Priority to the Right

If you are travelling to France or Europe and are not aware of this law that exists, take a look at the blog on our website Pyrenees Motorcycle Tours.  We have recently redesigned our site and now have a blog included there.

Priority to the Right

Mr PMT out of control on the TTR ......

Under clear blue skies, a great day in the woods with Keith and Christophe (GasGas 300's).  Local boy Christophe lead the way and I loved the way we ignored all signs saying 'no entry' '4x4's and moto's interdit'.  First part of the ride took us by a river where the banks had been partly washed away so you can imagine the path running along side was interesting!  Crashed a few times and ended up being towed out of the woods by Keith due to the clutch breaking up.  When I stripped it I found one of the original drive plates in aluminium had failed.  Steel replacements on order :)

Youtube clip of Phil out of control again .....

GasGas 300 - Keith and Christophe

Time for a breather

TT600R clutch strip

The offending partYoutube clip of Phil out of control again .....

More off road training on the TT600R

With a forecast for a dry day, off to the woods near Benejacq south of Pau with Keith and Graham.  Keith riding a GasGas300 and Graham on a TTR250, the woods proved to be very challenging as the going was wet, muddy and very slippery.  Keith has been doing this style of riding for many years and Graham and me are beginners, so looking for some good advice on how to get thought the day without falling off too many times.

TTR250  pilot Graham

Keith on his GasGas

Graham powering through the mud

'That was hard work!'

Keith waiting for us to catch up

Graham can't take any more

'What you should have done is take a run up'

Mr PMT made it this far

We dont know how much more we can take .....

Renault 4 on route to Morocco

On my way down from Rennes to Bordeaux I kept passing little groups of Renault 4 TL's.  Some were basic and scruffy and others looked like they had a lot of money spent on them.  When I got in conversation at a garage with one of the drivers she told me they were on their way to Morocco and over 1300 cars had entered this rally. The rally is the 4L Trophy which is a humanitarian rally that only students can join and only Renault 4 cars, the purpose is to drive from Paris then across to Morocco and provide children with school supplies.  This is the 17th event of the rally and if you are interested here is a link to Wikipedia giving more details.

Renault 4's refueled on the 4L Trophy rally

Renault 4 on the 4L Trophy rally

Honda 400 Four in Biarritz

This classic Honda 400 Four was hiding up an alleyway near to the seafront in Biarritz.  A sweet looking modified bike with Marzocchi forks, alloy rims, trick clocks and an exhaust system of unknown parentage as it's wrapped up in bandages!  Apparently it only had a production run of two years.

Honda 400 Four

Honda 400 Four

Post Morocco repairs and back into action

Three problems on returning from Morocco, no rear damping, leaking front fork and a crack in the rear sub frame.  The lack of rear damping was due to a hole worn in the hose that goes to the gas cylinder, it had worn where the bottom touches the oil tank.  Quite difficult to reposition due to lack of space to do anything.  Unable to find a hose on the internet or through the main dealer, I was recommended to take the whole assembly to Cueillens Racing who are suspension specialists, they renewed the hose, resealed and re-gassed it, all at a reasonable price. 

Yamaha TT600R on the operating table

Yamaha TT600R route of hose

Ohlins rear shock ready for action again

The left hand front fork had leaked ever since I bought the bike and the third time I re-sealed it I bought a seal kit and bushes for a Honda XR650R, as I found it uses the same forks and the replacement bushes were only available at a big cost through the dealer.  The seal kit was so easy to fit and was dismayed to find the fork leaking again on the eve of my departure to Morocco.  On stripping the fork down I found the cause to be my fault, I had fitted the double lip seal in up side down!

Yamaha TT600R front forks

Last on the list, the rear subframe, this was actually cracked when I bought the bike, where the airfilter box is suspended so nothing structural but now was a good time to sort it with the help of my friend Will Spray.

Yamaha TT600R subframe welded and ready

Back together again and ready for some factory testing :)

Yamaha TT600R about to come off the operating table

First and only fall of the day 

Obviously the camera lies as this slope is near vertical! LOL

Wasn't far from the top, only thing stopping the bike was the rider!

The early years ... part 4

After 18 months it was time for a change, sold the 400 and went to 4 wheels, what was I thinking!  But missed the bikes and bought this RD250 which was not that different from the RD400 in size and handling although the best had been used out of the engine, it didn't go nun too well.

Yamaha RD250

Yamaha RD250

This was my mate's Yamaha XS500, a nice looking bike.  Sadly
 not for long for both of them as he and another friend were
 killed when he crashed into some railings

The early years ... part 3

I eventually did get a cool bike a Yamaha RD400 AL, bought on 4th December 1976 brand new for the princely sum of £738, £200 deposit and £32.95 for 24 months it was the first time I had ever got into debt but must say I enjoyed every minute of it.

It was a great experience buying Japanese, everything worked!  I do remember having the fork tubes replaced under warranty as they were rusting but that was it.  After the A10 the performance was amazing and quite addictive.

Yamaha RD400 - camping trip in Wales

My mum was very understanding :)

The early years ... part 2

I was in the local BSA owners club and obviously my next bike was going to be another BSA and here it is.  A 1962 650 Golden Flash which I think soon needed a head gasket.  Loved polishing the crankcase and timing sidecase.  Not a lot of performance, didn't stop too well, but it worked and kept going.

BSA 650 Golden Flash with Topsy on board

BSA 650 Golden Flash with me hiding behind the headlamp

BSA 650 Golden Flash essential maintenance

BSA 650 Golden Flash - top end strip

Just look a the all the HAIR!

BSA 650 Golden Flash 

The early years .... part 1

Here in all its glory is my first motorbike on the road, a 1967 BSA C15 and was the only bike I have ever hated!  It cost me about £200 in 1975 and I had it for a few months during which time it seized up twice, once on the way back from buying it, the second time when I forgot to top it up with oil!

A very uncool bike at the time when my mates were on RD250's and Honda 250 G5's

BSA C15

Angry Atlantic

We have just spent a few days away in the camper van where we visited Capbreton, Ondres, Biarritz and San Sebastian.  It was unusually warm for January and the ocean was unusually rough!  This was the first time we had seen sea like it.  Here is a snapshot of what we saw:

Watching the sea at Ondres before a rogue wave came and washed
another 3 feet of the sand cliff into the sea right in front of us

The local police were called to make the area safe with tape .......

Debris on the beach at Ondres  

Remains of Hitler's Atlantic Wall which stretched from the Spanish border to
the tip of Norway 

Another bunker at Ondres that had fallen into the sea

Wave attack ..... 

Flip flop tree

More debris

This gives you some idea of the size of the defence works

Clearing up after the storm in Biarritz, the sky is looking none to pleased 

Biarritz lighthouse at sunset

Silhouette  

Happened to come across a raid by the Guardia Civil in San Sebastian
which involved six 4x4's lots of men with automatic weapons and a few
plain clothed wearing balaclavas