My first wales road experience - wow!
Discussion
So I decided with a few friends to do a min wales tour quite spontaneously before weather starts to turn
Set off Friday lunchtime using the Detecht bike nav from Essex giving some great twisty and for most parts fast flowing roads. A stop mid way for a costa and couple quick pics before arriving at the hotel for about 5.30pm
Got cleaned up and out my leathers to then look at places to eat. A few on here know me so will understand when I say I have NO sense of direction and typically wing everything when it comes to routes etc
Friday night had the first place booked so pre booked for following night and walked 2 mins further to Gino's Pizzeria. I got drunk and dont recall much of that evening after...
The next morning bit of breakfast and used what I think was welsh sheep jizz for sanitizer before heading off out. Again winging it but told to search Bala Lake, Pen Y Pass and a couple other spots so off I went
Was very lucky with the weather Saturday - bit cold and drizzled over the mountains but overall it stayed dry
Very impressed with the S22 as an all round tyre. Great feedback although I never really pushed on hard
Also kept hearing a buzzing sound while having coffee. Thought nothing of it kept riding and on next stop I said I could hear it again. Turns out this little one got itself wedged in my slider!
I did have one or two 'moments' where the nav said nice twisty road ahead and it took me onto something I should be on with an adventure bike but it had everyone laughing and was part of the fun. Never more than a few miles
I was let off with so much of this and it went on for ages
Once at Bala by luck on social I see a joke about the longest word/name at a train station and it was only another 30 mins up so thought sod it I'm going to get a pic! I actually got someone to say it which was amusing to hear
Saturday night after riding back we went Fabians Kitchen. Again really nice, only 2 mins up the road and hit the spot needed after 250 miles
Sunday morning packed up and set off to go home. Initially wanted to ride down south for more twisties which initially went well but a few diversions and poor planning had me going through some real tight B roads and time was going quick so we decided to plan a route back
One of the group found their chain had really stretched and with concerns of it jumping off we did a quick search and found a kwikfit not too far. Quick call asking to borrow a few tools and fixed (yes I have real grey hair so typically wear a cap!)
And then about 5.30pm we were home. What a great couple days. Did a few videos but nothing much. Just enjoyed all the bike time. I think something like 750 miles done
Enjoying the scenery here >>> https://youtube.com/shorts/crsn6bnqDEA?feature=sha...
And playing with the TC here on way home >>> https://youtube.com/shorts/sTiDzSSQZB0?feature=sha...
Set off Friday lunchtime using the Detecht bike nav from Essex giving some great twisty and for most parts fast flowing roads. A stop mid way for a costa and couple quick pics before arriving at the hotel for about 5.30pm
Got cleaned up and out my leathers to then look at places to eat. A few on here know me so will understand when I say I have NO sense of direction and typically wing everything when it comes to routes etc
Friday night had the first place booked so pre booked for following night and walked 2 mins further to Gino's Pizzeria. I got drunk and dont recall much of that evening after...
The next morning bit of breakfast and used what I think was welsh sheep jizz for sanitizer before heading off out. Again winging it but told to search Bala Lake, Pen Y Pass and a couple other spots so off I went
Was very lucky with the weather Saturday - bit cold and drizzled over the mountains but overall it stayed dry
Very impressed with the S22 as an all round tyre. Great feedback although I never really pushed on hard
Also kept hearing a buzzing sound while having coffee. Thought nothing of it kept riding and on next stop I said I could hear it again. Turns out this little one got itself wedged in my slider!
I did have one or two 'moments' where the nav said nice twisty road ahead and it took me onto something I should be on with an adventure bike but it had everyone laughing and was part of the fun. Never more than a few miles
I was let off with so much of this and it went on for ages
Once at Bala by luck on social I see a joke about the longest word/name at a train station and it was only another 30 mins up so thought sod it I'm going to get a pic! I actually got someone to say it which was amusing to hear
Saturday night after riding back we went Fabians Kitchen. Again really nice, only 2 mins up the road and hit the spot needed after 250 miles
Sunday morning packed up and set off to go home. Initially wanted to ride down south for more twisties which initially went well but a few diversions and poor planning had me going through some real tight B roads and time was going quick so we decided to plan a route back
One of the group found their chain had really stretched and with concerns of it jumping off we did a quick search and found a kwikfit not too far. Quick call asking to borrow a few tools and fixed (yes I have real grey hair so typically wear a cap!)
And then about 5.30pm we were home. What a great couple days. Did a few videos but nothing much. Just enjoyed all the bike time. I think something like 750 miles done
Enjoying the scenery here >>> https://youtube.com/shorts/crsn6bnqDEA?feature=sha...
And playing with the TC here on way home >>> https://youtube.com/shorts/sTiDzSSQZB0?feature=sha...
Mwynhewch! Or ‘joywch’ as the locals tend to say. That’s all my back yard, now. Coming from Essex, mastering the LlanfairPG pronunciation is an early step (and its somewhat commercially constructed meaning).
