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Dear
all, Welcome to the fourth edition of the Unicorn Adventures Newsletter! Enjoy your reading! If you need more information about a topic drop us a line : contact@unicornadventures.com Have fun,
drive safely! Unicorn
Adventures Ltd Team |
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1. Events
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4.Cultural drops
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2. Unicorn Adventures Ltd tour tips
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5. The Ladies news |
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3. Bike test
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6. The techie tricks and tips |
| Changes in Tour dates
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A new representative in the USA Unicorn Adventures Ltd is glad to let you know that as of March 2006 John Manning will be our representative in the USA!
You can contact him on unicornamerica@unicornadventures.com.
By phone : +1 866 477 3911.
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PayPal payment
Customised tours
Due to an increasing demand Unicorn Adventures Ltd is also offering customised tours around the existing products, by extending the tour duration or adapting the tour to your needs around the existing ones, but always with the Unicorn Adventures Ltd service level and quality. Some dates can also be customised. For any specific need please contact our team well in advance. |
| How does the booking process work? Once you have selected the tour you want to ride with us it is time to order. The easiest way is to get on the Unicorn Adventures Ltd Web site and select " Book Now ". This will take you through some pages you have to fill in with your information up to the moment you will validate your booking.
A PDF will then open summarizing all the collected information as well as tour name, date and price. This PDF is also acting as a contract. You should print it as you will have to sign a copy and send it to us with various documents listed in a confirmation email you will automatically get. This will also take you to the selected payment method: wire transfer (all details on the email) or PayPal (email with invoice information and payment link).
You will first have to pay a pre-booking
fee of 500 Euros and later the balance (for those booking at least
60 days ahead of date of departure) or the full balance (for those
booking later than 60 days prior to departure). |
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Should
I wave at fellow bikers? There are many discussions on the Web related to waving at fellow bikers when crossing them on the road. Every biker has his theory and her/his way to say "hello".
There are the ones waving to everyone (as it should be in fact), those waving only to the same brand, or the same type or the same size. Some are not willing to wave to a smaller bike because…it is smaller, some just can't wave as they may lose control of the bike and some others because they drive on the wrong side of the road (especially Ireland, UK and some other countries driving on the left side - read our note about the history behind this situation on our blog: Riding on the wrong side of the road an international problem), well try to take your hand away from the gas throttle just to say hello! |
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Some also do their best to avoid waving at bikers riding motorcycles with "Police" written on them, try it you will see how happy the guys are when they get waved at! Big smile! They don't get that often a big wave! Now make sure that an open hand or your usual hand sign is understood as such in the country you ride, there are some surprises around the world! Soon to come a note on this topic in our blog. And of course there are those who are convinced you should not wave at something smaller than 250 cc or even more.
The most important is that you as
a pilot or a passenger wave when you feel it, the more the better
as bikers are a big family! . |
| Does size matter? The F650GS doesn't think so
F650GS (c) BMW |
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The "back to the roots" bike! One cylinder, two wheels, a saddle and fun, loads of fun! This is definitely a motorcycle you ride with a big smile on all the time (get a full face helmet to avoid eating to many flies and other nasty insects).
Compared to the rest of the BMW motorcycles you will find on our tours this is the one who worked the hardest on the Weight Watchers diet: 192 Kg (more than 100 Kg less than the K1200LT), which means there is no need for a huge engine: 650 cc and 50 Hp based on a Rotax ® mono cylinder engine. This doesn't mean you are going to stay way behind the rest of the group! No way! That little engine is full of fun and will push hard on your back to get you to the next curve. Surprisingly that little motorcycle jumps from one curve to the next one with a lot of goodwill! And does it with a lovely sound through its two exhaust pipes (sort of a designer thing!). Keep in mind though that this is a lone piston only engine and that with the wrong gear at very low speed it will make sure you are aware it doesn't like it! |
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Among the surprises you will notice that there is no cap on the tank, as that one is under the saddle for a lower CG, and for those not really used with the usual BMW blinker switches, the F650GS offers the Japanese standard "one switch, two blinker" solution. The handling is easy, an you feel on this bike as if you had always ridden it. Now for long distance rides you will appreciate to have a support truck as you aren't here on an oversized K1200LT or R1200RT with all the cases to store your belongings, and that some guide motorcycle carries some spare gas as there is no gas gauge for the 17L tank.
To answer the title questions: does size matter? The F650GS will prove that to have fun you can be smaller and slimmer and get a lot of smile on your biker's face.
