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Okay so a couple of weeks ago it was time for my now annual mini European tour but this year was going to be a bit different for a couple of reasons.

The first because we (me and a Honda riding mate) were going head from Portsmouth to Cherbourg on the 'Normandie Express'- the three hour fast Ferry crossing instead of previous years where we have taken the train from Folkestone to Calais via the tunnel.

I like to think of myself as a fairly seasoned rider having never been without a motorcycle since riding my Suzuki TS50ER round my Parents' garden before putting it on the road in time for my sixteenth birthday and over the years and various bikes that followed have done a fair few miles.

For the proceeding five years I have taken the Monster, it has always been perfect, all day comfortable, engaging and fun to ride no matter what the road or Country and even okay when faced with the inevitable downpour.

However, last November I bought a 1996 Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat, partly because I had bought one new back in 1996 and felt I needed to have a 'hop on a go' bike once again to allow me to ride more often, not worry too much about and partly because I wanted something to do.

This one was a good price and had only had two owners. The first for three years and the second for sixteen with the last ten of those having been SORN'd and had only covered just under 11,000 miles. It had been stored pretty well with only a few cosmetic blemishes and so once it was up and running went though an MoT without any issues.

Then I set about sorting it out with a general strip down, new tyres, change/clean/replace bits etc. until I was happy enough to consider taking it on my planned trip.

My other reason for taking it was I had never taken my Monster on a Ferry (other than to the Isle of Wight but they don't tie them down on those ferries) and I have heard a few horror stories of bikes being damaged not to mention the fact that the side stand on the early bikes bolt to the engine case and there are warnings not to even sit on the bike whilst on the stand let alone being ratcheted down on it.

On the Ferry I was glad I hadn't taken my Monster after the Yamaha was tied down and all the car passengers were pushing past the bikes lined up by the stairs access to the upper decks but once the other side, riding out of Cherbourg in 30+ degrees I longed for the familiar rumble beneath me.

Although the Thundercat was nice and comfy with it's plush (compared to the Monster) seat and it's suspension making for a very cushioned ride it doesn't quite 'fit' the same as the Monster- I had begun to think after almost twenty years of ownership if I had become a little 'institutionalised' to it.

So despite the more sanitised ride I enjoyed the lovely French roads and countryside for a tad over 200miles until, with 248 showing on the trip and not having to fill up with fuel since leaving my house at 05:30am with a full tank, we reached our first destination of Angers and checked into the Ibis Hotel.

After a shower to wash away the day's hot and sweaty riding it was out to explore and find somewhere to eat and have a nice cold beer.

The next morning saw us up early for breakfast ready to hit the road again choosing a nice route through the Loire valley to Quimper (very funny but actually pronounced 'Campaire') however fetching the bikes from the adjacent underground car park where we had safely stored them the evening before found my rear tyre to be flat thanks to an industrial staple having pierced it right in the centre of the tread.

No problem I thought- I'll use the temporary plug kit I have stored under the seat..........of the Monster.....Bugger!!!