Latest News

November 2018- The off-road weekends have all finished & we had a fantastic last night with Diff and the crew – it’s thanks to these lads that we’re relocating to Somerset! Just to be clear – it’s only the Bike Normandy Short Breaks and Off-Road trips that are finishing – we shall continue to run the longer BN European Tours as usual. It was great to see so many regulars at the NEC Motorbike show – there are lots of photos on the BN European Tours website here: http://www.bneuropeantours.com/latest-new/

Our final guests at BN HQ – a great group to finish with & lots of fun & games!!

October 2018 – The first off-roaders were here last weekend and enjoyed fabulous weather. We’ll be exhibiting as usual at the Birmingham NEC Motorbike show – for the European Tours side of the business only in future – do come & see us in Hall 4 stand 4A 28 from 17-25 November 2018. The photos below are the moon at 5.00am (Jen up with Otto!!) and the sunset last night (23 Oct).

Full moon with mist in the valley at 5.00am!

Amazing sunset 23 October 2018

September 2018 – having run several longer tours we’ve just had the last short break before the off-road season starts. Otto continues to grow at a pace and has become an expert thief!

Otto age 4.5 months

Otto steals a baguette at breakfast !!

August 2018 – Just a reminder that BN HQ is for sale – the 6 bed property with barn and 12 acres – it would be great if someone wanted to continue with the short breaks & off road business or it would suit as a B&B being situated on hill 262 with fantastic views overlooking the “Falaise Gap”. Please contact us if you would like more info – no time wasters please as we have already had several of these!!

July 2018 – Back from the Black Forest tour to find Otto has grown into a monster! He didn’t mind kennels at all – playing with another pup and two smaller dogs – he’s got boundless energy & nothing is safe!

June 2018 – Well it had to happen – unable to be without a dog around we reserved a Gordon Setter puppy and he has now arrived – welcome to Otto ! He’s cute, confident and TROUBLE as he’s chewing everything at the moment. Guests on the short break last weekend had their laces & toes chewed, seat covers nicked – but he’s lovely when he’s asleep!

Collecting Otto at 8 weeks old

What’s this air-con thing?

At least it keeps me cool

Time for a nap

A new garden to explore

This hedgehog isn’t very spikey

9 weeks old & not impressed with the Tracer!

Getting used to the motorbikes

Venturing into a puddle after a storm

Fast asleep!

May 2018 – The short break season has started and we’ve run a longer tour to Monte Carlo. The latest newsletter notified everyone that BN HQ Le Champ Masse in Coudehard, Normandy is for sale – this can include the Bike Normandy Short Breaks & Off-Road business. We will complete this year then plan to return to the UK – after 16 years here. It would be a shame if the short break business came to an end so perhaps there is someone out there who would like to take it over…please contact us for more information. We shall still be running the longer BN European Tours.

End April 2018 – We have the saddest news to report. We had to say goodbye to Della a few days ago. She had Degenerative Myelopathy (a disease of the spinal cord) which eventually led to her being unable to support herself. Back in November we didn’t think she’d make it to Christmas but she had a fantastic spirit & soldiered on – she was still happy and fortunately not in any pain. She loved meeting all our guests and thanks to everyone who brought her presents and treats over the years – hard to believe but she was nearly 10 yrs old.

Helping with the research…

Meeting everyone at home

Day 1 on the V-Strom!

She loved her walks

1st April 2018 – So who knows anyone daft enough to play an April Fool’s Joke on themselves??? The local Gendarmes were advertising a day’s training & a ride-out. Having previously checked the registration time John still got up at midnight to check where the meeting place was. He then set the alarm for 07.15 am. Once ready he was filling in the registration form and writing the date on a cheque – the date being the 1st April and not the 28th April when the ride was taking place!!! The best bit – returning to bed having to tell Jen that he’d got the date wrong!!! He still got his Easter Egg though!!

March 2018 – The clearing up is underway – the branches in the car park and the field have been burned leaving the tree trunks to be cut. Doesn’t feel like a great deal of progress in a week but we’re getting there…!

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March 2018 – With a couple of weekends free over Easter we decided to take a chainsaw to the poplar trees behind our house. A local tree surgeon took the high branches off and completely cut down the five closest to the house. All this done in one day! We are now left with a major clearing up job!!!

Mathieu has finished…

But WE have all the clearing up to do!!!

Timber !!!

Della is bemused…

Whole trees are cut down…

The last one falls…

We hire a cherry-picker

The high branches are removed

March 2018 – The off-road season has started – several groups have visited already – fortunately the snow has disappeared! For anyone expecting photos of lambs – sorry but there won’t be any this year. Our ram has been on loan enjoying himself with a new flock of ewes so ours are having a rest!

February 2018 – Excel Show – John exhibited by himself while Jen stayed home with Della. Great to see so many regular customers visiting our stand where the Leader Board continues to grow! We look forward to seeing many of you again this year.

A smaller stand this year…

The Leader Board takes up a whole wall!

