Took my oldest son, a teen, for a ride this week-end. Sort of a nice way to have fun together (no not the "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" way, we aren't that nuts ;) )^

I selected a nice twisty road with a great view above the Mediterranean sea, in the middle of a forest and over a pass (those who come riding with Unicorn Adventures will have the pleasure to experience that road) to have him enjoy the sensual feeling of real motorcycle riding.

The bike was smoothly bending from one curve to the next one, under the tree shadows, the engine was nicely purring, there was that wet forest smell in the air...it was just perfect....

And there came his comment: "If that is what motorcycle riding is about then I want to become a biker!"

I love my son!

Lets see why should we stop living and having fun?

Lire la suite

During our « Alpine Passes Tour » we have the pleasure to climb over some special passes like the Izoard or the Galibier!

Climbing up those passes is already a nice piece of work with the motorcycle and requires the biker to work hard to perfectly ride the curves.

But we are always impressed to see the fellow cyclists who make, also on two wheels, but without an engine! What took us 20 minutes takes more than 3 hours on a bicycle!

Thos guys can be proud as the only drug they have is … pleasure!

They show you that you can get up those passes without being full with EPO or any other product! What a shame for those supposed professionals all more loaded than a chemical truck! Just to win a few seconds and a few more Euros on the Tour de France!

Not mentioning that they gloom so hard that riding close to them in the mountains is dangerous! Too much glooming in the dark kills your night vision!

Lors de notre circuit « Le tour des Alpes » nous avons le plaisir de grimper des cols mythiques comme l’Izoard ou le Galibier !

La montée de ces cols représente un grand plaisir à moto et quelques efforts pour bien réussir courbes et virages.

Quelle admiration après quelques 20 à 30 minutes de montée, de sélection du bon rapport à moto que de voir arriver des cyclistes, de simples amateurs tous fiers d’avoir réussi un tel exploit sur deux roues .. mais sans moteur !

Et ils peuvent être fiers eux ! car ces simples amateurs sont drogués…au plaisir !

Ils démontrent qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’être chargé à l’EPO ou toute autre cochonnerie pour réussir un col en vélo ! Quelle honte de voir ces soi-disant grands coureurs chargés à mort de leur drogues juste pour gagner un peu plus d’argent sur le Tour de France !

En plus c’est gênant lorsque vous êtes à moto lorsque la nuit tombe ! Ils sont tellement fluos que s’en est éblouissant !

What is the problem on the french riviera?

Don't know what is happening but as soon as you ride on the french riviera and cross other bikers do you think they will make a hand sign?

No way they just ignore you! First I thought it has something to do with the bike they ride, or maybe mine?

But then riding in other places Inoticed everyone waves back!

The problem is local! Now consider this: bikers on the riviera for many have a great great great (lets say huge) need to show off! Second they ride only when they are sure the weather is warm, no wind, no clouds, nothing that could be a problem. They also only ride when they get out of their car, during the week end. In summary they don't ride that often and their rides are limited to the beach road and the cafes.

In fact they are scared to remove a hand from the handlebar! and as their glance is fixed to the 3 meteres of road in front of their wheel they can't see you.

Don't be pissed at riviera bikers! Have pity! Those guys are scared like hel to be on a motorcycle! Wave at them! They need you to give them courage!

Did you ever wonder what happens when you get a helmet over your head?

We bikers know that it means a good ride, the helmet is the sign that something cool is going to happen!

But what happens to a non biker? Check the image and see pure pleasure!

I know the title can sound strange, especially as the Queen song is about biting the dust but just heard the news and the fact that the container freighter Napoli lost something like 50 containers in the channel !
Luckily nothing toxic, at the moment, but definitely a shame for us bikers! What is the link?

Well one of the containers was filled with BMW motorcycles! What a shame!

I guess that some poor UK guys are going to have to wait a couple more month to get their flat-twin!

Ok this will be short but still I can't stay calm when I experience things like this: driving the car (yes I know it is a shame but I prefer when I have to carry the kids), in a packed road, both lanes busy...guess what?

