Annoyingly I had to skip the last issue of MSL, as the T7 spent some time sitting at my local Yamaha dealership in Trowbridge awaiting some necessary maintenance, having had my first 'spot of bother' (other than a puncture, of course) in some 3500 miles of riding.
The problem came when a trip to Donington Park was on the cards. Having departed at 6am, by 6:30am I was limping home wondering what the hell I had done as the bike had started jolting in and out of power. Finally I pulled over and had to try several times to keep the engine running, having dropped into gear with the side-stand up. Writing with hindsight, it is obvious now that the side-stand switch was at fault, not a common trait of this model more than any other, just a component that had failed.
Having coincided with two potentially problematic events the previous day, I was wondering if I was at fault, though. Firstly, I had filled the bike via a jerry can; not a crime in itself but one that could lead to aliens getting into the tank and causing blockages. Secondly, I had tested Muc-Off's jet wash, a taboo in some circles whom I was preparing myself for battle with as it's a great bit of kit... breaking down straight after may have lessened my case somewhat. But neither had anything to do with it. The switch had just failed and as ever the guys at Phoenix Yamaha came to the rescue... they should be wearing capes.
My key concern was to be back on the road for the Adventure Bike Riding festival at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire. Despite this not being one of our' shows, I am happy to wax lyrical about just how good this event is and a must in the motorcycling events calendar. I have been twice before, sleeping semi-rough in the back of my van, but this time was going to be different, as I, too, would be on an adventure bike for the first time!
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
