F800GS Rider

Malaysia - Fraser's Hill & Melaka

2010-03-27T11:20:00.001+08:00

After a hectic few months at work, I managed to book a couple of days off for a solo trip north into Malaysia.

Long stretches of motorway, torrential rain, mad drivers and a whole heap of the world's best roads.

I was late starting off on a sunny Sunday morning in March 2010. A fresh pair of Conti Trail Attack tyres on the steel pony, I wanted a trip on tarmac and I figured these would be better than the TKC80s.

Leaving Singapore via the Second Link at Tuas I headed into Malaysia and followed the North-South Expressway. I took a wide berth of Kuala Lumpur to the West via the E6 and E35 which delivered me to Rawang, just north of KL. After 400km of tedious and very hot motorway miles, I head up Route 1 towards Fraser's Hill.

The minute I got onto the fun roads the heavens opened with the kind of tropical rain you can only get in this part of the world. 60km to Fraser's Hill, climbing 1260 metres along twisty roads with severe drop-offs in the rain...nice!

Fraser's Hill or Bukit Fraser is named for the Scotsman who discovered tin ore in the area and mined the wealth with a heap of opium-addicted coolies. Like Jim Thompson, he mysteriously disappeared one day but the area keeps his name. It's a small 'resort' area and much less commercialised then Genting or Cameraon Highlands...but the standard of accomodation is pretty dire. Not a five star hotel to be seen!

Despite the rain, the cooler temperatures were welcome, down from 36 celcius around KL to the mid 20s up in the mountains

I eventually arrived at Ye Olde Smokehouse where they were filming a Malaysian TV show, but luckily they had one room left which I took gratefully.

"Quaint" is the word, a small slice of colonian England in the mountains. "expensive"would be another word, at over RM300 for a room for the night. The room was obviously very nice at some stage in it's life, but a little tired and damp. No heater to dry the bike suit out, and barely any hot water, but I was out of the rain and happy.

Nature obliged with some fabulous views when the rain cleared, with some incredible views from the room.

Later on, we were treated to nature's own lightshow when the sun set. I don't normally post millions of sunset shots, but the colours were amazing:

The food was good, the mattress lumpy, but the next morning was a whole new (dry) world.

Met this little fellow on my morning stroll...wish I knew how to get better photos of this stuff.

I timed breakfast perfectly to getaway in time to make the 10am "Gap". The last 8km of roads to Bukit Fraser are so narrow and winding that the traffic is only allowed one-way at a time. Odd hours to travel up, and even hours to travel down.

Unfortunately just before I got to The Gap, I stopped to take pictures of the picturesque town square and managed to drop my bike. On someone's car. Outside the police station. Doh! I had to hang around another 90 mins to wait for the 12pm gap.

But looking at the GPS, I could see that there was fun right around the corner. Lots of corners. (This is a thing of beauty when you live in Singapore, where the roads are almost entirely straight and interupted with traffic lights every 500m).

Given the late start and thought of a long hot ride back from Cameron Highlands the next day, I decided to have a day on the twisties and followed Highway 55, 8(old), 9 and 61 down to Melaka.

From the start there were no views more than 100m distant, as every corner was greeted with another corner.

Too much riding fun to stop and take pictures. I mostly managed to keep ahead of the locals on their Honda Wave 125cc scooters. I guess familiarity with the roads helps when the turns are this thick and fast.

Further down the mountain, the roads began to open up into long sweeping bends that could carry 100km/h without any fuss. After Singapore, anything less than totally vertical seems like an insane lean angle.

The air was getting warmer lower down, back up to 28 celcius or so.

The jungle vegetation and 15m bamboo forests thinned out to open up some spectacular views across the Titiwangsa mountain range.

The rest of the route to Melaka was also plenty fun. No sign of traffic police on the back roads, or maybe it was too hot? I stopped for Nasi Goreng in one village and felt like a rock star when surrounded by what seemed like the whole village wanting to oggle the bike. I guess anything over 125cc here is still a novelty. I was surprised not to see any other big bikes on these roads, it think if I lived in KL all my spare time would be on these mountain roads.

Rain hit again for the final hour's ride into Melaka, and didn't stop until I was nearly back in Singapore the following day. After another 500km I arrived in Melaka with just enough time to check in, massage and eat before bed.

I decided to splurge and stayed in The Majestic, one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the world. The room with its 4-poster bed and claw-foot bath open to the room was very nice, and the food was incredible. Only 5/10 for the balanese massage though, would expect more from an expensive spa resort.

The final leg on Day 3 was a short 250km hop in the rain back to Singapore via a mix of back roads and NSE. Back into Singapore via the Second Link again and home in time for Cucumber sandwiches.

All in all I did around 1200km over the three days, and it was the first proper outing for my Touratech Standard Breathable seat. Comfort levels after 450km were as good as the first km. Its a great seat that maximises the long-distance ability of the bike, but in this kind of heat I guess any biker will suffer from monkey butt and a hot arse. Prickly heat powder liberally applied at every stop helps, but after 6 hours in the saddle I still get hot bits where the back of my thighs meet the seat.

The Conti Trail Attacks are an incredible tyre. The pattern doesn't suggest much use on trail, and I didn't take on any gravel roads during this outing. But on the pavement, there was almost no difference between the dry roads and roads with 2" of standing water, I am very very impressed with these tyres. I am sure better bikers than me will easily scrape not only the pegs but probably the engine casing too with these tyres on.

I've got to say that the highlands of Malaysia are a must-do for anyone biking in the area. Send me a message if you want a GPX file of my routes.

How The Germans Soothe My Bum

2010-03-02T18:52:00.006+08:00

Since moving to Singapore, my bumblebee has given me a severe case of Monkey Butt. The flesh/cordura/plastic interface is made horrible in the heat, and after 300km leaves me crying like a small girl.

So I searched out the seat alternatives, by way of 2 year birthday present to the yellow horse.

I took a look at the Corbin Seat, but it made me feel a bit "meh". If I wanted a Harley seat, I'd buy a Harley.

Then I had a nosey at the Sargent seat which is, for me, a bit OTT with the piped trim. A bit poncey. (Image courtesy of http://www.sargentcycle.com/)

All very nice but not what I was looking for. Over on ADV Rider and the UKGSer forums, there are lots of posts on custom jobs and local guys who work miracles with memory foam.

I decided to take the easy way out with an off-the-shelf saddle from Touratech.

