On the Road again...

[Kristof]

Hello,
Some information,

At my return to France, end of August 2020, and after two years without a motorbike (just a short rental last year in Portugal) I visited a few dealers in Brittany and at one of them I received a good welcome and as there was a T7 Rally edition available, so I bought it...
I didn't try the bike before I bought it and I don't have any "nasty surprises", although I admit that the seat is relatively hard. If I keep this bike, I would most certainly change it.

Why a T7?
Originally I wanted a T12 but not knowing the length of my stay in France, I have to think of an "easy" resale and I see T12s that stay on sale for a long time.
This also explains my choice of this "limited" edition instead of a "classic" model.

Having been weaned off motorbikes for the last two years (forbidden in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan- excepted for the police and tourists on transit) My initial plan was to do a Tour of France, with a ride in Spain then Portugal and back to the South of France.
But once in Biarritz close to the Spanish border, the situation with the Covid continuing to deteriorate, I gave up the idea of crossing the borders.

During my research I saw this very beautiful CB in Brest, it brought back some memories for me, especially the association Honda + colour, because my first motorbike, at 16 years old, was a CB 450, at that time the all category bike licence could be obtained from 16 years old, this in Abidjan in Ivory Coast where I was at that time with my parents.
Even though it had what I needed for a "ride" I can't appreciate a 4 cylinder, so I went on my way.



Test at the dealer with the Turkmen soft bags but they are not really fit for the T7 (...)

Here on a friend's Triumph:

[Kristof]

I start at the end, here is the map of this "Tour de France 2020" - 4500km
(from 11th September to 28th September)




------------------------------------------
Pontivy on September 10th
This morning I returned to Brest station with the rental car I had since my arrival in France at the end of August.
1 hour by TGV to St Brieux and then the bus to Pontivy.
The bike is almost ready, just missing the exhaust pipe and turn signals (LED).
Delivery is planned for tomorrow morning, then back to Brest via St Malo.
Appointment made next Wednesday for the 1000's km oil change.

[Kristof]

September 11th - Almost 400km for the first day.


Saint-Briac sur Mer:


Cap Fréhel:

[Kristof]

From the 11th to the 14th: ride along the north coast of Finistère.

A nice DB6 at "L'Aber-Ildut":



Close to Portsall




L'Aber-Wrach:



Roscoff:



Le Conquet:
[url=https://zupimages.net/viewer.php?id=20/42/u37z.jpg]

[Kristof]

September 15th - Back to the dealer for the first oil change (1000km)






Close to Plouray:
https://www.drukpa.eu/fr/

[Kristof]

Wednesday 16th, first oil change + LED installed (part of the Rally Edition" kit + a GPS

Then direction La Baule, Pornichet



La Baule:



Thursday 17th - Pornichet / Nantes


Saint Nazaire with a Sea "something" being built on the background


Along the coast after St Nazaire:



At the "passage du Goi"




Concerning the passage of the Gois, the tide was rising and I didn't make the crossing, just a few pictures, but the camping car didn't hesitate to (...) - Further on there is a bridge to reach "Noirmoutier".

[Kristof]

Sunday 20th
After a short break near Nantes, I hit the road again on Sunday morning to reach Arcachon via Royan to take the ferry.


Only one motorbike during this crossing.







Arcachon:

[Kristof]

Monday September 21st - Arcachon / Biarritz


Mimizan:





Biarritz:

[Kristof]

Wednesday September 23rd - After two days in Biarritz direction: Foix



I continue to avoid the motorways and the GPS guides me on the small roads, it's a real pleasure with the T7.

View of the Pyrenees:



Foix:

[Delicate Snowflake]

merci Kristof

[campfire]

Yes, very nice.

[Kristof]

merci Kristof

Yes, very nice.

Thanks, so I go on, and now with the advertisement made on another site we have more readers, I thank them too

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September 24th - Foix/Montélimar, 464km:


Carcassone:


At the entrance to a vineyard near Béziers:


Béziers:




View to Sète (on the hill and around):



Short stop at Orange, at the French headquarters of a well-known company:



Inside the shop they have some nice old bikes:


For sure I wasn't expecting to see a Dyna here:

[Kristof]

September 25th - Montélimard / Annecy



Not far from Grenoble, in the Vercors:



They arrived just before me:




Massif de la Chartreuse (Mountains):
Coming from the south the quickest way to reach Annecy is via Grenoble and the motorway but as I said I preferred to use the smaller roads, via the Chartreuse and I had never taken those roads before.


Aix les Bains:



No photos when I arrived in Annecy because of the rain.
The weather went from +20C in the morning to +6C in the Chartreuse with light snow on the roadside in the mountains.

[Kristof]

September 26th - Annecy / Reims - 544km


At the hotel there was a small group with Can-Am Spyder,



Annecy:




When I went to the Yamaha dealer I met Pierre de Rubio who was one of the very first to receive a T7, then he left for Dakar with it.
He has done some great rides with a BMW and a KTM, South America, Central Asia, Russia... We had a little chat.

Nantua:


The river Ain - (near Coyron):






The weather not being so "good" anymore, at the beginning of the afternoon, after the river "L'Ain" I decided to take the motorway to reach Reims before nightfall...

Parked for the night:

[Kristof]

September 27th - Reims / Honfleur


The day before, apart from the rain, there was a strong side wind, the same thing at the start on the 27th.
Part of this motorway is called the "autoroute des Anglais" the English motorway, who use it to reach the South.
Hence this picture with only English plate numbers:


With the wind I was expecting to have an interesting passage on the Pont de Normandie but in fact at this point I had it in my back and not the slightest deviation during the crossing.




Honfleur:

[Kristof]

September 28th - Honfleur / Brest - End of the Tour de France.

The road passing not far from the Mt Saint Michel, a small diversion to see it more closely.
Before it was possible to come and park near the entrance but for some years now the car parks are in the village on the coast and you have to take the shuttle bus.

[LadyDraco]

Very Nice , great pic... Thank you for taking us along !!

[diogenes009]

A very excellent report! Thank you very much for posting it.

[MrKiwi]

very nice

[Kristof]

A very excellent report! Thank you very much for posting it.

very nice

Merci.

Last week I was tempted to pull out the T7 and go to Portugal to avoid the lockdown here but that country is also in lockdown mode... in fact like the majority of Europe.

Note that it could have been worse a lockdown in winter is a little less hard than in summer.