One Week

Uinta Mountain Range

Day 7 – Can you believe it’s been one week and 4,189.3 km since I left home. I headed west from Lyman Wyoming this morning with lots of time for the short ride planned – time enough to stop and take a few photos today. The mountain climb on highway 80 was relatively gradual and I hadn’t realized how high up Lyman was until the temperature dropped. At 6000 feet above sea level it gets cold at night, I was glad I’d packed the under armors. I rode out of Lyman (fully dressed and with the heat on) surrounded by mountains – jagged rocky peaks to the left, older rounded peaks to the right, mountains in front, mountains behind … mountains as far as my eye could see. I finally felt like I was travelling through the mountains. The Yamaha Star is climbing to the top, effortlessly, so far.

Echo Canyon Train

 I stopped at Evanston for gas, air and a drive around town then it was back to highway 80. The countryside was desolate yet peacefully serene. There was nothing but the hills, the highway and the train track that paralleled my ride. It almost seemed untouched by the hands of man except for the ugliness every now and then of mounds of wrecked cars. I stopped at Echo Canyon, the red canyon, and climbed to the top of a hill to wait for the train (have you noticed a recurring theme here?) coming down the track. I had been planning on ways to avoid travelling across the salt flats until I spoke with the tourist information people who assured me that it really wouldn’t be all that hot today. So, I decided, I’m here now, I might as well see it all and headed directly to Salt Lake City and beyond.



Great Salt Lake

 The ride into the basin and Salt Lake City seemed like a sheer drop compared to the way the road had been winding up. Garmin Dan and I took a detour to avoid most of the city making sure to fill up with gas (as wisely advised by the tourist information man) and to remove any extra layers of clothing before heading toward the desert. Great Salt Lake smelled of the sea. I stopped for a picture of a train (surprise) rolling east on the track in front of the lake and then headed onto the flats. There was a blue heat haze across the evaporated lake but the breeze felt surprisingly cool. The desert turned to white as I entered the salt flats area. The salt flats were littered with tire tracks from would be racers right off the 80 and one young man, he and his Toyota still sitting there in the salt, mired to the hubcaps. There was a viewing area where I took a picture of the Star against the Salt Flats backdrop and ventured a step onto the salt. It reminded me of a frozen white lake.

I pulled into the campsite at the edge of the Flats behind a familiar RV hauling a 69 VW bug. This was the third night I’d seen the same vehicle and couldn’t help starting up a conversation with Gabe and Sandy from California on the home stretch of their cross country adventure.

Tonight, I’m camping in the desert, on one side the Salt Flats on the other the flashing casino lights all surrounded by rocky peaks ... oh, wait a minute. I think I hear a train!

The Star and The Salt Flats

It's not that I'm promoting cannibalism . . .

*** continued from previous post ***

So we took a short break before we entered, what I affectionately refer to as "The Great Brown".  It's that vast area of Eastern Washington beyond the Cascade mountains stretching almost to the city limits of Spokane.  Semi-arid.  Basically flat, empty, rocky, and save for a brief period in spring - brown.  Brown as an environmentalist's lawn in July.  Brown as a eco-friendly naturally-died macrame hanger.  Brown as a Charlie.  Here the freeway is straight, and flat, and goes on forever and ever and ever and a bit further than that.  The traffic was light and everyone was behaving themselves.

  

That is to say that the next 100 miles was, no other way to put it, dead-on boring.  Bang your head against the handlebars boring.  Nothing to do but set the cruise control on the Vision and practice my mad skills of riding without hands.  It's an amazing sight and one that never fails to get a reaction from the people on the road.  I'm not sure your Mom appreciates this particular talent.  She doesn't say anything, but I can infer much from the screaming and the pounding of fists and the raking of the nails on my exposed neck as I stretch my arms out to the side like wings and make airplane noises.

"Rrrrrrooooooooommmmmmmm!!!!   Zzzzrooooooooooommmmm!!!!"

"Eeeeeeeiiiiiieeeeeee!!!!", your Mother would respond. Bam.  Bam. Bambambambambambambambam!  

"Whhooooooosssssshhhhhhhh!!!"  "VvvvvvvrrrrrrrooooooooommMMMMM!!!"

"Aaaiiieeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!"  Bambambambambambambam.

So as you can see, we found a way to entertain ourselves.  Remember Amber, the secret to life is making your own joy no matter what the situation.

