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Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 7:53 pm
by jesim1
Just had a quick trip round Wales last week due to it being great weather, 26/30 degrees all week, too hot in actual fact, but can't really knock it for September, it was warmer than the trip I done to southern Spain last year at the same time of year :lol:

6 Days from Wigan where I live:

Day 1 - Hereford via mid Wales rather than just sitting on a motorway. Busy first half, lovely second half as I got into Wales properly.

Day 2 - Cardiff via Brecon, again, just adding more pleasant miles rather than going direct, it is a bike trip after all.

Day 3 - Cardiff to Swasey - hit the roadworks from hell where they closed some major roads and had massive detours :mad: I should have just gone direct on this one, but it looked better on the map.

Day 4 - Swansea to Aberystwyth, some very nice roads, Drove out of Swansea via "The Mumbles", it was a nice enough area, but is a bit over hyped in my view.

Day 5 - Aberystwyth to Holyhead - sun still shining and just a few drops of rain on some bits in the valleys, didn't come to anything, but covered the bike it that mud crap from the Sahara :oops:

Day 6 - Back to Wigan via Ruthin, there are some really good roads along that stretch, and had to stop at Spoons for lunch - lovely :cheers:

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Bike stuff - Done just over 750 miles and averaged around 58mpg, the bike ran perfectly, but as it's pretty new to me it takes some time to remember it is a bit gutless at the very bottom revs, so you have to be in first gear on slow roundabout, whereas my last bike, which was a K1600, could take them in 2nd or even 3rd without a twitch - stalled it twice trying to take off in 2nd from around 10mph entering roundabouts :oops: Being two up with luggage probably didn't help, but other than needing to rev it more than I was used to it handles great, and was a pleasure to ride. The standard seat are not great, and I tried a Wunderlich one for this journey, but it's trying to get a seat that suits your butt, so I will probably still look for another, it's trial and error with seat for me. The power bronze touring screen I fitted was very good, but I may drill a few holes in it to try and balance a bit of the suction effect you get with the screen up full and pushing on a bit. I still think the sat nav disconnecting every time you stop the engine is a PITB, and I don't see why it has such a small screen for it when the TFT is so large, the nav bit just has big borders round it - why??

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Highlights - First time in Cardiff was a pleasant experience, it's quite cosmopolitan, had loads of places to eat and drink, and felt like a good place to visit. The stretch of road between Caernarfon and Ruthin is excellent, just chilled, scenic, and not too busy, brilliant for bikes. The weather - I could not have really asked for a better time, being retired means I can pick and choose when to go to suit, and this was perfect.

Lows - The Start and end 30 miles is always a pain as I have to deal with the carpark known as the M6 around Warrington way. There were also some ridiculously large roadworks where they were putting in a whole new road section down by Swansea, but the sighs and diversions were total crap.

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James

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 8:30 pm
by Stu
One of my favourite places to be is Wales

We try to go every year

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:16 am
by Casbar
Going on the 29th, for a weekend with a mate.

Chipping Norton meet, Hereford for lunch, Monmouth for the night, then a day riding and another night in Monmouth, home on Sunday.

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 11:15 am
by Elkinell
Going on Friday for a long weekend in Dolgellau. Been before and have a nice unusual place to stay overlooking the town. People drive north to the Lakes and the Highlands or south to the Cotswolds or the west country and miss out on this gem of a country. Weather isn't looking great but we'll manage. :mrgreen:

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 2:57 pm
by Doctor T
Love Wales. I would as i was born in Merthyr.

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 4:15 pm
by SimonD
Most of my summer riding trips are based in Ireland so I generally start the journey with nice route (and an overnight stay) through Wales on the way to either Pembroke Dock or Holyhead. Last year's find was the A488 north out of Knighton - quite a roller coaster!

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2023 11:50 am
by Elkinell
Doctor T wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 2:57 pm Love Wales. I would as i was born in Merthyr.


I've worked with some rum lads from Merthyr...... :shock: ;)

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2023 12:43 pm
by Doctor T
Am more G&T

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 1:54 pm
by Elkinell
Just back from Wales weekend, puncture on Saturday afternoon spoiled it a bit, never get a puncture on a weekend. BMW assist were great, bike recovered in about an hour but nearest BMW dealers (Chester) closed til Monday. No probs, they give you a hire car! Hire car is in Llandudno. I'm in Dolgellau, Nice bloke from Enterprise rings me, "Have you got driving License, credit/debit card?" Yes no problems. "Great" he says "we just need your insurance policy number......" Bollocks. Don't have it with me. "Nothing I can do without it" he says. Ring up BMW again. Nothing they can do. Double Bollocks.
Get taxi into town for dinner, realise someone is going to my house to feed the cats, get her to send me a pic of my insurance docs. It's about 2100 on Saturday night now, ring Enterprse, no answer. Ring BMW, who try Enterprise, no Answer.. All they can suggest is they send them an email asking them to ring me. Taxi back to the digs, sleep.

Up early Sunday, ringing Enterprise from 0900. Finally get through to someone who tells me they don't open Sundays but they have an emergency call shift that starts at midday. Bollocks. Ring BMW again at 1130 and get them to put me through to Enterprise who actually answer this time! Spoke to manager who said he had seen email from BMW and had sent manager from Hollyhead to Llandudno to open it up and get me a car ready. They'll send me a taxi. Taxi arrives at 1510. I get to Llandudno about 1630 . All paperwork done and I'm leaving in a Mini Cooper to go back to Dolellgau Get spectacularly lost and end up on a great road over the moors from the A5 to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Back at the digs for 1830 in time for dinner out at 1930.
Two and a half hours home to Preston today.
Do not get a puncture on a weekend in the middle of nowhere....

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 2:07 pm
by Doctor T
Sounds like you had an adventure. One reason i always carry a puncture kit and compressor

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 4:25 pm
by SimonD
Me too......and a spare belt when I'm on the Buell.

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 6:55 pm
by burridge01
RAC,AA would have plugged it,unless it was to near the wall or unpluggable.Same as the Doc,compressor n plugs everytime :thumb:

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 7:32 pm
by David.
Should you suffer a puncture, BMW Motorrad Roadside Assistance will, "attempt to repair the tyre at the roadside. If a temporary repair isn’t possible, they’ll recover you to the nearest BMW Motorrad retailer, who’ll assist you further."

https://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/servi ... tance.html

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:27 pm
by jesim1
Yep, a compressor and a repair kit are key components, even if they can just get you to a location you can wait more comfortable in 8-)

Re: Quick Wales trip

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2023 1:28 pm
by Elkinell
Thanks for all the comments, you are all correct. I have a mini compressor and plug kit, even a bottle of Stans no tubes which has saved me before but for a couple of miles before it went, the bike felt like I was riding over a washboard at low speed. I was 4 miles from where we were staying so decided to check it when we got back. I looked at it as soon as the tyre warning symbol came up and the rear tyre had an egg in the centre line and had worn through, so it was F'd anyway. The feckers at Chester BMW rang me yesterday with a quote of £170 supplied and fitted. I asked if he was wearing a mask sat on a black horse but these kids don't get stuff like that these days..... :|