With a 1200m straight, we achieved over 160 mph. Incredibly, the bike can lose that in less that 200 metres, yet it was suggested to me that I was braking conservatively. At last, I had my knee down in their school for the purpose: it turns out I have been “a fag paper” from it very often. I took a passenger ride on a Formula 1 sidecar outfit. It was exceptionally hard work holding on. I couldn’t keep with it […]
Tag Archives: BMW
Too windy to skydive
Lunch with Beth by K1200S
With the wind rising and a number of tandem students waiting, I came off the manifest and took Beth out for lunch by K1200S. We went to a charming pub near Woodborough. I forget the name, but the location and food were good. It’s here. Returned via Pewsey, Hungerford, Wantage, with a diversion to Didcot, where we identified a suitable KTM 950 Supermoto.
Off-roading in the wet with the BMW off-road skills course
Last Sunday and Monday, I was on BMW’s off-road skills course. It was wet. Which was nice. Wet meant slippery and there was a lot of crashing, from low-speed muppetry, to a proper 50mph off when practising acrobatics. I picked up my XChallenge often: only BMW would think that a 650 was a good starter bike. Now, I had a great time overall, but I loathe that bike. When standing, the handlebars were too close for comfort, and as a […]
K1200S at Cadwell, Jun 2006

Last summer, I took a track day at Cadwell. What a great circuit: highly 3D with some fast stretches and several bottle checks. A smaller bike might have been a good idea, but where’s the adventure in that? (That’s me, at the front again. I think the instructor was just following me to see what would happen.)
Time to skydive

It was time to relax and become a skydiver. So I did: I sold my Hobie Tiger to raise funds and took my BMW K1200S to a track day at Cadwell Park. I drove to and around Spain and Portugal, holidayed and learned to jump. I came back to begin a Master Driver’s Course. After a week at home, Beth and I drove to the Italian lakes, where we sweltered for a fortnight. The Stelvio pass was a memorable drive. […]