            We finally reach the town of Ritzville, where we will leave our eastern heading and turn north towards Canada.  Here we will pull off the "slab", as the freeway is referred to in the biking community, to give ourselves a much needed break and a bite to eat.  For some reason, my upper back and neck was a little sore and Mom said her arms and fists were killing her.  You just never know what muscles you use when you ride.  We saw a sign that proclaimed - and quite succiently I thought - "EATS!"  This was the place for us.  I appreciate advertising that doesn't beat around the bush.  There was no mystery here.  No 'TJ McDoolde Hackers'.  No 'Peach Tree', which, contrary to its name offers neither peaches NOR trees on its menu.  Or 'Cannibal Jacks' which I won't even get into here but take my word was quite a disappointment.  And despite what my lawyer said, I still think is open to a lawsuit for false advertising.  Plus, the staff is quite testy and uncooperative. 

*** the journey continues tomorrow ***

Volcanoes of DOOM

*** continued from previous post  ***


Thankfully, that was the last incident before we pointed our metal steed over Chinook pass. Ah, Chinook. We are truly fortunate to reside at the base of the Cascades with their miles of great riding roads and spectacular views. Well, unless you count that whole "You're sitting at the bottom of an active volcano - an ACTIVE volcano for God's sakes!" thingee. Wimps and wusses one and all.

Personally I believe thumbing your nose at nature adds to the excitement of living here. I mean, seriously - how many people have this conversation several times a week?

"Mt. Rainier sure is beautiful today."

"Why yes it is. Absolutely gorgeous. I never grow tired of the view. The sunlight on the glaciers - just stunning!"

"That it is It’s like an old friend that always there to greet you."

* Insert Long pause*

"Of course, you know that it could blow any second, and we would have no chance at escape. It would be certain death from the pyroclastic mud flows raging from the melting glaciers."

"Oh I know! We would be screwed! No chance to run."

"Yep screwed. Dead in minutes. So . . . you going to the Daniel's party this weekend?"

Plus, and you know this because you lived it, how many kids get to put together a 'Volcano Emergency Kit' for school every year? That was always a little creepy. Oh, not the peanut-butter crackers or the juice boxes, those are fine. No, it was the 'sealed note' that we, as parents had to write you every year to place in your bag in the unlikely event that you would, at some point, need comforting. I mean really, what can you say as a future dead person to your living child? We never let you peek, but I guess that now that you're all hoity-toity and Naval I can tell you now what we wrote in those letters. I can't remember exactly, so I'm paraphrasing here, but it was along the lines of, 'Hi! We're dead. Don't forget to brush your teeth.', or something like that.

Good thing you never had to use that, huh? Couldn't have been easy for you though. Remember that one special day in third-grade when they would sit you down and explain to you what a volcano was and what volcanoes did - chock full of useful charts and maps and pictures of Mt. St. Helens and Pompeii - and then walked you over to the window and pointed to this huge time-bomb ticking on our horizon? I always knew when they had reached that point in the academic year. It wasn't hard to discerne. Watching a whole herd of eight-year-olds walk out of the class teary-eyed, shell-shocked, and trembling - well, it was obvious. Either they had just had the 'Volcano Talk' or Jimmy had finally choked to death eating the paste. And we all know how the class felt about Jimmy. Wanker.

Anyway, back to our trip.


*** the journey continues tomorrow

I'm not promoting drinking, BUT . . .

*** continued from previous post  ***


Mom immediately wanted to pull over and kill the nice young lady. I felt it was too early in the trip for assault, plenty of time for that later. So I hit the throttle. The truck behind us followed suit. We were now cruising a good 10 mph over the posted speed limit. (Shhhh. . .don't tell the boys in blue.) Then it hit me; it was then I realized the girl behind us was an "obstacle driver". What is that you may ask? Why an 'obstacle driver' is a person that gets on the road, and drives until they encounter another car. That car then becomes an "obstacle" for them. You are in their way. If you pull over, or wave them around you, they will drive up and tailgate the next car in line. We are all just window dressing to their lives. We are all obstacles to their goals.

Which didn't matter to me - I couldn't care less about her day-to-day habits. Right now she was tailgating and putting our lives at risk. Mom was twisting in her seat, turning around and giving her the 'stink eye'. Your Mother's 'stink-eye' normally causes strong men to crumble like greasy street-punks on the witness stand. There was a problem here though, the girl would have had to been paying attention to SEE the stink-eye.

