Successful Motorcycle Touring
One of the many joys of motorcycling is the freedom of the
road, exploring new places and adventuring - but expeditions like this can
go wrong, with unforeseen problems. Here is a guide to help you avoid pitfalls
and to minimise the dangers and problems, and to help you plan and carry out
a successful bike touring holiday.
My 1981 CX500A (now sold) taking a short rest whilst crossing the Pyrenees in May 2008, the location was 42.491218 / 0.520373 or What3Words.
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The Ride - Getting There Your vehicle must display "UK" not "GB" The ride is what these trips are all about. We all want to get to places, but an easy mistake is to plan a trip which is too many miles. This puts pressure on you to complete the journey, and can force you to ride faster for longer than you should. Looking at the proposed route, Tom says: "Fine, that's just down the road." Dick says : "OK, that's a good day's ride." Harry says : "That's a three day adventure, with two overnight stops." I advise that for those new to European touring and the greater distances involved, an average of 100 or 150 miles a day is a sensible figure and even this can be too much, if you want to pause and take a break at any particular location. On an eight or nine day tour, anything more than a total of 2,000 miles means long hours in the saddle and a great deal of highly dull and featureless motorway work. In the past we have done as much as 2,700 miles in nine days, but we saw far too much tarmac and not enough of our boots through the bottom of a beer glass. This is the Gorge road (42.489692 / 0.462411 or What3Words) between El Run and Seira, Spain, twelve miles of stunning riding. It took longer than you might think because the scenery was so amazing that we kept having to stop and take photographs! May 2008; the bike was my 1981 CX500 (now sold) |
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European non-motorway roads are wide, scenic and empty, with picturesque villages and countryside where - believe me - cruising along at 55 mph in top gear with the engine running at a gentle purr gives you time to relax in the saddle, enjoy the scenery, and is a sheer delight. Almost
every community will have a bar / café, invariably a friendly
place where locals meet up to pass the time. Riding through France in May 2013 What
mileage you plan to cover depends on your personal preferences. You
definitely do not want to wake up one morning - in Left
the Millau Viaduct,
France (44.078878 / 3.022105 or What3Words)
, the most astonishing man-made object I have ever seen (May 2008
and May 2013). |
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Opposite
the Kehlsteinhaus or "Eagle's Nest" (47.611426 / 13.042159
or What3Words)
at Obersalzburg, Bavaria, Germany (May 2010). |
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If you want a tarmac holiday, I won't argue with you but take it from me you will see places where you will say afterwards - "I wish we'd stayed a while at St-Wherever-Sur-Mer 'cos it looked like a nice place to stop over." Plan a rest day into your timetable, and be prepared to sacrifice one or more of your destinations if time goes against you. A puncture can swallow half a day. Left Neuschwanstein Castle (47.557499 / 10.749626 or What3Words) near Füssen in Bavaria, Germany (May 2012). This castle was the inspiration for Walt Disney's fairy-tale castle logo. |
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Right Lugo, Galicia, Spain (43.009703 / -7.556643 or What3Words), the only town which still has a complete 360-degree encircling Roman wall. A real pleasure to visit, park anywhere in the centre and walk the 1½ miles around the top of the Roman wall. An amazing experience. (May 2017 and June 2018) and a fine Youtube video of the Roman Walls |
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If you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Never skip the chance to drink, even if you are not noticeably thirsty. We
prompt each other to drink liquids and we always drink
at fuel stops - not fizzy drinks - we've found that bottled chilled
tea is the best, being widely available at fuel stops. Always use
the toilet at fuel stops, even if you don't think that you need to
go.
This
all happened in ten minutes. I managed to dive down a side
road and just got the stand down before I more or less collapsed and
managed to get my bike clothes off just in time, but it was a close
call and I almost fainted. It was the best part of an hour before
I had cooled down enough to continue riding. |
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Preparing yourself - Costing your Holiday For the last
few years I've been doing this on a spreadsheet, which has proved
to be remarkably accurate. Once you have agreed your dates and general
timetable, set up a spreadsheet document like this:- You can see that every day's actual or anticipated mileage is noted, with provision for calculating costs based on your particular bike's fuel consumption, plus any extra costs you need to include. By completing the necessary sections such as €-to-£ exchange rate, ferry/tunnel tickets and personal pocket money, you can budget for your trip. Please email me (remove the extra 'z' in the address) if you would like a copy of the current (2023) spreadsheet, which you can then edit for your own costings. NOTE that many retail outlets in the Eurozone will not accept Euro notes over €100 - and some are reluctant to accept €50 notes. If you are getting your Euros from your local Bank or Post Office, insist on notes no greater than €20. This restriction has come about because many criminals are using high-denomination notes for drug trafficking, money-laundering and other illegal purposes. There are also fake high-value notes in circulation. If you are compelled to tender high-value banknotes, ascertain in advance that the cashier will accept them, and be tolerant if the notes have to be electronically validated; this is a very common procedure with all Euro banknotes at tills and cashier stations. |
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Preparing your motorcycle Engine Size You can tour successfully on any powered two wheeler which is legal in the countries through which you intend to travel, but the distances you can cover are really governed by the engine size of your bike. I am sure than there are some riders who have made their way from Scotland all the way down to southern Spain on a moped, taking a fortnight to get there, but in real terms anything less than a 250 is going to be uncomfortable for the necessary long hours in the saddle; a 125cc bike on long rides is going to be very hard work. Also consider the amount of kit you need to take, and how you will carry it. In practical terms I'd say that the minimum engine size needed for anything more than a long weekend would be a 400, with a 500 or 650 far better for holding up on lengthy European motorways. More importantly, are you ready and able to tackle such long trips? Have you had experience of riding for many miles and many hours? Is your bike capable of carrying a top box, tank bag, hard or soft panniers, a pillion-seat strap-on bag? You'll need all or at least some of these accessories to make your trip feasible. Tank Bags Tank bags are excellent and a very useful accessory, well worth buying. They're very handy places to keep any kit that you want readily to hand - paperwork (maps, ferry tickets, copies of insurance etc), ready cash for road or bridge tolls, camera, visor cleaner, phone and satnav etc. Most tank bags have padded 'ears' containing magnets, which hang down against the tank's side. With a safety or retaining strap around the bike's headstock they are quite secure. Their topmost section is usually a clear-view sleeve for maps or satnav. When removed from the bike, a tank bag can double as a backpack. However one disadvantage of using the standard magnetic-pad tank bags is that it's very easy to scratch the paintwork of your bike whist removing the bag, typically for refuelling, especially if the magnets happen to pick up any metal fragments - or even your keys! (Don't ask! I once spent hours looking for my lost keys, only to find them attached to the tank bag's magnets.) If you use the magnetic-type tank bag, I advise laying a thin cotton shaped piece between the bag's underside and the tank, to protect the paintwork.
