A Random Ride Pics Thread.... Post 'em up!

[GSXKING]

Excellent report & pics thanks for sharing 🙏🙏✅✅

[Rynglieder]

10/02/2023 Upton House & the Cotswolds (c. 120 miles)

There looked to be one more run left out of the GTR's rear tyre and with a relatively fair day for February forecast I thought I'd have a Cotswold run.

The outward run was via Stratford upon Avon and brought me to the National Trust property at Upton House, not too far from Banbury. Being out of season the house was not open and there was not a great deal to see in the gardens but at least I got to have a walk and a coffee to warm myself up.

Not wanting to go straight back I set about a loop that allowed me a brief pause above Bliss Tweed Mill near Chipping Norton. I'd passed this many times before but never had the chance to get the camera out. The mill sits in the bottom of a valley; in such a location drainage was always going to be an issue, however as you will see from the picture the architect had the foresight to fit a giant sink plunger to the roof.

Back home via Evesham – not a bad ride for the winter.

[Rynglieder]

14/02/2023 Elvaston Castle & Country Park (c. 137 miles)



It was Valentine's Day so I thought I would give my wife the gift of having the house to herself.
 
The GSX was drawn out of the garage rather later than it should have been for a day out but it was a cold start t the day and I was hoping it would be warming up a little as the morning drew on.  Since its recent chain and sprocket replacement it has been beautifully smooth to ride again and I was even prepared to start off with a bit of motorway so that I could head north for a change.

Leaving the M42 near Tamworth I was at least able to get a few miles in on "proper" roads through north Staffordshire and South Derbyshire.
Once the bike was parked up I forked out for a pay and display car park ticket – usual problem, where are you supposed to put it? I tucked it under the fuel filler tab and took a photo of it in case anyone nicked it – it's never happened yet but you never know...



I had a pleasant walk around the country park which is centred around a "castle" which is really more of a manor house, but the light was fading fast and there were too many long shadows for many decent photos.



The penalty for my late start was a return home entirely on dual carriageway and motorway plus getting tangled up with all the commuters around Birmingham, but no regrets – it's always a pleasure to get out on a bike.

[Rynglieder]

23/02/2023 Long Mynd (c. 70 miles)



It was about time to set the Z1000 on the local scenery – naturally because it is a literal pain in the ar$e to ride something short was in order.
Although not far from home it had been some years since I had visited Carding Mill Valley  so I had a blast out taking in the views along Wenlock Edge. Carding Mill Valley was too busy for my liking but I parked up alongside the stream and hunted down a coffee from the National trust Café before going back into Church Stretton and commencing the ascent of the Long Mynd.

In a matter of minutes I parked up the bike again to spend some time taking in the views of the Shropshire Hills and back down into the valley I had jut left. The last time I was up here was on the GTR, just after I had purchased it.



 

The road across the top of the Long Mynd is known as the Bur Way and after passing the fields used by the glider club there is a very steep descent with a precipitous unfenced drop to the right. Being a single track road one goes cautiously in case an unexpected car pounces from behind a hedge. The Z1000 was a much more agile bike for this sort of road than the GTR and I was soon at the Western edge of the road picking my way though muddy lanes back toward Church Stretton.

The ride home was pretty much as I had travelled out, but with a quick stop in Much Wenlock for another coffee...



Although the Z1000 never goes far from home it is always a pleasure and allows a little more spirted riding, the smaller bike is much more suited to my own build.

[Irish in Oz]

Today and Yesterday


 

[Rynglieder]

02/03/2023 Shropshire Hills (c. 90 miles)



A bit of a déjà vu ride really. Mike got in touch and suggested a ride out and having fresh and fond memories of my recent blast on the Z1000 I suggested to him that he may fancy a variation of the same ride.

As it was a sort run I decided to make use of the Z1000 again, whilst the heated grips on the GTR would have been welcome the big tourer's tyre was on its last few microns of rubber and was scheduled for a new Angel GT the following day.

