A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

Four of us took the opportunity of a decent day of weather yesterday to make an exploratory raid on the far flung reaches of East Devon. We followed a route that I used many years ago and I wanted to check it was viable before offering to take a bigger group around it.

Probably only a couple of readers will recognise any of the places I mention but I hope you still get the "feel" of the day's trail ride.

The riders were myself (TTR325), my bro' Trev (TTR250), Rik (KTM250EXC) and Simon (Honda XLR250R).

We covered only about 60 miles in total yet it took us over 6 hours.

The weather forecast turned out to be accurate and, apart from some fine mist, it was dry and very mild all day. I was definitely overdressed!

The lanes were in great condition being muddy but not too sloppy and we certainly didn't have any problems with dust!

We had a very relaxed start and didn't hit the first lane until about 10am after a top up of petrol after the run along the main road to Honiton from Exeter.

Nevertheless, despite having only just got going, I stopped at Royal Oak Farm for a round of coffees and to take the opportunity of buying a jar of their fabulous spicy tomato and caramelised onion chutney - which I wrapped and tucked up in Trev's rucksack so that it got home safely in one piece 

One of the best lanes of the day was a long dead end one at Stockland that the Devon TRF Group had cleared over the space of a couple of Sundays. The last group to finish the task was 18 men strong and I can understand why so many were needed having now ridden it. It is called Marsh Lane for very good reason! Took us 25 minutes to ride down, turn around and ride out again. It would have been quicker if "someone" hadn't got a bit throttle happy and filled my parked TTR and upturned helmet and goggles with wet gloopy mud in his eagerness to get going   Whilst trying to clean my helmet out and get some of the mud off the seat and bars I noticed the largest toad I have ever seen in the wild. It had puffed itself up so that we wouldn't attempt eating it - I think 

Fabulous lane though and must go in my top ten of favourite Devon lanes 

The furthest North we went was close to the Somerset border at Trebblehayes. The farmer was busy in the stockyard through which the lane runs but he offered us the alternative of going around through his orchard, to save opening and closing loads of gates, which we were happy to take. Friendly enough guy!

There are some lovely lanes in that area and well worth going out of the way for such as the circle of lanes around Beacon Hill.

We then did the Membury loop and I was hoping to grab some lunch at Membury Post Office but I took a different lane than usual and missed it 

We seemed to suffer from farm dogs running loose - something that usually isn't a problem but today they just appeared everywhere and were feeling a bit aggressive! Trev was running at the back and one of the bigger Collies at Coryton Farm got his teeth around his lower leg. He was well protected by his riding boot but got a small tear in his riding trousers for his troubles 

All the bikes ran perfectly up until about midday. Whilst I was closing a gate in a lane, I suggested to Rik that he go ahead to the ford to check out if it was passable as a few trail riders had drowned their bikes in it in the past. When I got to the ford I found a very wet Rik with a matching wet KTM. Seems that he decided to test the depth of the ford by attempting to ride through it whereupon he found a big hole that sunk his KTM 

Water had got through to the cylinder causing a hydraulic lock. It was at this stage Rik found he hadn't got a plug spanner that fitted but he was lucky to be able to use the decompressor to spin the water out. We tipped the KTM up on end to empty the silencer, airbox and carb of water. Surprising how much came out. After turning the bike over again, it fired up when the HT lead was replaced. However, on checking the oil, water had found its way into the sump and it was a creamy white.

Whilst this was going on, Simon found a safe way across the ford and bravely went first to show it was safe. The following video is of me going over with no problem except knocking the TTR into neutral as I dropped into the river 

https://s1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc383/brindles2001/Trail%20ring%20pics%20and%20videos/?action=view&current=NEofHoniton-17Feb2012008.mp4

My brother Trevor also got across OK:

https://s1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc383/brindles2001/Trail%20ring%20pics%20and%20videos/?action=view&current=NEofHoniton-17Feb2012010.mp4

Rik managed to get across with a stuttering KTM which was suffering from water in the carb. However, he sensibly decided not to ride it any further until the oil had been changed.

Rik emptying his boot
 

and wringing out his socks!

I was leading the run so didn't take many pics as you probably realise - these are the best I can do 

I carry a tow rope so hooked Rik up and towed him a couple of miles to Kilmington garage. The 325 towed very well and didn't struggle even on the steeper hills. Rik borrowed a drain tray, bought a can of oil and did a couple of oil changes. We were lucky that the adjacent filling station had some hot pasties left plus they did hot coffees so we tucked in whilst Rik fettled the KTM. He decided that it was probably safe to use after the third sump full of clean fresh oil. His chain was almost dragging the ground so he took the opportunity of adjusting that as well.

Because we had lost quite a bit of time, I cut out a couple of loops to make sure that we could get home in daylight. I hope to go back and do the full circuit another time soon, probably when the day are a bit longer.

We finished in Honiton and Trev and I main roaded it back to Exeter whilst Rik and Simon decided to do a few more lanes on the way home.

I got to the Halfway House and couldn't see Trev behind me so, thinking he may have broken down, I turned around to find him. Seems a police car going the other way thought he was speeding so turned around and gave chase and pulled him in with lights and sirens going! When the lady police officer saw he was an "older chap" she let him off with advice to clean his number plate - phew 

Great day and mission accomplished. Nice route ready to do in full another day!

Brian