It's not a cheap option, but hey its the bumblebee's birthday. And it's certainly the easiest option, I don't have to send my original seat away or wait while someone attacks the foam with a carving knife. I made the decision for the TT seat based on the principle that if I don't like it, I can sell it and revert to the stock seat...this isn't possibly if Freddies Foam Fitters have hacked it up. (Although in fairness you can probably buy a brand new BMW replacement seat for half the price of the TT seat...). But the TT seat is the only one with a breathable option.

Now THAT sounds like a cure for Monkey Butt!

Anyway, the seat arrived today so I thought I would share some pix. This is the Touratech Breathable Standard seat, about $800 Singapore dollars.

Side-by-side comparisons

Notice that the TT seat (on the left) has a distinct step to it, creating a flatter area of support for both rider and pillion. The BMW is more of a Nike swoosh.

The TT seat is marginally wider at the rider seat/ass interface. But definately flatter on account of the stepped design.

Off the bike, it seems that the very lowest point of the seat is comparable to the BMW seat, but in all other respects it is higher. Remember, this is the Standard seat from TT.

Yes, there is a BMW seat alongside.

Here you can see how much higher the TT seat is.

The front portion is some faux leather affair, I guess for the hardwearing crotch zipper area. The remainder of the seat is a breathable goretex that TT claims allows air to circulate inside the seat.

The underside of the seat is identical to the OEM seat, including the spaces for tools and first aid kit, but minus all the disclaimer stickers.

What is interesting to note, that the stepped design of the seat is not the same as that shown on the website. Something isn't matching here.

Notice that the TT website picture are all more 'swooshy' like the original BMW seat. There is no labelling on my seat, but given the height of it, it's certainly not a low seat.

Previously I could just about get both feet flat (I am 5'10" and 32" inseam, in jeans at least). Now I can't quite manage that, but can comfortably get both balls (of my feet) down. On the way home I noticed I adopted my usual right foot down position, fully flat and my bum had to shift sideways to achieve that.

So how does it perform?

Erm, well you'll have to wait for an update on that...only rode it 3km home so far, but a 800km jaunt to Kuala Lumpur planned over the next couple of weeks.

Whatever the verdict, I can bet it will be better than the 1cm of 'padding' my mate has on his SuperDuke R. At least after 300km I can still walk ;)

But for my next trip, just in case, I'll be taking a large tin of this...

UPDATE - Post ride
I did 1200km over three days through the mountains of Malaysia in temperatures ranging from around 25 celciues to 26 celcius.
I have got to say that the TT standard breathable seat is a million miles better than stock, as far as my own ass is concerned. Comfort level is vastly improved with a broader, flatter base to move around on. The front is narrow enough when you need to get up on the pegs, and if you really want to move around and have long enough arms you can sit right back on the pillion ridge.

Although the seat is standard, it is definately taller than than stock and I can't flat foot both feet any longer. It also take my head up into the air stream a bit more, but nothing uncomfortable for me.

It's the heat and sweat that kills me out here, and the back of my thighs get uncomfortable where they meet with the seat. Prickly Heat powder helps some, but after 4 hours or so its pretty noticeable and uncomfortable. Would like to hear if other riders in this kind of heat/humidity get the same problem?!

First Trip to Malaysia

2009-06-26T18:57:00.021+08:00

So my bumblebee has been with in Singapore for a couple of months now, but work has been crazy so no chance to explore. Apart from the stop-start traffic in Singapore that is.
Until today. I took the day off and headed to Malaysia to get some speed, some miles and some unpaved roads under my belt.

I left Singapore at 9.30am via Woodlands checkpoint. I figured it would be quiet going into Malaysia at that time, and I was right. Lots of dedicated bike lanes - but no white bit of paper (we'll come back to that later).

I followed the roadworks and occasional sign until I hit the E2 North/South Expressway. Two lanes in either direction, good tarmac and reasonable manners from other people on the road.

My GPS kept screaming about the speed limit - 110kmh. That's 70mph, yet another hangover from the colonial days . There was the occasional lunatic going at 200kmh, and most of the little scooters toddling along on the hard shoulder at 30kmh.

Lots of rest areas along the way, but I stayed on the E2 until Yong Peng, where I stopped for petrol and a coke. I filled up 14 litres and it cost something like RM25 which is almost free. I have to come here more often!

From Yong Peng I took the Hwy 1 then J150 to Bekok and carried on...the tarmac becomes broken tarmac, then occasional gravel. Then mostly gravel.

Then the gravel runs out too.

Sandy/gritty roads all the way, complete with deep gorges where the rain water has washed the road surface away.

I was totally in my Simon Pavey moment. Up on the pegs during the tricky parts, razzing along at a steady 70kmh, slowing down for the corners on account of the loose surface and lack of experience and confidence.

Of course, there are people living out here also...and the kids have to get home from school somehow.

Now, I thought I was doing pretty well with my little 'off-road' excursion...

...until dad and son on a little scooter come pootling past. Obviously they do this every day, risking life and limb.

You can see from the photo that in Malaysia (and often in Singapore) there is no need to wear any kind of safety gear. No boots, helmet, jacket or gloves here - the power of sunshine will protect you.

Of course, I am sweating my ass off inside my mesh armoured jacket, kevlar jeans and knee protectors and Tech3 boots. I feel a right ponce. But also slightly glad after taking a couple of corner a little hot and musing on the consequences.

Out here theres little chance of an ambulance, and you can't call the AA...you need to be self sufficient and sure that if you do come off you can still ride afterwards. Similarly, any problems with the Bike...well there ain't no BMW Assist out here.

About 5kms short of Sg Selai, the sky turned black and I could see lightning in the distance. Not wanting to be riding on this surface in a downpour of biblical proportions, I figured it was safest to head back to civilization.

I made it nearly as far as the E2 again before the sky opened up on me, so I stopped to put my wet weather gear on.

Thankfully, the temperature dropped to about 32 C, so it wasn't too uncomfortably hot. But the rain...man can it rain here.

An hour later I was 40kms from Tusa and able to stop long enough to take the wet stuff off.

Passing through Passport control leaving Malaysia, the guy kept asking for my white card. I had no idea what he meant. Apparently, you're supposed to fill one out when you enter Malaysia...so why did nobody ask me to on the way in?!? After telling him I didn't have one several times, he caved in and just let me pass. Can't see that happening in the UK.

The last hour of the trip was the worst. Singapore passport control goes like this:

Stop at booth
Remove gloves
Remove helmet
Remove cashcard
Pay toll
Pull forwards then put gloves/helmet back on

Now, you'd expect that at passport control. The bit that makes me mad is that 20 metres around the corner you have to...

