Featured What you been doing with your TRIUMPH today??

A significant milestone for my Triumph Explorer; somewhere on today’s ride out to the Scottish Borders I did my 60,000th mile on it.
I’ve enjoyed every one of ‘em and reckon it’s just about run in now!

A good days riding, up to Jedburgh (very wet up there) and back home through Northumberland, Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales.

 

So, ok this was yesterday but didn't have the time to write it up until now.
Took the Street twin out for a spin on it's maiden voyage with the new YSS shockers and the first half of the day was dry although it was surprising just how much mud was on the roads. With the Quadlock/Google map combo I picked a proper minor road route out, after the A1 blast to jump up country.
First stop Manor farm for a coffee and cheeseburger just as the rain started, rush hour here as you can see.



From there was again a jumble of small lanes, especially ones with jumps, to assess the rear suspension officer

There was still quite a bit of flooding around the Leyburn to Hawes road.


Thats a grass field normally with no water.

The weather was pretty poor now, but hey ho I'm out so get on with it. Jacket good, trousers sh1te although they are now 12 years old so I'll forgive them despite them now filling my new boots
From there I was loosely aiming for home but with time on my side for once so nice to have some slack.
Next stop the Leeds PALS monument.


Interesting history on this from reservoir building to army camp to pow camp.

From there I went to Scar house reservoir.



Now it must be 30 years ago since I did this byway on enduro motorbikes but hey a 900 street twin is an adventure bike isn't it and it can go anywhere, can't it?



Look carefully and you can see the line of the route?



It starts getting a bit dodgy near the top as the traction control is now bringing me down to about 1 bhp irrespective of the throttle request.



These roads are getting worse, potholes here there and everywhere

And onwards to Pateley for some fuel.



Who needs knobbly tyres and a BMW GS for an adventure?
Plus we all know that the majority of these enduro styled roadsters never see off road use.

 

[QUOTE="With the Quadlock/Google map combo I picked a proper minor road route out, after the A1 blast to jump up country.[/QUOTE]

Fantastic ride it looks like! Question about your using Google Maps if you don't mind.

I've created saved Google Map routes on my computer browser, and I can pull them up on my Android (S21), but I haven't figured out a way to actually use/navigate the intended mapped route. I tried with just a starting and an end point and a specific (scenic, not fastest) route, then when I get it on my phone when at the start point and click the end point, it wants to use its own "fastest" route, although it does show mine, it just won't let me select it as an option. What am I missing? Much appreciated

 

Fantastic ride it looks like! Question about your using Google Maps if you don't mind.

I've created saved Google Map routes on my computer browser, and I can pull them up on my Android (S21), but I haven't figured out a way to actually use/navigate the intended mapped route.[/QUOTE]

Umm I've not tried using it as you do but will have a play next time out to see if I can throw some ideas into the pot.

I use mine in "please myself" mode
So I select a destination, say Manor Farm cafe. I then review Googles intended route and miss out the first 25 miles or so near home as I know it. Then when I get to my chosen point I look at the sky for a weather forecast, rain in the east go north etc.
Any road that takes my fancy is taken and Google maps has to compensate and reroute accordingly. A typical rideout may include 10+ reroutes depending on options on the ground.
I've found some cracking little loops and alternative areas, even for ones that I previously thought I knew well. Even the wife commented on how we are seeing alot more countryside and small villages now.

A couple of points to note;

By setting an end destination you end up at the right place

With a target selected the screen will stay lit up and on

Observe the screen after taking a random lane as it will show if its a dead end and ask you to U turn

If a certain road takes your fancy add it as a "stop point", I can't see a "way point" option. You can select this on the map, move the map (not the arrow) to the fixed arrow pointer until in the right place and press done.

If you want to jiggle the stop points into the right order move the equals sign to the preferred position i.e. stop point 4 into position 2, press and hold the equal sign moving up 2.

If you use your left thumb upside down on the screen, fingernail pointing to your groin, it oftens works the touchscreen even with gloves on

Enjoy.