Mom leaned forward and shouted, "I'm going to throw pennies at her windshield in about 2 seconds!"

You know your Mom. She would do it. I suppose I should have found some joy in that she wanted to throw pennies instead of spark plugs. Or a chair. But I didn't. It's a wonder I've kept her out of prison as long as I have.

"No you're not," I said, with what I hoped was an appropriate amount of authority in my voice.

"She's going to run into the back of us! She can't be more than 3 feet away!"

I looked for a place to pull over, but the Washington State Department of Transportation, in their far-sighted wisdom, had decided that the shoulders of the road were terribly, terribly passe', and replaced them with a bare six inches of tarmac and huge guard rails. Really huge. Really huge and really shiny guard rails that screamed 'Don't touch me our I will fudge you up!'. So I couldn't have pulled over had I wanted. And, as the hip-cats on the Netz say, do want! There was simply no where to go even if I found that we had spontaneously combusted and figured it was a fine time for a wienie roast.

I was fast running out of options. Speeding up hadn't helped. There were no side roads on this stretch of highway, nothing but aforementioned wavy strips of aluminum death.

What to do? Well, I did the only thing I could do - I became drunk.

I've hinted at the maneuverability of the Vision, buy you have no idea. You can swerve and swoop the beast like a fighter jet, and snap her back in a straight line before you can say . . . you can say. . . well, something very short and very witty. So that's what I did. I sped up, and began to weave my baby around in the lane, then slowed, sped up, weaved. Sort of like the directions on a bottle of shampoo. Weave. Speed. Repeat. It wasn't dangerous, but it LOOKED dangerous and that was the point. Oddly enough, the girl backed off. Way off. Mission accomplished. No doubt she was now dialing 911, reporting the 'dangerous maniac' on the bike. I hoped so. Those field tests on a cane are a hoot.

"Thank you," Mom said as she leaned forward with her face-shield raised.

"No problem sweetie," I replied craning my neck but keeping my eyes on the road.

*** the journey continues tomorrow

Put the damn cell phone DOWN!!

*** continued from previous post  ***


And with a quick kiss before putting on our helmets, I started the engine, brought the bike up off the kickstand, (much more stable after yesterday's mishap), and gave your Mom the signal that it would be alright to climb into the back seat.

There are certain rules you follow when riding 2-up. Waiting for the driver, (or Pilot as we are referred to in the Victory Vision community), to tell you it's okay to climb on board is primary, you don't want your Pilot to be caught unawares. That's how broken arms happen. And yelling.

I hadn't told your Mother, but I was a smidge nervous about putting a twist to the throttle and riding away. The Vision is hands-down the best bike I've ever owned, she has the comfort of a big touring machine coupled with the speed and agility of a sports bike. But we were seriously testing her load capabilities. So I eased off the clutch and slowly cruised down the driveway. The real test would be pulling out on the road. I would get a good feel, very quickly, for how this trip was going to proceed.

With a bit of a catch in my throat I cruised down our driveway, eased out onto the arterial, and gave her a bit more throttle. She pulled straight and true. I was actually amazed to find that the bike handled very, very well. Once again I marveled at this machine, this blending of artistry and petrochemical explosions all rolled into a ballerina of the blacktop. I couldn't tell a difference between loaded and unloaded as we hit the curves that led from our house to the main highway. Yay! This was going to be fun!

One more test to go. I eased up to the stop sign at the intersection and signaled right. Would the bike be top-heavy? Would it be hard to handle at stop lights and low speed maneuvers? The quick answer was no - once again I could tell little difference. Good! My last hesitation put to rest, I looked both ways, and with a gentle pull of torque put the tires on the path that we would follow for the next 120 miles or so. It felt good.

Our trip was now properly underway.

Whereupon, as if on cue, a young girl on a cell phone and in a truck big enough to have Mini-Coopers stuck in its grill without noticing, materialized out of nowhere, roared up on us, and proceeded to tailgate. I mean really tailgate. Damn, that is not the way I wanted to start this trip. Young ladies on cellphones, or anyone on a cellphone for that matter, is a major hazard. Sight all the statistics you want, but 9 out of 10 times if we have a problem with a car, it will be someone yakking on a phone.

*** the journey continues tomorrow

Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run - Old Bikes Hit the Road

As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, The Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run has begun. This is a coast-to-coast run of pre-1916 motorcycles starting from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and ending in Santa Monica, California. Dates for the run are September 10-26, 2010. Check out the Cannonball Run website for everything you might want to know about this historic run. (I've noticed that the website can be slow to load or even produce dreaded Internal Server Errors.)

