Tour of Wales by BMW R1200GS - Ep1: The M56 to Betws-y-coed
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- Tour of Wales by BMW R1200GS - Ep1: The M56 to Betws-y-coed
It's time for another TMF tour! I thought I'd follow the best possible summer weather forecast and last month I headed off to Wales on a route from Adventure Bike Rider magazine (rather than South and into France). Did my quest for sunshine and blue skies pan out? Stay tuned to find out....
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I'm no Welsh expert but your pronunciations are fantastic! Proper laugh out loud funny. I'm in stitches. Great video as always. Well done TMF
I like your channel. Ive been riding for nearly 50 years now. Still ride a zx14 r so its my yardstick on aging. Now I was born in Wales. Betws-y-Coed is pronounced BETTIS- EE- COID. Not Betty' s CoEd which sounds like some bints secondary school. Watching on my tv with no access to comments and commenting on my tablet. I really enjoyed your tour of Scotland where we went a couple years ago through Ullapool to Tweed, in a hire car not a bike, as we live in remote southern West Australia, where the snakes and spiders are. You do not realise how fantastic it is to see green fields and lush gardens and cleansheep and rain and temperatures no higher than 25 C. O k i can go back to the big screen, the scenery and your pleasant monoloque alone in your helmet threading your way sedately through the 20 million tiny hatchbacks.
Love Wales TMF, I'm lucky living is Staffs it's a quick hop into Wales for me so I'm over there quite often on the bike. The scenery and the great roads never get old and there are always new routes to explore.
Wales is 'Gods country' for motorcyclists. I live in Ynys near Harlech and can see Mt Snowdon from my garden. I feel so lucky to ride on the fantastic Welsh roads almost every day on my Tracer 850. I am 57 originally from Bolton and riding on these Welsh roads makes me thoroughly enjoy my experience on 2 wheels after a 30 year break. Love the vid and can't wait to see part 2
Brilliant - thanks W2W....
Fantastic, I can’t believe you went right passed near where we live! Halkyn 🥳👍
Cool!
I do like your channel friend. Being from the US, I've never had the pleasure of seeing your part of the 🌎. Through you, I feel like I'm seeing it in a very real and unique way. I get a kick out of how people from Europe talk and relate to one another. While different then here, you show people are people where ever they come from. You make the world smaller. That is a kewl gift you have. Plus, you ride in the rain. Sign of a true bike guy. Which I aspire to be as well. Not many American bloggers do that so you carry a bit more wieght in my 👀. Keep up the good work friend. You have friends on the other side of the pond. Look forward to what you do next. Have a nice day!!😀
Wow thanks Xendave, really glad that you enjoy my efforts...I'll keep making 'em whilst people keep watching them! All the best - TMF
I’ve bought the BIKER BRITAIN by Simon Weir and loving that the front cover was instantly recognisable as that Llangatock mountain road near to my home town of Crickhowell. Can’t wait for it, well recommended Mr Flyer thank you!
My pleasure - enjoy
Croeso I Gymru.
I liked your pronunciation of Betws y Coed, try: Betoos e Coyd :)
Glad you enjoyed
Crikey - I had no idea!! I'm afraid it'll only get worse in future episodes this one....
TheMissendenFlyer Haha, I struggle with it and I've lived here all my 39 years. It's all very confusing, only got my head around our national anthem about 10 years ago!
Beddgelert was the one that made me giggle...
Another superb tour video. You inspired me with your earlier videos to start filming with voice whilst riding. Your review of the R1200GS Rallye got me to go out and buy one! And yesterday I set up a new TH-cam channel rather than using my name. (Martyn Fordham). Cheers keep the tours (and other fab videos) coming.
Brings back good memories of camping trips in Betws-y-coed. I used to visit the area a lot for mountain biking too. Don't miss the traffic on the M56! In NZ now where the roads are somewhat quieter.
I did the Northwest coast trip this week after watching your video how you did that in those temperatures I take my hat off to you. Going to do it again next June only over a full week more stops cutting the mileage down. There is also a lot you can tag on to the mcn route. I did take the part that just takes you down and then you turn around and come back that was amazing. We are in Snowdonia 2nd week in Oct for a few days so look forward to more episodes.
Great stuff David - I'm hoping to get back to NW Scotland next year to do the islands....
Enjoyed watching this (well, except for the motorway bit). This is a part of the world that I love and really can't get enough of. Looking forward to the rest of the tour. Good luck with the welsh place names!
Cheers Patrick....I need it!
