Brecon Tour by BMW R1200GS - Part 1

A long overdue revisit to the Brecon Beacons to ride the fantastic roads South Wales has to offer on the big BMW R1200GS.

[@jonnofretinthai]

I’ve just got myself a 2014 GS and one of the first videos I see is you on the same bike going through my home town (Abergavenny)! Brilliant!

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Very cool!

[@interferencedoctor]

several years ago my parents visited Raglan Castle in Wales and many other places over there, they were doing old family research......since our last name is Ragland..............Keep up the GREAT videos.........

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

+Dr David Ragland Nice one!

[@chrisgodwin8368]

you could've rode the Dragons back, from crickhowel to Builth. Top road.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

+Chris Godwin Next time Chris! I'll certainly be back!

[@szaneman791]

How on earth did i miss this series from 2015!!! Well, thank you for providing it for my viewing pleasure nonetheless Sir.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Better late than never!

[@TheTypeRTheory]

Great video, always fun to see places you recognise! Looking forward to part 2.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

TheTypeRTheory Great stuff, glad you liked it - I agree, great to see familiar spots. Stay tuned for part 2 soon! All the best - TMF

[@welsh_Witch]

*adds to places to go once I get my 125*

[@username951100]

Always fun to watch someone ride in your home country :)

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

TheRedRider ....and what a brilliant country it is to ride in too!

[@cadburylover1367]

Lovin' your/my GS ! Just about to gear up for a Sunday ride ! Thanks for sharing. Beautiful !

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Cadbury Lover Hey nice to hear from you again! Enjoy your ride - TMF

[@kcuk101]

I loved your video. Many of these areas of familiar to me as i am from South Wales. The commentary provided was spot on. Fairplay.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

kcuk101 Thanks man! Appreciate the feedback :0)

[@nigelbradshaw8266]

I'm lucky enough to live near the Brecon Beacons N P and recognise all these roads. There are so many great rides and routes in that area, I often just pop out for 1-2 hours on a summers evening to get my fix.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

You're a lucky man Nigel!

[@LFH02]

Go to that Car park in Abergavenny on a summers weekend it rammed with bikes of all shapes and sizes. great café as well. thanks for sharing.

[@tojj29]

One of the best set of biking roads I've ever ridden. Did a 3 day tour of Wales last year. Spent the first day solely in and around the Brecons. All was going well till my mate decided to slam into a dry stone wall up through Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia. He was fine, bike not so fine. Gotta go back again, beautiful place, stonking roads

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Oops!

[@Culaterpal]

Great video. You cant half tell youre a pilot with your calming "sit back and relax" commentry :)

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Helen Patterson Thanks Helen, glad you liked the video (and commentary!)......all the best - TMF

[@M4BoarBiker]

+TheMissendenFlyer as others have said the bus park at 7.00min is a regular meeting place. nice vid, you could get a job at the Welsh Tourists board, lol Btw Raglan castle is famous for a long siege back in Cromwells day. A lot of significant history attached to that castle.

[@FloridaOutdoorAdv]

Beautiful town! Who needs France hahaha

[@larrycrazysheepdavies]

that the way I go to aberaeron when I go see my relatives lovely roads and views

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

larry davies Hi Larry - yep, sure is a nice part of the world - thanks for watching - TMF

[@TriumphRascal]

Good video my friend. I'm riding from Essex to West Wales tomorrow (27/04/2015) and always stop at the bus station in Abergavenny which is a well known bikers cafe. Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I always do when I go that way. I might do a short video myself and put it on my channel next weekend. Thanks for showing yours...keep them coming.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Triumph Rascal Aha! Is that the spot where all those bikes were gathering.....obviously not that well known around Great Missenden!!!! I'm sure I'll be there again sometime, will make a point of stopping in to see if I can find that elusive quality bikers stop.......enjoy your ride buddy, hope the weather holds out for you!

[@TriumphRascal]

Just returned from Wales and I made a point of going to the bikers cafe in Abergavenny for you. Just put my video on my channel.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Triumph Rascal Good man! Thanks for that....will check it out shortly...TMF

[@fjrboy]

Hi Again I live 8 miles from Aber!--------the bus station is a local bike meet with around 100 bikes there on the weekends in the summer.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

fjrboy Hi fjrboy - nice to hear from you again, you are indeed a very lucky fella to live in this part of the world, I think it was the best riding I've ever done anywhere.....gorgeous part of the world when the Sun is out. Thanks for the intell - will stop by the bus station next time I visit for sure! All the best - TMF

[@TheDervMan]

Great video. I live in Bristol, if I would have known you were passing I'd have bought you a coffee! There's a great cafe in Fowlers motorcycles :-) Next time eh?

