Noli Timere Messorem (Don't fear the reaper)

Honda Africa Twin, London commuter

I've seen this guy in my part of SW London once before. He's riding an old school Honda Africa Twin with the full overland accessory kit.

Looks like he's having an adventure on the way to work. Nice one.

 

Another good town bike - Honda CB500

Spotted this afternoon. Sorted Givi aftermarket screen and top box.

Ideal town runabout. Bit dull though

 

London MET Police BMW R1200 RT-P

Today's photo; London's bike cops. They're riding the BMW R1200 RT Police variant. This one rolls out of the Bayerische Moteren Werke factory specifically designed for traffic law enforcement. The panniers are different; have a look and you can see the separate keyed locks for the top loading access on both sides. In place of the pillion seat is an extra storage locker protected with a cowl - above the rear brake light in the photo - most commonly used for the VHF radio. The blue lights front and rear run off the 12v main relay and there are two additional 12v power outlets. The bike has a back up battery wired in as well. You can just see the extra police crash bars low down at the front as well.

If you ever see one of these come up for sale secondhand then snap it up! Great touring bike.

 

BSA classic bike spotted today...

BSA

What a fantastic bike!

Part chromed tank looked pretty cool. The oil puddle underneath didn't though.

It'ss got old but very useful top loading Givi panniers.

 

The rise of the classics....

.... is happening. I think this is a Ducati Classic Sport with a customised tank, seat, exhaust and race plate. [Kudos to my follower on Pinterest for such a great pic!]

The Ducati Classic Sport was only made for a few years in the mid to late 'noughties. Ducati assessed it was a loss leader and stopped production.

As MCN writes this week they may have been aiming at the right market but just too soon. More people can connect with bikes and biking through the sixties era of more 'soulful' bikes.

Keep an eye on the classic market. The new Honda CB1100 is just the beginning I reckon.

Great town bike

Sorted with an aftermarket screen and top box. Cheap and reliable. Maybe I should have got a jap runabout rather than the KTM?

Asian ingenuity....

..... is awesome!

Essential Travel Companions

On a Kenya Airways flight today

The inspiration for Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor.

The Long Way Round

 

Nairobi Couriers

These guys are doing it right!

Metal top box with lock and side inserts. Nice pink lid.

Small glass fibre box. Lighter but less room.

Big bespoke box. Lots of room.

Front racks. These are really useful. Not seen so much in the US or Europe but really handy. Austin Vince from Mondo Enduro was a big fan.

Nairobi Traffic - still dangerous

This happened in front of me last night. The car was pulled over ahead of a culvert to let a very heavy truck pass by on a narrow road at night.

The truck glanced the front wing of the car and then, weirdly, instead of stopping just kept driving. He mangled the whole side of the car in the picture and then smashed into us as well. Luckily we were in a 4 x 4 this time.

A Kenyan policeman, with an AK 47, happened to be nearby. As the truck continued to move off after the crush he ran up the road after it, made his weapon ready and then dragged the driver out of his cab. Great work and better reactions than a policeman at home!

The driver admitted it was his fault and added that it was his first day on the job. This wasn't enough to sort the situation out and he will be lucky to keep his job! The driver of the car was a Doctor and very upset. He threatened to sue for attempted murder, adding to the tension. As he said, "you don't do that if you are a normal human"!

A reminder of the unpredictability of the roads here. Ride safe guys.

'Tumaini' - KiSwahili for 'Hope'

If you look at the side of the blue truck container you can see the word 'TUMAINI' which in KiSwahili, the lingua franca of East Africa, means 'Hope'. So who wrote it on a normal commercial truck and why?

Well, it's a mix of the amazing African characteristics of positivity and optimism, partly a blend of religious metaphors of salvation and also a symbol of the daily struggle most face here.

Now have a look in the shadow of the truck between the wheel axles. Sitting quietly in the shade is the truck driver. He's just getting on with fixing something in the cool at the hottest point of the day. He hopes to get it fixed. He hopes to get back on the road soon. He is Africa.

