Well its still far too c-c-c-cold to be outside working on my many projects for the van. But I was giving the Metal Box some thought. As I reminisced on my last trip the most annoying thing is when you park up in your ideal spot on the coast, in a layby or at a campsite you are stuck really. a Move the van and your place will vanish. At the campsite it requires stuffing your gear back into the van, folding everything away just for a half hour trip to a different beach, museum park -whatever. So I figured maybe I need a bicycle? Great for fitness, help the environment, dress in spandex and be Eddie Mercx II. Of course I only considered that for a millisecond and immediately shook myself back to reality. Pedalling -not on your life boyo. Then I thought of some kind of frame to haul my KTM about (might still do that) but ideally I want to be able to store everything inside my van should the need arise. Far too many light fingered barstardos that seem to be ubiquitous in England as well as every urban area in Europe. So two wheeled, petrol powered, small, and cheap... The solution was immediately obvious. Enter the (small) Dragon -with bonus folding handle bars- in Nero! In an ideal world I would have coughed up £5K for a wonderful Honda. But that was never going to happen -that's far more than the van cost! This was the best all round alternative. Or so it seems. I'm sure the bolts are made of tin, the wiring comprises of recycled Lucas rejects and its very possible the engine will explode at some point. But if it carry's me about for £500 miles I've broken even -including the petrol. And there's no engine paint to flake off!
