It was three years since I had been out and about, partly thanks to Covid lockdowns, and in the meantime I had lost my wife, Liz. Shortly before a planned trip to the Orkneys she became ill and began a course of treatment – sadly she passed away three years later.
Now I was ready to get out and about again, but a solo car journey didn't appeal, so if I was going do a long trip, it had to be by bike. The bike part was easy. A few years previously I had bought a 27-yearold BMW K100RS. I'd been looking for a bike suitable for two-up touring (Liz didn't like the back of my 1968 Suzuki T500 Cobra), specifically a three-cylinder K75, but these seem to be hard to find in standard form. Then I found the K100, an import from Japan with just 40,000km on the clock.
The destination part was easy, too. Liz and I had enjoyed visiting an auberge in the hills above Montpellier, not far from the Med. I was determined to go back there, not just for the memory, but also because it was, and is, a very lovely spot. On a previous trip I had even met Ted Simon there. The hero of my youth gallantly joined us for aperitifs and for lunch next day, a good memory I will dine out on for as long as I can. So, I booked three nights at the auberge, arranging to meet friends down there and reckoning that two days’ riding each way would suffice.
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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.