The last guy they released from the hospital just after his total brain removal, decided to overtake the whole lane! I think the space between his elbows (yes he was ridding a super sports bike) and our respective mirros must have been less that 1cm!

This proves:

• He is a very sharp ridder.
• He is a very stupid person.
• He is the most lucky guy I know.

Considering the speed he was ridding at, the first option is not possible, expeciallay as cars where moving sideways too!

So does this mean that luck comes with stupidity? Hmmm. I think that stupidity needs luck!

Anyway, thanks to that guy the biker image in the car drivers mind took a dive!

Well you may have noticed that we went quiet for some time! Not that we are no more in the motorcycle industry or no more willing to share info!

But some times you get very busy!

We have to get the 2006 tours over and get the 2007 ones ready! Have the new special offers running, get the bikes serviced, get our latest newsletter out, take care of the tax forms (I hate that part), go on chassing for new representatives all over the world etc...

Still the list of topics we wanna write about is growing on the desk and each time I look at it I wonder why there are only 24h in one day!

So don't worry more notes will come soon! We may even go to test a Harley!!! Can you beleive that?

When we create a new motorcycle tour we cannot use as much time as we will during the tour with our customers. This is normal as, for an 8 day tour, we spend only two to three days to check the planned roads and the selected hotels. This implies that, even though, we ride the same roads as the tour will take and even check various options, we have to be fast (but at the authorized speed limits) and efficient in our riding. The tours being of course tested and validated on a motorcycle the focus on the road and rhythm is paramount.

What is nice is then to ride the same tour with the customers who want to see everything and enjoy a good time, thus riding at a slower pace and stopping often for sight seeing and photos.

For us this gives a great perspective on the tour as we can then enjoy the scenery too! And even discover each time some new things, as we ride the tour with different groups at different periods of the year!

Suggestion: take the rhythm down, have a look around you, even on your favorite race track, sorry, road section! You will be surprised by the beauty of the scenery and the variety of places and people around you.

Ron Ayres who is pretty well known in the US extreme rally riders world, but not that much in the rest of the world unfortunately, wrote some books about his experience and a couple on this delicious extreme ride call the Iron Butt Rally (see their web site: 11.000 miles in 11 days).

His book is a precise report about his and some other riders, 1995 Iron Butt Rally. It is interesting to see how far a biker can go, how far you can stretch your limits in endurance, loneliness and focus. The read goes like the ride: non stop, you can’t get the book to rest until you have finished reading it.

Even though Ron is a competitor of our business I hope I will have one day the luck to have a chat with him over a good beer!

By the way stay focused, Unicorn Adventures Ltd may have a surprise for you in 2008….

But shhhhhtttt it is a secret!

After many many many kilometers of tour riding and guiding we have had time to sort out what type of gear and brand is good in regards to the equipment. But as this is not a product review I will go down to one element no one ever talks or even considers testing in magazines : the underwear !

As a man I can only write about our male butt situation and will let the ladies comment about their own issues.

This topic is just set aside by everyone. Ron Ayres in his Going the extra mile, Insider tips for long distance motorcycling and endurance riding on page 23 writes a couple of lines about the materials and the sewing but nothing about the shape.

Sewing is an important discomfort factor and can after a few hours ride get you to dream about a huge ice cube to sit on.

But there is one thing you never think about when you go for a ride: the shape! You may have your own favorite one: briefs, G string, underpants etc… and go for the one you are used too. But if, like me, you like the briefs “holds the whole pack together”, you will end up in a very uncomfortable situation while the borders slowly get their mark on your soft baby butt skin.

On the other side underpants will not have the border right where you sit but may need some adjustment to feel comfy and avoid misplaced folds. You may also have to fight against a certain level of freedom and moving parts.

After many different testing I ended up with a mixed solution of underpants crossed with briefs: boxer briefs. Sewing is no more under your buttocks and the material holds what should be well maintained.

Just an advice but comfort is paramount isn’t it?