Broken GTR

[Lonewolf]

How does the repair though affect the value of your bike and it's potential resale value?

Glad you've got it sorted though.

[2kwacks]

wiltsguy, sorry to hear about the damage to your bike. I would be very >:( if it was mine. it depends what part of europe your going of course! but I prefer the eurotunnel :) you stay with your bike and 30 mins later your in cali, don't think I would go any other way now have tried the chunnel. infact we had been moving 5 mins before we noticed the train was in motion :)

[Rusty]

Sorry I am late in giving my condolences ... really bad news, sorry to hear it in the first place.
I am a "Chunnel" man myself but last year came back on the ferry simply to save time in riding north up to the French end .. it is a great piece of engineering, very quiet and very efficient.
let us know how the repairs go.
Happy NY  :)

[wiltsguy]

Thanks for all the sympathy folks - much appreciated.
Most of the Europe trips are through the tunnel as well, but for Spain I'm happy to sit on a boat for 24 hours and miss out France. And Spain is well worth it.
The bike repairs and new helmet have been approved and if the bits arrive this week I should pick the bike up before the weekend. Apparently the rebuild will take an entire day , whereupon I get to ride around for a while before signing off that I'm happy.
There was some 'discussion' about what should be replaced but Caroline at Brittany Ferries has been first class and I've even been told to expect a voucher to compensate for the stress and counselling I had to go through. Dunno what I'll do with a bloody big boat but maybe they mean just some tickets.
Post more when it's back.

[mecki]

Well, for me the tunnel is no option really even if I would travel all the way down to Dover, which takes nearly all day and is a really boring trip to boot.
Crossing the Channel on the ferry is also cheaper (usually half the price of the train) and more comfortable too. And you have the chance to meet some nice people on the boat.
I would need to stay overnight in Calais or Dunkerque (hotels and B&Bs are cheaper in France and Belgium so staying in Dover again is out of the question) so the couple of minutes longer it takes on the ferry don't matter.

I checked that option for my next trip to the mainland in June and even though I may save a few quid I'd loose a whole day that way.
And since I would have to pay toll on the motorway to Dijon and fill up in France one more time that would probably reduce the saving to nothing.
So for me it's the ferry from Hull to Rotterdam every time.
I can leave on a Friday after work, sleep and eat on the boat, fill up in Luxemburg (cheapest petrol in Western Europe), don't have to pay toll until I reach Dijon and see my folks in the south of France on Saturday night in time for dinner.
Well, and if I want to go North to Germany or Scandinavia Rotterdam is closer than Calais anyway.

[Boomer]

The Peage starts just south of Nancy if you go via Luxembourg.
Have done it many times as my Dad lives in Luxembourg and we have a fixed caravan near the Paul Ricard circuit (Circuit de Castellet)

Personally, I'd take the ferry from Hull to Zebrugge and avoid Rotterdam completely.
Either way you will need to circumnavigate Brussels but this way you get to avoid Antwerp and Breda and fighting your way out of Rotterdam Europort.
The run from Zeebrugge is dual/single carriageway to Brugge and then motorway to Brussels.

Outside the rush hour none of it is very busy although on the Brugge to Brussels stretch you WILL be overtaken by fast Audi/BMW/Mercedes. I like to play head games with them by letting them past and then following at a safe distance.
They get very nervous and pull over after a while.  ;)

Oh, don't be tempted to go round the south of Brussels on the ring road.
You will end up halfway to Paris before you realise you missed it.
North route is busier but easy to navigate.

[mecki]

Of course you are right Boomer, the peage start somewhere south of Nancy.

I usually go via Eindhoven, Maastricht and Liege to Luxemburg.
And since I arrive on Saturday morning Rotterdam is no problem at all.
That early in the morning there is usually hardly any traffic at all.
On the way back I usually take the scenic route and stop over at B&B in Nancy.
I've done the Zeebrugge ferry too, but it leaves too early for me and I try to avoid Brussels and Antwerp at all costs.

[Lonewolf]

Has anyone ever been or even heard of Kerkrade & Brunssum in Holland? I used to live in Kerkrade and go to the NATO school in Brunssum, http://www.afnorth-is.com/index-1.html

Strange, meaningless but true.  ;D

[wiltsguy]

Okay - deep breath - got the call yesterday that the bike was fixed and new helmet in.
Went down to the shop this morning and discovered that the liquidator had moved in and everything has been locked up.
I explained that as soon as I collected the bike George White Superbikes could send out their invoice for £5,000 to the ferry insurance company , so "gimee my bike back" !!!
No dice and I'm going to have to wait a day or two.
At least it will be in the warm and dry.

And I have another bike  ;)

[Kwikasfuki]

Ouch, that's bad news.

Take your V5 with you. They can't keep your bike if you're the legal owner. The issue of the payment is between the insurance company and George White (I think).

Shame that a bike retailer has gone under

[kwarrgtr]

wow that is bad news. hope it all works out ok.

GW where my mate got his zzr from, maybe he got too good a deal???

[100milesaway]

So have ALL George Whites shops gone bust?  Hope you get your bike back soon. :'(

[Lonewolf]

My understanding of matters such as this is that once a company has called in the receivers, thats it! Anything and everything inside those premises stays put.
You have no legal right whatsoever to remove your own property from within. This was the case many years ago when I once went to collect something from a customer of mine when they called in the receivers and the company hadnt yet paid for the goods.  :(

It could be a long wait.  :'(

[Kwikasfuki]

Nah, if you can prove the property is yours then the receiver has to give it back.

Just take the v5 with you.

[Lonewolf]

Nah, if you can prove the property is yours then the receiver has to give it back.

Just take the v5 with you.

I hope it is that easy, hopefully they wont get daft over the repair bill though and demand immediate payment.