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in reply to: Show us your Airhead #8320
They are very close to being airheads, as long as it's down hill. The improved version can go up hill under its own steam :-).
in reply to: Muriwai Beach #8408Oh, welcome to the adventure community, Des. You did extremely well and were quite brave to tackle the beach on your bike. I very much enjoyed reading your report. Although I have done rides on sand I prefer to stay off the beach because of the salt. It looks like you gave it a good wash, so yu should be ok. There is a special product available that boaties use to clean their boats. You could use it on the bike. However, I have no idea what it is called.The much talked about F800GS should be a capable bike. It will be interesting what they will base the styling on, somehow I think it won't look anything like the R1200GS.Get yourself a little 250 for excursions like this, it would be a safer option and perhaps more enjoyable. Alex
in reply to: Show us your Airhead #8314This sounds like. You show me yours and I'll show you mine. Phil
No, not at all. I've showed you mine, now show me yours. The airhead guys seem to be very protective of their rides, they probably spend too much time cleaning them, so they rarely get to see daylight.
in reply to: Great Motorcycle Books #8376Just got a tip from a friend.The Adventure Motorcycling Handbook
available at Dymocks, my next buy.in reply to: Hawkes Bay and Dannevirke Gravel Ride 8/09/07 #8361Hi Scott,enjoy your ride. You live in the wrong part of the the country for me :-). I am sure we'll meet on day on one of the rides. Cheers,Alex
in reply to: Bluetooth Intercom #8218Enjoy sunny Africa :-). The system looks good. If it performs as promised it will be a hassle free option for bike communication. Let us know how you get on.
in reply to: New Regalia Clothing #5997September newsletter, page 14.T shirt { very special! } up to size XXL. So the club is catering only for selective members then 😕 😕
Only little people need apply 👿 Tharon, you are a man and a half, they just don't make them big enough. If you want one, send me a shirt and I'll organize the rest for you.
in reply to: Leslie and Ingel’s Trip to Europe #7895Hello AllA few more pic's via web site.Cheers Lesley and Ingel Journey’s EndNow we have come to the end of our 2 new tyres, 1 full bike service, 1 new back rest, 1 new helmet, 1 new jacket, 2 new west suits, 1 new camp chair, countless laughs, some cross words, many exasperating moments, some camping inventiveness, lots of fun, lots of sights, lots of memories and just over 19 000 km trip, we have some observations to make. The motorway systems are superb. The scenery is supreme. The people are interesting. Disappointments: - not enough time, not enough space, missing München and Pilatus (both times we were in Luzern to do the Pilatus trio it was pouring with rain). Changing these disappointments to positives: - knowing which places to return to, knowing what and what not to take, having to go back to München and Pilatus. Highlights: - Prague, Lake Bled, Pompeii, Nürburgring, BMW rally, meeting family and friends, most of the people we met. Lowlights: - the weather (at times), some of the people we met. Pet hates: - drivers in most countries entering the motorway system at on-ramps very slowly instead of ‘merging like a zip’; poor road surfaces; toilets without toilet paper. Pet loves: - courteous truck drivers; the food, the beer, the beer and the beer. The people: - The Dutch, French, Italian and German campers do not like the English; the Dutch, French, Italian and English do not like the Germans; The French, Italian, German and English do not like the Dutch; the Dutch, French, German and English do not like the Italians. Our impressions from those we met in the campgrounds and the towns: - the English were the least friendly; the Germans were the most reserved; the Italians were the loudest; the French ignored us; the young Kiwis did not want to know us; the young Australians were chatty; the Australians and Kiwis our age wanted to chat and share experiences and travel tips; the Dutch (after a warming up period) were the friendliest. The Dutch are the most prolific in numbers camping outside of their own country.All we have spoken to are astounded at where we are from and have wondered why we are so far from our own beautiful country. We hope we have left them with the impression that New Zealanders are friendly people and that we think their countries are beautiful as well. Campgrounds varied in cleanliness and facilities, some we would definitely not return to e.g. Camping West Vienna and Camping Baldy, Agde, France. The further east we went the cheaper the shopping, petrol, entrance fees and camping were, without compromising quality. Camping Bled in Bled, Slovenia and the Goldene Meile in Remagen, Germany were the pick of all of them. Camping Bled cleaned the toilet block 6 times a day. One major component that made it great was catching up with family and friends. Mine