

I've never really been a fan of IL4 noise but I absolutely love the sound of my GSXR. It's more bellow than scream, if that makes sense.

I exactly know what you mean. Funny enough after-market air filter helps to make it sound even meaner.

Spot on - fitted one when I got it dyno'd a couple of years back.

Tanya,

XR125s are pretty indestructible and fun off road. Unfortunately 125s and trail bikes in particular are amongst the most nicked bikes in the country. Make sure you buy a big chain and lock it to something!

Dron - WANT to have a go.

.

Get a new one then.

The zzr is possbily a uk bike. Brilliant front end still sort after by builders for specials. Oh and 17inch tyres all round.

http://www.zxrworld.co.uk/zxr400/main.htm is ahelpful sight.

The front end is one thing which seems better than NC30's, oh and the price.
Cheers, been doing a lot of snooping on zxrworld already and it's a great resource.

XR125s are pretty indestructible and fun off road....

+1 for the XR125, great for city riding or a first bike but couldn't get more than 60mph out of mine. Imo not great off road, it just seemed too delicate.

How about we book another overnight ferry for the journey back?
Sleep on the way back and arrive in Blighty during the daylight hours.
You might need to book that day off work but you wouldn't need another night's accommodation, and then we get all day Sunday to enjoy our ride back and the places we encounter, rather than having to race back at silly speeds.

If you pay the extra for a cabin you should get a good night's rest.

Been doing some research and there is no overnight return ferry on Sunday night Le Havre - Portsmouth.

There is one with Brittany Ferries from Caen but it works out more than double the price.

So I say we stick with the original plan and go:

Portsmouth
Depart: Thu 25 Oct @ 23:00
Le Havre
Arrive: Fri 26 Oct @ 08:00

Le Havre
Depart: Sun 28 Oct @ 17:00
Portsmouth
Arrive: Sun 28 Oct @ 21:30

Any thoughts?