“Dangerous” Dave’s been 4 times

Gordon & Sue have been 5 times

Ron has visited 6 times

Brett’s been 3 times

Barbara & John have been 6 times

Chris & Mick have visited 6 times too!

“Black Widows” – the “Colonel” & “Swiss Tony” have been 8 times!

From Oakley Motorcycle Club – Paul has been 3 times – so far!

Joe’s been 3 times

Paul 4 trips with Pete 3 trips

Ian  – wearing an original BN t-shirt – has been 5 times

And from the “Off-Road” riders – Cliff has visited 3 times

February 2018 – Winter has arrived! We awoke to over 8 inches of snow this morning (7 Feb) so it had to be done…outside for a snowball fight with Della who just loves the snow.  She’s gradually losing the use of her back legs but this really gave her a spring in her step again! John will be exhibiting (ladies don’t get excited!) at the London ExCeL motorbike show 16 – 18 Feb so do go & say hello (please – no pies though!!)

View from our balcony

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No sunbathing today!

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Hawfinch – only the 2nd time in 15 years!

January 2018 – Happy New Year!

December 2017 – Had a great week in New York just before Christmas – it was snowing when we arrived so had a cold start but lovely weather after that. Central Park in the snow was lovely & a highlight was spotting wild raccoons in the trees. Saw the New York Rangers at Madison Square Gardens & Bruce Springsteen in his one-man show on Broadway – brilliant!

So it’s a Merry Christmas from us…

and from Della & friends!

The NY Rangers at Madison Square Gardens

The Boss on Broadway

Ice rink at Bryant Park

Fab view of the Empire State Building

Visit Ground Zero

Raccoons in Central Park

Take the free Staten Island Ferry…

for great views of the Statue of Liberty

December 2017 – Back home from exhibiting at the NEC – great to see so many “regulars” and to meet new customers. Thanks to Garry, Dave & Allan for helping to man the stand again. At the show we undertook to get back to many people with availability for next year – please bear with us – we are a bit behind schedule as we returned to the UK to attend the funeral of a very dear friend. We will contact everyone shortly. We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Great to see many regulars

We’re all busy talking to visitors

Our finished stand

The Leader Board takes center stage

We start with a blank canvas…

Making some progress…

November 2017 – The off-road season has now finished & we’re off to the Birmingham NEC bike show at the end of the month – stand 4C40 – hope to see you there!

October 2017 – The longer tours ended with a fabulous Monte Carlo or Bust! trip – see the review under Testimonials on the BN European Tours website. The final road-bike group was here last weekend (13 Oct) enjoying both a stunning sunset and sunrise. Still great weather here – but with the off-road weekends starting in two weeks we could do with some rain!!

Fab weather at Arromanches

A stunning sunset at BN HQ on 13 Oct

And a beautiful sunrise the next day with mist in the valley

September 2017 – With the Italian Lakes & Swiss Alps Tour at the start of the month being a resounding success we returned home to run a few short breaks before starting our final longer tour of the year heading down to the “Gorgeous Gorges” en route to Monte Carlo. A word of warning – don’t come abroad without breakdown insurance and with a bike with tubes in the tyres! We can’t repair a puncture and friendly locals won’t always be on hand!

With no breakdown insurance fortunately a friendly local helps “Copps” to get his wheel to a garage to get a puncture repaired!

A day’s riding interrupted to fix a puncture!

August 2017 – Della is now 9 years old – just where have the years gone?! After a few stays in kennels while we ran some longer European Tours she needed a shampoo, haircut & a good brushing – resulting in a very happy Del! Last weekend saw the return of “Agent 99” a.k.a. Alice Dryden for whom it was her 10th visit – thanks for your custom Alice!

Alice gets a “Been there, done it 10 times” t-shirt

Drinks outside before dinner

She’s always so happy

Looking good after a brush & a haircut!!

Della having a Shampoo

Della age 9

July 2017 – Saw the return of the “Black Widows – the most feared motorcycle gang in the land” – for most on their 8th visits but for Allan Gray it was his 20th visit! Hard for us to believe but many thanks for all your custom Allan! See the photos of their antics under Testimonials. Another Black Forest Tour to come later this month.

June 2017 – We ran several more longer tours – the reviews of the Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival Tour, the Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes (in reverse!) Tour and the (June) Black Forest & Vosges Mountains Tour are now live on the BN European Tours website.

May 2017 – We’ve had lots of new people here for the first three short breaks this year, with lots of fun & games too (see photos on the Testimonials page). On the European Tours side we’ve completed the WW2 Extended Sights Tour and the first 4×4 Tour – predominantly for Oakley Motorcycle Club – the reviews are live on the BN European Tours website. And guess what! It had to happen! Not happy with riding in red Jen has sold her red GSXS 1000F and bought a naked version with all the red parts sprayed black so she can revert to her orange kit !!

Jen with her new naked GSXS1000

Jen with her new naked GSXS1000

April 2017 – back from our two week holiday in Thailand, the off-road season has finished and we’re about to start our first longer tour of the year. Still a few spaces scattered throughout the summer for short breaks – look at the calendar under “Check Availability” places now highlighted in green.