Missed out on a cracking road, if you had come off at the turn for mold on the a55 and follow the signs for ruthin then you wouldve been even more impressed. Can then follow signs for bala and betws y coed and take the twisties before you go to your first stop!
Bother!! Next time.....
First of all can I welcome you to Wales, my home patch. Nice review, always good to view it from someone else's point of view. Living here in Wales and riding these great roads, on a regular basis you can start taking them for granted. Looking forward to episode 2, enjoyed your pronunciation of some of the Welsh names!! ( put a smile on my face, but well done for trying)
Uh oh, I fear it'll only get worse! Thanks for watching - stay tuned for next Friday's instalment...
Brilliant! Took the MT07 to North Wales back in July and it was awesome so much so I want to move out there!
I've been thinking the same!!
Great to see that you're in my neck of the woods (I won't criticise your pronunciation). I live in St.Asaph so you went passed me on the 55 then up the steep hill (which is known as engine hill) just by the marble church. Glad your enjoying it even though the weather can be unpredictable.
Brilliant! ...and I'd never have guessed you were welsh by your name ;0)
Gorgeous! You passed our place at 3.40 haha. The mountain at the end was Moel Siabod, Snowdon was probably invisible lol. Fabulous vid as always, just finished watching your NC500 and Western Isles which inspired me, and nice to see my stomping ground. 👍👍👍
Another great vid TMF, keep them coming. I did a lot of that route this Summer and it reminded me of what great roads we have in Wales, love the pronunciation too, don't change a thing. Also, speaking of France, I'm based in Toulouse, so if you ever fancy a ride around here, hit me up, that goes for any one else riding the area too.
Cheersspannerchucker1 - I flew over your place last month on the way back from a lads flying trip to Majorca....Toulouse always gets a mention by us pilot types because of the Airbus connection....
That was a very English pronunciation of Betws y coed.
Lovely little village gets hectic during the holidays.
Nice to see the place again thank you.
Well I tried my best! They know how to make a sausage sandwich there so they get a thumbs up from me.....
TheMissendenFlyer to be fair you got a few of them right.
I've lived in Wales since I was 10 and still can't pronounce half the place names.
Llanrwst pronunciation had me chuckling. To be fair they're easy to get wrong.
I always look forward to a TMF tour video..I'd like to report I fully enjoyed watching! I await the next thrilling episode. BTW just because you're wearing boots you don't need to put sheep rear legs in them..It's one of those occasions that "when in Rome" doesn't count. Sorry Welsh cousins I couldn't resist :)
Well I'm not sure about thrilling but maybe it can help with any sleeplessness! Next episode of this tour due next Friday - stay tuned!
The Abergele to Llanrwst road is epic,you should of turned right out of Llanrwst then instant left onto the stone bridge over the river Conwy,after 1/4 of a mile turn left and follow the back road into Betws-Y,it's a far more picturesque route 👍
Such a luck living in Country where you have Scotland and Wales to ride! Keep them coming.
Very true...
I did a 3 day trip in Wales last month, gorgeous weather the whole time thankfully. Was my first ever tour on a bike and first time in Wales so it was good fun,
Lucky ol' you!
This was the set of videos that made me (finally) do my bike license, and earlier this year i did a very similar route. I have you to thank for this!
You're welcome!
@@TheMissendenFlyer You have cost me about 10k though so i shouldn't be thanking you! Hah.
I lived up that way , 25 years ago, way before I had a bike license, time to revisit me thinks!
What a missed opportunity!
What a fantastic ride this looks like, and another great video by TMF. I think I’ll have to take a ride over to Wales soon...but first, on to part 2!
Enjoy!
Wicked show TMF ... looking forward t part 2...empty roads ...bring it on....
+kevin farrell Episode 2 next Friday - stay tuned!
Your spot on about the GS for this sort of thing, and what a great place to go touring, never enough time to do all those brilliant roads. Nice vid my friend glad to see you clocking up the miles.
Thanks Frankie...
Hey TMF..only just subd and seen this episode. Welcome to my neck of the woods. The a55 is a main route for tourism and transport on to ireland as its the route to holyhead harbour. Much nicer to turn off and head south around chester/wrexham and you get onto the nice empty roads with stunning views over the Llangollen and Denbigh moorland...pop past Rhug and stop for a Bison burger and a strong coffee.
Sounds good - cheers Ian ....and thanks for the sub!
I stopped in the same helipad car park for my daughter who was riding pillion to pour the water from her boots on a trip I did through north Wales last year. Must be something about that car park makes the sun come out!
...albeit temporarily in my experience....
