CB500X - Solo Norway trip Part 21 - Looking down on the clouds
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ธ.ค. 2023
- This is Part 21 of my trip continuing the journey through Norway, I left Narvik and a very odd campsite and headed off on a bit of a gloomy day. I spotted reindeer for the first time… maybe I'd not been looking properly up until then, so that was great. The route took me over a pass, it was only 400m high but I was looking down on the clouds. A nice ride ending at a well campsite at Ovre Alta in the dry.
The whole journey took me through the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and into Norway right the way up to Nordkapp, the furthest point you can travel by motorcycle or car in mainland Europe and then back through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France over a 7 week period late May - mid July 2023
I am back in the UK now, but please do add your comments and I'll get back to you.
Hoping you can "Like" the video, as this does help the channel.
All my best wishes, thanks again for watching
Nick
CB500X 2022 model
Hepco & Becker Tank bars
Rally Raid CB500X 2019-on Engine Guard-RRP 747
SW Motech Footrest Kit
R&G Kickstand Shoe-RRP 474
Outback Motortek Pannier rack and Rear rack (including exhaust heat shield)
Metzeler Tourance Next tyres
SW-Motech dry bag (60 litres)
Lomo dry bag motorcycle waterproof panniers -soft
Oxford tank bag (need to use rain cover in heavy rain)
Garmin Zumo XT GPS device
Rally Raid Billet Multi-Mount for 12mm (1/2") Crossbar - part number RRP 643
GoPro Hero 10 (helmet mounted)
Adhesive universal helmet mount for GoPro
Purple Panda microphone (helmet mounted)
Sonicake wireless microphone (walking about)
Insta360 X3
DJI mini 3 Drone
Vango Tryfan 300 (3 person tent)
Sea to Summit Camp Plus Self Inflating Camping Mat
Trekology air bag (topping up mat inflation)
SLAAPLEKKER 800 Goose down mummy sleeping bag
Eurohike sleeping bag liner
Trekology Aluft pillow
Cyberlink PowerDirector 365 - video editing
RST textile jacket
RST textile trousers (slight seepage in crutch area in heavy rain)
TCX Airtech 3 Gore-tex boots
Nolan 80 helmet
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Great episode as always
Many thanks!
Nick
I have never found a pair of boots that are completely waterproof. I am on my second pair of TCX fabric boots, wore the first pair out, very comfortable to walk in. The complete answer to the problem is to buy Sealskinz calf length waterproof socks, particularly on camping trips where wet feet don't dry out easily. The socks may get wet on the outside through your boots but your feet inside will be dry, I would like to guarantee that. Suggest that you get some in time to test them before your next trip. Your trip is compulsive viewing. Thanks.
Many thanks! On the shopping list, hopefully in time for Santa to bring me some 🎅
Nick
I don’t have socks from sealskinz but I do have gloves from them. I highly recommend the brand. Have the gloves for years and they can be washed like normal and still are waterproof.
Snow will fall down behind fence where its less wind.
Hello,
you have interesting videos from your travels. I also have a cb 500x and I drive around Europe. It's a good all round bike. Nice greetings from the Czech Republic
Many thanks. I agree that it is a good all round bike, I hope you enjoy the CB500X as much as I do
Nick
I can’t imagine the amount of time and money it requires to maintain the road infrastructure in that part of Scandinavia. I guess that’s where a lot of the oil revenue is being spent. Glad the weather cleared at the end of the day. Putting up already wet gear in the is a pain. Another enjoyable video Nick; looking forward to next weeks adventure. Cheers, Jim
Hi Jim, yes, the road surfaces were far better than where I live in south of England, and the investment made in the tunnels must have been huge.
The odd days of rain I encountered were really no more than a literal dampener, apart from my feet (spoiler alert) I was dry under the riding gear, my biggest concern was how to dry the textiles out overnight in a tent. Luckily with the warm weather and inner tent vents opened wide, I didn't have problems with them drying or condensation that could have occurred. A plus for having a 3 man tent.
Nick
Yuve actually found a country with a worse summer than England!! With snow on the ground in the hills it loox freezing but presumably it wasn't.