in France and Holland, Ingel’s in the Netherlands and Alex and Gerda’s in Germany. Thank you all for making us so welcome and showing us such wonderful hospitality! We now know how much we appreciate the ‘no-smoking in public places’ law in New Zealand and now in England. Everyone smokes everywhere here. We are constantly amazed at the number and age of people smoking. It is really noticeable and it is not nice to have smoke blown across your food in restaurants. As a student of linguistics I have been fascinated at the use of language. A Dutch boy conversing with a Russian in English, Germans talking English to Italians, Spanish people using English with the Austrians. English is often the first language a lot of people use and this is not due to America the super power, despite what the young Californian boy may think. Sign language is also great for getting messages across and has helped us out on many occasions. I am also fascinated with crossing the borders and the proximity of countries. This, I guess, is having come from an island nation. I love the way we can change 2-3 countries in a matter of hours. The language changes, the food (some dishes), the style of architecture and the physical appearance of the people also. It is delightful. I love the way in Italy the road signs and town names are written in both Italian and German near the Austrian border and in Switzerland they are written in German near the Austrian and German borders but in French closer to France. Lovely. Road signs in Slovakia were written in English as well. “Stop” is a common road sign in all the countries we have visited. My biggest disappointment has been not having friends or family actually travelling with us to share all the highs and lows, all the laughs and frustrations, all the sights and good times. However, I thank those of you who took the time to comment on my tomes indicating you enjoyed reading about where we have been and what we have seen. If it has interested you, then that was my aim; if it has inspired any of you to travel, then well done; but if you just simply enjoyed travelling from your computer chair, then I have been very happy to have you along with us for the ride. Thanks go to our families in New Zealand for letting us go and follow our dream. This was an experience not to be missed and one to be repeated. However, we have missed you all greatly and we have really enjoyed the phone conversations with parents, children, grandchildren, brothers and uncles. Final thanks to Ingel for negotiating every twist and turn, every narrow street, every bump in the road, every crazy driver (1 or 2), every crazy motor scooterist (1 or 200), every wrong turn, every detour, every roadworks to get us safely through this journey.
in reply to: BMWOR AKL Lunch Ride to Tuakau (September 2) #7868Good ride today, thanks for the company. Those sandwiches were amazing. Thanks to Dave for pointing out that the races were on, so we took some of that in as well.
in reply to: Spark Plugs #8339Do you have a full tool set? That would include a lead puller(plastic clamp that lets you grip the lead plug) and the socket to get the plug out.
in reply to: Scott was right – a very special weekend #8284Alex we can make it happen.CheersJG
Please let me know when the next opportunity is, hopefully during a term break or long weekend. I have had this one on my list for a while now.Alex
in reply to: Leslie and Ingel’s Trip to Europe #789429/08/07Hello AllHere is the latest update.Cheers Lesley and IngelA friend emailed me asking about prices of things so for those who are interested here goes. The € is about NZ$1.90 at the moment for those who want to convert. Not sure of the pound conversion.The ferry crossing over here, once we had found a company who believed a bike could tow a trailer, was £56. We were told we could not book a return trip “we don’t book that far in advance and the prices are variable and will change”!! So this week when we went on line to book, Ingel again had difficulty finding someone who would book a trailer and bike but we are booked to return to England and the price this time is, wait for it………..£130!!!!! Petrol was cheapest in Spain and Andorra being only €1,08 and €0,99 for 98 octane respectively. In Slovenia it was €1,10. Austria was the dearest we paid being €1,54. Tolls were the most expensive in Spain, we paid €10.70 for about 100km and then it seemed we paid for every little tunnel or bridge we went through or over. Travelling up to Riberac from Agde in the south of France we paid just over €30 for about 450km. The run back from Perpignan to Calais will be expensive as the whole way will be on toll roads because we need to do the trip in 36hrs. In Switzerland we paid a one off fee of €55 which entitles us to ride there towing our trailer for the whole of 2007. In Austria we only paid €4.50 for 10 days for a motorbike regardless of having the trailer and another €8 for using the Brenner tunnel. Italy we were charged as a car towing a trailer because we didn’t fit their system. The roads on which we paid tolls were excellent but Ingel thinks they should use some of the toll money to do up the non toll roads, particularly in France, Spain and Italy. Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and Slovenia do not charge tolls on any roads. Slovakia charges for toll roads but we did not use any so have no idea of the cost.We stayed 5 nights in hotels with prices as follows:- Rouen, France €50, Innsbrück €72 including breakfast, Geneva (Ibis) €62 and Orleans €62 as well for Ibis.Campgrounds ranged from €14,50 in France before the season started to €27,50 in Florence in low season as well. Bled was the best for the cheapest, €18,20, as it was high season and included unlimited free wi-fi. They also had the best stocked camp shop and extremely cheap. All camp grounds charged us for our bike and 2 in Germany charged for showers. Most provided electricity for a fee of about €3 (average) per day, some put the electricity charge in with the tent and people fee and all charged a tourist tax of about €0,60 per day. Everywhere charged for the washing machines and driers – between €4 and €5,50 each time. We ate very well every night whether we cooked or ate out. Meals at restaurants for the two of us plus beer and usually a dessert were between €25 and €30. Generally mains at restaurants did not include salads or vegetables, these were purchased as extras. We were not disappointed with any of the meals, they were all delicious. We tried local foods and enjoyed. Thank you Sonja for telling me what we ate in Bled! The breads, pastries, cold meats and cheeses were outstanding. I loved cheese shopping with Gundel in Kiβlegg. The fruit tarts in jelly or custard in a pastry case, large and small, were my downfall as were all the different breads. Thanks to Werner for his early morning trek to the bakerei to buy many different types for our breakfast. I loved the markets where we bought fermiers’ rotisserie chickens and the stalls selling cheeses, cold meats, spices and seafood were a treat to peruse, see the photos. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of the spices stall at the markets in Riberac but I did stand there for some minutes savouring all the different smells from the many spices displayed in open sacks or bags, mmmmmmmmm. We ate very well when we cooked for ourselves spending about €8-€12 for the two of us at supermarkets. This included mains, salads, potatoes/rice/spaghetti, desserts and drinks. Meat, other than locally grown, could be expensive. The restaurant at the resort proudly states the beef is ‘originale per Allemagne’ – from Germany (to avoid mad cow disease?). Many foods are universal and we were able to buy seasoned rices as we have at home, just by looking at the pictures. Shopping for food and other groceries was a favourite past time of mine as I loved looking to see what they had and working out from the packets how to cook it. Fruit and vegetables were very fresh and delicious. Internet varied in price as well. I think I have said the further east we went the better the prices, well, the same applies to the internet. In France and Germany we paid €5 - €6 at camp grounds, except in Potsdam near Berlin it was €2 for the whole day; in Italy at the campground we paid €6 and in the town we paid €2 per hour. In Prague, Bled, Canet en Roussilon wifi was free at the camps and resort. In the south of France we paid €0,80 for 30 mins in Montpellier and €2 for 30 mins in Agde. Now for the most important as far as Ingel is concerned, BEER, the cheapest was €0,26 for 330ml in a supermarket in Agde, south France and the dearest was €2,70 for the same size in the camp in Venice. The price didn’t ever stop him as it was all yum and all worth it.One of the things I missed was being able to buy and read books or newspapers in English. We were able to buy 2 papers in the South of France – one in Monaco and one in Agde so had a bit of news. I took 4 books with me and when Ingel came back to Dover for the insurance run he bought me 2 more and then I found an English book stall at the markets in Riberac so that kept me going. Friends we made in Florence we met again in Venice and they found an English book store in the little back streets of Venice so they stocked up and gave me a spare as well. We had set a budget and only 2 days did we hit that limit, all other days we were under the budget and therefore we came back with quite a bit of money in our pockets. Being under budget was of course helped by the fact that we were travelling on a bike with a very full trailer so not a lot of room for purchases. We did however post some souvenirs back to London and we managed to squash another few small ones in to the bags.
in reply to: Adventure seat conversion. #8332You should try to swap with someone, that would take care of the parts situation.
in reply to: New Regalia Clothing #5994You could be the new regalia person. It will only come to an end if nobody can be bothered to do it.
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