Rhone Alps & Route Napoleon. Non-GS

[patzx12]

I broke my own rule. travel to France in August.
Senior members will remember how bonkers it was back in the old days with all the Parisians heading south.
But - The 2015 Irish CBX rally was such a success I didn,t want to miss the party.
This was the Ducato \ bike run: We still prefer the solo bike run bit this is a good alternative + we needed a supply of wine, if you think wine is a rip off in the UK try Ireland.

Ducato 160 3.0L: This is a fast van and economical with it. Power 157bhp @ 3500rpm Torque 295 lb/ft @ 1700rpm
I can let it float along changing gears well under 2000 rpm, cruising at 130kph at 2400 rpm fully loaded.

Irish Ferries, Rosslare to Cherbourg. We are practically on a first name basis with the captain at this stage.
The crew are mostly from Latvia and Estonia, superb people, food is good and 2 bars + a cabaret. A nice crossing if its smooth.
I make sure we have a busy 24 hours before sailing with little sleep, that way when the head hits the pillow we are out for the count until the morning.

Bike was checked, polished and perfect. Don't mention the workshop - its tidy now.

I never seen the pilot coming aboard, always wanted to. How do they do it?

 

[Udders]

I'm in!

 

[patzx12]

A speedy run down using the Peage. The villages in the Alps are tight and twisty, I planned to bring the American RV but changed my mind at the last moment. We would have managed but it would have been snug.

CBX France in all their wisdom decided to have a classic rally on top of a mountain at a ski resort. All tight 1st and second gear hairpins. Not good for bikes with 70's brakes.
A good spin out Friday rained off on Saturday.

On arrival they gave everyone one of these: Definitely a first on any bike rally I have attended.

 

[patzx12]

I own a number of CBX including 2 x Prolinks.
My grey bike is standard with the fairing stripped off. It did a good week for us at the TT in 2013. 2 laps every evening.
https://youtu.be/ic0o33vAtC4

The White bike is a bit special, If I can do my James May impression for the technical readers.

Texas bike with 15000 miles.
-Varadero wheels powdercoated and polished, I wanted to keep a 19" front. The tyre size is the same as the air cooled GS
-110 \ 19 + 150 \ 17 I had PR3 but didn,t suit the bike Angel GT, what a tyre. When will they be available for the LC?
-Forks CBF 900 tweaked by K-tech, lengthened by me.
-Rear swinger and linkage modified to take the wider tyre and a Wilbur shock.
-CBR front calipers, Blackbird rear running 3 pistons, a proper rear brake.
- Both master cylinders are R1200GS.
-Exelent EBC discs.
-Kawasaki alternator, with my conversion kit. (both bikes are converted).
-Modified VFR800 handlebars, I lengthened them and I really like the sport \ touring riding position.
-No Speedo drive on the front wheel so I use my GSA satnav.
-Blacbird mirrirs, what a job, I had it make solid billet oval, compound angle mounting blocks.
-Loads of detail work.
-I fitted an interesting C5 optical ignition and coils from the USA, it eliminates the mechanical A\R

 

[patzx12]

Living on the W.A.W the only CBX I see are my own, no other owners near. The sight and sound of 100 + CBX is worth the run down, There are some gritty riders from Scandinavia and the UK with camping gear strapped on the back.
A few ladies riding Prolinks, they are not big ladies and my Mary is mystified how thy hold them up.
Cool chicks, including the chick from the UK with her Turbo twin shock.

 

[patzx12]

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[patzx12]

The food was not to our taste, uneatable.
A good job they had potatoes as well.

 

[patzx12]

The Friday rideout was superb and a brisk pace, one old fella from Denmark went straight on at a hairpin.
It was a sheer drop into the abiss but wisely he steered into a tree to his right hitting it head on, no skid marks?
The bike was well crunched with a huge dent on the back of the fuel tank, ouch.
We took good care of him and got him off to a hospital.
He had no major injuries and nothing broken TG.

Wonderful views and roads in the Alps.

 

[patzx12]

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[patzx12]

I wasn,t really in the humor for a holiday, we did Garmisch and have another trip next week but I got into the swing (holiday mood)
Headed south through Italy, those bloody tunnels, €58 toll.

 

[patzx12]

We did Nice, Cannes, Monaco. Steaming hot, I acclimatised but Mary found it tough.
We haven't done the wet T shirt thing since Australia but it really helps.
Leathers were completely out of the question.

The TRAFFIC !!!! do these poor bas----s do this every day?
Cocky local drivers everywhere, the French in this part of the world stop for nothing.

Interestingly the air cooled CBX was completely un-flustered by 35c traffic jams and it did not effect it's tick over or smooth running.
This may be assisted by the precision of the optical , something I will have to read up on.

 

[patzx12]

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[patzx12]

We wanted to pay our respects, a very sombre scene.

 

[patzx12]

Strange custom? going on holiday and sitting all day. or something we were never into.

 

[Jockser]

Nice one Pat, keep 'er lit

 

[patzx12]

On to the highlight of the trip:
ROUTE NAPOLEON.

Done this road many times on fast bikes. loved it on my ZX12R's
If a bike was made for this road the ZX12 was it.
In those days I was a man on a mission.

The CBX was a delight. comfortable, sweet handling and superb brakes. the lack of speed was a benefit allowing the machine to flow in a lovely manner.

No Gopro this trip, my Gopro Black was lost somewhere in Wexford. The plastic bracket broke off.
Always lanyard with a shoelace.

https://youtu.be/Zk7v2j-4Z9E



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zk7v2j-4Z9E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[patzx12]

First based in Grasse and then moved to Sisteron.
The best of RN is from Grasse to Digne so Sisteron was a great base.
Been through many times but never stayed here, really recommend.

 

[patzx12]

Sisteron..........................

 

[patzx12]

There is a beautiful outdoor swimming pool.
I got off the bike walked in up to my chin walked out again, back on the bike and rode off.
I think I was bone dry again in 20 mins.

 

[patzx12]

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