superbling

Hey Everyone,

Finally getting to log on after more than a week of playing tourist in England. Obviously the big news is the terrorists attacks. Hit pretty close to home for us as A) we watched it unfold live on the tele just like we did on 9/11 and B) we had been a Regents Square just hours before the bus explosion.

On a lighter note here are some over generalizations after one week of observations:

I'm really enjoying seeing all the bikes in both quantity and quality. I think the Honda CB500 is the official bike of London followed by old cb200t's (old Twinstars in the US). Most of the riders are in full gear/heavy leathers but many don't wear gloves. I assume it's due to all the on/off's that the dispatch riders do with deliveries and not wanting to waste time. Most of these guys also have either open or flip up helmets.

CBR's are very popular as are sportbikes in general. I realized it had been days since I had heard an obnoxious harley when I finally saw one outside of the city. Lot's of ducati's too. So far I've seen five VTR/FireStorms; one blue, one yellow, one silver and two reds; most had pipes (big surprise).

Except for some squids near the Brighton pier, every rider I've seen has been in full gear and riding "smartly" but not overly agressively or showing off. There are speed cameras everywhere (or signs saying so) but traffic flows smoothly and QUICKLY for the most part. Traffic lights are the exception not the norm and the round-about works fairly well. Riders love to carve these up.

The roads overall are extremely narrow with little or no shoulder. If you've watched any Isle of Mann footage, you've seen what much of rural southern England roads look like; fun but take care as there is little to no room for error. Since most don't have real shoulders, cars just park on the road making an all ready narrow roadway even more so but drivers consider them STILL two lanes. You see lot's of dinged or missing mirrors! :-)

Off to Paris to see how those guys do it! You guys behave. Bonus points if you know the significance of this photo I shoot through the glass of a passenger train! Anyone, anyone, Bueller?

superhawk22

Is that the factory from the Pink Floyd album cover (can't remember which one though.

penst8grad

Is it this one?

superhawk22

That's the one, too many mind altering subtsances as a teenager.

superbling

SCORE! Yup, that's the album. It's excellent and one of my favorites of that group. Glad to know you guys haven't burned up all your brain cells yet like I have!

Here's a link with some cool pics of it now:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/...on/default.stm

superbling

Well the French riders (in Paris anyway) are totally f*&king nuts compared to the more orderly Brits. The scooter riders in particular are notorious for making holes in traffic where none exists and this even included cutting across sidewalks to hit a gap. Most cars other than brand new ones have side swipe damage too.

Large scooters and standard type bikes like UJM's are very, very popular. For some reason larger ST's are also numerous but sportbikes don't seem to be that popular(?); never saw a FireStorm/VTR. I did see several four wheeler ATV's with license plates still running dirt tires. You could hear these guys coming from blocks away!

I'm suffering serious bike withdrawls now and can't wait to get home to jump on SuperBling.

Oppenheimer

In Europe bikes are much more for basic transportation than in the States, thus the popularity of 'practical' bikes like scooters (tight city streets), UJM 'standard' bikes, and Sport-Tourers (guys that also get out into the country alot, and have a place to park their rig at home & office.)

The cars all have side swipe marks, so nobody wants plastic body panels on their bikes if they don't need them, so not many sport bikes. Sport bike riding position is also not condusive to heavy traffic.

I bet if you went out into the coutry you'd see plenty of sport bikes prowling the great country roads they have there, owned by guys with a bit of extra cash for such a luxury.

bluesman

May I add something from Europe?

1. Not even 50% of cars have side sweep marks, and mostly you would see it in Paris and Rome, but it is not France and Italy, it is Big Cities. In New York people's attitude would be different to Hewston, or I am wrong? At least that was my impression...
2. In Germany or Belgium or Netherlands or .... or... sweeps on sides of cars is reason to take car for repair and not considered normal. I have just given my car for repair - it is not motorcyclists that leaving marks it is garden sheds, trucks parked on streets, garbage bins etc. - sign of unlucky or innacurate drive through narrow place. I have swept my car on side of large track parked in narrow road.
3. France (not Paris!) largerly crowded by sportbikes, supermotards and highly styled-modded and tuned roadsters (like Honda Hornet -CB919 or 599). At evening/night you may find those guys racing each other and dumb youngsters on street cars on outscirts of Paris. What would be rare to find is chopper/custom/cruiser/regular HD (grass tracker would be OK)
4. In Germany it would be completely different, in Netherlands too, in Belgium different again - Europe is not all one country and one culture
I know guys you would understand me - it's like comparing Alaska to Florida most of time...

Let me tell you, that if some of you would be in Belgium by any chance - just give me a shout! I can show you around (I mean - closest capitals).
Or - even better idea - anybody want to join us in trip to France? I'll do my best to help and host you here - we going on July 30 for 1 week.
Otherwise - why VTRers would not organise group visit ? Or group ride in Autumn? I can take care of planning etc...you can rent VTRs here or any other bikes...1 week would be perfect. Please don't tell me nobody's interested, come on!
And may be one day I'll count on you and will get to see your great country from roads rather than from cities...
BTW - if anybody would be going for ride to Russia or Ukraine - I can help (all my friends mostly there as I am Ukrainian and we maintaining #1 Ukrainian bikeportal on Net), just let me know.

superbling

Yeah, I realize that big cities are a totally different micro-society anywhere you go. We stayed about 30 minutes southwest of london and it was no where near the same as the city (except that they still drove on the wrong side of the road!).

bluesman

Yep, and I must say that by any means Parisians are complete nuts

Not in bad way, they just really different - I must admit working with them is a real headache, and when I have to go to Paris I leave car on outskirts

People in High Alps are different - you'd like thos guys and their womderful medeival towns...and they are really nice to motorcyclists and - amazingly - even old folks there drive their small Peugeouts and Renaults really well and fast...

I can tell you that I actually owe my life to about 60 years old lady who performed most impressive move to save my stupid ***..2 years ago...
I was in tight right hairpin on my Hornet (599) and messed it up at about over 70 mph - it was too hot (over +40 Celcius), we had no time to drop pressure in tires and when I pushed it my overheated tires just slid both at same time and I ended up on left edge of opposite lane. That old lady came out of closed turn at about 55-60 mph towards me, saw me and - she took towards middle ith at same time managing to slam on brakes line and let me pass on her right!
In Belgium I'd be dead if same would've happened.

I had to get drunk that evening - it happened in Var (High Alps) on mountain pass at about 1800 meters with good hundred meters drop to canyon on one side and rock cliff wall on another...one lane each way with no straights. I'd have died for sure....

No, we definitely should organize Superhawkers Tour de France!
I can guide all way, help to rent bikes, let all stay in my place before lift off, help with all details etc.

And with those special offers nowadays it's cheap to fly to Brussels!

tony.wilde1

that picture is the old battersey power station in south london...disused now,though there was talk of making some sort of leasure park inside the old place???.