Spain on a budget

You may think that to ride further than your local bike meet or Sunday haunt you’d need the best kit money can buy, a BMW GS1200 and a full backup crew but UBG reader, Stephen Whittingham got by with a few Lidl biking goodies and an old GS500 for a 3000 mile round trip to Spain, that’s the UBG style of touring.

Words and pics: Stephen Whittingham

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BEYOND BUCHAREST - storms and brothels

It’s mid-summer in Romania and I’m about to die. Storm force winds are shrieking between the lampposts and lashing me with horizontal rain-bullets as I struggle to control my heavily laden Honda over broken cobbles. I’m on my way into Bucharest city centre and wishing I was anywhere else. Surrounded by suicidally impatient drivers who are nudging my bike with their bumpers, and dodging unfenced roadworks with trenches full of swirling brown floodwater, I think things can’t get any worse. Then I see they most definitely can...

A CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD

Motorcycle touring with a small group of friends is an unsurpassed way to visit new places. Everyone has the freedom of individual transport and personal space, while enjoying the comradeship of his fellows and able to draw upon help if necessary. Our ‘Adventures’ are an annual event, planned up to six months ahead.

THE BLACK FOREST - It’s not just a gateaux...

If stunning scenery, great roads and a good bike ride are things you enjoy, a trip to Germany might just be worth considering. UBG reader Trumpet shares his 2500 mile tour with us.

THE IAM TRACK DAY, Mallory Park - Video special

An invitation to an Institute of Advanced Motorists' track day might sound a bit on the dull side but when I remembered that I would be riding among some of the best trained bikers in the country it suddenly seemed more appealing.

We also have exclusive 'cockpit' videos from Steff Woodhouse riding the Mallory Park circuit in three 6 minute sections.

Probably the best biking road in the world - The N260 Spain

The headline is a big claim to make but our intrepid correspondent; Nigel Porter gives us some strong reasons why he believes it. With 311 twisting miles and fantastic scenery the N260 on the French/Spanish border sounds like a biker’s paradise. Nigel takes up the story.

We also have exclusive 'cockpit' videos from Nigel riding the N260 in four 10 minute sections.

Route de la Legion - MOROCCO

“In the forests and hills of Indo-China, in the outposts pitched high on the crests of the mountains of Morocco, in the scattered fortresses of the Algerian desert, the bugle of the Foreign Legion sounds.” Thus wrote Major Zinovi Pechkoff at the start of his memoirs of life on active service with the French Foreign Legion in Morocco in 1923-25. Story and pics: Richard P Jeynes

RIVER KWAI TO THREE PAGODAS PASS - THAILAND

A biking adventure doesn’t have to start off from home, how about exploring while you’re in some far flung land? UBG reader Simon Smith shares his story, two days, one night and 1000 km’s through Thailand. Story and pics: Simon Smith.

THE Viking Trail Iceland Expedition

A journey to Europe’s most remote wilderness…
Forget drugs and guns, just don’t try taking pasta into Iceland!

A long road to the Rocky Mountains - Part 2

We stopped at the top of the mountain looking over at Osoyoos to take in the views and again they didn’t disappoint us.. Story and pics: Paula Maxwell

A long road to the Rocky Mountains

The road was challenging, climbing 5000ft up the side of a mountain with hairpins, gravel and a single lane wooden bridge to contend with. Story and pics: Paula Maxwell

Rally of Discovery

Riding blind, Peter Henshaw has never been one for embracing modern technology, but when he was set the challenge of taking part in the Rally of Discovery, Cornwall, he had no choice but to fire up the GPS. Story Peter Henshaw pics Peter Henshaw/Louise Hillier

Meandering in the Midlands

Travel stories of late centre around crossing far away continents often taking weeks and months out of people lives. CP tries another option, squeezing a whole journey into just one day

Naked in Croatia

To Croatia and back in seven days, on a Kawasaki W650? Was Dave Owen mad for attempting such a feat or just ambitious? Story/Pics Dave Owen

A Nation Within

Quebec's people are often described as a nation within a united Canada; but as Ian Kerr found out, the area they inhabit is pretty unique too. Story Ian Kerr pics H-C travel.

It could only get better

Sam Manicom had two problems when he decided to ride the length of Africa by motorcycle. First of all he didn’t have a bike, and second, he didn’t know how to ride one either. Story & Pics Sam Manicom

Apline Andorra

Last month we took a ride into Andorra, this time we finish off the journey and look at some of the facts and figures involved in getting there. Words Pics Judy Armstrong.

The return of the Magnificent Seven

In the last issue we joined Tony Donnelly as he completed the first part of a ten-day European ride. Now he heads back to the UK for the concluding part. Story & Pics Tony Donnell

The deep south

The 2006 GlobeBusters High Andes Expedition was an epic adventure in every sense of the word. Rod Chapman went along for the ride. Story & pics Rod Chapman

Around Coorg with a Yamaha

No BMW GSs or other such fancy bikes in this story, Paul O’Halloran went about things altogether differently for his trip around India. Story/pics Paul O’Hallora

The Subtle Knife

Don’t go to Finland for the food, says Anton Scholz, but for solitude and space it can’t be beaten

Bike Astur

It goes without saying that while the actual motorcycle is the main ingredient in the world of motorcycling, it is the people that inhabit it that make it so fascinating and enjoyable.

A ride in the clouds

Two weeks, two bikes and the whole of southern France to discover. With breathtaking views, sleepy towns and quiet roads, is this biking at its very best? Bev Henderson certainly thinks so. Story Bev Henderson Pics Bob Haigh

Two up on a Tiger

Auto body repairer John Wilce and his partner, Marcia Thompson, made the trip of a lifetime – overland (and a bit of sea) to Australia on a Triumph Tiger 900. But, unlike the intrepid film stars Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor, they had no back-up Land-Rovers, just what they could carry on the bike and what they could find…

The English Riviera

All too often touring is thought to mean a trip across continents yet you don’t have to travel that far to experience totally new sights and experiences.

Normandy in the snow

A trip to the continent is usually a summertime affair but one UBG contributor has found a different time of year to sample some Gallic delights.

Return of the Jedi

" A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...” These words had resonated with me ever since I’d watched them scroll across a vast cinema screen at the age of 12. Now, a quarter of a century later here I was, riding over the muddy chott towards the distant dome of Luke Skywalker’s homestead on Tattooine...

MAKING MOVIES
Jim Peace joins the cast of Freebird, a cross between Easy Rider and Withnail and I
....From February 2006 Edition

SLIMEY CRUD RUN
That’s what reader Gary Ilminen calls the Slimey Crud Runs that top and tail the riding year in the American state of Wisconsin. He took notebook and camera along in October to bring us this report
....From December 2005 Edition

BRIGHTON ROCKS!
The Rockers’ Reunion is the event that gave birth to the relaunch of London’s Ace Café. This year was the 12th and by far the biggest.
....From November 2005 Edition

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