Sofia

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

I remembered you sounding different, sounds like you're the voice over on a wildlife tv show.

My brit friends used to tell me I sound like Borat speaking english.

you so do not sound like Borat!! 

if he is a real welsh-man, @XTreme will be able to tell you the meaning of "poptiping" and "boardsmoothio"!! 

1 hour ago, XTreme said:

It's not that bad! @boboneleg and @Sir Fallsalot are the ones that get their bikes covered in shit, toxic waste, foreskin cheese, and other disgusting substances.

Foreskin?! Thats proper reprobate territory!! @Pedro commedt was correct!!

Saw a guy on Mad Sunday being pulled over by the Police as he was rding a GSX-R K3 wearing only his boots and helmet! So there he was, stood next to his bike, not protected by the petrol tank anymore, in his boots only!! Was it one of the gentleman mentioned above?! 

8 minutes ago, Buckster said:

Here you go @XTreme

 

absolute victory!!! you must have a drum of Muc-off at home!!

5 hours ago, Buckster said:

You lost him right there, that will have given him palpitations.

here is the state of my bike at the top of that track! 

32 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

It's strange but he only kept it for 4 months and then bought a KTM1090R from my mate

Ahhh! Thats better!!!

This was a great bike. Absolute torque beast.  Like a loving Pitbull, it was strong, big, but friendly and dependable. Super, super fun to have the max torque at 5500rpm! 

It was stolen after 14 month of owning it with 13.400 miles. The thieves were maybe expecting less miles!! That happened on the 21st of July 2006 and still upsets me today. 

Created such a bond with it! Went to the Nurburgring on it ( the pictures here are at the Ring, Schwalbenschwanz in March 2006 ), went round the UK on it, Land's End to John O'Groats with its 874 miles that went by in a blur in a day and a record time! Went to Le Mans and many parts of France, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg on it, used it every day  during those 14 months. Some vehicles really mark us. A motorcycle will always get under the skin more than a car, at least for me, and this one will always be my “one”!! 

A curiosity of life was that after  ordering it, I got the chance of visiting the Factory with the Portuguese Owners Club that was touring the UK and visiting the factory. Many of them were my friends and took me along on their Factory Tour as a guest! On that visit, luck would have it, that the production line was making Speed Triples in yellow and, with my uncontrollable enthusiasm only surpassed by that of a mad Labrador Retriever puppy, I made so much noise, the tour guide eventually found the VIN number that had my name on it and I saw it! There were 2 destined for Jack Lilley, finished already and waiting to be tested, and one was for me! 3 weeks later I was reunited with it. Well, there is a chance the Triumph Factory guide made the whole thing up, in truth I didnt put a mark on the bike I saw, so it could be another one, but I like Walt Disney’s words: “When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.”

7 hours ago, XTreme said:

I was just checking the stats and we've now got 67 user accounts!

That's good going in one week given the fact that we're up against Facebook, which now dominates peoples' lives. So the results so far are better than I expected, and hopefully we can continue like this.

It was never going to be easy because the world has changed a lot since DSUK was launched in 2004.......but with your support we can keep building on what we've started. So do whatever you can to get the word out wherever you can! FB bike groups are a good place to promote the site......if you can get away with it of course!

And also try to make new members feel as welcome as possible by interacting with them wherever possible. It helps to build a community spirit and that's what draws people in! We have to avoid the insular clique mentality that you see on some forums.....long term, that's the kiss of death!

If you have any ideas to develop and improve the place then just shout them out. If it's doable then we'll implement it! As I said at the outset, this place costs peanuts to run because I have all the resources available. So costs are not an issue, and I doubt any other forum out there can say that!

But this site can only exist as long as people want to participate in it. It's the people that make the site what it is! So keep supporting and keep recruiting new members! Cheers everybody!

Can we post long, very long stories of trips and funny or special moments?  Can be in episodes, so  not tire you to much. 

1 hour ago, boboneleg said:

That comment reminds me of my friend who last year traded in his Speed Triple for a Himalayan.  As he came out with a big smile on his face he said '' look I've got a brand new bike and £600 ''

My other mate replied '' yes, but you've just lost 112bhp''  

That is an "incredible" exchange of vehicles.... was to actually visit the Himalayan range?!