Did you visit St Tysilio’s church on Church Island (back of Waitrose) in LlanfairPG?
Did you visit St Tysilio’s church on Church Island (back of Waitrose) in LlanfairPG?
I went there for the first time on the bike last year, and been back several times since. Brilliant riding and scenery, I feel like a t
t for not going there 20 years ago ! Had the same experience with the Garmin sending us off down a sheep track for 5 miles to save a bit of distance on the lovely wide and curvy main road 
Still, all part of the fun as you say.Pica-Pica said:
Mwynhewch! Or ‘joywch’ as the locals tend to say. That’s all my back yard, now. Coming from Essex, mastering the LlanfairPG pronunciation is an early step (and its somewhat commercially constructed meaning).
Did you visit St Tysilio’s church on Church Island (back of Waitrose) in LlanfairPG?
No never went there but will add into the routes for my next one as weather picks up next yearDid you visit St Tysilio’s church on Church Island (back of Waitrose) in LlanfairPG?
rev-erend said:
Nice one Birky
How was the touring ability of the Tuono.. I'm thinking of getting one But wonder what it's like on a motorway for wind protection and touring mpg and longer ride comfort.
I've always had double bubbles in mine. Im 5ft 11 about 90kg without kit and found stock screen would buffet me. Adding the double bubble fixed that and made touring 250 miles a day no probs with speeds upto 120mph. I dont typically ever stay on a straight road though more than 15-20 mins at most using bike nav apps that take you through more twisty roadsHow was the touring ability of the Tuono.. I'm thinking of getting one But wonder what it's like on a motorway for wind protection and touring mpg and longer ride comfort.
I saw 50mpg average at best with the first tank range being about 140ish miles before I filled up (They have a 2 stage reserve first coming in at about 105 miles which does about 30 miles then a red bar meaning 1.5lt left which I then fill up)
I went with the gel black seat about 130 quid upgrade but I ride a lot and wanted the slightly better comfort
Average mpg depending how keen you are typically sits 41-47mpg. I ride fairly keen but always run a high gear (6th) when not on it
Birky_41 said:
I've always had double bubbles in mine. Im 5ft 11 about 90kg without kit and found stock screen would buffet me. Adding the double bubble fixed that and made touring 250 miles a day no probs with speeds upto 120mph. I dont typically ever stay on a straight road though more than 15-20 mins at most using bike nav apps that take you through more twisty roads
I saw 50mpg average at best with the first tank range being about 140ish miles before I filled up (They have a 2 stage reserve first coming in at about 105 miles which does about 30 miles then a red bar meaning 1.5lt left which I then fill up)
I went with the gel black seat about 130 quid upgrade but I ride a lot and wanted the slightly better comfort
Average mpg depending how keen you are typically sits 41-47mpg. I ride fairly keen but always run a high gear (6th) when not on it
Perfect.I saw 50mpg average at best with the first tank range being about 140ish miles before I filled up (They have a 2 stage reserve first coming in at about 105 miles which does about 30 miles then a red bar meaning 1.5lt left which I then fill up)
I went with the gel black seat about 130 quid upgrade but I ride a lot and wanted the slightly better comfort
Average mpg depending how keen you are typically sits 41-47mpg. I ride fairly keen but always run a high gear (6th) when not on it
Looks like a great trip!
I've never done north Wales on a bike but South Wales was good fun - definitely recommend the Gower peninsula - it's a bit like the New Forest before it got ruined by being too busy and the 'anti-bike' brigade decided to make life frustrating with their OAP operated fake speed posts. Llanelli/Pembroke/Aberystwyth triangle is quite a nice little ride too if you like your pretty scenery, old buildings, and quaint little village shops!
I've never done north Wales on a bike but South Wales was good fun - definitely recommend the Gower peninsula - it's a bit like the New Forest before it got ruined by being too busy and the 'anti-bike' brigade decided to make life frustrating with their OAP operated fake speed posts. Llanelli/Pembroke/Aberystwyth triangle is quite a nice little ride too if you like your pretty scenery, old buildings, and quaint little village shops!
I haven't been around Wales on a bike for years, usewd to go pretty much every dry weekend, mind you the last time the police were out in force stopping anything on 2 wheels and I got points for being very slightly over the limit...
I used to live in Birmingham and would meet friends in Shrewsbury, then flirt down the A458 (?) to a litlle cafe at the end by a roundabout, we'd have something to eat then up towards Bala and around and I'd be back in Birmingham before the sun went down.
Great roads, good times and one memorable evening chasing the sunset on my ZXR750J1 when everything clicked and the traffic didn't get in the way.
Happy days indeed
I used to live in Birmingham and would meet friends in Shrewsbury, then flirt down the A458 (?) to a litlle cafe at the end by a roundabout, we'd have something to eat then up towards Bala and around and I'd be back in Birmingham before the sun went down.
Great roads, good times and one memorable evening chasing the sunset on my ZXR750J1 when everything clicked and the traffic didn't get in the way.
Happy days indeed
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