The next of my tours from the book "Bikers Britain" - this time takes me to the seaside and the bikers magnet that is Cheddar Gorge via the "Wells Loop".....
The picturesque little village is my home town - Wedmore! It was weird seeing all the local sights, and great to hear somebody so passionate about the countryside he is riding through! Keep up the good work!
Many thanks for uploading this. I used to live in Weston-s-M before I emigrated, and many a spring or summer evening I'd slip on my leathers and ride my VFR750 up through the Gorge.....fabulous times. This video brought back many happy memories.
One small comment.....I wish your helmet camera was pointing a few degrees further upwards when riding through the Gorge. The best scenery is up there rather than your arms and instrument panel. Otherwise.....nice video. I'm a fan!
+Colin “OldFart” Thanks Colin - the Gorge is indeed lovely, but some of the buildings around it (in the village for example) look like they need some investment, they too haven't changed for many years by the looks of it....
Hello from Bavaria/ Germany. we do love your videos! Great stuff especially since we bought a BMW GS as well. Cheddar George looks realy fantastic. Looking forward to your next video.... 😉 Cheers Tom
+Thomas Geser Hey Tom - Guten tag to you (that's all my German done)....don't stop exporting these to us if we leave the EU will you!? All the best and thanks for your kind words - TMF
+TheMissendenFlyer I m realy suprised how easy the GS handles... I guess I saw all your GS videos before I bought it. Thank u so much for your reviews. they were more than helpful. Great job. I m going to the 'Dolomiten' and 'Lago di Garda' next weeks. have you already been there? couldn't find any videos of you riding the Alps... Cheers
Another excellent ride. Thanks for the added history lessons. Adds knowledge to the Non-UK riders like me. Spectacular scenes and local lore really adds to your unique videos. Cheers, Craig
I grew up in Wells and now live in Bristol. Im lucky to have Cheddar Gorge right on my doorstep and I've taken all my bikes down there. I just need a nice day to take my new RnineT sport down there 😀
What a coincidence, we are planning a trip to Cheddar within the next couple of weeks,so thanks for sharing that. Another fab video(as usual). Cheers tony
Lovely area, liked watching this video as I used to live in the New Forrest and have had many bike runs in Summerset Dorset Devon and Cornwall. thanks for the memories ;-)
another lovely video TMF, looks like a trip I should do, my youngest son has just passed his motorcycle test and bought a Honda cbr 500, he keeps badgering me to do some long trips, so this one will be high on my list, once again great informative video.
Nice ride and commentary. There are a number of interesting routes in the area. Just one small point: when you left Bridgwater, on the A38, you rode through Highbridge rather than Burnham-on-Sea. Burnham-on-Sea is more or less connected to Highbridge but is to the west on the coast.
Another enjoyable video from you sir.I have just done the Salisbury loop from the book its one you have to do mate it was absolutely awesome. i plot route on the computer then transfer it to my Zumo 660, this works brilliantly. keep them coming.
Very scenic! I'm looking forward to my trip there even more now. A few of us vlogger types (Count Miffed, Smokeybarr, Metalhead & more) are heading over there at the end of July and stopping the night, should be good fun.
Another cracking video. The last time I went to that neck of the woods was about fifteen years ago, when I was doing my 'progress drives' as part of my emergency driving training...😊
+John Hounslow Excellent! I hadn't been there for about 20 odd years either, must go back again sooner, lovely spot (if crowded if you get it wrong). What sort of emergency driving by the way??? Thanks for watching and for stopping by - TMF
Bit late to the party but if you’re ever down this neck of the woods again, there’s a loop starting at Taunton which goes out through wiveliscombe > bampton > Barnstaple across to lynton and Lynmouth (where it’s great to stop for coffee!) and back over exmoor via minehead to Taunton. Fantastic scenery and fun roads to ride. Also to us in Taunton, we agree, Bridgy is a hole
Loved you'er vid. I live in Burnham so it's great to see a grockles (visitors) view on the area. Living here we don't see what you guys see when you visit. We just take it for granted.
AR my sen You don't know the half of it. My name is Pengelly so ... your Lands End loop hit the spot as well seeing as my family are all Cornish nationalists.
