Kawasaki 1400 GTR
Kawasaki 1400 GTR Forum
31
General Discussion / Re: Spam and stuff
Last post by Burchy - August 12, 2025, 10:03:24 AMI'm so pleased that this forum is back up and running again. Its been quite a few years since I traded my 3rd GTR for a ZZR1400, then on to a 2021 Versys and now the new 2025 1100 Versys.
The ZZR was a brilliant bike, but my right arm was starting to go numb after about an hour due to the riding position. The Versys sorted that out, but the penalty was a drop of about 80hp. That's quite noticeable.
However the new 1100 Versys is a revelation. So much better in so many ways. Only 5% increase in capacity, but 12% increase in performance.Now, if I can graft a shaft drive to it, it'll be perfect....
The ZZR was a brilliant bike, but my right arm was starting to go numb after about an hour due to the riding position. The Versys sorted that out, but the penalty was a drop of about 80hp. That's quite noticeable.
However the new 1100 Versys is a revelation. So much better in so many ways. Only 5% increase in capacity, but 12% increase in performance.Now, if I can graft a shaft drive to it, it'll be perfect....
32
Adventure, Excursions, Ride outs, Touring / Re: 2025 European trip
Last post by Rynglieder - August 11, 2025, 05:33:37 PMDay 2, Seclin [F] > Maunhausen [L] c.200 miles
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After a rather sparse breakfast befitting of the hotel, I made my way out before 08:30, straight into more heat. Another annoyance was that the despicable Zumo had stitched me up again. Planning all of the routes on Garmin Basecamp and cross-checking them against Google Maps had shown a consistent distance of travel but somehow in transferring them to the Zumo, the route seemed to have grown by 100 miles or more. I had to resort to picking out the waypoints one at a time and live without the overall distance to travel.
The route for the morning's run toward the Belgian border didn't hold much promise even at the planning stage. The Hauts-de-France region is generally uninteresting and served up a series of short straight roads broken up by roundabouts and non-descript villages. Not actually unpleasant, but nowhere to wind the bike up or lean it over.
After an hour of progress at (officially) never more 50 or 80kph, I made my way into Condé-sur-l'Escaut, the first planned stop of the day. There was no specific attraction for me here, but Google maps had suggested a café next to a lake and it seemed a good place to seek out for a coffee break. As it goes, I was too early for the café but took the opportunity to take a short walk around the woodland and lake shore and then into town to seek out a cold drink. Surprisingly for such a small town there were trams to dodge. Maybe I'll look into why such a place is entitled to an expensive light rail system if I can be bothered.
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I was soon into Belgium on roads that were broadly the same, but at least there was now the odd exciting road junction or set of traffic lights, the locals probably come out on an evening to watch them change. I don't want to be too unkind about Belgium, I'm really quite fond of it, but to really enjoy it on a motorcycle you do need to keep well south of the E42 motorway.
Eventually I broke away from the main roads and meandered through a series of rural byways to the small town of Thuin on the River Sambre. My carefully researched plan to hit the car-park at the side of the river was foiled by the presence of a local market and I was left to pitch up in a backstreet above the town. Still, at least I got my coffee, a cold drink for the top case, a look at the river and a snap of the medieval belfry. There was a bit more that could have been explored here, but as ever I was conscious of time so it will get added to the list for a revisit.
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There was a mixed bag of roads that led me to Givet, a nice variety and now up to 90kph on rural roads, I've commented before that the extra 10kph seems to make such a difference to headway, especially when you can stretch it just a little in open countryside. That said, Givet lies in a wedge of France that rudely pokes into Belgium, so I had to watch the speedo again as I approached. I stopped for a smoke at the side of the River Meuse and took a repeat photo of the Fort of Charlemont on the opposite hill, but once again I didn't linger as I had spent an afternoon up there on my 2023 trip.
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Continuing westwards, up the hill and out of the valley I broke back into Belgium within a matter of minutes. I was now in the Ardennes area, one of my favourite places to be let loose with my bike. A land of hills, forests and curvy roads made up for the toil of actually arriving there. Just before 4 o'clock I rolled into a parking space in La Roche-en-Ardenne and spent the best part of an hour off the bike roving the streets of the busy little town below its castle, on the banks of the Ourthe.
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The final ride on minor roads into the Grand Dutchy of Luxembourg was just as rewarding and at about 17:45 I arrived at the small hamlet of Munshausen, just south of Clervaux and sought out my hotel. This was a much nicer affair than last night; a curious complex of buildings of which the reception was the local tourist information office, catering facilities were in a restaurant building and the bedrooms were in a separate block wrapped around a courtyard a couple of hundred metres down the hill. Although there were three other bikes on the car park, I got the impression that the business was focused on equestrian aficionados, given the surrounding fields of horses and stable-like outbuildings. There was also a handful of goats, one of which was constantly sneezing as I sat with my cigarette on a nearby picnic bench. Life must be hell if you are a goat with hay fever.