Click the link here
to see tank bags on eBay. For 2012 I bought myself a 'Bagster' leather colour-matched and shaped petrol tank cover for my Deauville. There are versions of the Bagster for just about every bike. Apart from looking neat and protecting the tank's paintwork, the Bagster's tank bag doesn't have magnetic pads - it fixes to the tank cover with two snap connectors at the rear and two quick-release rings at the front. Thus it is easily hinged clear to refuel, and the tank cover has a shaped cutaway for the filler cap. This was an expensive purchase but a one-off one, and I'll probably leave the tank cover on permanently. The bag also doubles as a backpack. I've found a way to use the Bagster on the new BMW F800GT without having to buy the special tank cover, so I'll be able to use it on both bikes.
Bagster tank cover - and with the tank bag in 'low' mode. The white rings are just cable ties I added to made unzipping the bag easier. The black straps are where the tank cover attaches to the tank's edges, hidden behind the Deauville's bodywork. Another strap at the front of the bag can - if you wish - be looped around the headstock or the front frame.
Front and rear attachment points. For refuelling the rear clips are released and the bag hinges forward.
Bag in fully extended "high" mode, and the rider's eye view with the fully extended bag. Plenty of room here to see the clocks, or the satnav on its mid-handlebar mounting bracket. Panniers My Honda NT650 Deauville has integral lockable panniers (as does the newer 700 Deauville) and it's possible to buy the larger "fat" lids to give improved carrying capacity. Many other bikes - like Pan Europeans and BMWs - come with integral attachment points for their own hard (lockable and detachable) panniers; my BMW F800GT has these. For some other bikes you can buy bolt-on rails or attachment points for hard panniers, to give extra carrying space and security. If your bike is not equipped for hard panniers, you are advised to invest in a pair of "soft" or "throwover" panniers - rather like old-fashioned saddlebags - which sit either side of the pillion area, although they don't interfere with carrying a passenger. This type of pannier will generally be the zip-expandable sort, either waterproof or with detachable elasticated waterproof covers. They are retained in place by their own straps, often passed under the saddle and assisted by standard bungee straps to make semi-permanent luggage. They could be bundled together on the pillion seat, as a simple backrest. Whether fixed
"hard", or throwover "soft", any kind of panniers
are a great help in managing your luggage..
Click the link here
to view eBay throwover panniers You can buy waterproof bags which strap to your pillion seat if you don't like the idea of soft panniers, or just need extra carrying capacity. Ebay link for waterproof motorcycle bags Legalities Insurance is of course compulsory everywhere you go. But note that it is mandatory in many European countries to ride with the bike headlight on all the time. High visibility waistcoats, or riding jackets with built-in hi-vis panels, are starting to become mandatory in Europe, although legislation (and how rigidly such is enforced!) differs between countries. Pierre Grogan says "It is mandatory in France for a motorcyclist to ride with his main lights on. So much so that all French sold bikes have the headlamps hardwired into the start, it is impossible for me to turn them off short of cutting the wires. This then brings me to the next point for bikers in France. It is mandatory for the helmets to have a reflective patch front, back and both sides, this patch to be about the size of the first thumb joint of a man. This latter gets 3 points on the licence if caught without , this is European legislation but only France has implemented it fully!!" He goes on to say (May 2012) "Just a quick update on some law changes for vehicles. GPS units may not now show fixed camera positions, they can only show zones of danger (most GPS companies have made the change for France). Also the local authorities are removing the camera signs (if they feel like it) and replacing them sometimes with a forward electronic speed readout which tells you how fast you are going and then a camera may be seen within a couple of kilometres. However be aware these electronic forward signs are not always accurate and some 15% under read by about 20khp on 110 so just because a machine gives you a speed double check it against your speedo. Not all cameras however have forward signs and they have now introduced 2 more shapes. There is one new one in Limoges on the A20 southbound which is just a tall round column about 4 metres tall and which has no warning whatsoever!! The others are smaller versions of the old big square dustbins."
With effect from 1 July 2012 all motorists in France must carry a breathalyser (blow in the bag type) including motorcyclists, they are cheaper in France being 1€ each in the supermarkets. Phil Russell says "Yes you are supposed to carry two of them, but there's no penalty if you are stopped and you don't have them. A typical French compromise!" Regarding the wearing of reflective clothing, a correspondent living in France says "There never was a 'plan to force motorcyclists to wear Hi-Viz vests'. That was hysterical and inaccurate reporting by the UK bike press. The proposed rule was for a minimum of 150 cm2 of reflective (not fluoro) material between waist and shoulderline. Sounds a lot, but it's about the same as one side of a CD case, and it could be made up of lots of small elements. Most motorcycle textile clothing sold today already incorporates that much reflective material.". He goes on to comment on French speed traps "Also worth adding that on French motorways you need to be doubly careful when approaching large motorway services. Cunning Gendarmes hide away under bridges (rather like trolls), clock you with their radar, then pull you over into the services where they know you'll be able to get cash from the hole in the wall to pay the on the spot fine. That way they have less paperwork to do!" I asked at a motorcycle shop in Abbeville if this reflective sticker law was generally enforced. They said "Only to pass the driving test." The correspondent living in France added "Reflective helmet stickers are indeed compulsory. But I've never heard of anyone being stopped for not having them. I've been living in France on and off for 20 years and have been stopped many times, but they've never mentioned helmet stickers." |
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Preventative Maintenance Take every possible precaution to prevent mechanical breakdowns. First of all ensure that you have recovery insurance cover so that you can summon help if needs be. This may simply be a breakdown van which can get a punctured tyre to a bike dealer, or it may be a complete trailer recovery to where you live or are staying. Many insurers provide this cover with their normal policy but it's worth double checking that the cover extends to whichever countries you intend to visit or pass through. You can buy add-on insurance if your policy doesn't cover Europe, or doesn't cover breakdown at all. If you set out without breakdown / recovery insurance you must be completely bonkers. However, check your policy's small print as most insurers will not repatriate your bike if its market value is less than the cost of repatriation. In such a case you are entirely on your own, and you may be faced with the prospect of abandoning your bike. |
