Touring on the Hardly-Ableson last summer.....
I rode the bike to southern France for the summer of 2020. The Covid problems had relaxed and it was deemed safe to travel, so I booked "Le Shuttle" and headed for the Eurotunnel. The route down to the south was one I had travelled many times, aiming for Montmirail near Paris for my first night, then down to Issoire near Clermont Ferrand, finally crossing the Massif to stay with friends in Gaillac before riding to my own place near the coast. Delays with the train, and bad traffic when leaving the Shuttle terminal in France, delayed progress and I had to "wild camp" for my first night after less than 100 miles riding. I found a little copse off the beaten track and the green paintwork of the bike blended well with the surroundings, increasing my feelings of security. Waking early the following day I made good progress and the rest of the outward trip went as planned.
But France was dull. Covid had destroyed the mood and the little towns were empty and quiet, friends had stayed away, some bars and restaurants were closed and the place felt strange and remote. I stayed only a couple of weeks and when the Covid infection rate in the UK started to increase, and warnings of travel restrictions were mooted, I decided to wimp out and made a dash for Perfidious Albion before the Coronavirus restarted its campaign in la belle France. And in truth the weather had been too hot, and humid, and my workshop in Lympstone started looking more and more attractive. So I rode back up to Calais over 3 days, using
les petites routes all the way. Had a good ride on the Hardly-Ableson, and enjoyed the trip, apart from the wet mornings and soggy tent-packing. And once back home in the UK I could get on with all the jobs yet to do, and perhaps make plans for a return to France later in the Autumn.
Of course, this second trip didn't happen. But my latest project, a renovation of a 1990s Suzuki DR350, did. Lovely bikes and highly regarded in their day, simple single cylinder engine, but, like all the bikes I seem to buy these days, not well maintained. I discovered the true state of the bike, bit by bit, as it came apart. Not in great shape and in need of much tlc, and it had suffered from much modification during its hard life. I returned it to (mostly) its original state, had the frame repainted, the engine to stripped and fettled. All these tasks kept me busy, and it now sits alongside the Hardly-Ableson in my garage awaiting its turn to tackle the southern France run! I hope to be able to ride it to France this coming summer. It's all ready and just waiting to go. And now with the new Lockdown I am looking for another project.
I have had the opportunity to ride the DR350 during the Autumn, and to compare it with the MT350. Two bikes with similar 4-valve engines and the same type of carburettors, but very different to ride. The DR 350 weighs 139kg with a full (long distance) tank, the MT350 without luggage weighs around 170kg full of fuel. The DR gives a lively and spirited ride and returns over 70mpg, the MT rides more sedately, accellerates more slowly and returns about 65mpg on a long run. For fun, I would choose the DR: for comfort and distance, the MT. It would be interesting to fit the DR engine into the MT, but this will never happen. On paper the engines' power outputs are very similar, but the MT's Rotax, as I have mentioned before, seems to hide about 30% of its potential power, whereas the Suzuki delivers all of its horses all the time. I wish I could explain the difference. The weight difference will be telling, but this is not the whole story, and the extra power available from the Suzuki would be welcome on the MT. If only...... See photos, contrast and compare!
https://postimg.cc/MXds1JNJ
https://postimg.cc/tYJB5mGZ
https://postimg.cc/ctBGB9p5
