Mid Wales Househunting on a Cat

My first serious ride out since been born again in May, was a three day jaunt through Herefordshire and Powys and despite much humming and hawing and weather forecast searching, the Cat finally won over the car. A new pair of saddlebags (for £28 on EBay) and a magnetic tank bag map holdery type thing (for a tenner, same place) it only took an hour of fiddling about to get the damn things attached. The car sat nav just about slipped into the map holder, but without a headphone jack had to keep glancing at it which was OK providing the sun wasn’t glaring off of it. Have always been irked about having to pay to get into Wales but its free for motorcycles to cross the Severn Bridge and reached Abergavenny (90 miles) in less than an hour and a half. The trip was three days of house hunting and the first day viewed ten properties in Peterchuch, Clyro, Kington, Knighton and Presteigne leaving home at 7.30 and arriving at Travelodge in Leominster at 5.00. So glad I took the Cat, over 200 miles of zig zagging back and forth along some great bike riding roads due to a confused Sat Nav, I would never have kept all the timed viewings if I took the car, and the only ache was left forearm tendons from clutch pulling and achy shoulders from cramming too much stuff in the backpack
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Cat ogling sheep by Mark PG, on Flickr

Day 2 Leominster to Llandindrod Wells and on to Rhayader for another 6 properties. If you get the chance ride the Knighton to Llandindrod Wells, 22 miles of long straights and sweeping corners, between 8 and 9 during the morning rush hour met about a dozen cars…in both directions (and this was a busy route as it was Royal Welsh Show week !!!) Parked in Rhayder for lunch next to 3 triumphs whose owners didn’t even give the Cat a glance, are all brit bike owners this snobby, I convinced the Cat it was just envy as the 60 year old Triumph owners sat drinking their tea in the café. Another near 200 mile 8 hours in the saddle day, and starting to ache in a few more places.
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Triumph...ant Cat in Rhayader by Mark PG, on Flickr

Day 3 Four more properties to view down towards Llandovery and the most exciting road I have come across so far in my short motorcycling life, why bother with European mountain roads when this is so close. I was told about this road as a shortcut to get onto the A40 from Tirabad, by the owner of a smallholding I viewed there, instead of joining the A483 down to Llandovery and going back along the A40 to Brecon. Eight miles of single lane, smooth tarmac, white edge lined road that would put some race circuits to shame, long straights, hairpins, ups and downs in the middle of Wales, the catch!! Sheepshit and Soldiers.
This is MOD land used for training and the road is closed when the red flag is flying, when I used it there were about 30/40 soldiers along its length all armed (and about a thousand sheep, unarmed). You cant stop to look at the fantastic views according to signs (who would want to stop on a bike on a road like this) and I didn’t intend to be a sitting duck, harder to hit a fast moving target thinks I, but according to the smallholder they only use blanks (re-assuring??)
Where is it? Along the A40 from Brecon towards Llandovery, 1 mile past Trecastle turn right at Llywel, pass the church on your right and the narrow lane splits as it starts to climb, keep left as this is MODs version of a dual carriage way and you wouldn’t want to meet one of their vehicles coming down, when you get to the cattle grid and red flag at the top you’ve reached Paradise.
200 miles+ later and I’m home aching like mad after more than 600 miles in three days and never wanting to ride a bloody bike again, two hours later and I’m poodling around town on the Cat (I think I’m hooked)
PS I averaged 65/70 miles a gallon (according to road tests I’ve read it averages 45) is this right or am I riding like a wus
PPS Oh yeah, have completely forgotten the properties I viewed, all I think of are the Cat and Welsh roads, suppose I’ll have to go back and look again
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Cat lost in Wales by Mark PG, on Flickr

Very nice clean looking bike. Sounds like you turned the mundane house hunting inta a fun biking adventure.

Paul.

You were on some of my turf there! I been riding in Powys and herefordshire today on my FZ1S.

The cat looks great by the way!

Mpg is good. I get between 45-60 from my T cat

Great review