Little bikes do the Alps.

Discuss general riding stories and adventures here.
Harry Notts
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Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 10:25 am
Rides:: C90ZZ C100 The Hound/SuBo.
Location: Sutton in Ashfield Nottinghamshire

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by Harry Notts » Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:46 pm

White or RED ?

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BenB
The Byway Bad Boy!
Posts: 1700
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:32 pm
Rides:: C90E gold, MSX125 and CRF1000 Africa Twin
Location: Norwich

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by BenB » Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:33 am

Tranberg wrote:
Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:58 pm
400 miles on a Grom in a day :o
Some of us are hardcore..... :shock: :? :lol:

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Newtsalad
Admin & site janitor.
Posts: 17611
Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 8:30 am
Rides:: XL1200c, Cali III, C125,GS750,XV535,XL350,BN125,C90's,C200's,CT200,Little Cub's
Location: Essex boy loose in Suffolk!

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by Newtsalad » Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:25 am

The XL had some serious preparation for the journey. Only a fool would take a 40 year old bike across Europe without taking lots of precautions.

No, amend that. Only a fool would take a 40 year old bike across Europe.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

It did OK. It holds 1.8 litres of oil, and I used some 3.5 litres without it having any obvious leaks. It blew the graphite coated mesh gasket out of the exhaust joint, so I was basically running on just the header pipe. Which unsupported kept coming loose. I repaired it twice with plastic metal, each time it lasted a day. I ran out of plastic metal.

I rode the last 3 days with it as noisy as hell. It was good fun though, and I'm glad I took the old girl. :D

Not many '78 XL 350's sporting deserved Stelvio Pass stickers! ;)

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Diesel Dave
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Rides:: 1965 Enfield Diesel, 2017 Sterling, Modenas Kriss and CT200 - the only Cub left
Location: Brentwood, Essex

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by Diesel Dave » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:49 pm

So what was the ‘Bike train’ like?

Chimp
Formerly c90cpc
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Rides:: 1965 CT200, 2013 CB500X, 2013 Grom, 2019 RE Bullet Trials
Location: Norfolk

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by Chimp » Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:09 pm

Brilliant. Rock up, ride bike onto train (keeping your head very low), train staff strap bike down, jump off and wait for your carriage to arrive. Jump off t'other end, unstrap bike and ride off. Ridiculously easy :D
Cars go on top level. Great way to knock off some big miles.

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knapdog
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Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:51 pm
Rides:: '96 C90, '83 C90C, '98 Honda Valkyrie
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by knapdog » Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:03 pm

Chimp wrote:
Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:09 pm
Brilliant. Rock up, ride bike onto train (keeping your head very low), train staff strap bike down, jump off and wait for your carriage to arrive. Jump off t'other end, unstrap bike and ride off. Ridiculously easy :D
Cars go on top level. Great way to knock off some big miles.
Expensive?

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BenB
The Byway Bad Boy!
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Rides:: C90E gold, MSX125 and CRF1000 Africa Twin
Location: Norwich

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by BenB » Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:02 am

knapdog wrote:
Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:03 pm
Expensive?
Not so bad if you book early. We weren't quite as early as planned, but paid £135 for a bike and a bed in a four berth couchette.

The couchette (sleeper) compartments are comfortable and the whole thing is easy.

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knapdog
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Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:51 pm
Rides:: '96 C90, '83 C90C, '98 Honda Valkyrie
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by knapdog » Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:41 am

BenB wrote:
Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:02 am
knapdog wrote:
Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:03 pm
Expensive?
Not so bad if you book early. We weren't quite as early as planned, but paid £135 for a bike and a bed in a four berth couchette.

The couchette (sleeper) compartments are comfortable and the whole thing is easy.
Thanks, Ben
Presumably that was £135 each?
How long was that journey?

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Newtsalad
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Posts: 17611
Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 8:30 am
Rides:: XL1200c, Cali III, C125,GS750,XV535,XL350,BN125,C90's,C200's,CT200,Little Cub's
Location: Essex boy loose in Suffolk!

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by Newtsalad » Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:07 am

461 miles. It was a great thing to do, well worth it to let certain parts recover! :lol:

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BenB
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Rides:: C90E gold, MSX125 and CRF1000 Africa Twin
Location: Norwich

Re: Little bikes do the Alps.

Post by BenB » Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:26 pm

knapdog wrote:
Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:41 am
BenB wrote:
Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:02 am
knapdog wrote:
Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:03 pm
Expensive?
Not so bad if you book early. We weren't quite as early as planned, but paid £135 for a bike and a bed in a four berth couchette.

The couchette (sleeper) compartments are comfortable and the whole thing is easy.
Thanks, Ben
Presumably that was £135 each?
How long was that journey?
Yup. Each person with bike and bed.

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