Out and about 2022

[Nurse Julie]

That was a shame Steve. But,  I always see the positives when a puncture occurs during a trip,  at least the bike was being ridden and enjoyed so it's a risk of having fun 😁😁😁😁

[Davelu88]

That's a very nice bike 

[Laverdaroo]

Beautifull bike that even if it is on the back of a wagon.

[Nurse Julie]

Out on the K6 today 😁😁😁

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[Laverdaroo]

Thats a great shot!

Love theat bike its absolutely gorjuss! Never ridden a 750, looking forwad to eventually having a go an getting one

[MCTID]

Lytham WWII Weekend......25 Pounder , Limber and Morris Commercial Quad.

Makes a change from smelly old bikes (for smelly old artillery bits and bobs). Got out on my bike today as it's 6 weeks since my Hernia Operation, and as I just live down the road....why not. My dear old Mum bought me one of these sets when I was a nipper.........who'd have thought I'd grow up to serve as a TA Gunner for 15 years. Certainly not me when I was a raggedy arsed kid !

Great turnout with loads of Families and plenty of locals dressing up in their 1940's gear in the lovely sunshine....and I saw more Sergeants parading in their uniform than the British Army has ever had in it's ranks ! LOL.

[Orcade-Ian]

Another trip down into the Highlands

A nearby friend,  Leslie who had recently bought my CBF 600 SA8 asked if I fancied another day trip into Caithness and Sutherland sometime.  I'm always up for a ride out and after taking the Honda 350/4 to our annual rally then following that with a trip to our own (very wet!) Dounby Show, I felt that it was the most suitable machine for our proposed trip, so set about fitting a rear rack from David Silver and making brackets to mount my QD top box base plate on it.  This would allow me to put the large Honda top box on, hopefully not having to 'rent space' in the panniers and top box on the Les's CBF.  I decided that rather than get up at some dark ungodly hour for the 06.30 sailing on the Friday, I would avail myself of the Bed and Breakfast option on the MV Hamnavoe the night before.  Leslie would then meet me after breakfast to pair up the intercoms so we could then ride together as soon as the ferry docked at 8 on the Friday morning

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Leaving the ferry we headed out west to take some occasionally well surfaced quiet roads through Forss, south to Westfield, on to Scotscalder and then via Loch Watten across to Wick; I wanted to visit their motorcycle shop, AMS that Les had introduced me to on a previous trip - I was in search of a new waterproof riding jacket.  I had quite a specific set of requirements for this new jacket and wasn't really hopeful of finding one but Paul, the proprietor found exactly the thing for me and Les kindly managed to squeeze my original into a pannier.
Using the fairly quiet A99 we had a very pleasant ride down to Latheron and made a deliberate detour back north and then via Smerral to join the A9 south at Latheronwheel - the quaint little harbour here has picnic tables overlooking the North Sea, where pods of dolphins can often be seen - well worth a visit if you have time when travelling to and from the North coast.

South now on the A9 to Brora via the Berriedale Braes and Helmsdale, where Leslie informed me that he thought that something had just dropped off the back of my bike, so we pulled into a lay-by and had a look around and he noticed that one of my lower 'half clamps' on the rear rack had disappeared.

All entirely my fault as this was a trial run with the new plate attached to the rack, so I hadn't loctited the bolts until I knew it all worked, then they could be tidied up and finish polished - hey ho, that's life!  He kindly offered to go back to where he thought it might be whilst I checked all other fastenings and he found the proverbial 'needle in a haystack' in the middle of the road.  We pressed on having ascertained that everything was still safe with the remaining brackets and stopped as planned at Harry Gow's in Brora to pick up pies and sticky buns as rumbling tums halted our progress.  Fuelled up (bikes too!) a short time later and heading back north to take the narrow road up through Glen Loth and onto Kinbrace - an area sadly overlooked as most folk just hammer up and down the A9, often in some sort of self-imposed hurry.  This road has deteriorated somewhat since I last used it - lots more grass down the middle, favoured by most of the sheep but with care it's still a lovely way to see some great scenery and birdlife.  This was the only rain we had all day and as soon as we joined the Helmsdale/Kinbrace, slightly more major road with a better surface devoid of grass, it became dry again - typical!

