How do you find your way

[Paul Kent]

Right, the thing is Ive bought a bike oop north and I'm gonna ride it home Saturday but not being a well travelled biker i dont have a sat nav for a bike and I dont feel I need one as I'll not be doing that many journeys where I'll need one.
I'm thinking of just having my i pad in my rucksack and have the directions through an earphone ?


Any other suggestions?

[locksmith]

Write a list of directions/towns to head for on a piece of paper and tape to the tank!

[demic77]

Summat like this? Print route off beforehand.

http://www.fastbikebits.com/product/1277/magnetic-motorbike-tank-map-pouch?gclid=CJGZz63CjbwCFUr4wgod1QoAzA

[rustyrider]

Point it south until you get to somewhere you recognise.......

I can find my way around most of the country (and quite a bit of Europe too) but appreciate that others may not be the same.  But if you are coming from the North then you've only get 3 real choices, A1, M1 or M6.  All will ultimately take you to London.  Where are you coming from and hoping to end up?

[Paul Kent]

Derby to Kent so nothing major, I just wanted a hassle free way to the M1.
Now I have the sellers address its actuall not so bad at all, Its about 3 turnings then on the the motorway

[adeejaysdelight]

You'll be fine mate. Just take your time. Don't jump on the bike right away. Get your shit together, have a cuppa and calm it down a shade. Then look at your map, fuel up and swing a leg over. I have bought bikes from all over the UK and the excitment can quite easily get the better of you.
 
I hope its a Fazer, by the way 

[Paul Kent]

Deffo Fazer!
Theres a pic on "show us ya fazers"
The M1 is a fairly well known road so I'd hope I can get there, just wanna get home before it gets dark

[Dead Eye]

Depends on what I'm doing, but if its somewhere I haven't been before I'll just take a look on Google Maps to find the least amount of roads that I can use to complete the journey then I just memorise the few road numbers

For example, I plan on heading to the Raven Cafe in April (see the Events forum), but I already know the route in my head as its quite simple. For getting home, I just follow signs to places I know or know are in the right direction :P This has lead to some interesting trips before, but mostly its good fun and I always get home easily enough

[maddog04]

make sure your kit is up to scratch
I bought and rode home from Redruth in Cornwall to Liverpool....355 miles in a day. Coz I travelled down on train, I never took/wore my gear but layered up in civvy clobber.....big mistake
foccing freezing over Bodmin moor, pissed down to Brum with snow/hail chucked in for good measure....only weather I never had was sun!!
I took a flask and had regular tea/fuel stops but was hypothermic (literally) by time I got home
this will fook you up especially if you get lost so jot down the route as others have said but wear the right kit
 
good luck

[esetest]

In the days before Satnavs and computers , I used to look at a map before I set off , and made a note of the towns and cities on the way , I used to do a lot of travelling for work , I used the same method when I drove from Bilbao in Spain to Cascais in Portugal . 

[stevierst]

Yep, I used to do the same thing. I got my map out and made a route card the night before with towns and road numbers on it. I used to regularly travel the length of the country with work. I found it quite good fun. Sat nav spoils that a bit.

[Paul Kent]

So far so bad!
Missed my connection for London and now I've learned that there is disruption between London and derby, so much so that my booked train is cancelled!

[dickturpin]

hang on in there...you know it'll be worth it when you twist the throttle!

[Paul Kent]

You are so right!
Seller was a top bloke, bike rode really well, I got in 10 mins before the skies opened up so Im  happy happy happy 

[dickturpin]

thought you would be.....so where are the pictures?

[Paul Kent]

Only one I got but there will be plenty more in the future

[Chris]

Looks nice, love that colour scheme!

Glad you got there and back in one piece 

What did you end up doing for the directions? did you just memorise the general roads or did you write down a quick reference list of towns/roads etc?

Chris

[Grandma]

In the days before Satnavs and computers , I used to look at a map before I set off , and made a note of the towns and cities on the way , I used to do a lot of travelling for work , I used the same method when I drove from Bilbao in Spain to Cascais in Portugal .

Me too, still do, love maps, only use Satnaff in the car if really tricky and time restraints

[Paul Kent]

I used google maps via the I pad in the backpack, still managed a few wrong turns in derby though!