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2 wheel GAF UNITE!
- Thread starter Flo_Evans
- Start date
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah it was great. It was a WWII themed trip. We were staying near Bastogne, and we were joined by one my friend's dad who teaches military history at the Royal Dutch Military Academy. So it was a guided tour of the area surrounding Bastogne as well as a motorcycle trip. It was nice. Those foxholes dug by Easy Company are still there in the forests, crazy.
(and I can recommend the Monster obviously, it's a great bike. The riding position is a little 'sportier' than the Triple and there is more of a focus on torque, with the air cooled type at least.)
(and I can recommend the Monster obviously, it's a great bike. The riding position is a little 'sportier' than the Triple and there is more of a focus on torque, with the air cooled type at least.)
seriously? gotta visit now. I love the Bastogne episodes in Band of Brothers.
Fallout-NL
Member
Yep, it's surreal to just stand around there.
(And if you were to make the trip by motorcycle; the roads in the Ardennes, around Bastogne and into Luxemburg are a lot more fun than what Normandy has on offer.)
(And if you were to make the trip by motorcycle; the roads in the Ardennes, around Bastogne and into Luxemburg are a lot more fun than what Normandy has on offer.)
Fallout-NL
Member
Hehe, I wonder what bike you'll be taking.
maxheadwound
Member
Finally time to post time pics from the trip last week. Didn't manage to get a great many good bike pictures, but here's what I got:
(yours truly, in the high-vis jacket)
And a small video we took in a corner on a road somewhere between Wiltz and Vianden (Luxemburg). Friend of mine is up first on the Yamaha, then it's me on the Monster:
http://youtu.be/RfsZA2gijSk
Great picture Drinky, good to finally see what you look likeand the Z1000 suits you. Very nice.
Damn that monster looks very nice and you guys had some nice weather so all good.
maxheadwound
Member
off to the peninsula tomorrow. <plays free bird>
that is a nice looking colour... fits with your car. Enjoy the trip
Fallout-NL
Member
Thanks, yes I still adore it, makes the thing with the Buells feel a bit like cheating. And yeah we had some luck with the weather, no rain and sunny even.
Speaking of Monsters, one of my friends (the one with the FZ) found a great deal on a Monster 1100s, we might go and take a look at it this week. It is sold by a dealer so he could even trade his bike in.
Drinky Crow
Banned
dat monster, hnnngggggg
dougald, yeah, 696 is waaayyy too tiny, and if i'm gonna go without the ss swingarm, color me street tripled instead. the stripple spanks the 696 every which way but curb weight.
dougald, yeah, 696 is waaayyy too tiny, and if i'm gonna go without the ss swingarm, color me street tripled instead. the stripple spanks the 696 every which way but curb weight.
thesoapster
Member
That looks like a really nice area. Bike sounds (and looks) great, too!
So yesterday my buddy and I were taking his friend around the neighborhood so he could get some 2 wheel experience before he takes the MSF course. Granted, we knew it was illegal to have 1) an unlicensed driver and 2) a bike without a plate on the road, but we didn't have any parking lots available and it doesn't excuse what this chick did. We're riding down this road, and there's this T-intersection with a stop sign. Not only did this vehicle not actually stop, but she pulled out in front of the learning guy and he had to do some nice swerve to get around. As I saw this, I shook my head while staring her down and as she drives by, her tough-guy redneck boyfriend yells what I can only make out as "fuck you" on the camera and sticks his middle finger out of the sunroof. I had to use all of my restraint not to chase them down and use my carbon fiber knuckles for an unintended purpose.
You can kind of make it out here, but doesn't this guy just scream asshole to you?
You can kind of make it out here, but doesn't this guy just scream asshole to you?
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah, the Netherlands (where I am from) kinda suck for riding motorcycles, but luckily you don't have to travel too far to get some nice roads. Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany are all great.
Oh and Dougald, no I have an 1100s as well. You can tell from the gold wheels. I think they sell the 796 with just black wheels, though it does also have the single sided swing arm.
Just discovered that we're getting 12 weeks of roadworks basically ruining all access around my house, now the wife wants to get her CBT certificate next week and buy a 125cc to get to work on for the summer, ha! Hopefully that'll be the motivation she needs to actually get around to going for a full license, and buying the fireblade she's always wanted.
