Have you any memories of an extra special ride out you once had? Share it with us... Here’s mine and i know I will never beat it.. A few years back, Mrs N and I were invited to our God Daughters Wedding which was to be held in Derbyshire. Sadly, due to my MH battles i decided i just couldn’t go, so i wrote a letter to my GD explaining why etc and wishing them well.. Mrs N who was still going travelled the day before the wedding via 4 trains and 2 cabs from Ipswich to Derby and then onto Belpher just north of Derby.. The Wedding was 1pm on the Sat. I woke Sat Morning at home in Noodle towers feeling really guilty about how I was letting my GD down on her big day.. About 10am that morning i said to my Daughter CJ who was at home then, i’m just going out for a little ride on my bike, be back soon.. 3 hours later i arrived in Belper Derbyshire.. I knew I was in the right place but had no idea which church the wedding was at, I had no phone battery left and no Sat Nav ( well prepared, not) After about 8 church’s found by just picking out rough locations on the Belper skyline i found a lady sweeping up confetti outside a church, yep, this was the one and yep, i’d missed it.. luckily she told me where about the reception was being held roughly.. Another 10 miles North and i found them.. The funny thing was Mrs N was in the garden at the venue with my GD’s Dad who was my Best Man at our wedding, we returned from our honeymoon in the USA when Louise our GD to be, was born.. Anyway, standing in the reception garden and hearing what sounded to her like a Ducati in the distance climbing the hills on the edge of the peak district she said “ Here comes our Noods on his bike” they laughed thinking about the non probability of it until with the sound of straight throu termis getting ever louder, i arrived ... My GD said my effort had truly made her day and never stops telling the story.. A quick celebration raspberry milk shake and 30 minutes later i was heading my way back home.. Mrs N phoned CJ back in ipswich to say “ guess who’s just arrived here” A trip never to be forgotten, i think i’ve only just finished paying for all the petrol fill ups tbh.. Tell me yours ... ? Note... Picture Above.. I had literally just arrived so The exhausts were still really hot, we had to literally stop Louise from climbing onboard for fear of her dress catching, she was so excited seeing it there that it was all we could do to stop her .. X
Great story Noods! my best trip? WDW 2007 on my 1993 Monster 900 with some mates, ride through France was a bit dull and very wet but Italy absolutely rocked! Oh and after one very messy night I’ve never been able to face Limoncello every again.. lol!
I had a ride around Portimao car park in Portugal on a 996 and was amazed how easy it was to ride I also rode pillion on the back of a trials bike from Colombo to Adams Peak in Sri Lanka through the most amazing scenery and tea plantations in all sorts of weather changes having to stop at a little town to get waterproofs. I had to by a mans full length fluorescent coat as I’m bigger than the Sri Lankan ladies We had sun/rain It took 7hrs to get there. We stopped for food in a ladies shop/house/kitchen/ with lovely food and a warm welcome We stopped in Ratnapura which was hustle and bustle think it was for petrol Roads were non existent traffic drove anywhere even at us and we saw an accident Then we had to do it all again going back I was hopeless at map reading too
Your looking very cool there Noods,i'm rebranding you the 007 forum member from now on in with that suit on.
several euro trips every year in the Harz mountains and middle of French France and of course first knee down experience round Brands on a 748 on a Ducati experience day way back when...... You're local Noods we should meet up sometime for ride out when you and the weather are up for it
wow that’s some trip and good going too.. Car park in Portimo to Sri Lanka on the back of a bike in 7 hrs.. good work.. X
Loads of memorable rides. One of these was when Ducati Italy brought a load of Panigales to the UK and organsied a track demo day. IIRC there were two days and i chose Snetterton being a track i knew well but had never ridden on. Still remains the fastest speed I have seen on a bike's speedo with me riding it - 270kph or nearly 170mph down the back straight on the 1299.
Took the 1098 down to Nice a few years ago, it's quite a long trip so I did it over 2 days..not on motorways. Add to that it was during a heatwave and I was about as uncomfortable as it was possible to be, I sent my brother a text halfway down explaining it was like sitting on a pneumatic drill in a foundry whilst someone fired flies and dust at me out of a pressure hose. At one point I was sitting in traffic in full leathers, the air temperature was 42, the engine was at 106 and I was necking coca cola by the litre. I was coming down the Route Napoleon from Grenoble towards Nice when I stopped for a photo op and noticed the rear tyre looked a bit dodgy.
I went for a ride out with my fiancé on the back of my old roundcase 750 to the registry office. We are still together but sadly the bike had to be sold many years ago to help fund our German house.
Great story that Noods. Bike wise I've been quite lucky, lots of trips and great stories, so here is just one. I've always had bikes since early teens (except 2 years when we bought our house and had to raise the deposit). All of my family are into bikes, my mum and dad met at a bike meeting, so its sort of in the blood. My wifes family on the other hand have no interest. So it came as no surprise that my father in law said to me 'you will never get her on a bike' (talking about my wife). Back in 99 I had a 97 fireblade and had joined a local IAM club. They were doing lots of day rides and trips. My wife got to see their events calendar one day, and remarked it might be quite nice to do a few. To say I was gob smacked was a bit of an understatement. A week or so later we arranged to meet some people at a local pub. 6 miles each way, and a stiff brandy (for her) at both ends. She was nervous, but was not put off. 2nd ride was to visit friends 50 miles away. Again she was nervous, but enjoyed it. The 3rd time she got on the bike we were heading for the Portsmouth ferry, for a 10 day trip to Italy with the bike club. 2 of us plus luggage on the fireblade. When we got to the port the other couples were all on things like BMW RTs with big padded comfy seats and back rests. Only the solos and us were on sports bikes. To say she was hooked is a bit of an understatement. We did a whole bunch of passes on that trip Furka, oberall, etc. That was the start of it all as far as road riding and trips goes. We are still good friends with some of those on that trip, and still ride regularly with a couple of them. I did have to buy a sports tourer for a more comfy seat after a year or two (vfr800) although we still used the blade for local rides. That was replaced with a new 04 ST4S, and has continued until now with a Ducati as our main touring bike. She is a member of the bike club, and part of the social team, although she still doesnt have any interest in actually riding herself. Hope that wasn't too boring to read p.s. 4 or 5, I've lost count of how many bald tyres I've had. Just wish I could make them last longer We were in northern spain one year on the sT4S. I stopped at the end of a road at a T junction and said to my mate can you just have a quick look at my rear tyre, I think I might have a puncture. He wheeled his bike back, took a look, and wheeled forward shaking his head. His response was nope, not a puncture, just steel belt showing. He was majorly p!ssed off as that had just cut his afternoon of fun short too, as I was leading
In all honesty the wife has been pretty reliable. Never left me stranded in the middle of nowhere so all good as long as I give her a good kicking every now and again. But then I do have my red headed mistress if ever I get bored!
What amused me most (with hindsight, not at the time) was my initial thought was something was stuck on the tyre, it was only when I tried to brush it off without gloves on and came away bleeding that the penny dropped. Mrs Five won't go on the back of the Ducati, something to do with speed and size of seat. If I ever get the Superdream back on the road she's promised to consider it.
Nothing against the Mrs mate but god now that is stunning.... Would so luv to see her with her kit off! X Beautiful..