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

DervMan Cheers DervMan - I'll be back for sure so be careful of your promises ;0) All the best - TMF

[@GTsGarage]

Lovely part of the UK, not been in years.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

GTs Garage Yeah it's cracking - especially in last weekend's glorious weather....

[@madmax8889]

Nice vid buddy. Looking forward to the next instalment. Have got my eye on either the GS or the new Kawasaki Versys 1000.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Mark Morris Hi Mark, glad you enjoyed this one - stay tuned for more soon (the scenery gets better and better)! That new Kwak is getting some good reviews, but the integrated satnav on the GS would swing it for me all else being equal (and to be honest I doubt all else is equal, I think the BMW still wins - but then I'm biased as I bought one and am still having the love affair 18 months on).....

[@madmax8889]

I want to get rid of the Honda NC750X (Honda isn't that great at customer service) plus I want a tad bit more comfort and power for more trips with the misses.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Mark Morris You'll love the BMW then - and the fantastic service you get from BMW dealers.....

[@Pen15UK]

Being in Bristol this is right on the doorstep and I love it. What's the flapping bit of tape for on the left of the dash??

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Pen15UK Great stuff - glad you enjoyed it. The blue post it note just had my rough route noted on it (I don't like to be a slave to satnav!!). Cheers and thanks for watching and commenting - TMF

[@Pen15UK]

Think I'll have to steal that idea because I don't have any sat nav on my F800GT.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

...be my guest! You'll need to sellotape the note on too otherwise the wind will have it off in a thrice!

[@HeadhunterUK007]

Good to see you enjoying the big GS. Is it a bike you'd recommend for the occasional tour and a daily run-about? P.S. Like your new opening credits.

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

HeadhunterUK007 Cheers Headhunter - and yes, very much so (exactly what I use her for!)....all the best - TMF

[@tonylewis7644]

Abergavenny bus(not necessarily an organised ride out) depot is a great place for coffee park the bike and admire all the other bikes every weekend in the summer many bikes pop in .I was working just around the corner I could have made you a coffee hope you didn't stop at the burger van on the sweeping bend heading to Merthyr Tydfil the coffee is rank rs

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Tony Lewis ...so I now know! Next time will defo take you up on that ;0)

[@Ched42]

Tony Lewis Abergavenny bus stop - Brecon - Pen-y-fan (Storey Arms) - Merthyr Tydfil. Every saturday I'd see the bikers going past!

[@27craigbrown]

Hi, I've the same bike as yourself. 2014 with just over 4k on the clock. How have you found tyre wear? I will shortly need a back tyre as its squared quite quickly. Have you had the same issue? Cheers Craig

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Craig B Hi Craig - yes I have, I've done nearly 7K and again it is squared off - as it's legal (and I don't notice the squaring handling wise) I'm going to run it until 8K and then replace....

[@bearandocto6768]

Yo! Just wondering, what satnav are you using there? And have you toured with it? And if so, how've you found it? Specifically its sun-glare performance

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Bear And Octo Hi And Octo - It's the BMW Naviogator 5 (Actually a Garmin unit), no issue with Sun glare at all - see my full review here >> kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpWooHenlt9qeqc

[@vstm3950]

Hi TMF, quick question, if you were to buy your lady again would you pay extra for ESA? I felt it working and helping on my RT but couldn't say the same on Beemer's 800's, wondering what's the story in re to GS

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Vstm Hi again Vstm - Personally I would because I'm the sort of person that just likes having all the bells and whistles available, and in the UK "TE" version (which I bought) amongst the "extras" bundled was ESA anyway, + ESA was one of the "big things" when the bike came out. If I were sensible I would ideally ride two bikes back to back (one with ESA one without) and see if I could tell the difference. No doubt the ride quality on the Beemer is excellent....whether that's down to the ESA I don't honestly know...

[@paulwood7798]

Its strange seeing others ride roads that you use every day and take for granted.

[@malcolmbailey6489]

Hi MF, Just viewed this video, IMHO a better route to Abergavenny would have been via the M48 over the old Severn bridge to Chepstow, the B4235 to Usk and the B4598. More interesting than the A499. Ride safe. Mal

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

+Malcolm Bailey Cheers Mal - next time!

[@busterrabbit]

+Malcolm Bailey I agree, great roads, and the Steel Horse cafe at the T junction on the B4498 is brilliant

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

+Busterrabbit Roll on Summer so I can give it a whirl!

[@nigelbradshaw8266]

Malcolm Bailey I agree, those are fab roads, especially if you stop off at the steel horse cafe for grub, And the filling station cafe for coffee!, I rode them yesterday in fact. We are so lucky to have such good riding roads nearby, with a little planning a rider could have a full day on some awesome twisties/scenic roads.