Seems we have generated an idea and as our December meeting was a great turnout on yet another glorious day we should have a post for this one.

Do we make a weekend of it or have what has now become a tradition of a Saturday meeting?

Sgmayhew has put forth a nice proposal of west Cork, its a long haul for Comberjohn and GMcQ with weather risk. My weekend up north totalled 880 miles all in.

Another option for a day trip is head inland towards Athlone/Lough Ree.......either from Stradbally or perhaps find another breakfast venue in Athlone [88KE any suggestions up that way?] or somewhere on the M7 nearer Limerick that could be the southern part of a route terminating nearer Dublin to suit a return trip up north.

For my part I am not averse to another trip to Strangford Lough.

The discussion always seems to result in a good day and impeccable weather.....

Corkboy and myself [and Bjorn if recovered...] are planning a little sou'wester trip to Kerry for some Saturday to Darren and Hover K100......

A Lap of logh Ree starting and ending in Athlone and just off the M4 would be a nice spin yielding good views and some nice twisty roads. Plenty of hostelries of which I can personally vouch for a few!

I would welcome a spin to West Cork too but we must bear in mind it is not a holiday both sides of the border.

88

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_holiday

There is a table in wiki showing the bank/public holidays, north & south. I think st patricks is given in the public sector but rarley in the private sector.

G

Flying Bricks around Lough Ree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_4T9Md2xQo&list=UUdSsRETBAowjOBxiKVMATag&index=16

Thought I would revive this thread to see if there was any interest in a meet for St Patrick's day.
Maybe short notice for anything more than a single day.
Athlone sounds OK and is a similar distance for us in the North to Stradbally.
Or maybe some of you would prefer to come up to the Mournes / Strangford area.
Any thoughts, Eccentrics?

A Shamrock Shuffle, greetings with envy (green) from a Chicago supplant. James Irwin (Murphy), me.
With a little Norwegian thrown in. Have a great ride. We still have a foot of snow on the ground, but we may get a ride in anyway.
UJ

I'm up for it CJ. Spoke to Olaf during the week - he may not be mobile but I'll let him tell that yarn. Lough Ree might be better suited to later in the season ( I have a cunning plan up my sleeve!). Anyone know of a good route around the Coolies and or Boyne Valley? Could be an interesting area to tour.

Hi All,

I see 88KE has broken the news that I may not be mobile for Patricks Weekend.....

Suffice to say I am mobile in the manner nature intended but......Tuesday evening stopped at junction with the sun low in the sky. Unfortunately car behind did not see......so I have first hand experience of a shunt in the rear end in which the bike goes off in one direction and I practice a few somersaults in the other direction....

Am no worse for wear but the bike suffered badly, panniers blown off [both support arms broken, panniers fine], rear mudguard/light assemly, rear cowl, right hand lower fairing and engine casing gone, right hand mirror, screen and a few other bits and pieces. Probably be perfect as a naked bike if I took the rest off but not keen on naked bikes...

I looked at one Thursday but not for me I think so am in the market for another K....

Will issue updates.....

Sorry to hear that, Olaf. Glad all of your panels and covers are okay.
I'm sure you'll get another bike sorted out.

Very sorry to hear about the shunt Olaf. Thank Heaven you're OK!

You may have noticed that there are a couple of bikes on Donedeal.

I am up for a trip anywhere around the 17th, subject of course to the usual say so from the boss.

Best wishes, S

Sorry to hear that Olaf. It's a shame with our faired bikes that superficial damage usually results in an insurance write-off.
Hope you find a new K soon.
Paul.

Glad to hear you are OK Olaf, only time the sun comes out and you are rear ended! I have just put mine on gumtree if your interested. Need to down size, my screwed together bones can take her no more!

GMcQ

Looks like we might get 4 or 5 for a meet up on the Saturday?
Been round the Coolies a few times but don't know much about the Boyne Valley. Will do a bit of research over the next day or so. Any other info about these areas will be welcome.
We'll miss you on the run, Olaf.

Sorry to here you're selling the K11, Gerard. Hope you get a good price for it.
Don't suppose removing the fairing would help your health problems?

