Off to Spain today 15th Oct

[Campagman]

Just have a break from packing..............ride down to Oxford this afternoon then onto Portsmouth for the Bilbao ferry on Wednesday, Bilbao mid day Thursday, then into the mid Pyrenees, a little town call Ainsa. Be a change this year as not taking the KTM 400......but plan to take the Stelvio off road with Mrs F on the back !!. Give those Heidenau a good run out

It will be nice and easy off road riding, I won't be keeping up with the trail bikes, just want to keep it upright. Another guy is on a oldish GS.

I'll post so photos when I can

 

[fatal]

Have a good trip. There are some fantastic roads around the area. Keep a look out for the Guardia Civil they're pretty keen on pulling foreign tourists for minor motoring offences.

 

[Campagman]

Ok, here's some photos for starters. I've some videos to play with over the next week or so

Bike ran faultlessly, dropped it a few times, broke both hand guards and put a big ding in the sump guard and the rear reflector fell off some where. The weather was cooler than previous, fortunately for me as I was riding all terrain in leathers!

Lots of mud, lots of gravel and lots of tarmac, did around 1500 miles door to door, including a 250 mile loop into France over 7 passes on one day.
Some off road with my wife on the back, she received the only injury when I dropped it while stationary, my right leg was too short for the track and the bike went over, clipping her right ankle as she ejected off the pillion seat.

Tyres were fine, don't think any other type would help in the heavy mud, just too soft and the bike too heavy. Only got stuck once. Gravel river beds were tricky, the front end was a bit loose there. Ran the tyres at 26-28 psi all week road and trail, seemed OK, hardly any wear. Another rider on a GS1100 (the only other big bike) used TKCs and the rear is shot now.

Off road was less generally physical than riding the same tracks on the KTM in previous years, mainly as going a bit slower. Climbed and descended well in first and second just using the rear brake avoiding the front, very little wheel slip, just let is chug away, rolled over most obstacles OK with the 19" front, occasional bottoming out on the forks and at the rear.

Now she needs a good clean, a rest and some new bits and pieces (the Transalp will come out for the winter).

So big bikes off road, yes most definitely. I think the KTM will be going shortly, it doesn't get much use.

 

[fatal]

Respect mate, you've bigger balls than me. I'd be too scared to tackle some of that terrain for fear of damaging my bike, my off road skills aren't very good. I used to have a Yamaha XT200 Serow for that type of stuff, but then I wouldn't have fancied riding to Spain on it.

 

[Campagman]

A video clip of one of the trails, the camera doesn't show the incline of the tracks though, generally tell by the speed, although its all done slowly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tArO2u6w ... e=youtu.be