Treat your bike to a full and complete service at least a week before departure; lubricants, filters, brake/disc pads check and so on. Whether you do this yourself or have it done at a dealer's is up to you, but many DiY servicing tasks are covered by my Deauville Web Resource. Phil (12-Feb-2015) comments : "I would suggest doing the servicing at least a couple of weeks before departure. In case of mistakes while fitting something or servicing cock ups." |
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As a precaution against punctures we carry the 'wiggly worm' repair kits. These consist of a round file to ream out the hole caused by the nail etc; adhesive, rubber inserts, insertion tool, CO2 gas cartridges and their valve attachment. The kit comes in a handy zip-folder and is about the size of a couple of packs of cigarettes. We also carry a small electric air pump. Try your local bike dealer, or paste "motorcycle puncture repair kit" into eBay. These shouldn't cost any more than £10 to £15 so are a good idea to carry with you. |
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Take particular note of your tyre tread depth because this should still be legal when you arrive home. Wear rates depend enormously on so many factors, but for a rear tyre, if you allow 1mm of wear for every 2,000 miles of your planned journey you can't go much wrong. Let's say that you have 4mm tread before departure and you plan a 2,000 miles tour, you'll still be OK when you get back. But if you have just 2mm of tread before you leave then you may well to have to replace that tyre before you arrive home. This aspect of preparation is easy to overlook. There is conflicting information on minimum tyre tread across various countries but 1.7mm appears to be a more or less universal limit. However I recommend that you should plan to have at least 1.7mm tread depth by the time you arrive back home. The Golden Rule is, of course, "If In Doubt, Start Your Tour With A New Tyre!" |
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If you plan a seriously long trip you may even have to make an oil and oil filter change - are you going to carry a spare filter? You can almost certainly get the oil at a service station, but are you going to do a roadside change, or find a dealer and put the bike in, with the associated delay to your itinerary? Have you the tools necessary to do a roadside repair or maintenance job? A fellow rider's CX500 (left) wept coolant from the radiator during our 2008 touring holiday, and he spent a considerable amount of time underneath it, trying to stop the leak. |
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Which spares to take with you? In terms of spare parts I would carry anything which constitutes a roadside repair. Anything more than this is either a workshop or recovery job. I normally carry the following, so here is a check list for you:- new clutch cable [.....] new throttle cables [.....] front brake lever [.....] clutch lever [.....] a full set of all electric bulbs [.....] fuses [.....] electric insulating tape [.....] puncture repair kit or tyre sealant aerosol [.....] elastic bungees / straps / long tie wraps [.....] a small box of assorted nuts, bolts, and washers [.....] First Aid kit [.....] and If you are travelling through France, this 'Medical Phrase Book' could be a lifesaver! visor spray and cleaning cloths (maybe a spare helmet visor) [.....] Plus a toolkit comprehensive enough to fix anything that isn't a workshop job. |
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Crossing the Channel (Dover/Folkestone
- Calais) - Ferry or Tunnel?
If you are in a hurry and you don't mind the extra expense, use the Tunnel. A more bland way to travel has yet to be invented, but it's logistically easy and once the train begins the journey, it's quick - about 40 minutes. We've never had any seasickness on a Channel Ferry crossing, but the Tunnel is the only alternative. Like all such journeys they are booked most economically well in advance. If
you've had a long ride to UK Tunnel terminal's post code is CT18 8XX and the co-ordinates are 51.095701 / 1.121776 or What3Words, the French end is 50.930300 / 1.823268 or What3Words. Motorcycles travelling via the Tunnel are loaded at the end of each of the dozen or so carriages, taking up 'dead space' that isn't enough to accommodate a car. Be prepared for the staff to ask you to wait until they prompt you to board, and if you are in a multi-bike party you may be separated into more than one carriage during loading, as this 'dead space' permits. Don't be put off by a possibly long ride down the length of the train carriage interior. See the Youtube video of me passing through the Tunnel concourse at the French end (Coquelles) on my Deauville, August 2016. It shows me working my way through the various security, marshalling and boarding areas. 'Waiting' time is edited out. Once on board the train, there is nowhere to sit and nothing to see; it can get hot aboard but there are air vents by the windows; toilets are located on the upper sections of the two-level carriages, by the staircases. There is another YouTube sequence here of our bikes descending the ramp and entering the train carriage. Note that flash photography isn't allowed once inside the carriage. You
can book Tunnel journeys here - remember the prices are EACH
WAY not RETURN.
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A Dover-Calais ferry crossing takes 90 minutes plus loading and unloading the many vehicles. In practice, the total transit time is between 2½ and 3 hours. Bikes are generally directed to the front of the boarding queue lanes and loaded first, being marshalled either into side bays or to the extreme front or rear section of the vessel. The ferry crew don't usually strap your bike down for you, although they do provide kit and advise you on how to use it. The Dover ferry terminal's post code is CT16 1JA and the GPS location is 51.126468 / 1.329309 or What3Words, Calais is 50.966492 / 1.862193 or What3Words. The securing kit is a strong adjustable strap with hooks at each end which engage in deck loops. In the middle of the strap's length is a thick rubber cushion. You park on the centre stand with the legs of your stand just forward of the line between two deck loops and with the cushion directly on the saddle, fasten the strap, pulling the click-action lever to thoroughly tighten the strap so that it holds your bike hard onto the rear wheel, with the front wheel off the deck. So
mounted, it can't roll forwards and topple off the stand. We've never
seen a bike fall off its stand but we haven't been across in anything
more than a gentle swell. If your bike falls over it's your responsibility,
not the crew's. |
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Plymouth's ferry port terminal is 50.367439 / -4.155596, the post code is PL1 3EW or What3Words. Santander's terminal is 43.456721 / -3.809661 or What3Words During popular transit periods this area can get very crowded and hot. Bikes are always parked on their sidestands and are secured by the ferry crew, using the abovementioned click-stop strap and cushion. However the strap end hooks go over a very long running steel cable, which is retained at frequent intervals on the steel deck by passing through low profile metal domes. Manoeuvring your bike in possibly cramped conditions over these domes and across the cable runs can be a "slippery" experience.
