Silly roads

[stinkwheel]

Went over Hardknott pass for the first time ever yesterday. What a silly piece of road!

I was 2-up on the GPZ500s with camping gear coming back from having watched Echo and the Bunnymen in Whitehaven.

Bit of a baptism of fire, I haven't taken a pillion any distance for some years and the girlfriend hasn't really been on pillion much either (although she has done her CBT). I fancied trying it out and she was up for it so we gave it a go.

The road is rediculously steep, had the bike down into first gear on quite a few occasions. It was rather hot by the time we got to the top (as was I) so we stopped to let the bike and myself cool down whilst enjoying the view.

Must be said it was quite a physical experience, I am aching in my legs and arms today, more a case of bullying the machine up there and scraped the belly pan on a few of the switchbacks (lack of ground clearance rather than lean angle). The road through to Ambleside was fairly challenging 2-up too but nothing compared to the main part of that pass. Saw one guy in a Kia 4x4 coming up the other side, he had stopped on a steep bit and couldn't get the car moving again, wheels just spun, I left him to it.

The main problem was oncoming traffic, it was really busy and is very narrow, had to keep stopping to let lines of cars past which did nothing for the engine temperature.

Worth doing just for the simple insanity of it, maybe the height of summer on a sunny saturday is not the best time if you want to avoid the 20mph volvo brigade though.
https://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bridgwatarian/pass_15.jpg

This is the OS map of it. The contours are 10 metres apart, a double black arrow denotes a gradient of greater than 1 in 5.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/hardknott.jpg
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Sparks!]

I WANT TO TAKE THE KTM UP THAT ROAD

looks mega fun!!
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[ZaphodBeeble]

That does indeed look like fun. Although if it's busy I can see why it can be the exact opposite.
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Current bike: VTR1000F Firestorm. Previous: Firestorm (written off) - XJ600 Divvy - NSR125 - DT125 and a load of offroaders.

[Finglonga]

Took the 1150gs up there last year, its alot better at 6.00am as there are no cars to worry about. Went over to Wast Water turned around then back over Hardknot pass then Wrynose Pass and had breakfast in Coniston.
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[Keen]

ha awesome- I've ridden that road! I go to uni in Lancaster so in my first year a mate from Cumbria showed me the route, we must of been on the most inappropriate bikes ever, he was on a kawasaki vn800 drifter and back then I was still on my 125 2 stroke, I was in first gear all the way up!

wouldnt fancy doing it two-up... when we were there we stopped in a village further on (cant remember what it was called) and ended up talking to a guy on a harley who was sat having a beer, he said he used to take harley tours up the pass but he had to stop cos half of them never made it
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"he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man"- Dr. Johnson

[Zoffo]

Not my favorite pass Hardknott but still a good ride.
Next year we are going here.
https://www.members.aol.com:/galecroft/France
French Alp
The blue squiggles are actually roads
Doncha just love Google Earth
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