From the Picos de Europa in April to Corsica in October, it's been a year of great roads A busy year? That's not the half of it… It has been one helluva year. Back in March, my friend Drew noted the Chickenstrips touring calendar and said, "You'll be busy, then…" To which I replied that it would either be the best year ever or a two-wheeled Stalingrad... With two or at the most three weeks off between tours, Bruce " Teapot One " Smart and I racked up more than 10,500 miles

*I call it "exploring" or "research"… An open, empty French road and a Kawasaki H2 SX SE… with my reputation? I love riding in France....

Who said it's grim up North? Nobody who's ever ridden a road like this, that's for sure! In Whitby on the Chickenstrips tour of The North...

Madly twisty roads and a 197bhp supercharged Kawasaki H2 SX SE? Bring it on! Pic: Bruce Smart A subtle clue to why the H2 is so good...