Right, I'm back, I'm sure you all missed me dearly!
The break wasnt for a reason, I just had nothing interesting to say! (nothings changed)
But I thought I'd share whats happened recently and what I have planned for 2012

While I was away, my Yamaha came back from the repair shop after 7 weeks and the insurance company even fitted a gorgeous givi box for me!
On a personal note I split with my girlfriend of 2 years last week but I'm remaining positive-no more 'why dont you grow up and get a car!'
I failed my theory test, but have another booked.

Plans for 2012
The biggest plan is my trip to the Isle of Man TT, well, its not a plan, I'm booked and I'm going! Flights booked and accomadation sorted! I'm staying with a biking family, thanks to Mark Fitzgerald, whom I met off Twitter. Mark is a former Sidecar racer, and raced the TT many times, and has promised to take me round the course on his brand new GSX-R 1000!

Speaking of twitter, I can be found as @Bikermole!

I've bought a pannier set and fitted them, giving the bike much more touring potential, which brings me onto my next plan! A UK wide tour in the summer! I plan to go around the country over 10 days in August, meeting as many bikers as I can, I hope to arrange to meet those off twitter, the motovlog forum (motovlog.com) and off here, so if anyone wants to meet me and see my ugly face let us know and ill look into coming to see you!

I also have just launched my youtube channel www.youtube.com/user/bikermole125
It will be motovlog videos, once I have a microphone set up!

And Finally I am 21 in october, so I suppose I'd better do something for that!

Sorry if its a long one, and if you have any questions, fire away!

Steve

Such plans! You'll love the TT, there's nothing like it!

And your tour of Britain - better make sure you're in Poole, Dorset on a Tuesday for Poole Quay bike night - I'll see you there!

I envy you! Someone said that to me when I was still on my 100cc bike and asked why - he said "Because you've got it all in front of you to do for the first time and I can never have that again" - I felt like that when I read your post!

sounds brill - and am envious as I started very late.
also haven't yet worked out how twitting is done apart from just saying stuff

Top box - ugly as sin, but so bloody useful! And you can still slip through the traffic. I don't understand the people I see trying to commute with panniers on...

As for 'why dont you grow up and get a car!', why doesn't she grow up and accept that sometimes following the other 99% isn't right for people? Still, it's a shame for you both, but if she doesn't like the bike you'll just have to find some fit girl that looks great in tight leather. Add that to your to-do list.

I keep wanting to go to IOM, but circumstances keep springing up on me. Well done for just booking it. I don't imagine I'll ever go unless I do just that.

10 days around the country is optimistic if you ask me. Depends on how far and how fast you want to go, I suppose. If you plan on taking a scenic route then I wouldn't suggest you do more than 250 miles a day, and I reckon you've got 2000 miles around mainland UK. So, yes it's doable. You might want a holiday afterwards to recover though :)

As for what to do when you're 21, you can do what I did - get your bike license and buy a 600cc machine :)

Hey Steve! 2012 sounds like it's going to be a year to remember for you!

Touring this year sounds like a fantastic idea!!

I've just managed to buy a tent (another one) and a sleeping bag, and can't wait for the salt to retreat so the touring can begin!

Here's hoping for a great year for everyone (and also a nice theory Pass for you)..

Thanks for the support!
I really need my full licence soon, as I fell in love with the BMW G650GS today at the MCN show in london!

I'm not certain on mileage for my tour in august, but I plan to go on a few weekend trips in june/ july to see how many miles I can comfortably cover in a day, and use that as a benchmark to plan the big tour. I know ill have to stop for breaks more often as the days go on to reduce fatigue levels. It is meant to be a holiday after all!

If it's any help, when I went touring in Normandy on my baby bike, the longest trip I did in a day was 200 miles - and it was definitely at least 10 miles too long!
Thing is, if you ride all day you don't get much time to look at the places you're visiting, which seems a bit of a shame really - well it does to me, of course you may be happy with what you see from the saddle!



I'd be more inclined to factor in plenty of breaks from the start so as to avoid getting too tired. Will you be camping?

not sure yet, I had a good look at some touratech gear at the MCN show, and fancy loading up the bike and going wild! However, I do think Ill feel better at the en of it if I use B&Bs, but ill decide nearer the time

Do both mix and match..get the best of both worlds

I do think its the best idea Ive heard in a while

Although, after looking at the touratech website, their tents are way out of my budget at around £300 for a single tent. Does anyone reccomend a tent that'll sit nicely on my passanger seat and not cost the earth? Thanks

Until I had to get a large tent because of age and decrepitude, I never had one that cost more than about £35! Just make sure it's got an inner and a flysheet, and treat the seams before you use it.

Got to be big enough to get your leathers & waterproofs on for me now if bike camping. Twin hoop bivvy and a tarp is fine for wilderness adventures but I like a bit more comfort when bike camping and may be in rain for a few days.

Touring at 90 plus miles to the gallon certainly has it's apeals. :)

I've just got a Vango Halo 300, and it looks great!

It has two small vestibules, packs quite small and can go up as an all in one.

More than I usually pay (116 delivered), but hopefully worth it.



Amen to that!

Yes - I'd go for a 3 or 4 man dome tent with a porch. This was the stuff I took when I went touring on the baby bike...........



And here's the bike fully loaded......

I bought Tom's old 2-man Vango (with 2 porches, front and rear). It's snug but comfortable for one person with bike gear, and it packs up nice and small. I've used a 3-man tent on the bike before, and it was nice to have the extra space, but it was much more of a faff fitting it on the bike.

If you're buying camping stuff to go on the bike, you can do a lot worse than these ultralight self-inflating sleeping mats - I think mine's great. And if you get a lightweight sleeping bag, get a silk liner too - it's handy if the temperature really drops. (But having a smaller tent makes it easier to keep warm too.)

Thanks for all the advice, im going to look into verything mentioned, and go to my local camping shop as soon as the weather clears!
Im concered as to how mu space its all going to take up, but the logistics ill work out later (probably the day before I leave )

Go and have a look at the camping shops at clacton common shopping village we got most of our gear from there this time of the year they normal have reduced prices.

Well, for what it's worth, I packed enough onto a Ducati 748 for a long weekend. That includes a tent, sleeping bag, airbed, waterproofs, clothes, shoes, stove, a few tins of food, water and booze.

I've got a Vango Storm 200+, Vango Ultralight 200 (I think) sleeping bag, Gelert ultralight airbed, Swedish Army Trangia stove. It all goes into a tank bag and a roll-top bag. If you've got proper panniers then it's easy to fit everything you need. Just make sure you balance the weight when you load them, and try to put the heavy stuff low down. And it's best if you keep the first things you'll need separate. Stuff like your tent and waterproofs, and probably a change of trousers and shoes, and definitely a drink and a snack if you're covering miles - if you have a top-box, chuck all these into that.

Just be careful about how much you think you need. It's easy to pack too much.