I couldn't imagine living in the US where it's illegal to lanesplit (sans California). To me its one of the best things about owning a bike, I must have saved a few hundred hours of sitting on the motorway when I used to ride to work. Actually, that's the main reason I probably won't buy a cruiser, and why I sold my old ST1100.
Man, well done for staying calm in that situation, it's hard to keep the red mist away. Some people have a different idea of the rules of the road. As long as you and your buddy didn't get hurt then that's all that matters
I would imagine all those flat roads are the problem ;-) Much easier for you to get to the rest of Europe than me though, although the Channel Tunnel does make things easier than the boat.
I couldn't imagine living in the US where it's illegal to lanesplit (sans California). To me its one of the best things about owning a bike, I must have saved a few hundred hours of sitting on the motorway when I used to ride to work. Actually, that's the main reason I probably won't buy a cruiser, and why I sold my old ST1100.
Man, well done for staying calm in that situation, it's hard to keep the red mist away. Some people have a different idea of the rules of the road. As long as you and your buddy didn't get hurt then that's all that matters
I would imagine all those flat roads are the problem ;-) Much easier for you to get to the rest of Europe than me though, although the Channel Tunnel does make things easier than the boat.
Fallout-NL
Member
Yup, flat as a pancake.
maxheadwound
Member
Keep us posted if he likes the ride.
GPS wired after 2 hours of trying. The power cable that comes with the Garmin 390 is too short to route around the tank on the gs. With the help of a clothes hanger I managed to fish it through a tiny gap between the fuel tank and top of the engine block and between the front forks. Hope it won't melt in there. Totally shitty design with a choke on the cable and a big step down that needs to sit somewhere on the bike which limits your options with routing things through small gaps a not nearly enough cable to make up for that glaring mistake. It's done now but fuck Garmin with their overpriced underspecced monopoly bullshit.
LeroyPantwether
Member
pics of it mounted? i've been thinking about getting the little adapter for the euro outlet and adding a gps to my f650gs
more broadly, what is the difference between a motorcycle gps and a car gps. Is it just enhanced visibility in the sun and weatherproofing?
Fallout-NL
Member
Awesome, be sure to post some pics.
maxheadwound
Member
Grats man... cannot go wrong with the KTM
The Garmin 390LM, its much more expensive than a base car model, has less features than car models and a lower res display.
On the plus side its very tough, waterproof, works with gloves and has bluetooth to sync with a phone or headset.
Its a nice device just grossly overpriced for what essentially amount to waterproofing and a tough rubber case on a bottom of the range car device.
After having used a power outlet and a waterproof case for a phone as a gps a couple of years ago I would still probably fork out the cash for the dedicated motorcycle unit.
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah, I have a Garmin Zumo 660. The thing is slower than dirt, but it works and the build quality does seem alright.
maxheadwound
Member
I still have the old Garmin Zumo 550 that I got with the GS adv and its now on the K bike. I used it to tour through EU and did not have any trouble but then as said its slow and to get new maps I need to pay 50 pounds haha they must be joking.
I just used a France road atlas and a mini road map in my tank bag. Not as accurate and we got lost, but that's half the fun of touring.
I had a Sat Nav on the Pan European, one day I didn't put it in the holder properly and it flew off on the motorway, I could just see it bouncing down the side of the road in my mirror.. That was a cheap car one with a terrible mount, get what you pay for...
I had a Sat Nav on the Pan European, one day I didn't put it in the holder properly and it flew off on the motorway, I could just see it bouncing down the side of the road in my mirror.. That was a cheap car one with a terrible mount, get what you pay for...
