South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

For some weird reason it isn't raining and I'm not working, so going to explore the SW. Rough plan is to go through Exmoor, maybe double back towards Lynmouth, then head for Dartmoor. After that I will aim for the west coast and go towards Bude. Looks like tomorrow will be decent weather also, so might stay the night and go down to Penzance on Friday. Primary goal is to have fun on the bike, so happy to adjust route to meet people or whatever.

I'll check back here throughout the day, if you want to meet up somewhere let me know.

I should be near Taunton around 1030.

I modified Ptolemy's route:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4dtY5w4ZMTuCbqfu5

We are going out on the bikes today but heading over to The Old Brewery Cafe in Gillingham. Enjoy your ride

Caught me on the hop so have to give it a miss this time.

I'd have joined you but busy being "Jane's Taxi Service" today

Tvrv37 wrote: ↑Jan 30th, '25, 09:26 We are going out on the bikes today but heading over to The Old Brewery Cafe in Gillingham. Enjoy your ride

Ah nice one! Not far from my house : )

Have fun!

Robbo87 wrote: ↑Jan 30th, '25, 10:20 Caught me on the hop so have to give it a miss this time.

No worries : )

Wow epic day! So many great roads and beautiful vistas.

Looks like weather is ok tomorrow as well, so I will bunk down at Drewe Arms in Drewsteignton and head south tomorrow, maybe to Penzance.

Holler at me if you wanna meet up and ride bikes

Down in St. Ives now, going to loop around the coast to Penzance then start working my way up the west coast.

Looks like you timed it well for the weather.

I'm guessing you planned the option of an over night stay so packed the basics?

Basics = pants, toothbrush and gimp mask

For you maybe..
I could probably cope without the spare pants.. mostly..

Jug wrote: ↑Jan 31st, '25, 11:30 Looks like you timed it well for the weather.

I'm guessing you planned the option of an over night stay so packed the basics?

Yea the weather has been gorgeous! Roads were kinda dry in some places!

Yep, I’m still aghast at the price of panniers so haven’t bought any yet, but I have a nice waterproof backpack (Yamaha branding all over it so I look extra dorky on my KTM) which has plenty of space for a week or two’s worth of essentials (and gimp mask).

After action report:

F me that was a shocking amount of fun. Not sure how many miles I covered, but found so many great roads…though the best was that route Ptolemy posted through Exmoor.

I seem to have a knack for finding D roads…two foot wide strips of cleanish road where the car tyres go and everywhere else is mud. Dodgy, but kinda fun in a slightly alarming way.

Dartmoor is just outstanding scenery, it’s a bit like a mini Scotland. The Drewes Arms is a nice pub, the bunkhouse was a good cheap place to stay the night, clean, warm, nice showers.

The KTM was f ing amazing, comfy, up for whatever I wanted to do, hooning, twisties, blasting down motorway. The previous owner had the suspension on pudding settings, I’ve tightened everything up except the rear spring, I think I need to sort that out soon. Feels too squishy.

Had a moment in a sweeping downhill right hander on the A30, I was gently rolling throttle on at about 85mph with quite a bit of lean angle and the front lightened up enough to waggle the handlebars a bit. The back of the bike seems to move a bit when I get a lot of lean on, probably a combination of my ponderous beer belly and too soft spring.

But otherwise an incident free and supremely fun couple days! Should probably be responsible and do adult things this weekend, but might sneak back to that great road through Exmoor tomorrow XD

Church - what KTM do you ride? I've had several, and most of them got a bit wiggly when tramping on, but that was the reason I had them, rather than the more refined offerings from BMW, Triumph etc.
Glad you got out and sampled some of "our" roads. The narrow muddy goat tracks you mention tend to be included, whether by design or accident, on most of the rides we lead

Ming wrote: ↑Jan 31st, '25, 20:45 Church - what KTM do you ride? I've had several, and most of them got a bit wiggly when tramping on, but that was the reason I had them, rather than the more refined offerings from BMW, Triumph etc.
Glad you got out and sampled some of "our" roads. The narrow muddy goat tracks you mention tend to be included, whether by design or accident, on most of the rides we lead

Hi Ming : )

I’m on a 2011 990 SMT. Hehe good to know I’m not the only one poking around on dodgy tracks!

I’m pretty sure the wiggle is related to me tightening up all the suspension settings except the rear spring…I didn’t understand how to measure it per the owners manual. But I’m meeting up with Simon on Saturday, so should have it all sorted soon. I’m absolutely in love with the KTM. So glad I chose it instead of a street triple R. Which KTM was your favourite?