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GENERAL NEWS
NEW YEAR, NEW MOTORCYCLING PLANS
WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN STORE FOR 2016?
With a new year of motorcycling fast approaching, we asked our staff what they have planned. Here's what they came up with:
Andy
Tours & Events: I love planning for and going on tours, so I have quite a few in the pipeline currently: a few short trips to France and Belgium ( Antwerp and Ghent are my favourite cities there – I never tire of them). I then have my usual big trip to Spain, which I do every year.
Projects & Plans: I've got nothing specific in the pipeline this year, just fixing stuff as it breaks. My news year's resolution is to ride my KTM more though, so I shall be doing plenty of that.
New Bikes: No plans for a new bike. I didn't even intend on getting my most recent one, a BMW R 1200 (though I'm glad I did).
Andrew
Tours & Events: A trip to the Isle of Man and then, if my dreams come true, a tour all around Europe.
Projects & Plans: I have a Yamaha XJ 4 which has been off the road for 11 years! It needs a complete do-over, with work to the engine and a massive clean! It's my mission to get it back on the road in 2016, so I'll be working on that. I also have a Kawasaki ZX 750 R which I use daily. I'm going to be sprucing it up next year with some powder coating and paint work to the swingarm and wheels. It's 17 years old so it needs a bit of a going over.
New Bikes: I'm going to buy Carlos's Honda Bros.
Ben
Tours & Events: My poor BMW R1100GS has been a bit unloved recently, and there is a list of minor jobs I need to do to it. An impending house move has meant I've been relying on the car a bit too much and the bike has sat in the garage for the last month or so. In the 8 years I've owned it, this is the longest time I've not ridden it regularly. However, there is one good thing, the house I'm moving to has a double garage with electricity, lighting and heating, so no excuses for not getting everything sorted!
New Bikes: If I win the lottery, I'll bury the R1100GS in the back garden with full military honours, then I'll probably fill the double garage up with an assortment of machines, old and new.
Carlos
Tours & Events: I'm moving to Spain to run Wemoto.es – is that touring/event enough?
Projects & Plans: I already have a Kawasaki KLE 500 waiting for my arrival, to use as my everyday bike. Then there's my Derbi Antorcha (Tri-Campeona) 49cc, which is currently very rusty. I'm planning for a complete rebuild (similar to the work I did on my Honda Bros), and then it's going to go in the Wemoto.es showroom for everyone to see.
Dan
Projects & Plans: I don't have a bike license yet, so I'm going to do my CBT in 2016 then...
New Bikes: get a KTM Duke (125 or 200cc) hopefully.
Gary
Projects & Plans: I bought a TS 50 earlier in 2015 but it has its problems: it starts okay, then it has a tendency to conk out, and it takes a lot to get it running again. I've already fitted a new carburettor, but it needs further work and new air box rubber connectors. It has a re-bore kit on it which makes it more like a 70cc, and this also needs attention. The person who had it before me painted it badly, so once I've properly fixed the bike, I'm going to use a compressor to sandblast the metal bits, getting all the old paint off so that I can re-spray it.
New Bikes: I'd like to get a little 125cc commuter bike, either a Yamaha DT or XT I think.
Grant
Projects & Plans I'm thinking about doing a direct access course, which will allow me to get a big(ish) bike...
New Bikes: possibly a CBR 600
Keith
Tours & Events: I have two trips planned so far: one to Wales and one to the Peak District.
Projects & Plans: I've been working on my Z 1000 for some time now, converting it from a standard 1982 Z 1000, into a Streetfighter of its own conception. I've been videoing my progress and posting it up on YouTube. I'm also going to start 'project rebuild' on a Z 650 B1 I bought a few years ago. It needs stripping down and renovating to restore it back to its original state.
New Bikes: My garage is full of bikes (this picture is of two of them, my 'little n large': GSX1300 Hayabusa and Honda XL1000 Varadero) and I can't find the space for any new additions just yet.
Lee
Projects & Plans: My GS 550 has been dead for years. I need to replace the carburettors, clean all the electronics and brakes, and get my machine back on the road. If I have time...
Paul
Tours & Events: I'm hoping to do a trip along the coast in northern Europe, either Normandy and Brittany or Holland. I have my VFR 800 that I could take, along with a spare regulator rectifier as it's a bit temperamental on my bike. But I bought another bike earlier in 2015 that I'd like to take instead, as long as I can get the work done on it.
Projects & Plans: It's a boxer BMW R 90 S from the 70s (my new bike). It hasn't been used for 20 years and I can't wait to get it back on the road. I need to get the engine running again and un-seize the carburettors. It also has old fuel which has dried out and an unknown problem with the electrics. I'd love to take it on a tour when it's done, but I'm aware I'll probably have to take some tools with me because it's a much older bike than my VFR.
New Bikes: I've got far too many already.
Sam
Tours & Events: I rode to France a few years ago and I want to do that again in 2016. I'm also going to go to Ireland, to visit a town named after me (I'd like to think). It's not a town called 'Sam' by the way, but 'Bleary', which is my nickname.
Projects & Plans: 2015 was a bit of a flop for me bike-wise, so, in 2016 I've decided it's all going to be about bikes. My plans are extensive. I have three VFR 750s! I'm going to do one of them up as a cafe racer project, a complete rebuild on the second one (it's 30 years old and hasn't been looked after very well), and use my third as my run-around in the meantime. I'm also going to get my ZXR 400 back on the road again, after a catastrophic engine failure. As well as all this, I'm going to be dabbling in a bit of Moto blogging with my helmet cam, and I'm going to venture into the world of off-roading.
New Bikes: Probably a cheap(ish) dirt bike to get me started next year – an XL600 or something.
Woody
Tours & Events: I'm going to be moving to Australia in 2016, so I'll be reacquainting myself with two wheels (after a couple of years off).
New Bikes: Well, I almost bought a Honda Hornet 250 recently, but I lost out on the bidding war. I'd like to get a Ducati Monster or an Aprilia Tuono (900 – 1000 cc ish) for commuting in Australia, and for a bit of weekend fun.
Romain
Tours & Events: I'm a bit of a lone wolf on the road, I like to ride by myself. So I may take my Super Moto out on a few trips, but I'm not sure where yet.
Projects & Plans: I have a Honda Bros 400 which I plan to rebuild into a scrambler. There's a lot of work to be done: stripping the bike down, respraying the frame, working on the engine etc – should keep me busy.
What do you have planned for your next motorcycling year? Share it with us at [email protected], we'd love to know!
Comments
24/12/15 Ride more
24/12/15 Not to make daft resolutions I've no real intention of keeping!
24/12/15 Try to buy no more than one bike a week. This is proving impossible so far.
24/12/15 Try to keep a 33 year old goldwing on the Road
24/12/15 Trying not to crash is a good one
24/12/15 I used to own one of these, fishtail exhaust and all; lovely bike smile emoticon . Rigid rear end took some getting used to though
25/12/15 At 52 years old and five motorbikes about time I took my big bike test
25/12/15 Keep on telling my missus that everything I buy for my bike was "only a couple of quid"...
25/12/15 Can I open a trade account 3 bikes to sort
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