First long journey.

You might change your opinion when you ride back from France. On the
motorways I was hit by so many multi-coloured bugs I got into the habit of
spitting on my glove and smearing the bug juice off. Not very nice but quite
necessary.

 

Aye, and that smelly wet rag that ginge was carrying around was used
at most petrol stops as well.

OTOH who needs to see properly anyway?

 

Scotland, midge season... I'd say the squeezy bottle thing is overkill,
but a damp cloth in a plastic bag isn't.

 

Cyclists, they've got to watch out for dangerous motor vehicles.

 

If I spit on my glove I have to clean the inside of the visor too.

 

There's a simple technique to do it with a ff helmet.

 

As dog mentions, the trick is how you tie it down - if it's loose, make it
tighter.

I've found that generally things move _forward_ rather than back - but
that's possibly just me and the aerodynamics of what I ride/me.

You can also put something grippy on the seat - Oxford sell mats for just
this type of purpose.

A dust cloth is not recommended.

Get a tank bag - you can just push it forward to fill up, then pull it back
once done.

I don't get on with a big version myself, but others find them useful to
lean on as well.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, dwb

No Dan, it's the impact of all the flies hitting the back of the bike.

 

You're just jealous that you can't ride backwards.

 

That's just lame.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, dwb

Logical extension of backing it into corners, eh?

*respect*

 

Yup - it's all done with mirrors.

 

Yeah, I've had iced visors in the past, but rather than stop and clean
it, only for it to get iced again ten minutes later, I just ride with
my visor open. It really doesn't bother me.

Last time I said that I rode with my visor open, all and sundry
expressed amazement that I might be so careless with something
important as my sight. Well, it's like the old rucksack thing - I've
been doing it "my way" for ages, and nothing bad's happened, so ****
it.

No, really, if it got so dirty/salty/iced that I couldn't see, I'd
open it, rather than carry a squeezy bottle of water everywhere I
fucking go.

 

You appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that I've never
been to France on a motorbike.

 

Bollocks. Look, this started with a biking newbie asking for advice,
and if UKRM has it's way she'll need a 2 ton pick-up following her
hauling all the "essentials" that different, namby-pamby UKRMers think
she should take with her.

 

Ben Blaney says...

Absolutely Mr B, I often ride with an open visor, I often carry a
rucksack on my back, I often exceed the posted speed limit.

These may be considered dangerous by some, but it works for and I'm
happy with it.

 

Are fine things. Very distracting first thing in the morning.

I asked for decent weather as well. And an early start - neither have
been forth coming.

It would be sensible to take the car. But I'm going to go and put some
clothes on, sling a ruck sack either about my person or on the bike
and head off. The armouries will wait until another day, get there and
get mildly slaughtered with good food and good company is the revised
plan, then on to Scotland tomorrow. By which point no doubt I'll wish
I'd taken the car.

 

Bit hard to argue that isn't it... obviously doing more miles means more
chance of an accident.
But there isn't zero chance that you won't topple off your bike in your
driveway either.

I rode in a suit the other day with tie-a-flapping - that was novel.

Bit windy round the legs though.

 

nah, that's a bouncy happy outlook on life, try it some time you might
like it.

because I said so.

One of the great responses UKRM has added to my vocabulary.

 

And when you take your lid off, you have a nice helmet-opening-shaped brown
patch on your face