So myself and Stefan all ready to rock and roll Friday afternoon head out of London at 15:30 towards a long awaited Princetown meet.
The drive down to Princetown was to mention the least eventfull. Loads of traffic on the M3, A30, M27 etc. Eventually we reach Exeter after a few hours with only 30 odd miles to go.
Now my expierences with BIKE + DARK + ANIMALS + TWISTY ROADS have always been scary. After hitting a Kudu a few years ago and realising what impact they can make on a car would not want to be on a bike hitting anything bigger than a fly.
So I say, we take it slow and easy to Princetown, roads is unfenced with sheep, pony's etc. We can average safely 40 mph as the speed indicates at night but concentrate. So off we go, 10 miles into the ride I take a wrong turn(stupid GPS) and we end up riding for an hour in Devon's greenlanes. Now riding them at day is really cool, riding them at night is ultra cool(at decent speeds and observation of course) but after an hour of fecking about we got tired and recalculated the route to Princetown. I nearly went straight into a right hand turn slightly misjudging
the corner. Stefan closely behind fortunatly manages to stop before following my lead.
At this point I must add we both riding with full lights to make the "fantastic" view you get with the brilliant GS lights a bit better.
So we make Princetown at about 21:15 unhurt, safe and cold. Check ins, greetings etc done and decide to have a quick coffee before heading the last 5 miles down the road to Walkhampton where a nice warm BB bed awaits us.
Heading out on the B3212 about a mile away from Princetown there is one bastard right hand bend which is very very deceiving as we both learned on Friday night. You know the same one which claimed another GS last year.
I was doing about 40mph and slowing down for the bend with Stefan following closely with bright lights and all. Started to take the bend when I realised that it has not yet started. Now everyone nows this feeling of bollocks, shit, feck and then the brain goes into overtime and recalculate finding the exit point, forcing you to not look at the embankment and nice wet grass next to you and boom I am through the turn!
I look back and Stefan must of lost concentration for a split second as in my mirrors I just saw the man going straight into the field with no chance in hell to make that turn. GS lights hopping furiously up and down and I think he's going to make it. Next moment a strange darkness falls upon the scenery in the back as his head lights dissapear. By now I have stopped and thinking shit this can't be good! Turned around riding back the 300 yds over pieces of plastic, head lights, indicator lenses etc etc. Park my bike up and there is one big 6'4" man lying next to his GS in the grass. Everything ok I ask? A few groands moans and yep it hurts like hell is the reply. Ok lets get this bike up then I say walking towards the silver beast lying on it's side.
Fortunetely he did not break anything but the same could not be said for the bike. Somehow the front wheel locked and while Stefan phones RAC(who of course mention they do not pick you up if it was accident related with a bike) I attend to the bits and pieces. Unlock the steering, press the start button and the bitch takes immediately like nothing has ever happened. The cockpit is completely smashed some indicators broken and lenses lost. Used a cargo net to strap the whole lot to the beak and told Stefan to ride in front with my bike and I will follow with the no lights, no front brake bike.
Made it to the BB and decided to play it safe in the light yesterday and head back home as he had no lights, no screen etc. Sorted the front brake which was only a lose brake pipe connection and made it safely back to London.
So that my friends was our Princetown expierence! Nice to see all of you there and to those we chit chatted Saturday morning and Friday night. See you soon at a local GS meet.
Cheers
The drive down to Princetown was to mention the least eventfull. Loads of traffic on the M3, A30, M27 etc. Eventually we reach Exeter after a few hours with only 30 odd miles to go.
Now my expierences with BIKE + DARK + ANIMALS + TWISTY ROADS have always been scary. After hitting a Kudu a few years ago and realising what impact they can make on a car would not want to be on a bike hitting anything bigger than a fly.
So I say, we take it slow and easy to Princetown, roads is unfenced with sheep, pony's etc. We can average safely 40 mph as the speed indicates at night but concentrate. So off we go, 10 miles into the ride I take a wrong turn(stupid GPS) and we end up riding for an hour in Devon's greenlanes. Now riding them at day is really cool, riding them at night is ultra cool(at decent speeds and observation of course) but after an hour of fecking about we got tired and recalculated the route to Princetown. I nearly went straight into a right hand turn slightly misjudging
the corner. Stefan closely behind fortunatly manages to stop before following my lead.
At this point I must add we both riding with full lights to make the "fantastic" view you get with the brilliant GS lights a bit better.
So we make Princetown at about 21:15 unhurt, safe and cold. Check ins, greetings etc done and decide to have a quick coffee before heading the last 5 miles down the road to Walkhampton where a nice warm BB bed awaits us.
Heading out on the B3212 about a mile away from Princetown there is one bastard right hand bend which is very very deceiving as we both learned on Friday night. You know the same one which claimed another GS last year.
I was doing about 40mph and slowing down for the bend with Stefan following closely with bright lights and all. Started to take the bend when I realised that it has not yet started. Now everyone nows this feeling of bollocks, shit, feck and then the brain goes into overtime and recalculate finding the exit point, forcing you to not look at the embankment and nice wet grass next to you and boom I am through the turn!
I look back and Stefan must of lost concentration for a split second as in my mirrors I just saw the man going straight into the field with no chance in hell to make that turn. GS lights hopping furiously up and down and I think he's going to make it. Next moment a strange darkness falls upon the scenery in the back as his head lights dissapear. By now I have stopped and thinking shit this can't be good! Turned around riding back the 300 yds over pieces of plastic, head lights, indicator lenses etc etc. Park my bike up and there is one big 6'4" man lying next to his GS in the grass. Everything ok I ask? A few groands moans and yep it hurts like hell is the reply. Ok lets get this bike up then I say walking towards the silver beast lying on it's side.
Fortunetely he did not break anything but the same could not be said for the bike. Somehow the front wheel locked and while Stefan phones RAC(who of course mention they do not pick you up if it was accident related with a bike) I attend to the bits and pieces. Unlock the steering, press the start button and the bitch takes immediately like nothing has ever happened. The cockpit is completely smashed some indicators broken and lenses lost. Used a cargo net to strap the whole lot to the beak and told Stefan to ride in front with my bike and I will follow with the no lights, no front brake bike.
Made it to the BB and decided to play it safe in the light yesterday and head back home as he had no lights, no screen etc. Sorted the front brake which was only a lose brake pipe connection and made it safely back to London.
So that my friends was our Princetown expierence! Nice to see all of you there and to those we chit chatted Saturday morning and Friday night. See you soon at a local GS meet.
Cheers
. He will check tomorrow exactly what the "term & conditions" is and post the details.
