Chickie wrote:In my naive world all the MotoGP riders will just part the way at the start of the Valencia race and let Rossi to the front to do legitimate battle with Lorenzo.

Wouldn't that be nice, but what you asking is: Would the other two Spanish riders please not fight for the podium, so that an Italian can snatch the championship from a Spaniard on Spanish soil.

Rik wrote:

Chickie wrote:In my naive world all the MotoGP riders will just part the way at the start of the Valencia race and let Rossi to the front to do legitimate battle with Lorenzo.

Wouldn't that be nice, but what you asking is: Would the other two Spanish riders please not fight for the podium, so that an Italian can snatch the championship from a Spaniard on Spanish soil.

I'd imagine Pedrosa and Marquez to be up the front too. But there would be a bunch of riders that wouldn't be in contention that could say whether they condone Marquez's overall riding style or Rossi's one off outburst.

Pretty stoked with this - scratch built from my own mind...

I picked up my new Interceptor on Thursday, went into the office for a day on Friday (after 3-months in Angola and Equatorial Guinea), then headed off on Saturday morning for the World’s longest and most inappropriate run-in...
I’m heading up to Northern Laos to see how deep in the shite I can get the Interceptor. Should add up to about 9,000 km by the time I get back... If I get back...
Saturday was KL up to Thailand, crossing the border at Sungai Golok (where I managed to create a stir in Immigration when I dropped the cap of my pen into the back of the fingerprint scanner - The Ociffer didn’t appreciate me tipping the machine back and shaking it, but I was successful.
Today I rode from Sungai Golok up to Krabi, for a second 600km day. I hit some mega-monsoon rains, which were like getting a full frontal acupuncture, and having a swim at the same time.
Tomorrow it’s up to Hua Hin, then Bangkok > Mae Sot > Mae Hong Son (part of the 1,864 curve circuit) > Chiangrai > Chiang Khong via Mae Sai > a couple of weeks in the far North of Laos (Green Triangle and Phongsali areas) > back down through Thailand via Lampang (to see the Whanau), and Isaan.
I’ve got my large format field camera with me, along with an odd assortment of sheet film that I had left in the fridge, but I won’t bother using it until I get to Laos.

Totally the wrong bike for where I’m going...
The bike:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0-rpySNs6m4&t=665s

The place:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2HLBm3vSQ

Road bike, clay tracks at end of Winter rain season, epicentre of Myanmar / Laos / China smuggling and the Mekong River Pirates https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_River_massacr - What could possibly go wrong?

EoinC wrote:Totally the wrong bike for where I’m going...
The bike:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0-rpySNs6m4&t=665s

I somewhat disagree, It's got ABS*

*ABS will not save you from pirates

Rik wrote:

EoinC wrote:Totally the wrong bike for where I’m going...
The bike:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0-rpySNs6m4&t=665s

I somewhat disagree, It's got ABS*

*ABS will not save you from pirates

ABS is not helpful for squaring off turns on dirt roads (or for going downhill on wet clay). Also, when (not if) I drop it, it’ll take some picking up, not having the lightness of a dirt bike, nor the handy training wheels/cylinders of a GS Beemer...

EoinC wrote:I picked up my new Interceptor on Thursday,...

My '74 Guzzi, 850 T was called the Interceptor back in it's day, in the States.

What form does an Interceptor take now?

swtchbckr wrote:My '74 Guzzi, 850 T was called the Interceptor back in it's day, in the States.

As was the VFR750 in the States

swtchbckr wrote:

EoinC wrote:I picked up my new Interceptor on Thursday,...

My '74 Guzzi, 850 T was called the Interceptor back in it's day, in the States.

What form does an Interceptor take now?

Similar to the original Royal Enfield Interceptor of the 1960’s (although it was 692cc, and the modern one is 649cc) - Parallel Twin:

Sales campaign...
https://youtu.be/qhlMLVRpupo

I’m now up in Bangkok with it. Doing a service tomorrow, then ride up to Mae Sot Thursday.

Made it up to Mae Sot today. Getting out of Bangkok is just as bad as getting in, with motorbikes banned on lots of roads, and MapsMe not having a ‘motorbike’ option.
All flat slog until Tak, and then the twisties begin. Nice ride over the hills from Tak to Mae Sot today, with moar t’morrow.

Now in Chiang Rai, having a chill day.
Favourite road so far was between Mae Sot an Mae Sarieng. Mae Sarieng > Mae Hong Son > Chiang Dao were good riding (Mae Hong Son 1,864-curve Loop), but not as fascinating as that first stretch.
2nd favourite was 109, cutting across from below Fang to the main Chiangmai / Chiang Rai road - All local traffic, and harvesting underway in the hills.
Tomorrow is a short loop over Mae Sae > Chiang Saen > Ban Don Thi > Chiang Khong, then on to Laos on Tuesday.

EoinC wrote:Now in Chiang Rai, having a chill day.
Favourite road so far was between Mae Sot an Mae Sarieng. Mae Sarieng > Mae Hong Son > Chiang Dao were good riding (Mae Hong Son 1,864-curve Loop), but not as fascinating as that first stretch.
2nd favourite was 109, cutting across from below Fang to the main Chiangmai / Chiang Rai road - All local traffic, and harvesting underway in the hills.
Tomorrow is a short loop over Mae Sae > Chiang Saen > Ban Don Thi > Chiang Khong, then on to Laos on Tuesday.

Hows the bike (or you) handling the roads?

We’re both fine. The bike’s laden with shite (carrying a 4x5 camera is not the most mobile of options), but lopes along nicely.
The roads I’m on have dogs / tractors / chickens / children around every bend, so no point in fanging it - Just sitting back, enjoying the journey.
I know I’m in the swing, and past the A-to-B phase, as I do a u-turn whenever I see something of interest - In “pai teo” mode.
I’m not sure which track I’ll take from Houayxai to Xiengkok tomorrow. Up the middle has a greater likelihood of success, but the path around the Mekong holds more interest for me, having seen it in pieces from coming down by long tail boat 15 years ago.
It pushed down with rain last night, so clay tracks are going to be... challenging.