For your next Unicorn Adventures
tour ask for a F650GS! |
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The
Mimosa, a flower of the south
Some of our tours like the " Mediterrannean Coast " and a " Ride in Provence and Camargue " ride along the Mimosa Road. The mimosa blooms mainly during the winter and early spring. That plant is so well present that it sort of became the French Riviera and Provence icon. The warm climate as well as nearly permanent sunshine help plants and flowers to grow in a magnificent way mixing wild and rustic species with light and sweet perfumes ; which by the way took the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes states (départements) to the lead in flower and plants production in France.
The mimosa brings a gold touch to the vista and a delicious scent during the winter helping the local people to transition from a mild warm sunny winter to a bright spring. From the Maures ledge to the Tanneron hills, through the Esterel ledge, slopes, small valleys, hills and gardens get covered with downy flowers. The harmony between the blue sky, blue and green sea and the gold yellow flowers make each ride better than the previous one and push you to open the visor to enjoy the salty smell mixed to the warm and subtle flowers perfume from one curve to the next one.
" The mimosa got imported to Europe
by the end of the 18th century thanks to Captain Cook's journeys.
In botanics the mimosa belongs to the " Accacia " type and to the
" Mimosées " family . |
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In France the mimosa arrived on the French Riviera thanks to some rich British winter tourists who used the mimosa to decorate the gardens of their luxury houses on the coast. " (translated from http://www.bormeslesmimosas.com).
From the gardens to the mountains the mimosa is everywhere! It even became for some a real problem as it develops itself very quickly in any place, growing in large plants covering wide areas and stopping other plants from developing. But each house has to have its mimosa tree, which will bring sun and good mood to the house owners and by passers.
Come enjoy this "sun on tree" during our motorcycle tours scheduled during spring or at the end of the season. "Throughout the
centuries the historic site of Carcassonne has played a decisive role
in the history of Languedoc. An Iron Age Oppidum transformed into
a Roman town in the Ist Century BC, the city-state became the possession
of the powerful Viscount Trencavel who ruled over Bas-Languedoc. At
the end of the crusade against the Albigensians the city, with its
improved fortifications, became one of the strongholds symbolising
royal power on the frontier between France and Aragon. |
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However, after the
Treaty of the Pyrenees made the Roussillon a French possession, the
city lost its strategic role and its defence works were neglected.
In the XIXth Century, the residents of Carcassonne and the Historic
Monuments Department (Service des Monuments Historiques), commissioned
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc to restore the ancient fortress to its original
appearance." (www.carcassonne.culture.fr).
Don't be surprised to hear many stories about the origin of the name Carcassonne the most famous says that a lady called "Dame Carcas" helped to kick out Charlemagne who was besieging the city. Even though this is a nice story there is a bigger chance the names comes from the geographical localization as the name roots car- and cas- imply a rocky hill. It makes sense as you can find them in the various names carried over the ages: during the 8th BC century the Oppidum was called Carsac and later during the 2nd Century BC it was changed to Carcaso.
You always leave the Cité with many memories thanks to the power and safety feeling given by the defensive walls, the tiny streets and monuments, not even talking about the restaurants. You may even want to stay there and share the life of the approx. 140 people still living inside the Cité (the town of Carcassonne has approx. 184.000 inhabitants, more than half all the Aude (department de l') inhabitants).
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Triumph by Paul Smith is a modern and fresh collection of accessories and jeans wear inspired by the cult motorcycle company. Vintage feel motorcycle jackets, with unique stud detailing and printed logo, heavily washed denim jackets and jeans, with red and navy embroidered Triumph logo and a vintage Triumph logo T's are among the signature clothing pieces available.
Along side the clothing Paul Smith has customised one of Triumph's most famous bikes - the Bonneville T100. These two original designs, nicknamed the "Multi-Union" and "Live Fast", feature special hand-painted bodywork and mock-croc leather seats. Only fifty of each design will be produced for sale globally and each bike will be individually numbered and authenticated with a certificate, signed by Paul Smith and John Bloor, Triumph's owner.
Now Ladies, are you ready for the Smith-Triumph Attitude ?
Enjoy
your ride! |
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Here is a trick presented on our blog.
Most bikes come with a sort of solution to hang one helmet to a metallic loop hidden somewhere under the saddle. But that element is only made for one helmet. Where does the second go? Most of the time, and we have seen it many, many times, on the ground, locked with the U lock or chain. Which seems a good idea…if you except dogs walking around and always curious to drop…a drop in a new place! This really happens!
A nice little trick is to get a bicycle cable lock and attach it the motorcycle frame or rear handles or any static piece! Those locks are long enough to get at least to helmets (you aren't supposed to be more than two on a bike, aren't you?) and can stay in place all the time.
It is cheap and efficient! |