This trip looked amazing!! You're right in that it is very underrated, so many beautiful roads to ride there!
Thoroughly enjoyed the vid. Last time I was at Swallow Falls was 1981 on my Kawasaki Z1R. Lovely place and less traffic then. Glad the weather improved!
...the weather thing was temporary...stay tuned!
Those tree tunnels are pretty impressive. Love it!
Not a biker myself but enjoy watching when you do your touring. Specially when you did the NC500. Keep it up mate. Brilliant.
Thank you very much, love that you watch even though you don't ride yourself, great stuff - thanks....
Great vid TMF and chuckled at your depressive description of a wet M6. No problem either with your pronunciation of Betts - ee - co - ed :-)
Another great trip really enjoyed the video looking forward to the rest of it many thanks tony
Great stuff - cheers Tony, stay tuned for next Friday's instalment!
Another nice tour! BTW TFT screens now available on GS 1200's! Saw one today - awesome. CB 100 RS running well - under powered for a 1100cc a bit like thrashing a small bike and not getting into trouble - try one I think you'll like it! Cheers for now, Jon.
Cheers Jon - I'll keep a look out for one to try......and yes I've seen those TFT screens, outrageous that it's an option eh?
Yeah - a £600 option. Still cool though!
That looked a great place and even better when the sun came out. looking forward to the next vid. RSM8
Lovely area of the country - many fond memories of Snowdonia, walking and climbing in the mountains (including a memorable winter trip round the "Snowdon Horseshoe" route). If you're over the traffic then come and visit New Zealand - a population comparable to that of Wales but the same land area as the whole of Great Britain!!
+Andrew Tunnicliffe Would love to Andy, its sooo far away though!! Will get there at some point - a must do!
Cheers on the new tour series. Lookin' forward to the next episode!
+Tom Meeks Thank you Tom, next episode on Friday!
Fantastic video, I'm in South Africa on holiday at the moment can't wait for the next one. Keep them coming.I would love a tee shirt.
Thank you Christopher - that's 2 of you...not enough for a print run yet I'm afraid!!!
Hey TMF,
Yet another great video, edit & delivery! Yes Wales is pretty fantastic with great roads, scenery & people, I really must get back there but living so near the channel tunnel makes Wales quite a distance away!
Andy.
Not as far as Scotland!
Absolutely beautiful! Looking forward to seeing the whole tour!
Stay tuned Matthew - next episode of this series will upload next Friday (but don't forget my Monday and Wednesday videos in the meantime)....
But of course! Catch you on tomorrow's video!
Wonderful stuff, I was drawn to your video hoping it would remind me of my touring on my own GS Adventure and it did, thank you; the engine and exhaust notes are unmistakable. Great narrative.
Cheers Malcolm! Plenty more videos on the channel featuring my GS...stay tuned!
Nice to see you in my neck of the woods, TMF. Some lovely roads here.
Not a bad road in Wales it seems!
Excellent video on my local biking area 👍 Absolutely love your pronunciations of the places you visited 😀. I’ve lived here all my life and can’t pronounce them correctly either lol!
Sorry about that!
The scenery is breathtaking I admit.. But it's the commentary that pushes me to watch your vids till the end :)
Keep up the good work brother.. Godspeed
Thank you very much - and well done for having the staying power to see it through to the end! Loads more to come...stay tuned!
TheMissendenFlyer most welcome :)
Hi TMF I think that the mountain you saw was Moel Siabod there is a cafe near it called Siabod cafe it's used sometimes as a signing on point for the Dragon Rally in February.
Cheers John - love a bit of local intell....
Brilliant really enjoyed the video looking forward to the next episode
Cheers Mark - Next Friday the next one is due! Stay tuned....
Another great travel vid. I empathize with you weather wise. Went to Cornwall for 5 day in August (using Bikers Britain as a base plan. After your recommendation. Thank you) Rained every day, some of it torrential. Never mind still a great ride. Looking forward to more of your Wales tour
Cheers Martin - was a pants season for riding wasn't it...I seemed to always mis-time it this year....
Some advice, if you don't like rain don't go where they have a lot of reservoirs because they're there for a reason!
Good point!
Great video, North Wales is great, nearly as good as the south !
:0) ...admit it, waaay better than the South on a motorbike.....
Welcome to Wales TMF, looking forward to the next one :)
Thank you - I'll be posting these every Friday for the next few weeks so stay tuned!
