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So, where did you ride your F800 today? :)

627K views 915 replies 99 participants last post by  SteveT 
#1 · (Edited)
Consider this a thread not for globe-circling tours or death-defying achievements, but just reports of little throwaway day rides that we do because we like to ride F800s. 30 mile coffee runs, trips through a forest, a visit to a shop or beach for fun. Try to include a pic, location, miles, condition. If you've done something major, do a separate post.

Here's a small ride I did yesterday-- Pinner to Leatherhead in the UK, to visit a GetGeared motorcycle shop. 70 miles round trip. 50 miles up and back on the M25. Pic:



A few notes-- the ride was fun for me, because I needed cleaning supplies (SDoc100, ACF 50. visor and helmet cloths) and this was the first time I tossed the Vario panniers back on the F700 since the day I drove her home. GetGeared has good ratings as a shop, but I was a little underwhelmed by their selection, and it didn't seem like anything was on sale (like I hoped it would be). I believe the Infinity Motorcycles shop in London (Great Portland Street) is better, at least in terms of selection and some sale prices. Before spring, I'd like a pair of kevlar jeans...

One thing about the ride-- the M25 was windy going down, but the tail wind coming back made it an entirely different ride. There was still frost on some of the small, neighborhood roads to look out for. Shop guys were nice-- one asked about how I liked my Helite vest. I need recommendations for cool gear shops within decent driving distance.

Okay, that's a throwaway ride. So, where did your 800 today?

UKRider

p.s. Happy new year to everyone. Now I'm off to take my daughter out for dinner.
 
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#3 ·
Managed to get out early this morning after the bike being laid up for three weeks because of the icy roads.

65 mile round trip and met a couple of mates in Banbury for breakfast, very cold but a lovely morning and great to be back out, tried out my new Spidi Voyager 2 jacket which was brilliant, mega warm and very comfortable even with a big Forcefield back protector in, also tried my new TomTom Rider which worked seamlessly, so although only a short ride, just what I needed!
 
#5 ·
Trip to Orford, Lunch, longest F700 ride so farI

Just for fun, I rolled off 225 miles today and visited Orford on the Suffolk Coast and the Heaths Area of Oustanding Beauty:









It was just about 36 degrees F when I started this morning, and I was lucky to have three chemical hand warmers going in my Bering Gizmo jacket. There were some high winds during the ride, the the low weight and low front end of the F700 with original windscreen handled them fine. The low winter sun was hard on the eyes a few times, but it was a great ride. There was a small tea house on the water front at Orford where I was happy to have a toasted bacon and brie sandwich and two Americanos to warm up. I look forward to visiting again.



UKRider
 
#9 ·
Good idea Jim. Don't we usually do an F800riders "calendar" thread? Post up a pic or two of a ride (any ride) from 2014. Just has to have an F800 in it somewhere.

Here's one from a short Sierras ride and another from just a backyard coastal ride.

View attachment 123681 View attachment 123689
I like the pics-- great road and skies. I'm about 100 miles from coastline, but I have several to choose from. I hope to do a one day circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, for example, which would be about 250 miles round trip.

I just realized that after 1500 miles, I still haven't rode my F700 in any temps above 50 degrees F. I wonder what it will be like... :)

UKRider
 
#10 ·
Keep us posted-- I also need to start planning a two or three night trip. I think I might start with the Lake District, since I know some hostels there but I've only visited by train. The trick may to get the right time of year, since the traffic has been terrible on some of my visits there.

I had an interesting ride last night-- 70 miles in the dark, mostly raining or misting, in rush hour traffic with high winds. The F700 was completely planted in the crosswinds, which was great. I was concerned on the twisty country roads of exiting a corner and over a fallen tree limb. I wouldn't like that...

UKRider
 
#12 ·
I cut a slot in the snow/ice to get out to the open street. Then a short ride around town to test my heated seat. [thumb]
 
#14 ·
Visit to Waltham Abbey, Lee Valley Park

I did another "park ride" to Waltham Abbey in Lee Valley Park yesterday.









Roundtrip was about 75 miles. Temp range was 2.5 C to 7 C. Only strange bit was that I did a second ACF 50 coat to the frame, engine, kickstands, etc., as some must have been on the discs because my brakes were spongy for the first half of the ride but back to normal by the end.

UKRider
 
#15 ·
Only two short rides this month 83 miles and a 60 miler.
I've just been looking through some club diaries from 1990/1/2/3/4/5 when we seemed to be more active in the winter months. It must be an age thing when the :behindsofa: has more appeal than my garage where the temperature yesterday was only a freezing 2 degrees C. Wake me up in March![|)]

PS - Just started snowing again so it's more hibernation time. 10 years ago today I was enjoying summer in New Zealand.
 
