Ride-out through the New Forest - Sept

I've got some leave coming up in September and thought I'd have a run through the New Forest, maybe lunch at Sammy Miller's Motorcycle Museum and an ice cream at Lepe.

Wednesday 4th seems to fit in with the social secretary's diary.

I've got a route in mind - starting at King Alfred's statue in Winchester - should be around 90 miles depending on finish. Bear in mind once in the national park it's mostly 40mph, sight-seeing speed

Anyone want to join me?

Your planning a 145klm trip a month in advance? I travel that distance to get gas to start a ride! 

Luckily our gas stations are a little closer together than that.

A 145klm trip, wouldnt you be crossing 3 or 4 countries over there in that distance?

hotwings wrote:

A 145klm trip, wouldnt you be crossing 3 or 4 countries over there in that distance?

Are you maligning our beautiful little island by any chance??!!

Laurie

hotwings wrote:

Your planning a 145klm trip a month in advance? I travel that distance to get gas to start a ride! 

Is what you're really saying is you're using 90 miles or 145 kilometres worth of fuel riding to your nearest gas station just to fill the tank?

So you'd use another 90 miles worth just riding home, and if you couldn't stretch 180 miles from that tankful, you'd run of fuel going back again to get more gas to start a ride!  

Meldrew, i used the statement to emphasize my bewilderment as to why its neccessary to plan a 1.5 hr trip 4-5 weeks in advance!
The petrol station (as ye refined englanders call it) is actually 600 meters (.372823 miles) from my door!

hotwings wrote:

Meldrew, i used the statement to emphasize my bewilderment as to why its neccessary to plan a 1.5 hr trip 4-5 weeks in advance!
The petrol station (as ye refined englanders call it) is actually 600 meters (.372823 miles) from my door!

I'm bewildered too and I don't think it's necessary either, but on British scooter and motorcycle forums it's quite normal to post that you're going somewhere a few weeks in advance, usually a greasy spoon bikers haunt and invite complete strangers to meet up and accompany you. Then there's a couple of pages of posts of replies expressing interest, right until the day of the ride and wet weather is forecast then another rush of posts reveal they are washing their hair or something that day, and they can't come after all.

hotwings wrote:

A 145klm trip, wouldnt you be crossing 3 or 4 countries over there in that distance?

Counties not countries!

Have you seen the state of our roads? At least they have plenty of bends and interesting bits in them which makes up for the fact that a long ride is usually followed by a visit to the dentist to put the fillings back in.

Cheers,

As Meldrew says, most of the UK sites need 2/3 months notice for a 100ml ride, thats why Myself and Meldrew usually ride alone. I rarely go more than 3 days between rides and cover at least 100mls on each ride. Remember, UK has the most congested roads and a lot of the country is 30-50mph limits with speed camera's about every mile or so, and any penalties increases the insurance we MUST have. Riding on our country lanes we have to watch out for farm machinery as well as farm animals, our country lanes just about wide enough for single vehicle with passing places.   

Old Limey wrote:

our country lanes just about wide enough for single vehicle

Usually a Range Rover, driven at 20mph above the speed limit by a young woman with a busy "lifestye", who's just dropped children Josh and Tamsin at their private tutor, and is a hurry to meet her personal trainer at the gym, before her lunch meeting with "the girls" (who have equally busy lifestlyles).

After lunch, she'll have to race home to take in the shopping delivery that she ordered online that morning.

By the sounds of things, what you guys need are bicycles not motorcycles. Just think about it, you could peddle across the country in a good afternoon. 

hotwings wrote:

By the sounds of things, what you guys need are bicycles not motorcycles. Just think about it, you could peddle across the country in a good afternoon. 

Just think we'll still be riding when your riding season finishes in late October or thereabouts, and you spend the next six months on here moaning about not being able to ride to Tims.

Meldrew wrote:

Just think we'll still be riding when your riding season finishes in late October or thereabouts, and you spend the next six months on here moaning about not being able to ride to Tims.

 As you continue riding in the rain on goat paths i'll be zipping along somewhere on my snowmobile on our countries thousands of miles of organized and groomed trails (18,641 miles in our province alone).The trails are often groomed 20 feet wide, i guess thats wider than your freeways! Oh yeah and the scenery is spectacular and breathtaking under a blanket of freshly fallen snow! I can legally ride the sled to Tims.  


 As they say here "life gets real on a snowmobile".     

As we say here, freezing your bollocks off for six months of the year.  

Meldrew dont forget your rain coat. Oh yeah i guess you wouldnt forget it being you have to wear it on every ride!

hotwings wrote:

A 145klm trip, wouldnt you be crossing 3 or 4 countries over there in that distance?

According to the map Canaduh has only got 3 counties to travel across





:lol!: :lol!: :lol!:

He's totally unaware of the world that's outside his corner of Ontario too. We're having one of our hottest summer for years and I've been wearing shorts almost every day since I was in Arizona in May.

Out on the scooter I'm riding in open face helmet and mesh textile two-piece suit, I stopped carrying the waterproofs around weeks ago. If I do get caught out by a sudden rain shower I'll just ride through it.

