Good weather encouraged me to test my new suspension with a day out with the Manchester (UK) Honda Owners Club. Temperature was 60F with damp roads. We are very relaxed about membership and some members have transgressed and bought other brands. You will no doubt spot the early Triumph Sprint ( I had one back in 1995 ) the GSXR 600 and a rat bike which is actually a Honda!!
Day out with Honda Owners club
- Thread starter Paulb_imp
- Start date
the Ferret
Road warrior
what is the bike on the left in the photo? Grey adv looking bike. Is that a Honda?
the Ferret
Road warrior
Man wish we got bikes like that.
I do find it interesting that we in the UK seem to get a far greater range of bikes than you get in the US ( we get three colours of CB1100) as you are obviously a larger market than us but I suppose there are two reasons. Firstly, the UK is part of Europe and we get what they get and secondly, the US is very patriotic and a large part of the domestic market must be made up of Harley's and other similar bikes. I think it would make a very interesting thread to consider the differences between the US and UK markets. Here is a fact that may surprise you Americans. From my home in Manchester I can ride to anywhere in the England and get home again in a day, and I'm talking daylight hours. How much of America could you cover in one day? Also our roads go back to the feudal system and were designed to do round the field system so unless you are on a motorway ( built in the 60's and equivalent to your interstates ) there is a bend every couple of hundred yards.
Randy B
Road warrior
I have driven from San Jose California to Chicago Illinois in two days (with a motel stop) in a car by myself. I could probably traverse the entire country (say San Francisco to New York) in 3 days by myself, but I would be quite exhausted.Paulb_imp said:
I'm not sure I'd want to try it on a bike as I don't think my rear end could take it...lol.
I have driven from San Jose California to Chicago Illinois in two days (with a motel stop) in a car by myself. I could probably traverse the entire country (say San Francisco to New York) in 3 days by myself, but I would be quite exhausted.Randy B_imp said:
I'm not sure I'd want to try it on a bike as I don't think my rear end could take it...lol.
Boston to San Francisco is 3100 miles so 45 hours. 3 days would be 1000 miles per day which would be exhausting for me in an automobile.
My wife and I went on a 3 week tour of part of the US. Boston to Phoenix, then hit all the national parks in Utah, Colorado (1 week in that great state), then up through western Wyoming to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. Up to Montana and across northern states to Niagara falls and then home. At the time I had an '86 Mustang GT and I think total miles was 5000+. I think it would be fun to fly to Denver and then rent a motorcycle and spend 2 weeks riding in the rockies.
Here are some scans of slides I took of the Grand Tetons back then:
Paulb, I assume you mean anywhere in England rather than anywhere in the UK? How long to Lands End and back? Would you need to take to the motorway to do it in a day? I find between 700-800 kms is enough for a day.
the Ferret
Road warrior
It took me 11 days to ride from Ohio (mid west USA) to Cali (west coast USA) and back, mostly expressway, no rest days, pure riding, just under 5500 miles (8800 kms), averaged 495 miles (800 kms) a day for 11 days straight, about 10 hours a day in the saddle. Would take another 2 days each way to go from Ohio to East Coast of USA and back.
Manchester to Lands End is 360 miles and by using motorways it could be done in 6hours so the return trip could be accomplished in daylight hours. If we are talking about the UK then Manchester to John O'Groats in the north of Scotland is 490miles and would take 8 hours each way.Cormanus_imp said:
I try to avoid motorways if at all possible but do use them if I'm travelling to Spain or France to get me to the ferry on time.
Australia and the USA both have something that we don't in the UK, big gaps between towns and cities. There are no deserts, prairies or huge mountain ranges in the UK and every scrap of land is owned by someone.
