InvictaMoto's Red Pepé Blog

It's a bit premature, but if you don't act quickly then the opportunity is lost.  I was looking at the "local" MotoGP dates in the calendar for 2019. As we are going to Assen in September for the BSB Round in the car or by bike (to be decided) I discounted that round.  It doesn't leave that many within a few miles of the channel ports and so I thought of Le Mans and the French MotoGP. It's the weekend of 17-19 May.  It's not a school holiday and so I should be able to get the Friday and Monday off the "book-end" the weekend.  I checked on booking.com and of course there's hardly a hotel in sniffing distance of Le Mans itself.   So I have booked a hotel,  on the usual "no prepayment/free cancellation" basis in  Alençon .  It's called the  Hôtel Inn Design Resto Novo .  Part of a small chain across France. When Neill and I went in 2012 (!) we stayed at the Formule 1 hotel in  Alençon .  We ate in the n...

Finally, I have managed to get the gpx track that I recorded from the TomTom off the unit and onto the laptop so that I can open it n Tyre . Previously when "sharing" from the 410 it failed. Now, and just a coincidence, after an upgrade to the laptop software and downloading the US maps, it worked. I was surprised that the files was almost 5mb and once imported to Tyre showed over 30000 waypoints.  Luckily, the program manages to plot them by choosing one every 300 to 400! The picture shows the actual trip I did. Including going the wrong way and around a block near the Eloi crater as "we" failed to find the Eloi 2 crater a few yards from the first one!! I might try and use "record" again and see what happens.

Another short run out to the Meldrews meeting at the Blue & White Cafe at Smeeth.  As expected after a lay off and the weather turning very autumnal (and wet) during the week,  Pepe refused to start once the dials had done their flicker to check there was a semblance of battery power left. Out came the dbPower unit and it was "boost-time".  I had charged it but since its last use it was only down to 98%! It took a few goes to get the big-boy running and I left him in the garage ticking over as I got my gear on.  It was a little chilly but once started he runs perfectly. In the end there were five of us there for an assortment of breakfast and bacon sandwiches.  I decided to ride a longer way home via New Romney to give the bike a few miles under the tyres.  Once outside the cafe of course it was boost-time and then we were off. Down the A20, then Bad Munstereffel Way and home via Brenzett and the wide open roads across the edge of the marsh....

Part of the plans to get Claire back on the bike next year, once her hip has healed after the operation, is to get the rear seat upgraded to make it more comfortable.  Rather than having the current seat chopped up and widened and maybe dished a little to match the front, I was looking for a used seat on eBay and in breakers adverts. No sooner had I had the idea than both sources went quiet and then when some were advertised they were very expensive. I have sourced a guy to do the job and effectively I think he really only needs the seat base to work on as he will restyle the "brick" that it resembles currently into something comfortable and wider. The seller "triumphant20years" is well respected in the Rocket community. So stage 1 will be completed sometime this week.

A bit late for me as I had a new one fitted on the rear in the summer. I will need a front though soon enough. https://www.avontyres.com/en-gb/news/d/!/503/avon-tyres-launches-new-cobra If the suggested increased performance and longevity are true then it will be a hit with Rocket owners. posted from Bloggeroid

The dates have been confirmed for the entire BSB (British SuperBikes) season for 2019 and the Assen round in on the 20th-22nd September, a week earlier than in 2018. This is to fit in another round at Donington Park before the final at Brands Hatch I had a look at hotels and the one we stayed in this year (see  https://devalltravel.blogspot.com/search?q=NL18+-+Assen ) wasn't on booking.com  but one a mile or so down the road was. So I have booked three nights at the Wapen van Vries hotel. For Claire and me it will be some €60 cheaper but a single room for Neill will be about the same as this year. I'm posting this on this blog (this early) as I am hoping that after Claire's successful total hip emplacement last week (October 13th) that she will be fully fighting fit to go on the bike. I expect that bike to be Pepe! I am also considering a different route.  Instead of the tunnel I might see about the longer ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.  ...

I joined the club a few weeks after I bought Pepe not because I like clubs, but because they are a pretty valuable source of information when you need some advice, and also they do have a social side. So far I have not been to any social events but they have been useful when I have had a problem and there are so many people that can help.  And have. It is a shame that the South-East and Kent in particular has pretty much of a dead social scene.  After many years in the SOC, I am not putting my head above the parapet.  Never again.  I want to be a follower not a leader. posted from Bloggeroid