Sunday 4th May... Rutland?

[LouSCannon]

Hi guys, between illness, work and a stag do I'm well behind on miles on the 1200s so with weather looking passable for Sunday I'm gonna go get lost discovering my new local roads... Thinking of heading Rutland water way and following my nose...

Anyone up for a scenic wander out Sunday? Just looking to put miles on so won't be the most exciting ride out... The other half may join for a few miles on the 900...

[Fatal]

Afraid I'm off on me olidays in me happy camper Friday :(

[popelli]

no idea what I am up to sunday but there is the excellent a47 autojumble on the monday

[LouSCannon]

Driving on a Friday before the bank holiday Alan... Rather you then me! :)

Where abouts is this automjumbo popelli?

[NewMon]

I could well be up for this. I've got a late night out on Saturday so we'll have to keep any arrangements loose and possibly last minute :-)

[Dukedesmo]

Might be up for this, may know a few decent roads too... ;)

[smiffyraf1]

if my bikes back on the road by then ill come for a pootle round

[LouSCannon]

Ok guys, well I'll be heading out regardless so happy to keep it casual if people have plans... what are some easy meeting places for people? I don't want to seem biased but it seems a lot of bikers meet up in Wilton Park cafe in Melton if anyone knows it?

[NewMon]

I don't know it but it sounds like a good place to meet - I'm sure I can find it.

[LouSCannon]

There's a cafe and courts... tends to be a good half a dozen bikers in there on a Sunday at anyone time, sometimes more if they are having an air ambulance charity meet...

We can gather there say 10 - 10:30AM? If DukeDesmo is coming along I'll leave the route to him... I was planning on heading towards Oakham via the 606 and then getting lost around Rutland, so some local knowledge would be very welcome!!!

Also, BP petrol station just next to the park to top off the tanks....



http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t6/j1mb02001/ScreenShot2014-04-29at202557.png (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/j1mb02001/media/ScreenShot2014-04-29at202557.png.html)

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[Spike]

you want to go along the A6047 from Melton towards Market Harborough great road some good bends before the A47 after the A47 it's just a nice fast road, can't make it myself but have a good day.

[RocketRomeo]

Hopefully next time I will actully have my monster so would be keen to meet up then.. as I will be running in the miles too... :)

[utopia]

The 6047 is indeed a nice road, but also very well known to bikers and "others".
It is still worth doing though, and it does include a short possible detour where it crosses the A47, onto this.......

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=45441&highlight=evenings

From Harborough end of the 6047 its possible to cut across northeast along the Welland valley, and up to Seaton Viaduct before recrossing the A47 near Uppingham and back into Rutland.
I don't exactly know the roads, but I have trundled down most of them at one time or another.
The viaduct is worth seeing......good stop for a fag break in a farm gateway, and even a photo ??
But there are loads of other nice roads all over Rutland and that neck of the woods, so the above isn't necessarily a suggestion.

I'll certainly try to come along.
I think I might be free. :look:

[popelli]

there are some fantastic roads off the 6047 around Harborough

Alfa car club just organised a run through there, stunning scenery as well

[Dukedesmo]

The viaduct is worth seeing......good stop for a fag break in a farm gateway, and even a photo ??


Like this?

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/forum/data/photos/l/4/4066-1398845856-529162c68043306c485da0b3c35ee54d.jpg

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/forum/data/photos/l/4/4067-1398845868-76b0e1faa39a87650382399e9099f09f.jpg

;)

[smiffyraf1]

Just to clarify guys i am in where are we meeting? Rutland water or the cafe?

[LouSCannon]

If people are happy with Wilton Park cafe then we'll meet there... as I say around 10-10:30?

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...29at202557.png

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...29at202637.png

[utopia]

Fine by me.
I do have a minor bike issue to sort out first.
But that shouldn't be much of a problem.
See you there, and then....then.

[Dukedesmo]

Look forward to seeing you all at 10ish at Wilton Park in the morning.

If everyone's OK with it I have an interesting route in mind that takes in some of the better local roads, no main/major ones with a break at Rutland Water (visitor area with Café etc.) at around the half-way point and ends back in Melton, in total about 90 miles but can shortened/lengthened if required.

