The Rideway on an F650...

[Lars1974]

hi guys,

today i took my wife's nice and clean F650 and play'd a bit to get it dirty...

first I had to get to my starting point: The beginning of the Ridgeway near Streatly...

here it took a picture of the F650 still clean

for those of you who have not been there..."The Ridgeway National Trail, 87 miles (139km) through ancient landscapes. Over rolling, open downland to the west of the River Thames, and through secluded valleys and woods in The Chilterns to the east, following the same route used since prehistoric times by travellers, herdsmen and soldiers."
Bikers are only allowed on a view a sections...and only for half the year

the first part was just a solid dirt track with only a view little puddles left...I had expected more after yesterday's rain...

i stopped a few time to take some pics...as you can see!

than just short of the end of the first track I came across this...and guess who is the Winner!!! yes the F650...

to be honest that Disco lookes abandonded and could be stolen...the ignition barrel was hanging out and bits of engine missing... 4 guys in 4x4's stop as well and together we called the local police station to report the vehicle...my GPS came in handy as i could give the copper the exact coordinates! they told us that they will send someone...so i got back on the bike and made my way to Avesbury on the A4 just after Marlborough to start the next section.

on this track was considerably more mud and i soon fell off!!! Do'h! i lifted the bike back up and checked for damage...Nothing! these F650 are great!

here is the bike on the centrestand just after my off

i took about 2 minutes to fire her back up... and i rode on (a bit more carefully)

i passed a handful of walker and only saw 1 other biker on a DRZ400 with knobblies (the correct tyre choice given the increasing amount of mud me thinks...)

than further up the track until i got to the other side...

Back home the missus was not impressed of the state of her F650 - so i was ordered to clean:

before

after

all in all the bike ran perfect! managed to get still 53mpg...
the fan kept coming on and my rear end hurts now...but those are minor things after a perfect ride!
i havent been off-road for years and this eased me in nicely...

thx Lars

 

[Mr K]

Looks like a grand ride.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

F650.........? Now that would have been a perfect track to try your new Buell Uysses out on!

FP.

 

[Lars1974]

F650.........? Now that would have been a perfect track to try your new Buell Uysses out on!

FP.

agree - but not with conti road attacks on...

the metzler's struggled with the mud in places!!!

 

[Dave Ett]

Why does your butt hurt, didn't you stand up?

And I jealous, as I fell off twice when I did that same route a couple of weeks back.

 

[Wrinkly]

Hi Lars,
Great pics.
I had my first ever offroad experience a couple of weeks ago on a 94 f650,
although i have nothing to compare it with my feelings were the 650 did very well despite being on road tyres.
I did have a couple of off's one which left the right hand side of my bars at about 45 degrees which made for an interesting ride home.
Now fitted with new bars(used £30 delivered motorworks)and more appropriate tyres.looking forward to my next trip out hopefully on the 23rd.

Steve

 

[Lars1974]

Why does your butt hurt, didn't you stand up?

And I jealous, as I fell off twice when I did that same route a couple of weeks back.

Butt hurts from the 70+ miles i had to do in between the off-roads sections...
that F650 is quiet low and the seat not the best...not half as comfortable and tall as my Uly!
thx Lars