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My R1200 GSA on the B862 above Loch Ness a couple of year’s ago with a friend’s borrowed K1600 - he decided touring on is Fireblade was not a good idea and borrowed this bike. A bit of a change for him. 
I don’t do the miles I used to but should get 50k up this year on this bike. First time I have never wanted to change a bike.
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Yes - Royal Enfield Himalayan.
Speed cameras (France has ramped up use and effectiveness), 3rd World condition of English roads and general congestion - combined with changing personal priorities made it easy enough to detune from previous quite fast bikes to this lovely bicycle-with-a-motor.
I haven’t had so much fun on a bike since my Tiger Cub (possibly more down to my age, 16, than any choice of bike). I’m not sure I could easily break any speed limit and I now set my TomTom to eschew motorways and favour D roads and the odd single track.
A trip down to SW France last autumn was contemplative and fun - countryside savoured and not glimpsed at sphincter-tightening pace. Twisty roads along river courses were taken at full speed (60-70) accompanied by uncharacteristic whoops of innocent joy.
Downside - TOTAL inability to overtake anyone pootling along at 50 - early attempts proved overextended, embarrassing and usually aborted.
You learn to pootle too.
And - it cost £4,000 new.
Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Stock Shot.
The sort of thing I rode when 20. A quite fast Dresda Kawasaki 900.
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. . . . nice one CBR600
Looks a bit like a Dnepr from the Ukraine. I think the engine was a pre WW2 BMW design and still making them (badly) until a few years ago.
I owned one of these once with a sidecar. It had a chair, on the wrong side of course for British roads. My one was only 5yrs old, but the engine had some serious end float. I had to add a bit of shim in the front end to stop it knocking itself to bits. Took it across Germany, Austria, Poland and it eventually died in the Czech republic. Great fun with a big grin factor. If I find a picture, I’ll post it. In the meantime, here is a wiki for you:
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Wonderful!
Is your Rudge a registered Pioneer?
First time I have seen a red Indian.
Nice motor
Great photo.
Sadly I could not get on with my R1200GS, it always felt like a top heavy tractor. Couldn’t live with the torque twist either, but each to their own.
Urals are still made and indeed sold worldwide, including the UK: http://ww.f2motorcycles.ltd.uk/uralcombo.html
Great set of words there
“A trip down to SW France last autumn was contemplative and fun - countryside savoured and not glimpsed at sphincter-tightening pace. Twisty roads along river courses were taken at full speed (60-70) accompanied by uncharacteristic whoops of innocent joy.”.
The dresda looks well, I certainly remember them from my youth. Looks a bit like a featherbed frame?
OMG,stunners. You have me salivating at the images.
Ah, but did yours have a machine gun attached?
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It’s the torque I love and the feeling it’s come alive when you start up (as opposed to having to check the RPM to see if it’s running. ). I’ve never found it top heavy once moving but you do need to choose where to park!
Hi Adam - your father’s bike is a Triumph - probably circa 1912 in origin. 1920 would be plausible as the toolboxes are missing and the saddle is later so it had seen some service by the time the photo was taken. Lovely photo and blows up well!
Yes it is pioneer registered and runs well. Currently up for sale with a well known dealer but I don’t think I’m allowed to link.
Back in the 80ies, I used to ride a Triumph Bonneville - did that for a couple of years, then got a car as kids came into my (l/w)ife…
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Sidecars!
I’m surprised they’re legal. Completely confusing until you get used to them first…
You’ve a load on one side of the bike dragging the bike towards it when accelerating and pushing the bike away when braking. Plus when cornering you’re either leaning against it or it’s lifting off the road (depending on direction of corner).
My first was a knackered Kawasaki Z500 that I picked up in Walsall (not riden one on the road before, but I had been riding bikes for >20 years). Within 2 minutes I almost went under a van (braking at a junction I wasn’t prepared for the push to the centre of the road) and almost wiped out a bus stop (accelerating away from the junction I hadn’t expected it to pull to the kerb).
Things got more controllable and I eventually replaced it with a BMW K100 based sidecar (which I built); this was a much better bike and I went around bits of Europe in the winter on this for a couple of years. Then sold it. I won’t have another but glad I had the experience.
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Thanks for that information.
My father took time off his studies at Trinity College, Dublin to take lend a hand in the 1st World War - presumably being so employed until demobbed.
If the Triumph was used by the (British) army perhaps he had it from there and the earlier date applies.
He told me he hankered after a bike from Fabrique Nationale - possibly the Four.
As elsewhere - originally a firearm manufacturer.
Agreed. It’s a different style if riding. On the CBR you just drop the bike into the corner, but try that on the GS and you will be sliding down the road, it’s more a smooth lean over with the beemer.
Is it no one here that has/rides a Gold Wing.?
