Category: Tourism & Travel

1. The Best Songs and Riding Playlists for Motorcycle Road Trips

   Posted on 10:00am Thursday 13th May 2021

   Motorcycle road trips are memorable experiences, but any great adventure needs a good soundtrack. You want music that will heighten your sense of adventure, evoke powerful memories and fit seamlessly with life on the road. That’s why we’ve assembled our comprehensive list of the best songs and riding playlists for motorcycle road trips to help you make the most of your experience.

   1. “Motorcycle Mama”

   Neil Young’s laid-back cruising song from the 1978 album, Comes a Time, is perfect for those long highway touring days. Neil Young and Nicolette Larson sing together about love, lust and trouble–all timeless themes for all motorcyclists.

   2. “Smoke on the Water”

   The guitar riff, the angsty lyrics–all of the details of Deep Purple’s 1971 classic tune–evoke the free-wheeling spirit of motorcyclists everywhere.

   3. “Born to Be Wild”

   It’d be impossible not to include this song on a motorcycle road trip list. Steppenwolf delivers the ultimate, rebellious biker song that captures the thrill of the open road.

   4.” Ezy Ryder”

   Another 1971 classic, “Ezy Ryder” by Jimi Hendrix evokes an era of crazy hippies while also creating something altogether timeless. The lyrics say it all:

   “There goes Ezy, Ezy Ryder

   riding down the highway of desire

   he says the free wind takes him higher

   tryin' to find his heaven above”

   As far as motorcycle lyrics go, it doesn’t get much better than that. The Hendrix guitar doesn’t hurt, either.

   5. “Midnight Rider”

   The Allman Brothers are an American treasure. This 1970s song strikes all the right chords. The lyrics evoke freedom, the highway, poverty, evasion and the life of a nomad. The guitar bridges and sweet, haunting high notes of the guitar riffs coupled with the steady beat of the drums conjure up life on the road.
   

   6. “The Ballad of Easy Rider”

   The Byrds’ “The Ballad of Easy Rider” is all about the flow of the ride and following the flow of life. It’s spiritual, it’s earthy and it touches on timeless themes of freedom, desire and the beauty of the natural world. Play this while you’re riding down country roads, and you might just find yourself someplace like heaven.

   7. “Bat Out of Hell”

   With this ten-minute masterpiece, Jim Steinman made the ultimate teenage tragedy anthem. Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman take this song from the end of the road, over the barricade and all the way to the watery depths of the ocean.

   Making Your Playlist

   When it comes to crafting the perfect riding playlist, you obviously need more than seven songs. We’ve provided these incredible songs to get you started and to give you an idea of how to cultivate the atmosphere you need and want while riding. However, there’s much more to it than that.

   Maybe you want to have one massive playlist where you put any and all your songs for riding, but we recommend that you build playlists based on themes. That way, you know exactly what playlist to go to, regardless of mood and landscape.

   Choosing Your Themes

   Choose playlist themes that will work well with the landscapes you’ll be encountering over the course of your different rides. For instance, cruising along a highway out West evokes a very different mood from the back roads of the Northeastern states. Seaside Southern roads are different still and twisting mountain roads have a character all their own.

   Build playlists that reflect the mood you want to cultivate while riding through these different terrains. Choose songs that evoke the hard-driving, amped-up freedom you love, or choose songs that fit seamlessly with laid-back, open-sky tours.

   Ideas for Themes

   Here are some ideas for perfect motorcycle playlist themes that can keep you going on all roads and in all weather.

   * Chilled-out cruising

   For this theme, choose songs with a steady, calm beat, well-crafted melodies and poetic lyrics. Neil Young’s “Motorcycle Mama” or almost anything by The Eagles is an ideal song choice.

   * Rebel freedom

   “Smoke on the Water,” “Bat Out of Hell” and anything punk or metal fit this playlist theme perfectly. Get your adrenaline going and enjoy the rush of life on the road.

   * Country roads

   If you’re in mountain country, why not enjoy a little John Denver, Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks or Emmylou Harris? Ride to the beat of down-home classics and enjoy the nostalgia of country music.

   * ’90s teen spirit

   This list has been ’70s-centric, but who doesn’t love a little bit of ’90s angst? Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Incubus, Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin and Chris Cornell all make excellent additions to a ’90s throwback.

   * Hippie riders

   If you want to get in touch with your inner slow-riding hippie, make a playlist centered on the acoustic classics: Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Paul Simon and Joan Baez all bring back some stripped-down hippie blues. 

   Download Your Playlists

   If you need your tunes to keep you going through the backroads where you might lose signal, remember to download your playlists to your listening device. This can help keep you motivated even in the absence of cellular service.

