A mate (Big Jim) recently had the same op as me and had a stent fitted but had some additional issues so it's taken longer for him to get back on his trail bike. So a mutual friend (Hamster) arranged a gentle re-introduction to the lanes and I was delighted to be invited along as he really knows the local lanes and always knows a good lunch stop
I only managed to take one photo of my TTR325 and Hamster's XR250 right at the start when they were squeaky clean! Big Jim was riding his wife's WR250F for the day.
We covered 66 miles in just over 7 hours (from start to finish) which included many stops and lots of nattering. We rode 50 lanes – they are tightly packed together in East Devon!
It was a perfect day for it and, it turns out, it was first time out for all three of us for a long time - but we all survived!
Burger and chips at Ducky's on Beer beach was a highlight
Sadly my local green lane, Muddy Lane, is no longer even slightly muddy so needs renaming. It's been gentrified with many tons of scalpings. The surface is now so good that I actually met a cyclist using it as a commuter route
As I said, I haven't been out for ages and there were several other lanes that have totally changed in character this way. However, I wasn't unhappy that the lane down to Ladram Bay, which had a horrible rut, had got the treatment.
Good to get back in the saddle and hope to get out again soon
Brian
PS Big Jim was absolutely fine so his rehabilitation is going well!
Good on ya for getting out on the lanes, I've noticed most bikes seem to run trails block tyres, is that for the slow going where you need heaps of traction ?
I've been to Beer believe it or not, I'm guessing it is the same Beer.
The beach is a little different to our beaches here in Australia
A lot of us in Devon use the Pirelli MT43 X-ply tyre as we have a lot of road work between lanes and the tyre stands up well to road use at low pressure - unlike the more modern radial trials tyres.
That wasn't me on the TTR Martyn - I just re-checked the tracklog. There is another blue TTR based in Exmouth so could have been that one.
Just filled up with petrol ahead of another rail ride tomorrow and, by my calculation, the 325 returned 68mpg which amazes me as I wasn't taking it easy.
Gonna go brim-to-brim again and have a second check tomorrow.