All is becoming clear!

So, not much has happened in the last couple of weeks. I've been reading up more on the lonely planet guide to Ireland more so the week before last than the week just past. This is mainly due to having left the book in the car and not being bothered to get it out!

I've now decided, more by default than choice, that the Garmin 550 will be the sat nav of choice. It turns out that the others don't include eastern Europe (Croatia and Hungary most importantly). I've also heard about other features as being able to upload routes from your computer to the device rather than choosing predetermined routes which is perfect. I'd also imagine setting up the routes on a computer would be easier than punching everything in to a tiny screen!

After much browsing through the internet for hard luggage for the bike, and becoming well and truly confused by the amount of different options available for hard luggage I paid a trip to the Suzuki motorcycle shop in Bordon today. Before I continue though, as I intended this to be a kind of guide for others planning the same thing here's a couple of little tips:

• Get Monokey hard luggage, it's been speed tested! I can only imagine that if you're willing to get the Monolock version, you don't care about your luggage flying off down the Autobahn as you're testing out your top speed!

• All hard luggage I've seen seems to have a maximum weight capacity of 10Kg (panniers and top box).

• The weight of the top box is included in the overall weight capacity given ie. If you're top box weight capacity is 10Kg and it weighs 5Kg, your allowance for actual luggage will only be 5Kg!

• Some bike manufacturers don't recommend using top box and panniers simultaneously. Check your owners manual for advice (I've yet to do this...).

This is all stuff I found out today from the kind chap at the motorbike shop!

So this changes things slightly. Why would we want a 55 litre top box when I can't fill it up with luggage? I think the answer is that we don't so maybe it's time to start looking at smaller boxes. As long as it can hold the helmets and boots if we want to stop somewhere on our travels I think that will be good enough.

So, on a completely different note, on the way to the motorbike shop this morning, I had a moment of clarification. As I mentioned in my previous post, I crapped myself getting back on the bike for the first time since last year and although after my ride to scrub in the front tyre seemed to eliminate my fears, it was still annoying me why I felt like that. Today, I understood why! The bike seems to be turning more freely and where my limited technical knowledge lets me down I am certain the change of wheel bearings has made this better. In other words, I got used to riding my bike in a sub standard condition! Worryingly, I think this means that all last year, my bike was, putting it bluntly, fucked! At least I know now that if I experience the same problems I will be able to correctly diagnose the fault.

I'm not sure if I had mentioned before but Nikki has never been on the bike, moving or stationary and a big worry for her is how the bike balances. Now, we don't have all the gear for her yet but I think seeing as the ball is rolling now, that it would be best to instill some confidence so tomorrow, Nikki will be having her first sit on the bike. I think I'm more excited at the moment than she!

I'm hoping to have completed the lonely planet guide on Ireland soon so be prepared, the next post may be longer than this!