To give you a flavor for what the bikes look like and sound like and how enthusiastic their riders are, I've listed five videos of interviews with Cannonball riders:

• #44 Jon Szalay - 1911 H-D 7A


• #16 Bill Campbell - 1915 H-D Twin


• #15 Buzz Kanter - 1915 H-D Twin


• #47 Ron Mattson - 1915 Indian F-head V-twin


• #89 Cristine Sommer-Simmons - 1915 H-D 11-J

Keep checking the Cannonball Run website for daily updates. Hopefully, we may see some coverage of this event on TV.

Lincoln highway and getting ready for my maiden voyage . . .

I see I've been kick-started right into my first blog, and I'm a newby at this for sure - so please be patient (and send your tips please, please, please) as I try to figure out how to blog and get ready for my first solo motorcyle tour at the same time (yikes, talk about a learning curve). Of course I'm hoping for an audience of thousands but realistically expect this will be a place for my friends and family to follow my journey no matter how crazy they think I am.

At the end of school, yes, I'm a kindergarten teacher, I'm packing the VStar and heading west to Ohio where I'll pick up the Lincoln highway for a bit as I head back east to the coast up to what we Canadians call "The Island" and then home. It's not my first motorcycle tour - I've ridden to Jackson Hole Wyoming(ask me about it)and to New Orleans(did I mention I live in Ontario, Canada?), but this is the first time on my own and on my "prissy" little Yamaha VStar 650 Custom.

In all honesty, I'm a grandmother now (can't believe I just admitted that to the whole world) and this blog is just my way of writing down where I've been so I remember it tomorrow . . . I'd love to hear from you. I'm on the road July 2.

1987 Yamaha FZX 750 - Motorcycle Touring

1987 Yamaha FZX 750 - Motorcycle Touring. Yamaha FZX 750 Wallpaper, Yamaha FZX 750Posters, Yamaha FZX 750 Pictures.

Suzuki Thunder 250 Modification

Suzuki Thunder 250 Modification - Custom Suzuki Thunder. Motorcycle Touring

All motor design modifications here. Like yamaha R6, Yamaha Vixion, yamaha scorpio, yamaha FZ, yamaha R1, yamaha mio, suzuki thunder, suzuki satria, honda tiger, honda CBR etc.

Motorcycle head lamp variations

Thunder 250 specification modifications are:

KALIPER front: Brembo 4 piston Brembo master
KALIPER back: Nissin 2 piston Nissin brake master
Front disc: 300 mm
Cakarm back: 240 mm
Sok fronts: GSXR400 Showa
Sok back: Showa
Swing-arm: Pro-arm VFR 400
Footstep: Copy of the Honda CBR400
Front rim: Enkei 3:50 x17
Front tires: Pireli 120/60-17
Rear rim: Enkei 4:50 x18
Rear tires: Pireli 160/60-17
Handlebar: Kawasaki Ninja, Yamaha FZR Raiser
Closed tank: Kawak Ninja
Deltaboks: Fiberglass
Fairing: Acerbis
Speedometer: Suzuki Bandit
Headlights: Acerbis
Windshield: Acerbis
Body rear: JMS Design
Stirrup back: Suzuki Thunder
Taillights: Honda CBR150
Hood: JMS Design

Modification of the single arm Suzuki Thunder

Modification Suzuki Thunder Like Aprilia RS 125

Modification Suzuki Thunder Like Aprilia RS 125

Suzuki Thunder 125cc lansiran 2004 this was already out of shape as the original form. With the use of waste legs APRILIA RS 125 can change the look of the original Thundie suzie be the alias of the feminine to masculine. According to the owner, thunder weakness in the sector has a very visible foot small or virtually all forms that are not proportional, "was plump bony legs".

The choices are the feet of APRILIA RS125. besides the form of a futuristic and very luxurious look, this usage there is also another reason that is "light". Due to the foot of this cesspool was using aluminum alloy materials as base materials. Unlike the feet of local production of the majority still use the iron as a material. This usage does not automatically make the Thunder, which caused has only a relatively small cc. This result could thunder run there here, chatter is now a part of the family in Jakarta Thunder Motor Club (JTMC).