Stop
Remove gloves
Remove helmet
Have temperature taken to make sure you aren't carrying the pig flu
Put gloves/helmet back on

Kind wish they could have taken my temperature at the same time as the passport check, right? But with Singapore's typical efficiency, the passport clerk probably isn't certified to use a thermometer.

Then, to really make my day, a few meters further on I have to stop and go through the whole routine again for customs to inspect my wet gear and empty coke cans in my pannier.

Anyone that has traveled the AYE at 5pm on a Friday will know its quite a demoralizing experience. My adrenaline high from some excellent biking in Malaysia was quickly damped. I can't even filter (lane share) with the panniers on, that 800GS is a wide-ass bike!

But all in all, a good first trip to Malaysia, I promise I will have to go more often now. We're lucky in Singapore to be so close to such excellent biking roads and off-roads, I must make more of my time here.

Self Importing a Motorbike from UK to Singapore

2009-04-12T09:41:00.030+08:00

I relocated to Singapore at the end of 2008. With a 10 month old F800GS I figured I could lay her up and reunite on my return to the UK 18 months later. But with a change of job and permanent move to Singapore I realised the bike had to come too.

This is the process for importing a used, right-hand drive bike that has KM/H on the speedo. I don't know the process for importing a new bike, a left-hand drive bike or MPH only bike.

This is how I did it.

Warning, this is a VERY long post.

First, go to the One Motoring website and download the PDF “Self Import And Register a Motorcycle/Scooter”. It seems daunting! But I called my overseas BMW dealer and got a Certificate of Conformity which has all the technical details, chassis number for my bike an emission test results for my specific bike on a certificate signed by the manufacturer’s test technician.

Ship your bike: I used James Cargo Services in the UK. Literally turn up and leave the bike. They crated it, shipped it and insured it for the journey for £695

Get your Certificate of Entitlement (COE) (category D for Motorcycle). Basically, any vehicle on the roads in Singapore needs a COE, and this can run to $30,000+ for a car! You can check recent values at www.onemotoring.com.sg I used Citibank bidding system. Don’t be fooled by low prices for the first couple of days. Prices rocket in the last couple of hours as the bids come in. Look at prices from the last few auctions and be prepared to pay a few hundred over that price. Place your bid there; you will pay only the closing price if you are successful. (e.g I bid $1500 but ended up paying $958). LTA will send you your COE letter a week later to the address you used for the bidding exercise.

Need to get vehicle valued by Customs. Go to Customs Appraisal Section, Revenue House, 55 Newton Road and get a blank form “Declaration of Facts for Motor Vehicles” and their fax number to submit them. Also get the phone number of a guy in the Motor Vehicle department so you can phone him direct if you have a problem. Then assemble the following:

a. Completed form “Declaration of Facts For Motor Vehicles”
b. Certificate of Conformity (CoC if it’s a EU bike, or CIC for a Japanese bike)
c. Registration/Deregistration document (for used bike)
d. Dealer Original Sale Invoice
e. Dealer Statement of current value (for used vehicle – VERY HELPFUL!)
f. Bill of Lading (from your shipping agent)
g. Freight Papers & Invoice
h. Shipping Insurance Papers & Invoice

Fax the above documents to the number on the completed Declaration. They will fax you the valuation which you need to pass to your inward agent.

Call an agent to pay the duty and tax (Joint Inward and Payment levy via TradeNet) I used SpeedTrac Services Pte Ltd +65 6546 0339. These guys took the valuation and handled all payments for me, then delivered my crated bike to my home address. Very convenient and I don’t know how you would do it without an agent. The costs break down:

a. Terminal Handling Fee $30.25
b. LCL Charges $63.12
c. Delivery Order Fee $60.00
d. Agency Fee $35.00
e. PSA Forklift Fee $65.00
f. D/Order Processing & Tracing Fee $35.00
g. Warehouse Charge $30.00
h. Inward Customs Declaration & Stamp Fee $110.00
i. Despatch Customs Handling Fee $120.00
j. Delivery to my home address $120.00
k. Store Rental & Removal Fee $150.00
l. Customs Duties (12%) & GST (7%) $2455.78
m. TOTAL: $3304.15

I had to pay the agent cash when they delivered the bike. The above charge for Warehouse and Store Rental & Removal could have been avoided if my agent had been able to get the Inward Declaration on a Monday. Be warned: Your customs valuation is only valid until the following Monday at Midnight. At this time, Customs update their exchange rate for valuation, so the valuation may go up or down in value depending on the currency shift. The value has to match the figures that your agent enters on the TradeNet payment system. So I had to reapply for a valuation on the Tuesday morning and it delayed getting my bike by a couple of days, hence the warehousing charges from the Port Authority.

Now, having been delivered my bike was no longer covered by shipping insurance, so the day before I got insurance. You can use the obvious people like Axa, Mitsui(?), AIG, NTUC but I went with Liberty City State who match NTUC for price but have a better reputation for paying out in the event of a claim. Some won’t cover you on a foreign licence or without experience of driving in Singapore. Comprehensive insurance for my bike was $1177, which is about the same as the UK. Not bad without any NCD.

Apply for Vehicle approval either via VITAS online (not worth setting up an account for one vehicle import) or at 10, Sin Ming Drive Vehicle Engineering Division. You can download the application for Vehicle Batch Approval from the VITAS website in advance. Take all the same documents as you sent to customs for the valuation plus the following:

a. Passport (they don’t like FIN in the system!)
b. Technical Catalogue for your bike. Whatever the CoC says might not match the technical details from the manufacturer, and you’ll need the tech details to complete the “walk-in application for vehicle batch approval”.
c. They wanted pictures of my bike, but processed without them and told me to ask the test centre to take them
d. They turned my documents around in 4 hours and faxed me a pre-approval, asking me to present my bike for inspection (Vehicle Batch Approval Inspection).

(NOTE: Don’t get tied up at the front desk at the LTA at 10 Sing Ming Drive. For the Vehicle Engineering Division, turn left at the front desk and walk through the building until you are out the other side. Then turn left and follow the road to the last big building on the opposite side of what looks like an open test area. Go into the office there and the receptionist will help you.)

