Portuguese Perambulations

Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored

- Mark Rowlands

The drama started before we'd got to the ferry, when I felt a distinct issue with the back of the CBF1000. Having owned the bike for over nine years I know it inside out, every squeak and rattle. Puncture? Tyre pressures? Suspension preload?

I knew it was none of these as I'd done them as part of my religious pre-trip preparation. At the side of a dark dual carriageway, it dawned on me that I was looking at wheel bearing failure. What to do? Trudge the 100 miles back home, having wasted 800 quid on the ferry to Bilbao, or press on and try to get it fixed in Spain?

We carried on to our burger stop 15 miles from Rosslare, where the facilities are rubbish and with the ferry being 11.30pm there being only bar snacks available on the boat, we stop on the way. Leaving the car park, the intermittent wobble became an audible clank, evidence of the suspected bearing failure. The usually enjoyable ferry crossing was now clouded with uncertainty. I have breakdown insurance which covers recovery, hotel expenses, etc., but had never claimed. How would it work out if we needed it? Would it need to be shipped home? Was it all over?

Disembarking at Bilboa, we decided to press on to Soria, where we were booked in for the night, in the hope we could find mechanical help there. On the outskirts of Vitoria-Gasteiz it became clear that we couldn't continue without risking serious damage to the hub, not to mention killing both of us.

Within 10 minutes at the roadside my wonderful wife had us booked into a very comfortable aparthotel, close to everything with underground parking. In the room we called the insurance company who were very good, explaining that they could pick the bike up that afternoon, but it would only sit in the recovery yard till the next day when they would start ringing round to find someone local who could sort the bearing. This was Sunday afternoon after all, so it stayed safe in the hotel car park until the next morning.