As mentioned earlier there's a petrol station just by Wilton park (junction of Dalby road/Leicester road) at the start of the route but there are at least three others en-route if needed. :thumbsup:

[utopia]

Your last route suggestion (East Kirkby last year) was good.
I'm happy to go along with this one too.

[Dukedesmo]

Your last route suggestion (East Kirkby last year) was good.
I'm happy to go along with this one too.

Tomorrow's proposal actually incorporates part of that one. ;)

[LouSCannon]

Great, really looking forward to seeing some local roads, cheers for that Dukedesmo!

[smiffyraf1]

Have i got the right place? Is it the pavillion cafe?

[LouSCannon]

Absolutely brilliant day guys, thanks for coming and thanks to Tim for leading us around, brilliant roads, awesome bikes and great company, look forward to the next one!

Hope you guys got home safe, thanks again.

Pictures are disabled on this section of the forum so links will have to do...

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t6/j1mb02001/IMAG0008.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/j1mb02001/media/IMAG0008.jpg.html)

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[smiffyraf1]

yeah good day. got some pics too but are pretty much the same!

https://flic.kr/p/nd3isG

https://flic.kr/p/nd396c

https://flic.kr/p/nwiHfg

https://flic.kr/p/nd3rjU

[utopia]

Yes, a nice day's ride, with good company and excellent weather too.
Lets do more.

I must say, Smiffy, you have a knack in composing a photo.
I couldn't believe you did so well with your calendar pic with the Lancaster, and you've done it again with this one of Seaton viaduct....
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91657193@N06/13919739040/
For a totally unstaged shot, you've captured the massiveness of the arches nicely, without losing the bikes as the main subject.
For those interested, the arches stretch 3 or 4 times further in the other direction.

It was an interesting ride for me.
Last time out was the first time I'd tried the bike since raising the front by about 10mm (to accommodate the new straight bars)
On that day, my impressions were that while the extra low speed, straight line stability was actually fine, low speed turns were cumbersome, while in high speed turns (particularly the odd unexpected tightening of a faster bend) the bike was horribly reluctant to change direction.
I was surprised that the effect was so noticeable.
I also wondered, like you do, whether I was psyching myself into feeling effects which weren't really there, or at least exaggerating them, simply because that's what I expected to happen.
I'd always intended to raise the rear by the same amount to restore the original geometry, but hadn't got around to it yet.
Anyway this morning, as a quick fix, I increased the preload on the shock (via the hydraulic remote) from min (solo) settings to max (pillion) settings.
I dunno how much this actually raised the rear, but the bike was transformed....back to something like it used to be.
I was somewhat smug that I'd at least been able to detect the effect of the changes.
Better still, I now believe that my preferred setting would be with the bike sitting fractionally tail up/nose down from the std settings.....maybe similar geometry to dropping the front by 4 or 5mm rather than raising it by 10mm.
Fortunately, the Nitron has ride height adjustment, but I think the shock might need to come out to do it.

Nice to see the red kites too.
What a treasure to have another bird of prey, and such a magnificent one, re-establishing itself in its old habitats.
We hardly even mentioned the Ospreys.

Everywhere smelled of yellow mustard, which was a bit nauseating, though the yellow was nice.
But occasionally, the heady draughts of hawthorn broke through.
And those rolling hills make for some wonderful minor roads.

I didn't think about it until I got home but its so nice not to have all the grit/salt residues that were around last year.
I hardly dared put a wheel outside the areas swept by the cars at all last year.
This year the roads seem even cleaner than normal.
It was a good biker's winter.

And I arrived home with a nearly new 41T renthal sprocket inside my jacket, to cap off a grand day .... thanks again, Tim.

[smiffyraf1]

i had the same with mine as we discussed. already got the jack up kit on rear and had never been completely happy with how it felt so eventually dropped the front by about 11mm and the bike was completely different. for the better.

[LouSCannon]

Heheh great write up Jeff... and yes the Ospreys are on my list but I'll need my decent camera gear for them, so will be a trip in the car as opposed to bike...

We were chatting about Stockport viaduct, worth a google, this the main central part at night, as I say don't think it was as long but it's a little larger:

Stockport Aquaduct (https://flic.kr/p/5XwACj) by JustJim79 (https://www.flickr.com/people/35074942@N06/), on Flickr