Once in-principal approval is given, arrange the bike to be inspected at any VITAS test centre

a. I tried phoning VICOM, but they gave me the run around on the phone, kept me on hold for ages and then disconnected me several times. So I phoned STA. They said just turn up with the bike any time, inspection would last about 30 mins. Go early in the morning and there is no queue! Details of all test centres on VITAS website, I chose a centre on Sin Ming Road for convenience (and closest to my home).
b. Take copies of all your documents, but all details should be on the pre-approval from LTA.
c. No need to collect your originals from LTA at Sin Ming drive yet
d. My bike failed the inspection! Bikes in Singapore are required to have a rear mudguard that covers at least half the wheel to avoid flicking stones up at following cars. Obviously, looking around Singapore most people remove these between tests! Next to the STA inspection centre is a load of vehicle workshops and I managed to get a $10 mudguard for a Honda scooter. The Inspection guys even helped me bolt it to the bike for the inspection photos.
e. Once the bike passes inspection, they ping the details electronically to the LTA Vehicle Engineering division who fax the Vehicle Approval Code to you a few hours later.
f. Cost of STA Vehicle Batch Approval Inspection: $32.10
g. Cost of transporting bike to/from test centre: $160

(I used Bikebulance +65 6425 5333 to get my bike to the test centre and back, and the guy waited during the 40 minutes of inspection and mudguard buying. But there are others who can tow.)

Collect your original documents from LTA Vehicle Engineering office then it’s back to LTA Quota & Registration to register the bike with following documents:

a. Complete Form R01 (can download in advance from onemotoring.com.sg)
b. Notice of Approval from LTA c. VAC from test centre d. COE Letter e. Passport f. Insurance Cover Note g. Original Sales Invoice h. Inward Cargo Clearance Permit i. I also gave them the customs valuation to calculate the Additional Registration Fee, to be on the safe side.

I didn’t have my Vehicle Approval Code (VAC), as I had only just completed the inspection. But I submitted the application and then faxed the VAC a couple of hours later when I received it.

Then a couple of days later, collect from LTA Quote & Registration Section the following:

a. Registration Notification Letter
b. Validated Road Tax Disc
c. Official Receipt
i. Cost: $2883.75

Use these documents to get some plates made up for front AND rear of the bike.

a. I got my rear plate and front sticker made at Juzz Wheels
b. Cost: $20

Fix the registration plates then drive straight to dealer to get IU fitted. This gizmo takes a cashcard and is used to automatically deduct tolls on busy roads and payments in car parks.
I used STA.. They helped me wire it IU to the battery and zip-tie the IU to the handlebars to get me home. Now I am on the hunt for a bracket.

Cost: $155.80

Finally, import complete!

TOTAL COSTS:
a. Shipping, Crating, Insurance
£695/$1529.00
b. Duty/Tax/Port Charges & Delivery
$3304.15
c. Bike Insurance
$1177.00
c. Application for Vehicle Approval
$74.90.00
e. Vehicle Approval Test
$36
f. Transporting bike to the test centre and home again
$160
g. Register/Additional Reg Fee/Road Tax/COE
$2883.75
i. Get registration plate/sticker made
$20
j. Get UI fitted
$155.80
k. TOTAL OTR:
$9,340.60.
n. (TOTAL COST OF USED BIKE + IMPORT)
$21,640
o. (TOTAL COST OF NEW BIKE BOUGHT LOCALLY)
$30,000

A final word – was it worth it? Hell yeah! I love my bike and wouldn’t want to be without it. It is a time-consuming process but I managed it with only a couple of odd hours off work. And the figures speak for themselves. And don’t forget, once imported your bike will adopt the local valuation...which is probably more than you paid in the first place.

I'm not one for a lot of attention, but this bike turns a lot of heads in Singapore. :)

EDIT: I got a bracket for the IU at Seng Kwang Metal at #05-31 AMK Autopoint, 10 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2A. This place is run by a couple of very handy brothers called Gilbert and William. They custom crafted the bracket for my bike, positioning the IU exactly where I wanted it. It took all of 20 minutes and cost me $80. Excellent service. I will be back with other welding needs to these guys.

One week on a Harley

2009-03-01T03:48:00.053+08:00

So I was in Las Vegas on business, and I decided to take a week of vacation while I was there, rent a Harley and live the American Dream for a while.

Day 1 Vegas to Zion National Park (166 miles)

I left my hotel and headed to Eagle Rider to grab my bike. I chose a Road Glide, mostly because I didn't want the high pillion seat of the Electra Glide, but I did want a decent fairing and accessory socket for my Zumo. The bike comes with two decent hard saddlebags too.

I took my draggin' jeans and sidi courier boots with me, then I hired an old-school leather jacket and helmet there. The helmet was a 'bowl' thing that seems very common over there - you know, so you can feel the wind in your face. (More on this later). Along with my Ray-Ban Aviators I was all set to look very cool

The bike rental was a very efficient process and they gave a good briefing on the bike. I was apprehensive about a 1582cc twin monster between my legs and riding with feet forwards, but they make you do a lap around the block before taking off, and within 200yds the bike makes sense. Its as easy as...riding a bike! All the big Harleys share this same engine. It vibrates and throbs violently at idle, but the vibes really disappear at speed. The torque is massive and you can stay in 4th all day if you like, but the power roll-on is very lazy so it needs a shift down to get a move on for overtakes.

Heading out of Vegas on the i-15 freeway on a strange bike is a bit nerve-wracking for the first time, but soon got into the flow of things. At points, this freeway has a 75mph limit and I quickly realised that although I looked dead cool in the Aviator glasses, all that space around the eyes means a lot of wind in the eyes. I was squinting like I was constipated, but 60 miles or so north of Vegas I saw a sign for a Harley Dealership. £15 later and wearing some nice HD wraparound glasses I was off again, and this time I was able to see.

I made it to Springdale, slightly south of Zion National Park by the mid-afternoon and checked into a very nice motel there. Traffic is banned along most of the scenic drive through the park, so you take a shuttle. But the time I made it into the park, the sun was setting:

With a bright sky and shadowed mountains it was breath-taking, although not the best time for photos.

Arriving as late as I did, I didn't have to pay to enter the park in the evening.

Day 2 Zion to Capitol Reef Nat Park via Bryce Canyon (208 miles)

The following morning I splashed out $80 for pass that gives entry to all US National Parks for a year. I rode half-way up through the park to stunning vistas, and turned right onto Route 9, which was a biking highlight of the trip.

This Route 9 heads east through a 1 mile tunnel, followed by the Mount Carmel hwy, which has a series of fabulous twisties that are even fun on a Harley.

There are scenic viewpoints every half mile or so it seems where you can stop, admire the view and take pictures. Although it can be 75 miles between gas stations or places to grab a drink.

