Two wheels good, four wheels bad!

Well as Jeeves noticed yesterday the grit cleaning leprechauns have been busy and the roads are free of insurance premium increasing stones.

While we're waiting for the cowshit faries to clean up all the small roads is anybody interested in an after work, before work, during work, or even during the weekend bike trip ?

The petrol doesn't get any better sitting in the tank you know !

Only real hard bikers please, no gurls, C1 drivers, or people with matching helmets and sunglasses.

P.S Can anybody give me a hand fixing my seat heater ?

Crosslink by admin: TT readers interested in motorcycling

Before work?

Yep interested in any of the suggested times (except the above!) Whatever. I'm just glad to get back onto the thing at the moment and itching to get out there.

PS You don't have an under-seat exhaust?

Exhaust ? What's that ? I thought that was an extra feature, a semmel warmer or something.

Seat heater = Warm woman on back. I'd volunteer but I believe you already have a seat-heater.

@Kat Thanks for spotting that, I suppose I should read the manual more carefully ! Could have got into a bit of trouble with the TüV if I'ld thrown it away !

Would feeding you these help to warm your seat? Or have I misunderstood?

Mashed potatoes, mince and onions, and Guinness. Beats any catalytic converter ever built !

The Bandit is in the pipeline I will join as soon as I have it...

Hmmmmm - think I might fail on the "real hard bikers" part of the request!

But I am always up for a spin assuming clearance from she who must be saluted.

Got 3 mates coming over so far from the UK this year at different times. A GSX1400 early next month, then a 1200GS in summer and a Honda Transalp probably late August.

That's what's locally know as a "Darfschein" Johnny !

Was down by Walchensee/Kochelsee yesterday watching the local knee- and footrestscrapers on the Kesselberg. The only way I can get my bike that low these days is if I lay it down on it's side. There were a couple of KTM cowboys who obviously hadn't discovered gravity yet, so great fun to watch. And if you feel like changing the center of gravity on your bike call in to the Grauer Bär. Excellent Lachsmaultaschen and Bärlauchcreme soup. Very, ahem, lite cuisine.

You're getting old when a bike trip involves food you can eat with spoons

Am checking what days I'm free at the weekend.

I just found this emoticon and thought it appropriate for this thread.

[img]http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/431.gif[/img]

But no helmet

With teeth like that who needs a helmet !

Is he ordering two Helles ?

Got the CBR, when are we going for a tour??

Anybody up for a burn at some stage over the weekend ?

Yep. I knew I meant to post something somewhere this morning. This was it
Friday or Sunday best for me.

I was thinking of working Friday but I might take a few hours off. What time would suit you Jeeves ?

I've got the whole day off and was intending to go for a spin anyway. So any time would suit me, he says helpfully.

Well lets spend four or five hours deciding on a time and then most of Friday getting a route together.

I'ld prefer to get going early in the morning. Down to the alps I suppose ?

How much distance do you feel like putting down ?

Yeah why not. Saves on fuel...

The earlier the better for me too. Less on the road and hit the hills before it gets too hot. Alps are good. Spent Pfingsten in Switzerland and most of the passes were just opening so by now the world is your oyster. Not that I'd suggest going as far as Switzerland...

I reckon 500 k is a good day. I have brand new tyres so want to take the first few bends a bit carefully.

Right.

Irish, english or Teutonic early ?

I suggest meeting somewhere on the edge of Munich around 7:00 ? Or even earlier, I'm easy.

Where to go ?

Have you ever been to Roßfeldhöhenringstraße down near Garmisch ? It's a Mautstrasse but looks worth it.

dudes...gonna race down to Salzburg on Saturday. If anyone wants to join, let me know, I will stay the night over though. But I'd welcome any company along the way even for a bit.

7 is good. Edge of Munich is good. Which way would you cut across?
I can't believe I haven't even heard of the road you mention.

Edit: CodeRed Saturday is Andechs Day Positively no wheels on that day.

That's not near Garmisch, that's Berchtesgarden!

I've got my kids on Saturday so I'm out of the running, besides if you have a CBR I'ld only be slowing you down.

Thanks Katrina, that makes me feel a little bit better

Sorry, yes I am a moron. !

It's down near Berchtesgaden where himself used to go for his hols

Yeti: I am not streetracing and back on the bike after 4 years. I am not outrunning anyone, nor do I find that much satisfaction in that.

Maybe some other time then...

'kay well that would take a couple of hours to get to on non-motorways anyway. Berchtesgaden is always a good excursion.

@Codered - I was more implying that I'm slower than average

Enjoy yourself Saturday. Pity you can't come out Friday, you know to warm up the plugs or something. However as I'm already mixing up Garmisch and Berchtesgaden then maybe it is better. You might end up in Smolensk.

My mate (German) reckons that the road from Kochel to Walchensee (near Garmisch) is popular with bikers...indeed he thinks it may be closed at the weekends to bikers 'cos it gets too dangerous.

