Back from the Dragon

[Richard]

Home now.  Bit misty but not too cold a trip home.  Passed Mark and Ifor on the way back - seemed to be smiling, though it may have been a grimace at the speed they were forced to endure.

Lots of diesel on the roads for some reason.

Pretty good Dragon I thought - most of my favourites have been in that valley.

Thanks to lots of folks for making it happen, Steve for encouraging me to get off my a**e and Roy for lending me the bike at short notice.  I now believe that 500cc is enough after all.

To absent friends.

[Richard]

Also nice to see the ingenuity involved in getting around the 'no fires' rule which was about as succesful as 'Please Don't Park on the Grass'. 

Best hat - if not the warmest - award goes to Martin.

Rowan still unconvinced about mulled wine - or 50/50 red wine and Brandy as practised in South Wales.  He is now able to eat and keep it down.

[guest7]

Salt washed off bike, bike garaged, camping gear put away or hung up to dry, rallyist deloused and showered, wife happy to have him home. Result!

Please pass my apologies on to Rowan, my cheerful tapping of his crash helmet and enquiry as to his hangover was meant in the best faith, but his sickly and unforgiving look told me that I had monumentally misjudged the situation (a bit of a Carrick gift).

Great rally, good site and, with the exception of some ignorant types, nice people. Lots of sidecars this year which is encouraging. The rally had started to lose some of its more colourful machines, but any sidecar is eccentric at best and way way madder at worst 

Only four Panthers this year at my count... what would it be without a number of large pussies?

The Bruce Pollard rally on friday was also very good and lots of good tales were told about our much missed TCer.

I couldn't have had half the rally I did without my brother's help so big thanks especially to 'Silverfox'.

Shock news - the XT500 sidecar outfit (with big alloy sidecar body) was (allegedly) ridden down to Betws and put onto a trailer behind a camper van. I hope this isn't true and if it is, it's very poor behaviour.

GC

[guest18]

Glad to hear it was a good one, hope all make it home safe and well 

[Mark]

Lots of diesel on the roads for some reason.

Did it clear when you passed Ifor?

[Steffan]

Well a near faultless trip up, a stop for a brew up and to tighten the newly fitted footrest bars at Corris, was followed by an evening at the Grapes Hotel, good food, nice facilities. Then on to the Dragon for the usual festivities, was great to catch up and sad not to see friends who had not made it for one reason or another.
Trip back was uneventful, we stopped at Dolgellau for breakfast and coffee, Rowan was much the worse for wear - ahh the ways of men...

Then leaving Richard to tend his duckling it was on home to rinse the cake of salt off the bike. When the Marshalls arrived arrangements were made for delivery of OZ's bike back to the yard.

Went to Cardigan in the evening to see "The Muppets" a good weekend.

Having behaved faultlessly, I have decided to part with my beloved MZ see for sales section

Steffan

[Mark]

Went to Cardigan in the evening to see "The Muppets" a good weekend.


Steffan

The In-Laws from Cardigan eh?

[guest7]

The Dragon was my first trip on the ER5 outfit after altering the gearing. It's still not always delighted about holding top gear, but it's much improved. On the way up I was getting 47mpg and on the way back I got 42mpg. The reason for the difference was better weather conditions and higher speeds. I nailed it on the way home. Still good though for a heavy outfit.

I reckon steady sensible riding and sticking to 60mph as a top limit should see 45mpg all day long.

GC

[guest1407]

We arrived safe (but a little cold) at home today at 17.00 European time.

I apologize for not being able to talk as long as I (or you) wanted, to everyone.

Bike doesn´t look salty but gritted. 

Richard-NL 

[beeman]

Home ok

Took scenic route stopped once for breakfast 
On to derby via Ashbourne to see daughter at work
Home at 1730 hrs.
A bit of freezing fog on the tops was the only problem
Good rally in the main didn't get to see the band and all the old crowd in bed before midnight
Was the only negatives
Hope to see some of you later in the year
Beeman

[002]

Trip back was uneventful, we stopped at Dolgellau for breakfast and coffee, Rowan was much the worse for wear - ahh the ways of men...

Then leaving Richard to tend his duckling it was on home to rinse the cake of salt off the bike. When the Marshalls arrived arrangements were made for delivery of OZ's bike back to the yard.

Went to Cardigan in the evening to see "The Muppets" a good weekend.

Having behaved faultlessly, I have decided to part with my beloved MZ see for sales section

Steffan

Poor Rowan ! Do you think he has learned a lesson ?
Well at least untill next time.

But you spent time in a muddy field with Muppets.....why see more !

But Why get rid of your MZ ?

I'm sure you will miss it when its gone.

Jethro

[Simon#83]

The Dragon was my first trip on the ER5 outfit after altering the gearing. It's still not always delighted about holding top gear, but it's much improved. On the way up I was getting 47mpg and on the way back I got 42mpg. The reason for the difference was better weather conditions and higher speeds. I nailed it on the way home. Still good though for a heavy outfit.

I reckon steady sensible riding and sticking to 60mph as a top limit should see 45mpg all day long.

GC

First Dragon on an outfit and very pleased! Still a lot to learn, but I'm very satisfied with the bike's performance. 49mpg on the trip down to Cardiff, holding about 60-65mph. 48mpg on the penultimate leg on the way home, all motorway and holding 65-70. Hit 80mph at one point, which is pretty much the limit of what the rig will do.

I'd estimate low 50s mpg for most of the trip to the Elefant and Tauern treffens, at mostly 55-60mph.


Simon

[002]

Dropped the gearing on the Bonnie.
Advantage on the twisty and hilly bits when fully loaded.Just rolling on and off throttle,pulling great out of tight bends.
On the straights felt too buzzy....revving too much !

I'm going back to standard gearing and happy to use the box a little.

Still get the chair up when towing a trailer,that was bit of a hoot.

Jethro

[guest987]

Dropped the gearing on the Bonnie.
Advantage on the twisty and hilly bits when fully loaded.Just rolling on and off throttle,pulling great out of tight bends.
On the straights felt too buzzy....revving too much !

I'm going back to standard gearing and happy to use the box a little.

Still get the chair up when towing a trailer,that was bit of a hoot.
Jethro

I spent most of the journey back, behind 002 with this going through my head..........................................

 

Rob

[guest1407]

On our way back from the Dragon, we had some soup of the day at the Ace Café. We had time, we only needed to ride to Dover. 



And of course over the Tower Bridge. Felt awesome...... 

Made a small video. Hope you like it.

VIDEO

Richard-NL