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I wanted to show Les the visitor centre at the Forsinard railway station in the Flow Country so we made a short detour there.  This whole area is of great ecological  importance in that it is the largest expanse of peat bog in Europe, covering some 1500 square miles, continually capturing carbon from the atmosphere.  We struck up a conversation with a couple in a camper van from the Netherlands, also enjoying the impressive visitor centre.  From here it was a very enjoyable ride back to the north coast at Melvich and then along the A836 for our to return to Scrabster, even allowing us yet another coffee stop at the Weigh Inn before catching the 7 pm boat back home. 

Waiting in the queue for loading, we were joined by a group of Norwegian motorcyclists on modern 'adventure bikes' mostly BMWs and Triumphs and the 350 seemed to grab their interest - one very knowledgable chap had no idea that people in Orkney were even interested in classic bikes!  We exchanged details and met up with two of them the following day so that I could take them to a couple of my friends classic collections of Kawasakis, Hondas, BMWs and Triumphs - they were astounded to say the least. One of the friends with Kawasaki triples knew some of the contacts of the Norwegian guys and is also into Vintage tractors, just as they are - small World eh?

Leslie seems very pleased with my old CBF, which has only just completed 10,000 miles in its 14 year life and I think the little classic 350 Four is ideally suited to these short one day trips into the fairly unspoilt roads around Sutherland and Caithness and 200 miles is a comfortable distance, allowing time to see many of the areas hidden gems.

[Skoti]

Wee run out in the Bohemian uplands on Thursday before the 'monsoon' started on Friday.

Wife took old stink wheels, I followed the haze of smoke...
 

[robvangulik]

This saturday an oldtimerday and tour in the north of Holland
https://fb.watch/f2_ebWh6VO/

[Laverda Dave]

Took the Morini out today for only it's second ride this year. A lovely morning on the roads around Sarrat, Chesham and Great Missenden in Bucks.

[Matt_Harrington]

Ooh, nice bike!
Matt

[Laverdaroo]

Took the Morini out today for only it's second ride this year. A lovely morning on the roads around Sarrat, Chesham and Great Missenden in Bucks.

OOO, didnt know you had one of those!
Always fancied a bash on one of those as its one of the few twins Ive not experienced. Ive not even ever heard  one run. Thats a smashing thing Dave!

[Laverda Dave]

Took the Morini out today for only it's second ride this year. A lovely morning on the roads around Sarrat, Chesham and Great Missenden in Bucks.

OOO, didnt know you had one of those!
Always fancied a bash on one of those as its one of the few twins Ive not experienced. Ive not even ever heard  one run. Thats a smashing thing Dave!

They are lovely bikes, a bit on the small side for anyone over 5'8" but they really do handle. The clip-ons are pure agony in town and the dry and grabby clutch are not suited to town work either but out on the open roads they are sublime. The exhaust note is addictive and playing tunes on the gearbox is a must, they thrive on revs like a stroker. I first saw one of these when it came past me when I was on my CB160 on my way to technical college in 1980. When I got there I parked up next to it! I bought this one as a wreck 15 years ago (couldn't afford a decent one!) and restored it over a couple of years.

[Nurse Julie]

Took the bike for a run,

Into mid Wales, and Snowdonia

Route from home to Borth,just north of Aberystwyth,

Machynlleth to Mach loop, were various air forces do low flying practice

On to Portmadoc, them home

Total distance, 273miles,

New significant number

As you can see, the scenery is like Norfolk and the Lincolnshire wolds

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I don't know how I missed this when you posted it John. But..... No,  it doesn't look anything like Lincolnshire or Norfolk 😂😂😂😂😂
That's sounds a great day out.

[Laverdaroo]

Give over Julie, its spitting image of up by Caister and its snow capped fells?