   Add to Your Playlists as You Go

   Part of the beauty of playlists is that you can add to them as you go–add songs that your buddies recommend and create a time capsule of memories. The more you build and ride to your playlists, the more memories you’ll have associated with the songs and the themes you’ve chosen. Some things just get better with time, and the best riding playlists definitely fall into that category.

   The Takeaway

   Whether you enjoy chilled-out cruising tunes or amped-up Rock ‘n’ Roll, there’s something here for every rider.

   Enjoy your ride, make those memories and savor the moments and the friendships along the way. The road is calling, and these songs can help you enjoy the journey.

    

    

    

    

   article supplied

2. Biking Destinations for Road Trips

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 1st Apr 2021

   The UK is blessed with some fine roads that are perfect for bikers, and they are also lucky that there are many friendly bunkhouses and hotels. The list of biker friendly pubs is not too shabby either. Sometimes though, it is nice to know that there might be some other entertainment available on a trip.

   The last year saw many travel restrictions that curtailed long journeys, or even unnecessary short ones. So, it seems that now restrictions are loosening and the lockdowns are once again over, it might be time to get back on the road if you haven’t already.

   Here are some ideas for destinations, some of the roads are included but of course, half the fun is making up your own route.

   Choosing a destination for a bike trip

   For some, the journey is everything, but for others, the destination is of as much importance too. One of the most enjoyable things about travelling around the UK is that there is something for everyone.

   Some people enjoy travelling between the big cities, while others prefer the country roads, discovering new areas, making new friends in out-of-the-way pubs and/or head to Wales to the Snowdonia National Park.

   Not too far from Snowdonia is Wales’ highest pub, the Sportsman’s Arms, in Denbigh by the moors. This is the fun of choosing destinations for a bike trip, as long as time allows, you can just keep adding more on.

   Cat and Fiddle / Forest Distillery    

   While on the subject of the highest pubs, the Cat and Fiddle was built in what is now the Peak District National Park back in 1813. It was the second-highest pub in the UK, and now has the honour of being the highest distillery instead. 

   The A537, or Cat and Fiddle Road, will take you from Macclesfield to Buxton and has been a popular route for bikers for years.

   Brighton & Hove

   It is nearly sixty years since the Mods and Rockers met and clashed in Brighton. Now it has been joined to Hove and been named as a city. While many of the roads around the seafront and centre are becoming pedestrianised, the place is still worth a bike trip. 

   Brighton itself is home to the British Airways i360 observation tower, the Royal Pavilion, and of course, Brighton Pier. No trip to the city is complete without a stroll down the pier, a bag of chips, and a few quid in the arcade.

   The north and south Lanes offer the chance to amble around window shopping before stumbling on one great pub after another. When it comes to eating, there is no end of choice, and no one could fail to find something they like.

   The Game of Thrones

   This trip doesn’t technically involve any entertainment destinations, more it happens to visit several sites that were used in the filming of the Game of Thrones TV show.

   For any serious fans of the books and show, and those who also enjoy stunning scenery, then the Antrim Coast Road in Northern Ireland is a must. 

   Traveling from Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway means taking in a wonderful route. Along the route, you can visit sites such as Dunluce Castle. Before you head off, download the app from the Official Northern Island tourism website. This will show all the Game of Thrones filming locations along the Causeway coast.

   Summary

   There are far more worthy destinations in the UK than could fit into this article. For those who love a bit of seaside and kitsch, then Blackpool might be for you. For others, Edinburgh can offer culture and some fine modern restaurants.

   Head through the home counties and take in towns like Marlow and Henley-on-Thames. There are fine pubs along the Thames and plenty of sightseeing to do. 

   Or, now the weather is here perhaps a longer trip is due. Head to Cornwall for a few days of biking between towns and discover beaches, coastal paths, and great sights such as Minack Theatre, and Padstow Harbour.

    

    

    

   article supplied by Dennis Hamming - SERPTrust - Unpaid for

   Sent article for publishing - did not pay, then Sent abusive messages, very unprofessional and dishonest - avoid www.serptrust.io

    

3. Manchester doubles amount of motorcycle parking, and it’s FREE

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 23rd Mar 2021

   The number of dedicated parking places for motorcycles in Manchester car parks has more than doubled – and they are all free! A review of motorcycle parking within the city showed that demand for parking exceeded the supply, and as a result a considerable number of motorcyclists were parking unofficially, and sometimes illegally.   

   There are now 127 dedicated motorcycle spaces; a mixture of on-street (63 spaces) and covered car parks (64 spaces), and full details are available on the council’s website at: https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/info/500346/city_centre_parking/332/motorcycles    

   The measures were informed by consultation with various motorcycle community groups and organisations such as the British Motorcycle Federation and Motorcycle Action Group. They told us that having spaces in car parks and on the ground or first floors, making sure they were well-lit and having CCTV coverage was important, along with anchor points or rails for chaining bikes to. All of these suggestions have been adopted.   

