Sommer DieselBike Rally

[Diesel Dave]

Chaps, is anyone else considering a trip to Yochen’s Rally this summer?

Dates are 20 - 22 July but I’m not sure of the exact location as my German is terrible but if it’s close to the shop then it will be near Bergen-Geyern.

[Oftenlost]

Hi Dave,
I missed it last year due to work. I have the dates on my calendar and have looked at the route from Dieppe, about 550 miles. Could be a nice week away if the weather holds up. There is a chance to ride through the Vosges National Park. Google maps will take you to the village where he now lives and has his workshop, Bergener Straße 7 D-91790 Bergen-Geyern.
I popped in a few years ago whilst on a tour and he was good enough to sort out a gearbox problem I was having.
Ian

[Diesel Dave]

Hi Ian,

Now you mention it I think it was you that put this in my mind in the first place.

Cheers
Dave

[Oftenlost]

Come to the dark side Dave... Jochen has a 1B50 with your name on it..... I think I get a finders fee? I am ready to sell friends and family for the cause and beer coupons....
I don't think I have talked with you since we necked a beer on the ferry home from Hook the other year, so don't blame me for this one.....
Oh! I did say nice things about the French Rally. though..... Ian

[Tetronator]

Yes, I'm thinking of making the trip!

[Diesel Dave]

Cool, looks like we have the beginnings of a Convoy......

Rubber Duck: Here's the plan: When we get to the pass, we're gonna put on our fish costumes, pass out the Vaseline® an' an extra ration o' rum for the men.

[Diesel Dave]

Right getting serious now (just need a MOT and new tyres - not necessarily in that order...)

We can either:

1) Do the Dover-Dunkirk crossing in the cheap wee hours and then beast out the 500 miles in a single hit that’s likely to take 12+ hours.

2) Take an overnight stop so we only have 250 miles per day and camp overnight somewhere.

Thoughts?

P.S. I’ve ordered the extra ration of Vaseline

[Oftenlost]

Hi Dave,
I have not confirmed any dates with work yet so my planning is in the,"That would be a nice ride," stage.
If it comes off for me, I would probably book out a couple of weeks and make it my big Sommer ride (See what I did there?)
Running it as a 12 hour, "Iron Butt" contest from Dieppe sounds a bit brutal! I was thinking about a slow ride through the Vosge/Freiburg area taking in a few sites.
Then the weekend for the rally and a loop home via Austria/Switzerland. Easy days, good scenery and no haemorrhoids....
Each to their own,
Ian

[Diesel Dave]

I’m seriously considering going down to the classic bike event the week before:

https://www.nouveau-moto-club-de-munste ... llet-2018/

Taking a slow route down - say 2 days to meet up with Arno in Saarbruken and then onwards to Gaschney.

Then take a 2 day route to Yochen event and 2 or 3 days for the ride home afterwards.

[Tetronator]

I'm considering joining you guys, if that's OK with you lot.

I can reach Saarbrücken in a day.

[Stuart]

Just a chance that I maybe up for doing both these events. If so then maybe I could tie up with Ian for the crossing to Dieppe & meet up with the others over there? Not sure I’d have the time for a slow ride back though as I need a few weeks for Hamm.
http://www.motorradmanufaktur.de/index.php?main=home
I’m still in the ‘scratching my chin’ phase presently.

[Diesel Dave]

Plans have been advancing in the interim.

https://i.imgur.com/oo3fMam.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5zooELK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5zooELK.jpg

[Diesel Dave]

Well I've booked my Eurotunnel crossing so that's 39 quid on the line to make the 05:00am checkin on 11th July.

I'm not going to book a return crossing 'till I know what I'll be doing for the return leg; might opt for a night boat from the Hook of Holland so I can have a mooch around the Netherlands on the return leg.

[Oftenlost]

Taken the plunge and booked my return ticket. I will head out Sunday 15th and return on the 27th. I am taking my time over to Jochen's as I am on holiday!
I am hoping to spend 3 nights around Thionville to visit The Maginot line Museum at Hackenberg. Should be at Geyern on the Friday and subject to change will take a southerly route home via Bregenz and The Vosges National Park. Should be fun. See you all there..... Ian

[Stuart]

We’re doing the Newhaven to Dieppe ferry at 11pm Tuesday for £42 & will push on hard for Gaschney event before doing Jochen’s bash.
I’ve been working on the Ruggerfield’s rear wheel just now in preparation. New bearings & shimming plus a new sprocket on order.
See you out there

[Diesel Dave]

Excellent stuff, see you all down the road.