Use of any tire that is already fairly large 140 x 70 x17 "to measure the back with a bandage made in the name of Dunlop Arrowmax sakura country. Meanwhile, the front tires wrapped wheel size 110 x 80 x 17 ". But the use of feet is pretty big. A little help with the replacement of the Pilot & mainjet racing and a racing clutch and canvas with RMG brand, this change is felt by rider enough, which is also supported by the front brakes are already adjustable

While self-telescopic front has not been changed again, but with upside down Aprilia too. With the front discs have not been on the left again but moving on the right. Trus the question arises, how to read the speedometer thunder, if the disc had changed places, the automatic location of teeth follow-up nanasnya changed?. For this case the owner had to replace the reader system speed (speedometer) with digital rather than analog or needle system. By changing the digital speedometer which happened to use Speedo from Suzuki Satria F 150, also changed the location of reading. Not anymore with pineapple teeth in the front wheel speed sensor but placed in the front gear. This bike looks so futuristic and sophisticated added.

Meanwhile, in terms of clothing, this thundie not too many changes, only the headlamp which has been replaced with a headlamp also satria F150, Aprilia spakboard Diablo, airscope tiger and custom fiber airscope engines, and equally important is mounted behind breket order to carry while touring. Breket installation also has a reason, in addition to covering the peculiarities of the hind legs longer than the body and also supports the concept of a themed motorcycle Street and touring fighter, which aims to come on the streets and taken in as well touring monggo invited.

This manufacturing process takes about 2 months and ate a pretty good budget but was carried off her satisfaction with the success of this bike as a motorcycle on display at the Suzuki stand at Pekan Raya Jakarta (PRJ). Want to see the look of this RS125 Suzuki Thunder on stage

Motorcycle touring

Motorcycle Route Planning

Another great tool for planning your motorcycle trips is Google maps.
It's a free service and here I am using it to plan out a five day trip down to Kalispel Montana, Coeur D'Alene Idaho and points beyond.
We may or may not follow the route as planned out but gives us a general idea of where we want to go and how to get there. It also has the the benefit of telling you the mileage and time involved in the journey.

The days of pouring over paper maps is over and one doesn't have to go out and buy the latest in GPS technology to find your way around the world.

Logan Pass-Going to the Sun Highway

[Click on pictures for full size version]

Ian, Darcy and I met up at Grants house in Calgary and started our five day-three-state-two province tour which would include Logans Pass, also known as "The Going To The Sun Highway".

With fresh faces and no lasting hang overs, we assembled the packed and ready bikes and crew for the obligatory line-up and photo op. Seems to be some one missing, never mind he is taking the photo.


We burned a lot of rubber heading south out of Calgary on Highway 2 heading for our lunch stop at Fort MacLeod. I held the big Silverwing back and took up the rear riding position as I expected to have to stop and pick up Yamaha and Harley parts along the way.

Nanton was our first breather stop where we could stretch our legs, scratch our butts and take a picture of an airplane on a stick.

After crossing into Montana, which has some of the best motorcycle roads on earth, we stopped to load the bikes with cheap beer, gas and smokes.

We entered Waterton National Park from the eastern side, stopped and had another photo op, after paying the $12.00 entry fee. I must have intimidated the attendant at the gate as he over charged me outrageously and then had to refund me twice.
The first few miles of the park are rather tame, but a scenic ride none the less.

This stopping point over looking the lake is your first hint of what is to come.

Lots of curves and twister's along the way but the amount of traffic thru the park curtails any canyon carving.

The road that was first blasted thru the mountains in the thirties slowly descends along some sheer cliffs and even the local mountain goats get nervous.

Lots of bike traffic carving its way past the tunnels and waterfalls along the route. Even if you had the road to yourself you would be going slow gawking at the marvelous scenery.

Lots of little pull offs to take a peek over the edge and shoot some pics.

Had a little construction delay that only amounted to about 10 minutes. Had to curtail my nasty smoking habit as there was a fire ban on with a no smoking in the park policy and the cruiser behind us looked ready to enforce the law.

Even the construction stopping spots offer up a great view. They were rebuilding some of the retaining walls.

Logans Pass has to be one of the most scenic rides you will find anywhere, with deep gorges and towering mountains.

After the pass and a night in Kalispel, we headed west towards Libby and Bonners Ferry, Idaho where we consulted the map and looked for the most scenic route.

Great stopping spots along the Thompson Lakes region on Highway 2, Montana.

North of Newport Washington where we found a great little road that took us back up to Canada. Highway 41 north is not a very heavily used road but it was a surprise to us as what a great motorcycle road it turned out to be, if you get the chance check it out.

