• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Transport of the 2 wheel kind

D

Dan Whitelock

Senior Member
Hi folks,
Unfortunately my beloved campervan is in the scrapyard in the sky and my only economical replacement is a little 125cc bike.
Simple question, has anyone ever got to the banks with their rods on a motorbike? If so, how? I only ever carry a small rucksack, 1 rod and net/pole..... rarely bother with a seat as I sit on my unhooking mat which is rarely wet!

I'm thinking to strap the rucksack to the pillion seat and throw my small quiver over my shoulder? I'm sure I recall following someone on a bike who had a similar set up. Bored of the closed season now, might have a little practice run to a small day ticket puddle not too far from me when the weather picks up a bit.
 
I used to do it a lot back when.... With a small quiver, c/w fold up triangular net that will store easily and a rucksack, with a small fold up chair packed in it was fine.

Nearly got taken out when early summers morning when a Deer jumped over me and the bike :eek: But a brilliant way to get around, and if you have a trials machine, nowhere is out of bounds.:)
 
Back in the 60's, after graduating from pedal power to motorbikes I used to go everywhere on my trusty? BSA C15. Rucksack on back and a small holdall slung over my shoulder with a bungee cord to hold the end in close to the bike, used to flap around in the slipstream otherwise!
In more recent years I found I could fit a travel rod alongside the panniers on my BMW and all the gear in the pannier, much safer.
 
.

I used to go all the time big rod bag and box no problems.
just don't go round corners to fast or the rod bag will hit the floor.
I put my shelter in the rod bag.
 
Back in the 80's I used to have a closed end stainless tube , about 2 ft long mounted vertically on the rear offside of my old Honda CX 500, I could put a holdall with rods, net , pole and brolly in the tube, it stood upright and was no problem at all, rucksak on my back with a fold up chair similar to those we use these days mounted on the back of the rucksack. I could do a 100 miles each way with no probs at all.
I made a lid for the tube,so it doubled up as a waterproof pannier when not fishing, not the prettiest thing in the world,but very serviceable.

These days travel rods are so good I would have no problem just bunging one in a rucksack on my back with a 3 draw tele net pole and seat.

Dave.
 
This is all great stuff guys thanks for the reassurance! Only downside to it is that my bike doesn't have the tv/dvd, stove, bed, sink etc etc....... it is wonderfully cheap transport though so I'm happy with the trade off!
 
Tank bag , rack / panniers should cope with most of the luggage you need for a fishing trip , the rod / long things is always more of a challenge . As long as I stayed under 50 mph to cut down on the wind force against the rod holdall , and didn't corner like Sheene to avoid the rod - road interface and inevitable carnage I used to manage fine on a motorbike :)
 
My 2 wheel wonder struggles much above 50mph anyway - especially in this awful breeze! Quite looking forward to the new season and ventures out on the bike. I'd like to think it'll be a lot warmer too!!
 
Dan Whitelock said:
My 2 wheel wonder struggles much above 50mph anyway - especially in this awful breeze! Quite looking forward to the new season and ventures out on the bike. I'd like to think it'll be a lot warmer too!!
Click to expand...

Liking your style Dan, miss having a bike, and would probably still be riding one if it wasn't for the pressure to 'learn to drive' on having 3 young boys to have to ferry around when they were kids.

But yes there are downsides, like freezing hands in the winter, one of my first jobs was a Telegram Boy in Bristol, (long gone of course, replaced by e.mail), anyway my poor hands used to get so cold they went numb, even with the standard issue huge gauntlets....and you were nothing unless you could create a shower of sparks from leaning over so far to rub the leg guards on the tarmac with the old Bantam's :D

How cool was that?

Kids to-day I dunno :rolleyes:
 
That brings back a few memories Neil, the cold hands went when I discovered BMW's, great fairings AND heated grips!
One of my 'projects' as a teenager was to obtain an ex-GPO 125 Bantam and try to convert it into a Bantam racer, never did get completed due to the inevitable girls, marriage, kids, etc.
 
My first bike on the road was a 200cc single cylinder Triumph Cub, made many trips to the fens on it with my tackle summer and winter, must have been mad, couldn't do it now.
 
Steve Roffey said:
That brings back a few memories Neil, the cold hands went when I discovered BMW's, great fairings AND heated grips!
One of my 'projects' as a teenager was to obtain an ex-GPO 125 Bantam and try to convert it into a Bantam racer, never did get completed due to the inevitable girls, marriage, kids, etc.
Click to expand...

As you probably know Steve the GPO Bantams were 'governed' and that reduced the speed :p however I got a friendly mechanic in the depot to un-govern mine as I had a routine office post job...and I swear I got all of 55mph one day along Stapleton Road:)

I 'progressed' to a C15, a East German MZ, a Suzuki and last but not least a Kawasaki 250 'Cafe' errr racer. Never could afford a Beamer, and then like you the kids came. :rolleyes:
 
The sight of sparks flying from the footpeg of a GPO Bantam got me into motorbikes. I was so impressed that I decided there and then to get a bike as soon as I was 16. It was a bit of a long wait though, as I was only about 11 at the time. My first bike was a BSA C15 as well, a fast red one not a slow green one. I've never been without a motorbike of some sort or other ever since and am 69 this year. They do become quite collectable, not necessarily value wise, but in my case for sentimental reasons, although have bitten the bullet in recent years reducing 8 to 4. I have succumbed on one of them to heated grips, which are an absolute boon in winter months. However the fingertip pain endured whilst thawing out once at work is still vividly remembered, especially wishing the lights would change to red to allow a quick warmup on the cylinder barrel.
What a great thread.
 
Great reading these tales guys, I blissfully dismissed the information that fingers get very cold on a bike - all I had in my mind was riding off into the sunrise, mind full of hope at the prospect of a new day, quiver slung over my shoulder, leather tassels flapping in the slipstream etc etc - my ''winter leather gloves'' lasted all of 2 days last week before I invested in a much warmer and thicker set..... at least now I retain just enough feeling in my fingers to get my ID card out at the work entrance in the mornings!

Found a local puddle with a good head of Tench where only members can get gate access to park in the lake car park whilst mere mortals such as me on a day ticket park outside on the lane. However, those of us with a motorbike that asks the man nicely can push it through the pedestrian gate to the back of the swim...... has it's perks already!
 
Anyone remember riding in the rain without goggles before the advent of visors and full face helmets? I can still remember the stinging now.
 
Boy, we were tough back then..... Kids of today eh. Heated grips,full face helmets, body armour, goretex gloves and suits. Not to mention super sticky tyres and fully adjustable suspension. But are they happy.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top