Hi guys,

As my car gets closer and closer to being road legal my mind is slowly getting round the idea of actually driving the car, as opposed to work on it, and sit it in the garage.

Now the obvious sunday blasts, and trackdays apart - has anyone done any trips in their BEC's?

I'm not talking "daily driver" type journeys, but special continental tours, Nordschleife trips etc.

Is a BEC up to this? Obviously it would require a good few months post registration to shake down and remedy any teething problems, but say late summer 09, is it feasable?

Its a 893 fireblade install in a live axle locost.

I have a trailer and a super reliable tin top, so might do the liverpool - continent on a trailer, then find a friendly B&B farm house to deposit the car and trailer at.

I once hired my best mate an E type for his stag do, and me and him drove round the wilds of scotland all weekend, going where the mood took us, it was an epic weekend that will live long in my memory - and whilst my car is NO e-type, could I get close to a slightly more manic version?

Your thoughts gents, and ladies?

One of the kit car mags did an article on some car that went to France, some were BECs

To me it's not whether the car can take it but the animal driving it.

I have thought about the same thing i cant see why it would be any different to any other car.

Bike parts are every where the only thing I would pack for the car is a spare clutch and throttle cable as these maybe harder to find.

Hmm mine gets pretty wearing after a couple of hours, but trail to a B&B in central France then cast about does sound pretty good.

But then mine is minimal with open exhaust, a bit of work on quieting it down would resolve most of that.

Only thing to be wary of is legislation on spares so you will need triangle, bulbs etc incase you get a tug, I have noticed abroad people are far more interested in odd/nice cars than in the UK.

Once there book up a track day on the way home, Magny Cours maybe then drift over to Nürburgring on the last day as you do have a trailer just in case.

Infact starting to sound very attractive !!!

Regards Mark

I've been to the nurbugring twice a year for the last 5 years in my tin top. Planning a week in spain this year so hopefully will go back the the ring in the kit car later this year when i have put some miles on it!

I was just on pistonheads and thinking of doing such a thing, i have a year out from uni - providing i get the car done, I would love to go on a big ol road trip!

Maybe we should organise something with people on here...

James

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=101366

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Originally posted by james h
I was just on pistonheads and thinking of doing such a thing, i have a year out from uni - providing i get the car done, I would love to go on a big ol road trip!

Maybe we should organise something with people on here...

James

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Aha, just thhe thing Steve! Regarding Santander, i saw this video after looking at pistonheads:
Linky - seems fantastic!

IMHO, the "BECs are undriveable on the road" stuff is made up by people who can't get their head around a bike drivetrain. I.e. relatively low flywheel effect and quick revving.

My '893 engined 3.62 Indy is more flexible in its delivery than my wife's 182 Cup, which (stating the obvious) is a 2 liter mill driving a comparatively lightweight tin top.

There's no reason at all you shouldn't tour in your car that has anything particularly to do with the drivetrain. Whether you have a weather kit fitted and whether you want to work out teething issues in a foreign country are another question, but those points apply whatever the drivetrain.

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Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Hi guys,

As my car gets closer and closer to being road legal my mind is slowly getting round the idea of actually driving the car, as opposed to work on it, and sit it in the garage.

Now the obvious sunday blasts, and trackdays apart - has anyone done any trips in their BEC's?

I'm not talking "daily driver" type journeys, but special continental tours, Nordschleife trips etc.

Is a BEC up to this? Obviously it would require a good few months post registration to shake down and remedy any teething problems, but say late summer 09, is it feasable?

Its a 893 fireblade install in a live axle locost.

I have a trailer and a super reliable tin top, so might do the liverpool - continent on a trailer, then find a friendly B&B farm house to deposit the car and trailer at.

I once hired my best mate an E type for his stag do, and me and him drove round the wilds of scotland all weekend, going where the mood took us, it was an epic weekend that will live long in my memory - and whilst my car is NO e-type, could I get close to a slightly more manic version?

Your thoughts gents, and ladies?

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Same thing has been going through my mind. My sister has a house down near tolouse and there is a guy on the Westy site by the name of Norman who owns The French Blatting Company, (or something similar), He's about an hour or so south of Le Mans.

As with most BECS I dont have a screen or weather gear, but I guess if youve got the right clothing on, (as per riding a bike!), it shouldnt make any difference as to what the weather throws at you.........within reason!!!

I did a decent trip from mine (in Newcastle) to Fort William and back last summer. I know it doesn't sound much, but it's 265 miles each way! It was fine TBH. Broke it up with a couple of stops to re-fuel / have a coffee etc.

(Mind you we have done over 300 miles in a day, just blatting round the Scottish borders / Lakes / Pennines).

Am planning a similar trip with the NE7ER's this May, Ncle to Fort William, Fort William to Inverness, Inverness back to Newcastle. That should be about 800 miles.

If that all goes smoothly, which I have no reason to doubt, then I'm planning something continental. I'd love to do Le Mans, but driving Ncle to Calais is putting me off.

I could do Ncle to Amsterdam on the ferry, and be within 220 miles of the Ring.

Mike

We get loads of Seven, and classic car convoys staying around here for a night or two on their way south, and then again on their way back home.

Even the noisiest car can be a dream on a clear and quiet B road in France!