Good quality vid again. I'm certainly going there now. I can recommend a trip to Happisburgh in Norfolk - really narrow roads in places. Try the crab burger on the road to the beach - delicious! Regards, Jon.
Great video...Reminds me of some of the "canyon" rides here in the states...southern Utah comes to mind, but it's not as green and lush in southern Utah.
only just found this, being a local to the area there is so much more to see on a bike and some great roads too. let me know if you want to do it again i would be happy to show you some
Altough I'm sure you wanted to do it alone, it's a shame you didn't do a "heads up" video, as I only live 25 miles down the road from Taunton, in Exeter. Not to worry though, glad you enjoyed our Westcountry scenery, there's plenty more in North Devon and Cornwall! RSM8
+Ian Collings (Devon biker66) Cheers Ian, I hope to be taking my dirt bike down to Devon at some point this Summer....looking forward to that, as you say, some lovely roads and scenery....
You could of stopped by for a beer, I don't live all that far away from Glastonbury! The picturesque village you went through was Wedmore. Looks as if you experienced some of our famous Somerset Levels bumpy narrow roads! Besides the loop you did there are many more great roads in this part of the country.
There used to be a Cellophane factory in Bridgewater and it stank. Nice to see the Gorge again, I used to pose up and down there thinking I was cool on my TS100A :D
Simon and Garfunkel played in That Somerset town that you weren't too unhappy to leave. It inspired them to write their classic, 'Trouble over Bridgewater!’ .......Boom Boom!
Cracking part of the country....well to be fair.....anywhere along the jurassic coast down to Devon...Cornwall then back up the west coast ......East coast around Suffolk and Norfolk have some great views and roads also.....usual high standard of footage bud!
You are right, Simon's tours are truly superb. I do wonder if some of us are duplicating effort. Perhaps entering the route from his book to basecamp then to the Nav5 ?
I can't be doing with entering routes on the Nav V - if I can get the route in I don't seem to be able to make the unit execute it without thinking its reached its destination at each waypoint, it's pants! I've yet to actually use it to navigate anywhere....give me TomTom anytime.....
Good work Missenden Flyer, love watching your vids. Problem with your youtube vids is that I now have the bug and am going to have to get a loan and get a BMW 1200 GS A, bugger, $31k oz later........Im sure it will be worth it. I have had a Honda Transalp 650 for the last few years, served me well. Thanks mate, from Adelaide, South Australia.
Evening buddy. Cheddar Gorge is great. Been there a couple of times on my old bike. Just picked up a 2015 gs. I can now see why you like yours so much.
Another top film TMF, Rode it a few times on the Harley Street Glide in the wet which was interesting, Stopped for a brew half way then rode it a few more times before moving on.
Cheddar Gorge very much resembles to me at least areas you would see in the Peak District and the Pennines, however with much more biker friendly weather!
Hi TMF hope you enjoyed your trip to zumerset (that's how they say it) in my back yard. I would have put money on the tide being out. Hope you bought some cheese and cyder.
Thanks Gregory - it's an MRA Varioscreen (if you Google that you should get to the site) - I have a video reviewing it if you're interested (take a look through my channel)....cheers - TMF
Another great video from you! Do you stay in B&B's when you go on these loops? If so, can you recommend a very good B&B guide which welcomes bikers with indoor parking as I would not want to leave my brand new GSA out over night! Just purchased the Simon Weir book 'Biker's Britain' which you recommended on your Yorkshire Dales loop & it is excellent so many thanks, Rob Taylor - Stowmarket, Suffolk
+Robert Taylor Hi Rob - I tend to stay in hotels that have secure parking....so m'fraid I cant make any recommendations on a B&B guide :0( Glad you've found the book of use too...cheers - TMF
The screenshot you posted of the map looks like the same book I have, by a chap called Simon Weir? I got this book for my birthday this summer and have only had chance to do the one ride nearby me. Seems like a good excuse to get out though! What do you think of the routes in the book so far?
That's the book - I've ridden several (check out my playlist ru-vid.com/group/PL_719tkJvufaaJD8Yhv_-WfRXSFdKZw04 for more from the book). So far they have not disappointed!
The old fashioned way I'm afraid - I've not yet worked out how to follow a route on the SatNav let alone download one! (it's rubbish for actually navigating!)
