InvictaMoto's On The Road Again!

Tesco home delivery this afternoon......  Can't wait..... The excitement is building.....

Coalition of Motorcycling Organisations reports progress and growing support.   This version: 2020-05-21         Following the submission of its Ride COVID Safe White Paper to the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, last week, progress has been made and support is growing. Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Motorcycling Group, Chris Law MP, said: “I very much welcome this initiative and the partnership between the organisations which created it. Motorcycling does have an enormous role to play in any transport policy if we are to see a long term reduction in congestion and pollution, and the Parliamentary Motorcycle Group has long advocated this. The riders’ code announced last week provides invaluable advice to those using motorcycles during the Covid19 crisis, and I urge all motorcyclists to take it into account and ride safe during these extraordinary times. As Chair of the APMG I strongly urge Ministers and the DfT to fully rec...

Today's run was in an attempt to see the first three waypoints on the list.  One at Littlestone I had glimpsed but had nowhere to park the bike. The second at Greatstone and the third in the churchyard in New Romney. Once again using the Traces of War website for inspiration. I bypassed the Redoubt at Dymchurch again. Nowhere safe to park as the gravel off-road parking was full of cars. A portent of things to come.  It's a hot day and there are beaches all along our coast line..... First stop in Dymchurch itself at St Peter and St Paul Church. I parked outside and took a photo. The road after the church is "private". I made sure I didn't tresspass! Before entering the churchyard to the right on the entrance.  In the end I walked around all the yard until I found a solitary CWGC grave obscured by bushes. It looks as though it in maintained pretty well. I took another of the war memorial outside the church in a little triangle of land bordering the main A259 coast ...

Still getting things together for that day when the bike goes off to have the engine sorted and back on the road. Saw these and had to have them.

Today's post-lockdown ride was out on the Traces of War route I had planned.  I wasn't going to do all of it as it was gone 4pm or so before I got going.   I had amended the route to include the Redoubt. It's called the Dymchurch Redoubt., built in the middle years of the Napoleonic War when there was the idea that Nappy would invade us.  I didn't stop as it is only half a mile from my house.  Actually, the Redoubt is part of the Hythe Ranges and is about 100 yards in Hythe not neighbouring Dymchurch. The second stop should have been the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery grave site in the churchyard in Dymchurch but TomTom forgot to tell me about the waypoint and the LS2 bluetooth was inaudible. I continued through Dymchurch itself.  A small seaside resort with caravan parks and amusement arcades.  All closed as they haven't been allowed to open yet. Oddly, as a sunny day, the place was packed and social distancing looked rare. Expect another peak in Co...

Bored in lockdown. Decided to add some photos to my Flickr album.

This started off as a memory bank for the different things I had drunk at home and on holidays.  It might seem to have got out of hand, but it's easier than soaking the labels off and sticking them in an album. This is a Flickr album!

It started off as a lunchtime pull the bike out and Solvol the rusty bits! It was warm and sunny. By three after midday I was getting bored.  Pepé was out and shining from the polish. There were no calls on the helpdesk and I need to have my lunch and visit the supermarket.  Togged up I left and decided to try the Sainsbury's at Folkestone.  Bigger store, more choice?  I had the list of what was needed in my pocket. For the fashion conscious I was wearing the Joe Rocket mesh jacket, black Kevlar lined cargo trousers, my old boots and the black LS2 helmet.  I took London Road out of Hythe, A20 and then M20 to the Hawkinge turn off, then down through Folkestone on Black Bull Road and out to Park Farm.  Sainsbury had a queue too long and so I headed back along the coast to Waitrose in Hythe. Parked up. No queue to speak off and straight in. Once done I had a short ride home.  The first ride for 8 weeks or so.  Enjoyed thoroughly.