March 2017 – we’ve just hit 400 – the number of guests who have been 3 times or more – with Allan Gray booked in for his 20th visit in July!!

March 2017 – John’s back from exhibiting at the ExCeL show and the off-road season has now started – great to have six new lads here for the first group – read their fab review under “Testimonials”. There are still some places available for short breaks this summer and we’ve just had a cancellation so there are two bike places now available on the Monte Carlo or Bust Tour 1-8 October – if you’re looking for some really twisty roads through the gorges of Southern France, the Route Napoleon & the Millau Bridge then this is the one for you – experienced riders only please as this is a high concentration tour.

Our stand at ExCeL

Our stand at ExCeL

John with the "BLT Fanzone"

John with the “BLT Fanzone”

February 2017 – We’ll be exhibiting at the ExCeL show in London 17-19 February – Stand A72 – but John will be there on his own as Jen’s staying home with our expectant ewes. More lambs have arrived along with a smattering of snow. Although most of our European Tours are already full there are places available on the WW2 Extended Sights Tour 23-29 April and the Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival Tour 2-7 June. Both these Tours are going ahead. We have redesigned our calendar so availability for Short Breaks is highlighted in green – hopefully this will be a bit clearer.

Gorgeous morning view

Gorgeous morning view

Another set of twins keeping warm

Another set of twins keeping warm

Lovely little girl

Lovely little girl

Huge twins

Huge twins

January 2017 – Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a great Christmas break, the New Year has already delivered us 5 lambs with more to come. Thanks to our local hedge-cutter who managed to totally destroy our postbox and sign! A storm at the end of 2016 brought down a dead tree in the back garden – fortunately it fell away from the house.

5 days old & really strong

5 days old & really strong

2 days old & doing well

2 days old & doing well

Another arrives on 1 January

Another arrives on 1 January

Keeping warm in the hay

Keeping warm in the hay

Twins born New Year's Day

Twins born New Year’s Day

A helping hand...

A helping hand…

Merry Christmas! And this is a MEDIUM glass!

Merry Christmas! And this is a MEDIUM glass!

First lambs 29 Dec - strong enough to walk up to the barn

Twins 29 Dec – strong to walk up to the barn

Fortunately tree falls away from the house!

Fortunately tree falls away from the house!

Della with friends!

Della with friends!

Postboxes destroyed!

Postboxes destroyed!

Our sign down as well!

Our sign down as well!

December 2016 – Back from exhibiting at the NEC – great seeing so many regulars at our stand and meeting new customers. Thanks to Garry & Dave for helping to man the stand as they’ve done for the past six years! We saw Jess Glynne in concert while we were at Birmingham – really good show if you get a chance to see her – then we escaped to Budapest for a few days to visit the Christmas markets – very festive. Back home now for a quiet Christmas and the start of the lambing season. We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The Chain Bridge

The Chain Bridge

St Stephen's Basilica

St Stephen’s Basilica

The Royal Palace by night

The Royal Palace by night

Parliament by night

Parliament by night

The Christmas markets

The Christmas markets

Sparkly decorations everywhere

Sparkly decorations everywhere

We escape for a few days

We escape for a few days

No we didn't venture onto the ice!

No we didn’t venture onto the ice!

Jess Glynne in concert

Jess Glynne in concert

A fab evening

A fab evening

We have our finished stand

We have our finished stand

The Leader Board takes pride of place

The Leader Board takes pride of place

At the NEC we start with an empty space...

At the NEC we start with an empty space…

and after several hours ...

and after several hours …

 

November 2016 – AS SEEN ON TV ! – John was seen on the 4th episode of the BBC series “The Missing” (2 Nov @ 56 minutes) photobombing their cafe scene in Monschau, Germany on our Street Triple!!! He’ll be on the red carpet at stand 4E46 at the NEC bike show 19 – 27 November 2016 & will happily sign autographs!!

John in "The Missing"!

John in “The Missing”!

So Cute !

So Cute !

Della loves the fallen leaves

Della loves the fallen leaves

Our daily walk

Our daily walk

Still September 2016 ! – Back from Italy & Switzerland – see the review on BN European Tours website. Time Hale brought the last (road) group of the year and celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with us. Off to Monte Carlo for the last tour before the off-road season starts in October.

Our 20th wedding anniversary

Our 20th wedding anniversary

All celebrate with us

All celebrate with us

September 2016 – Back from the Rhine in Flames & Black Forest longer tours to welcome the SHIB (don’t ask!) group – with some newbies – here for their 6th visit. More pics on the Testimonials page. Off to Italy & Switzerland next.

"SHIB's" 6th visit

“SHIB’s” 6th visit

Fun & Games after dinner..."Hello Harry" !!

Fun & Games after dinner…”Hello Harry” !!

August 2016 – Della is now 8 years old – unbelievable where the time has gone! We have a new rider at the top of the Leader Board – Allan Gray has now visited 19 times !! See the photos of the return of  “The Black Widows” on the Testimonials page.

