Your favourite riding memories...

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

I really need to grow a few inches

And so said the bishop to the actress

Hmmm its not so much that I have specific memories of great occasions but I do have memories of times which were significant.

When I think of riding my mind always goes back to the first Carlsberg run, davenumbers and myself were seperated from the group thanks to some slack junction marking.
Until that day I'd only ever commuted on the SV and the square tyres were a blatent display of it. The first part of the morning had been eventful enough with Orose trying to merge his GSXR with a Golf.
I'd spent most the morning learning that a bike can be leant over a damn site further than I thought and still grip, this lesson became an important one when dave and myself were trying to play catch up with a group 20mins ahead of us. We rode mile after mile of unknown roads heading "that way" which we hoped would eventually bring us into site of the rest of the group. For about an hour or maybe more, Ive honestly no concept of time my brain was dealing with too much for the duration but lets say for an hour; Throttle, Brake, Turn, Throttle, Brake, Turn... you get the picture. The point is its nearly 3 years on from that day and I still smile when I think of the fun I had and the joy at finding Hovis sat on his bike marking a juntion in Layburn a genuine cheer could be heard from dave and myself who by now were riding too hot to take it down a notch and continued to progress through the group before the next stop.

Fitting then that this was the same route which 18months later on the pointy I'd find myself having my second riding epithany, fitting because this was the day I decided I shouldnt have a bike capable of those speeds if I cant be responsible with it.
Although my riding had become more controlled and less based on luck. I was very aware it only takes one mistake to cost you the lot. This became a risk I wasnt too keen on taking anymore in light of other developments in my life.
This moment of clarity was brought on after I found myself topping out the pointy (Im sure you all apprechiate that few of our roads have 140mph limits) while playing catch up after a pee stop. I wont name names of those riders which I was playing catch up with but they're not known for been slow. Anyway I found riding that fast felt far too "normal" despite the speeds involved, on once again relativly unknown roads.
Although prior to that day I knew my riding had come a long way since the previous Carlsberg ride and that I now had some degree of ability I was suprised that I was taking the (standard sv) bike to its limits... this was the day I decided to buy a drz supermoto.

Now the bike is the restricting factor and I've never enjoyed riding as much, even the commute is a bloody hoot. Stoppies at traffic lights failed wheelie attempts on any clear road. Not that it slows me down too much either as those on AR11 may have bore witness to. The only difference is the expression on my face is now BIG GRINNNNNSSS rather than focus.

I hope this is just the first chapter of my love affair with riding.
Ride safe! x

My first ride was as a pillion on my mates SV650S. We went from Portsmouth where I live to Birmingham NEC and back for the bike show. It hurt like hell, but it was awesome and i was hooked.

I had many epic ride outs with my mate TeeJey (with a few other members on here) both domestic and abroad. Toured the Ardennes, France etc, but the best one was when we went down to Millau. The Gorge du Tarn was simply stunning, the scenery was fantastic and breath taking, the riding was epic and the company magnificent. RIP TeeJey. Loved our riding together. See you again one day.

First ride in the Dales on my Bandit 600, pulling up at temparary lights and two chaps asked if I wanted to follow to a cafe and have a brew. Turned out to be the best ride ever and still follow the same route 5 years later!

Road trip around Germand and riding the Black Forest and Nurburgring.

Crashing into a sheep's backside and ripping it's tail off with my front wheel.

Far too may!!!

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Probably Scotland... for the past 3 years. But have to say in particular 2010 as I had a full 6 days or something up there along with Pete and Leesa and their son RavingDavis. We were covering good miles, and doing it fast; I think we averaged around 300 miles a day and the roads and weather were beautiful all along. The scenery was breathtaking, at some points I had to physically force myself to look at the road. It was like we had the roads to our selves for a week, cars and caravans didn't really register, every road was amazing and it was mostly perfect riding weather. Remember looking at my speedo after passing a 'maximum (advised) speed' sign round a lovely sweeping bend and it being around triple it.

Happy memories

Seconded, brilliant time.

Except for the me being their son bit. No, not true!

For me it'll be Europe, but I also had fun in the Phillippines without a licence...

Edit the fun never stops.

[andrewsmith]

a couple stick in the memory

1) First time up the Hartside on a 125, my god pilot sporty tyres are good!
2) Chasing a mate on a R6 doing a gentle pace on the 125 again and it hanging on at 50mph around some tight corners
3) Rothbury week after the Moat incident. Making the SV jump as high as a tractor cab (and the farmers look) off a humpback bridge, and Rothbury carrying on as normal with the annual folk fest
4) Up and over the pass going through the lakes to AR11 some of the best roads in the country in 150 miles

[mattSV]

Best ride ever for me was riding back from Fort William to Mallaig at midnight with Quiff.

We left our B&B early in the morning for the ferry to Skye. A day on Skye, and back over the bridge. A blast down the A82 and then we stopped here:-



A curry in Fort William, and then we started the 43 mile ride back to the B&B. The perfect end to a great day, the sound of a V4 and a triple being ragged down long lochside straights, and through the twisties.

Quiff was absolutely caning it - it was only when we got back I found out why (he was busting for a p!ss )

My favourite moment would have to be hearing the words "I'm happy to tell you that you passed" and then my instructor who had another pupil to wait with, telling me I could ride back on my own to the shop.

There's been lots of joyous moments since involving rideouts but I still treasure the afternoon I got my licence.

[pegasus]

Summer 1976 In Cyprus,I was about 6-7 years old my uncle Polis took me to Larnaca Docks on his Mobylette. Everytime we came to a steep hill we got overtaken by everything, poor thing did not have enough puff to get up the hill, going down hill my heart would skip in leaps and bounds at the excitement of travelling at what seemed like a million miles per hour, probably 30 in reality

On the way back I sat in front of uncle Polis his arms over my shoulders holding me in place, my arms outstretched holding on to the handlebars, I felt as though I was in control, Wind in my face shorts and t-shirt, heat haze wafting up from the dusty roads,

That thought will remain with me for ever..

Thanks Uncle Polis x