#19 ·
The Cabin Dairy in Burnham-on-Crouch

Just got back from a 150 mile ride today. I'm informally starting to visit biker cafes throughout the UK, and today I rode to the The Cabin Dairy in Burnham-on-Crouch. I particularly liked the twists and turns of the last six miles into the town. I walked the river front and then had a roast beef with horseradish on granary bread, nice coffee and bread pudding to warm up. Temp range was 7 degrees to .5 degrees C. The F700 was flawless, and it was a fun winter ride.

The food and service at the Cabin Dairy was great. The only surprise was how small and chopped up the interior was-- unless there were larger rooms I didn't see, the place was pretty small inside. The waitstaff liked to share how crowded the town is with motorcycles in the summer, and a crew showed up just as I was leaving.















So, where did you ride today? :cool:
 
#20 ·
After a couple of weeks of cold foul weather I managed to get out this afternoon for a couple of hours and rode a circular route of around 80 miles, conditions were a bit damp and slippery but it was a lovely scenic route.

First stop was Faringdon



And coffee, cake and a read of the papers



Then on to Lechlade, a very pretty little market town on the Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire borders



I then rode on to Bibury which is a stunning Cotswold village and a very busy, popular tourist stop, you can see why...







Then a fast 20 mile ride along the A40 home to Oxford. [:D]
 
#21 ·
After a couple of weeks of cold foul weather I managed to get out this afternoon for a couple of hours and rode a circular route of around 80 miles, conditions were a bit damp and slippery but it was a lovely scenic route.
Great report. I like your paint color, but I am jealous that your bike is cleaner than mine. Also, where is your chain? :)

If the weather holds, I might aim for another cafe next week. I also have some possible days off in February, so I'm pondering a first over nighter. Maybe I can find a hostel on the Isle of Wight and go stare at the boats. (We used to keep a 34 footer at Gosport.)

Thanks for adding the trip report-- it wasn't a bad weekend for riding.

UKRider
 
#22 ·
Like you I'm pondering a first over nighter of the year, also thinking about taking a cheeky Friday off and riding up to the National Motorcycle Museum with a pal of mine, just need the weather to be a bit more pleasant, it was really slippery and greasy yesterday, especially on the B roads.

I can't believe there are so few posts on this excellent thread, I'd love to see what people are up to and where they are riding to, unless of course everyone has their bike tucked up under a cover in the garage on SORN!
 
#25 ·
I rode to work. I think it was the first time I was able to ride into work in January. I leave at 4am it Was 32*f , but was a good ride.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I had a morning to myself so I decided to take an 80 miles circular route which I planned on my TomTom Rider, it was cold (about 5C) but still great to be out. Firstly had a stop for coffee and a bacon roll at Henley On Thames



Then a fantastic twisty route from Caversham to Goring On Thames, not too much on the road so managed to press on a bit.



Then back home to Oxford via Wallingford and Benson.

The weather was dry but very cloudy, damp and greasy, the irony was the the sun broke through just as I got home and the afternoon has been lovely here.

My trusty ST was a perfect companion, however it'll need a good clean this weekend!



 
#27 ·
Great post-- your pictures make the weather look better than it likely was. Also, I know what it looks like to to have so much dirt on the bike this time of year. Lately, I've been having to clean my helmet visors four times a day-- so much dirty water, or salty water, misting up on motorways and roads.

I have a little time off next week, so I might do an Isle of Wight run.

Also, there seems to be a pile of new speed cameras on the M25 flashing like crazy. Ugh...
 
#29 ·
No pictures Im afraid but used the bike for work today for the first time in weeks, to Hereford and back, in all about 100 miles, never got above 4C, very glad of the Gerbing Jacket. Never passed one other bike, 2 scooters in the centre of Hereford and that was it.
 
#32 ·
It is surprising how few bikes are out, even on the weekends. I just got back from 70 miles, and it was chilly but the heated Bering jacket and heated grips did the trick. I saw only a few other riders.

I'll confess to ordering two more jackets today, both with big winter mark-downs. A full leather jacket from Oxford (Atom) and a summer mesh jacket from Spada. Next, I'd like to figure out kevlar jeans and buy a pair. I also signed up for Bikesafe day on May 3rd.

I might aim for another cafe on Saturday. Last weeked I had a nice pastry and coffee stop off at the Ace Cafe on Saturday.
 
#31 ·
Road from Abergavenny to Hereford was a bit damp with a fair bit of mud from the Tractors but not too bad, on the way home the Sun was trying to make an appearance but the Temp was dropping like a stone, lets just hope all the ACF50 I have been applying over the last couple of months does its job.
 
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