InvictaMoto's Döra the Explörer

The day started earlier for me that when I go to work. So much for a day off!  The alarm went off at 0630 and I was out and on the road at about 0720. The weather we have been experiencing over the last few weeks had to come to an end with a bit of a bang, in fact with thunder and lightning.  Over the weekend there had been a slight improvement, and Monday wasn't too bad.  At least I was able to wear my Joe Rocket mesh jacket. Tuesday though. It was overcast and the forecast (for all that is actually worth) has the day as showers with some sunny intervals.  As a result I opted to wear the old but still fully waterproof Frank Thomas jacket.  And a good job I did. Unlike a lot of more recent waterproof where the waterproof lining is removable called a drop liner, the old FT has it glued to the outer fabric.  I prefer this but like all of this style of jacket, the outer fills with water and although dry inside, it starts to get heavier and heavi...

I had 32 miles today today and the dealers is about 10 miles away, so I embarked on ride the opposite direction (twice) and turned around eventually arriving with 506 on the odometer. The panniers and hand guards had arrived along with the spot lamps and these have now been fitted. As the is quite steep and the rider sits do close I invested in an expensive piece of Triumph rubber that should stop the front of my jacket from ruining the paintwork. So there we go. Next service is due at 10000 miles. Tomorrow up bright and early to join the Thankful Villages Run!!

With about 80 miles to go to meet my minimum mileage for the first service we needed to get out. Yesterday's thunder and lightning might have passed but the forecast didn't look too clever with the sky grey and overcast. We chose to go to Sissinghurst Castle Garden, about 25 miles away. The first stop was Waitrose in Ashford for the free latte before the A28 run to the Castle. The A28 used to be a fast road with a few 30mph villages, now the nanny state has reduced most of it a hotch potch of 40 and 50 limits that simply spoil it. The ride was pretty good and for s Sunday in July hardly any really awful drivers out about. Pix taken on Claire's iPhone 4S...... And now a little nearer the first service.

With the weather still good, like the summer's we used to have, I decided that with miles still to be put on the bike it was time to try a run to work.  I set off a little late and the traffic wasn't too bad on the way up until I was a few miles from work when it all clagged up and the Mongville drivers took over. Dora at work The ride home was worse.  Sunny and the first Friday of the schools holidays. The same mongs on the road. Why can't they drive one behind the other and leave the centre of the room free for us in two wheels. I stopped for petrol at the Tesco at Poplar and entered the details into the app. Now that's more like it. MPG The ride home was better once London was left behind.

It's not usual that I double post to several blogs at the same time, this run is very important to me and so I'm going for max coverage. Dougie and Medwyn set off on Saturday to ride around the country to visit all 51 of the Thankful Villages. The Thankful Villages are the ones that rightly gave thanks that after WW1 all the men that went to fight for King and Country from their village came back alive. It says a lot that only 51 villages were that lucky. The run is if course for charity; the aim being to collect money for the Royal British Legion. I won't go into Legion history as that is available on the 'net simply by using Google. Suffice to say that even now, 99 years since the "war to end all wars" began in Sarajevo, we still have troops deployed across the globe. And men and women are being wounded and killed wearing the uniform of their country. War is still ultimately senseless and in the most part futile, but until it stops for...

Today's ride out added a few miles to the odometer, not enough to make a great deal of difference so it looks like a day going to work is needed to knock off a load and perhaps go to the London Motorcycle Museum run with the Kent Centre next weekend.  Both of them will rack up about 300 or so. With the Thankful Villages Run a week away, I thought I'd ride over to Knowlton and see where the "Bravest Village in the UK" actually is.  In fact, it's not in the village but on the side of the "main" Sandwich Road.  I say main, but in the time I was there were obly three cars and a cyclist that passed by. Across the fiels is the Chillenden Windmill. Each time I go out the engine is becoming more "willing", spinning up quickly and seeming eager to get going. More information:  http://www.hellfirecorner.co.uk/TV/knowlton.htm The pictures are okay, but as the monument is south of the road and so was the sun... They are the best I could get....

I've had Döra two weeks and have only managed this pitiful mileage. I have one and half weekends left to get at least 384 miles on the click before the first service is due. I have never had a new bike for this long and not been out on it. Tomorrow, I need to get out early and get some miles on this clock. As I am over the 100 mile mark I can now get up to 5000rpm so it looks like a day riding to work at least this week.

