First stop was the Channel Tunnel - first stop meaning that I could ride all the way without the need to stop for petrol as would've been the case on any of my triples. Infact the fuel range of at least 400 kms became a feature of the weekend and a major plus point for the Atlas. Fill up in England, next stop the Belgian border. Fill up in France next stop Luxembourg. Fill up in Luxembourg next stop France, via Germany and Belgium etc..Until you have this kind of fuel range you don't realise what a pain having to stop every 200 kms or so is. The long fuel range (and 30%+ better fuel economy over a triple) also goes some way to making up for the much lower cruising speed of the Atlas which is a very comfortable 110 kph or a slightly more frenetic 120-130 kph if you can ignore the engine spinning constantly at 6500 rpm + (I can't - it offends my sense of mechanical sympathy). For two up touring however 110 kph worked fine as Mrs A got to take in the sights (especially good given the high perch on the Atlas) and we could hear each other above the gentle wind roar.
My first time using 'The Chunnel' and what a revelation. Turn up, put your credit card in, pull out your ticket, ride on and 35 minutes later ride off. I like the ferry in that you can get something to eat and do the route planning over a beer but that aside the convenience and time saving of the train beats it hands down - just book as early as you can to get the best price as the closer to your embarkation time you book the more you pay. Our trip over put us in a carriage with a couple on a Gold Wing sans trailor heading to Tours. The pilot delighted in telling everyone the trailor hitch swivelled and was hence a 'wobbly knob' - funny the first time but 35 minutes later...Our other carriage buddy was an Irishman riding a friends BMW down to The Ardenne via Gent. He was selling it for his friend who said he could take it for a spin - whether that meant a 1000 kms jaunt round the Benelux I kind of doubt.
Bailleul was the overnight stop - we followed the route taken in 2009 on the LaverdaforHealth ride to Breganze and I bored Mrs A with a commentary about 'this is where Gido's bike broke down, this is where it started to rain, this is where the cobbles shook the bikes to pieces' etc. Aren't wives excellent at appearing deeply interested whilst in reality thinking about who knows what. We continued next morning down to Mons and this time followed the route ridden by the 100's down to the 2010 Pinkster rally. The beauty of the 100's is that they force you to look beyond highways and so you get to travel the old roads that are now mainly used by local traffic. 'The Grand Place' (city square) in Mons was bathed in sunshine (as was the whole weekend) and we sat people watching for a happy hour or so.
By 17.30 we rolled in to Bastogne and a planned dinner with Tony Ceci and family. Many of you will know Tony - LCF member and rider of a rather nice 1200 at various track weekends such as Spa and Dijon. Tony has a number of Laverda's as well as the 1200 which include JLO's old SFC 1000 and a genuine SFC 750. Whenever I visit another Laverdisti a trip to their garage is an essential part of the itinery - I am yet to find anyone however who can match the look and feel of my own...In addition to Tony's classics he'd also just taken delivery of a (secondhand but immaculate) BMW 1000RR. 190 bhp but no where to put your camping gear and no centre stand - I doubt they'll catch on.
Despite the offer of a warm bed we decided we had to join the Atlas rally so headed out at 21.00 arriving at the Seylerhof-Team EventCenter/ Hotel, Deiffelt just 2 kms from the Luxembourg border (and cheaper fuel) around an hour later. The trip over took just an hour but involved covering about 5 kms down an unlit unmade road. We arrived at the 'Route Barrier' sign and I decided that as I was on an Atlas a road under repair would offer no challenge! A few hundred metres down the road, buttocks clenched and the bike feeling like it was running on flat tyres made me reconsider...but of course no man can admit he's wrong so we pushed on (infact Mrs A did suggest we pushed but of course honour was at stake and I decided I'd rather die in a Belgian cable TV trench then face that particular ignomy). We pulled in to Seylerhof to be overwhelmed by the sight of two Atlas's. Just as I was beginning to wonder as to whether 3 Atlas's constituted a quorum and therefore a bona fide 'rally' the sound of 6 more Atlas's 'roared' in to town - the weekend was saved.