I should add at this point, that after my ride from Vegas to Zion, I had a sore throat by the time I got there. The hot wind, the dust in the air and general dryness wasn't helping. By the morning when I set off for Bryce Canyon I was into a full-blown cold. The day before I realised that water in the panniers gets hot very quickly in these temperatures, so I spent a whole $2 on a polystyrene cooler in a gas station and tied it to the back of the bike. It doesn't look cool, but the water is chilled. Just the thing for a developing cold and sore throat.

Anyways, I picked up Route 12 which continues east, up to an elevation of around 9600 feet.

Route 12 continues to climb to the north-east, and the plateau below is more green than the Canyons.

At one stop I met a group of five other HD riders who had also come from near Vegas. They said the dust and pollen count was particularly high, so I wondered if my 'cold' was in fact hayfever. In any case, I got my buff out and did the rest of the trip with my face covered.

My coolness is deserting me by the second! But inside I am more comfortable.

I was able to score some drugs from these riders (Claritin for my Hayfever) and they rode off.

This picture is not me! Just a friendly HD rider. Apparently, HD riders dressed like this are not necessarily "friends of Dorothy", so be careful not to make any unwanted passes.

Next stop was Bryce Canyon, another National Park and absolutely stunning. Less heard of than its Grand cousin, but equally impressive in its beauty, and less busy.

I only stayed a couple of hours, but it would have been nice to spend more time in this area. I was supposed to meet with a couple of guys from Utah that I met at the BMW off-road school in Wales, but our dates got muddled and they came and went 24 hours earlier.

I stopped shortly before Capitol Reef National Park for the night in another nice motel.

Day 3 Capitol Reef to Monument Valley via Glen Canyon (210 miles)

The journey south-east was spectacular, including Glen Canyon and some nice vistas

My Zumo directed me towards Monument Valley and somehow we had to get from nearly 10,000 elevation to sea level. The road to do that would have been scary on my 800GS with TKCs on, but on a 700lb Harley I was very nervous tackling this:

All gravel road, with a speed limit of 5mph. No barriers to the drop-offs in the event of a slide. RVs are banned from this Route 261.

This mad road was followed by streches of long, straight highway to Monument Valley. By this time I was feeling dog rough and had already gone through 3 litres of water. I needed to find a bed to crash out, so I motored through monument valley and didn't stop for pictures. I stopped in Kayenta for the night in a shoddy motel that was very expensive, as there is nothing for miles in any direction.

Day 4 Monument Valley to Grand Canyon South Rim (158 miles)

Feeling slightly better today after a decent rest yesterday. Passed through a couple of reservations and entered the Grand Canyon from the east.

The first stop is the Desert View lookout:

There are loads more stops (and a million more pix) along the road that runs round the South Rim of the Canyon. This is the Grand View lookout:

I carried on to Tusyana, just south of the Canyon to check into my motel. Having showered and stuff I headed back to the Canyon during sundown to enjoy the view some more. This was Mather Point.

It was kind of hazy during sundown, so I didn't quite get the pictures I was hoping for, but the view in real life was amazing. It's hard for my small brain to comprehend the sheer size of this canyon, the pictures never do it justice.

Day 5 Grand Canyon to Kingman via Historic Route 66 (184 miles)

Heading back west towards Vegas, you can leave the I-40 and take some smaller roads that are part of the old Historic Route 66. Well worth it, as the passing traffic is avoided and you get all these nice roads to yourself. You pass through a load of almost-ghost towns, towns that would probably have died were it not for the resurection of the Route 66 as an historical scenic drive. Loads of typical american diners in these towns, and a chance for some amazing breakfasts

Funny thing happened today - as I was whizzing along, I got hit by a big bug on my forehead, in the gap between my glasses and helmet. I stopped in Kingman for the night - not a glamorous place in any sense, mostly motels and a massive railroad interchange. The freight trains were incredible, they were like quarter of a mile long!

Anyways, around midnight I started with a fever. Whether it was a result of the bug exploding in my forehead (it caused a gash) or whether it was the cold breaking into a fever I don't know, but I seriously though I was going to die in this dodgy motel room in Kingman. The fever lasted 8 hours, with me wrapped up in every sheet in the room. It was horrible. I took Nurofen and Dayquil in the morning, and felt human enough for the last run back to Vegas.

Day 6 Kingman to Vegas via Hoover Dam (105 miles)

A short blast today, and more than enough given how I was feeling. The Highway actually goes over the Hoover Dam itself. This strech back into Nevada was the hottest of the trip and probably the lowest elevation. The traffic was moving at around 25mph for 20miles either side of the dam, this was the only time I took my leather jacket and gloves off for the whole trip. On the whole, the rest of the journey was fine with all my gear on.

There are free car park/look outs either side of the dam, but if you want to park and go inside it costs $$$. I was still feeling rough so I skipped that.

I made a last dash for Vegas, looking forward to crashing out in a decent hotel again. However, it looks like the travel agent stiffed me and the accomodation was not exactly what it sounded like when I booked it:

All in all it was an amazing 6 days. I had a great time, ate a lot of bad food, saw some amazing sights. Only slightly marred by being ill, and if you're going to feel shitty its better to feel shitty at 90mph with the wind in your hair then lying in some crappy motel room. :)

If I did the trip again I would take my full face helmet, or buy one there. They can be had pretty cheap. If the weather was going to be any hotter I would look for an armoured mesh jacket too. You could easily stay somewhere central like Page, Arizona and ride out to a different park or monument every day for two weeks. Or you could easily spend a week in any of the National Parks hiking and taking photos. I only had six days and the pace was about right. The Road Glide was armchair comfy, and you need to stop for a drink before your bum gets numb or the bike gets thirsty. Its a different kind of ride to the GS, but equally valid! Although, given the option I'd like to rent a GS in this area in the future, there are trails and gravel roads everywhere and it made me long for my F800GS a few times.

The photos on this trip were taken with my new Sony Alpha A200 with a Tamron 18-250 travel lens. And I picked up a $12 tripod over there and dumped it at the end of the trip.

Here is the Mapsource plan of my route:

And there you have it.

View One Week On A Harley in a larger map

Electrical Connections

2009-02-28T18:20:00.024+08:00

To connect your Zumo or any other electrical device requiring a switched power supply, you can tap into the CAN-Bus connector on the 'tank'.

