Dear all, just a quick note on my fabulous holiday to Greece and the islands. It's 41 degrees here. I've converted the System 5 to open face style and donned sunglasses, shorts and t-shirt. There is nothing like doing 60mph on these roads in this heat and being able to pick your nose. 
So Belgium, Germany, Austrian alps (lovely place) into Italy and arrived at the Vennice port a day early (whoops!) so had a chance to see Venice. Wasn't as expensive as I thought and its much bigger to boot. Nice place. Mate covered himself in Deet like stuff and slept in a bivvy bag. Mozzies ate him anyway - over 100 bites that night (face, back, arms, shoulders, feet). I had my Terranova Jupiter and the mesh saved me. He's just started the scratching bit of the healing process.
The ferry took us to Corfu where we stopped in several places. By chance my mam and sister had booked a last minute holiday for her 50th so we met up and ate. On the north west side my Greek mate knew of a stunning enclove. Think medeteranian postcard picture and you have the idea. Stunning!
Everyone rides scooters here and they ride them after drinking. Everything is lax and chilled out on Corfu and I love it to bits.
Our next stop as Kavos to see what it's all about. After being suprised at the upmarketness of Magaluf I thought this would also be more positive than the "Korfu uncovered" tv reels. Wrong. Kavos is a real slum of a place akin to the Newcastle Hoppings only much worse. The average age was maybe 17-18yr old, so my elderly 26yrs made me feel twatish. That said, I'd have felt a twat if I'd come here at 18. Unsuprisingly didn't see anyone drunk at these beer prices (cocktails about 5E, beer abou 4E).
We left the next morning and caught the ferry to mainland Greece. Took 6hrs to Athens during which I witnessed the single most stupid bit of driving I have ever seen involving a car, oncoming lorry, no room to overtake and forcing one of the vehicles being overtaken to leave the road so the overtaker didn't hit the lorry. And on single roads the hardshoulder if available is to be used as another lane.
We doing the touristy things today and tomorrow then load the bikes for the island of Paros.
Of course some don't care about all this and want to know what has went wrong? Ok then read on ...
Overfilled engine oil, bubbled into airbox and down right side of bike. Thought it was the gearbox seals but after cleaning it all worked out ok.
HID ballast on headlight failed, wired over main beam as a temporary fix. So much for HID's being reliable.
Suspected play in the rear drive bearings. The bike has been loaded up with a passenger. I might be paranoid and there is no noise but I'm worried by the play. It had some to start with but was within spec. No centre stand so cant really check it properly at this stage.
Phone charger wont work but there is nothing wrong with the lead or the USB output which hapily charges my bluetooth helmet.
So hot, the exhaust fumes burnt through a nearby bungy rope. SW-Motech's stupid pannier frame design paint also burnt off it's directly in the exhaust path. Bit of foil around it to try and save the remaining paint.
The GS exhaust without the cat is too loud and a royal pain on the motorway. Talking of pain, the stock seats ...
So basically nothing was really gone wrong yet.
Laters.......
So Belgium, Germany, Austrian alps (lovely place) into Italy and arrived at the Vennice port a day early (whoops!) so had a chance to see Venice. Wasn't as expensive as I thought and its much bigger to boot. Nice place. Mate covered himself in Deet like stuff and slept in a bivvy bag. Mozzies ate him anyway - over 100 bites that night (face, back, arms, shoulders, feet). I had my Terranova Jupiter and the mesh saved me. He's just started the scratching bit of the healing process.
The ferry took us to Corfu where we stopped in several places. By chance my mam and sister had booked a last minute holiday for her 50th so we met up and ate. On the north west side my Greek mate knew of a stunning enclove. Think medeteranian postcard picture and you have the idea. Stunning!
Everyone rides scooters here and they ride them after drinking. Everything is lax and chilled out on Corfu and I love it to bits.
Our next stop as Kavos to see what it's all about. After being suprised at the upmarketness of Magaluf I thought this would also be more positive than the "Korfu uncovered" tv reels. Wrong. Kavos is a real slum of a place akin to the Newcastle Hoppings only much worse. The average age was maybe 17-18yr old, so my elderly 26yrs made me feel twatish. That said, I'd have felt a twat if I'd come here at 18. Unsuprisingly didn't see anyone drunk at these beer prices (cocktails about 5E, beer abou 4E).
We left the next morning and caught the ferry to mainland Greece. Took 6hrs to Athens during which I witnessed the single most stupid bit of driving I have ever seen involving a car, oncoming lorry, no room to overtake and forcing one of the vehicles being overtaken to leave the road so the overtaker didn't hit the lorry. And on single roads the hardshoulder if available is to be used as another lane.
We doing the touristy things today and tomorrow then load the bikes for the island of Paros.
Of course some don't care about all this and want to know what has went wrong? Ok then read on ...
Overfilled engine oil, bubbled into airbox and down right side of bike. Thought it was the gearbox seals but after cleaning it all worked out ok.
HID ballast on headlight failed, wired over main beam as a temporary fix. So much for HID's being reliable.
Suspected play in the rear drive bearings. The bike has been loaded up with a passenger. I might be paranoid and there is no noise but I'm worried by the play. It had some to start with but was within spec. No centre stand so cant really check it properly at this stage.
Phone charger wont work but there is nothing wrong with the lead or the USB output which hapily charges my bluetooth helmet.
So hot, the exhaust fumes burnt through a nearby bungy rope. SW-Motech's stupid pannier frame design paint also burnt off it's directly in the exhaust path. Bit of foil around it to try and save the remaining paint.
The GS exhaust without the cat is too loud and a royal pain on the motorway. Talking of pain, the stock seats ...
So basically nothing was really gone wrong yet.
Laters.......
. Still sounds like he's having a blast and long may it continue
