Hello there

[Thumper]

Hello there to all XS11 owners worldwide, as you may have guessed I'm new to this site and I must say it's great to finally find something worthwhile on the internet. My name is Thumper and I come from Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland. I enjoy bike rallies but quite frankly Irelands just gettin a wee bit too small fer me, lookin fer new countries to ride in and would be interested in hearin about any rallies in the UK or Europe.

[uk1.1s]

European Rallies etc

Thumper,

Yep - there's some activity for XS's going on. Been a few rallies over recent years, but none I've been too as I've had the typical XS11 project in the garage for too many years.

Good news is that it was a runner this weekend finally - but blown fork seals and the small matter of MOT and insurance has mean't my Sunday test ride was pretty short - even then I was followed by a police car for a few miles.

Have a look on Mike Farnworths page under rallies.

http://www.xs1100.co.uk/martini/1024.htm

Think the next is in Holland, and I'll try and get over for it if I can.

I'm just south of London, so if you're coming over from NI you could meet up with me down here as a staging post for ferries / Channel Tunnel etc.

Cheers - Graham

[Thumper]

Thanks for the rally info Graham I'm sure it will prove very useful I've already E-Mailed Mike Farnworth looking for an invite to the Netherlands Rally because I really want to travel to the continent on bike next year before my XS has to come in for much needed restoration (she's really beginning to look tatty although she's still going like a bomb) We'll see about meetin up later on I do have friends snd relatives round London but at the moment Ithink the sensible option for travelling to holland is Holyhead to Harwich to The Hook Of Holland, I'm sure you know it. By the way If I replaced fork-seals everytime they bust I'd be out a small fortune with the state of the roads in the Republic of Ireland usually I replace them once a year just before MOT time keep at the mechanicing it'll all be worthit and ignore the reports about bad handling XS11's are just like any other bike you learn their limitations, quirks and then ride 10% past them besides scares are character building. Speak to ya soon. Good Luck, ThUmPeR

[uk1.1s]

Netherlands 2003

OK Thumper - looks like maybe a few of us could be interested in the Dutch XS rally then. I mailed the Dutch XS rally sec and asked for details of where in Holland the rally will be. Hopefully hear soon.

Your route across sounds good - although the Hawich / Hook ferry takes a while, so I've often taken a ferry to Zeebruger (spelling?) or Ostend and ridden through Belgium.

A mate of mine recommends the Belgium route every time as there's a bike only camp site he goes to and has a great time in the on-site club house. Stop off in Belgium not essential though as I've managed a morning ferry from Dover and got to Arnhem in Eastern Holland once and even the other side of Cologne for a Welsh Coast (Germany) MCC rally before now.

Know what you mean about the handling on the XS - I've had mine since about 1991 and - although it's been off the road a lot - when I was riding it regularly I seemed to gather quite a few "near miss" stories. I've promised the wife I'd slow down now I'm getting on a bit

Cheers - Graham

[Thumper]

Route through Belgium definitely sounds tempting Channel Tunnel sounds good too, I'm not all that great on boats. Will do a bit of surfing about check out some maps after all I've got more than six months to make my mind up. Might even make a couple of nights stop off round London with my mate and my brother for a bit of a session. Right must go for now put all the tools back in their boxes instead of all over the bench and the shed floor. Cheerio!