 

Prepping the Street for 4 days on track in Andalucia in a few weeks time.
Fitted a track seat unit, shift lights and a c/f exhaust hangar.
Just cleaning and checking to do now

 

Still got it, just not got the chance to sort it out properly before Spain.
Tried to test it to sort it out twice this year, one trackday cancelled for weather and the second one cancelled after only one session due to an accident.
Found a few minor issues in that one session, but it looks like it'll be next year now before I can try it again.
That said, I suspect I'll still prefer the Street

 

Have a great time on the track, @tcbandituk! If you get some photos, we'd love to get in a bit of vicarious track time.

 

Thanks.
There will be plenty of photos, the TD organiser provides them for free
Here's one from last time in March with them.

 

That's a terrific milestone, @FellZebra. Congrats to you and your Triumph Explorer. Glad you've enjoyed each and every mile! I am curious about you using miles as your measurement metric vs. kilometers.

 

Thanks for the feedback, @Marco Wikstrom! Interestingly, a number of those roads you recommended are roads that my hubby and I love, too! That "South 14" route including the "Turuquoise Trail" part through Madrid is among our favorites and we like to stop in Mountainaire at Alpine Alley. We just did that road this past August on our ride home from the Sturgis rally. We also typically stop for a bite at The Holler in Madrid when we go through there around lunchtime.

We also love the roads between Tres Piedras all the way through Chama and on to Pagosa Springs and Durango. This past summer in June, a group of four of us spent three nights in Santa Fe and then three nights in Durango and did day trip rides. We haven't yet done the Jemez Mountains route you described but that's next up when we go back to Santa Fe...which we seem to do nearly every year at least once. In fact, my hubby, Steve, and I rode our motorcycles with a small group of friends to Santa Fe where we got married at The Loretto Chapel back in 2015. This year we rode over to Las Vegas, New Mexico to check out The Plaza Hotel and the Casteneda Hotel. The next day we rode up to Los Alamos to check out the place we'd all been reading about. When in Durango, we spent one of our two days there riding the entire loop around the San Juans through Silverton, Ouray, Ridgeway, Telluride (where we've stayed multiple times before) then over Lizard Head Pass through Dolores and back to Durango through Mancos. I think we've done the Million Dollar Highway at least a half a dozen times and hope to do it many more times before we have to hang up our riding jackets and retire our bikes.

The High Road to Taos is also a favorite. However, my hubby and riding buddies have never done the Enchanted Loop and I've only done it by bicycle but not on a motorcycle. We were going to do it last year but that areas nearby were still on fire when we had our trip planned. In fact, we were booked at The Plaza in Las Vegas and they e-mailed asking that we give up our rooms since they were housing and feeding firefighters.

We were just in Silver City a week ago from this past weekend and love that area. We also know Reserve and used to stop for green chili cheese fries at Carmen's which I think is (sadly) closed now. We really enjoy riding north-northwest up 180 from Silver City to go to Alpine and then wherever we choose in the White Mountains. We've yet to do 191 because we hear so many negative things about the road quality and that it has become downright dangerous for bikes. Is that the case??

We definitely need to ride up the Sandia Crest Road one of these days. I've never been up there at all, even in a car. My ex-in-laws lived in Albuquerque so I spent a fair amount in that city but that was before I started riding motorcycles. I appreciate the info about that road and you've helped put it on our New Mexico rides bucket list....that and DEFINITELY the Jemez Loop which several people raved about when we were in Santa Fe in June.

We have a wonderful mountain route right here in Tucson called Mt. Lemmon. I've posted about that ride here (among others that we've talked about) and it's a beloved route among motorcyclists, cyclists, drivers, and hikers alike. It starts at 2,500 feet and goes 25 miles up to just shy of 9,000 feet with beautiful pavement. And it goes through five biological life zones!

There are lots of terrific rides near Tucson and in Arizona in general so if you're going to be in my neck of the woods, let me know specifically where and I can return the ride recommendation favor. I've posted threads about a lot of them so if you have any interest you could look for threads I've posted that have been "Featured" to see some pics and read some stories.

Take care and thank again for all the fantastic recommendations, Marco!