Sounds like an interesting run during the week when the sun puts his hat on again?

see here Johnny
It is closed in the descent at weekends/holidays (but not on the way up). Lovely views (and some utter mentalists dragging their knees around every corner).
But ask the bossman, I was only on the back!

It is a nice piece of road.

Yep it's nice enough. And because they are the nearest twisties to Munich the road is closed to bikes at weekends in one direction (actually I thought it was closed in the ascent!) just to stop people spending all day going up and down. It's not really worth it at weekends anyway, there is so much four-wheeled traffic on it which is hard to get past (on the bit below the lookout).
Katrina's view from the back corresponds to mine from the front. Sit beside the road and watch for a while and you'll see enough sparks flying.

Edit: that's views from tbe back and front of different bikes!

@Johnny_English

The Kesselberg. Used to be races on it in the 30's.

It's only closed in one direction at the weekend, you can drive from the Walchesee down to Kochelsee. Much better to head down during the week and run through it both ways. Not that I'm advocating driving over the 60K speedlimit or scrapping pegs or elbows.

Seriously nice bit of road but you do tend to run into the boys in green a lot for some reason. Great turns.

Walchensee website
So from Kochel am See to Walchensee is not allowed weekends (Sat/Sun) and public holidays.
You go up a bit but then the big swoopy bit down, so a ascent and a descent to the edge of the Walchensee.
That restaurant mentioned earlier in the thread does lovely nosh.

I thought the utter mentalists were the lovely views ?

@Tim - the boy with the Suzuki has an attractive "rainbow" coloured helmet with fetching matching visor. Must get me one of them.

JE, and you're sure that's not mine?

No offense and all that old chap - but it does look like someone puked pizza on a patchwork kilt.

JE: You are absolutely right. Man, you took the whole: "make sure you are seen" really serious.

Other topic: anyone ever had problems with numb hands when driving?

Never had numb hands but am assuming you are talking vibration linked problems more than cold?

In which case you should consider:

1. Ensuring bike is tuned and carbs balanced to best possible, to keep vibes down.

2. Purchase a http://www.barsnake.com/ to go into the hollow bars.

3. Bar end weights if you don't already have fitted. Or heavier ones.

4. Gel hand grips.

Also of course gripping the bars less is important! You should have a relaxed grip on the bars. Also keeping hands in MX grip (finger or two over levers) could assist.

If you find you have more problems in the throttle hand then a throttle lock may assist.

Anything else I can help with?

@Codered

How was the run down to Salzburg ?

Johnny's adivice seems to cover everything. As you've just started again after a break then you are probably gripping the bars too tightly and perhaps pulling back too much. I had this problem and it's a matter of learning to relax your grip.

You should be maintaining a slight amount of pressure on the bars, as if you were pushing them away from you, this will help stabilise the bike and give your hands a rest. You can actually keep the throttle in place with your hand open if you are pushing forward.

Your grips may be to small or too big for your hand, that's where gel or replacement hand grips would help.

Your gloves may also be too large or too bulky, which may cause you to grip harder to compensate.

Are the tires and front shocks okay ? If they aren't new then maybe you are getting excessive vibration from the front.

I've also heard that helmets wth unorthodoox colour combinations can cause headaches, nausea, numbness, shortness of breath and toothache but I'm not sure of this ?

Yeti Yeah they do but usually in everyone but the wearer.

As to numbness in the hands, amazingly what Yeti says pretty much sums it up.
I only get it when riding at a constant speed for a time, such as on the m'way (as if!), when you don't get to move your right hand much. That's a pretty obvious one though.

One of the UK BIKE magazine journos actually recommended last year on long stretches to use the LEFT hand for the throttle. Crazy bastard - and he was being serious. Never had the balls to do this myself...but I never sit still on the bike anyway.

Sitting still is not what bikes are for, but sometimes it's unavoidable.
I just wait for an empty stretch, pull the clutch and give the right hand a good shake.

Maybe he was using a righthand drive bike ?

Hmm In principle most bikes are right-hand drive. Why else would the sidestand be on the left...

hey guys.

thank you for all the hints. appreciate that.

the ride to salzburg was awesome, although I was sweating my ass off whenever going too slow. I was actually going way south of Salzburg to a place called Tamsweg. So I took the Tauernpass near Radstadt.

Great ride, south of Salzburg I practically didnt hit a single red light and it was all open road and turns werent too tight so a good start to get some confidence back. However, when I hit the road up to the "Pass" I got into some serious rain, which is fun when you're not in the possession of a rainsuit and your pants are meant for summer...anyways, on top it stopped and you dry out pretty quickly...

One more thing about the hands:

The feeling I get is really weird. It doesnt really feel numb, its more like your hands are made of iron and when you touch something they vibrate inside...uhm...dont know how to explain it differently...

I bought different gloves already which might help as they are better cushioned, and will also try to lessen my grip. My previous bike was a standard naked bike so I didnt rest on my hands as much as I do now. Might also be a factor.

Aha - you have a sportsbike as in the profile? So probably got loads of bodyweight on the wrists. Better you than me...only solution then is to go faster as this will lift your weight away from the bars.