Fund Raising For St Ann's Hospice ...

The result: 23hrs 15mins, 2 almost broken bodies and over £800 for St. Anns Hospice. 2 friends, 2 bikes, 1750miles of tarmac, countless energy drinks and memories that will last a lifetime.

The plan was to leave at 08:30 Monday morning from Hunts Motorcycles and head straight down to Lands End, the reality was slightly different after our fellow bikers reminded us that there were several necessities that we had neglected to pack. By the time we had raided the parts and accessories dept, filled the bikes with fuel and drank several cups of coffee it was 10:30 hrs and we were well behind where we wanted to be.

With James on the VFR800 and myself on the CBF125 we headed south. It took us 6 miles before we found the first of the visually impaired idiots, who seemed to believe that because he was in a white van there was no need for him to check his mirrors. The mighty horn of the CBF put him back in his place and at full throttle steadily pulled away reaching a massive 75mph. The Scarpa headsets purchased prior to departure we're a god send, in between comments of "What the hell" and "look at the state" we found ourselves giving each other hints, tips and heads ups. They also allowed us to share our thoughts and feeling which is probably the reason why it only took us an hour to figure out the we had probably bitten off more than we could chew.

With the CBF125 steadily cruising at 65mph we hit the M6, 6 and a half hours later we arrived at our hotel in Penzance. It took us 10 minutes to check over the bikes and give them a quick oil refresh and chain lube. After a shower and some food in the local eatery, we headed straight to bed in preparation for the following days adventure, Honest!

After a good nights sleep, a good hearty breakfast and several shots of coffee we headed for the coast. We were the first of the visitors to arrive at the Lands End pole and we made sure that the bikes were parked in prime position to get our photo taken. Both of us, now brimming with excitement, couldn't wait to get started and as soon as the photos were done we set off, time 10:30 hrs. Now if I’m honest for the next 14 hours consist of nothing more than road, fuel stop, coffee, fag, road, fuel stop, coffee. However at 2 in the morning we started to hit the Scottish country roads and found ourselves having to fight against our own negative thoughts. I was completely convinced that there was no way on earth we could possible do this trip within 24 hours and that we had no option but to pull into the nearest hotel. The temperature had dropped to 6 degrees and regardless of how many layers we put on, it was very hard to keep warm. It was probably a good thing that James had switched his Scarpa head set off, that way he was completely oblivious to my comments when he casually rode past several hotels and on into the pitch black of the Scottish highlands.

At 4 we received a wake up call, with James in front by about 40 yards an oncoming vehicle somehow lost control and spun in the middle of the road forcing me to slam the anchors on, missing him by the narrowest of margins. After a short stop and the 2 bikers coming to the conclusion that the rather old van driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, we carried on but our confidence had now taken a severe battering. It took no more than 5 minutes for James to come to the same conclusion as myself and that it would just be stupid to carry on.

2 hours later and just on the approach into Inverness the sun began to rise to our right. This installed a new confidence within me and now I found myself avoiding the hotels, ignoring James's comments and carrying on to the far north. Half an hour after Inverness and we stop for fuel, coffee and more importantly, heat, something neither of us had experienced in many hours. With 120 miles to go, we pushed on.

Come 9 o'clock the end was in site, with every corner the subdued excitement mounted. Catching site of the Hunts Van heading in the opposite direction, after making a delivery, helped boost our confidence. Now for any of you that have been to John O'Groats then you will probably know the road I refer to as the main 10-mile artery down to John O'Groats itself. No cars, 2 narrow lanes, 2 bikes and 2 mates. We had ridden together for the past 24 hours and this was the final leg. Side by side we headed down into the town. No words can really describe the feelings we were going through. Needless to say the amount of pure adrenaline running through our bodies was immense and all the aches, pains and sores just seem to drift away. It would be at this point that if this were a movie there would be a suitable theme song being played in the back ground. As we hit the top of the last hill we looked down onto John O'Groats, the small number of houses laid out before us and the coastline so close you felt like you could reach out and touch it. It was 09:45hrs and we had done what we set out to achieve.

Taking everything into account, this trip was one that I’m sure neither of us will ever forget and will always be looked upon with fond memories.

As well as achieving a sense of enormous well-being, ache’s pains and ailments that still make themselves known even 2 weeks on, we managed to Raise over £800 for St. Ann’s Hospice in Heald Green. We targeted ourselves to raise £1500 so we are a little short. Should anyone wish to help us reach that target then we would greatly appreciate anything you can give.

I would also like to thank everyone who either donated, assisted or spurred us on. With special thanks to John Brown at Hunts for the loan of the bikes, Mandi & Guy at RideSafe BackSafe & Mike for spending time producing our Web-page.

Before I forget, one of the main reasons to do this trip was to see exactly how good the little CBF125 really is. I have to admit that ever since it was launched back in December last year I have loved the little fella. However, after covering 1750miles in 5 days my opinion has changed, but only for the better. It cruised all day at 65 miles per hour, it would over take on the flat at 75 mph and I managed to achieve a top speed of 84mph, not the fastest I’ve ever been but when you remember this is a 125cc engine it puts it all into prospective. From Lands End to John O’Groats we achieved 105mpg inclusive of the steep inclines in the highlands. Point to point on the motorway cruising at 65mph we achieved 132mpg.

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Thank You for your support!