We met up at my home and flicked through the A Roads via Bridgenorth and Wenlock Edge though to Church Stretton. My usual diet of coffee and cigarettes had to be adjusted to accommodate my companion so we left the bikes in a car park in the middle of town and settled down in a café we had spotted the night before using Google Street view – the internet is a wonderful thing.

Suitably refreshed I was pursued by the Multistrada over the Long Mynd and then picked our way through Craven Arms, skirted Ludlow and then (as I so often seem to do) ended up on Clee Hill summit to take in the views under the sunshine.



We went our separate ways beyond Bewdley, it hadn't been too much of a ride – we are still in the season of cold, short days but I know there is better to come and these little rides help keep the mind and body ready.

[Mick_J]

In London that would be £100k fixer upper. 

[Rynglieder]

In London that would be £100k fixer upper. 

Oh I don't know, his bike's not that bad - a good clean and a service at a Ducati dealer should be less than £2k 

[grog]

Not totally sure on that Mate, bloke i know had a dual purpose similar Ducati. All he did was hit front side into tree. Didnt look too bad. They wrote it off, no parts available. Headlight, brackets, bars, mirror etc. Hes happy, much prefers the Tenere he bought from payout.

[Tony Nitrous]

This morning. First ride on the Gen-2.

It's not slow. It's not quiet. The motor feels REAL strong, but loud pipes, a good fuel map and not having to meet Euro 4/5 is an advantage over the H2 SX and Gen-3.

Gear box is excellent, the seller mentioned it but I'm deaf to salesmen. Nicer than any of my other bikes including newer ones costing twice as much.

I used the H2 and Gen-3 a lot with traction control / wheelie control on, just being lazy and being able to gun in out of corners and off the lights with minimum brain input.  This thing will and does stand up and point the front at the clouds, in a controllable and entertaining way.

Gear lever needs to go down a fraction, suits builders boots but not bike boots. Genuine Suzuki chipped keys are not cheap but I'll bit the bullet, having one key makes me nervous, I can turn the immobiliser off in the ECU and use a cheap key but I'd rather not.

Lots I want to do to it, a BTL lock up is a must before it go's to the drags, and I might rehome those new Angel GT2 tyres, but it's a start.






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[Eric GSX1400K3]

Nice ride Tony,so is this thread going to turn into "Tony's Nitrous Drag GSX1300R build"?

[Tony Nitrous]

Nice ride Tony,so is this thread going to turn into "Tony's Nitrous Drag GSX1300R build"?

The bike might but I doubt the thread will.  I need to limit by passion for Busa's on here!  I have been looking at wet-60 Holley / NOS kits, they are a bit basic and dated but simple and reliable, my favourite kit. I've done big bores, nitrous, a supercharger etc but only ridden other folks turbo's so that's a box I'd like to tick too.  No rush, I might run it around a while, dyno it and find a test and tune meet at the strip first. My stock Gen-1 and King both ran 10.3's,  I think this'll be quicker although I'm waaaay out of practice.

[Tony Nitrous]

Trying to find a pic of something unrelated this morning and I came across these from a while back...

Mt Mee...





... and I think this was South Side of Brisbane ?



... and I'm guessing this was early 2008...

[Speedy1959]

I used to do loads of early (ish) morning rides and havent done one for a while until Wednesday..
Set off at 7.40 am..
Sunday would have been better as I still had to contend with the traffic as its a work day, but that soon disapeared once I had got to the "middle of nowhere" places I like..
1st photo on a clear day gives fantatic views..
2nd photo shows a route a do regularly from Slaidburn (Lancashire) to Bentham (Yorkshire)..
3rd Photo I noticed a gnarly old Barn (No not me) and couldnt resist a photo..







   

[Speedy1959]

Part 2:

4th photo shows a church Ive always liked the look of.. This morning the sun was in just the right place to show it off..
last photo just a general view over the countryside near Caton..