Della age 8

Della age 8

Bike Normandy HQ

Bike Normandy HQ

July 2016 – Summer really has arrived – over 50oC in the sun yesterday (18th) and still 47oC at 6.30pm on the terrace! Today should be even hotter! Great weather last weekend for the “Sunshine Couples” who visited Mont St Michel and St Mere Eglise. Flying drones back at the ranch was fun until John’s disappeared!!

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June 2016 – Cancellations – we have 4 spaces available next weekend 10-12 June – first come, first served! Look at the Check Availability page for details highlighted in green for spaces this summer. There are no longer petrol shortages in this area.

May 2016 – The sun’s out, a great first-of-the-season on-road short break and Jen’s got a new bike! A Suzuki GSXS 1000F – with, of course, new leathers & helmet to match!

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April 2016 – Back from holiday and the off-road season has now finished. The short breaks start at the end of the month so time for Jen to decide on a new bike & get the hanging baskets ready.

March 2016 – Now into the off-road season – three groups have been already with more to come in April. We’re away on holiday until 5 April so please bear with us if we don’t reply to e-mails until we get back.

Stuart Heath & friends

Jonathan Heath & friends

Mark Broadman & friends

Mark Broadman & friends

Stewie's 6th visit

Stewie’s 6th visit

February 2016 – Arrived back from England to minus 6 degrees and 6 new lambs – three sets of twins – our Mayor and his wife had their work cut out while we were away! Great to see so many regulars at Excel and to meet some new customers too. John was interviewed for BIKE magazine – watch out for an article on riding in Normandy in a future issue. Thanks to David Adams (here with his mum Kath) for solving our Rubiks cube – we just need the instructions now David! 

Our one-eyed sheep has twins

Our one-eyed sheep has twins

Third set of twins

Third set of twins

David Adams solves the Rubiks cube!!

David Adams solves the Rubiks cube!!

Our first twins

Our first twins

and finish up with this!

and finish up with this!

John being interviewed for BIKE magazine

John being interviewed for BIKE magazine

At Excel we start with an empty space...

At Excel we start with an empty space…

then build our stand...

then build our stand…

February 2016 – Our first two lambs have arrived and we’ve been busy with our job for this winter – pruning – or should we say severing most of the branches of the apple trees to get rid of all the mistletoe. The sheep can’t wait until we’ve finished one tree & moved on to the next before they arrive to devour it! At ExCeL this weekend so we hope to see many of you there.

The sheep have a feast!

The sheep have a feast!

Yes, John is up a ladder!!

Yes, John is up a ladder!!

Our first lamb at 6 days old

Our first lamb at 6 days old

Lamb No 2 at 1 day old

Lamb No 2 at 1 day old

January 2016 – Happy New Year! Our first snowfall arrived last weekend much to Della’s delight! No lambs as yet. At the annual “Galettes de Roi” John was crowned King along with our Mayor! We’ll be at the London ExCeL show 12-14 February on stand A82 so do come & see us there.

Dells loves the snow!

Dells loves the snow!

The Mayor & John - King for a day!

The Mayor & John – King for a day!

Bluetit in the snow

Bluetit in the snow

Sheep in the orchard

Sheep in the orchard

December 2015 – Great to see so many regulars at the NEC show – especially Denise White now back on her feet and the 2015 Rhine in Flames group reunion! Thanks to Garry Toplass & Dave Washington for helping to man our stand again this year. After the NEC we went to Latvia for the Christmas markets – very pretty and lots of hot mulled wine! Back home now for a quiet Christmas. We wish everyone the very best for the festive season and a Happy New Year.

The Blackheads House

The Blackheads House

Even a Rabbit Village!

Even a Rabbit Village!

Riga Christmas Market

Riga Christmas Market

A second market area

A second market area

Lots of our regulars!

Lots of our regulars!

Some of the Rhine in Flames group

Some of the Rhine in Flames group

November 2015 – Still gorgeous weather for the off-road riding – our final group of the year saw Paul Stroomer here for his 9th visit (free t-shirt next time Paul!) We’re trying to find tickets for the Moto GP in Valencia but each time we contact a seller they’ve already been sold! We shall be in Hall 4 at the NEC stand 4B58 – hope to see you there.

A real Indian Summer

A real Indian Summer

At 4.00pm 2 November 2015!

On the terrace at 4.00pm on 2 November 2015!

Paul Stroomer's 9th visit & Mark Lloyds 7th

Paul Stroomer’s 9th visit & Mark Lloyd’s 7th

Sunrise in Normandy

Sunrise 2 November in Normandy

October 2015 – Our first off-road weekend & the guys had fab weather. We have not taken any off-road bookings for November as John was scheduled to have an operation to permanently block his ankle – however on the advice of a local “docteur de douleur” (pain specialist) he has decided to defer any further surgery as the electro-magnetic treatment he is currently receiving seems to be helping. We shall be exhibiting at the NEC Motorcycle Live show 28 November – 6 December so do come & see us there.

