Thistledown

Monday, 24 September 2012

Sachs Appeal

On Saturday we got our first prooper look at Gareth's new toy - an Austrian Sachs 800 Roadster.

A better look at the powerplant, a Suzuki 800cc four-stroke, v-twin, water-cooled unit, more usually found in Suzuki’s Intruder/Marauder cruiser.

It does sound nice, as you can hear in this clip of a similar machine.

Breakfast Run

Saturday morning saw a group of us head over the Duke’s Pass to Brig O’Turk in the Trossachs and the newly re-opened tearoom there for breakfast.

Norman's MZ Skorpion Traveller and Gareth's Sachs 800 Roadster

I have been having a niggly problem with my shoulder recently and it was just too painful to attempt to ride the bike that morning. Rather than give it a miss I took the car, feeling a bit like I’d somehow let the side down, and this on what turned out to be a beautifully bright, crisp autumnal morning.

On the plus side, I managed one of those rather eventful ‘sat-nav detours’ where your box of tricks directs you over unexpected roads that you had no idea existed. In this case some single-track roads through the local estate avoiding the main roads and all the towns on them. I barely saw another soul, never mind a vehicle. I do plan on going back on two wheels some time when the weather is a bit better.

From left to right: Gareth, Terry, Colin, Iain (Kawa), Colin and Norman

In the end we had seven turn up for a hearty breakfast, six of whom managed it there on their bikes. Norman has done a piece on his site here and, rather than repeat what he’s said I’ll just post some photos.