Got home a little early and hauled Döra and Claire out to put a few miles under the rubber. In the end we had a run to Dover on the M20. Still stuck with 3500 revs I banged the cruise control on and we got most of the way from Hythe J11 to Dover at about 61mph! Cruise control is a great idea and useful when a constant low rev needs to be engaged, but until I get used to it, having a five inch long thumb is required. Slipping past the trucks on their way to the port. At least now I am over the 100 miles barrier and the revs can be increased to 5000! So to the conundrum? Where to put Baloo? Face of an angel?

I have to complete at least 500 miles before 1pm on the 27th July, when Döra goes for her first service. With work and other commitments it will be hard work. I might call Laguna tomorrow and see if I can postpone it to Monday 29th. I have two days off at the end of July, ostensibly one day to get over to Knowlton to meet the riders on the Thankful Villages Run. It seemed a little daft to have the Tuesday off and not Monday.  It's a plan and will give me another weekend to get out and add miles. So, back to today. It was the Kent Centre monthly meet and the plan was for breakfast and then ride over the Capel le Ferne on the White Cliffs to visit the Battle of Britain Memorial and their Memorial Day. My first job was to fit the Givi on the new rack. Cleaned and polished it doesn't look to out of place. I fitted the Thankful Villages Run sticker, must have that on for the run itself.   Thankful Villages sticker Then get ready. The weather has be...

I ordered the Givi plate for Döra on Sunday night and it arrived today. "Left with a neighbour" the email said. Then Claire emailed to say it had arrived next door. When the instructions say that things can be fitted with ordinary hand tools I usually don't believe them. They are right. There are no written instructions just an exploded diagram.  The tools needed are two Allen keys that I have no idea what size, but luckily I had them. Spanners are 12mm and 10mm. Firstly remove the Triumph plastic plate, then fit a couple of wings that will take the rack itself. Then with deft fingers fit the top plate.  It looks pretty good. The Givi E45 that I have was a bit dirty and so I have washed it and it wasn't ready for fitting!! Should be okay for the weekend or maybe open the wallet again.

As the rev limit of 3500 means being stuck with a top speed of about 60mph, I decided that the motorway to Dover and the White Cliffs probably wasn't such as good idea. Being swamped by faster vehicles would be dangerous in the extreme.  So we went on the A259 and A20. Terrible mistake. Every clown was out on the road, it has been the UK's sunniest warmest weekend of the year, and we live 200 yards from the English Channel, and some of the local roads make downtown Helmand Province look well paved. Claire fitted on the back okay but was a little wary, firstly of her foot and also due to there being no top box behind her.  I have ordered the fitting kit to mount my old Givi E45, although I expect that will eventually be replaced by something in keeping with the panniers, when they arrive!! Compared to a 14 year old GS with saggy suspension Dora is an F1 car. Very stiff at the moment and on the worst road in the area, Seabrook Road, we felt every pothole and un...

After a 240 mile day in the saddle riding up to Cambridge for the ( www.alliedride.org ) on the GS, I got back to Laguna Triumph at Ashford to spend a huge sum of money and pick up Döra. With a 3000rpm limit for the first 100 miles I decided on the A20 rather than M20 to get home. Good choice.  That rev limit equates to 49mph on the digital speedo. I did get a chance for a first photo at Port Lympne with another Tiger. Two Tigers Tomorrow, I want to get out and put a few miles on her odometer and get Claire on the back. Maybe have a run across to Margate or somewhere where they have ice cream and sand.

One more sleep until it is Döra Day. I have a busy day. The AMRR is tomorrow as well. A long ride up to Cambridge to the US Air Force Cemetery at Madingley.  ( http://www.madingleyamericancemetery.info/ ) The ride is to honour the fallen in the Second World War.  The AMRR is an international event with the US and Canada taking part. Then once it finishes I have to rush back to Ashford to pick up Döra.

I had an email today, firstly the good news. Döra is ready to ride away on Saturday instead of Sunday. Then there's the bad news... The panniers haven't arrived, nor have the spotlights! Damn. A bit of a shame, but I suppose I can wait for the first service.  As I decided not to have the topbox option, it looks like I'll have speed up the delivery of the Givi top-plate so I can use my existing big top box.

A quick call to Laguna and she was offloading from the truck as we were on the line. A call back later and I have a registration number to pass to the insurance company. Döra the Explorer coming to a new home soon. Of course I want her now, but Sunday will have to do.