What was your first motorcycle trip abroad?

[DavidS]

Lightweight!!

[fw750x]

Mine it was Not really abroad i went with 4 Friends over to the Mainland ( England ) from Northern Ireland . I had bought a Suzuki GT750 " Water Bucket " a Couple of weeks earlier ( It needed nothing and was a Great Bike ) Thats what i was told . We had the Worst Boat Trip i have ever been on the Liverpool Ferry around 8 hours of up and down side by side the whole way How that ferry did not sink i will never know. Got off in Liverpool and Stopped at the First Petrol Station to fill up the bikes , As i was filling mine i got hit by a huge gust of wind and Petrol went everywhere including the Bikini Fairing that i fitted the Day Before As soon as the Petrol hit the Screen it went grey Some start to the trip . Off we went heading for Silverstone in the Pissing Rain about Halfway there on the Motorway the Guy in front of me His Borrowed Saddlebags Split and one half was Rolling up the Inside lane of the Motorway at about 60 mph while Disentergrating and all his stuff flying all over the Place . We all stopped and gathered up what was Left and started of again about 10 miles Later he got a Flat rear Tyre . So there we were on the Hard shoulder Taking the rear wheel out to go and get it fixed somewhere and the Police pulled up as it was Just about raining and Baltic one of the Mates Still had a Balaclave on with Just eye holes in it when he turned round to Speak to the police man The Police man Nearly dropped when he heard the Northern Ireland Accent Lol . He left pretty quick i think to get new undies this was in 1985 . The mate got the tyre fixed and we were on our way again and got to Silverstone. Stood All day in the Pissing Rain watching Wayne Gardner Blitz everyone on the Track. We left Silverstone the Very last people out of the Huge Bike park and headed for Liverpool as we had a hotel booked for that night , Stopped at one of the Services to fill up and get something to eat . It was dark when we were going down the Slip Road onto the Motorway and my Lights cut out and a few seconds later the Bike died , There was a Random guy behind me who sat behind the 3 others for about 15 Miles and when he passed them the Realised it was not me and stopped on the Hard shoulder expecting me to be coming along behind them , They came off the Next exit and doubled back to the Services and found me on the Slip road and just by sheer luck i found the Broken wire off the Back of the ignition switch and managed to wedge it in place and we headed to liverpool . When we got to the hotel about 2 in the morning the door was locked the Hotel manager thought we were not coming as we said we would be there around 11pm. Had a few hours sleep and then straight to the ferry to get home. Would not have missed that trip for the world despite all the ups and downs .Cheers Francis

[Flintlock]

Great story (and adventure) Francis

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Factory launch of the BMW K75 in Bavaria...one of the best holidays I ever had

[SteveR]

OK Steve, 1st overseas trip on a bike

Having lived in Germany and wandered Euroland when there were 2 Germanys and I was getting paid in Deutchmarks, I kind of don't count that as an overseas trip

How you keeping?

Steve T

Ticking over, getting older, but I think the body might actually allow some motocycling again this year... Torn leg ligament in 21, broken wrist 22/23... too much bloody work with the shite summer in 24!! But I live in hope

Surprised you were not hacking around on bikes back then, when you lads were protecting us from the Commie hordes!