My Bike

Me

With my big 40 approaching in September 2000 and a lifelong ambition to tour the Alps, the thought of another bike beckoned, although I never really thought that I would be able to achieve it. A Tourer is expensive, my wife much prefers horses than bikes, and my family all thought it was mad. All that was needed was a good finance deal, and the deal was done.

I had had quite a varied biking past, Trials for a few years, competing in all the Scottish Rounds on a Montesa 310 and a Bultaco 325. From there it was motocross on a Maico 400, but I soon realised that self-preservation and motocross don't go. Road Bikes beckoned and the Maico was sold for a Honda CB900F, great times, everywhere as fast as possible, but when 5 of my friends all had off's, I sold it. That was 17 years ago.

The Bike

If I was going to tour the Alps all the way from Scotland a comfortable tourer was the ticket, older as well as wiser! There is a Honda Dealer in my home town although I don't think they have sold many Pan's, plenty of ATV's though. Initially I was drawn to the larger 'Super Deal' dealer's as I thought volume would secure a better deal, however I was proved wrong.

Initially I thought the BMW R1100RT would be too expensive, but BMW had made some price reductions so the BMW was actually cheaper, making the choice even more difficult. I didn't take a test drive, I was happy make my selection based on the many magazine and Internet tests, it was close, however I preferred the torquier engine of the Pan.

And so on 1st March 2000 I duly left my local dealer who gave the best price, thankful of a dry day and dry roads. I had been extremely nervous as the bike is big, heavy and I'd heard numerous stories of them being dropped within 5 miles. I got on and my worries soon disappeared after 20 yards as everything came flooding back, and I slipped into the traffic excited and relieved.

I had initially ordered the standard blue one, however having seen a blue one later I changed to the Candy Red, the blue being distinctly dull in comparison, the Candy Red is simply gorgeous. I had also ordered the standard bike as I felt I had the skills so the ABS model was unnecessary. It wasn't till I read a report that a very experienced tester felt the ABS had saved his life on a wet Autobahn with an Audi which just didn't see him, that was we were going! so I changed the order again.

Gear

The choice of gear was quite simple, the boys in the Hein Gericke shop in Glasgow were extremely helpful and the Hein Gericke stuff had always come out well in tests. I decided on the best helmet as my head is the most important bit, so I went for an Arai RX-7XX, on offer when I bought it. In use I should probably have gone for the Quantum F, as the RX-7XX is noisy, as it is light weight and really meant for racing. I also went for the Hein Gericke All Seasons suit, which suited my needs.