We've seen several bikes go over doing this and a house-of-cards situation, especially when everyone is preparing to leave at the end of the crossing, would be all too easy to happen. If you feel nervous about this, have a fellow rider there to assist you when riding or pushing your bike to and from its anchoring point, the conditions can be uncomfortable and sometimes slippery. The descent and exit ramps themselves are OK, being covered in a non-slip surface. |
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This
is a good ferry booking site (thank you Rita
for outstanding service!) for ALL UK-Europe destinations. Personally I take the view that in the event of a major incident or disaster I stand more chance of surviving a ferry sinking than a tunnel fire or rail crash. But more importantly we feel that a ferry crossing is a psychological start and finish to our adventure, rather than a soulless Tunnel trip. You
pays your money and you takes your choice! |
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Riding / driving in Europe This can feel scary the first time you tackle it - don't worry, that's a normal reaction. Abroad, in a right-hand-drive car your vision and general awareness of other traffic is substantially reduced, and that's why it's a good idea to have an experienced pair of eyes in the left hand seat, to help you slot in at junctions and slip roads. On
a motorcycle, you'll find that being on 'the wrong side of the road'
comes very much more naturally. In general terms you follow the bloke
in front and do what he does - believe me you'll soon lose that scared
feeling. But, there are three dangerous situations I
should warn you about. Throughout
In
a group situation, riders new to foreign roads should at first be
following the more experienced types - let the veterans show you how
it's done. |
Above riding the Pyrenean Mountains in May 2013 |
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the reasonably easy one first. Roundabouts. I've seen
In fact if you think about it - our junctions are designed to achieve
the same effect. So you have to do things in what appears to be a
mirror of normal. I have never met a roundabout in France, Spain,
Germany or Andorra where a driver actually on the island has to give
way to anyone wanting to enter it, as used to be the rule in many
countries; nowadays the priorities work like ours. I'll
assume a dual-carriageway approach. For a first exit - right turn
- approach in the right hand lane, indicating right, stay anticlockwise
in the right hand lane, and exit. Very easy. For 2nd exit - straight
on - approach in the right hand lane, anticlockwise, and indicate
right after the previous exit. Another easy one. The third exit - left turn - is where the 'mirror effect' happens. It's rare to find lane markings on the island itself, so mentally divide the island into lanes. Approach in the left hand lane, indicating left and go anticlockwise around the innermost lane of the island. Indicate right after the exit previous to yours, do your lifesaver and then exit. This can shake you the first few times but where traffic is present you can just follow the vehicle in front, doing what he does. If there is no traffic you have to think a bit harder about it.
I suggest that you mentally practice this before you have to do it
for real. If you are still flustered, park up by a busy island and
watch the locals to get the flavour of how it works. |
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The
second danger area is one which will catch you out several times until
you get used to it. In So, at red lights, come to a halt half a bike length before the stop line, or otherwise in such a position where you can clearly see the lights. |
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The third one is the most dangerous, it's so very easy to make, and can be fatal. In the I'm
afraid there isn't an easy answer to this one, so you just have to
concentrate that much extra. Switch off the autopilot and think about
these left turns. Whilst you are still in the I
guarantee that as a newcomer to European roads, you'll make this mistake
at least once. Hopefully you'll either realise in time
and be able to stop, or there won't be any oncoming traffic. If not,
I hope you took out travel and medical insurance. One
of our party always puts a red stick-on stripe over his right mirror,
to constantly prompt him that he is on European roads. |
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Whilst European motorway speed limits are higher than those in the UK - although lowered during rainy weather - I have heard stories that if you have been consistently speeding, the Police can use the arrival and departure times on your toll ticket to nab you for speeding. I don't know if this is really true or not; be aware that it's a possibility. Some toll motorways don't have manned ticket or pay booths, and you might have to fork out for a standard 'car' ticket. Pot luck. On unrestricted German autobahns even a 650 can be well out of its depth as many cars will be travelling at over 100mph and it's not unusual to have German drivers passing at 140mph; we had one pass at what we estimated was 180mph, coming as close at it gets to killing one of us - it actually took the paint off his pannier. An approaching car which at first glance is nothing more than a dot in your mirror can be right on your number plate in three or four seconds. That can be intimidating and such roads are no place for anything less than a 500cc bike, as at less than 90 mph you'll simply be in the way of the predominantly faster traffic. I'm told that's an offence to run out of fuel on a German autobahn. These do have sections where trucks are not allowed to overtake, and I've found that German drivers are tolerant of having to wait behind a slower vehicle. In France most shops, cafes, restaurants and suchlike are usually closed on Mondays. Rural petrol stations will also probably be closed but mainstream and motorway petrol stations will be open, even if they are the unmanned credit-card type. Also in France the quality of road surface can be dreadful. Motorways and main trunk roads will generally be fine. However whilst transiting through small villages and communities, and on urban and suburban roads you will find the surfaces riddled with potholes, cracks, rifts and very badly repaired sections. These can be so bad that tyre damage results - this happened to one of the group in June 2012 when a deep pothole caused severe damage to a front tyre, which had to be replaced; luckily we were able to find a motorcycle dealer (many thanks to Moto-Land of Abbeville, who pulled mechanics off another job in order to get us back on the road with minimal delay) without too much trouble. Being used nowadays to the awful state of UK roads, with many deep potholes and dreadful surfaces, you should be used to the same trouble when in France! I've also had my satnav unit jarred off its mounts by extremely poor road surfaces, so a safety lead is imperative for such devices. Whilst riding in Spain during May/June 2014 onwards we noticed that drivers don't stop for pedestrians who are waiting to cross as 'zebra type' uncontrolled crossings. If you adopt the UK practice of stopping for people at the kerb who are waiting to cross the road, you are likely to get impatient hooting from Spanish drivers behind you, or even be shunted by a local driver who did not expect you to slow down or stop. Phil Russell comments "In France, it's now law that you are supposed to stop if you see anyone waiting to cross the road at a zebra crossing." |
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DaveS comments that "Here in Southern Spain in the Costa del Sol area there such roundabouts, where once on the roundabout you have to give way to traffic exiting from a more major road. There will be a solid white line across the road but watch out as it may well have faded a lot. I also find in my area that Spanish drivers do not know how to use a roundabout that is two lanes wide. Many of them go round it all the way on the outside so if you are on the inside and wish to take an exit, watch you don't get cut up by the guy on the outside." This problem is starting to be widely experienced on UK roads, too, as ignorant or impatient drivers make "the Telford Turn" by going all the way round the outer lane of an island to turn right. Mike Hedger adds : "In France, don't make the mistake of entering the wrong lanes of the péage as some are designated for vehicles carrying a pass (something like an onboard radio sender unit, I guess) and are unable to accept a cash payment to lift the barrier. Very embarrassing and the easiest way to upset a whole bunch of following drivers when you try to get them to back up, to let you out the narrow page gates." Phil Russell
adds : "There are two types of road junction signs in France:
one is a thick vertical pointed line with a thin horizontal line
through it, and the other looks like an X. The former means there
is a junction ahead and you have priority, and the other means give
way to traffic joining from your right." Pierre Grogan adds "I have a couple of comments as a Brit living in France and having worked in Paris, you should note that the priority from the right rules in France still apply on all roundabouts in Paris ie those coming onto a roundabout have priority. And in many of the towns and some rural areas. Essentially, if the road on the right does not have any white line marking then it is priority from the right or should be treated as such (especially in the deep France vineyards etc where the local farmers will have been driving like that for years). If the road you are on has a yellow diamond then there is no priority from the right even in towns and villages." |
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Refuelling
It's very easy to overlook the fact that distances between locations in Europe are substantially greater than in the crowded UK. You must be familiar with your bike's mpg and range on a single tank. In a group situation, all riders should always fill their tanks at the same time, regardless of their possibly different fuel states. If you don't adopt this strategy, you'll be "leapfrog stopping" as Tom who didn't bother to tank when Dick and Harry did, runs low on fuel on the next leg of the trip.
