During the Easter bank holiday weekend we made a pretty decent run all the way from Essex up to Newcastle on Tyne. This was one of the few bike trips we take in a year and I never wrote about them as until now I had no idea how to make it interesting (or semi interesting). These bike trips are not so much about touristy hot spots, what to see and where to eat, which is not that difficult to write about, as it is about the roads, the landscape and all the aches, pains and breaks that come with being in a saddle for a prolonged period of time.
I am not talking about trying to travel the world on a motorcycle like Elspeth Beard or go all the way down to to Cape Town like Lois Pryce, not even long runs across Europe as many other motorbike bloggers post, but just short trips around the UK, things you can do in a weekend to get out of your town and explore. I will get myself out of my comfort zone to maybe inspire you to get out of yours. This could be especially helpful if you decided to reduce your carbon footprint by taking less flights.
Before I sink my teeth into writing about the Easter trip, I will introduce you to our “fleet”.
Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm aka Pearl
This bike is the husband’s pride and joy. He got her after his big crash in 2008 and has since rebuilt her and sprayed her himself. She is a “mutt”, not a sports bike and not a touring one either, but something in the middle. It is so much fun going places on her but she is uncomfortable for any longer rides. The best thing about her is that she will sometimes set the car alarms off when passing parked cars.
Shedding parts on the way back from Peak District 
All snug in the garage
Yamaha XJR 1300 aka The Beast
This is our touring baby. She is a muscle bike and comfortable enough to do 2 hours in one go without feeling too stiff. Most of our longer jaunts are on this bike. She might be called the beast but Pearl definitely has a louder roar. Another plus is that she has the Givi system rigged on which means we get extra space for longer trips. This proved very useful for going camping with the club and then straight to the Isle of Man for a week for the TT races.
At one of the rallies
Yamaha SR 125 aka Rintin
This is my tiny 125cc bike. Compared to the other bikes it is a baby, but only in engine size. Age wise, it is the oldest of the bikes, all the way from 1992! It is almost as old as me! We use it rarely unfortunately, but it was fun to take it sunflower picking in the villages around our town.
Mate, we're lost! 