June 2022 summary should have been filled with training photos and tales from my holiday to Turkey and preparation for Motorrad Days 2022, but alas, I'm telling a much more unpleasant story!
First up, lets get the good bits out of the way.
Training.
Only 2 sessions this month and both with Steve on his 650 Versys. Steve is back to biking after a significant break and wanted to complete the DVSA approved Enhanced Rider Scheme, which I'm pleased to say he did successfully.
Customer test pass.
Whilst on holiday in Turkey, I was contacted by James to inform me he had passed his IAM test, achieving a 'F1RST' in the process. James passed the Enhanced Rider Scheme with me last year and had combined his IAM training with more sessions with me. A great result. Next up RoSPA or the BMF?
RoSPA training.
Early in the month I had a RoSPA Tutoring session with my local group. The group have recently teamed up with volunteer riders from North Yorkshire Fire Service, 'Fire Bike' team. The guys will be promoting road safety alongside the Police and Paramedics and as part of the process, all the volunteers want to pass their RoSPA advanced test, hence their link up with us. We hope to get their training under way in July and I'll keep you posted with how things go. If you see Andy or any of the guys out and about on the 'Fire Bike', please go and say hello.
Here's Fire Bike rider, Andy.
Turkey.
Kim and I headed off to Turkey for this years annual fly and flop holiday. We stayed at the resort of Oludinez. Kim has been before before but it was my first time. First few days were fantastic. The weather was fab, the beaches golden and the sea clear blue. Unfortunately on day 5 I started to feel unwell and this quickly went down hill, resulting in a visit to the local Dr, followed by a blue light ambulance run to hospital, where I spent the next 2 days on various 'drips' and medication!
Here's me being wheeled out to the awaiting ambulance.
Transferred from trolley to bed....
On a drip and on the oxygen.....I felt so ill!
I have to say, the level of care and attention was fantastic. Most of the medical staff spoke excellent English and those that didn't always brought an interpreter with them. I was kept up to date on how all my various test were doing and had my own room. The end diagnosis was Gastroenteritis and Colitis. These are infections of the bowel and gut. I won't bore you with all the details, other than to say, it was a very unpleasant 48 hours. I was discharged with a large bag of meds and large medical bill on the Saturday evening, just in time to fly home on the Sunday. Fortunately, the meds seem to work and I was soon feeling better and ready to go and collect my tour bike for Motorrad Days......
Motorrad Days 2022
For those that don't know, Motorrad Days is an annual weekend get together for all things BMW. For a number of years the event was held in Garmisch on the German/Austrian border and attracted thousands of visitors every year. There was no Motorrad Days in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid and for 2022 BMW decided to move the event to a new venue in Berlin. I was really looking forward to this one, because I had attended the last ever event in Garmisch in 2019 and this meant I would also be going to the first ever event in Berlin, how cool would that be! On Wednesday 22nd I headed off to collect my tour bike, a very nice 22 plate BMW 1250GSA. Unfortunately, things didn't quite go to plan.
Covid!
You really couldn't make it up but within a few days of returning home, Kim tested positive with Covid and as sure as night follows day, I tested positive 3 days after picking up the GSA! Neither of us have ever had Covid before and assumed that as we were 'jabbed up', we would only suffer mild symptoms and within 3 or 4 days should be right as rain again....oh how very wrong were we! End result, as I type this, Kim was positive for 11 days and so far I've been positive for 7 days. We've both had severe head aches, coughs, the sorest of sore throats and generally feeling pants. Needless to say, I had to pull out of Motorrad Days and the GSA (or any other bike for that matter) hasn't turned a wheel since I put it in the garage. Fingers crossed I will be negative in the next few days as I have to return the GSA and my training sessions are due to restart on the 6th July.
Bikes
Given the holiday to Turkey and then Covid, not much to tell you as I obviously haven't done much riding. I used the Versys for the 2 session with Steve and used the X-ADV when I was out with Andy on the Fire Bike. The S1000 is currently down south waiting for me to take the GSA back. July should see significant miles added to all 3 bikes.
My bikes - Kawasaki GPZ900R
Last month I told you about the GPZ1100, well that bike was traded in for a GPZ900R. We didn't really know back then, but the GPZ900 is now deemed to have been a game changer of its day for motorcycle design and performance. I think it was the first road bike to officially claim to reach 150mph...(I know mine did!). It was a new frame concept and had better suspension and brakes then the competition, which at the time was GS1000s, CB900s and their own GPZ1100. I went camping to Cornwall on that bike, my first foray into touring really. Quite a trek from Hull to Newquay. I went with a mate, Gareth who had a Suzuki Katana at the time. The GPZ900 was a great bike, it was so fast, it was comfortable and you could take a pillion. I see you can buy a GPZ900 from between £2000 and £6000 and they seem to still have quite a following. Obviously they were the star of the film Top Gun as ridden by Tom Cruise in the film.
Here's my GPZ900, all loaded up and ready to head to Newquay with Gareth on his Katana.
Arrived safely and tents set up.
B286UAG, if you're out there give me a shout.
As good as the GPZ was, in a bizarre twist, I went from 4 stroke GPZ900 to a 2 stroke RD350LC and then quickly on to an Honda NS400R. More on that next month.
Thanks for reading and ride safe everyone.
Ian S
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