Hi John, its the weight, not a problem on the move but stopping and being still is a problem, pushing her around etc. Wonder are the 750's much lighter or maybe a chair on the side.

GMcQ

Hi Gerard.
I removed my fairing because of the high up weight that it meant.
The last straw was a few weeks ago when I was trying to manoeuvre it around in the driveway and it just went beyond the point of no return and I had to lay it down. I'm 57 now and realised this could be a problem in the future.
Did very little damage. Tip of the mirror and edge of the fairing. Easy aerosol fix.
I was having similar thoughts about a lighter bike but then decided to go down the road of stripping the fairing. Have talked about it before but always hesitated. Its the high up weight that makes it feel so difficult to move about.

Let me say one thing. THIS IS NOW A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BIKE.

Apart from handling much better, its so easy to move through traffic and push around. This is the bike I was looking for when I was test riding more 'modern' bikes a year ago and I didn't know I already had it!
Yes, I have missed the weather protection a bit this last week or so, but its worth it. If I want to be Captain Sensible next winter, maybe a screen.
The K75 might be a good option, too, if you can find the right one. Good K100 nakeds come up occasionally. Might be easier than converting your K11.
Sidecar? Hmmm. Not sure about that one. Definitely try one before you commit.
You could try out my K for size if you want.

How does this sound as a basis for our St Pats Day run?

The tour begins at the Brú Na Bóinne Visitor Centre located in the village of Donore just off the N51 coming out of Drogheda. On visiting this centre one can visit the spectacular burial mound at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. Here you can look in amazement at the master craftsmanship put into these wonderful creations. Also in the area you will find the Battle of The Boyne site, which is well worth a visit

Next, leaving Newgrange to Slane on the R163 and onwards towards Kells, an area steeped in history well worth taking a look around at the high cross and the area which The Book Of Kells originated but is now housed in Trinity College Dublin. You will get a good selection of coffee shops and restaurants here so it is an ideal spot to stop for a break.

Heading into Oldcastle continuing on the R163, the second stop on this trail. Here you will find burial mounds where myths and legends collide to make many a different story as to how they were created, one being that the burial mounds were created by a sorceress flying overhead and dropping pebbles on the landscape!

When you leave Oldcastle you will join the N51- the main Drogheda to Slane road. Before reaching Slane you will come across a small cottage where Francis Ledwidge, the World War 1 poet was born, the cottage is now a small museum dedicated to the poet. Then passing through Slane, which is an example of an estate village that has a fine selection of Georgian houses.

From Slane we head South Westerly along the N51 to Navan. You will pass Slane Castle on your left. On entering Navan, the largest town in County Meath you will notice its large selection of shops, restaurants, pubs and accommodation. The Great Mote just outside the town is the best place to view the surrounding countryside. Here you will also find Proudstown Park Racecourse for horse racing and The Boyne Valley Greyhound Stadium.

There has recently been an announcement about 'The Boyne Valley Drive' which has been signposted by the Tourist Offices. Can't find any other info about where it actually goes. Typical!
Can't be too different from the above though.

I am in. Now I have an excuse to change the oil.

Sounds like a good route CJ.

Just to be sure are we talking Saturday 16th, Sunday could be awkward with Town & Village parades meaning road closures?

Trim Castle is a short skip from Navan and is supposed to be worth a visit?

88

Yes, Saturday was my preference too.
Looks like we have an outline for a run. Just need to work out the detail.
Oh yes, have to arrange some decent weather too.

Comberjohn wrote:How does this sound as a basis for our St Pats Day run?

[i]The tour begins at the Brú Na Bóinne Visitor Centre located in the village of Donore just off the N51 coming out .........

As we want to follow your trip, we are learning a lot about your country. We soon will be educated riders.
thanks for your leadership John.

Sounds good. New area for me but home turf for the bike.

GMcQ I could be interested all right!! I have realised I can strip mine down to become a naked bike and the only parts needed to achieve that are

rear cowl/indicators/no plate/mudguard, right hand engine cover/gasket, headlamp/indicators.