It's a mistake to be arriving at a destination - which you might have to hunt around to find - late, flustered, tired, possibly in darkness, and low on fuel, so leave a generous margin in your tank for emergencies. For example if your intended stopover is not available, you may have to go on to the next town. Being low on fuel at this point is a worry you can do without. Likewise if you want an early start the filling stations may not be open. We like to fill the tanks 50 or so miles before our intended destination, which eliminates both problems.
Many non-motorway filling and petrol stations (especially the smaller ones) in France and Belgium are likely to be CLOSED on SUNDAYS and many will also be closed on MONDAYS. Phil Russell adds "As well as Mondays, a lot of French petrol stations (such as supermarkets) will also probably be closed somewhere between 12:00 and 14:00 or later during the rest of the week."
You probably know your way round the UK map-wise but European distances are much greater. Calais to Paris is about the same as Birmingham to London, and Paris is just 1/4 of the way down France. John O'Groats to Land's End is about the same as Calais to the bottom left hand corner of France. Then about the same again to southern Spain.
Here are some sample road distances, in miles, using the fastest route and assuming crossing at Dover-Calais where necessary:- |
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On
the 20-hour Plymouth/Portsmouth to Santander ferry crossing,
bikes are usually directed down a non-slip ramp to the very bottom
deck of the vessel; photo (left, May 2016) illustrates the area.
|
From/To
|
Edinb'h
|
London
|
Dover/Calais
|
Paris
|
Mar'lle
|
San'der
|
Andorra
|
Berlin
|
Zurich
|
Prague
|
Dresden
|
Rome
|
Am'dam
|
Hamburg
|
Vienna
|
Munich
|
Co'hgn
|
Go'burg
|
|
Edinburgh
|
397
|
467
|
649
|
1133
|
1277
|
1179
|
1044
|
980
|
1168
|
1094
|
1491
|
698
|
940
|
1279
|
1080
|
1129
|
1322
|
|
|
London
|
397
|
78
|
261
|
748
|
890
|
792
|
657
|
587
|
781
|
707
|
1103
|
310
|
553
|
892
|
693
|
741
|
935
|
|
|
Dover/Calais
|
467
|
78
|
182
|
669
|
810
|
713
|
578
|
513
|
701
|
627
|
1024
|
231
|
473
|
813
|
613
|
662
|
855
|
|
|
Paris
|
649
|
261
|
182
|
479
|
630
|
534
|
650
|
412
|
656
|
656
|
877
|
313
|
558
|
768
|
517
|
747
|
940
|
|
|
Marseilles
|
1133
|
748
|
669
|
479
|
582
|
303
|
957
|
467
|
880
|
879
|
559
|
768
|
927
|
845
|
628
|
1116
|
1309
|
|
|
Santander
|
1277
|
890
|
810
|
630
|
582
|
403
|
1278
|
893
|
1281
|
1280
|
1112
|
942
|
1187
|
1392
|
1081
|
1375
|
1569
|
|
|
Andorra
|
1179
|
792
|
713
|
534
|
303
|
403
|
1148
|
846
|
1071
|
1071
|
833
|
846
|
1091
|
1114
|
846
|
1280
|
1473
|
|
|
Berlin
|
1044
|
657
|
578
|
650
|
957
|
1278
|
1148
|
519
|
218
|
120
|
936
|
407
|
181
|
420
|
363
|
241
|
435
|
|
|
Zurich
|
980
|
587
|
513
|
412
|
467
|
893
|
846
|
519
|
443
|
442
|
541
|
505
|
543
|
459
|
191
|
732
|
925
|
|
|
Prague
|
1168
|
781
|
701
|
656
|
880
|
1281
|
1071
|
218
|
443
|
93
|
816
|
539
|
392
|
202
|
244
|
469
|
663
|
|
|
Dresden
|
1094
|
707
|
627
|
656
|
879
|
1280
|
1071
|
120
|
442
|
93
|
853
|
456
|
309
|
295
|
286
|
371
|
564
|
|
|
Rome
|
1491
|
1103
|
1024
|
877
|
559
|
1112
|
833
|
936
|
541
|
816
|
853
|
1029
|
1055
|
692
|
571
|
1152
|
1345
|
|
|
Amsterdam
|
698
|
310
|
231
|
313
|
768
|
942
|
846
|
407
|
505
|
539
|
456
|
1029
|
291
|
713
|
514
|
479
|
673
|
|
|
Hamburg
|
940
|
553
|
473
|
558
|
927
|
1187
|
1091
|
181
|
543
|
392
|
309
|
1055
|
291
|
682
|
482
|
195
|
388
|
|
|
Vienna
|
1279
|
892
|
813
|
768
|
845
|
1392
|
1114
|
420
|
459
|
202
|
295
|
692
|
713
|
682
|
270
|
770
|
964
|
|
|
Munich
|
1080
|
693
|
613
|
517
|
628
|
1081
|
846
|
363
|
191
|
244
|
286
|
571
|
514
|
482
|
270
|
579
|
773
|
|
|
Cop'hagen
|
1129
|
741
|
662
|
747
|
1116
|
1375
|
1280
|
241
|
732
|
469
|
371
|
1152
|
479
|
195
|
770
|
579
|
196
|
|
|
Goth'burg
|
1322
|
935
|
855
|
940
|
1309
|
1569
|
1473
|
435
|
925
|
663
|
564
|
1345
|
673
|
388
|
964
|
773
|
196
|
|
Throughout
Always
remove your helmet before entering a pay kiosk or shop. If language skills are not up to speaking the
pump numbers, smile and hold up so-many fingers. Should you be uncertain of the coin denominations,
tender banknote(s). Coins
are handy to have, as some service station toilets are payable,
and you'll need a coin to give the attendant or feed into the automatic
barrier. In
At an attended filling station, ask for:-
In France, "le plein de sans-plomb" [le plan de sanns plom] In Spain, "completo gasolina sin plomo" [comm-play-to gasso-leena sin plo-mo]
= "fill up with unleaded." Perhaps a linguist would kindly let me know the equivalent in other languages? |
|
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Mike
Hedger adds : "There are fewer
fuel stops on the motorway network in Europe compared to UK, so you
may find it worthwhile dropping onto the non-motorway roads when you're
within 30 or so miles from a necessary top-up. Cheaper fuel and more
chance of finding interesting scenery too."
