Riding Harley-Davidsons in Cuba

I just got back from 10 days riding in Cuba.

I will post more on the trip later, but in the meantime, enjoy the video.....

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Plans for 2012 Bike Trips

2012 will see two international motorcycle trips for me. Well, two and a half trips really.

In February, I will be travelling to Cuba, for a nine day organised motorcycle tour of the island. Three of us are going from the UK, myself, Paul Leeson and Ian Solley of 7 Ages Custom Motorcycles.

I am looking forward to seeing this island republic set in the Caribbean. Gladly, we don't need to do much in the way of organisation, as it will largely be done for us.  We will be renting bikes out there.

Just 90 miles from the USA, Cuba is set in the past. That is one of the great things about Cuba where the word 'modernisation' probably doesn't exist. We certainly want to see this old-fashioned aspect of Cuban life, especially the old American cars that have been fixed up over the years to keep them running. I don't smoke, but I suspect some Cuban cigars might make their way back to England for my friends and family.

This is the route we are expecting to take.... click on the map for a better view.....

In June a small group of us are going to the Harley-Davidson rally in Portugal. Here is a video promoting the rally....





Those going to Portugal are Ian Solley (remember he and I went to Croatia together)....

Paul Rose (you might remember he rode with me in Maine and Spain)....

and my eldest son, Charlie (yet to take his bike test)....

We will be taking the 24 hour ferry from the UK to northern Spain and then riding the route below through Spain and Portugal. This will be about a 2,000 mile round trip....

Finally, the trip that counts only as half a trip, is to the H-D Euro Rally in St Tropez in southern France. The reason it is only half a trip? Shhhhhhh. We are going by car and having a bike shipped there on the back of a truck. Don't tell anyone! There is a good reason for this - Jackie and I will be delivering our car back to Spain the timing fits perfectly with the rally. So, we will stop on the way in St Tropez for the few days of the rally and then continue our journey south all the way down to Spain.

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Is winter a problem for bikers? I love it.

For those of us in more northerly places, the onset of winter normally brings the blues. The weather we have enjoyed in the summer and autumn slips away and the rain, cold and even snow and frost appear. 　Once the clocks go back and darkness falls ridiculously early, we tend to put our bikes away until the spring. 　We tend to miss our motorcycling passion and a mild form of depression normally sets in.

Not for me!

I love this time of year!

That is because It is around now I am planning my rides for the following year.  This is what I have planned so far....

10 days riding around Cuba in February. 　I cannot wait to see all the old cars and motorbikes in this very unusual country.

In May, I will be returning to St. Tropez for the Harley-Davidson Euro Festival. Jackie and I will be driving in a car (our Cobra) on our way to take the car all the way back to southern Spain from London and we will be stopping in St. Tropez in southern France on the way.  I will be shipping a bike to St. Tropez to use while we are there.

In June, four of us will be getting. Ferry from England to northern Spain and the riding our custom bikes about 900 miles to Cascais in southern Portugal for the main H-D European Rally, then back again. 　My son Charlie will be joining us on that ride along with friends Paul (who joined me for part of my USA tour last year) and Ian who I went to Croatia with.

At some stage I want to ride to St. Petersburg in Russia, but that might have to wait until 2013.

Planning these trips is great fun and keeps me sane at this time of year. It does however drive Jackie a little crazy as our office is often covered in maps and books and other stuff needed for road trip planning.

Is anyone else planning for next year already?

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