Actually it was relaxed last Wednesday. Amazingly the main A259 that passes about 100 yards behind my house had less motorcycle traffic along it than during lockdown. It seems that some people were out when it wasn't allowed unless important or essential. So I planned to go out over the weekend.  Didn't happen.  Around here the roads were as packed as a normal pre-Covid weekend.  Despite biking associations asking riders not to go out in groups or congregate in large number, there were loads of groups on the A259, some with five or even seven bikes one behind the other.  Now Joe Public thinks what a load of twats bikers are. I am working from home today, it's hot and sunny so maybe I'll get out for a wash and brush up, use my Solvol on the chrome go for a short ride. I have a route planned in my TomTom that has some places on it from the Traces of War  website. ( https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/7799/Dymchurch-Redoubt.htm ) Hopefully I'll get out later today....

A quick check on the shelves in the garage. Would you believe it, there are TWO sets. One on the shelf and another in the crate with the barrels! The complete engine gasket set and the new right grip with throttle inner. All boxed with the other parts 

Another month has slipped by almost unnoticed. Another month of the lockdown that means that we only get to go out once a day for up to an hour of exercise or taking the dog for his walk. Another month of working from home. Another month queuing outside supermarkets or arranging (when you can) for them to deliver to the door. Another month of no refunds from Travel-Up and CarTrawler?  I expect the last point will also become a statement of fact rather than a question. Despite CarTrawler emailing weeks ago to say that both refunds had been made, this week they emailed to say "by 31st May"...... Travel-Up email every week or so to say that they are overworked and will do it as soon as possible.  Their phones are constantly engaged. It does mean that once all this is over and the world of travel is back to normal there are two companies I might ignore when I am looking to book airfares and car-hire?   Anyone guess which two?

I saw this a couple of weeks ago and thought it looked like a good idea. One way of keeping the bike running and also doing good works for the community. I did the first part of the application on my laptop and the rest is on the app.  Unfortunately, my Honor 9 phone seems incapable of leaving a window open whilst you go and get some information from another source. I got as far as the uploading of licence and insurance details and it kept effing up.  I gave up. When I went back to the application app pane it went back to the start.  It would be easier if everything could be done on a computer/laptop and then sign into the app to get the jobs they might send. I don't know how many volunteers there are outside London but I might have been a rarity in East Kent. In the end I had to reply to an email to say that as I was working I was unable to continue with my application and to remove me from their system. Sad, but I hope that they get all the people t...

The country’s largest motorcycling organisations have today jointly  submitted a White Paper to the Secretary of State, Grant Shapps, and to  each of the three devolved administrations.   The coalition of organisations is calling for the Government to fully  take the role of motorcycling into account as the UK continues to deal  with the Covid19 crisis and its aftermath. The coalition also sets out  the case for a Government-supported code of guidance for maintaining  social distancing for motorcycling in the present situation.  The coalition of organisations consists of the Motorcycle Action Group  (MAG), Vintage Motorcycle Club (VMCC), the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF)  and the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF).  The groups jointly  commissioned a White Paper which was submitted to the Secretary of State  earlier today.  The white paper: •       Reviews ways the crisis is affect...

Today is the start of the third month since I last went up to London on the train to go to work. On March 12th 2020 my boss said as one of those with underlying conditions (as result of the heart attack and stenting) I should start to work from home.   I was already at home by this stage.  I had had almost a week off the week before with 'flu like symptoms. I went to work on the Thursday but was really ill on the way home.  Maybe I had had Covid-19 and only mildly?  I have no idea. Until they start dishing out the anti-body test we'll never know.   On Thursday 12th it was later in the evening when he made the decision. It means that my work laptop was on the desk at work!    One of my colleagues collected and posted it to me. It arrived today.  It saves my shared with Claire personal laptop from a 40 hours week!  Once I had fought my way through the blocks and locks that the Council's IT monkeys have tied it down with, I can work...

The Motorcycle Action Group welcomes a statement by the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, in support of using motorcycles. MAG has praised the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, for recognising motorcycles in the UK transport mix. In response to a question by Julian Lewis – MP for New Forest East and member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Motorcycling - Mr Shapps agreed that motorbikes play a key role in delivering billions of commuting miles in the country. In a House of Commons debate about Covid-19 on Tuesday, 12th May 2020, Mr Lewis asked: ‘As an alternative to using public transport during the crisis, what assessment has my Right Hon. Friend made of the desirability of ageing bikers like me once again using motorcycles for travelling to work, and will he be taking any steps to incentivise motorcycle usage as the lockdown is gradually eased?’ Mr Shapps replied: ‘Motorcycles are an enormously important way of getting arou...