Then I remembered I turned down a naked bike before the K and couldnt wait to fit a full fairing on a Honda 500/4 when I had one.

You can pm me or email me. I found one in co. down but it gives name Martin and looks different.

I would love to be back on road for that run on 16th May especially as I am planning to go to the Concert Hall in Dublin on the Friday night.....if anyone likes Shaun Davey. Actually its in keeping with the weekend, two pieces, The Siege of Derry and the Brendan Voyage.....

Crazy Frog wrote:

Comberjohn wrote:How does this sound as a basis for our St Pats Day run?

[i]The tour begins at the Brú Na Bóinne Visitor Centre located in the village of Donore just off the N51 coming out .........

As we want to follow your trip, we are learning a lot about your country. We soon will be educated riders.
thanks for your leadership John.

aye cf ...learning all the time ...still can't get my toungue around some of those place names ...the brouge is just too rich .......but absorbing some of it

good luck you folks .....sounds great !

Olaf and Gerard. Maybe a part exchange deal?

I hope I can sort something. have to see how this mans insurance is sorting out....I looked at one K but it wasnt as I was led to believe and needed new panniers [motorworks had them for £160 [€210 to me delivered] and respray as it had been done by hand. Was off road for 3 years and no tax book.

Damn 92 that sucks.
Is the bike a write off?
Glad you are ok. Did you slap the driver? Just say yes, even if you didn't.
I had a guy run into me once. Stopped at the lights. I didn't slap him, but I wish I had. Idiot.

Olaf - suggest you remove your email address from the post above and use PM for contact, Bot and others scanning programs may pick it up.

88

Hi guys,
haven't checked in for a while, but been on the bike.
I was due to go on the BMW MiniThatch Rally in Cahir but had to cancel at the last minute. One of my wife's family has fallen ill, so we'll be up and down for a while.
Olaf txted me about his off, bad news but at least he's ok.
I won't make the St. Patricks weekend ride, as I'm still looking after the house and dog wile my wife looks after her mother. I hope to get out on something shorter and closer to home though.
Hopefully I'll catch the next one, and enjoy yourselves.

Regards,
Fintan

Some would say I am a man who cant make up his mind, keep the bike, sell
the bike, keep the bike and so on. Well, with advice and guidance
received from Sidecar Paul, I am going to keep the bike and aim towards
fitting a sidecar very soon. Truth is I would miss all you guys
so count me in for the run. CJ, will we meet in Newry at McD's? There
is a chance our new member Jim from Lisburn may join us. Also, Sidecar
Paul may come over some time to join us for a run, I am assuming weekend
camping trip maybe.

GMcQ

P.S If anyone knows of a sidecar laying around looking for a good home keep me in mind.

Hi Gerard. Yes, we can meet up at McD's in Newry next Saturday. I might even make it this time! I'll let you know what time when I get a route worked out.

If you are determined to go to the dark side and get a sidecar, I remember a guy who lives in Ballygowan who had one on his naked K100 some years ago.
It was the proper job complete with leading link forks and he was selling all the gear at the time.
His name is Jimmy Burns and he was one of the founding members of the Vintage Motorcycle Club NI and you may be able to contact him through it.
It was a long time ago, although I haven't seen one on the road over here since.
He's as tight as a duck's ass, so bring plenty of money and tell him I sent you.

Thanks John, be worth a try. I will have a look through the web site, contacts etc

Gerard

Okay, I've plotted out a route for our St Pat's run next Saturday.
As soon as I work out how to put it on to Google Maps I'll publish a link so everyone can see it.
I'm proposing we meet up at Costa Coffee in Drogheda Retail Park just beside the motorway for about 9.30 with the intention of leaving about 10.00.
No fry ups I'm afraid unless anyone knows of a place in the area?
Then the route is Donore - Navan - Kells - Oldcastle - Trim - Tara - Navan - Slane.
The total route is about 140km and the driving time is approx 2.5 hours. This will give us plenty of time for lunch and rubbernecking at the ancient monuments.
These include New Grange, Trim Castle, Hill of Tara and others. Don't want it to be too structured. We can stop when we feel like it.
Wide range of roads through some nice countryside, if we can see it in the rain.
Must order that good weather.
Please feel free to criticise and make any suggestions, I have been married for 37 years so its water off a duck's back for me.