OOH, my neck of the woods!! I call the road you took to Llanrwst 'the test track' coz it's a cracking road for putting a bike through its paces if you're on a test ride from Woods' in Abergele. I reckon a 'spirited' run along there to Llan or Betws for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake will go a long way to telling you whether the bike you're riding is the right bike for you........certainly had the desired effect when I took a Street Triple down it.......I'm on my second and I'm of the opinion that they are just about the perfect bike for the roads of Snowdonia.
Ooh yes, brilliant roads for the brilliant Street Triple...nice one, lucky chap!
Love the Tour videos. There brilliant
Thanks Chris - lots more to come....stay tuned!
Good video (again) I like the high vis waterproofs !
As you know I am somewhat of a style leader....
Used to stop at Bedgelert on the way back from family camping in North Wales. Be interesting to hear your take on the story there.
+Michael Watts Stay tuned Michael!
Betsy-coed?? Oooohhhhh methinks the Welsh speakers will lynch you for that one Mr Flyer! :) Another great video nonetheless. I want your life. (and your bikes)
Ahh, I see you apologised in advance. Good thinking. (I don't speak Welsh either by the way). I've ridden that route a few times. If, a big IF mind, you get the weather it is almost unbeatable.
So how is it pronounced - can you spell it phonetically for me???
Thank you for the video lovely scenery and Take Care.
+Wayne Compton Cheers Wayne....
Cool video! Looking forward .... video the places u stop for rest snack n stuff...
That's a funny looking tea you were drinking at lunch time. lol
Rode out and about in wales about 6 of us May 2016 (TT week), rode all day early Pub dinner, back to cottage to see Highlights .Located near Brecon Beacons Fantastic locals telling you where to go for the best roads etc TJ
Beautiful place!!
Agreed!
Love Wales. Glad you're taking me there with you on your little trip again, albeit it being a virtual one for me. Great non the less. Think I'll revisit it again next year with a couple of mates. There, it didn't take me much persuasion did it? :)
:0)
Great video--i live in Betws y coed.
Very cool!
Work all around north wales cracking place to ride never disappoints
Agreed!
At 21 mins its not Snowdon its Moel Siabod, incidentally the largest base mountain in Europe. Distinguishable by the fact that it is not linked to any other mountain in Snowdonia, it just kinda sits there on its own.
I live near the M6 and commute on the m56 to Manchester airport so feel your pain and next time go right on the back road to betws y Coed 👍
Another one thats "Top draw",well done TMF,that bike of yours can,"shift"
Thank you sir....
Great youre on the road again! :)
Suggest entry to Wales via M5 to Malvern then to Shrewsbury then on from there..much nicer... and please can we have the Benny Hill music each time you change clothes at double speed!
...as long as I can get one of those French Maids with a feather duster involved....
haha!
Welsh roads are some of the best,, hope you enjoyed it. Pity you didn't ride the Evo Triangle.
+news The Evo Triangle being...???
It is one of the most famous driving routes in North Wales. So called after "EVO' magazine who used the route for many of their tests. The route is on the A543 (just off the A5 and not far from betws-y-coed) heading North along tight sweeping bends then right onto the B4501. There are some very nice driving roads in that area, you could easily spend a whole week riding different roads and which would guarantee to bring a big smile to your face.
Brill....hopefully next time!
If you want to check out the triangle I posted a video of a ride I took around it last October on my channel. Nothing spectacular but it will give you a good idea of what to expect should you ever venture that way.
Shame you turned left in Llanrwst, right would have taken you over an old stone bridge, ONE OF THE oldest in Wales and a cracking route on back road to BC.
Bugger!
North Wales My riding playground in my opinion best roads are Aberystwyth to Bala and Bala Llangollen , good tarmac roads can be bit busy at weekends.
Lucky man to have those at your regular disposal....I shall definitely be back!
Looks amazing. I really need to go. 😁
You really should!
I can't stop laughing. Betws y coed. That brilliant.
Sorry Wyn, I did say I'd get it wrong.....
Not offended at all. Keep it going, this is going to be a good one.👍
Lol. IKWYM.
I forgot to mention that while I was on the Scottish tour I was followed by another GS Adventure for a number of miles and we both ended up in a McDonald's having coffee and a chat about the GS Adventure, he then tells me about a nice guy he followers on TH-cam called the missenden flyer. Lol small world 🤗
...clearly man of great taste...(if a little dyslexic)
Second watch through of your Wales tour.
18 months on and the M6 is still covered in those same 50mph average speed cameras, only difference is the added 30mph zone!
Depressing road.
Tell me about it!
Such a sad sight... No matter where you go in the UK, the roads are heaving! Just too many of us squashed into this damp lump of a rock. Great vid though TMF.
