I wonder what happened to Sid, the original poster. Do you think we scared him away?

Michael

Probably decided to take a 4x4 instead because of the possibility of rain - the next post will be should it be a Land Cruiser of a Land Rover ;-)

Neither - clearly a Range Rover is called for - the 'Autobiography' edition should be sufficient.

But, if it's his first SUV, he might want to consider getting a Cullinan right off the bat, to reduce the risk that he might find the Range Rover wanting once the ashtray gets full and the gas tank gets empty.

Michael

Thanks all, I'm still here

Just been absorbing all the information you've been giving me. From the general consensus, I'm thinking my logistical plans are reasonably sane. As for the bike, I'll have a think about it over the next few weeks and decide on a 125cc or a 500 (there's a Honda cb500f available nearby that I can have a look at to see if I'd be comfortable with); I have ridden on a restricted cb600F (for my test), so I maybe I'll feel OK with a 500 ? especially if I put in some mileage on it before the big trip.

As for the trip itself, I'll definitely post again after I've come back, letting you all know how it went!

Thanks again,
Sid

Hi Sid:

Welcome back, great to hear from you!

Your trip plans are certainly very reasonable and very sane - nothing to worry about in that respect.

As for motorcycle size - we don't know your age, your driving record, what kind of insurance market you live in, so before you go and buy any motorcycle, speak to your insurance agent to find out what it will cost you to insure the bike.

Insurance premiums will vary based on many factors, and about the only ones you can control are the purchase price of the motorcycle and the size of motorcycle you buy. So ask your agent what the insurance price difference is between (for example) a 125 cc, 250 cc, and 500cc, and also ask what the insurance price difference is between a bike that you buy for £500 vs a bike you buy for £2,500.

If you are considering a 500 cc bike, be sure you are comfortable with the "deadweight" of the motorcycle. 125 and 250 cc bikes are pretty light, anyone can pick them up if they fall over, and anyone can maneuver them around with the engine off. If you are an "average size" adult, you probably won't have a problem pushing a 500 cc bike around, but before you buy it, compare it to pushing a 125 or 250 around and make sure you are happy with the result.

Once the motorcycle is moving under engine power, it doesn't really matter what the deadweight is, they pretty much all handle the same.

Michael

In light of recent events, might be a bit wiser to table the plans for a little while haha

With half of Ireland over here for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, I doubt a lone traveller is going to make much difference to the statistics either way ;-)

Reckon you're right this isn't the year for an international road trip. A lot of people (including me) thinking wait for 2021 when the situation should have lightened up and a vaccine should be available.

Explore your home country, there's sure to be plenty of good places and epic rides, even if they don't come with the same bragging rights