🤣 It was cool up in the mountains but at sea level it was fine, I often found myself in shorts and a T-shirt, rare for me in the UK!
Nick
Overcast, damp but atmospheric can be enjoyable if you adopt the right mindset......shame that you Gore-Tex boots let you down though! Thanks for sharing as always. Cheers.
Yep, even though it wasn't the best weather I'd had, it shows the fabulous scenery (where you can see it) from a different perspective. The boots were a disappointment, it turns out I had a faulty pair which I did get a straight replacement for once I returned to the UK, and luckily the days with wet feet were few.
Nick
You have seen skiers, good. Please note that a brit got second place in the skiing World cup to day! Andrew musgrave! He is good!
Many thanks for sharing the information, we don't have much snow in the UK so to come 2nd is a real achievement.
Nick
Remind me Nick, this was now about late June?
Good to hear from you @LenScapoff, yes, this episode was 25th June
Nick
I watched a video the other day about Gore-Tex, it was explaining how bad it really is, but that the company was fantastic at marketing it. It's also been out of patent for some time now and other companies make the same product much cheaper.
Thanks for the information, I'm a sucker for marketing hype! 🙄
Nick
@@bikingtravels Most people are. I bought a jacket that is a Gore-Tex material, i found that i was wet inside it from sweat, i would be better off with a normal jacket and an umbrella. An umbrella on a motorbike is much use though. lol.
Fence are against snow building up on the roads
Thanks for confirming
Nick
Thanks for the information, I can imagine how it looks in the snow
Nick
So much better to have the ability to do it solo.
Groups can be tricky...
Yes, there are pros and cons for both, my preference is for the flexibility of a solo trip. In September I did do a 10 day Pyrenees trip with 5 others, this time on my Street Triple due mainly to the group I was riding with needing more "oomph". It was a good trip with them with lots of banter and support for a breakdown I had along the way, but as I say, my preference is solo.
Nick
The weather seems to be a lot milder than I would have expected for Norway in December.
😉 The trip was May to July 2023 and the weather was fantastic
Nick
You are a huge inspiration to me, Im planning the same trip you are doing next year in June.I have a peculiar question, how do you find the campsides, do you use any map or just whatever comes next to the road. Also what are the prices like for setting up a tent?
Anyway greetings from Macedonia, i wish you safe travels.
Many thanks for your comment and question. I tend to use Google maps on my phone once I have decided I am within an hour of when I want to stop for the day. It cannot always be relied on but most of the time it is quite accurate. Prices varied from 10 Euros at one site in Estonia to 36 Euros at a site in Finland (including use of electricity and shower facilities). They vary a great deal. In most of the Scandinavian countries you can wild camp, but I did not have much luck finding suitable places, and I preferred access to electricity and a shower anyway.
Good luck with your trip... a long way up from Macedonia!
Nick
Hey NicK, Question: how much routine work did you do on the bike and did you need to get it serviced during your adventure?. On my ride around the block 17,500 klms I went through 1 front tyre and 2 rear tyres with a service thrown in for good measure.
Thanks for the info and comment. I regularly checked chain tension and adjusted a couple of times, similar for tyre pressures. I did get the bike serviced when it reached 25Km in Estonia. (I'd fitted new chain, sprocket and tyres just before the start of the trip).
Nick
The reindeer you are seeing here are not wildlife. All reindeer you see in the northern part of Norway are tame herded animals. Compare them with seeing sheep and cattle in the southern part of the country. The wild reindeer are only in the south part of the country but are rarely close to roads.
Thanks for the information, they do make a change from the sheep and cattle I usually see in the UK.
Nick
Has the CB been faultless throughout your trip. And has the high cost of the Nordics been eye watering?
Thanks for the questions, yes apart from fuel and service parts when it reached 25k Km. Prices... a bit daunting but then prices in the UK were on the rise anyway so just accepted them and waited for the credit card bill to arrive 🙄
Nick
@@bikingtravels thank you. can I email you please. I have some further questions?
Sure bikingtravelsadv@gmail.com
Nick