That film left me enfolded in a warm cloak of wistfulness.
That's exaclty what it's all about...no daft wheelies or speeds...all riders at one with the situation.
We did Western Scotland about the same time, Fort William, Skye, Ardnamurchan, Etc. Brilliant.
I don't have a video of that trip but I've got one of Slovakia somewhere.
Here's a photo of my BMW. parked up near Dingelsdorf on the west bank of the Bodensee
tinyurl.com/ylohxxt
The sheep/goat/whatever ? is a statue !...Lovely !
Ted
|
|
|
Bullet cam connected to a mini DV camcorder. The original footage is much better than what you see on youtube as it has been compressed twice. Once by me and once by Youtube.
The camera was mounted on my wing mirror stem with a 2 inch angle bracket and a load of insulating tape.
I have since used an Archos PVR to record the images and found I could leave it running for well on 10 hours and the though crossed my mind that it would be great for evidence if I ever had the misfortune to be involved in an accident due to a myopic driver !
|
|
A "wing mirror" ???? (said in a Lady Braknell type screech)
|
Cracking! I'm all chilled out now. Roll on the Spring.
|
|
Lovely - very nice start to the day for me. I wonder how/what non-riders feel/think watching that? It's very easy, watching it, to transpose oneself into that situation, having experienced similar; what do non-bikists think?
|
Great to watch. There is no better feeling than motorbikes, a few mates, a sunny day and a great road. Oh, and no particular place to be. :-)
|
|
|
>>what do non-bikists think?
>>
I have never ridden a motorcycle so dont know what I am missing.
Mrs ON and I were skiers for 30 years, (packed in while our knees still work), people who have not had the opportunity to ski in many parts of the world dont know what they are missing either. At least my car will take me most places a bike will.
Are you biking backroomers fair weather bikers or is it your primary transport?
|
Historically fair weather. Have been commuting a fair bit recently, although have wimped out during the gale force winds of the past week. Don't mind cold/rain, but wind is terrifying when sharing a busy motorway with artics.
|
|
I have done bad weather - deliberately in some cases.
|
|
What a lovely film - very nice chilled start to the day for me also.
|
|
The main reason I don't ride a motorcycle is that, only having two wheels, they have a greater tendency to fall over when in motion than a four-wheeled car does.
|
>>>Don't mind cold/rain, but wind is terrifying when sharing a busy motorway with artics<<<
Yes, I was rudely awoken at 2.40am this morning with mr pda asking if I would run him to work in the car as he didn't fancy the GSX1400 in the gale that was blowing!
Pat
|
Yes I was rudely awoken at 2.40am this morning with mr pda asking if I would run him to work in the car as he didn't fancy the GSX1400 in the gale that was blowing!
Don't blame him. I once (foolishly) decided to try to ride from Devon to London on my bike when it was blowing a gale...working on the principle that i'm not so light nowadays and neither is the bike. I managed 4 miles before I realised it wasn't a sensible option, booked another days holiday and left it 24 hours. It was going past fields with gates that did it, I hadn't even made it to the dual carriageway.
|
|
For car drivers who enjoy Scotland the heart sinking moment of the video is when the coach appears! You just know it could be miles before an overtaking opportunity presents itself.
|
|
If you are enjoying Scotland you dont need to overtake, Think of the folks who are earning a crust or dealing with domestic chores.
|
Definitely fair weather and dry roads. I paid my all-weather riding dues in my teens and 20s when I only had a bike ... my preferred protective gear in rain etc these days is a car :)
|
If you are enjoying Scotland you dont need to overtake >>
You do. Firstly open drivers roads means you can enjoy the driving (inc overtaking) as well as the scenery...and.... often you've got a way to go, because it's all spread out, so i'd want to go at my pace and achieve the day's drive in good time, not that of a dirty stinking diesel coach. Fortunately all the locals up there facilitate overtaking and there are signs on the roads likewise.
|
>> If you are enjoying Scotland you dont need to overtake >> You do.
Not always Westpig, I spent many years "earning a crust" around Scotland, including the remote parts. You have the option, make progress, or leave a gap for the overtakers, pity not many tourists do either.
|
You have the option make progress or leave a gap for the overtakers pity not many tourists do either.
If people did that, we'd all be happy.
|
is when the coach appears!
Interesting bit on the video, where it highlighted quite nicely proper positioning for overtakes (and it can apply to cars as well as bikes, although it's obviously easier to move around a bit on a bike).
When the first bike overtakes the coach, the second bike hasn't got enough vision, so (rightly) aborts the manoeuvre and tries to get more vision. Bike 3, (with the camera) drops back a bit and looks down the nearside of the coach, where you can see the open road and nothing coming, whereas bike 2 still can't see anything.
Bike 3's position would have allowed an instant overtake (subject to ensuring his blind spot on the offside didn't have anything untoward in it), whereas bike 2 couldn't see enough to start with, hence his alarming head angle.
No criticism of bike 2 rider by the way, that's where he happened to be at the time.
|
That's torn it ! I'm selling up and moving back to rural Scotland. Hang the M6, M1, M25 the M40 and definitely to heck with London, Manchester and most of all Bradford. I'm off.....
Anyone know a good estate agent....???
:-(
Edit - was in blinking Slough today......
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 25/11/2009 at 18:41
|
|
My sympathies Humph, southern traffic is no fun. It's great driving home, the traffic just fades away north of Cumbria.
Edited by Old Navy on 25/11/2009 at 19:29
|
Regarding fair-weather or otherwise; for some years I only had bikes so no option. That changed in the mid-90's when I was working at East Midlands Airport and commuting from Derby, when the A50 was being built. Following line of traffic down A6 though Shardlow, lorry in front stopped suddenly, bike skidded on muddy road and I rear-ended him, fortunately at low speed and minor damage to both self and trusty Honda 175.
Deciding that I had nothing left to prove to anyone in my mid-30's, the following week I bought a Volvo 340 and from then on foul-weather biking became an option, though I'm still a long way from being just a fair-weather biker.
Incidentally, I have recently returned to two-wheeled commuting (purely on cost grounds) by purchasing a Honda Lead scooter. I admit I used to sneer at such things but it's actually a hoot, definitely feel refreshed when I get to work!
|
Fair weather but occasionally get caught out. My bikes a pig to clean and I'd rather be riding it than cleaning it!
|
Edit - was in blinking Slough today......
Come friendly bombs, and fall on Slough.
Ted
|
|
|
|
|