I squeezed a couple of beers from the bar before bed, satisfied with my afternoon ride and with the familiar Eifel and Hunsruck mountains to look forward to the next day.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
After a rather sparse breakfast befitting of the hotel, I made my way out before 08:30, straight into more heat. Another annoyance was that the despicable Zumo had stitched me up again. Planning all of the routes on Garmin Basecamp and cross-checking them against Google Maps had shown a consistent distance of travel but somehow in transferring them to the Zumo, the route seemed to have grown by 100 miles or more. I had to resort to picking out the waypoints one at a time and live without the overall distance to travel.
The route for the morning's run toward the Belgian border didn't hold much promise even at the planning stage. The Hauts-de-France region is generally uninteresting and served up a series of short straight roads broken up by roundabouts and non-descript villages. Not actually unpleasant, but nowhere to wind the bike up or lean it over.
After an hour of progress at (officially) never more 50 or 80kph, I made my way into Condé-sur-l'Escaut, the first planned stop of the day. There was no specific attraction for me here, but Google maps had suggested a café next to a lake and it seemed a good place to seek out for a coffee break. As it goes, I was too early for the café but took the opportunity to take a short walk around the woodland and lake shore and then into town to seek out a cold drink. Surprisingly for such a small town there were trams to dodge. Maybe I'll look into why such a place is entitled to an expensive light rail system if I can be bothered.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
I was soon into Belgium on roads that were broadly the same, but at least there was now the odd exciting road junction or set of traffic lights, the locals probably come out on an evening to watch them change. I don't want to be too unkind about Belgium, I'm really quite fond of it, but to really enjoy it on a motorcycle you do need to keep well south of the E42 motorway.
Eventually I broke away from the main roads and meandered through a series of rural byways to the small town of Thuin on the River Sambre. My carefully researched plan to hit the car-park at the side of the river was foiled by the presence of a local market and I was left to pitch up in a backstreet above the town. Still, at least I got my coffee, a cold drink for the top case, a look at the river and a snap of the medieval belfry. There was a bit more that could have been explored here, but as ever I was conscious of time so it will get added to the list for a revisit.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
There was a mixed bag of roads that led me to Givet, a nice variety and now up to 90kph on rural roads, I've commented before that the extra 10kph seems to make such a difference to headway, especially when you can stretch it just a little in open countryside. That said, Givet lies in a wedge of France that rudely pokes into Belgium, so I had to watch the speedo again as I approached. I stopped for a smoke at the side of the River Meuse and took a repeat photo of the Fort of Charlemont on the opposite hill, but once again I didn't linger as I had spent an afternoon up there on my 2023 trip.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
Continuing westwards, up the hill and out of the valley I broke back into Belgium within a matter of minutes. I was now in the Ardennes area, one of my favourite places to be let loose with my bike. A land of hills, forests and curvy roads made up for the toil of actually arriving there. Just before 4 o'clock I rolled into a parking space in La Roche-en-Ardenne and spent the best part of an hour off the bike roving the streets of the busy little town below its castle, on the banks of the Ourthe.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
The final ride on minor roads into the Grand Dutchy of Luxembourg was just as rewarding and at about 17:45 I arrived at the small hamlet of Munshausen, just south of Clervaux and sought out my hotel. This was a much nicer affair than last night; a curious complex of buildings of which the reception was the local tourist information office, catering facilities were in a restaurant building and the bedrooms were in a separate block wrapped around a courtyard a couple of hundred metres down the hill. Although there were three other bikes on the car park, I got the impression that the business was focused on equestrian aficionados, given the surrounding fields of horses and stable-like outbuildings. There was also a handful of goats, one of which was constantly sneezing as I sat with my cigarette on a nearby picnic bench. Life must be hell if you are a goat with hay fever.
I squeezed a couple of beers from the bar before bed, satisfied with my afternoon ride and with the familiar Eifel and Hunsruck mountains to look forward to the next day.
33
General Discussion / Re: Spam and stuff
Last post by Kwikasfuki - August 09, 2025, 07:08:26 PMI'll have a look at the donations link.
I forgot how therapeutic working on the bike is.
Flew through it's MOT.
If we didn't have a hose pipe ban I'd give it a proper clean as well.
Tomorrow I'm going to take it for a first ride out in God knows how many years.
I forgot how therapeutic working on the bike is.
Flew through it's MOT.
If we didn't have a hose pipe ban I'd give it a proper clean as well.
Tomorrow I'm going to take it for a first ride out in God knows how many years.
