First impressions

After having to wait over three weeks to get the SW registered, today I finally could take the Silver Lady out for a ride.

With all fresh fluids, new oil- and air filter and spark plugs, 'she' felt very happy to take on the road.

There was a lot of wind, and the first thing I noticed is that the SW -with its impressive bodywork- is quite sensitive to side winds. It took me a while to get some confidence to ride the scooter: my first thought was that it would be easier to have a petrol tank between my knees, to help steering...

In total I rode some 320 kms (200 Miles), and after filling 'r up at 19339km (with only one blinking 'LED'-bar left), by the time I got back home, (19502km) it was nearly time to have another stop, since there were only two bars left of the fuel indicator.

I have made an excell page to keep an eye on the fuel consumption, it is too early to make any predictions, but at first glance the SW doesn't look a lot more economic than my 1997 Civic 1.4i automatic with airco... [that, over the last 60.000 kms, averaged 6.75 L/100km or 42 MPG (imp)] But, hey, the SW does offer a lot more fun than the tin can...

On my way home I was cruising at 140kph (87Mph) for at least 20 minutes when I couldn't resist to fully open the throttle in 'no mans land' (between the French and Belgian border) and was happily surprised to see the needle go past 180kph (112Mph), at which point I decided it was 'more than enough'. This might have had some kind of influence on the fuel consuption, mentioned earlier on...

Picture: not on the Mississippi, but in the port of Dunkirk (FR) : the «Princess Elizabeth» , a genuine paddle-steamer.

Very Nice.

Cngrats! Please be careful. They say @ 100mph your just aiming. Anything goes wrong it's going to be ugly. I had mine up over 100 on my test ride. Now it's good to know I can but more importantly the scoot's quick acceleration get out in front of the dangerous four wheelers on a regular basis. No need to speed

Is that the paddle steamer 'Waverley' in the background?

As for the 100mph thing! The scooter is designed for it - so why not! As long as all the necessary precautions are taken. I mean a ton in tee shirt and flip flops!!!! Not on!

nice report and picture at the port, I was in Belgium in march, (a lovely country), we stayed in a kind of strange hotel Dunkirk which we used as a base, one day we had a wonderfull tour guide, who rides a blue silverwing, who took us round Belgium ending up in Bruges. (thanks again Mike).

Waspie wrote:

Is that the paddle steamer 'Waverley' in the background?

As for the 100mph thing! The scooter is designed for it - so why not! As long as all the necessary precautions are taken. I mean a ton in tee shirt and flip flops!!!! Not on!

The 'Waverley' has two funnels and there is a white band between the black and red. - 'Should have gone to Specsavers'



Cheers,

tarmacburner2 wrote:

Waspie wrote:

Is that the paddle steamer 'Waverley' in the background?

As for the 100mph thing! The scooter is designed for it - so why not! As long as all the necessary precautions are taken. I mean a ton in tee shirt and flip flops!!!! Not on!

The 'Waverley' has two funnels and there is a white band between the black and red. - 'Should have gone to Specsavers'



Cheers,

Thanks!!!!

(And I wouldn't touch 'Specsavers' thank you!!!)

Nice day ride. Twisting the throttle makes the wrist flex and reaching for the wallet is easier, but it is fun. :lol!:

Thanks for all these kindhearted replies.

@Phred501: I do not intend to do more of these +100MPH runs, but was curious to find out if the bike was (still) capable of doing it.

@Waspie:the paddle steamer is the "Princess Elisabeth" (as mentioned), and b.t.w.: I do not wear flip-flops

@Marco: I moved to the Westhoek (a.k.a. Flanders Fields) some 10 years ago. One of the last places in Belgium that are not overcrowded. Though I prefer the rural scenery of Northern France for riding.

rodenbach wrote:

Thanks for all these kindhearted replies.


@Waspie:the paddle steamer is the "Princess Elisabeth" (as mentioned), and b.t.w.: I do not wear flip-flops

Didn't think you did, I was more thinking of the ton up mob from the 60's who thought doing a ton in a tee shirt was cool. Temperature wise - yup! Emergency Room - not so cool!

If your, (general), doing three figure speeds then I believe you should dress for it!

@Waspie:
I 'vagely' remember the summer of 1975, when I -aged 18- tried to get some refreshment doing +100Mph on my first proper bike -a T500- dressed in jeans and T-shirt...

... and I will never forget the sensation when my pillion raised two T-shirts (mine and hers) to give me a 'poking' sensation in the back

37 years on, gloves, protective clothing and ankle-high footwear are compulsory in Belgium. The seventies are long gong, but the memories live on...

---------------------------

I enjoyed very much meeting the Ugly Bunch, not least because no-one complained (at least not in my hearing!) of my 'off-the-cuff' rideout leading down some inevitably-closed-for-roadworks routes.

I love riding here - one can see for miles and it's almost surreal, possibly a bit like riding across the wide-open spaces in parts of the States.
I shall come back as often as I can, not least because Great Uncle Wilfrid doesn't have other visitors to his grave in Lijssenthoek Commonwealth Cemetery (near Ypres).

I love Northern France, too, and on my 'to do again' list is Mont St. Michel. I didn't allow enough time last time.
One great feature of my trips down there is crossing the Pont de Normandie - worth Googling for information and pictures. It's quite an experience!

no one did complain, funny enough, we all commented on how composed you kept when we arrived at roadworks. We all would have been 'effing and jeffing'

Nice people/riding companions - what more can I say?

Hello Mike,

We all secretly blamed you for you lack of planning but assumed 'Must have foreign blood in him!' and therefore let it pass.

In reality it was a great ride out and having someone with some local knowledge made that ride so much easier.

Pont de Normandie - in 2008 three of us rode off the ferry and in a few minutes we were riding over that structure. Really impressive. but compared to our destination (Viaduc du Millau). fairly minor.

Cheers,