Motorcycle cafe in London, ie http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/Find-us.aspx

Sorry for the confusion and my not being here to sort it out.
I left for the UK on Fiday morning as I had a college reunion on Saturday and was staying overnight with old college friends on Friday night.

It was great seeing Darek & Violetta, who arrived just in time to catch the group who met at the Ace Cafe to ride down to the starting point at Pratt's Bottom. I think they've been drawn in well and truly!

The weather was ideal - not too hot and bright but no dazzling sun.
Lovely roads, good company, no spills....what more could one ask for?

Here's to the next one.

Hi Mike!!!
Thank you for Your words about us.We hope, that you way back home was ok. It was brilliant experience. We love it even more. We have took some pictures, with you on it. How we can send it to you, and other riders?
We will be in touch. Darek and Violetta.

Thank you, too!

It really was a pleasure meeting you and I know the others feel the same. The 'Ace' breakfasters arrive between 9.30. and 10.00 nearly every Saturday - just turn up.

As for the photos, thank you for them, too.

You could put them in the Album here and I'll copy them to the X9OC Gallery or join the forum and post them yourself.

All superscooter riders are welcome there and many members belong to more than one forum as I do myself.
I say again how lucky I am to have 'found' this one.

Ah, yes!

It was a good day, as all the Kent Rideouts have been and as I said, all are welcome.
Rumour has it that a Spring 'Kent' rideout may happen next year.
I'll post links.

I confess I did not read this thread when it was posted - you folks from accross the pond are funny. Please don't adjust your threads thinking we colonials will go crazy because of your colorful local terms.

This thread was funny - I hope to hear more from all of you including Darek and Violetta.

All in good time, Dale!

A quick up-date:

JJ, who organises the Kent Rides, had an 'off' a couple of weeks ago. He wasn't badly hurt, thank goodness, unlike the courtsey bike he was riding (a bill for £900.00 in spite of his dealer not charging VAT or Labour and with parts at Trade Prices) but damaged his thumb so can't do lots of recceing routes at the moment.
Therefore, on the suggestion of other club members, we're repeating Kent 5, most of which was in Sussex! It was a super Ride and includeds the Long Man of Wilmington, Birling Gap, Eastbourne, Hastings for Fish and Chips, then finishes in Kent. John's said we'll detour towards the end to the BoB Memorial in Folkestone.

I'll post the Meeting Points as soon as I know exactly where they are. It'll be soon.

Link to the Godstone Meeting Point (next to the Fire Station) - 09.30.

http://streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=535000&y=152575&z=3&sv=535000,152575&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

Then on to Upper Dicker (Total Garage) on the A22 - meet at 10.30, leave at 11.00:

http://streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=557060&y=111285&z=3&sv=557060,111285&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&dn=610

A group (two, at least) are meeting at the Ace, leaving at 08.30. to ride down to Godstone.

No, Alan - it's the 25th. April.
That's not the weekend coming or the next but the next.

Just in case anyone who can come has missed the thread -

It's this coming Sunday!

16 bikes confirmed (some 2-up)
7 possibles

There will be my SW with...just installed PCIII.

So how'd it go?

Inquiring minds and those that are intrigued by y'alls funny language want to know.

I'm still recovering, Dale!

My camera wouldn't work so I'm waiting for some pictures to be posted elsewhere that I can put in my album.
I'll write a proper report but suffice it to say for now, I had a great weekend with good rides to and from and an excellent rideout on the day.
I promise I'll do it soon.

Mike,

I am curious, do you go across on a ferry (regular or a foil) or do you put the bike on a train or drive through the chunnel?

Hi Jdeereanton!
Haha funny language. For me is a second language, still bad, haha. I am Polish but in UK.
I will write more later when I get home, and take my dictionary, haha.
I very nice of you, posting your message. Have nice day.