To get under the fake tank, you need to remove the seat and six torx bolts. Four on the top tank panel, and two either side of the headstock, mounted in the black plastic that forms part of the ignition/socket assembly:

The tank panel now lifts straight off but be careful of the power socket wiring underneath:

A closer look at the power socket wiring connector:

The wires are attacked with a spring clip. You have to press down with your thumb to release it, then pull straight off the socket:

Ooh look, what is this mysterious black box thing attached directly on top of the battery? Notice as well the space between the battery and the airbox. This vertical gap will accomodate the newer Autocom units. Or a secret supply of currency.

Pull it out of the mounting clips, and remove the black cap. There is another spring clip holding the black cap on. And inside? This:

Which is our very obviously placed GPS connector. To connect your GPS unit to this can-bus controlled switched supply that stays on for a few minutes when you turn the engine off, you will need part number 80 00 0 611 656 (UK) or 83 30 0 413 585 (US - can someone verify please?) from your friendly local BMW Dealer:

To Make the Cable:

Get your Zumo cable and cut the fuse off (CAN-Bus doesn't need fuses). Leave as much cable length as you think you'll need. Strip back and tin the red and black cables and slide heat-shrink on.
On the CAN-Bus connector, you can trim Wire 2 right back, its not needed. (or leave it longer and heat-shrink it into place with the other cables.

On the CAN-Bus connector, strip back wires 1 & 3 and tin them.

Solder the black Zumo cable negative/earth to wire 1 on the connector

Solder the red Zumo cable (positive/live) to wire 3 on the connector

Heat shrink/PVC tape around the joints.

Job Done.

You could buy the cable ready-made from Touratech if you don't want to butcher your original cable.

CAN-Bus Ready Made Cable from Touratech

Alternative Options:

You could wire your Zumo directly back to the battery with an in-line fuse. You can buy the ready made cable from touratech:

Or you could wire your cable to a DIN plug and plug it into the DIN accessory socket next to the ignition. The plug cost around £3, but you can buy a ready-made cable from touratech:

Other Electrical Connections:

NOTE: Powerlet and BMW/DIN sockets are the same size, and the plugs are interchangeable. They are the same thing. Cigar sockets & plugs are bigger, like the one in your car.

You can add an additional accessory socket to the right of the ignition key and power it from the CAN-Bus connector. There is a cut-out on the underside of the 'tank' panel to show where to place the additional socket You do not need an in-line fuse for CAN-Bus connections.

You can buy a socket kit ready-made to plug into the CAN-Bus from Powerlet

CAN-Bus can support up to 5amps, so electrical devices with a greater power draw (such as a heated jacket perhaps) will need an accessory socket. You could wire an additional accessory socket (BMW/DIN/Powerlet or cigar lighter size) to the right of the ignigition key (see picture above) and wire it back to the battery directly - this supply would not switch off with the ignition. You will need an in-line fuse between the socket and the battery.

You can buy a socket kit for the fake-tank cut-out, ready-made with inline fuse to wire directly back to the battery from Powerlet.

You can also buy handle-bar mounted sockets to wire back to the battery.

Touratech do a full dashboard for the 800GS/650GS(Twin) that includes an additional accessory socket.

Powerlet do a full range of Powerlet sockets and plugs, as well as Cigar sockets & plugs and SAE 2-pin connectors.

They also do adapters beween the different plug types.

Also a full range of power cables to power your iPod, radar detector, USB, heated clothing etc. from a Powerlet socket.

Finally, if you have several devices to wire back to the battery you might consider a fuse panel, like the one AP-1 Centech Fuse Panel from Nippy Norman in the UK

This little box means only one connector to the battery, then you can quickly add wires to the box and each line is fused, meaning no need for in-line fuse.

Hope this helps someone.

Crash & Bash Protection

2009-02-28T17:56:00.013+08:00

Available (January 09) or soon-to-be-available protection options fall into two main categories:

Crash Protection and Bash Protection

Crash Protection in the form of Engine Bars. Crash bars are not going to protect your bike in all circumstances, and in the case of a hard smash might even transfer energy to your engine housing. However, for low speed spills and 'adventure' drops, they will save you having to replace expensive plastics and indicators. For everything else there is insurance.

Bash Protection in the form of bashplates and handguards. Bashplates cover the lower front engine and the underside, sometimes extending as far back as the catalytic convertor. Most of them will need removing to change the oil filter.The metal bar in the BMW handguards arguably offers some crash protection for your levers.

NOTE: Bashplates will fit 800 and 650 models, however 650 owners will need a fixing kit from BMW, which includes the necessary 'silentblock' rubber vibration-proof mounts and bolts. (800 owners have this as standard with the stock bash plate). Some plate manufacturers may include this kit - check with them directly

Manufacturer offerings in Alphabetical order:

Adventure-Spec

Adventure-Spec bars are still in production, so no prices yet. Latest prototype looks like this:

Adventure-Spec Bashplate £130 silver or £140 black

BMW:

BMW crashbars, not yet available (August '08) approx £226

Metal BMW Enduro Bashplate £147, plus fixing kit for 650 owners only £23.69 (plastic bashplate standard on 800GS comes with fixing kit):

This BMW bashplate was powder coated by the owner. Notice that this plate extends as far back as the cat.

BMW Protector Bar & Screws £63.68 with large guard £23.50 and small guard £19.50 and spoiler £16

Also, it is possible to fit the 2008 1200GS handguards to the 650 and maybe 800.

Givi

Givi Engine Bars £103

Hepco Becker

Hepco Becker Engine Bars approx $200

Image from these forums, credit to gasman

No doubt HB will have a bashplate at some point in the future.

Metal Mule

Metal Mule bashplate £139

MM also doing crash bars for UKP199. See here

SW-Motech

SW-Motech Crash Bars £121 (available in black, shown in red for clarity)

SW-Motech Bash Plate £131/800 or £140/650 (available in black, shown in red for clarity)

Touratech

Touratech Crash Bars Lower £162.93 and Upper extension £78.01

Touratech Small Bashplate £77.02

Touratech Bashplate extension £43.44 (to fit BMW centrestand)

Oil Filter Guard £53.42

Touratech Handguards £74.06 and spoiler £19.75 all available in different colours

Wild At Heart

A South African company making their own crash bars. SAR3,980 or Approx US$435.
http://www.wildatheartadventure.co.za/bmw800gs.html

Wunderlich

Wunderlich Adventure Crash Bars 179€

Wunderlich Street Crash Bars (no pic available) 169€

Wunderlich Bash Plate 219€ and main stand protection plate 69€

Wunderlich Rectifier protector 35€

******************

I'm sure that manufacturers will expand their range of offerings. However, this brings together all the current options into one place for comparison.