Yeah agreed - wrong word selected on spur of the moment - you get what I mean though, these certainly aren't multi-family which you normally think of tenements as (like those in New York) but they were certainly grim....I guess "terraced" was the word, a la "Coronation Street" or the Hovis ads of old.... [and apologies to anyone who might live in them, I have lived in much much worse so feel qualified to comment]...
i cannot believe you come down south and i never knew :( .. id have made a coffee and a good natter ready please let me know when you come this way again :)
+TheMissendenFlyer i live in martock somerset , so literally 30 mins down the road , thats a local run for me , or i go down to devon / exmoor / dartmoor beautiful roads .
cheers for the heads up on the book MF, I've got the other 1 he's done so was wondering does the latest one have good routes in ot too? I did laugh when you said you were going to Weston to see the sea! Looks good through Cheddar though.... I see you had the vario luggage on the GS. I have it too so do you set the suspension to rider plus luggage every time you have it on whether they have anything in them ? cheers Ade
+adrianbarrie13 Hi Ade, yes that book is basically a continuation of the first one, a little bit of overlap, but if you liked "Bikers Britain" then you'll like this one too. I admit I don't change the suspension settings when I put the luggage on, I just luxuriate in the lower seat height :0) I did fiddle with the various auto-pre-load settings at one point but the bike grew like a giraffe so I thought it best not to touch 'em again!!
+Rage Quit87 Actually that was done in error - the film is recorded in 1080...my upload speed from BT is currently running at 20Mb/s....(download currently 69Mb/s)
cheers MF. I've had SWMBO on the back plus fully loadrd luggage which was "interesting" for someone with a 29" inside leg with the suspension set for 2 up so I will leave it on solo next time I put the luggage on when I'm riding alone to see what it's like as you seem to have had no problems handling wise.
Another great video mate. I felt like it was a history lesson, with a spectacular view. Haha. Couple of questions re. your videos in general- What resolution do you usually record in? I'm guessing this was shot in 720p 24/30fps? Also, what do you use to edit? Anyway, as always, look forward to the next.Best wishes from Scotland.Daniel
+Dan iel Thanks Daniel - I usually shoot in 1080 at 30fps on the GoPro (as was this one) - I use "Powerdirector" on the PC for editing - it's not great but it's the one I decided to go for as I'm not a Mac man....cheers - TMF
TheMissendenFlyer thanks for getting back to me. I hate to say what I'm about to say, because I love your videos, but can you maybe shoot one in 60fps sometime. I feel it would be a lot smoother to watch. maybe in 720p if you're worried about battery life. either way, great videos.
+Dan iel I only use old GoPros (HD Hero 2) and they won't do 1080 at 60fps - I have been thinking about maybe getting a drift so I can go down the 60fps HD route.....certainly something for me to ponder...thanks for the advice - TMF
+TheMissendenFlyer I'd recommend the Sony AS200V over the Drift. Best image quality of all the helmet cameras to-date and it does 1080p60. Advantages over GoPro are it's built-in image stabilisation (really pretty decent too), GPS tracking, and it's waterproof without a case so it's smaller and more streamlined (50% lighter)
+IgWannA2 Pretty good price too on amazon I see - looks fairly bulky compared to the drift? What are the mic options too I wonder??? Is it a bespoke connector or standard 2.5mm jack?
Lovely video. But then it must be impossible to not be beautiful in that part of the world. Gorgeous countryside. My wife and I were over there a few years ago. Love to go back although we were there in the summer and there were tons more people than you saw this time. Further to your oldest skeleton story. Didn't I read that they DNA tested everyone in Cheddar and the local schoolmaster, or someone, was related to the skeleton?
nice ride..I'm not a great fan of BMW. although there a very reliable bike. maybe that's why police had them. and it was like a history lesson..very good upload. 👍
+TheMissendenFlyer yep..your BMW..is a nice bike..although prob best not ridden on sand lol..and I heard about the pier fire ages ago. it seems alot of bikers go there. hence the long line of bikers...And I do like your BMW. was a nice virtual ride.