14 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

More power to you Sophia

Thank you! Although, 136 hp on slicks off road seems quite enough to me! 

Just now, XTreme said:

Great stuff Sofia......I'd probably have to take the car instead judging by your shots! 

No,no,no!! Up, up and away we go!! Of course you can do it! You will have to clean a lot after, but 100% you can!

My bike was so dirty... Its an amazing paint job because its mate and all these crazy tracks I ve been in haven't damaged it. 

44 minutes ago, BusBoy said:

It's light hearted banter. Xtreme will be the first to own up to an aversion of offroad trails.  The fact that you can do it on a speed triple is just amazing. Kudos. You wouldnt catch me taking that gradient on a dirt road and ST. That's gutsy

My bike has been re-named Offroad Speed Triple! Its really the tyres that are almost slicks and make it extra spicy! 

40 minutes ago, Pedro said:

Sofia isn't getting the jokes, Bruce, she doesn't know XTreme (or Pete) is very much into keeping his bikes very clean. Her Triumph is often filthy.

Hoy!! I get the jokes and my bike is not filthy!! Its just not as clean as yours Mr I-have-a-garage-with-addequate-facilities!

23 minutes ago, BusBoy said:

I'm more impressed that Sophia took her Speed triple up there, especially as in her intro she said she didn't have knowledge of dual sports / adventure bikes. I beg to differ. Anybody who can get a short wheel based street fighter up there has some dual sport talents.

It was totally not my choice, I can tell you! One day I will show the video, I was properlly pissed off!! The road was gone... Happens a lot around here. According to Pedro I should turn around... I dont believing in going back! 

On 20/04/2020 at 17:37, XTreme said:

I think most of you will remember these in the past relating to our equines.

Well sadly there's been a big change from all those years ago........we lost Dylan (the donkey) last July.

He was off his food for a couple of days and lethargic.......so we got the vet in who said he had an infection and then gave him antibiotics.

Then overnight he died........it just happened so quick. He was one of a kind! 

We rescued him 13 years before and we had no idea how old he was.....he could have been double that. So time just caught up with him.

The two horses are still going strong......we had them as foals so we know their age.

Bethan is 12........

......and Dewi is 9. He's absolutely massive now......built like a tank! 

.......and this is the two of them having a run round!

 

Nice!!! Lovely horses!

22 minutes ago, BusBoy said:

You are wonderful!! Keep going. With every word you say Mucho wilts just that little bit more.  Perfect

Be careful, it can easly turn against you...!

1 minute ago, BusBoy said:

This!

 

Is where you and Xtreme part ways

 

 

Some awesome shots there.

I dont know,  I did go to the top, this was just a little breather before going further up.  I wont put the video of this one because there was some severe swearing! And a lot of bucking!! 

My current bike is a 2018 Speed Triple R, Dark Edition, Its a special edition done by 8 Ball for Triumph. It didnt really sell because the cot for the paint job was high, so I got lucky and bought it when everyone was buying the 2019 RS model for an excellent price from Jack Liileys. Its the 4th Speed Triple I have had, all from JL. To be fair I would have happily stayed with number one, that was my favourite, if it hadn't been stolen... So, originally bought in England, went to Germany and is now in Portgal. 

Ocasionally gets the company of the Mamoth and its little and large! And in Portugal keeps going inadvertadly off-road... On those ocasions I swear a lot and remember my childhood horse riding days!! I will try to put a video when at 1500 meters high the road was fit for GSs, not Pirelli Supercorse and MotoGP Ohlins.... 

1 hour ago, Buckster said:

He used to until his wife told him he wasn’t allowed anymore, he is hoping to get permission to get a scooter one day. I heard she may even allow him to wear big boy pants soon as well.

As he also been banished to the man shed?! 

Its very important to keep the wife happy, very!! Easy life, priceless! 

I like to call Pedro's bike The Mammoth! He doesn't have extra large panniers though. 

Just now, Specs said:

Noooooo. 

I am afraid its a YES! Still, best bike in the World, cant argue with that

29 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

Says the boat adventurer

What do you mean boat? He rides a GS Adventure with extra large panniers? 