[Tetronator]

Oh man, this is going to be some event.

I'll be joining in Saarbrücken!

[Oftenlost]

Jochen has posted more details on his site....

http://www.motorradmanufaktur.de/index. ... reffen2018

Bad Google translate without map...

Welcome to our second summer diesel motorcycle rally in Geyern. We look forward to welcoming as many diesel motorcycles and their drivers as possible, friends and acquaintances.
The summer diesel motorcycle meeting takes place around the village community center in Geyern. For information, we have drawn a small map, so that nobody moves in Geyern.
Tents can be placed on the TELEVISION of the family driver around the apple trees. If this is fully occupied, so further tents can be set up behind the village community house on the Wechselerwiese behind the children's pool.
Please note that please do not drive motorcycles over the meadows, as the grass / hay is used as feed.
Campers, caravans and similar vehicles in which to sleep can be parked in front of and behind the football field. Also some cars. Other cars Please in the center next to the bus stop sign.
All motorcycles can be parked on the designated motorcycle parking lot.
There are washing facilities and toilets in and around the village community house. There is also an open-air shower.
For food is best provided.
On Fridays, coffee and fresh cakes from Geyer's kitchens are welcome. The catering Friday evening takes place at the inn Heustadl. There are three courts to choose from.
Saturday and Sunday morning, the best women in the area take care of a good breakfast. Saturday afternoon there are after the excursion tours again good cake.
Schäuferle with dumpling Saturday evening takes over again the inn Heustadl. There will be Franconian specialties this evening.
Fresh bratwurst with cabbage and shaker with dumpling.
If you want a shoppers Saturday night, please register with us, at least Friday evening.
Beers and drinks of the brewery rocks from the neighboring Thalmansfeld are served.
Lageplan Sommer Dieselmotorradtreffen 14.-16. July 2017
Trips:
On Saturday from 11 clock invites the motorcycle club Kaltenbuch to an exit. Four groups, each with about 15 motorcycles, are scheduled to start the second round trip to the Jura Rundtour. On the round trip there will be short stops at various sights.
A stop at the ruin Bechtal, at the Roman Burgus in Burgsalach, the Wülzburg, at the Brombachsee (with possibility of bathing) and at the viewpoint Geyern / Kaltenbuch is planned here in each case.
At about 16 o'clock all groups should be back in Geyern again.
All who are interested in the exit, please register on Friday in one of the then available lists 1-4.
Visitors who do not want to ride a motorcycle on Saturday can take part in a guided tour with Hermann Horndasch from about 11.30. Hermann shows Geyern with many stories and anecdotes and reported (and shows as far as possible), of course, the "seven wonders of Geyser".
We look forward to your numerous appearance and a nice weekend together.

[Diesel Dave]

How to spend your 55th birthday - diesel biker style.



One reaches a certain maturity; work decides they no longer require your services, your turning 55 years old (where did the time go!); there’s only one thing to do…ROAD TRIP!



So leaving the missus at home nursing a broken ankle, wake up at an ungodly hour and make for the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone for the 05:50 train to foreign parts. the bike’s heavily loaded but running well wandering between 50 and 60mph depending on incline. At these speeds I can happily tailgate any truck and perform the occasional swift overtake.

For those who have not, (or will never), take the bike on the Eurotunnel; I have only one thing to say - BORING but fast; and at 40 quid for the single crossing, very good value.

Off the train and avoiding the toll motorways old Sluggy and I head south for warmer climbs. I had intended to camp near Reims but after a few text exchanges with the Scarry brothers (yes I spelled this correctly). I push on to Eperney to join them at the municipal campsite.



Next day we make full use of the Tom Tom ‘Winding Routes’ function to press on to Sarbruken, we have plenty of time to enjoy the scenery.




