This years Epic Summer trip

runnach said:
YouTube clip where you saw the vultures, did you see the flag pole about a further 300 metre climb 🧗‍♀️ up over the boulders? Like one of those Himalayan prayer thingies. I ventured over to the edge, YIKES. Squeaky bum time!

Image with red txt, I recall when up there looking down to the tunnel with windows in it (tunnel with your bike parked up) I thought interesting, can’t wait to drive through that later in the day, wishful thinking, drove through on second day after leaving Trigance.

I also wanted to stop there, as you did, but no room for the brick.
View attachment 145091View attachment 145092View attachment 145093
Click to expand...

No I never saw the flagpole. I meant to add there were some climbers combing up the side of it. Seen them before. Quite the climb.
 
barryd said:
No I never saw the flagpole. I meant to add there were some climbers combing up the side of it. Seen them before. Quite the climb.
Click to expand...
We saw a couple of guys tidying their climbing gear after the climb. No fear, these people!!!
 
Got my first wasp sting of the summer this morning. Right up the short leg about 40 mph on the bike. A bit too close for comfort :D. I used to always get four or five over a summer over here but there are hardly any insects. I dont ride with my visor down most of the time unless its a fast busy stretch but I've not had to clean it once since leaving the UK.

Its now way too feckin hot. Off down to the lake I think for the afternoon.
 
So the Côte d'Azur then. After a really long tediously slow (short) drive to get here we really shouldn't have done the same again on the bike but we did. :D The bike garage I had earmarked to get a new rear tyre fitted who changed one for us eight years ago were totally useless. Didn't have one and couldn't order one either. Just the usual Gallic shrug and a grumpy "non".

Lovely long ride down the coast though from Bormes les Mimosas to St Tropez for a very very late lunch (Not quite as expensive as an actual house ooop north at home but not far off :D.) Perfect temperature for T shirts, shorts and flip flops. :D I had forgotten how mental it gets round St Tropez and all the way to Monaco though. It seems the rule is car and van drivers just have to drive as normal but if you ride a scooter or a motorcycle there are literally no rules or speed limits. Let the fun commence. :ROFLMAO: The central reservation on the five mile run into St Tropez has solid white lines on it but if you're on two wheels you are allowed to fly down it as fast as you like to pass all the jammed up traffic at any speed you like. You have to take part otherwise you look a total wuss and as Im sporting a UK reg and Union Jack UK sticker we can't have that! :D I even witnessed a scooter carve up two Gendarmes on Motorbikes who were turning across the traffic. They got a bit of a "F*ck you" stare but that was it. :ROFLMAO:

Coming back was even more fun. I have never seen the road out of St Tropez so busy, even on Market day. Then the long twisting scenic ride up into the hills and back to the Aire is just bliss. I think we passed two or three vehicles over the entire 16 mile stretch.

Collobrières itself where we are staying is a lovely little traditional Mediterranean village. (quite a large one). Its not too touristy and full of charm and character. Famous for Chestnuts. Got back not long ago and went straight to the pub. :D

Few pics (not in order)



















 
Looks a cracking day, I recognise the scooter, Michelle and the canoe have changed though, what happens in Monte Carlo, stays ............
Screenshot 2025-08-06 214514.jpg
 
Bit of a disaster in the south of France. We just happened to be at a bike shop near St Tropez looking for a mirror and a rear tyre and the bike wouldnt start. The fuel pump was not priming. Luckily the bike mechanics dropped what they were doing and found a pump that looked the same as the Honda one and replaced it. Bike started fine. €100 and I was happy with that. Rode the 25 miles back to the motorhome and its packed up again. Turn the ignition knob and you cant hear he pump. The engine turns over while you are pressing the button but as soon as you release it it dies.

It might be game over for us if I cant get it fixed. Might have to cut the trip short and head home. Any thoughts?

Just don't know what to do. We were lucky that they dropped what they were doing today as all the dealers and garages seem flat out. Both feeling pretty down about it all.
 
barryd said:
Bit of a disaster in the south of France. We just happened to be at a bike shop near St Tropez looking for a mirror and a rear tyre and the bike wouldnt start. The fuel pump was not priming. Luckily the bike mechanics dropped what they were doing and found a pump that looked the same as the Honda one and replaced it. Bike started fine. €100 and I was happy with that. Rode the 25 miles back to the motorhome and its packed up again. Turn the ignition knob and you cant hear he pump. The engine turns over while you are pressing the button but as soon as you release it it dies.