Yes, I am a proper biker, but Im very sure I am the one needing to step up!! 

Hi!!

Well spotted!! I was up North in my innicial stages in the UK, which was great to be able to deal with down South when moved to London. I started in Leeds, then Manchester, then Cheshire. 4 years of Northen England. I was very, very happy there. One of the reasons I left Portugal was because I wanted a bike and after 3 month in the UK I had one. I had the bike, the friends and the life I knew I wanted, but never thought I'd get!! For that, and so many more reasons, the UK is my real home. I landed in a job that had 5 bikers and then made friends with a very good group of guys in Cheshire and my biking life was a lot more then I could have ever dreament!! North Wales, Peak District, Lake District, yorkshiredales. Every weekend but also during the week, because I was working with the Foot a d Mouth outbreak and only had a bike, so that is how how I went to work most days, even in the bleak month of March 2001. I literally went from zero to hero in 3 month!! On a magical little bike, Hornet 250. I travelled from Cheshire to Lisbon on that bike, with its tiny 4 cilinders!! Through a massive storm that landed us ( me and the bike!) In Roscoff, France instead of Santander, Spain! My first ever solo trip was for sure the best start to adventuring any adventure rider can have. But that is another, very long, story.

And I wont go into North-Sourh divisons, but, and much more relevant, I shall declare my allience in the War of the Roses to Lancashire, not Yorkshire!! 

Pedro is experienced with UK biking culture from afar. Is life has a huge whole in that he never had the chance to be there in person, to live it, to be around what is for sure the funniest, nicest, craziest  biking scene ever!  Maybe one day, who knows, he can spend some time there! You guys could push him a long, he needs a push to go North!!

Saying that, it is true bikes and bikers have changed a lot. We have the Pre-Long Way Round Era and the Pos-Long Way Round Era, where BMW GS stopped being the Old  man-odd (and very tall!)-unfashionable-bike to the hip-modern-racy-fashionable bike. Best bike in the World, true fact, but not my choice.

Im very fortunate to have experienced so much in the UK. My love for bikes is old, as old as me basically and because I was brought up by an Anglophile, there could not be a better combination or a better place to be for me! I was Triumph through and through before I left Portugal and my heart is Speed Triple, so after having a crash on the Hornet, upgraded to the first 1050 in 2005, when I moved to London and became the Rat Pack girl at Jack Lilleys. Actually I lived in Sunningdale, so I didnt have the "pleasure" of the London pollution!! Another fabulous 4 years, new group of friends, different biking scene. Many trips to the Continent, alone or leading groups, weekly nights at the Ace cafe and weekend trips to the Surrey country side, mainly Newlan's Corner.  Around 15 000 miles a year, I WAS busy!! And in between a challenge, Lands End to John O'Groats in less then "some" hours, have you heard of it?! Another story... made it, with some delays courtesy of the  boys in blue!! Most surprised face I have ever seen, on that Scottish Policeman, when my helmet came off!! We have to do stupid things when we are young  ( maybe when we are old too, maybe!), its how it goes. Great times!!   

I see, adventure travel, World Wide! Makes sense. 

Yes, still trying to decide if I am a biking vet or a Vet biker! Its complicated!! 

For a while I was in charge of the RAT Pack at Jack Lilley Triumph and organized a few trips around Europe, discovered I liked it and after a few years dreaming about doing it as a business, decided to go for it! Haven't really finalized it yet, but hope to do two this year, near the end of 2020. 

Will post some pictures. 

 Hello everyone!! Thanks for having me!

My friend Pedro Rocha pointed me in your direction because he knows how much I love the UK and the UK bike scene and how much I miss it. From 2001 to 2009 I lived in the UK, it was where I got my first bike, and all the others afterwards actually!! Currently I live in Portugal and try to go out as much as possible, although haven't done a lot recently because I started my own small animal vet practice and have concentrated on that. I am also going to run a moto tours business, which is something I really love to do.

 Being a total numpty when it comes to off road ridding and half a numpty on the road ,  I am hoping to learn a lot of things here!! 

Again, thanks for having me!!