An update from MAG Central: On Sunday, the Prime Minister announced a lifting of some restrictions on travel and a return to work for some. From Day 1 of lockdown, the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has not been aware of any distinction being made between cars and motorcycles. Travel by motorcycle or scooter to work (where you cannot work from home), for shopping, and for the personal care of yourself or people in your care has been permitted. This now extends to travel to publicly accessible open spaces for exercise or recreation. There are limits in place and the following information is based on the Government guidelines at the time of writing: You can carry a pillion from your own household, but meeting other people is strictly limited to groups of two. So, that’s either you and your pillion or you, meeting with one friend from another address, on another bike, but not both. Social distancing guidelines must be followed. Please remember that many places - includ...

Setting a goal! Depending on lockdown.  Depending on Philip Jones or another restorer! Depending on dates.   Could Coupes Motos Légendes 2021 be a reality for me and the Kettle? Twenty years after the last visit to the event? MyRouteApp Route The circuit at Prenois-Dijon is about 360 miles from the Channel ports.  On a Kettle that won't be in one go. Nearer the time I'll have to check the dates and see if I can time off from work. Maybe a flexi-day to travel down? Or use that free "birthday" gift from the council's CEO.

Out of the ashes of both  RT20 and SP20 it looks as though we might get a chance for a holiday in 2021. I have even been whiling away some hours over a hot laptop (so hot that it decides to power off) and looking at the Vercors again.  Ideally this is a bike trip but Devall Travel is no longer a bike touring blog! When?  Has to be summer as many of the passes are still shown as closed today (6th May 2020)  on Google maps. So this looks like August 2021!   The current plan, such as it is, is just the Vercors.  No plans on how the get there or back. The loop is based on a start/finish at Saint-Jean-en-Royans.

The Motorcycle Action Group has criticised the omission of motorcycles in indications of Government thinking around transport in the transition from lockdown back to normality.  Claiming that the “New Normal” may not be anything like that proposed by many lobby groups, MAG calls for clearer thinking. Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has suggested that encouraging people to commute by bicycle will be a key part of proposals for transport as travel restrictions for the pandemic lockdown are eased; however, motorcycles are not mentioned.  Zealous cycle lobbyists are naturally excited by this statement and seem to be suggesting that vast numbers will turn to cycling as their only mode of transport. London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has already announced his Streetspace Plan, which is intended to fast-track the transformation of London’s streets to enable millions more people to safely walk and cycle as part of their daily journeys. Commenting on the media rush to suggest that...

One of the places I had planned to pass through on the way to Nice. The Vercors. At least I have the map to look at and plan for another time.

Well another MasterCard statement has arrived. Still no refund from Cartrawler or Travel-Up. Only takes seconds to pay and months to repay.

Another part of the renaissance jigsaw arrived in the post today from Reiner in Germany. A master cylinder repair kit. It comes with the seals etc need to fix the leaking problem I currently have.  In fact. It has leaked and there is no fluid left in it all. Another job to add to the list that I will pass onto Philip Jones once the lockdown is over in the UK. I am hoping that will be sooner rather than later. When I am off for the summer from late July to early September would be a good time to get it up to Telford. Oh forgot about the three B8ES plugs I bought as well.

The Motorcycle Action Group has been overwhelmed by the generous donations of some of those who would have been attending the Into The Valley rally this weekend, and we wish to thank you all for your thoughtful contributions.  We are so grateful for the amazing support that will help enable us to continue fighting for riders’ rights. We know that some of our members regularly take the opportunity to renew their membership at this event, so we warmly invite them to either contact the office on 01926 844 064, or go online to renew at  www.mag-uk.org For those who have not yet seen the various options available for both this cancelled event, and the postponed Farmyard Party, please see below an edited update from the organisers, MAGic Action Promotions: We have made the difficult but sensible decision to cancel Into The Valley 2020 and postpone the Farmyard Party till late September this year. Yorkshire Pudding Rally is currently still set to go ahead at the end of July. ...