He's talking utter **** about raincoats too, does he really think anyone rides round wearing one? I'm not daft enough to think everyone in Canada is walking round dressed like a lumberjack, wearing big furry hats with ear flaps, and snowshoes.

Meldrew wrote:

We're having one of our hottest summer for years and I've been wearing shorts almost every day since I was in Arizona in May.

What is it, a balmy 18°C. Imagine if the sun ever came out over there it would rise to an extreme 21°C.  I would think your arizona tan is fading back into the usual pasty white by now! Time to grab the pants! 

Meldrew wrote:

I'm not daft enough to think everyone in Canada is walking round dressed like a lumberjack, wearing big furry hats with ear flaps.

Really?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo

The Bern wrote:

According to the map Canaduh has only got 3 counties to travel across

Thats funny, according to your map it shows 4 counties to cross! Its even coloured for ease of counting! Maybe you didnt think to count the red one because its small like your country and not worth counting!!!!   


:lol!:

How about telling us about your riding experiences in small wet countries like ours or in mainland Europe as you consider yourself an expert. I'm sure we Brits could learn something, as this topic seems to fascinate you alone from all the forum members on the North American continent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkJbvv3pHg

Meldrew wrote:

How about telling us about your riding experiences in small wet countries like ours or in mainland Europe as you consider yourself an expert. I'm sure we Brits could learn something, as this topic seems to fascinate you alone from all the forum members on the North American continent.

All i can give you for advice, with my own experiences, is to avoid the rain like the millions of riders do in north america. The only problem with this advice is i guess you guys would never ride! Words of wisdom: Even a chicken is smart enough to stay out of the rain. 

  :lol!:

So ALL riders in North America are chicken?

Your words!

  Shall we all just take a deeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath  

I ride when I want...  If it rains I change for it than off I go.  Only stop if it snows or ices up when on long trips up North.  I have this Wing to ride and that is what I do...

Magoo

As your 43 Hotwings and myself and Meldrew have been riding longer than you've been alive, i don't think we can learn much from you. 

Never too old to learn they say! 

Even at 43?

Exactly! 43 or a 100! I could put up a false age like meldrew, i believe it was 98, but i see he recently removed it!

hotwings wrote:

All i can give you for advice, with my own experiences, is to avoid the rain like the millions of riders do in north america. The only problem with this advice is i guess you guys would never ride! Words of wisdom: Even a chicken is smart enough to stay out of the rain. 

OK, I'd like your advice on what you and the millions of riders in North America do if you're out riding somewhere and it starts to rain heavily, how exactly do you avoid it? The worst that can happen is you get a soaking if your riding gear isn't waterproof, or haven't got an over suit to put on.

So how do we avoid the rain?

Meldrew wrote:

So how do we avoid the rain?

 Do what some of your smart forefathers did- move to north america! 

Come on, stop trying to be the smartass all the time and tell me how to avoid the rain. Or is it a secret only known to you and millions of North Americans riders.

Someone from the US posted on here a couple of years ago that he had a sticker/decal on his Silver Wing proclaiming 'I Ride In The Rain', much to the amusement of the Brits. Surely it can't just be him, Magoo, and Mr Grinsel that doesn't mind a bit of rain on your side of the Pond, there must be a few other mavericks out there that have gone over to the Dampside!

I'd sure like to go riding in the rain today.   Seriously, you check the weather forecasts and prepare accordingly. The worst part is when it's been hot and dry so long that oil and radiator fluid build up on the streets. Then a little rain and  

Every Wednesday two friends and myself bye 250 hamburgers and take them downtown and hand them out to the homeless. Here in Florida we not only have a lot of sunshine we also get a lot of rain. Tonight was one of the nights with a lot of rain, the homeless still got there hamburgers but we got nice and wet. In the three + years of doing this we have only used a car three times because of rain. The only reason we road in the car then is there was an unusual amount of lightning and very high winds. We figure if they have to live out in the rain we can deliver in the rain. Here in Florida it can be nice and sunny in one spot and pouring down rain a half a block down the street. We just keep rain gear under the seat. Tonight it came down so fast I had time to put on my rain jacket but not my rain pants. Yes I was soaked from the waist down but I didn't melt. If I was afraid of rain I wouldn't get to ride from June thru November. I would rather ride when it's dry but rain is only water and everyday I get in the shower and wash. And what do I wash with? You guessed it soap and water. I don't see what the big deal is you pay attention to what is around you and ride. Yes you have to be careful as the road may be slippery and it is a little harder to see but just pay attention to what you are doing and ride. I guess what I am saying is not everyone in north america are wimps. Sometimes when it  is real hot a little rain is even a welcome thing.

I'll take that as a 'no thank you', then.

But if anyone sneaks along, meeting point is now the new Winchester South Park and Ride car park off J11 of the M3. 0945 for 1000 depart. Wednesday 4 September.

Despite the interruptions on here about distance and weather, I'm glad you've got a few off one of the other forums interested. Plus the New Forest National Park speed limit of 40mph you mentioned in your OP is 10 mph faster than that heavily policed Tail of the Dragon place that our transatlantic friends think is riding Nirvana.  

Thanks Meldrew, it is the southern equivalent of God's country and worth the ride. It was more fun before the limit was imposed, but that's progress ... I suppose.