LEJoG bimble on an airhead (mostly)

[Devon]

I promised myself a ride from Lands End to John o Groats this year. I had been meaning to do the trip for a few years now but never seemed to get around to it. To make it even more interesting I decided to do the ride on a Classic Norton Rotary. Trouble was, the bike is 21 years old and had been kept as a museum peice having covered less than 4000 miles from new before I acquired it. I put another 500 miles on it and I thought it was up to the job: unfortunately it wasn't.
Anyway, I had very little work on for the week and the weather forecast, on Friday, was good for the whole of the UK so I decided to do the trip starting Sunday 11th May.

I left my home town of Bideford at 8am and headed to Lands End. The first 100 miles was fine but when I refuelled just before Land End the bike's engine flooded and was difficult to start. I got to Lands End at 10.30, took the obligatory pics and headed back up the Atlantic HighWay. After another 125 miles the bike was still not running right. I had hoped giving the bike a good run would sort it but when I stopped 10 miles past my home, the bike stopped and lost all its electrics

I guess I was lucky that the bike packed up so close to home. Just as lucky, my Father in Law was home and could collect me and the bike back home.

 

[Devon]

Once back home, I tried to find the electrical fault on the Norton but had no luck. Rather than abandon the ride I decided to take my 800 airhead instead .
I had intended to leave the Atlantic HighWay at Barnstaple and take the coast road, through Lynmouth, Minehead on to Bridgwater to the M5. But as I had arranged to stay with friends in the Forrest of Dean with a view to a night out and a few beers, I saved time by going up the Atlantic HighWay to the M5 and across the Severn bridge to Chepstow. I managed to get back a bit of time, so from Chepstow, I went up to Monmouth past the Tintern Abbey and cut back to Park End to get to my friend's house.
I had covered 225 miles on the Norton before it broke down and another 135 on the airhead so a total of 360 miles.
The next day I followed the Marches along the English/Welsh border to Ironbridge. Great roads and glorious sunshine.

 

[Devon]

After leaving Ironbridge at about 11.30am I used main roads to get to Otley near Leeds. I know an old boy called Colin Pitt in Otley who renovates classic cars and lorries. I spent a couple of hours with Colin and had a look around his workshop. The vehicles come out of Colin's workshop often in better condition than the day they originally left the factory.
From Otley, I headed towards Skipton, then north over the moors (third pic)to Aysgarth: again fantastic scenary but a little bit of haze on the moors. After Aysgarth I took the Leyburn road and then north, up the A1 and stayed the night at Ponteland above Newcastle. Total miles for Monday was 375 miles.

 

[Devon]

Had a Scottish breakfast at the B and B, then headed towards Jedburgh on the A696/A68. I came down this road last summer and I was impressed then, even in heavy rain and gales, with the scenary: Its even better in the dry.
I took the A68 to Edinburgh, M90 onto the A9. Up to Inverness than I went north on the A836 (classic single track road with passing places) to Tongue. The A836 then goes east towards John o Groats. Made JoG at 8pm in glorious sunshine again. 420 miles for the day.

Pic 1 is Scottish border. Pic 2 is the battle field at Culloden (near Inverness). Pic 3 is the road north to tongue. pic 4 is the north coast. Pic 5 is JoG.

 

[Devon]

Left JoG at 8am and took he coast road (A99/A9) to Inverness then I crossed the Great Glen to Fort William. I chatted to a couple of Geordy lads beside Loch Ness on their way to the NW200. I met them again at the Commando Memorial, when we left, about a mile from the Memorial, we came across a lad on a KTM who had collided with a transit van. The Geordy lads stopped and picked the guy's m/c up and waited with him until the ambulance arrived. The guy was up and about but looked to have damaged his hand and arm I could do nothing to help and it dawned on me how important it is to be able to do First Aid: I willl be taking a First Aid course as soon as I can. You never know, it might save someone's life one day.
I headed back south to Glasgow and stopped the night in Gretna. 386 miles for the day.
Pic 1 beside Loch Ness in glorious sunshine. Pic 2 Ben Nevis. Pic 3 Commando Memorial. Pics 4 and 5 south of Fort William.

 

[Devon]

Left Gretna after the most massive Scottish Breakfast ever: I'm still not convinced about black pudding and haggis though.
Took A9 to Penrith then went into the lake District. It was nice and early so the tourist were still having breakfast and I had fairly empty roads to Windymere. I needed to be home for Thursday evening so I took boring motorway back past Birmingham where I had hoped to turn into Wales and go down through welshpool, Newtown and Buith Wells. Unfortunately the weather started getting shitty at Birmingham so I kept to the motorway instead. I did see some rain, but it was not as bad as forecast. got home at 5.30pm having covered 406 miles. A total of 1947 in all.

Pic 1 the Old smithy at Gretna where I made an Honest Woman of SWMBO on New year's Eve a few years back Pic 2 and 3 Ullswater in the Lake District.

 

[Big Jets]

Absolutely gorgeous bike ,feck that ****el thingy though .I rode a 1980 Bonnie for years then I discovered BMW different class and they work .

 

[Seamaster]

Great report,
Thanks

 

[flatvee]

Excellent report and great bike... airhead not the ****el. Seriously though the Nortons not a bad looking bike, hope you get it sorted.

 

[Kenny]

Nice one ( I used used to ride a w ankel rotary as well - excellant engine in an outdated frame. Now if that engine was in a CBR600 frame )

 

[Nate]

Nice one mate

Hope the chap on the ktm is ok

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Nice one Devon.
the little basic looks great.
Glad to see her being used

you've done a really nice job of fettling, in the year or so you've owned her
What was your avg MPG on the 80 ??
also what was the W@nkel like in comparison, fuelwise?

 

[Bengaz]

Nice write up thanks

 

[Devon]

What was your avg MPG on the 80 ??
also what was the W@nkel like in comparison, fuelwise?

I think I averaged around 50mpg on the 80GS but thats a guess, the W@nkel did about 38mpg over the 225 miles I covered but I know they can drop to 20mpg at 80mph-ish on the motorway When the rotary is running right it's a lovely engine. Shame really Norton never had the money to develope them a bit more.

 

[bubbles]

Another great ride report Andy. It makes me want to do something similar, love the simplicity of just heading off on your own, thanks for sharing it.

 

[Ash]

cracking piccies and report.

 

[adie]

Great report andy, like the look of the bmw sorry to here the problems with the norton ,i would like a air head !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Springer]

Just seen your ride report Andy makes great reading well done chap.

 

[blobbs]

Great report. Would love to do that wee LE JoG meself. Maybe next year

 

[MikeP]

Yes.

Very good. Nice photo's (even that rotary engined abomination).