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Romo adds "With regard to fuel in France. Some garages are unmanned and have pumps which take credit cards only they seem to refuse British credit cards, at least they wouldn't take mine. Also, one Sunday last June, somewhere in rural France, I was desperate for petrol. I eventually found a garage, but it was one of the unmanned variety and it would not take my cards. Luckily, after half an hour another motorist arrived and I managed to persuade him to use his card to buy my petrol. As he claimed to have no change he profited very nicely on the deal. As for me, I was very grateful to him as rural France can be dead on a Sunday evening and overnighting on a garage forecourt, is something I would prefer not to do. Be warned." |
Carlos the Jackal amplifies this by saying "I has a similar experience to Romo with the card operated pumps in rural France, where they took only French cards. This was confirmed by my uncle who was at the time a French resident as he'd had to apply for a French credit card specifically to get round this problem. A 40 minute wait for a local to arrive followed by the international mime for "My credit card doesn't work, please can you buy me some petrol Madame?" solved the problem for me. Although caution is advised if you approach a middle aged farmers wife waving a 20 euro note." |
|
Planning is all part
of the adventure Some
people can throw a few items of equipment and a tent into panniers
before heading off into the wild blue yonder with nothing more than
a vague plan and a credit card. It's a fine strategy for those with
a bottomless credit card which can dig them out of any problems,
but it doesn't work for me. Whether you are the type to fix a rock
solid itinerary or have nothing more definite than a start and finish
place, advance research and planning will pay off in spades
once your holiday is launched. I've had my satnav jarred off its mount by potholes, so ensure that your device has a safety strap attached to it and some nearby part of the bike. The power lead alone is not good enough for this purpose. If you have a smartphone or tablet with GPS, a "maps" application is extremely useful, you can download or update the required country files. There is also an application called "I am Here Now" or suchlike, which sends the user's GPS co-ordinates to another person via text message or email. This is also useful for post-holiday identification of where you have been. Many satnav units can also continuously record their positions, and the file can be subsequently loaded into Google Earth. Stu
adds : "If you use a satnav, planning becomes easier by
1 million percent if you download and subscribe too a site called
http://www.tyretotravel.com.
The guy who runs it called Jan Boers , a Dutch fella, I've known
him and the site since the start. It's reliable and cheap, download
it then it allows you to plot very accurately a route going exactly
where you want, once you're done you can upload it all to your Tomtom
or Garmin, its really good." |
|
 |
Google Earth is a wonderful resource for planning routes,
stopover sites and visits. Use the Street View feature to familiarise
yourself with your destinations, and you can also print and laminate
the high-definition screens to give you additional maps. |
|
Don't even think about a trip of this sort without taking out travel insurance to cover you for loss of kit, accident or medical emergency. On our 2009 'Adventure' one of our party was hospitalised in St Malo with a very severe bout of gastro bug. We had to leave him behind and without travel insurance, his hospital and 'extras' bill would have been steep. And ensure that your driving licence, insurance, breakdown cover and other documentation is valid for the countries you plan to visit or pass through. Note that the old 'EHIC' cards are no longer valid fom January 1st 2021. Whilst
touring I wear a military type metal
'dog tag' on a neck chain, showing name, address, blood
group and next of kin contact numbers. Just in case I am involved
in an accident and can't account for myself. If
language skills are low or non-existent, take photos on your mobile
phone of useful locations like petrol station, cash dispenser, toilet,
chemist, police, ambulance etc. Or, have a linguistic friend write
down useful phrases for you. If
you don't have an internet data connection available whilst abroad,
it can be extremely handy to be able to 'phone a friend' who is
at home and who has access to Internet resources, and can look up
things you need to know, on the fly as you need them, book accommodation,
etc. Your most useful non-Internet source of If you are carrying a passenger then your logistics options are limited. You can do the camping scene but due to the amount of kit you need to carry (ie two sleeping bags) you are best advised to B&B. Yes, camping can be done two-up on a week away, but you'll need to buy new clothes every couple of days as your personal luggage will each be restricted to what would fit in a Tesco plastic shopping bag. Not easy. |
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|
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|
Logistics - what to take with you Travelling
alone, you have to be self-sufficient. In a group, you don't and there
is no need to double up on kit, especially if people share a tent.
You can share devices like phone chargers and if there are several
bikes of the same type you need not all carry essential spare parts.
I will work on the basis that you have a top box, fixed hard or removable
'soft' panniers and a tank bag. Anything that won't go in here will
need to go in a waterproof 'ditty bag' strapped to the pillion seat.
Link here
to eBay throwover panniers and here
to tank bags. One
school of thought argues that if in a group, every rider is totally
self-sufficient, anyone can drop out via illness or mechanical problems,
without affecting the 'sharing' situation. There is some merit in
this argument but I still believe that intelligent co-operation between
members of the group can make the trip - especially if camping - more
comfortable. Bear
in mind that when visiting somewhere like a city centre you will have
to leave your bikes unattended unless you take it in turns to stand
guard, so you don't want to leave anything nickable on it. You'll
have to carry your tank bag as well as normal bike kit and believe
me it's no fun trudging round a city centre in a heat wave, wearing
leathers, bike boots and riding kit and carrying helmet and tank bag.
