I thought I'd follow my first ride out on a new HuskyTE310 with a post to say Hi on the Forum as a new member.
It was a much harder day that i expected today in which i covered 45 miles of land between Guildford and Dorking. I covered most of the local lanes moving from west to east; Madgehole Lane and Ponds Lane - I've done Ride lane before in a Landy and thought it wrecked, so avoided today assuming it would be no better. I tried to respect the chalk and use the torque to get me up the lane north of Shere car park, (London Lane?) and didn't stop or drop it which was i proud of.
The drop however happened trying to navigate a drainpipe sized log covering Sheep Walk lane - half way up before the bridge. I was going up comfortably in 3rd and coping with the ruts only to completely miss judge the twig......I am now nursing some bruised ribs, a puncture wound under my chin which I will need to shave over tomorrow AM and a giggling wife. The rest of the lane where 4x4's have access was properly rutted - lots more so than I've seen it before - the eastern section of Sheep Walk Lane, once you cross the road is also really mucky. I headed south down to the A25 and headed up to Wolverns.
I've done this a number of times on 4 wheels but never seen it so rutted. The cause of the rutts soon became apparent in the form of 5 landy's of various sizes stuck in small craters. I was following a chap on an older WR250 who ploughed through despite him claiming he'd not ridden for 5 years.
I came back down Wolverns having met some others at the top with the WR250, a KTM Free ride and a lovely Royal Enfield Trials with was being piloted by a chap in an open faced helmet and leather jacket. He did a great job in showing me what can be done....and it sounded great.
I left the guys and headed back to Guildford via Beggars lane which had a Surrey Wildlife Trust 4x4 awkwardly parked near the top, back down Sheep Walk lane and over the 'twig' and off to the Jet Wash at East Horsley. Returning home slightly bruised and glad it wasn't worse!
So, 10 things I learned today?
1. Small wet branches in tyre ruts need as much respect as the chalk.
2. Thermal layers in your Enduro gear are not necessary unless you want to lose weight - i lost about 3 pints.
3. Peg standing on a TE310 when you're 6'2" is not at comfortable - i need some bar risers quickly....and possibly lower pegs.
4. You're stock MOT style rear end tidy and numberplate mark you out as a complete newby.......it was either that or my incompetence.......either way i'll order a new one and hope they also send a Tidy.
5. Wolverns Lane is in danger of having a TRO slapped on it. It was a real mess today - anyone having travelled on it recently can see this, despite the fun they may have had. Selfishly it will be better for bikes with no 4x4's but we all now thats the think end of a wedge.
6. Despite may bike only having done 425 miles to date, the fuel valve marked "on/off" is broken - I only realised mine was in the 'off' position when i was washing it down at East Horsley.
7. Despite it being a green lane, you should drive on the left. Apologies to the 2 lads on KTM's with Go Pros on their fronts who stopped and watched me pass on their side of the road - i was busy concentrating and it only dawned on me later why i got such a foul look.
8. New boots and a new gear lever don't go. I missed second more times that i got it today.
9. £2 is enough time for the Jet Wash - it's a bike, not a land rover.
10. There are quite a lot of Anti's out there who continue to walk their dogs on Byways. It's amazes me - but surely if you don't like Right Wing politics, you don't by the Daily Telegraph?
So hopefully not put you off too much.....
Toppsoff
welcome, maybe see you at club night.