Hope this helps.

Tyre FAQ

2009-02-28T17:42:00.021+08:00

Talk about tyre pressures, tubes, rim locks and puncture repairs.

Wheel Specs:

Rim, front 2.15 x 21"
Rim, rear 4.25 x 17"

Tyres, front 90/90 - 21 54V
Tyres, rear 150/70 - 17 69V

What pressures should I run my tyres at?

For stock tyres:

FRONT one-up: 2.2bar/32psi at 20 degrees celcius
FRONT two-up and/or with luggage: 2.5bar/36psi at 20 degrees celcius

REAR one-up: 2.5bar/36psi at 20 degrees celcius
REAR two-up and/or with luggage: 2.9bar/42psi at 20 degrees celcius

A quick internet search will throw up correct pressures for alternative tyres. 2.2front/2.5rear seems to be common. On the road I quite liked 2.5front/2.9rear only one-up on the stock Battlewings.

Can I use Tubeless Tyres on the 800GS?

Yes, Tubeless tyres (TL) are fine. So are tube-type (TT) tyres. See Chart above. But either way you will still need a tube (see rim sizes above).

That's because the wheels have spokes and air will leak out if you don't have a tube. The 1200GS has special spoke that go to the side of the wheel so their owners can use tubeless tyres - you can't on your 800GS.

Do I need Rim Locks?

Probably not, unless you're planning to do the Paris-Dakar on the 800GS in which case you should know a lot more about tyres and tubes already.

How do I check pressures at 20 degrees celcius?

Set the climate control in your garage to 20 degrees celcius and only ever check your pressure in there.

OR...bear in mind that a change of 10 degrees celcius is equivalent to a change of about 0.07bars or 1psi. So on a near freezing day increase pressure by about 0.14bars/2psi or on a very hot Death Valley kind of day reduce pressure by 0.14bars/2psi. This applies to 'cold' tyres that haven't been ridden on recently, I have no idea how hot your tyres will be after a few trails.

Should I reduce pressures when off-roading?

If you're going on sand, gravel or very gloopy mud you can maybe lose 5psi/0.4bars but much less and you risk 'tyre slip' where the wheel spins but the tyre doesn't. This will result in the tube valve being ripped out and sudden deflation. You could deflate more and use rim locks (see above).

Put it this way: the BMW Off-Road schools runs their 800GSs off road at road pressures. 'nuff said.

If I want to repair a puncture out on the trails, what tools will I need?

22mm socket for front axel

24mm socket for rear axel

a wrench for the sockets

Torx keys for M8 and M10 torx bolts (front axel clamps and front brake calliper)

Tork key for the ABS sensor if you are clumsy and might knock it when removing/replacing wheel

A centre stand (or lie the bike down)

A large rock/block to go under the engine when you want to remove the front wheel on the centre stand (or lie the bike down)

Tyre levers (two or three, depends how good you are)

Rim protectors or bits of plastic bottle (so you don't scratch the rims, depends how precious about your bike you are)

A bead breaker (or thick heavy boot heal)

Some 4"X4" or something to rest the wheel rim on while you break the bead with your boot, or you will knacker the sprocket/brake discs. Or you can dig a hole in the dirt.

Valve removal tool (to take the valve out of the valve stem to deflate the tube enough to get it out)

A little spanner (wrench) to remove the lock nut on the valve stem

A puncture repair kit (patches/glue) or a spare tube

A inflation device (CO2 cartridges, electric compressor or hand pump)

Some prior knowledge of how to repair a puncture. Best to practice at home before you need to do it for real.

Good grief thats a lot of stuff for a puncture? Isn't there any easier way?

Yeah. Push bike to nearest road. Phone BMW assist.

Har Har. Can't I just plug the tyre?

No, its got a tube, remember? Should have bought the 650GS.

What about tyre sealant? Can I use that?

Bit late once you have a puncture. There are special formula sealants for tubed tyres. Messy stuff though, and it won't work on gashes or big punctures, but it will gloop everything up and make the tube irrepairable. Also, a small nail in the tyre can cause a large rip in the tube as the tube 'squirms' inside the tyre at speed.

Any other advice?

Practice repairing punctures at home, until you are confident about removing wheels and tyres. Learn how to fix these things in your garage at home when its easy to get help. Once it is second nature, out on the trails it won't be an issue for you.

Oh, and make sure your riding partner has a spare inner tube also. If he gets a puncture and takes your spare, you can guarantee you will get a puncture a mile later. And you can guarantee he won't take your spare off his wheel now...

Tyre Options

2009-02-28T17:21:00.030+08:00

Wheel Specs:

Rim, front 2.15 x 21"
Rim, rear 4.25 x 17"

Tyres, front 90/90 - 21 54V
Tyres, rear 150/70 - 17 69V

BMW Recommended Tyres:

Road Bias:

Front: Michelin Anakee, 90/90-21 M/C TL/TT (54V)
Rear: Michelin Anakee C, 150/70 R17 M/C TL/TT (69V)

Front: Bridgetstone Battlewing 501 G, 90/90-21 M/C TL/TT (54V) COMES AS STOCK
Rear: Bridgestone Battlewing 502 G, 150/70 R17 M/C TL/TT (69V) COMES AS STOCK

Off-Road Bias:

Front: Metzler Karoo (T) Front, 90/90-21 M/C TL (54Q)* M+S
Rear: Metzler KAroo (T), 150/70 -17 M/C TL (69Q)* M+S

Front: Continental Twinduro TKC80, 90/90-21 M/C TL (54Q)* (Not manufacturered yet, go for the 90/90 54T model at present)
Rear: Continental Twinduro TKC80, 150/70 B17 M/C TL (69Q)*

* These tyres are rated Q (160km/h or 99mp/h) instead of V but can be used if "the permissable top speed is indicated by readily visible means (e.g. sticker affixed in the rider's field of vision)".