   A grace period informing motorcyclists of the new provisions will run from 12/03/21 – 6/05/21, where motorcyclists who are parked illegally will receive an information leaflet informing them of the new parking provisions across the city centre.  During the grace period motorcyclists will not receive a parking ticket. However, after the grace period ends, MCC will enforce penalties (£70 penalty, discounted to £35 if paid within 14 days of issue) for motorcyclists parking in the wrong place. This includes designated cycle parking spaces and racks. Motorcyclists can park in a normal pay and display bays anywhere across the city, provided that they purchase a pay and display ticket. It is advisable to write 'M' for motorbike and the registration number of the bike on the ticket before attaching this to the motorbike, to discourage theft.  

   A motorcycle parking policy will be produced in order to finalise and formalise the changes.

   

4. Crieff Cloverleaf touring route

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 18th Jan 2021

   The Crieff Cloverleaf is a new multi-day motorcycle touring route in Scotland, featuring a set of four spectactular all-day rides that have been especially designed for motorbike touring by fellow bikers.

   Soaring through the northern alpine Cairngorms and the southern rolling hills of the Borders, curving around dramatic West Coast mountain lochs and East Coast ocean vistas, the Crieff Cloverleaf provides plenty of the best of Scotlands biking in every direction.

   From sweeping progressive A roads to winding country byways and adventurous single-tracks, the Crieff Cloverleaf has something to thrill every rider. It takes in some of Scotlands most-loved biking roads and some hidden gems too, and each route provides a great mix of riding.

   Every Cloverleaf route starts and ends in the beautiful hillside town of Crieff, Perthshire, so all four routes can be explored while staying each night in the same accommodation. This simplifies travel planning, and avoids problems with trying to book single-night stays.

   The four Crieff Cloverleaf routes travel north, south, east and west respectively, and each involves around 6 hours on the bike, divided into four separate legs. Daily distances range from 188mi/383km to 238mi/303km, depending on terrain. Each leg ends at a suitable spot for a coffee stop or lunch break. Wherever possible, stops also have a petrol station and toilet facilities available.

   For those who prefer shorter riding days or are visiting for the weekend, the Crieff Cloverleaf additionally offers the Little Leaf, an enticing set of four three-hour routes also centered on Crieff.

   The town of Crieff and the surrounding Strathearn area provide a wide range of holiday facilities, including luxury hotels and B&Bs, a variety of self-catering options, bunkhouse stays and camping. Crieff also has a great selection of top-notch cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and take-aways, plus superb specialist food and drink shops, a petrol station and full supermarket facilities.

   Scotlands incredible landscapes and exceptional roads make it a must-ride destination for motorcyclists from all over the world. We look forward to welcoming riders to the Crieff Cloverleaf in 2021.

   www.cloverleaf.scot

5. Predictions of wintery weather are bad news for local roads

   Posted on 1:00pm Monday 26th Oct 2020

   Weather forecasts of freezing air to sweep over the UK by the end of October could prove to be bad news for those local roads that have not be well-maintained believes the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).
   
   Weather forecasters WXCHARTS are predicting that Artic air from a north-westerly direction will sweep over the UK and see temperatures drop to freezing lows of 0C by the end of this month. Meanwhile, the Met Office has also predicted that north-western parts of the UK could see snow falling by the end October.
   
   This is bad news for those highway authorities who have failed to properly maintain their road networks and for the motorists who use them as the freezing temperatures could result in more potholes.
   
   Potholes are caused by water or snow freezing in cracks in the road surface. The expansion of ice results in damage and breaking up of the road surface which is made worse by repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The late start to the preventative maintenance season in some authorities due to Covid-19 led to smaller programmes being completed this year, with many unable to carry out all their planned, preventative maintenance. This is likely to lead to more expensive reactive patching over the winter.
   
   “Cold icy weather has a detrimental impact upon roads resulting in more potholes where planned proactive maintenance has not been carried out, particularly where budget has meant smaller programmes than required by carriageway asset lifecycles over a number of years ” warned Paul Boss RSTA chief executive.
   
   Boss called upon the government and local authorities to work together and invest the necessary funding to carry out planned programmes of road maintenance rather than expensive reactive pothole repair: “Patch-and-mend defies economic logic”, said Boss. “It costs only £3 to £5 per m2 to surface dress and maintain a road but costs on average over £50 per m2 to repair potholes. The expensive, emergency patch and mend repair of potholes is not a sensible use of highway budgets unlike the implementation of planned programmes of maintenance.”