Quote from: Rynglieder on August 09, 2025, 11:03:33 AMI'm a retired man with a dwindling pension pot these days).I can't afford to retire!
34
General Discussion / Re: Spam and stuff
Last post by Rynglieder - August 09, 2025, 11:03:33 AMQuote from: Kwikasfuki on August 08, 2025, 09:49:18 PMThere's just too much info on here for me to let go.
Funnily enough, I started doing yoga because I was at my wits end. That has helped massively, which is why I'm able to get on the bike.
Well almost.
Today front tyre done, oil change, final drive oil change (this was painful because the plug where you put oil in had seized).
Tomorrow rear tyre, and if possible, MOT.
Thanks again for your efforts. In appreciation, I tried to go though the "Donate" process yesterday but got a Paypal message saying donations were not currently being accepted. If you can sort it out, or drop me a PM I'll do something. (Don't worry you will not have missed much, I'm a retired man with a dwindling pension pot these days).
Glad you're getting the bike sorted out. I had no problem with my shaft oil last month, but somehow the main oil filer had rounded off and I ended up calling in my brother-in-law who had a chain wrench. Getting to the air filer was also an entertaining afternoon...
Pete.
35
General Discussion / Re: Spam and stuff
Last post by Kwikasfuki - August 08, 2025, 09:49:18 PMThere's just too much info on here for me to let go.
Funnily enough, I started doing yoga because I was at my wits end. That has helped massively, which is why I'm able to get on the bike.
Well almost.
Today front tyre done, oil change, final drive oil change (this was painful because the plug where you put oil in had seized).
Tomorrow rear tyre, and if possible, MOT.
I'm planning on sending out an email to members letting them know we're back. Thought I'd wait a while just to make sure no more spam
Funnily enough, I started doing yoga because I was at my wits end. That has helped massively, which is why I'm able to get on the bike.
Well almost.
Today front tyre done, oil change, final drive oil change (this was painful because the plug where you put oil in had seized).
Tomorrow rear tyre, and if possible, MOT.
I'm planning on sending out an email to members letting them know we're back. Thought I'd wait a while just to make sure no more spam
36
Adventure, Excursions, Ride outs, Touring / Re: 2025 European trip
Last post by Rynglieder - August 08, 2025, 06:02:40 PMWell, I made it there and back and of course there were the odd few tough moments where I just wanted to see a hotel receptionist handing me a key, but it was on the whole enjoyable.
Day 1, Home [GB] > Lille-Seclin [F] c.300 miles
As ever, the run down to the English Chanel was an exercise in fighting motorway tedium, interspersed with coffee and cigarette breaks around every 60 miles. I'd decided to take the Chanel Tunnel outbound this year having used ferries for the last four trips – I'd given up on the tunnel as being more expensive and not much quicker but thought I'd give it another chance.
Sure enough, when I rolled into the Folkestone terminal with time to spare, I was confronted at the check-in kiosk with a message saying that services were running approximately 30 minutes late. After kicking around the car park for an hour I finally got the call to the boarding queue. As opposed to the ferries, bikes are last on and last off which felt as if it was dragging the process out even longer. Of course, once finally let loose on the open roads of France I was busting for another smoke, so my progress was further self-impeded. Having got that out of the way, there was a 25-mile ride northward to where I would connect with the A25 for Lille – more or less at the point where I would have disembarked from the Dover-Dunkirk ferry if I had stuck with tradition. I rode most of the way to Lille in uncomfortable heat mentally adding up all the lost time (some admittedly self-inflicted), and the extra cost and concluding that the tunnel is no great shakes.
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If things had gone to plan, I should have brushed the edge of Lille on motorways before joining the A1 where I would exit for Seclin, a suburb to the south. Luck was not on my side though and the A25/A1 link was closed for construction works resulting in some major tailbacks. As you know, I'm not a fan of filtering, especially on the GTR which has something of a fat arse, but I gave it a bit of a go and I have to say that my fellow motorway inmates behaved with good grace and left a decent lane for bikes to progress. I exited into the city centre along with hundreds of other frustrated Frenchmen until I could find somewhere safe to pull over and coax a new route out of the Zumo "avoiding motorways" – if I'd let it just recalculate, I'd have been back at the end of the queue.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
It led me to the Hôtel Première Classe Lille Seclin without any real drama. It was as I had fully expected most definitely a budget hotel, with rooms stacked like rabbit hutches. A man can survive there for a night, but wouldn't take his family for a fortnight.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
After check-in, a shower and a change of clothes I sought out the nearby McDonalds and a bar before bed.
Day one done and dusted, it should get better from here.
