RiDE

‘Now is the time to head on some truly epic trips’ Welcome to the June issue of RiDE. Early summer is my favourite time of the year to be a biker. Britain is in bloom, the sun warms the tarmac and grip abounds. You hook up with your riding friends and carve through the beautiful, verdant countryside, in command and in control, those first wobbles of spring banished to the past. Well, that’s the dream anyway. The truth is the UK in 2022 still isn’t a perfect biking world (£30 fill-up, anyone?) but getting out on your bike is definitely worth it this month — and if you’re going to head anywhere, you could do worse than go to the Lake District. It’s been a good ten years since I was last…

Glencoe, Scotland I’ve just got back from a spring run to the west coast of Scotland, which was absolutely amazing. This is my favourite picture of my Triumph Thruxton 900, complete with touring gear, ace bars, rearsets and a £5 rucksack from Aldi! I rode past Loch Nan Uamh, took in a sunset view looking towards the islands of Eigg, Rum and Skye (from the A830 near Mallaig — it’s the view from Local Hero which was filmed around here) and Loch Lomond. This picture is Glencoe in all its glory and with snow still on the peaks. What a fantastic place to explore on a bike. Get your bike in RiDE & win a BikeTrac system Each month the Star Picture will win a BikeTrac security tracker with a year’s BikeTrac subscription.…

Yorkshire Dales An amazing, but chilly, recent ride around the Yorkshire Dales on my 1999 ZZR600. I took in the Route 59 Café near Skipton for breakfast, Kettlewell, Hawes, the Buttertubs Pass and the highest pub in Britain, The Tan Hill Inn. The roads’ surfaces varied from dry to slushy snow but there were great views around every corner and I loved every minute of it. Shaun Bond Lanzarote, Canary Islands Here is a picture of me on the off-road trails in Lanzarote. I always have fun riding my mum and dad’s bikes when I visit them there – a place I grew up is much better when seen on an adventure bike. In this case, a 200cc AJP PR4. Michael Lendon Bwlch y Groes, Wales The Wild Piglets riding to Bwlch y Groes on…

THE FACTS Roads B5381, A548, A470, A5, A543, B5381 Distance 54 miles. Best suited to Whatever you’ve got but ideally, something with a bit of grunt. Nearest big town Denbigh. Famous for Beatrix Potter, barrel rolling, murderous cinema owners and Henry Stanley (of “Dr Livingstone, I presume…” fame). WITH EASY ACCESS from the Midlands, north Wales is popular with English bikers looking for weekend thrills. However, during the week, you’re much more likely to find locals like Lee enjoying themselves on relatively empty roads. Lee and I meet at the Applegate services at Saint Asaph, just off the A55 (AKA the North Wales Expressway) which runs from Cheshire and along the north coast before falling into the sea at Holyhead. Lee’s been riding these roads as long as he’s been on two wheels and used to live…

Best time to ride “It’s busy at weekends and mid-summer. Best time to ride is weekday in spring/latesummer/autumn. My personal favourite is first thing in the morning before everyone else gets out.” Best bit “My favourite bit of the route is the A548 from Llanfair Talhaiarn to Llanrwst. It has a bit of everything — tight twisties, fast straights and great scenery.” Be careful at… “Apart from the usual rural hazards, coming out of Llanrwst to Betws there are often camera vans in the 40mph limit.” Best place for a brew or breakfast “The Chocolate Shop at Pentrefoelas is good for a brew. The Alpine Café at Betws-y-Coed is great for breakfast, and Nemo’s chippy at Betws is good too.” And also remember… “There’s plenty of fuel on the route — Applegate services at Saint Asaph where we started…

BIKE THEFT IS a major source of worry for many bikers — and this sense of fear can have a major impact on our enjoyment. It can show itself in many ways, from worries about leaving your bike unattended in built-up areas, to fears about bike jackings and even worries about bad guys breaking into your property with the intention of stealing your pride and joy. In many ways, social media doesn’t help; every day, we see brazen bike thieves attempting to nick people’s bikes and there are multiple anti-theft — and even, in the past, alleged vigilante — groups out there ready to give our light-fingered friends a good pasting. And while we can’t possibly condone a bit of rough justice, what is the reality, both in figures and the…