Dave Brown & friends second visit

Dave Brown & friends second visit

September 2015 – Just available due to cancellation – an Off-Road weekend 23 – 25 October 2015. The short breaks have now finished & we’re off to Italy & Switzerland so please bear with us if we do not respond immediately to any e-mails – we will try to reply whilst we are away.

August 2015 – We’ve been away on tour a lot this month, following on from the Black Forest we were back in Germany for the fantastic Rhine in Flames Tour – read the review on BN European Tours and book for next year! We then immediately ran our 4×4 Tour (on motorbikes in case anyone was wondering!) and have just got back home! Several short breaks now until we head off to Italy & Switzerland in September (still 2 places available). We can’t believe that Della is now 7 years old – just where does the time go?

The fabulous fireworks at Koblenz

The fabulous fireworks at Koblenz

Della age 7

Della age 7

July 2015 – Great to have lots of returning customers this month in addition to some new faces. The Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes Tour was eventful but fantastic all the same – the review is now live on BN European Tours website. If considering a tour we have just had cancellations on both the Rhine in Flames and the Italian Lakes & Swiss Alps tours – for more information please refer to BN European Tours. 

June 2015 – We’ve been away on Tour – the Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival & the WW2 Extended Sights – great trips – you can see the reviews on BN European Tours.  Then “The Return of the Black Widows”! See more photos under Testimonials – and no, it wasn’t a fancy dress party! A few more Short Breaks then we’re off to Spain for the Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes Tour.

12 Conway 2 web  12 Conway 6 web

May 2015 – John’s back on a bike!! With the first road bikes of the year and a new pair of boots John was back in the saddle of the trusty old V-Strom. Riding is OK – it’s just walking he’s struggling with! Now into our 13th year of running BN we’ve just had our first trike here – Ian Vaughan on his Rewaco! Fantastic! Polite reminder: to any guests who have our mobile phone numbers – please do not call us on them as they are only for use in an emergency whilst you are here on a trip with us. Please contact us on the landline or by e-mail. Thanks.

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Ian on his Rewaco…Feuilletes for lunch – just make sure you leave room for your dinner!
 

April 2015 – Back from a fantastic holiday to find more new lambs and no heating! Off-roaders here last weekend and for the next two before the road bike season starts in May. Huge thanks to Stewie & Charlie for helping search until dark last Sunday for a missing, heavily pregnant ewe. Although we didn’t find her we did find her the next day on top of the hill behind our house – with twins! We drove the van through the fields and brought her back in the trailer, all are doing well. Important News: From 1 May 2015 1 January 2016 (amended May 2015!) it will be a LEGAL requirement for motorcyclists to carry a high-visibility vest to be worn in the event of a breakdown (this already applies to car drivers). Penalty will be 90 euros. From 30 June 2015 it will be ILLEGAL to use any “hands-free” kit in a car or on a motorcycle with any sort of listening system whether an earpiece, earphones or headphones – the only exception is a wireless bluetooth system. The sanction for non-compliance has not yet been decided but it is expected to be a 200 euro fine (as applies in Spain). Please always refer to our Advice page for the latest requirements.

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P1100638 text web  P1100644 web

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March 2015 – The off-road season has started with fantastic weather all weekend. One more w/end then we’re on holiday until 1 April – please bear with us if we do not reply to e-mails during this period!

February 2015 – Great to see so many guests at the London ExCeL show – sorry some of you couldn’t find us – thanks go to MCN for getting our stand number wrong in the guide! We’re absolutely amazed to have taken so many bookings for 2016 so the calendar has now been updated to show all availability and also 2016 European Tour dates. We have two off-road weekends at the beginning of March then we’re off on holiday – the same one we should have done last year – but had to cancel when John fell off the barn roof!

P1090088 web  P1090095 web
See Valentino Rossi’s Championship winning bikes…John gets to sit on a Brough Superior worth £600,000 !!!!
 
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Meet some of our crew! Martin & Denise White with Allan Pelling & Jane Andrews – Jane is our new BN European Tours representative in England.
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We start with an empty shell and after 7 hours finish up with our stand!
 

January 2015 – Happy New Year! Our first lambs arrived on Christmas Day and we already have seven – with more to come. After a storm wrecked the bird table John has been fixing the roof – the only roof he’s allowed anywhere near!!! His physio is going well and he’s coming on [some] walks with Della. We’ll be exhibiting at the London ExCel show 13 – 15 February so do come & see us.

P1090055 web  P1090031 web

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December 2014 – Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. (Jen’s off to Gambia with a friend for a week as John is unable to fly (although it has been said several times that he clearly thought he could when leaping off the barn roof!!!) See you next year!