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah it's criminal what they charge for updates. I went with the 90 euro 'lifetime' option. Though it did ambiguously say 'lifetime of the device' so that can be either when it breaks sometime during my ownership, or when they simply cease to support it....
maxheadwound
Member
I dont know why they cannot make it like tomtom on my iphone. Its £53 for as long as I have the app on my phone. I dont mind paying yearly for updated maps but then the device needs to be cheaper. If I could find a proper waterproof case for my phone I would rather use that for everything. I dont like being tied to one device that is old in 6 months time. And damn the brackets to fit it on a bike is an extra cost to factor in. My mate has a garmin slimline one in his car and damn that thing is slower than my iphone 4 lol and its almost the same price as a phone
The RAM Aqua Boxes are pretty good for waterproof phone storage, used to have one:
http://www.rammount.com/Products/AQUABOX/tabid/125/Default.aspx
http://www.rammount.com/Products/AQUABOX/tabid/125/Default.aspx
maxheadwound
Member
nice find... I will keep an eye on this for when my gps packs up. Just had the service warning come up on the bike this morning mmmm and the car also needs to go in for a service.
maxheadwound
Member
Are you not suppose to be at work like the rest of us haha. Any takes on the FZ
Fallout-NL
Member
Yeah what gives? Haha.
Oh I'm back in the office now... but that country pub is only 10 minutes from my house! Easy run down for a bacon sandwich and a (non-alcoholic) drink. Got to be done when the sun is shining
FZS was sold on saturday, full asking price Booked in for some test rides at Triumph on friday morning, see if I could stomach selling the Bonneville
FZS was sold on saturday, full asking price
Booked in for some test rides at Triumph on friday morning, see if I could stomach selling the BonnevilleFallout-NL
Member
congrats, that's awesome. I bet those immaculate downpipes must've helped some.
Definitely, bloke couldn't find anything to knock me down on, offered me the full price there and then. I honestly believe it was the nicest looking foxeye FZS600 online at the time, everything else was either tatty or massive mileage. Worth the effort on the pipes for the £20 it cost
heh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8tqiKEwegg
I still wouldn't feel safe on such a heavy and big bike. Especially in normal traffic where you can't always plan your stops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8tqiKEwegg
I still wouldn't feel safe on such a heavy and big bike. Especially in normal traffic where you can't always plan your stops.
maxheadwound
Member
nice add.... i know how heavy that bike is and he is there to help pick it up lol
Fallout-NL
Member
Excellent, they complement each other nicely.
maxheadwound
Member
That is good news... now for the big day to see if you like the triple...
maxheadwound
Member
I couldn't resist cleaning it up, mental thing that I'm washing away the other owner haha.
And last but not least the two girls tucked away for the night.
Nice man... there is that truck... god damn it massive. You could hold a whole shop of bikes on the back lol
I couldn't resist cleaning it up, mental thing that I'm washing away the other owner haha.
And last but not least the two girls tucked away for the night.
Its great, proper KTM orange too!
I'm relatively short (5"7) and I could ride it easily with a lowered seat. Have to plan your stops carefully though, you're right. Not sure I'd want to pick it up
Hey thanks for the compliments I feel like I got a gem with the ktm.
As for the truck, I live in Alberta Canada..if you think that's a big truck you should see the other 75% of trucks on the road here, most times I'm dwarfed by some HD truck lifted 6 inches with massive off-road tires on it.
Alberta the land of lifted trucks sports cars and motorbikes with barely anything in between haha.
Can't wait to take it out this weekend and try it out!
As for the truck, I live in Alberta Canada..if you think that's a big truck you should see the other 75% of trucks on the road here, most times I'm dwarfed by some HD truck lifted 6 inches with massive off-road tires on it.
Alberta the land of lifted trucks sports cars and motorbikes with barely anything in between haha.
Can't wait to take it out this weekend and try it out!
maxheadwound
Member
Some eye candy as a build up for the Friday ride
Old
New
Old
New
Haa, don't tempt me. The dealer actually had a beautiful white '12 street 3 at the upper end of my budget in, but looks like it's sold, bah. I do actually prefer the headlights on the older bike, though
Dealer are currently doing 0% on the brand new bikes with a 50% deposit, but don't think I want to spend that much, will stick with used!
Wife has booked her CBT for next saturday, so god help me when she eventually gets a hold of my bikes
Dealer are currently doing 0% on the brand new bikes with a 50% deposit, but don't think I want to spend that much, will stick with used!
Wife has booked her CBT for next saturday, so god help me when she eventually gets a hold of my bikes