Day 1, Home [GB] > Lille-Seclin [F] c.300 miles
As ever, the run down to the English Chanel was an exercise in fighting motorway tedium, interspersed with coffee and cigarette breaks around every 60 miles. I'd decided to take the Chanel Tunnel outbound this year having used ferries for the last four trips – I'd given up on the tunnel as being more expensive and not much quicker but thought I'd give it another chance.
Sure enough, when I rolled into the Folkestone terminal with time to spare, I was confronted at the check-in kiosk with a message saying that services were running approximately 30 minutes late. After kicking around the car park for an hour I finally got the call to the boarding queue. As opposed to the ferries, bikes are last on and last off which felt as if it was dragging the process out even longer. Of course, once finally let loose on the open roads of France I was busting for another smoke, so my progress was further self-impeded. Having got that out of the way, there was a 25-mile ride northward to where I would connect with the A25 for Lille – more or less at the point where I would have disembarked from the Dover-Dunkirk ferry if I had stuck with tradition. I rode most of the way to Lille in uncomfortable heat mentally adding up all the lost time (some admittedly self-inflicted), and the extra cost and concluding that the tunnel is no great shakes.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
If things had gone to plan, I should have brushed the edge of Lille on motorways before joining the A1 where I would exit for Seclin, a suburb to the south. Luck was not on my side though and the A25/A1 link was closed for construction works resulting in some major tailbacks. As you know, I'm not a fan of filtering, especially on the GTR which has something of a fat arse, but I gave it a bit of a go and I have to say that my fellow motorway inmates behaved with good grace and left a decent lane for bikes to progress. I exited into the city centre along with hundreds of other frustrated Frenchmen until I could find somewhere safe to pull over and coax a new route out of the Zumo "avoiding motorways" – if I'd let it just recalculate, I'd have been back at the end of the queue.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
It led me to the Hôtel Première Classe Lille Seclin without any real drama. It was as I had fully expected most definitely a budget hotel, with rooms stacked like rabbit hutches. A man can survive there for a night, but wouldn't take his family for a fortnight.
You cannot see attachments on this board.
After check-in, a shower and a change of clothes I sought out the nearby McDonalds and a bar before bed.
Day one done and dusted, it should get better from here.
37
General Discussion / Re: Spam and stuff
Last post by Rynglieder - August 08, 2025, 11:33:43 AMGents, sorry to hear of your health issues I hope that you can work through them and continue to enjoy your bikes.
Asif, thank you for your efforts in tidying up here - I too thought the site was dying a slow death, but I really hope a web-based service can continue. I realise that most people communicate these days with "soshul meeja" but a web site is so much easier to navigate and search.
It would be great if all members could contribute more regularly, even if it is only to report that they have dusted their bike
Asif, thank you for your efforts in tidying up here - I too thought the site was dying a slow death, but I really hope a web-based service can continue. I realise that most people communicate these days with "soshul meeja" but a web site is so much easier to navigate and search.
It would be great if all members could contribute more regularly, even if it is only to report that they have dusted their bike
38
Introductions / Re: Afternoon from new GTR1400...
Last post by Rynglieder - August 08, 2025, 11:25:09 AMWelcome along Owen.
Don't be shy and share a picture of your steed when you can.
Pete.
Don't be shy and share a picture of your steed when you can.
Pete.
39
Adventure, Excursions, Ride outs, Touring / Re: 2025 European trip
Last post by Rynglieder - August 08, 2025, 11:23:34 AMQuote from: Boomer on August 04, 2025, 05:55:54 PMI hope you didn't get too frustrated about the 80kmh limits on their main roads, and worse the endless 30kmh limits in every town and village. It takes forever to get anywhere in France these days unless you use the Autoroute/Peage.
Look forward to your writeups if you haven't bailed from here like I did.
Hi George, I had a feeling that this place had been abandoned so I wasn't sure about posting a write-up, but it looks like someone has had a tidy-up (thank you), so I'll set about posting something.
It will probably be an even slower process than usual as I'll probably do it at the same time as reviewing and editing my video which takes time.
You are right about the speed limits, they can stifle the joy somewhat as you will see when I start posting.
For anyone who just wants to cut to the photos, about half of the trip is now on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rynglieder/albums/72177720327399136
40
General Discussion / Re: Spam and stuff
Last post by Boomer - August 05, 2025, 11:07:15 PMI am hoping to get out for a ride this weekend but it won't be far. At the moment I can manage maybe 1hr before I need a break. Then once the pain subsides I can manage another hour. Then I need to lie down for a while to ease the pain.
Mine is a damaged nerve in my lower back. Have numb toes and the pain in the back & leg can be excruciating.
Sounds like yours is Arthritis or similar.
Mine is a damaged nerve in my lower back. Have numb toes and the pain in the back & leg can be excruciating.
Sounds like yours is Arthritis or similar.