Dale, I usually travel on the car-ferry from Calais to Dover - the P&O Company.
The crossing is around 90 minutes.
As bikes always go on first it means that I can get up to the food hall for a meal before the car and coach passengers are even on board so don't have to queue.
Being on the boat is much more comfortable and relaxing. There are large lounges, bars, a duty-free shop and an open area where smokers can go for a ciggie or two.
There's usually lots to see. The English Channel is a very busy seaway with three different ferry companies on the same crossing with around ten ferries in action at any one times as well as large and small freighters going up and down - massive container ships going to ports like Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, tankers......all sorts - and a myriad of smaller craft both sail- and motor-powered.
The Channel is only 22 miles wide at its narrowest so many pleasure craft nip over from Fance to England an vice-versa for the day.
Some people even swim across although I've not seen anyone doing it yet!
Very often, too, one can get on an earlier ferry as there's generall space for another bike.
The bikes are strapped down for the crossing. There are lots of dedicared spaces, each having a ring in the deck either side. There are ratchet-straps with a cushion on for the purpose. The strap is always put over the seat with the bikes on side-stands. I take an old towel to cover the seat as the straps can get very dirty if the weather's wet and there's water on the deck.

The Tunnel is much quicker - 30 minutes - but is not so good for bikers as there's nowhere to sit and nothing to see.
One has to take the train - there is no road. The trains are double-deckers with cars up and down. Bikes always go on the bottom - the ramps are very steep. It's quite a challenge riding along the train, usually four or five carriages, as the 'road-way' is only just wider than the track of a car and has raised kerbs either side.
If I go over for the day it's very convenient in terms of time saved.
Another minor niggle is that the Tunnel check-in is by machine - easy if you are familiar with it but hopeless when you get stuck behind someone who doesn't!
There are no tie-downs so it's important to stay close by the bike, especially at the beginning and end of the journey as the trains do lurch a bit over the points.

I've done a couple of different crossings. The other Channel one is from Ramsgate in England to Ostend, which is only 20 minutes from here. It's a 3-4 hour crossing, though.
I did the Fast-Cat from Portsmouthn to Cherbourg in France, too. At one point the GPS said we were doing 45MPH!

The bottom line is; I like boats!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P&O_Ferries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolkline (goes from Dunkirk, not Calais)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_tunnel

http://images.google.be/images?q=channel%20tunnel%20shuttle&rlz=1I7DLUK_en-GB&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi pictures

If you scroll down in the 4th link you'll see an excellent shot of bikes on the train.
In fact they're in one of the carriages with no upper deck; these are used for tall minibuses and vans and for coaches. There are a couple in every train-set.

Mike,

Thanks for the write up - too cool - I think I'd prefer the boats too. Most of the ferries I've been on are short trips but they are so cool to ride on. First in line eh? One more advantage to riding a motor bike!

I forgot that it was just the train that goes through. Yes, quite a time savings, but all you can see are the walls of the tunnel?!!

"all you can see are the walls of the tunnel?!!"

Yes and the windows are quite low down so unless you're sitting in a car, you have to stoop to see out - for the first and last few minutes when the train is still in the open-air.
I forgot to mention that bikes board the train last usually although on one ludicrously wet day, a man in a van came along the queue gathering up the bikers and leading them down on to the platform where there is a canopy - there's no shelter otherwise and the whole area is very exposed.
The train isn't bad, it's just very 'mechanical' - at the docks there's always something to see.
Having said that, occasionally one's in the right place to see the big trucks driving on to their trains. Those drivers are so skillful and almost always get it right first time.
I'm looking forward to travelling on one of the two new ferries coming on the P&O fleet.

I find that going from UK to Europe is better on the train, as you don't lose so much time (Europe has a one hour time difference to the UK). It's so short a journey (40 minutes) that you are on your way before you know it. Coming back to the UK, I prefer the ferry as the time difference works in your favour and you have time to relax, have a meal, etc. and although its 1hr 45mins, you only lose 45mins due to the time zones.