Go for it!
Not been transcontinental in mine yet, but would have little hesitation in doing so.
I have done a 400 mile round trip from Hinckley to and round North wales and back and if you consider the Northe Wales terrain, then if an 893 can manage that then anything bigger/newer should wee it!
If you trust your car to do 100 miles then the rest is just multiples, any car CEC or BEC could break, but as long as you're covered an take reasonable precaautions with the car and your clothing there's no reason not to do it

Jonathan Rarity (Scottish Hillclimb Champion) regularly takes trips abroad with his pre-lit Westfield (Honda Blackbird)...

Jonathan normally does tours organized by the tour7 email list on www.se7ens.net. The picture above was taken on our trip to Spain and France last year which I organized. This year Jonathan is organising a two week trip to the alps in July. If anybody wants more info I can post it here, but it would be better to sign up for tour7.

On the subject of doing long trips in beds dan (brother of BenB) has done the last few long tours in a zx9r powered striker without any significant problems. The Spanish trip last year was over 2000 miles..

Jonathan

Took mine to Le Mans - no screen or heater in it.

Pack plenty of weather gear, make plenty of stops (you will for fuel anyway...) and take plenty of ear plugs.

You'll love it! But will likely be exhausted when you get back.

FWIW,

I am planning a trip to the Norshcliff (spelling) later this year in mine. BEC will be driven all the way there, a couple of days at the ring, and then driven back.

I cannot wait.

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Originally posted by brycheiniog
Jonathan normally does tours organized by the tour7 email list on www.se7ens.net. The picture above was taken on our trip to Spain and France last year which I organized. This year Jonathan is organising a two week trip to the alps in July. If anybody wants more info I can post it here, but it would be better to sign up for tour7.

On the subject of doing long trips in beds dan (brother of BenB) has done the last few long tours in a zx9r powered striker without any significant problems. The Spanish trip last year was over 2000 miles..

Jonathan

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I'd agree with the point about weather protection being the bigger issue.

Actually, my Indy has a substantial aero screen and the weather protection is worse than any faired bike I've owned.
On my commuter hack TRX, I not only have more protection, I have left hand heating - reach into the fairing and grab the radiator hose... It seems like the (well, semi..) laminar flow along the length of the bonnet means the top of your helmet and your right hand get absolutely hammered by windblast. Can be a bit uncomfortable, and I don't think any of use would recommend steering a seven with one's knees! Plus, I think the open space to you left allows air to swirl into the cockpit over the screen, so you can get a bit of a chilly draught.

Of course, if you're not worried about electrics and have no carpeting in the car, it doesn't matter if you get rained on a bit. If you do, you could always make up or buy one of those half-tonneau things that protect the bit of the cockpit you aren't sitting in.

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Originally posted by BenB

quote:

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Originally posted by brycheiniog
Jonathan normally does tours organized by the tour7 email list on www.se7ens.net. The picture above was taken on our trip to Spain and France last year which I organized. This year Jonathan is organising a two week trip to the alps in July. If anybody wants more info I can post it here, but it would be better to sign up for tour7.

On the subject of doing long trips in beds dan (brother of BenB) has done the last few long tours in a zx9r powered striker without any significant problems. The Spanish trip last year was over 2000 miles..

Jonathan

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Well almost without trouble. There was the time the sump plug fell out whilst blatting down the French motorway

But yes he's done 2 Euro trips in the ZX9R Striker and also 2 GB trips and 1 Eire trip in the now departed Fury Blackbird... Neither have screens or heaters I think that's the current count anyway.... And the ZX9R car is possible the loudest car in existence....

Driving long distances in a Seven is IMHO the same whether it's CEC or BEC. The question is would you want to do a Euro tour in an open-top sports car with little side protection from the wind and the rain. I did the Eire tour in a Fury and (being slightly more enclosed) it was pretty easy. I think the same in a Seven would have been a bit more hard core......

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Thanks for all the replies.

Very interesting stuff.

I'd be doing it with a mate, which i think would make the regular stops more enjoyable (I doubt there would be much chatting with helmets on!)

What did you guys do for luggage, and storage of it? I've seen these boot covers with bags built in, is that the sort of thing?

I agree that reliability is essential to an enjoyable trip!

GOME always appealed, but this was aimed more at them "open road, going where we want, when we want" type thing.

cheers for all the comments.

For luggage the usual trick is boot box with bars to strap luggage onto. On my ST I've got 2 quite large recesses either side of the petrol tank so at some point I'm going to make some waterproof bags that I can stash either side for tours...

its something id like to do. no doubt the car could do it, what about you though? as said, weather would be the enemy and my biggest worry is luggage.
I drove my car for 350miles home when i purchased it, i knew it would be a long drive but i didnt realise just how long LOL. It was fine though, i was fairly comfortable; i suffer back ache but that was fine in my car. Mine has no heater or screen either and it wasnt a problem.
As said its something i would love to do but wouldnt do it on my own & if i had a passenger would have no where for luggage. A group of locosts would be fantastic though. group tour anyone?

For luggage simply strap some of these to the roll bar:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/160313071881

Touring in a group is great fun which is why I have spent my last few summer holidays doing it .

Pimping tour7 again, we do have a support truck which we take on tour with us which provices rescue and repair capabilities..

Jonathan

Having done Le Mans in both types, I'd say it was much harder in the BEC but that's mainly because of the noise. It leaves you with a vibration headache and a sore hand from all the gearchanging.

Just my personal opinion, don't shout at me

Cheers

Chris