fitted the Nelson Rigg Commuter touring tail bag the the Tiger Sport
very happy with the fit and Nelson Rigg quality.
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This weekend, Helmut took his Tuono and me the Street Triple to Devon - the main aim was to see his parents so the Saturday was the most functional route there - lovely until Chepstow and then boring, packed motorway. We managed to get through the traffic (once I had got the hang of filtering still moving - albeit very slowly) traffic in several lanes. I have got decent at filtering through town and have been on the motorway enough to be confident, but the M5 on such a busy bank holiday took me a while to get the hang of and build confidence doing it. Tested @HelmutVisor’s patience I am sure at first (what’s new!!) 
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Had a nice day seeing Helmut’s parents (his Mum took some photos of the Tuono, the Striple wasn’t “glam” enough like the Fireblade apparently is (ie bright red) so didn’t make the cut 
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We then rode across to a lovely little camping / clamping site I found https://www.gatcombeparkfarm.com and stayed for the night in a Tipi. The site had said it was motorcycle - friendly on the website I found it on, but we did ring beforehand to check as it’s a “quiet” site and it indeed is very welcoming. The owners are lovely and allowed us to ride over the grass to park right by our pitch.
It’s a gorgeous setting:
The residents are friendly - although the goose near the shower is very officious )
There is even a noisy intruder alarm:
After a lovely night’s stay, we came back via Jollys Bike Shop / The Jolly Roger Lifesize Models in Bovey Tracy as I had heard about it and wanted to visit. What a truly bonkers place, in the very best possible way!! Another very warm welcome and a look around the showrooms. Upstairs houses the business - life-size film set models of any sort you can think, it’s incredible. Downstairs houses an absolutely incredible selection of motorcycles, all belonging to the owner. There is also a cafe and ice cream parlour (Josie’s) where I had a tasty panini and Helmut a Knickerbocker Glory (reason - holidays 
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After leaving Bovey we wound our way back on some really lovely roads, great scenery and fairly challenging in places but just the sort of roads a Street Triple excels at.
We sadly didn’t make it to @AdieP although the invitation could not have been more appreciated - but I sure we will next time 
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That looks class! Love the wigwam 
Edit, it loos like it should have a bong in the corner 
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The people next to us were certainly enjoying something other than a normal cigarette 
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I suppose wigwams dont have corners 
Yeah - 'twas a pity that you couldn’t make it, especially as the weather was so good … BUT, all very understandable and not a worry. The invitation isn’t time limited or conditional (other than me being here, of course!) so I’m sure there’ll be a next time - to paraphrase the late, great Phil Lynnot!! 
You certainly found an unusual spot to stay and it sounds like you made the most of the weekend break and, although just as sunny today, the wind is much colder and certainly ‘takes the edge off’!
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So is that when you started seeing all those funny animals?
Might well be over the drug drive limit too when they next get behind the wheel. Scary when you think just how many are taking/smoking recreational drugs these days
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Agreed - weed is one of the predominant smells now when out on the bike through traffic. Terrifying.
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I hate filtering, going up the M5/6 on a bank holiday weekend on the GS 2 up with full luggage is still etched on my memory. I read on another forum an ex plod biker, now rapid training instructor said to watch out for the gaps in the lanes either side of you as these were more dangerous than riding down the gaps between cars as drivers see these gaps then swap lanes without warning or looking for bikers coming through
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True, but we need more research I believe. I remember seeing that Quenton Wilson bloke doing an experiment. Driving tests with a guy before and after smoking a joint. The guy was a safer driver and more aware of what was around him after a joint!
There it is…
Agreed, where I live the neighbours smoke it and it stinks, I don’t remember it smelling so bad in the 80’s when I was surrounded by weed smokers. Also I can’t walk out of the house for any time without a car passing and stinking of it. With the scooter accident that happened outside our house earlier this year the rider stunk of the stuff as well.
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I don’t think I would recognise the smell with any certainty - although I might suspect - as I have never taken any recreational drug (apart from alcohol) in my life. I’ve always thought of it as a mug’s game like gambling, and, back in the 70s, I always disliked the whole hippy/psychedelic thing. (I also saw a student neighbour screaming in terror for hours in a bad LSD trip, which would put anyone off.) I like my beer, though.
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I have never taken any recreational drugs myself either (bar alcohol, I have had my fair share of that ), but certainly recognise it from uni days, work and just life now.
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what about the pointy bit at the top?
Too hot up there though, thats gotta be about 60 degrees
I believe enough research has been done as a panel of experts were asked to advise the government on what could be used as a safe level, without penalising people who were accidentally exposed to them by 3rd party smoking etc. There’s a load of stuff about it on gov.uk. With drink driving peoples reaction to drugs will be similar to drink in as much as heavy users would not be as pissed/stoned as someone who doesn’t use on a regular basis so the limits were introduced so things are black and white to save court time etc. In other words the offence is committed when you have more than a certain amount of alcohol, coke or cannabis in your system. I get that drugs stay in the system for a lot longer so it could be difficult compared to alcohol to gauge when someone who’s used drugs is then safe to drive but it is what it is and no one has forced them to do it, the same as a bloke who has 4 pints in the pub then decides to drive home rather than get a taxi.
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I’m not saying driving after a joint is ok. Its not! All I’m saying is it gets a bad rep and people think is really bad, its not. And as the video shows, the guy actually made a safer driver when stoned. I know the effects of cannabis and alcohol, (permission to post GMU pic as evidence 
). I have seen the damage alcohol does first hand many times over. Alcohol is a much worse substance in every regard IMHO. I would say it’s substantially safer to drive/ride after a small amount of cannabis than it is to drive while having a heavy cold, or strong pain killers, when tired, or in a rage. That is my honest to god opinion based on my own experiences and the people I know. I probably sound like a hippie/stoner defending ‘drugs’. Couldn’t be further from the truth.
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