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Road trip in a BEC
ecosse748 - 12/12/12 at 01:25 PM

Hello. i've got a MK indy with a standard blade engine running carbs and its perfect for short blasts around UK roads. However, i've got to go over to barcelona in the summer for a week with my job and one of the guys suggested taking his motorbike and making a road trip out of it. I'm weighing up the idea of taking my MK although its 1000miles each way so its a fair old way to go in a BEC. My previous record was 300miles down the M6/M40 when collecting the car and that wasnt bad at all.

Are there any suggestions of things I could do with the car in order to prepare it for such a trip, other than checking lights, pressures and levels? One idea would be to try and change the diff to bring the RPM down, saving on fuel consumption and vibration as i'm currently around 6500rpm at 70mph. Any ideas welcomed, like i said before we are just discussing the idea of fitting in a road trip around work.

adithorp - 12/12/12 at 02:07 PM

What you'll realy need, is protection from all the post that'll soon be on here saying "you can't tour in a BEC" etc.

Don't believe them. There's a group of of (several are members on here) who do a 3-3500mile euro trip every year. There's usually 4+ in BECs. I just change the oil, check the levels, fit new tyres, then thrash the pants off it for a week.

If doing Barcelona then I'd consider the Bilbao ferryand then spend 2-3 days going down through the Pyranese instead of just endless motorway down through France.

bobinspain - 12/12/12 at 02:51 PM

If doing Barcelona then I'd consider the Bilbao ferryand then spend 2-3 days going down through the Pyranese instead of just endless motorway down through France.




I'd certainly go along with the above general ferry suggestion. (The Pyrenees will be spectacular, though time consuming)
We live 250km south of Barca and all mates who make the journey from/to UK by car try and avoid France and save 4 or 5 hours driving time, via the most direct, though not the most scenic route.
So far as I can make out, cost seems to be the only drawback of using the ferry (Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander).

Regards, Bob.

mark chandler - 12/12/12 at 03:21 PM

If doing Barcelona then I'd consider the Bilbao ferryand then spend 2-3 days going down through the Pyranese instead of just endless motorway down through France.

That's what we did a few years ago, lovely.

Came back to Calais via the Millau bridge.

Honda engine is good for 80,000 miles in a bike, provided the prop and axle are up to it you should have no issues.

Yes it will be noisy, buy ear plugs

fullpint - 12/12/12 at 04:29 PM

I would rather do a 1,000 mile trip in my Indy Blade than sat on a CBR900.. Go for it mate. It will be a blast. Basic tool kit and breakdown cover is all you need..

froggy - 12/12/12 at 04:35 PM

slightly ot but whats the fuel consumption like with a 4 cyl bec sitting at 6500-7000rpm ?

ecosse748 - 12/12/12 at 05:00 PM

thanks for the replies. we have discussed a ferry to santander, which will nearly half the mileage but will continue to look into it. Just have to drive from Silverstone to the ferry and find some nice roads that lead to Barcelona. From some motorway running i think i get about 25mpg just cruising at 70mph, but it was a very rough estimate from the short time i've had the car.

adithorp - 12/12/12 at 09:36 PM

quote:
Originally posted by froggy
slightly ot but whats the fuel consumption like with a 4 cyl bec sitting at 6500-7000rpm ?


Mine does 30mpg+ on the motorway. I've got 200miles from a 6 gallon tank once. I was running on fumes and crossed fingers at the end though. I'll sit at 8000rpm+ all day long... Steady revs is easy work for these engines, just not very mentally stimulating for us.

We did the Bilbao ferry one way this year. It's not cheap but not a lot different than the tolls and fuel and avoids a very long motorway drive. Thinking of doing it both ways next year.

Mountains are were these cars belong not motorways. Ending a day like this

ecosse748 - 13/12/12 at 03:33 PM

where was that photo taken? just been looking into it today and we think that for the high cost of the bilbao ferry, we probably prefer just to head back through france. going to plan some routes at the weekend. motorways are boring, but i'll just get the moulded earplugs in and the ipod on!

adithorp - 13/12/12 at 04:57 PM

Thats the topof the Col du Aspin last June