Going back to 2003:
My misses and me had both ridden up to Hyder, Alaska (we were living in Alberta, Canada at the time) to join the end of the Iron Butt ride which covered all US states in the shortest possible time. I rode my H-D FXSTC along a gravel road but having a 21” front wheel and forward pegs I was rather slow. I tried my wife’s H-D FLSTC and, with her fatter front tyre, I was a bit faster. However, along came a GS(A) and rider at about twice my speed and I thought then that my Harley couldn’t do everything but his BMW could – I wanted one!
Recently I bought myself a 2013 TB TC GSA. It’s taken me 12 years and voluntary redundancy to get it but I’ve now got one.
Where could I go for an inaugural mainland European tour with my GSA? The MotoGP at Misano, Italy came to mind so a plan was formulated.
I had USA military friends near Ramstein, Germany so I could visit them for a night (in both directions) then head through Switzerland to the races and back via Basel (I worked there for a few months many years ago) and then head for home.
Day 1 – Fri. 4th September – c. 620 miles to Ashford
It was a dry day as I rode down to my pre-booked Travelodge (maybe it was a Premier Inn) near Ashford, Kent for a stop-over before an early (c. 05:00) tunnel booking the next morning.
My misses and me had both ridden up to Hyder, Alaska (we were living in Alberta, Canada at the time) to join the end of the Iron Butt ride which covered all US states in the shortest possible time. I rode my H-D FXSTC along a gravel road but having a 21” front wheel and forward pegs I was rather slow. I tried my wife’s H-D FLSTC and, with her fatter front tyre, I was a bit faster. However, along came a GS(A) and rider at about twice my speed and I thought then that my Harley couldn’t do everything but his BMW could – I wanted one!
Recently I bought myself a 2013 TB TC GSA. It’s taken me 12 years and voluntary redundancy to get it but I’ve now got one.
Where could I go for an inaugural mainland European tour with my GSA? The MotoGP at Misano, Italy came to mind so a plan was formulated.
I had USA military friends near Ramstein, Germany so I could visit them for a night (in both directions) then head through Switzerland to the races and back via Basel (I worked there for a few months many years ago) and then head for home.
Day 1 – Fri. 4th September – c. 620 miles to Ashford
It was a dry day as I rode down to my pre-booked Travelodge (maybe it was a Premier Inn) near Ashford, Kent for a stop-over before an early (c. 05:00) tunnel booking the next morning.