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Where next? From Folkestone, inland. By Ian Roscow (TRiK Web Master) |
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(Took my digital camera, forgot the memory card... so images by Google!) |
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One night last week, the TREK meeting in fact, Simon had a temporary mental black out and offered me a ride on his CRM250. Well, they say don't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I said "if you insist...". Actually I've been wanting to try one out for ages - when I bought my bike (a KDX 200SR) it was a hard choice between it and a CRM. The KDX won because I prefer green! So, I find myself starting up a gleaming CRM Got to Carlton's place to find he was about to pack up and go to bed. We were a bit late, sorry Carlton. Katy was getting low on fuel and we didn't know of anywhere local to get petrol, so Carlton kindly sold him a gallon of his own while his wife took photos of the gang, Lunch was good, although a little short on the chips, So, what of the CRM? Well, first thing to note is that it was the AR model - Active Radical, another way of saying it uses high compression and intentional 'pinking' to give four-stroke-like pull. And it certainly does! The engine is a real pleasure - bottom end like a four-stroke, top end like a two-stroke, although perhaps without the ultimate top-end rush, but just great for trail riding. The front brake wasn't fantastic, but with such slippery roads that's probably not a bad thing. The back brake was good, very good, too good even as I stalled it a couple of times using the back brake, once when pulling up behind a van on the wet tarmac - left an unusually long mark that time! The suspension was firm, the steering was light, and the bike responded very well to foot steering. Clutch and gears were good, and it felt smooth (apparently it has a balancer shaft). Seat height was high-ish, but only really noticed it when swinging a leg across it. The only pain I found was kick-starting it, mainly because of my gammy knee, but also there's definitely a knack to starting it, and that involves waiting between kicks - continual prodding doesnt make it fire up, and it doesn't like the throttle being open when kicking either. But, considering the conditions and my rustiness, it carried me the sixty miles without mishap, and even better it was doing over 50mpg! Highly recommended. In fact, if I had the pennies and one became available I could easily be tempted... ~ End ~ |
outside Simon's garage in Folkestone 
on Sunday morning, wishing him a happy birthday (because it was) and setting off to meet the others down at the harbour. There was Little John 
, Big Francis 
, Yammy Chris 
, Suzi Cliff 
, and Katy Northy 
, all waiting for me. We set off to meet Carlton 
in Sellinge via the Postling Lane. All went well until Little John decided that it was p-time already, so took a little wander. Well, that was it - as soon as he whipped it out the local landowner had a fit! She was ranting and raging about how he should stick to the lane - she was shocked to see such a thing on her land! Well, we don't think it was her land anyway, just where the byway is a little wider than usual, but was having none of it. She pointed at her tiny wire fence 
encroaching on the byway and said "that's mine, stay your side with your dirty machines". After a heated exchange she stormed off with her daughter to calm down with a nice cup of tea, her daily rant accomplished. Strange types, these landholders.
who posed provocatively for her - hopefully those photos will never see the light of day... Off we set, straight into a "Road Closed" sign. Which we dutifully ignored and road around the road works, on our way north. Up to the UCR at Stowting, along the byways of the North Downs Way, on to the ones at Hastingleigh and down to Brook. The weather was chilly 
, but bright and dry. The lanes were winter-damp, but the roads, well, the roads were treacherous! Almost worse than sheet ice. We were slipping 
and sliding on every corner. It's said that a new vegetable-based road grit is being used nowadays, and that would certainy explain the slipperiness. Anyway, we were all coping and no serious incidents happened. Little John was dragging bushes along, and Big Francis was finding the shortcuts, but otherwise we were moving on ok. Katy had to rush back to Hastingleigh to retrieve a forgotten rucksack, but he had to go home early anyway, so we bade him farewell. Then on to Wye to find some petrol, guided by a very pleasant American lady 
(who seemed pleased we'd stopped to ask!), but the station was closed. 
Decision time - head for petrol in Ashford or risk it and head north to Canterbury. The Compass Inn at Sole Street tempted us northward. We did a few of the Crundale lanes (very pleasant they were, too), then arrived at the Compass Inn. But not before a little contre-temps with a self-proclaimed land-owner telling us not to ride the dips beside the Jullieberrie Downs lane, the dips 
that have been played on for decades. He claimed we were damaging them, but how likely is that? We suspect he's been wound-up by the local MX and trials boys playing on the land behind, but because we stopped for a chat he picked on the easy target. Great to have such jolly friendly people in the countryside!
I thought. Always a good welcome there, and the stone floor easily takes the wet and dirty socks - we're polite boys and take off our boots 
when getting down to a lunchtime bevvy and nosh. Things got complicated now as we all had different directions to go, but we all went for the lanes 
north towards Canterbury before splitting at the Esso in Wincheap. Bit disturbed to find that just as we were leaving the lane north out of Eggringe Wood that four or five LandRovers were heading up it. Hopefully not another beautiful lane destroyed, but I suspect that they can't travel in these conditions without leaving considerable damage. 
Shame for all really. With the Adisham lanes TRO'd it was back down south via the lane at Wingate Farm and finishing on the lane at Swingfield Minnis. And back, after a pressure wash, 
to Folkestone to deliver the CRM back to its rightful owner, who was just returning back from his birthday walk to Sandgate - excellent timing.
