Alecg1 romford

[alecg1]

Hi folks. Well the title says it really, name's Alec and I live in Romford. For those further afield that's in the Essex London borders in the overcrowded South East of England, on the edge of ......... you get the idea.

Brief history why I'm here. 6'2" and knocking on the door of 50 been riding for 30 + years (ouch). I had a ZZR14 for 8 years and chopped that in for a S1000R last year and within a month we were off to the Pyrenees. With adaption of a comfort seat and wunderlich screen the bike was fantastic, but its just too focused if I'm honest. Those of you that have experienced one may understand when I say I couldn't just go for a bible ride on it, it always egged me on.

So I contemplated a GS1200 and took one out, though having experienced the raw meat diet of the R it just felt a bit damp. Back to the dealers and took out the XR, I'd sat on one at the bike show when launched and thought it was spot on ergonomically for me. Absolutely the greatest combination of the GS style and R engine, can't deny the vibes but I'm sure bar weights wills sort out the minor irritation. The cost was just too much, I thought. Anyway that was it, had to have one. Got a great deal from SBW Motorad on their ex demo.

So here I am, hasn't stopped raining since I got it including the ride home in the dark but still so much better than on the R. It really does seem like the every bike for me.

Alec

[bagwafu]

Hi Alec and welcome.  I came from a RR and Gixers before that so kinda know where you're coming from.  Love mine, best bike I've had.

I'm off to the Pyrenees in July with my missus on the back - can you recommend any decent routes?

Cheers

[alecg1]

Hi Bagwafu,

We went in through Santander then made our way out via the 623 toward Burgos but veering off early toward Pamplona and picking up the 240 which becomes the n260.This a really good road, we posed the question if it was great road but couldn't answer that. I have never ridden a road for so long that has so many bands on it constantly. Traffic was light the surface general good but there aren't many fantastic vistas, so it isn't the Alps. Would i do it again, yes in an instant. There are two points where there is a Northern rote or a Southern route, we rode both and both times the Northern route was better. The route between Vielha and Sort on the C28 though off piste was fantastic. Full of uber hairpins there is no such things a 180 they all seemed to be 270 bends amazing but did suck the time in.

We basically then came back via Castellane and Millau France working our way up. It had been a long time since we had gone to the Pyrenees but overall it was well worth it, that said i suspect we will be back in France this year possibly the Morvan (new) and Vosges again but more beers and arguing to decide yet.

Hope this helps.

[bagwafu]

Alec - cheers - thanks for the info - we are sailing into Bilbao then overnighting in Pamplona then present plans have us taking the 240 and the start of the 260 before heading over the mountains on the  A136/D934 from Sabiñánigo.  Then we are staying near Pau for 4 days - the missus is hooking up with some of her friends driving down from Brittany and I have a few days solo riding around the area - have planned the Col du Tourmalet and some others, but always up for recommendations.  So it sounds like the present route from Pamplona will be fun two up. Unfortunately I've just found out the Tour de France has it's Pyrenees mountain stages in the middle 2 days we are there, so I'll have to plan to avoid their routes else get caught up in it all. 

Happy to race the peloton tho lol     

[alecg1]

fantastic excuse ....."sorry I've been away for four days, cyclists everywhere just couldn't get back, honest"