Tyres not mentioned by BMW:

The load index & size matches with slightly reduced speed rating are:

Front: Pireli Scorpion MT90 A/T 90/90 -21 TL 54V M/C
Rear: Pirelli Scorpion MT 90 S/T 150/70 R17 TL 69H

Front: Avon Distanzia AM43 90/90 -21 TL 54T
Rear: Avon Distanzia AM 44 150/70 R17 TL 69V

Front; Metzeler Tourance 90/90 -21 TL 54H M/C
Rear: Metzeler Tourance 150/70 R17 TL 69V

Front: Heidenau 90/90 - 21 M/C TL 54H K 60
Rear: Heidenau 150/70 B17 M/C 69T TL K60

TKC80 style tyre

Front: Heidenau 90/90 - 21 M/C TL 54H K 76
Rear: Heidenau 150/70 - 17 M/C TL 69H K 76

Tourance - style tyre

Edit 23/6/09:
Conti now have the ContiTrailAttack available:

Front: 90/90 - 21 M/C 54 H TL
Rear: 150/70 R 17 M/C 69 V TL

Recommended pressures are 2.5/2.5 or 36psi/36psi

Scotland In September

2009-02-28T05:07:00.016+08:00
I had a week in Scotland planned since I picked up the 800GS in March. Then I had to wait for luggage to be made, and work kept sending me to Singapore...finally, only six months later I made it up North this last week.

The weatherforecast was for 5 days of sunshine and good weather...that turned out to be a load of lies. I whizzed up the M1 > A1 > A66 (stopped at Scotch Corner for a bacon buttie - don't use the services but stop at the hut in the layby at the start of the A66!) Then picked up the B7076 at Gretna as an alternative to the M74. It follows the same route and is a tad slower but much quieter than the motorway. After that I took the B7078 to Kirkmuirhill and picked up the M74/M8 to breeze through Glasgow. Picked up the A82 to Loch Lomond and made camp for the first night in Luss.

The end of September is a quiet time for camping, even at popular spots like Loch Lomond. When I woke up to this view the following morning, I knew I was on vacation:

I packed up and followed the A82 and A830 to Mallaig spent 90 mins waiting for the ferry, having just missed one.

The ferry took me to Armadale on Skye on the Southern tip.

Then I pootled up the west coast of Skye enjoying the views and dodging the odd shower.I made the north-west corner of Skye, a place called Dunvegan and decided I liked the views enough to stop for the night and pitch camp at a campsite.

Again, the campsite was almost empty, apart from a group of bikers, including a lass with a very interesting 'blade...

More showers through the night and down to about 8 degrees so quite chilly! The rain and sun in the morning made for some fabulous sights. It was like nature's own light show while I had breakfast.

Tempted as I was to go looking for the gold, I headed back down the east coast of Skye.

I was headed for the bridge over to Lochalsh but instead ended up taking a little road from the A87 to Kyle Rhea. This road was amazing. Single track, up and down, twisty turny all over the place...the bike seemed to be in its element I mean, riding up from Loch Lomond and around Skye there were some great roads, but this was incredible.I found a little turn-table ferry at Kyle Rhea to take me to Glenelg.

The road from Glenelg to Shiel Bridge was also brilliant, much like the one to Kyle Rhea. Then I followed the A87 for the obligatory Eilean Dolan Castle visit:

You know what is coming next, don't you? The A890 and A896 to Tornapress:

Yep, the infamous road to Applecross. Having heard to much about it, I couldn't really pass up the chance, could I? Unfortunatly, straight after the above photo, the skys opened with a vengenace known only in Scotland. The mists decended and visibility above 1200ft was down to about 50yds. So...not ideal conditions for the Applecross road. What I can say is that apart from a couple of hairpins, the road is very similar in style to the roads to/from the ferry at Kyle Rhea and because the weather was good then, I enjoyed those roads more.

From Applecross I followed the coast road around to the A896 again - this is another great road. Evening the pouring rain and freezing cold. My original plan was to keep the sea on my left and follow the coast up to Gairloch for the night...however by mid-afternoon I was so cold and wet I decided to stop and a posh hotel in Torridon for a coffee...and ended up paying for a room and staying the night. Very nice it was and gave me a chance to dry out my kit and tent.The following day the weatherforecast was for a cold wet front moving in from the North. My night on Skye was cold and wet enough for my liking, despite the second set of thermals I had to buy and was wearing in addition to my normal gear. So in an attempt to stay ahead of the weather I turned east and south the following morning taking the A382 to Inverness and then the B862/B852 down the south side of Loch Ness.

The rain paused long enough for a quick photo.

Other than that, it was non-stop freezing rain all the way. So I bolted down past the Green Welly A82/A85/A84 to the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and stayed the night in a log Cabin near Loch Earn in Balqhidder. I guess it was low season so they did me a nice deal for the night, and another chance to dry out and get warm again.The following morning I headed down the Duke's Pass (again in the pouring rain) which is another not-to-be-missed road. I bolted down the A68 and some back roads to Kielder in Northumberland to revisit some places I hiked in my teens. And because the weatherforecast showed no clouds over Northumberland.

At the campsite, they had a couple of these weird scandanavian sheds (called "pods") available, and I figured for an extra £5 I could at least stand up, and avoid pitching my tent in the rain again.

Northumberland National Park and Kielder Forest have logging roads all over the place - and as the weather broke it was still early I had a couple of hours hooning around off-road and I appreciated once more what an amazing machine the 800GS is. She needs some cleaning and TLC and I wonder if that exhaust will ever been shiny again. The smell of cow dung cooking on the engine block is not one I will forget in a while.

Overnight stayed dry, but the lack of cloud cover dropped the temperature to 3 degrees I decided that October was no longer camping weather and make the decision to head home. But not before one of the highlights of the trip. Heading east from Kielder, there is a Forest Drive of 12 miles. Its a £3 toll road that I had hiked 20 years ago.

I planned all along to take the bike down this road, so my morning brightened considerably with this nice bit of logging track. Just me and the bike in the middle of nowhere.

Then I picked up the A68/A1/M1 and some tedious motorway miles home. Overall it was a good blast, but tempered with some rain and freezing weather. That third day leaving Skye and doing Applecross was some of the best biking of my life, and the last couple of days off-roading was brilliant.

I had TCK80s on the 800GS for this trip, after falling off in mud in Derbyshire a few weeks back on the battlewings. Pretty squared off now after a couple of thousand miles. Even on the twisties in the rain I didn't feel I was anywhere near the edge of the tyre's grip, they are much better than I am. I was also surprised at the speed I was carrying into some corners - when you glance down and see you're doing 60mph in the rain on a flip-flop stretch I guess there must be a lot of confidence in the bike and tyres!

I had to reign it in a bit at times. Given how fast they wear I don't think I will go with the TKC80s again, maybe Tourance next time. I think they would have coped ok with the terrain I did, and certainly the motorway miles a lot better.The fuel gauge was interesting too...reporting 80+miles or so left after riding for 180miles when the reserve light comes on...not good. But although cafes & garages are few and far between in these parts, there always seems to be one just when you need it.

Erm, that's it, I think.