They were canvas; I originally had them on a GT500. Back when you just wore a leather jacket, jeans, and work boots. Not a jacket and trousers costing an arm and a leg.
Our Maiden Motorcycle Tour – The Lake District
- Thread starter The Marching Onion
- Start date
First ride report I've read this year. Good job.
Ive never bean to The Lake District. I should add it to my B list. Looked really nice.
You are a hundred times better prepared. Than I ever am.
I tend to just wing it.
I like the idea of picking a place to stay. Where you can drop off the kitchen sink ect. Hopefully you will give us an idea where further on.
My Mrs takes her own wheels which makes life a little easier. I like the train idea. Not sure it will go over well.
Ive never bean to The Lake District. I should add it to my B list. Looked really nice.
You are a hundred times better prepared. Than I ever am.
I tend to just wing it.
I like the idea of picking a place to stay. Where you can drop off the kitchen sink ect. Hopefully you will give us an idea where further on.
My Mrs takes her own wheels which makes life a little easier. I like the train idea. Not sure it will go over well.
Why? I quite enjoyed his report.
The forum has a a bit of history for a select few and their spicy/know it all comments. You read of people setting off and doing multi month/multi year trips carrying just a few things and taking it as it comes, so a 300 mile round trip in (what used to be) a first world country can be viewed as being dead easy, no planning or forethought required etc....these few either forget their first trips/are wired differently or are just dicks.
I liked the report. 
Pack as you wish, learn as you go.
If you listened to the scaremongering bullshit on here we’d all be stuck at Dover for 2 weeks in passport control , then discover all our bikes had been stolen whilst in the queue.
Id say …your trip , your plan, you’re right
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Pack as you wish, learn as you go.
If you listened to the scaremongering bullshit on here we’d all be stuck at Dover for 2 weeks in passport control , then discover all our bikes had been stolen whilst in the queue.
Id say …your trip , your plan, you’re right
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Thanks, it was good to read of your first adventure, may there be many more.
Lots of top tips already, and I am sure you and your better half will work out what works best for you over the next few journeys.
Every ride is an adventure, you don’t need to be on a big bike, or to be going a long distance - just ride and enjoy what you have and where you go. Remember to take lots of stops to take in and experience what the world has to offer!
Lots of top tips already, and I am sure you and your better half will work out what works best for you over the next few journeys.
Every ride is an adventure, you don’t need to be on a big bike, or to be going a long distance - just ride and enjoy what you have and where you go. Remember to take lots of stops to take in and experience what the world has to offer!
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Will definitely pick your brains on some suggestions please mate.Such a beautiful place. Quite happy to chat through what we experienced and where we stayed etc
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We've not camped together off the bike so will be trial run for us.
Well done, I'm glad you avoided Hardknott Pass, probably a pass too far for your first tour with a probably nervous spouse on the back. It has been the downfall of many an experienced rider. Now look forward to your next one.
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I did ride up to the bottom, watched a van go up and decided against it. It’s was the sensible thing to do with a pillion on. One day I will give it a go, just not this time.
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Sensible choice. It is one to do exactly as you did...sit back and watch for a minute or 5...watch where people cock it up. Nowt much happens on 4 wheels....they rev the nuts off it and burn the clutch a bit but manage...or roll back a bit and try again...but on 2 wheels, it's straight on the deck..on the steepest most awkward bit of a hairpin...with a motorist wanting to get past (may or may not trust his/her handbrake and get out to help...) A great place to really put a pillion off ever going on a bike again...but it's bloody marvellous when you ride it both ways and get it all right !
Wise move to stop - you’ll get more practise and more confidence and you’ll get up it when it’s the right time. If you want to.
Everyone riding to their ability and experience, leave the ego for the yoofs.
(I’ve dropped my GSA twice on the same corner on Hardknott. It’s a bugger! And I’ve been riding GS’s for 20 years!)
I've done it two or three times with a pillion, and, by the grace of god I've not had any issues. The first time I did it, I was with some friends and as we were going downhill towards one of the more extreme hairpins and elevations we had some classic cars coming up the hill towards us and we had to stop and wait on the slope whilst they negotiated the hairpin, some of them got the line totally wrong and and had to go into reverse to bring the front of the car in the right direction to get round the corner.
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I was bitterly disappointed when I rode away I’d missed my chance…..to say that disappointment has now turned to relief after reading these responses!!
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The key here Mike, is that you all stopped, presumably on a safe part of the road, as you'd seen these other motorists making their way up. Imagine if you'd not had that foresight/experience, met them on the hairpin etc...you only have to look at any of the clips of people cocking up the Stelvio hairpins to see how it happens very quickly....those hairpins on the Wrynose and Hardknot are magnitudes more difficult than the Stelvio ones....
Too true Davey
Why? You did everything else you wanted to do on your holiday and first trip away. Like most of Europe, the road in question won’t vanish in our lifetimes.
Very wise and thanks for a great write up.I was bitterly disappointed when I rode away I’d missed my chance…..to say that disappointment has now turned to relief after reading these responses!!
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To avoid the Hardknott there is a good detour without going back on yourself. Instead of turning right at the bridge at Cockley Beck to get to the Hardknott you can follow the Duddon river up the valley to Ulpha then turn north over the fell and meet the road After the Hardknott at the King George IV pub. I first went over the Hardknott as a Callow 23 year old on a CB750F2 in 1984 and with the current Mrs M in 1985........just before her SRN finals (which her parent were delighted about). The last time I was over it was in a Citroen BX in the early 90's. Six of us are staying in the Borders in late April and I was planning a route doing the six passes for one of the days. It could be carnage now as I'm the youngest at 64. The Eldest is 76 and won't have any problem as he was still riding trials until a few years ago!
Hardknott
Not Hardknott
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