Comberjohn wrote:
Must order that good weather.
Please feel free to criticise and make any suggestions, I have been married for 37 years so its water off a duck's back for me.

CJ - Re good weather place your Order at the Meteorological Society, Glasnevin, Dublin. or online at MET.ie. If you call in person; get the docket filled out by the girl in the office for a bag of sunshine and hand the pink copy to the lads in the yard who will help you load it :joker:

It is hard to miss this run, all the signs of yet another good one and I must say [you will be glad to hear] that knowing my luck the sun will be out again for yet another great day.

I recall Comberjohn arranged some excellent sunshine for our weekend up North in September.

I am feeling the pain of a knee and some some rib injuries so will see how I get on. Seems I didn't quite come off as well as I thought but no treatment for ribs. Dont think I could manage a K at this minute and in fact have not so much as looked at mine since I parked it in the shed and decided to let the insurance deal with the whole thing for now.

CJ, have you booked the weather yet? Looking like it could be cold with light showers going by

http://www.met.ie/forecasts/5day-ireland.asp

GMcQ

good luck with the ride guys, we'll be thinking of you as we undertake the Wollombi to Wisemans run.
We are in for some wet stuff as well.
ride safe and enjoy. plenty of pics too , no matter what the outcome.

Yea of little faith.
Never go by the weather forecast. Saturday's forecast has changed every day as the week goes on.
Repeat after me.
The weather will be good.
The weather will be good.
By the way, McD's in Newry about 8.30-8.45?
Is it doesn't snow.
Is Jim going?

See you there. I have not heard from Jim as to whether he is going or not. I will PM him. New fuel pump arrived today, will need to dick around with it, different connections and thinner. Things should be quieter in the tank.

GMcQ

Grover,

The weather will be good. We invented the weather and can talk about it all day long.

Comberjohn definitely seems to have a touch in ordering the appropriate weather, so far in all our trips we have not had what we would call poor or bad weather. I have met some serious rain on way back from one or two but the LT takes that stuff in its stride.

I hope you guys get a good trip too and guess there will be some nice photos showing up next week.

92KK.

Nobody do the Irish Rain Dance!

(i.e. wash your car!). Mine doesn't need one anyway - I'm not selling it

I feel like the little one left at home this weekend while all the Irish Eccentrics head off into the sunset for yet another great trip.

In truth the ribs and neck would not allow me to travel even if I had got another bike. The nature of this site is incredible, I received an offer from Bjorn of a loan of his bike for the trip.

I will instead think of such a nice day, drool over lots of Ks on the internet and see about getting me and the insurance sorted between mugs of Complan. My mind is made up though to stay with the K100LT. If the neck doesn't cure soon it might have to have a third wheel....a Krauser Domani looks tempting too [must buy Lotto ticket].

Hopefully I will be sorted for the next trip.....anyone on for a trip North on 10th May? There is a route planned for the Saturday and Barcelona Pat from this site is coming along.... I booked in some time back and its up near Tollymore Forest Park, a gem of a place recommended by Comberjohn that surpasses all expectations.

Anyway, safe miles tomorrow and enjoy the day...

92KK.

Have a good day everyone, get us some good pics.

Are we still on for tomorrow?
Its to be cold first thing so be careful. I'm travelling down on my own as Gerard isn't able to make it.
Costa Coffee near junction 9 at Drogheda for between 9.30 & 10.00?

Aye John, aiming to depart at 8.am as -5 predicted for here overnight- Will be an hour and 3/4 up all going well. Will text u if there's any upset or delays.

Looks cold alright but the sun is shining as arranged. Planning on a cappuccino at 9.30 in Drogheda

Have a good ride guys. Be safe and stay warm.

I was glad to get home today. Balmy 29 here today. Might go for a swim in the cement pond.

rossco

I lay in bed today feeling very unalone.

I looked out the window and saw that Comberjohn ordered the good weather and it was delivered as usual.