It might be game over for us if I cant get it fixed. Might have to cut the trip short and head home. Any thoughts?

Just don't know what to do. We were lucky that they dropped what they were doing today as all the dealers and garages seem flat out. Both feeling pretty down about it all.
Click to expand...
August isn't a great time for getting things done in France! Might you have more luck in another area?
Try https://moto.honda.fr/motorcycles/dealer-search.html
Could it be an issue with a relay? Or some other electrical issue?
Of course, some motorhomers actually manage to get by somehow without any smaller vehicle for local trips. A bit of a change from what you're used to, but no need to totally abandon the trip.
 
Its an intermittent fault.

I left the bike for an hour and now it starts again. Turned it off and on again a few times and it started. Went and got some fuel (left it running) and it got us back to the motorhome. No engine management light on. I dont think its the side stand sensor as I think it wont turn over at all when that is down. Its definitely the pump and I think power to the pump. You can clearly hear the pump prime when you turn on the ignition and then it starts. When it doesnt start you will not hear it prime. I cant use it like this though as if I get stranded in the middle of nowhere Im pretty goosed. Not speaking French very well doesn't help either.

The plan at the moment is to head towards Lake Pareloup where there is an Aire right by the lake. 250 miles. At least there we can enjoy the lake, hopefully miss the worst of the horrendous heat wave thats coming (its already boiling hot) and decide what to do from there.

I can't realistically continue without the bike, not with my walking difficulties.
 
Lac De Parloup is beautiful, you will not be disappointed. Further north is Bozouls, well worth a visit to wander around the canyon. Lovely aire, which was free when we visited.
 
runnach said:
Lac De Parloup is beautiful, you will not be disappointed. Further north is Bozouls, well worth a visit to wander around the canyon. Lovely aire, which was free when we visited.
Click to expand...

Ironically we first found Pareloup on our first Euro trip in 2009 when flaming old Peugeot Speedfight scooter snapped a belt. I took it to loads of bike places, nobody could help. Then I found a Honda dealer in Albi but even there I had to have a belt shipped out from the UK to them. (For a French bike!). It took eight days for them to sort it and during that time we discovered Lake Pareloup. Its like losing a limb to me.

Bit of a discovery though. If you watch this video and read the comments it sounds like a common problem in hot weather. The video shows the problem exactly. It sounds like if you leave it to cool for some time it will then start which is exactly what happened earlier. ITs bonkers hot now and set to get much warmer still.

 
I'd not give up too soon. Maybe try a few dealers on your intended route, email in advance using Google translate.

Just another thought if fund run to it, I seem to recall you considering PX it and getting another, it's an option if you have the V5 which you should.
 
Thanks but I don't think they will be able to fix it. If its a known problem with Visions and hot weather clearly changing the pump does not fix it. I know what will happen if we take it to another garage. They will scratch their heads and just start changing stuff willy nilly. What I need to find out is if there is a permanent fix. Its set to get extremely hot the next few days. Its already boiling so the only way to test it is to wait for cooler weather or drive to it. Next stop after Pareloup was going to be the Pyrenees but even there at 4000ft its still really warm.

Im a little bit more relaxed about it as if I know it will go once its cooled down its not as big a disaster as I thought. If. Maybe a few shorter trips from now on to test it but the next few days I suspect we will hardly go anywhere on it. Way too hot. Even at Pareloup.
 
Barry, do you still have the original pump. If a heat issue, perhaps you can swap back over if required?

I’m sure you will know, if heading west, that is towards the horrific fires engulfing huge sways of forest land 😢
 
runnach said:
Barry, do you still have the original pump. If a heat issue, perhaps you can swap back over if required?

I’m sure you will know, if heading west, that is towards the horrific fires engulfing huge sways of forest land 😢
Click to expand...

No I don't and there is no way I can go back for it really. I know about the fires. If we do go south west we should avoid them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:73)

Back
Top