At Sarbruken in Germany where we will meet up with:



Arno and Yvonne (Diesel MZ outfit racer and all round good people)



Alex the mad Dutchman (longest diesel bike build in history)

We pitch up for the night and as it’s my birthday (never thought I would make such a grand old age) we head into town and it’s drinks by the river.



With slightly fuzzy heads, sleep comes rapidly. After a swift breakfast and coffee at the campsite it’s time to hit the road again (I seem to have the Willie Nelson version playing in my head all the time during this trip). Luckily Arno is the guide so today I can just enjoy the scenery and not worry about navigation. We stopped off to see the cave houses in the cliffside.



And before long we start to climb…..and climb and climb some more. We are heading for the winter ski resort of Gaschney, where we will camp for the weekend and enjoy the spectacle of race bikes ancient and new being mercilessly pushed up the 2km final climb - against the clock. Arno has been 9 times previously and competed in the diesel bike class in his MZ outfit. Sadly last year proved too much for the clutch and it withdrew service within sight of the start line. The outfit remains safely garages awaiting repairs. We do however still have a competitor in the class as Andre and his Centaur Enfield are ready to do battle.







We search for a flat piece of ground on the mountainside, some are luckier than others and some get a very close neighbour as more racers arrive with vans and gazebo tents for bikes and equipment. I still don’t understand how they all managed to fit in.



As Arno knows the course well he leads us down the mountain path to a viewing spot on a great hairpin that provides a fantastic view of the proceedings.



The racing was not without incident, a Goldstar runs wide and finds the outside banking, a 1932 Condor outfit has a rather harder hit at the same point leaving the front wheel a long way from it’s intended placement; and a supermotard fails to brake in time and the rider bails over the inflatable barrier at the apex and leaves the bike on the road. In all cases the riders escaped without serious injury.



After practice runs on Saturday and a whole host of drinking what appeared to be beer without alcohol because only myself and Alex remained in the beer tent at the end of the night:



Our valiant Diesel bike entry was not without hiccup’s, a blown main fuse put paid to a practice run and a broken front brake lug on the fork leg finally put paid to our hero’s entry. Luckily Andre did manage to put in a timed run and so became the unchallenged winner of the diesel bike class.



Now I have never been so grateful for…

1) Not being a football fan (that’s soccer for those that think football needs to be played in a suit of armour)
2) England getting knocked out before the final.

Sunday evening provides the cup winners ceremony and also the World cup with France becoming the ultimate victors - to say the indigenous population were ecstatic to say the least. Thanking the starts it was not an `England v France' final or we may have not made it out alive.

All too soon it is Monday morning and time to hit the road again. Arno has booked us a personal tour of the museum in La Grange A Becanes and we make good time over the twists.

A museum full of French Rabatt motorcycles of all shapes sizes and ages, the displays include a sidecar outfit you can ride upon and twisting the throttle speeds up the 3D forward display so it really feels like you are riding it (just needs a diesel soundtrack to become perfect). Also a classic racer for the photogenic but as I have a face designed for radio I decide to mug it up anyway.



‘On the road again’ as willies soundtrack repeats in my head, we mount up and head off once more. By this time Jeff’s rear wheel on the Ruggerfield is showing district signs of distress, following the bike the wobble in the wheel is visible and somewhat alarming although Jeff manages to control the machine with aplomb.



The road ahead continues to amaze us with spectacular views, we stop off to catch the emergence of one of the sources of the ‘Blue Danube’ and partake of a coffee at the adjoining restaurant to spark up jaded road weary brains. As always the diesel bike attract attention and we make somewhat stuttered conversation with a bicycle mounted french chap who has a summer house locally. It always surprises how much of a conversation starter and ice breaker diesel bikes can be.



After some deliberation we decide to head for Jochen Sommers workshop and diseselbike rally ahead of schedule as we need to fix Jeffs increasingly wobbly rear wheel. Before setting off the bearings had been replaced but the hub was worn and even the application of shim stock and Loctite did not prove to be a lasting repair.