Then I had some best wishes from 88KE and sgmayhew. Thats what I like about this site and why I would not go from the K bike.

Thanks for the good wishes today and look forward to a few photos...

92KK.

Well comberJohn pulled off the weather today - again.

Despite a very frosty start for all and being a few minutes late for meeting up we had a super day. I waited until 8am before rolling out onto the very frosty back roads. I mooched very carefully 5 kms down to the motorway which was dry and salted. An hour later north of the Airport I came up behind a K I didn't recognise and overtook to wave - Ringfad sat astride his very cool metallic grey K1 waving back and we cruised the 30 mins or so to the meeting point. We sat outside costa coffee warming up and enjoying glorious sunshine.

The mounts.....SGMayhew, Ringfad, Comberjohn, 88KE

ComberJohn rolled up on the now naked K and we joked about prying his frozen hands off the bars. As he shed his gear and told us about covering the first miles of his journey in freezing fog his only dead pan comment was "Must get myself some winter gloves" and then we realised he wasn't joking! "Hardy man!" as they say in my part of the country.

We ran out the Boyne Valley to Newgrange, riding behind CJ I noticed him taking a different line on the corners to our last outing which got another dead pan comment from him "Sure you can throw it around like a wee 250" ....and he did!

We stopped and did the tour of the amazing Megalithic Tomb, older than the Pyramids of Giza...


ComberJohn, SGMayhew & Ringfad..



After the tour we wound our way on some very scenic twisty backroads to Navan town enjoying the sun and the dry roads after a quick impromptu lunch stop we continued on on to Trim to view the Preserved ruins of the town's Norman Castle...


I had to break out there and leave the others to the rest of the route. I headed west 150 kms to Carrick-on-Shannon, stopping only to take in the sunshine striking the waters on beautiful Lough Owel.



Having finished my business in Carrick I turned south along the Shannon to Roscommon where I will spend the bank holiday with my folks. The darkness and plummeting temperatures were making the fatigue set in and I was glad of a warm meal and fire to welcome me. I had covered just under 400 kms in the day

Looking forward to the Run home already!

88

Sounds like a great spin and nice photos too

quote="88KE"]Well comberJohn pulled off the weather today - again.

Despite a very frosty start for all and being a few minutes late for meeting up we had a super day. I waited until 8am before rolling out onto the very frosty back roads. I mooched very carefully 5 kms down to the motorway which was dry and salted. An hour later north of the Airport I came up behind a K I didn't recognise and overtook to wave - Ringfad sat astride his very cool metallic grey K1 waved back and we cruised the 30 mins or so to the meeting point. We sat outside costa coffee warming up and enjoying glorious sunshine.

The mounts.....SGMayhew, Ringfad, Comberjohn, 88KE

ComberJohn rolled up on the now naked K and we joked about prying his frozen hands off the bars. As he shed his gear and told us about covering the first miles of his journey in freezing fog his only dead pan comment was "Must get myself some winter gloves" and then we realised he wasn't joking! "Hardy man!" as they say in my part of the country.

We ran out the Boyne Valley to Newgrange, riding behind CJ I noticed him taking a different line on the corner to our last outing which got another dead pan comment from him "Sure you can throw it around like a wee 250" ....and he did!

We stopped and did the tour of the amazing Megalithic Tomb, older than the Pyramids of Giza...


ComberJohn, SGMayhew & Ringfad..



After the tour we wound our way on some very scenic twisty backroads to Navan town enjoying the sun and the dry roads after a quick impromptu lunch stop we continued on on to Trim to view the Preserved ruins of the town's Norman Castle...


I had to break out there and leave the others to the rest of the route. I headed west 150 kms to Carrick-on-Shannon, stopping only to take in the sunshine striking the waters on beautiful Lough Owel.



Having finished my business in Carrick I turned south along the Shannon to Roscommon where I will spend the bank holiday with my folks. The darkness and plummeting temperatures were making the fatigue set in and I was glad of a warm meal and fire to welcome me. I had covered just under 400 kms in the day

Looking forward to the Run home already!

88[/quote]

Happy St Patrick day!