East African Destinations - Mombasa bike life

Out and about in Mombasa this morning. It's the second day back to work after the recent Kenyan elections. The schools have gone back and people are going to work and about their normal lives. I always take a couple of shots as we drive along, there's always something interesting to look at!

RIDE magazine

Good, light holiday reading. Fits in your rucksack or pannier for those travel moments where you have to wait.....

Local matatus

To ward off other drivers and reassure potential passengers the local matatus (passenger carrying pickups and minibuses) put up slogans. The vehicle crew, usually a burned out driver and a couple of lads to help with fares and bundling passengers into a confined space, take great pride in their wagon!

If you've got any classics then feel free to share them here!

Ted Simon, Jupiter's Travels

Ted Simon speaking in 2012;

"A long time ago I heard Truman Capote describe his idea of a short story as, "a scrap of lightning that briefly illuminates the landscape." The image is so vivid that it has stuck with me over many decades, and I can't think of a better model for Journey Insights. Ideally they should be short and unpretentious. They should deal with a single event such as an incident, a meeting, a confrontation, a revelation, but within the telling there should be something that illuminates the landscape, and that landscape could be the local environment or culture, the journey of which it is part, or it could be the human condition. Some Insights may stray a long way from this prescription, but whatever it is it must be simple, honest and genuine, and to write something honest and genuine is already a triumph." 

Ted is the original Jupiter's traveller. On his trusty Triumph he showed us all how to travel simply, and as a co tributing and whole part of the local cultures he visited. He remains a strong inspiration for me and us all.

His blog is linked on the right - have a look!

Heartbreak Advert - funny description

Someone's going to get a bargain bike in this sale if you believe the reason why it's being advertised!

Seems legit!

Boda Boda riders negotiate in Mombasa

East African destination ideas

This is Mombasa harbour in the morning sun. It's low tide and the locals come down to the beaches and swim, run and exercise. In the day they get a 'boda boda' taxi into to town for work or to see their mates. These are Chinese copies of CG125s; the local bike industry is increasingly dominated by Asian imports. They seem fine so far.

As destinations go Mombasa is a good one to finish at or, equally, a good waypoint. There's an international port to ship your bike if required (enquire with Seaforth Shipping locally) and an international airport.

If you ride in or out then the road north will head through Nairobi's urban jungle to the dry plains of Northern Kenya and then up through Ethiopia. Challenging riding with off road tracks, difficult navigation and limited fuel stops.

If you ride south then it's black top highway into Tanzania and on. Perfect African riding.

Cold start; keeping it going through the winter

At five o'clock it's tough to get out of bed, find your clothes and get it to the kitchen to make a coffee. This morning by twenty past five I had the bike running and on the road. Took me five minutes.

The trouble is it's taken two winters of practice to get here. Variously I've tried two different bike covers, two pairs of gloves, three pairs of bike trousers, the same Knox back protector, a chest protector, three helmets, four pairs of waterproof boots and an old hoody.

Do you remember that pseudo bike zen phrase; 'whatever bike you have is the best bike for you'? Well, it is kind of true. The best kit is the most comfortable, warm, waterproof that you currently own. If it's an old friend, worn in and still works then that's the best.

Hein Gericke Sheltex Trousers

Overall these have done the job asked of them. They have stayed waterproof in all but the heaviest of rain, coped with sub zero temperatures and been comfy enough to wear for 10,000 miles of all weather commuting.

"You know Gore tex, right," said the flash London kid shop assistant, "well, these are Sheltex, it's the same". Good sales technique - in my customers head I was already thinking Gore Tex but looking at a cheaper substitute. And you know what? Gore tex trousers for bikers aren't a big deal. You don't really need the kind of porous membrane and breathability that Gore Tex offers adventure athlete and high end mountain climbers.

What bikers actually need is waterproof kit.

Really, really waterproof kit.

Lift drills