November 2014 – Great to see so many of our guests at the NEC Bike Show and we hope to see many new faces next year. Thanks to Dave Washington & Garry Toplass for helping man our stand again this year. Many of you will have noticed the re-branding of our Tours division on our stand and on our 2015 brochure. BN European Tours Limited was incorporated in 2014 (100% owned by us) and all our European Tours will now be run through this company. There will be no change at all to the way the Tours are run as far as our customers are concerned, the only difference being that information regarding our Tours can now be found on the website www.bneuropeantours.com

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Martin, Denise & Becks White, Craig Robinson & David Joesbury – at dinner David presents Martin & Denise with new “official” high-viz jackets!
 
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And finish up with this…a special appearance by “Parker” !!
 
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We start off with an empty space…
 

October 2014 – Last minute decision to exhibit at the NEC Bike Show – come & see us on Stand 2E10 – opposite Ariel Motorcycles in Hall 2.

October 2014 – Just back from finishing the research for the Italy/Switzerland Tour – if you’ve been on any of our tours and thought they were good – this one will blow you away! Yes, you WILL ride this Pass! (photo taken Sat 11 October!)  The Tour webpage is now live. As John no longer has need of the old “Office Chair” to get around we have abandoned our “Star in a Reasonably Priced…” and emptied the piggy bank – we’ve sent a cheque for £35 to the charity Riders For Health so thanks to everyone who took part and made a donation.

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October 2014 – That’s it! The two 4×4 Tour reviews are now live and the road-riding season has finished for another year. Thanks again to all those guests on the short breaks who have helped dish-up and clear-up while John was out of action. Off to Switzerland now to finish the research for the new tour next year “Italian Lakes & Swiss Alps” – the webpage will hopefully be live later this month. Off-road breaks start on 17 October. We still haven’t made our minds up whether to exhibit at the NEC this year but will announce here if we do decide to go.

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September 2014 – Monte Carlo or Bust! Tour review is now live – another great trip with fantastic weather, guests & riding. Two 4×4 Tours still to come before we start the off-road season. John has had his last operation & is now tentatively taking a few steps – thanks to Paul Sparks & Paul Chambers for their gift of a can of Red Bull (Gives you Wings!) and a “I Wish I Could Fly” T-shirt!!

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August 2014 – Rhine in Flames Tour review is now live – a new trip this year and what a fantastic spectacle it was! Off to the Black Forest next for our second trip there this year. John does have to have a further operation on his ankle – this will be in early September so thanks go to Tim Hale for driving the van for us on the recent Tours.

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July 2014 – Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes Tour review is now live – a great riding tour already getting booked up for next year! 2015 Tour dates are now showing on the calendar – we’re having to fix dates earlier each year – and places are being snapped up – so if you are considering doing a tour with us please register your interest to avoid disappointment. John has finally had the plaster cast removed from his ankle (24/7) and has an appointment for a scan next week to see if he needs a final operation.

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June 2014 –  Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival Tour review now live – Black Forest Tour to follow shortly [now live]. Thanks to Janet “Parkerette” Short and the original “Parker” for driving the van and John on these two tours. Having spent a few weeks in kennels Della’s had a shampoo & brush (you’d think she was never brushed the amount of fur collected!) John’s been in & out of hospital to have his “steering damper” removed and is now “resting” and watching the football! Those of you who have been asking for next year’s tour dates you now know why they’re not yet showing on the website!!

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26 May 2014 – Four places now only one – just available due to cancellation 1 – 3 August (leisurely/moderate riding). New leader in the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Office Chair” tournament – Graham Blunden with 22.03 seconds!! WW2 Tour review now live. And look at the late arrivals – our two new lambs.

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May 2014 – Having seen the specialist in Paris, John has had his “steering damper” adjusted but still needs a fourth operation in about six weeks time to remove some loose bone in his heel. He’ll then have to be in plaster for a further two months so no riding for him this season – although he hopes to be on the Tours as a passenger in the luggage van! The barn roof has been finished by a local artisan, the off-road season has ended and we’ve had our first two on-road groups here. This led to some fun & games last weekend as we commenced our own  “Star in a Reasonably Priced Office Chair” tournament – a new race leader board will shortly be live on the website and we think that Sue Wilson with a lap time of 30.59 seconds is going to take some beating!!

3 Sue web 2  Jen & Sue web

April 2014 –  After returning to hospital 3 weeks after his first operation for a check-up the surgeon decided John’s ankle was not set correctly so he’s had a second operation and now has a “steering damper” screwed into his leg! He’s back home after spending two more weeks in hospital but has to go to Paris at the end of April to see a specialist for a second opinion as there still may be some internal damage…needless to say he will not be back on a bike for the start of the road-bike season in May!

John in hospital 2 web

March 2014 – 30oC in the sun today (5th) – Spring is here! Our first off-road riders were here last weekend with two more weekends to go before we escape on holiday! Progress on the barn roof – the new sheeting is being laid and the end is in sight! Well, it was until John slipped off the roof one day later & broke his ankle!! Bang goes the holiday!!!

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Stop Press! 26 Feb – following cancellations we now have spaces on two short-break weekends: 2 places 10 – 12 May (leisurely/moderate riding only) [taken 4 March] and 2 places 19 – 21 September (moderate riding & visiting some WW2 sights) – first come – first served!