We wimped out when we made it to Fernie B.C. and stayed in a motel for the night rather than taking a camping spot. In the morning a photo op presented itself and we indulged.




After getting back into Canada the ride to Creston B.C. was another great motorcycle road.

Last day heading home we stopped for a break, some were reluctant to come this route through the Crowsnest Pass as the last time we were thru here in September we were stopped two days in a motel with no power because of an early snow storm. Thankfully this year there was no snow and we made it through.

Just short of Longview Alberta we stopped to suit up as it had been threatening to rain and the low dark clouds ahead had lots of rain in them. We ended up riding the last two hundred miles home in a steady down pour.

2009 Kawasaki Vulcan VN1700 Voyager video

Just posted the following motorcycle video up on www.YouTube.com and www.inter-bike.co.uk of the 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan VN1700 Voyage at the 2008 Carole Nash International Motorcycle and Scooter Show.



The world's first full dress Japanese V-twin tourer featuring belt drive, six speed gearbox and electronic throttle valve system.
The Kawasaki VN1700 Voyager has all the necessities for long distance motorcycle touring.

Ride safe.

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Kootenay Run 2008

Only had time for five day run this year to test out the new bike, so Jane and Mike from Castor plus myself decided to challenge the Kaslo-Nakusp Highway.

Mike and Jane climbing the first hills and challenging some of the first curves out of Kaslo

The weather was great and the traffic light on this great motorcycle road.
Met lots of bikers on the roads, Ferries and campgrounds including a couple of Irishmen who were on a three week riding holiday picking up their rental bikes in Vancouver and then sampling some of Canada's best motorcycle roads.

Simon and Kieran

Also met a Valkyrie rider from Calgary named Peter and his wife who trailered their bike out behind a camper van and then just did the roads of their choice[best of both worlds]. Great talking about bikes with other riders and listening to their experiences and about their travels. Sorry Peter I forgot to take a pic of you guys and your bike.

Mike on his Crotch rocket

We stopped often to enjoy the view and take some snaps of the scenery, Mike and I practised our riding style and tried to get a motorcycle magazine type shot of ourselves on the bike, pictures just don't do this road justice. I don't think you can find a road anywhere in the world that has as many curves and twister's as this one.

The Coffee gang at "Corner Gas"

During a small cloud burst I ducked under this overhang at a small gas station to get out of the rain, Mike and Jane wisely stopped earlier to suit up in their rain gear. This dedicated bunch of friendly guys gathered here every day to drink their coffee and watch the motorcycle squids go by, often yelling out whether it was a Harley or a crotch-rocket. They must of seen a million bikes go by their front door all summer long. They welcomed me into the club and were quite gracious about sharing the overhang with me.

Are these tables for anyone?

No fast food along this route but some nice friendly small cafes and Bistros to tie on the feed bag and take a respite from the road.

Ferry Rides are a highlight of the trip

One of the many highlights of this route are the free ferries along the way crossing two different lakes and if you choose to go west you can even work in a third ferry on the way to Vernon.

This is the route we were on and basically all the fun begins at Revelstoke as you head south on Highway 6 as the traffic thins out and the curves start to bend a little more and the road just gets better and better as you go. When you get to Creston you are back in the tourist zone with all of the traffic.

Ride the Picos Mountains ona Royal Enfield

Read the latest Motorcycle Touring Feature article with loads of stunning pictures on www.inter-bike.co.uk. Journalist Ian Kerr's motorcycle adventure holiday, riding the fantastic roads in the Picos mountains of Northern Spain and along the Asturian coastline on a Royal Enfield with motorcycle holiday providers Bike Astur.

Ride safe

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Motorcycle Touring - Take a Long Trip on Your Motorcycle

The dictionary defines a tour as "a journey for business, pleasure or education often involving a series of stops and ending at the starting point." Thus a tour is a complete circuit.

Motorcycle touring has always been a part of motorcycling. Early riders wanted to jump on their motorcycles and ride to see what was over the next hill. Of course the roads weren't too good in those days and travel could be slow. Bill Stermer in his book, Motorcycle Touring and Travel: A Handbook of Travel by Motorcycle, says:

"The bike on which most people choose to tour tends to be the one they own at the time."

This was certainly true early on before the advent of the heavyweight touring motorcycles of the last twenty-five years. The introduction of the Honda Gold Wing has changed all that. Read more.