Recent posts

21

Adventure, Excursions, Ride outs, Touring / Re: 2025 European trip

Last post by Rynglieder - December 17, 2025, 09:39:17 AM

Day 10 Falcade > Valdidentro (c.160 miles)

You cannot see attachments on this board.

Just 160 miles in front of me today, but that was more than ample as it was not going to be particularly easy or quick riding, there were one or two mountain passes to negotiate before finally reaching the fabled Stelvio Pass in the afternoon.

My ride started by back-tracking to the lakeside town of Alleghe which I passed through yesterday. I've already said that it looked worthy of another visit, I hadn't realised that my route would be taking me through the very next day, that can be the problem with mapping a day at a time, I can lose sight of the overlaps.

After an hour's riding through the Dolomites, I reached Arabba where a layby with a bench and mountain views seemed to have been prepared just for me. I took a snap under the cloudless blue skies and decided not to worry too much about the signs warning that snow chains should be carried. Onward and upward, through mountain resort villages with shops and cafes trying to flog whatever they can when there are no skiers around (mostly to cyclists, a lot of caution is needed through the uphill bends), I rode on passing below the occasional cable car, cresting the Passo Gardina and enjoyed every moment.

You cannot see attachments on this board.

At Plan de Grabla, I had intended to take the [SS242] southwards, but a sign I did not fully understand hinted at a road closure, so a quick pull in enabled me to check my map a find a suitable and only slightly less curvy road to the north. I found myself thwarted again though as I soon came upon the back of a queue traffic. For the next 40 minutes, much of it with the engine switched off, I sat admiring the same mountain as emergency vehicles made their way down the otherwise inactive opposite side of the road. Eventually I passed through whatever the incident was and began to make progress one more. Going forward the road had reverted to the usual Alpine Valley Floor type, straighter, wider but interspersed with a lot of small towns to keep the speed in check.

Eventually I reached the [SS12] and turned to the south for a fairly non-descript trunk road ride beside the river to Bolzano. The capital city of the South Tyrol provided opportunities for petrol and a quick supermarket stop to throw a few more unhealthy items in the top case – a proper meal beyond breakfast is never a certainty on my travels.

Moving on, I left Bolzano on the [SS38], now travelling along the valley to the north. Beyond Oris the road leaves the riverside, switching west and begins its career as a mountaineer. The first few miles are a comfortable run and at Trafoi I began to notice a bit of snow on the distant tops.

Perhaps I should have planned to tackle this tarmacadam staircase during a morning. In the event, I started the climb at about 15:00 and I don't know if I was tired from what I had already done, but somehow I just seemed to have lost my rhythm on the hairpins. The infestation of cyclist doesn't help, often the line I wanted to take on a bend already had squatters, or I was spooked by someone throwing a bicycle round a downhill hairpin at 60mph with nothing but a water bottle for protection.

Being after 15:30, there seemed an endless stream of motorcycles coming in the opposite direction, most being unencumbered sports bikes presumably heading for their hotel after a day's riding. After about three quarters of an hour of turning curves into half-octagons I finally reached the summit where a cluster of traders had set up shop to feed the tourists and potentially push some souvenier trash. I took the opportunity to seize a substantial hot dog from Bruno's trolley and a coffee to wash it down with – I had an inkling that I would not be dining at tonight's hotel. There were of course several minutes with the camera before saddling up for the descent.

You cannot see attachments on this board.

You cannot see attachments on this board.

You cannot see attachments on this board.
I don't know if my Sausage-Inna-Bun had miraculous fortifying properties, or the fact that gravity meant that I was taking the curves on the brakes instead of the clutch and throttle, but it was certainly a smother, more flowing onward plunge. Eventually the road starts to straighten and pass through a series of galleries, some single-track and traffic light controlled which gave me some relief from full focus riding. Sometimes I would creep up to the back of a slower moving car which would, seeing a bike in its mirror, kindly slow or move to one side. I wish they wouldn't – I then feel under pressure to overtake and build some distance, when as long as they are going at a reasonable pace I'm happy to stay behind an take an extra glance or two at the décor – I like what they have done with the place.

Eventually I was deposited onto the valley floor just north of Bormio and I started to pick my way through a succession of villages in the direction of Livigno. As the road started to climb again in a rather unspectacular manner, a few spots of rain started to hit my visor an dampen the surface a little, but it was no drama, I was not many minutes away now from a room and a hot shower.

A couple of sets of roadworks with temporary lights impeded my final approach, but despite the traffic now being bunched and slow, I still managed to pass my hotel by. I realised something was slightly amiss when I unexpectedly arrived at a Swiss customs post where I was shamed into doing a U-turn and asking the guy in the booth where my bed was.

Only two or three hundred metres back downhill lay the Hotel Interalpen where I managed to forcibly insert the GTR into a gap between a gaggle of cyclist's support vans. It was a nice enough place, but I was glad I'd taken the fast-food option at Stelvio. The hotel staff were all dressed as penguins, so I think the restaurant would have been a budget-buster. I was content enough to order a couple of beers and sit outside with the view and smoke until bedtime.

Another good day had been had. I'd ticked the Stelvio Pass off the Bucket List although I have to say it was not one of my favourite mountain climbs – too technical, busy and tiring – I prefer a more flowing climb to hairpin after hairpin. Been there, done that, onto something else tomorrow.

22

1400GTR Discussion / Re: A WARNING - Check your Han...

Last post by Boomer - December 16, 2025, 09:21:16 PM

Common problem when someone ties down the bike to a trailer or in a van using the handlebars. The bar can't handle the vibrations and will crack or snap.
It is incredibly unlikely to be a manufacturing defect as these are cast risers.

23

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Kwikasfuki - December 16, 2025, 07:14:03 PM

https://www.balticdiag.com/maxitpms-pad-autel

Allegedly in stock

Thanks, purchased, been looking for one for ages!


My bike is 2011, think they were replaced already once under warranty, so they'll be about 10 years old. Roughly the time they start to go I think

24

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Burchy - December 15, 2025, 10:08:28 PM

https://www.balticdiag.com/maxitpms-pad-autel

Allegedly in stock

25

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Kwikasfuki - December 15, 2025, 07:38:12 PM

This is helpful

https://zggtr.org/index.php?topic=25416.0

So from that link, this is the pad that you need to programme it which is hard to source


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RGZR2M2

26

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Burchy - December 15, 2025, 09:44:02 AM

This is helpful

https://zggtr.org/index.php?topic=25416.0

27

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Burchy - December 15, 2025, 09:35:19 AM

No, it won't need re-pairing if hou replace the battery

28

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Kwikasfuki - December 14, 2025, 09:09:28 PM

So on the newer ones you can replace it with a version from a specific car (can't remember off the top of my head). It's cheaper but you have to get them programmed. There was some hardware that would program your new one but it looks like it's no longer available. 

I'm dreading when mine go because I really like the TPS

29

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Bluesman - December 14, 2025, 06:59:13 PM

That's a great help mate. I'll be fitting new tyres in the next week or so will do it then. I'm thinking that they won't need pairing after just a battery change, is that correct?

30

1400GTR Discussion / Re: TPM ............

Last post by Burchy - December 14, 2025, 01:40:37 PM

If yours is a 2007, then I thing you'll be lucky.  It is possible to chanhe the bayyery and I have done so.  The earlier ones are easy to pull apart, but later ones are set in resin and its much messier to pull open.

The battery inside has a tab soldered/welded to itand it  is possible to solder up a conventional ballery
You cannot see attachments on this board.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
You cannot see attachments on this board.