We arrived Thursday afternoon and set to with spanners to reveal a very broken wheel hub indeed. Yochen had replacement parts available but we needed to modify the swing arm to accept the later type stub axle rear wheel setup. After a few hours work in the hot, hot, HOT sun we had a fitting wheel and a short test ride proved successful.



https://i.imgur.com/79he3zl.jpg


As we were early, Yochen needed to rally the town troops to mow the village green and set up the toilet, shower and washing facilities (handily created by the town creative specialist ‘Herman the German’). For such kindness we are eternally grateful. The day was spent lounging at the local swimming lake and a more perfect day could not have been wished for. Sun, shade, warmth and the company of good friends.


Saturday and the Sommer diesels start to arrive in force, old friends and new all tied together with a common enthusiasm for what must be one of the most marginal forms of transport ever created. The weather closes in however and the rain falls consistently for the entire weekend.



The village hall provides a perfect venue and the food exceptional, sufficed to say we ate and drank to our hearts content.





Come Sunday and virtually all have departed for home, Arno and Yvonne, Stu and Jeff too.

The hardcore however remain once more (Myself, Ian, Alex and Pascal), and we turn our hand to the clean-up campaign (would you believe not a single scrap of rubbish was left on the camping field). Given the weather forecast we move camp to under the Village hall awning. Alex thinks he is smart and decides to sleep in the hall itself (later to regret this decision as he became food for 1000 mosquitoes). Pascal in his usual dry humour states that he is not a p*ssy (like Alex) and will sleep outside. Ian pitches up his tent under the cover and I do likewise between the bikes and sleep like a log.

Monday morning, an early start for the crew and we bid farewell to Ian and Pascal. Ian will wander back through France to meet Stu and Jeff on the Friday Newhaven bound ferry and Pascal heads home for the Swiss mountains.

Choosing a winding roads route; Alex and I forge our way North through spectacular wooded countryside, however all is not well with Sluggy’s gearbox and it’s getting increasingly difficult to change gear and missing a change when heading into a downhill hairpin provides much excitement. Eventually we find a little gem of a campsite and settle in for the evening; Alex has to satisfy his appetite with just a catering size tin of Ravioli (about 2 kilo’s I would guess).

The tents are packed away wet the following morning and once more we hit the road (queue Willie Nelson again). After a short while it becomes obvious that Sluggy’s gearbox is getting worse with each change and so we change our routing to use the motorways so I can stay in top gear - it’s boring but at least the miles pass easily as we maintain a steady 50+ mph. Amsterdam here we come!

It’s with great relief that Sluggy manages to pull into Alex back yard under his own steam as I’m using the Enfields neutral finder as a shifter with just 2nd and 4th gears available. I get a personal Tour of Amsterdam and the surrounding regions in the ‘Benz’ (a rather immaculate example of diesel powered Autobahn cruncher); nothing beats local knowledge for seeing the best bits of town.

All too soon It’s Thursday morning and I have to head for the Hook of Holland ferry and home, I stick to the m with a large otorways and manage with just the 2 remaining gears available in the ‘box and breathe a sigh of relief as I park up at the ferry port fish & chip shop with time to spare. Kibbling and chips with Mayo sauce is devoured and then it’s time to board. I spend the whole journey asleep as the previous 2 weeks adventures are catching up on me.

Off the ferry and just 70 miles to home; the light is fading as I’m heading into a setting sun; it’s one of those times where you have both happiness to be almost home but also sadness that the adventure is over. I pulled into my driveway and killed the engine for the last time…it’s over.

[gilburton]

You'll have to watch the new French speed limits in future

[Oftenlost]

I ride a 1B40.... Exceeding the speed limit is a dream outside of the town centre 20mph areas!

I noted my updated GPS had the A and B routes down as 50mph. Lots of unmarked speed cameras in France now.

Ian

[gilburton]

Yep 50mph everywhere in France now apart from Motorways etc.
My sister in law (in France) is moaning like mad about it.
Even a diesel bike is in danger of speeding.

[Diesel Dave]

I'm pretty sure we busted the speed limit on several occasions, especially those downhill twisties with luggage/gravity assistance.

I'm defo. a fan of this new French speed limit thing, along with the continental 80kph truck speed limit on motorways - perfect.

[Stuart]

I got flashed for sure - but it was head on so no worries. A few more shots from the trip.