Motorbiking
"Biker" for me usually means motorbiking, though I also have a couple of mountain-bikes... see Trail Bike
My current motorbikes are a Honda CBR600RR ABS 2017 and a Kawasaki Ninja Z250SL.
Previously I have owned: Kawasaki ZX4-RR (Ninja anniversary edition), Honda CRF300 Rally, Honda CBR600RR 2005, Honda CBR600FW, Honda VF750F, Yamaha FJ600, Suzuki GSX750EX, Yamaha FJ750, Yamaha XJ900, Kawasaki Z750 and I passed my riding test on my Kawasaki KH250.
See also my Motorbiking web links
Two bikers set off twenty-one years ago to ride to New York the long way round the world from this street just off Shepherds Bush Green in West London. Actors Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor’s 115 day, 118,478 mile road trip and adventures inspired a generation of bikers and changed the shape of motorcycles on the roads.
Revisiting Bulwer Street today, it’s now one-way, the steel shutter remains but No. 27 is being refitted as an artists’ workshop; there is a parking at the end of the road for delivery scooters but I don’t see any large motorcycles. The front door of Lytton House next door is now painted the same blue that No. 27 was in the bikers’ time. No historical plaque at No. 27. Yet.
Read more: Bulwer St. W12: start of the “Long Way Round”, 2004
Gorges de l'Ardèche - Belvédère du Serre de Tourre
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Three day’s excellent touring in Provence, Dévoluy, Ardèche and the Cévennes plus the Pôle Méchanique circuit. My CBR600RR running great. Variety of roads, marvellous spring views and friendly, family-run hotels with fantastic food.
Checkout ride to the col de l’Espigoulier (723 m.) just out of Marseille. An afternoon in preparation for a couple of days’ riding in Provence and maybe the Alps. A reminder of the fun and rush of the high revs riding style. Rider and bike largely OK but a scare with the battery: I had to bump start after my photo stop at the top of the hill. Rode home OK, a session on the optimiser and the battery seems good, this one was new only last year. New boots wearing in nicely.
Shap Summit (426 m.)
Ride round the Dales and North Pennines in the fabulous spring weather. Firstly Shap Summit (426 m.), for that top of the world feeling; the A6 is also one of the great biking roads in Cumbria, big rides up and down and round.
Turning off to the pretty little roads around the River Mint between Kendal and Sedburgh, the Ninja Z250SL is good on these as well as holding its own on the big sweeping old-style A roads. Through Sedbergh to Garsdale and Garsdale Head (324 m.) then down Wensleydale, more and more bikers on the A684, another wonderful biking road that keeps on throwing thrills at the rider.
More photos: Shap - Garsdale - Hawes (Yorkshire Dales National Park)
Happy as I got a ride when I could in the sunshine, just the little Z250SL but it’s a nippy as ever. Had to put the battery back in it after winter, which is fiddly but at least the battery still works, which it didn't last year, even with the bike being in the garage attached to the house. Riding out from Keswick along the lakeside road up to Borrowdale Gates and back round the other side of Derwent Water with a fine view of Blencathra and Skiddaw. After everywhere I’ve been this winter, Cumbria still looks lovely when the sun is out like this. Though a lot of damage around from the winter storms and of course potholes. Glad I did it when I could as the clouds have been back all weekend.
More photos: First ride of 2025 on my Ninja Z250SL - Lake District National Park
Subcategories
Alps Biker 2016
I'm riding light for a week on the mountain roads of the Alps. No laptop, although I do have my SLR camera but photos will have to wait till I'm back in Marseille..
I left Marseille for a long ride north via the Col de la Croix Haute (1179 m.) to Saint-Gervais under Mont Blanc. A bit of rain towards the end of the day which cleaned the Provence dust off my white leathers and boots but didn't soak me through.