February 2014 – Back from exhibiting at the London ExCel show, great that so many customers came to see us (perhaps more to sample the calvados than to see us!) Two more lambs had arrived whilst we were away. High winds & rain have slowed work on the barn roof but with 18oC (24 Feb) John’s finished the waterproofing and we’re almost ready to lay the new sheeting. Off-roading starts 1 March – at least it’s muddy enough for these guys!

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January 2014 – Happy New Year! The lambs are arriving – we already have 10 with just 3 ewes still to give birth. The apples have been pressed for this year’s cider and we’re now in the process of removing all the old tiles & wooden slats from the barn roof ready to replace them with new slats, a waterproof lining and metal sheeting – should keep us busy for a few weeks! We’ll be in the UK to exhibit at the London ExCel Motorcycle Show 14 – 16 February so do come & see us if you’re there.

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December 2013 – Great to see so many customers at the NEC and to meet some new faces. Many thanks to Dave Washington & Gary Toplass for their help manning our stand at the weekends – much appreciated. Thanks too to those who commented or sent us feedback on our new poster-boards – we were really pleased with the stand this year. We also had a surprise guest appearance by “Parker”! (see review August Black Forest Tour). Now back in France after a week in the Gambia we are gradually contacting all those who have enquired about Tours for 2014 – please bear with us – we will get back to you. And finally, thanks to those who have sent us Christmas cards – we hope everybody has a very Happy Christmas and send our best wishes for 2014.

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November 2013 – Back from 10 days researching our new Italian Lakes & Alpine Passes Tour for 2015 – many passes already closed due to snow but as it was so scenic we thought we might run the tour in the winter!! (see pic below of the Stelvio Pass). Last two off-road groups before we head over to Birmingham for the NEC bike show (stand 2C65) and then a week of sunshine in Gambia. Hope to see many of you at the NEC.

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October 2013 – Now into our off-road season and getting ready for the NEC. New posters & brochures this year so do come and see us on stand 2C65. Sadly Zuki (kitten) has disappeared – we believe taken by a buzzard – but we have taken delivery of two goats to add to our 11 sheep. Off to Switzerland now for 10 days to do research for a new tour in 2015 before next off-roaders arrive.

September 2013 – Just back from Monte Carlo – another fabulous tour – take a look at the review and get booked in for next year! Good news for Jen in that she doesn’t have to have a second operation on her elbow. We’ll be at the NEC bike show at the end of November – stand 2C65. There’s no touring zone this year so we’re in amongst all the other exhibitors. We also have a new addition to the family…we came across a tiny kitten in the road & Jen brought it home whilst riding pillion. Having returned to try & find it’s owners to no avail Zuki is now happily climbing trees in the paddock and squaring up to Della (dog)!

August 2013 – Just back from the second Black Forest Tour this year – a fantastic trip with a great group of people. A HUGE thank-you to Paul Poulton – forever to be known now as “Parker” – who stepped in with just one day’s notice to drive the luggage van for “Mi Lady” Jen who came along as a passenger (not wanting to miss out on the trip!).

August 2013 – While doing research in Germany for the Rhine in Flames Tour 2014 Della (the dog) pulled Jen who fell and broke her elbow. She spent 4 days in hospital in Germany and now has pins & wires holding her elbow together.

July 2013 – Rouen Armada, Black Forest and 4×4 Tour reviews all now live – see the photos & feedback under Testimonials. Bookings flooding in for 2014 – for both short breaks & Tours.

June 2013 – Due to cancellation 1 double room just available on our Black Forest Tour 13 – 19 August 2013 – first come – first served! See the review of the Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival Tour – great fun. Off to Rouen tomorrow for the Armada Tour.

May 2013 – Just back from our WW2 Tour – a great start to the season. Due to cancellation 1 double room just available on our Black Forest Tour 17-23 June – first come – first served! [since taken]

March 2013 – What a surprise ! The French have yet again changed their minds and following a new decree (No. 2013-180) the requirement to carry a breathalyser kit from 1 March 2013 is now in force but there will be no penalty if you do not carry one !! Also there is NO requirement to wear or carry high-viz jackets – the legislation was repealed w.e.f. 2 January 2013.

15 January 2013 – Happy New Year. We can’t believe Bike Normandy has been running for 10 years. We’ve booked a stand (A90) at the MCN Excel Show from 15 to 17 February, not sure why though as we’ve hardly got any spaces left this summer and are already taking bookings for 2014!

The winner of our competition for tickets to the NEC Show was Tim Hewitt, we’ll run another for a free ticket to the MCN Excel Show in our next newsletter.

The lambs have started to arrive early and our 7th was born in the snow earlier today.

The road bikes are hibernating, and we’ve (sorry John) has just got a 2012 KTM 350 EXC-F, thanks to Rod Veck at Fowlers for sorting it – how many other UK dealers would take a French registered bike in PX?