 

Thanks @Sandi T , yes very satisfying to have clicked over another mileage milestone. Only downside is that if I were to trade it in or sell it then I'm not going to get much for it. Don't think anyone wants to buy a bike with 60k on it!
As for the measurement metric, miles is the norm for us in the UK, it's mainland europe that uses km. When travelling in Europe, just reset the clocks to the km setting and good to go.

 

Yep, those miles definitely don't help at trade in. Multiple folks in my riding circle have either been trading in bikes or looking to do that so mileage and trade in values has been a hot topic of conversation.

Thanks for the info on miles vs. kilometers. Sorry for being a dunce on the norm metric for the UK. I learn something new everyday! And often here on the forum.

 

I once worked with a bloke who came to work every day on a Honda 125 (or chinese copy) come rain or shine and without fail. I noted I hadn't seen it for a while so the next time I saw him I asked what had happened.
He stated it was poorly and I probably wouldn't see it again as he'd retired it?
Naturally I had to ask why, he went on to explain that at 80,000 miles he didn't think it was worth repairing any longer!

80,000 miles on a 125

Don't worry @FellZebra yours is a mere bairn

 

Got up early today to ride down to Tilstock to get my tiger professionally treated with ACF50. The weather was bloody awful with rain of biblical proportions .
Anyway when I got there Barrie the guy doing the job said it would be better if we rearranged as if he did the bike by the time I got home the bike would be very dirty again lol.
Rebooked for the 19th October. Barrie said if it was bad weather on the 19th he will do the bike and then transport my bike home in his van. Top block, considering I have never met him before today.
This is his website
https://premiermotorcyclecare.co.uk/

 

Got up early today to ride down to Tilstock to get my tiger professionally treated with ACF50. The weather was bloody awful with rain of biblical proportions .
Anyway when I got there Barrie the guy doing the job said it would be better if we rearranged as if he did the bike by the time I got home the bike would be very dirty again lol.
Rebooked for the 19th October. Barrie said if it was bad weather on the 19th he will do the bike and then transport my bike home in his van. Top block, considering I have never met him before today.
This is his website
https://premiermotorcyclecare.co.uk/

 

Well what a day yesterday, went for a ride and it hammered it down with rain, it was sunny when I set off, however 12 miles into the ride and it started, the twisties turned into a mud bath because of all the tractors depositing mud that had dried, come rain and as said it turned to mud, anyway in for a penny in for a pound, so I pressed on to my destination, I only ever ride in 1 piece leathers and these became somewhat rather heavier, I was impressed with my Alpinstars race boots, they held a full 2 inches of water in and none came out. Back home safe albeit with some interesting slides on the ride and not through choice, the Metzeler RRs coped well given the sheer volume of rain. The bike looks like it has been sprayed by muck spreader, and my kit will take about a week drying it out slowly. What genuinely impresses me with most machines is how they cope with that amount of water on the electrics and still keep going. It keeps the skill level up though riding in different conditions, especially in these climate changing times. Ride safe all from an ageing Rocker.

 

That is GOOD service, @Wessa! Smart service, too, to recommend that you reschedule.

 

Yikes! What a day, @Iceman. I did LMAO at your comment about your Alpinstars boots holding 2 inches of water and none coming out. Glad you made it home safe and sound! And you're right about how our machines can cope with that much water and the electronics keep on going.

 

I was laughing when I got home at my wife's reaction, OMG she said it wasn't raining that hard here, anyway you have to see the funny side and a bonus that the Racetorx gear support I recently fitted worked a treat.

 

Thanks for your recommendations as well!

I don't think 191 is very treacherous - some rough patches and gravel in places, but it's fabulous for an experienced rider. I've had the most fun using a dual sport with street tires (last time I rode 191 on knobbies), but it isn't a problem with a sportbike with softer suspension settings - I've done it on dual sports, touring bikes, and sportbikes. -- Ride according to the conditions. It's a remote area, so help could take time if there's a problem, so that's something to consider. No more challenging than the Italian Dolomites, Slovenia, and Croatia that I rode last month. It's certainly not the Darien Gap or North Yungas!