(Somewhere like a Museum will almost certainly let you leave tank
bag and helmet behind the |
|
 |
In the aforementioned tank bag goes all your documentation - passport, insurance / MoT / V5 and travel insurance; maps; camera, satnav and its leads; sunglasses; visor cleaner and cloth; a little ready cash for any road or bridge tolls; spare glasses. When using it as a backpack ensure that the zip fastener is either secured closed, or faces upwards so that items can't fall out. Use opaque clip-top sandwich or takeaway meal boxes in the tank bag to secure phones, leads etc against damp or just to keep things tidy and manageable. I
put my phone and its bits in one and satnav and its bits in another.
Very handy things those boxes, ideally sized for tank bags but you
can use them everywhere to keep your kit in order. If
your camera uses disposable batteries, such are easily bought at fuel
stops. But if the camera is the built-in battery type, it's easy to
overlook the fact that you'll need the charger and mains
adapter.
|
|
For
security, the long flexible cable lock scores high in the touring
situation, because it can be threaded through helmets, arms of bike
jackets and so on and still secure at least one bike as well. It
doesn't have to be super-heavy, just nylon-covered and flexible.
When leaving helmets unattended, always leave them secured in some
way and - important - the right way up. If left upside down, rain
or unmentionable animal deposits can easily get in. <Shudder> Personal
kit has to be kept at a minimum. In 2009 (this was a camping expedition)
we adopted the policy of taking old clothes and throwing them away
after two or three days' use. This didn't save much space, but it
did save trouble in managing used dirty clothes and keeping them
separate from clean ones. You will need your toilet bag with whatever
toiletries you require. Fully charged razor, or disposables. I manage
with one medium sized towel and keep it in a supermarket bag. Drying
it after use is always a problem but given decent weather you can
peg it up over your bike and let the ambient temperature or engine
heat dry it. Any medication you expect to use, including painkillers,
sun cream, Band-Aids, Immodium, mosquito repellent or one of those
handy battery
operated buzzers - yes they do work. You can restock non-prescription
medication at any chemist. I take shower gel and use that as shampoo,
to save space. |
|
|
Take
a pair of comfortable soft shoes so you can park and then change out
of bike boots. To keep your feet dry on the bike and off it, use supermarket
bags inside your bike boots or soft shoes. At night in a tent I change
into tracksuit bottoms, an old shirt and a fleece if necessary, and
sleep on a camp
bed which dismantles into short metal pieces and is better
I think than a roll-up or inflatable mattress. This bed and a small
tripod camp stool are the only items I have to carry externally on
the You'll
each need a mobile phone which works in the destination country, make
sure everyone has shared all the mobile phone numbers with yourselves
and anyone back home. Text messages are ideal for exchanging
Riders
should each give a fellow in the group a spare set of keys for their
bike, especially if yours has the high-security chipped key. If you
lose yours, get taken ill or suffer an accident, the spare set will
be invaluable. We use lanyards
to secure keys when they are not in use. If you mislay your keys,
look first on the magnets of your tank bag. Don't ask me how I know
this. Scan
your vital documents (passport, driving licence, log book, MoT, bike
and travel insurances) before departure and email them to yourself
(or a trusted friend), so in an emergency, they are still available. |
|
|
Camping If you are new to camping, a weekend away with a new or borrowed tent will pay dividends before you set out on a serious journey. First of all you'll find out if you like, or can tolerate, camping and you'll also find out whether or not your tent is (a) waterproof; (b) easily erected and dismantled; (c) big enough for you and your kit. You'll also discover what kit you need to take with you, and how to carry it. The
"two man" bubble type tent in motorcycle terms is really
only big enough for you and all your bike kit. It certainly isn't
big enough for two people with full bike gear, especially if you
have soft panniers which need to be brought into the tent at night.
Whilst the two man tent will fold down to a very small size, if
you are taller than 5'8" you are going to have to sleep with
your knees bent unless you buy a bigger tent. Here is an eBay link
to two
man tents.
|
|
|
The
photo here was taken at Rennes campsite in May 2009. Left to
right : 3 man tent, 2 man tent (my red Deauville), then two
small one-man tents. |
|
|
My Deauville parked alongside my 2-man bubble tent illustrates its size. You can see that whilst it's fine for me and all my associated bike kit, it'd be very cramped for two people. |
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|
With
a new tent, practice erecting and dismantling it on your lawn
at home, and after the first time you successfully erect it,
use coloured insulating tape to colour-code the places
where the elastic-linked tent rod ends mesh with the tent's base.
This will save much frustration later. Don't even consider one without a built in groundsheet, and the type which has a detachable inner lining is better than the single-skin ones because condensation will soak the inner face of the outer skin, and run down the fabric. Touch this and you're wet. The inner lining helps prevent - but does not completely solve - this problem. However these are bulkier than single-skin tents and can be more trouble to erect. Once fitted, the inner lining is best left attached to the tent outer. Modern tents are, however, waterproof. |
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It's a bad idea to economise on a sleeping-bag. A hot day can turn cold at night, making sleep difficult or fitful, and if you are too hot you can just unzip the bag and use it as a duvet. All clothes and sleeping-bag are best stored in roll-up vacuum bags, which reduce the size of their contents by between 50 and 75 percent. These
bags are excellent for campers as they also keep your kit dry. Link
here
to see eBay sleeping bags. |
 |
|
If
you are camping there is usually no problem in finding accommodation.
Our policy is to start looking about 16:00. In On
arrival at If the site manager indicates a tent area and invites you to help yourselves, never settle for the first pitch you see. Take a walk round and choose the pitch that suits you most. Do you want to be away from a family, with maybe noisy children? Do you need to be near the shower / toilet block, will human traffic to and from there pass by your pitch and disturb you? Which way is the prevailing wind, do you need a sheltered pitch? Is there hardstanding for bikes, is the ground hard enough for safe parking, and does the site look tidy, clean, peaceful and problem-free? Never park your bike where the stand might sink into soft ground - the bike could fall over and hit an adjacent tent or other obstruction. |
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|
As a guide to suitability, inspect the toilets and shower block. These should be clean and well lit, with hot showers included in the pitch rate. It's best to carry your own kitchen roll, to double as both general mop-up and toilet paper. Most
sites will have perfectly normal pedestal toilets as well as the old-fashioned
squat type, but particularly in Most
showers work on a timed button basis but you can press the button
as often as you want. Shaver points should be present but you'll need
the European
mains plug adapter. After a ride in foul weather, sleep in
dry clothes and put your damp ones on the next day, because drying
a sleeping bag is very difficult once it gets wet. Bear
in mind that finding a suitable campsite, registering, choosing a
pitch and erecting tent and so on can disappear a substantial part
of the evening, and again in reverse in the morning. If you work on
a two hour margin for finding and setting camp, and an hour for striking,
you won't go far wrong. But we found that to get away before 9 am
in the morning means having to hustle, which some in your party won't
want or be able to do. 10 am departure is more realistic. If you're
camping, every meal is in a cafe or bar so don't underestimate the
spending level on food - at 2017 prices, at least £40 a day. You
can take as much cooking and mess kit as you like; we've done this
in the past and never used it! In a group what I suggest is that whilst
you each have unbreakable plate, cup, knife and fork etc, just one
of you carries a stove capable of boiling water or soup, even if this
is a chuck-it-all-in hash as a scratch meal. Any more comprehensive
kit than this is difficult to manage. An all-fuel stove which can
run on petrol is a good idea as you can draw off a cupful of fuel
from anyone's tank. Certainly a hot drink after a long wet ride is
extremely welcome. Carry sachets of coffee, soup, sugar etc in your
opaque containers. |
|
|
Remember
that the managers are well used to foreigners with poor language skills
, but it would be sensible to have learned enough of the local language
to be able to ask for a pitch, and how much it is. And afterwards
to say thank you and goodbye.