..tell me about it...
I dream of a day we have roads that good here on the other side of the Atlantic (New Brunswick, Canada). Seriously, our highways tend to be worse than your B roads.
Wales my fatherland 👍
Although i live in Belfast now, some great roads and landscape hope to see you over here at some point. Get the ferry from Pembroke to rosslare to do a tour no need to go to Holyhead 😉
Yes would love too - defo on the radar for next season....
Looking forward to the rest of the trip!
Have you ever considered going to Germany for a trip, TMF? The Black Forest, or the Eifel mountain range?
Yes very much so - not to metion the Ring of course.....maybe next year....
A part of the world I know well as I am from the Midlands and venture into Mid/North Wales often
Nice one :0)
I have Wales on my agenda for next year after two Scottish trips, when I do it, I plan to include the Devil's Staircase : Tregaron - Llanwrtyd Wells
+vince halls Enjoy...
Just got back from there. From Rhayader through Elan Valley to Devil's Bridge. Then B4343 to Tregaron. Lovely overnight stay in Y Talbot hotel then through the wilderness to Llanwrtyd. Deserted roads. Fantastic scenery. Great on the Bonnie but wouldn't like to do it on a sports bike, cruiser or tourer.
Just as well I have a GS lol
I can recommend the A483, especially from Newtown south to Crossgates then on to Builth Wells if you haven't already ridden it, very nice road.
Steve
Stay tuned ;0)
.......just got back from a two week break in Portugal - we stayed nr Albufiera and I rented a Suzy Burgman 125cc for four days - we covered 330 miles riding inland from the coast and found some great roads, in particular the N267 west towards Monchique - 16 miles winding our way through some glorious countryside, and man, what a fabulous road !!
Bring on Part Two!......Missenden, that's my part of the woods. I regularly ride that route but normally get to Betwys a different way. Out of interest, which junction did you get off at the A55 to go to Betwys that route?
Crikey - this was a month ago, I have no idea!! Lovely part of the world you live in, you're very lucky to have those roads at your disposal! Stay tuned for part 2 next Friday!
Llanrwst pronounced clan-roost. keep them coming. Love your videos
Hi TMF: Another great Vlog 👏🏻
I live in Lymm Cheshire and regularly travel up and down those awful 18 mile stretch roadworks on the M6; quite depressing 😭
Regards SBKPete
....it's grim isn't it Pete, my current least favourite road in the world, recently eclipsing the M25 and M4.....
You don't need a map orchestrated by a glossy magazine to do a bike tour in north Wales.
You can't go wrong with any of the roads or towns really.
Hi, surprised you thought it might not rain in Wales (-:
I won't be surprised in future!!
I lold when he said bedeglert
Fantastic video blog mate! watched the whole thing in a oner.
What issue was the route taken from?
Err issue of what - IIRC I made the route up??
I'm fast becoming a super fan here tmf 😀😀
Do you or are you planning any tmf t shirts?
I genuinely look forward to your little trips away blogs and quite fancy an tmf t shirt 😀😀
Hehe, thanks Martin, there are two TMF T Shirts in existence (they have featured on the odd video) but I'm assuming no-one (except maybe you) would want them so I've not gone down the "Merch" route....if I get enough people asking, then I may reconsider, I'll let you know in a future video if I do! All the best and thanks for the kind words - TMF
TheMissendenFlyer .any chance of buying an exclusive t shirt tmf?
I quite like the idea of there not being too many about 😀😀👍👍
It would be far too expensive! :0)
great tour! one question, the tank bag you have is the gs small one right? regards.
+Jose Acosta Correct...
Hi TMF, great video and looking forward to the next instalment.
Can you tell me the name of the jeans you are wearing when you have taken your waterproofs off.
All the best
Mike.
Lots have asked me about those - I may have to do a video on them! In the meantime, they are called "Rebel" from Draggin' Jeans...
you pal are a biking tough guy rain doesnt bother you what gear have you got
Fair enough! I try to do anything to avoid motorways but sadly sometimes needs must.
Hey Ho
Exactly -that was the case this time m'fraid....
Great stuff, I live just over the way in Shropshire, love Wales but watch out for the cops, there are lots of speed traps in the summer, North Wales seems to be the worst in my experience anyway.......ride safe mate
Thanks....you too...
Great biking country, when it stops raining...
There's lovely for you boyo :)
+Hepcat Harley ;0)
Why don't you do a review on your wet weather gear considering on all your tours the rain has been a constant companion!
Yes very good point! Maybe I should.....