October 2012 – Just finished the “road” season with our final tour to Magny Cours – great group, great riding & no rain on race day!! Now into the off-road season. Will be at the NEC bike show 24 Nov – 2 Dec on stand E14 in the Escape Zone – come and see us if you’re there.

27 Sept 2012 – The places quickly went on the 4×4 Tour and the Monte Carlo or Bust Tour – see the reviews under Testimonials – European Tours and get you name down for next year!

24 July 2012 – Late Cancellation – now 2 places on our 4×4 Tour (on motorbikes!) 22-26 September 2012. Still 2 places available on the Monte Carlo or Bust Tour 21 – 29 August 2012. Just back from the Picos & Pyrenees Tour – see the fab review & photos under Testimonials Tours. Off to the Black Forest tomorrow.

June 2012… STOP PRESS! 2 bike places now available on the Monte Carlo or Bust! Tour 21 – 29 August 2012 – first come – first served !

16 January 2012… We’ve been using a couple of Midland Action Cameras for a while now. We occasionally film guests and then play the video back on our large screen TV over breakfast. The video quality is excellent and we’ve started selling the cameras due to an increased demand. The cameras are HD, have a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 3 hours, an image stabiliser and a host of other features. The cameras cost £160 each and we’ll shortly be able to take payment for them by credit card – giving you peace of mind. All of the videos that we use at the shows have been shot using these cameras – visit the Bike Normandy stand at the MCN Excel show to see just how good the Midland Action cameras are.

9 December 2011…We’ve just returned from a successful NEC Show, the crowds were back and the buzz continued from last year. The new Explorer was a ‘Triumph’. We’ve booked stand N80 at the MCN Excel Show in London from 2-5 February 2012.

We can’t believe how many bookings we’ve taken for 2011 – our Black Forest & Monte Carlo or Bust Tours are both full and we’ve guests on a reserve list. There’s very limited availability on our Picos and 4×4 Tours while our WW2 Sights and WSB at Magny Cours have plenty of spaces available. Our short breaks remain popular and there’s only one weekend left next summer when we’ve full availability – September 29 to October 1. Other dates are partially available.

24 October 2011… Earlier this month we finished our ‘on-road’ season seeing two world champions crowned at Magny Cours – Carlos Checca and Chas Davies. The weather was simply stunning and the roads stupendous.

We’ve been researching our Monte Carlo or Bust Tour and have the routes / hotels etc for the way down, we’re off tomorrow to do the way back, hopefully changing the van in the process.

Our dates are filling up for 2012, we only have 5 weekends left in the summer, our Black Forest Tour has just 1 place left, the ‘Monte Tour’ is 50% full and we haven’t even completed the research! There won’t be much space left after the NEC show next month. Come and see Bike Normandy on stand E10 in the Escape zone.

8 August 2011…The Black Forest Tour is now full. We’ve just returned from the Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes Tour – see the fab review & photos under Testimonials European Tours. We’ll be at the NEC at the end of November 2011 – come & see us on Stand E10 in the “Escape” section.

23 June 2011… Our Black Forest and Vosges Mountains Tour was full but we’ve had a couple of cancellations so there’s now 2 bike places available on this Tour.

2 June 2011… Just got back from a very successful 4×4 Tour, the weather was excellent with just a couple of hours rain during the whole trip. As one person put it “stay out of Luxembourg on Tuesday mornings”.

There’s a new calendar under ‘Check Availability’ – you can now view dates for the next couple of years! 7 dates for short breaks have already been reserved for 2012.

26 February 2011… The MCN Excel Show was good for us and we now have bookings through out the summer. We’re just about to start the off road season, but John can’t ride as he’s waiting for an operation on his right knee (worn out cartlidge from his football days). Instead of him there will be another French guide closing the groups.

31 Jan 2011… We sent out our new newsletter over the weekend, we promise that it’ll be a regular occurance. It won’t just be about availability but will include snippets regarding living in France and the occasional competetion. Currently it’s freezing over here, despite this we’ve got 4 lambs.

Three of our European Tours – 4×4, Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes and the Black Forest Tour are now full and we even have guests on a waiting list !

14 Jan 2011…..The NEC Show was much better than the last few years with all of the major manufacturers there, the buzz was certainly back. We did well and were surprised when virtually all of our guests from the summer’s Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival tour turned up on mass.

We’ll be on stand N103 at the forthcoming MCN Excel Motorcycle Show 3 to 6 Feb.

Our 2011 European tours are already getting booked up, our 4×4 Tour is already full and our Picos, Pyrenees & Volcanoes Tour has just one bike place left.

We’ve only got three summer weekends with full availabilty on our short breaks – please see the ‘check availability’ page of this website for more details. All of our off-road trips are full this Spring.

22 Nov 2010 …..Welcome to our new website. We will keep this page updated with our latest goings on. Please come and see us at the Birmingham NEC Motorcycle Show 27 Nov to 5 Dec on Stand E26. We will also be at the London Excel Motorcycle Show 3 to 6 Feb 2011

Motorcycle tours in Europe and motorcycle holidays in France since 2003.