New Member Introductions » Intro, newbie from France/Dorset

Just joined today. Not bought the bike yet, but will be a R1250RS, perhaps new, perhaps up to a year old.
First proper bike was a new BMW R75/7 at the age of 18 in 1977. Had many BMWs since, K100RS, K1100LT, K1200GT, R1100S R1150RT, F800ST. Now have some Ducatis, but my main one is 3 years old and fancy the BMW as a replacement.
Spent my life in England and Germany. Now live most of the time in the south of France.
Aircraft engineer by trade and do all my own work on my bikes.

Retired now, but no, army brat, RAF then civil service and MOD, retired here at 45.

Collecting a new bike in black from BMW Park Lane in London on Monday afternoon. Flight in the morning from Bergerac to Stansted £9, train and tube to Park Lane £22, ride to Newhaven for a ferry to France, ferry cost £35.
Biggest worry is the ride out of London, but a friend from the Ducati forum who lives in London has offered to shepherd me to the M25 on his Multistrada, what a star.

Best of luck with the journey.

Sounds like you have no SatNav. Thought it worth mentioning in case you have one that the Zumo 660 fits in the cradle.

Chris

Thanks, not really a lack of satnav but a lack of experience riding in built up areas in the last 30 years. I will use my phone through the BMW connected app to the dash and my helmet for GPS.
Have ordered a thing that fits into the mount to fit my phone into it, but it hasn't arrived yet.

You'll be OK getting put of London. Speeds are low, traffic lights are slow. Just take your time.
Watch out for thieving scrotes on scooters tho

Just for info, assuming you use the M23 it is now Variable speed limit with average speed cameras all the way down to Gatwick. The variable limit finishes just after the next junction for Crawley. Obviously with a new bike you won't want to go over 70mph anyway

Thanks for that. A mate with a Ducati is going to guide me out and he knows London. I feel much calmer about that. As I don't have a UK address, speeding tickets do not concern me. I was on my French registered Ducati with the GF on her Ducati on the A303 when we were flashed, 86mph. She got a ticket and points, but I heard nothing.

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