Brilliant sunshine welcomed our 10.00 ride out. Franky in true German tradition delivered a riders briefing (in German so we nodded and smiled) and ensured we started on time. This however was not going to be any weekend ramble of ride out this was the full cream, hardcore version normally reserved for Green Berets and their ilk! We tore down winding roads, across unmade tracks (more clenched buttocks) and through a miriade of twists and turns through shaded glens and open fields. At one point we came to a crossroads with a rather appealing cafe but just as I imagined Mrs A downing her first beer of the day (in one of course) we were back off in a haze of blue smoke (yep some of the motors had slack bores) and overstretched trail tyres! Eventually we settled at our first stop for the day - our bit of culture, a castle at Oranienburg
Cultural enrichment is often a feature of stops on ride outs and Franky was resolved that we would be 'enriched' despite the searing heat and the rather nice bar/cafe at the foot of the long walk up to the castle entrance. So we looked at the empty suits of armour and the crusty cannon balls and diagrams describing in detail were the latrines were originally located and suddenly found ourselves at the bar/cafe with a beer our face in a plate of chips (frites) discussing knives with some fellow Swiss deserters (the Swiss are big on knives...and clocks....and cheese...with holes in it). It seemed like hours (Mrs A refreshed by more beer was now discussing android knife scenes out of some Terminator movie) before a culturally enriched Franky and his band of prefects rolled in to the cafe. We pushed on afterwards but as is the case with many things in life once you've stopped and taken a break it is difficult to get back in to the rhythm. So after another stop the group split with the sensible souls heading back to base and the badasses heading out for more 'daring do.' In fairness Franky warned me that we'd be off for another 3 hours but I was determined to stay on. The pace was manic and eventually after missing a few braking points and realising the futility of the chase I waved the white flag and peeled off for a calmer pace home with Mrs A. What these riders had shown however was what I'd found back in the UK which is a well ridden Atlas is more than a match for any triple down twisting backroads. Okay you'll get slaughtered on fast flowing bends but if you pick your spot even the mighty Jota would end up dodging stones flicked up by a fast disappearing trail tyre. The low gearing and revvy motor make for good acceleration whilst the long travel suspension, wide bars and light weight make for a very flickable handling package.
We got lost heading home because the satnav froze (I know, I know, should've had a map) but eventually pulled in when everyone else had got settled in to the bar (how come I meet the only guy in Luxembourg who following consultation with his own satnav gives instruction based on 'keeping the sun in the north'...)! No one said anything but I'm sure I caught a few smirkes from the elite riding corps - my reputation in tatters. Still the evening was a blast, Tom Eatman of Cycledoctor fame showed up on a customer Atlas along with Thomas and his amazing Atlas sidecar outfit. Later in the evening we gathered around the campfire and Thomas revealed his sidecar had ventured to the Sahara many times. We all leaned forward to hear tales of being marooned for weeks in the open sun living on urine and only being rescued when he set fire to a tyre to attract the attention of a Paris-Dakar support plane but no the worst he'd encountered was a broken chain 200 metres from his home in Germany! Infact this kind of reliability seems to be a feature of the Atlas. Sure some of the bikes were a bit smoky but no one seemed to experience any significant design faults with them. Silencers are a problem because they cannot be found any longer and the Lafranoni original is a rust trap, similarly starter gear wear means alot of the bikes have a slow cranking speed when starting but on the whole it is a reliable package. I couldn't find one person (aside from myself) who seemed to have set out to own an Atlas - most had them for one reason or another (cheap to buy being high up the agenda) but now they had an Atlas they seemed inclined to keep hold of it. I agree it is a bike that grows on you the more you ride it.
Sunday morning and more brilliant sunshine. After the Atlas photo call Franky, Bruno and myself decided to ride off together to Monschau in Germany via Ben and Hettie's 'Baton Rouge' just down the road in Vielsalm. Baton Rouge provided the normal warm welcome reserved for any Laverdisti touring The Ardenne. Ben took me and showed me his almost complete renovation of his 1200 Anniversary which he'd damaged in a crash many, many years ago. We've all got one of these labours of love haven't we. We take it off the road for a bit of TLC and 10 years later wake up to find an immaculate money pit that despite all our love just needs a few finishing touches before it'll be back on the road...
Monschau is very picturesque - a stereotypical German town but time was moving on so we said our farewells and pointed the Atlas toward Gent in Belgium. This leg of the journey was the one involving the highest percentage of highway riding and I guess showed up the Atlas's shortcoming as a tourer. Since owning the Atlas I've often said that if only it was an 800cc it would be a terrific bike and I stand by this. You wouldn't really want to go much beyond 130 kph with the riding position, and some owners do belt the bikes along at this speed. 800cc would however leave you with some in reserve and also make for a more torquey motor. Alas the engine is really on the edge of its development in terms of capacity but if a Zane 750 could be made reliable it would make for the basis of an interesting special....
Gent rolled in to view and Calais the morning after and then rather depressingly England and the M25. It had been one of my favourite trips. Over 1500 kms in four days taking in five countries (maybe six as we must have brushed the Netherlands). I'd made contact with some new and old friends who'd been welcoming and who on occassions tested my ability as a rider but ultimately made sure I had a great time. I'd also come to understand and value the charm of a Laverda that seems to have slipped under most people's radar. You might want to check out an Atlas, there were only 450 made so once they're gone, they're gone.
Nick :-)