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Tour de France motorcycles

J

jpk1100

New member
The Tour the France started yesterday, in Britain (yes?).

After 3 days, it will continue on the continent through Belgium and France.

Until 2 or 3 years ago, almost every motorcycle in the Tour the France (cameramen, photographers, officials) was a BMW, and mine (K1100LT) was still the workhorse motorcycle for cameramen.

Today, even if it is difficult to see exactly even from a large HD TV set, apart from an old K75 and a few GS, we see mainly Yamahas (FGR 1300) and Kawasakis (1400GTR or Concours in Canada and the USA).

Sniff sniff.
 
Since I am also a bicycler the race interests me.
And the escort bikes, too.
Many of the states have similar races, here it's Tour of California, very similar with many of the same big names.
They also use many BMWs here.
And it's quite a process to become one of the escort bikes. Most of them are highly trained and certified, and have a lot of experience.
Not just your garden variety funeral escort.
dc
 
jpk1100 said:
... Until 2 or 3 years ago, almost every motorcycle in the Tour the France (cameramen, photographers, officials) was a BMW, and mine (K1100LT) was still the workhorse motorcycle for cameramen. .../QUOTE]

Funny, I haven't watched the Tour for a few years (not since Lance won his last one),but I always thought the majority of motors were Honda Pan Europeans (ST1100/1300)? Did I watch the same race as you? Maybe I was watching something else ?????
Click to expand...
 
David13 said:
Since I am also a bicycler the race interests me.
And the escort bikes, too.
dc
Click to expand...

I'm an x bicycle racer who still rides 400+ miles a month with our local club and I use my BMW when I ride support for the bicycle portion of some local Trialthons. The other support bikes are a mixed bag, BMW, Honda and Aprilia.
 
If it's like in recent years, Kawasaki GTR Concours is the "official" m-c of the Tour. I guess the referees and official observers are on those. The camera bikes are indeed a mixed bag of sport-tourers and GSs.

The riding skill of those guys is impressive, especially on the curvy downhill sections. The camera operators riding pillion are either totally nuts or very courageous and trusting.

Now if we could get the stupid spectators out of the way...

pete
 
Tour offical motorcycle

The official motorcycle of the Tour de France and a full partner since 1978 is Japanese manufacturer: Kawasaki Motorcycles !

All the officials', organizers', support, medical and logistics motorcycles are donated by Kawasaki.
 
Yeah some of those spectators deserve to be kicked or knocked down or something.
Now that Royce mentions it, I do recall all Hondas last time I watched.
dc
 
The BMW I was refering to were the TV bikes. For many years, their bikes were K1100LT.

Here are pictures of those former "official" TV bike.

But they have been replaced.

2010_09_09_0852web.jpg2010_09_09_0850web.jpg
 
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