Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists
This is my new club's site. Some other links in there worth a look, particularly -
Motorcycle Tips and Techniques
I found a link to this US site on the club site. An interesting read.
Motodirectory.com
I registered and developed this site with Motodirectory's free hosting service. A good place to start looking for anything to do with bikes.
Scottoiler
Got a chain? Don't mess about - Get a Scottoiler. You know it makes sense.
Sigma Computers
This is really a cycling accessory, but seems to be increasingly popular as a motorcycling gadget. £20 is not much for a gizmo providing some handy trip computer functions, also doubling up as a clock, and an easy to use KM/Hour speedo if you are one of these intercontinental types.
Fitted one to my Sofa last year mainly to give me a clock, but got something to play with on those long trips! The average speed and maximum speed functions are a hoot. It works brilliantly, and when I get a few minutes I'll put details on the site - In the meantime, mail me if you want to know more. This link takes you to one bike related site, but enter BC800 in your search engine to see loads more.
Ted Simon
Rode round the world back in the 70's on a Triumph 500. Now he's planning to do it again! Read his book "Jupiter's Travels".
Laverdas, The Universe and Everything
Take a look at my Laverda page. This link takes you to John Read's site. John owns a modern Lav, a 750S Formula, and the site tells you all about it.
Heading For The Sun
In June I went to the Ardeche, way down in the south of France. Couldn't wait to go, but while I had driven in France before, I had never taken a bike over, so had a few concerns. These sites proved very helpful in getting me up to speed (!), and are well worth a look if you are planning your first trip.
The Bull's Guide To Riding In France
Three pages of really useful guidance on French road manners, how not to get done for speeding, what to take etc.
Ultrablade Motorcycle tour Guide
Very comprehensive pages telling you how to make your way through France into Spain on two wheels. Loads of useful information.
How To Get There
Good route planner - Tells you everything down to cost of autoroute tolls for the suggested route. Very friendly, possibly a little more so than………
Still very good, and of course their maps are the best by far.
Where to stay?
If you are looking for a one night stopover try Premier Classe or Formula Une. PC are that bit more comfortable. F! fine if you don't mind sharing your bathroom so I'm told. Both good value compared with the UK equivalent, and certainly with PC you can book online.
For my trip I went with three mates, and we stayed on a Canvas Holidays site, including a one-nighter on the way down. No need to take a tent, only a sleeping bag - A fully equipped canvas mansion is waiting for you to turn up, drop your throw-overs and head for the bar.
Crossing the Channel
Cheapest Channel Crossing.co.uk
Over or under? Not a lot in it. Eurotunnel's prices are coming down, and the premium is sometimes worth it for the much quicker crossing. Ferries are still OK, and give you more choice of destination port, which can take a few hundred miles of northern France out of the equation. I phoned P & O, quoting their Motor Cycle News offer, and got an immediate 30% reduction on the price Canvas Holidays were quoting for the same sailing. The P & O booking line number is 0870 600 0600.