Ha! I thought I recognised that stretch of road - my old stomping grounds. Many a warm summer twighlight was spent blasting up the A38 with the top down in my old S2000 - ahhh, those were the days. Some great little roads in the South-West. I used to like the roads that run paralell to the South Coast - from West of Weymouth to Sidmouth. Sidmouth in particular is a lovely little place to stop for a couple of hours - great pubs, cliffs, sea n' beach, overflying traffic from EXE and Dunkeswell. On a day with a strong southerly wind you'll see gliders glide the ridge of those cliffs at extremely low levels (see Balleka's RU-vid channel :)
hahaha. Don't knock it till you've tried it! 9Krpm rev limit, naturally aspirated, 247bhp from a little 2.0 ltr 4-pot and, not to mention, 50/50 weight disribution. Great cars!
+Rob S I was only playing with you - a friend of mine had one at the time I had my Chimaera, needless to say, she didn't stand a chance against the mighty V8 :0)
+TheMissendenFlyer Yes I expect they wouldn't have a chance in a straight line. On a track might be interesting, though. That's where they're in their element.
Off there 2moro brought a R1250 GS because your always praising it did have a Suzuki 1000 GT on order but thought better of it after your reviews thanks for your input I definitely made the right choice 👍🏻
I'm a mature rider - just passed my unrestricted test. I'm looking to buy my first big bike. I've decided I want an upright riding position as opposed to a sports bike. I want a fairing too' to protect me from the elements. Being my first big bike I don't want to spend too much. I've narrowed it down to these possibilities: Honda CBF600, Suzuki GSX650f, Suzukia Bandit 650, Honda Deauville, Kawasaki ZZR600. I also have my eye on a Yamaha Thundercat. I know it was marketed as a sports bike but it seems to have a much more comfortable riding position when compared to today's sports bikes. I know the Deauville is nicknamed the Dull Ville by many bikers but I'm no speed freak. I want a decent turn of speed (ie enough to out-accelerate cars) but gilbet losing acceleration isn't something that really concerns me. Do you have any experience or views on the bikes I've mentioned? Thanks.
Oh you Southerners, you think it's better down there eh? You're right, I've lived for 3 yrs in the North England and Glasgow and can't wait to move out.
I regretted saying that as soon as it came out of my mouth...a thousand apologies, the North is lovely, I particularly like the Lake District and Scotland for example :0)
Yeah they're nice for visiting, but try living there. It's the hard truth. There's a saying in greek: "Γλώσσα λανθάνουσα τα αληθή λέγει", which I don't know the proper way to translate it, but the gist of it is that the words that slip out of your mouth, say the truth.
Yep...with you on that. The Lake District and the Peak District are fabulous. Have you done a tour of North Wales and Snowdonia National Park? I haven't come across a video yet.
Very enjoyable video, never heard of the books so good heads up. However, if you ever come up to the poor grim North wear a disguise, we know what you look like 😝
Similar a fantastic sight on the beach as 600 odd bikes tear down to the first corner. Then the elbows come into play. The event is in October or November cheap motorsport fond memories of it when I lived in the town. Party weekend.
As usual a very informative video. However, I'd have to say that until the Cheddar Gorge the scenery was fairly uninspiring and could've been anywhere in the UK. I'd do the Gorge and miss out the urbane normality I'm afraid. Enjoyed as usual nonetheless 😀
Well Weston Super mare seafront was nice don't you think? ...other than that I'm largely with you, but it's nice to be out on the bike in the sunshine anywhere isn't it :0) Thanks for watching and for the kind words - all the best - TMF
+TheMissendenFlyer I suppose that I'm spoiled in as much as the Peak District is literally 15 minutes away, Snowdonia less than an hour, and the Lakes less than 2 hours away. That's the beauty of living away from the south east, mind you there's some lovely little towns in your neck of the woods, good roads too, the A41 being one of them.
+TheMissendenFlyer I can understand that as an uploader, although I'm sure most locals would agree with you. I'm not far from either. I've yet to visit the gorge since passing my test. I may go this week!
+TheMissendenFlyer You won't offend the locals. I lived in Highbridge for the first 18 years of my life, it's between Bridgwater and Burnham and you rode through it. Not a nice place at all.
+TheMissendenFlyer spookily I have been working in London this weekend but I live between Bristol and Bath. Next time you're passing we can meet on neutral ground (Costa) and I'll buy you a coffee as a thanks for the video production 👍🏻☕️
The right way to go I think, not sure I would want to stay there for more than a day....not a whole lot going on other than the obvious tourist parts...