|
|
|
B&B / Guest Housing Camping
has its fun aspects but in bad weather you can't beat a warm, comfortable
bed that you haven't had to erect yourself. Do you want to ride in
the rain, put up a tent in the rain, try and sleep through a rainstorm,
strike camp and then ride in the rain? No, I thought not. What I recommend
is camping where the weather is reasonable or good and B&B-ing
when it's foul.
Conventional
guest house type B&Bs are generally found just off the town
or city centre and within the outer and inner ring road zones, near
main roads and motorway feeder roads to and from the city centre.
Language skills permitting, you can ask any police officer to direct
you. But the most useful source is the good old Tourist Information
Office. Managers
will want to see ID (driving licence, passport) and will either photocopy
them or keep them until you book out. Don't expect a cooked breakfast
in |
|
|
The "Base Camp" holiday Another
strategy is to choose a destination which has enough places of interest
within easy riding distance, which can fill your time. Let's say that
you decide on a location which is 500 road miles from There
are two other major benefits. Firstly, if the weather is really foul
you don't have to go anywhere at all, and a well chosen site will
have local places of interest to pass the time - much better than
lying in a tent all day waiting for the rain to stop. Secondly, when
you go on a day trip, you can carry comfortable clothes in otherwise
empty panniers and change out of heavy bike kit on arrival, leaving
your leathers and helmet securely locked away whilst you wander off
in soft shoes, shorts and a T-shirt. The disadvantage is that the location and nature of the base camp is of paramount importance, far more so than with a full-blown touring holiday. |
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 |
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Luarca, Asturias, North Spain In 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 we stayed in an cottage in Calle la Peña, Luarca, which is a small coastal town 165 miles west from Santander, with the town centre and harbour bordered by cliffs. The centre has many places to eat and drink, with the "Ancomar" cake shop being particularly recommended! The harbour has a mixture of small fishing-boats and pleasure craft. (If you know Falmouth in Cornwall, it's similar in style although not as big.) The cottage has now changed hands and is not available for visitors. There is an outstanding Youtube video on Luarca here. Many others also! A walk along the cliff tops of an evening or morning offers scenic views over the town, and after descending to the centre for refreshment you are also well placed to explore the north coastal areas such as Oviedo (the state capital); Lugo, with its magnificent preserved encircling Roman walls, and outstanding riding over the mountain roads to Tiñeo and the valleys, rivers, lakes and dams scenery to the south-west, south and south-east of Luarca. For our 2023 'Motorcycle Adventure' we stayed at an AirB&B here on the cliff top road leading west from the town; 43.539909 / -6.542254 or What3Words. It was excellent, the upper storey of a modern villa, fully equipped with kitchen and a large living room. Three double sized bedrooms, one with a double bed, one with two single beds together and the third with twin beds. Bathroom/shower and a second toilet. Secure garage parking at the rear for motorcycles. WiFi, TV/DVD player. Walkable into Luarca either along with cliftop pathway and then down the steps, or down the twisty cobbled lane. Very much recommended. Note that mosquitoes can be very aggressive so take lots of deterrent and sprays etc. Also don't go out without the door key, even onto the balcony, as the front door automatically locks! Many thanks to Macario, the host.
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You can contact the owners directly by email. This video demonstrates the high mountain roads; the location was 43.268919 / -6.685020. The ancient and preserved Roman wall at Lugo, which encircles the old town, is also worth a visit, see this video; GPS 43.009897 / -7.556285. |
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T Below : Luarca town and harbour from the western clifftop walk (43.545295 / -6.536496)
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Group Dynamics Whilst
you can quite successfully complete a solo trip on a long weekend's
excursion, for serious touring taking longer than that there is a
great deal of truth in the old saying "safety in numbers".
Being in a group of like-minded bikers is simply more fun than being
alone. In pure and simple terms, problems such as sudden illness and
mechanical failure are far more easily dealt with in a group situation.
Also it's pleasant to sit over a beer of an evening and talk over
the day and the expedition. However
- and this is important - the very fact that a group exists creates
problems of its own. Can you share tents, or B&B accommodation?
Does anyone smoke? Remember that the tobacco addict's entire life
revolves around the next cigarette. Who snores? Who can spend a half
day examining a famous cathedral, and who prefers exploring semi-derelict
wartime bunkers? Who just wants to ride somewhere and sit in a bar
or camping site poolside, drinking beer? Who wants to blast down endless
motorways, and then sit and wait whilst more staid riders arrive an
hour later? Who's a good leader, unflustered on foreign roads, able
to shepherd the group through a busy city centre? Languages
: who speaks French
/ German
/ Spanish
/ Dutch
/ Polish
/ Czech
? In
a group situation your most important aspect is SIMILARITY - of interest,
of bike, of mind. Why are you going where you are going? What are
the key points of interest? Is there something for everyone, and are
you prepared to visit (and possible pay to enter) a
site that you aren't really interested in, and wouldn't normally go
to, just because someone else in the group wants to go? Are you prepared
to ride faster - or more slowly - than you normally do, to preserve
the group cohesion? The difficulty of preserving group harmony is
exponential to the number involved. A
tour like this is best done in groups of yourself plus two or three
good friends. You can do it with four or more, but the more people
involved, the more difficult it is to find a route and places to go
which will suit everyone. All the members need to have a completely
equal say in not only the various destinations and what you all want
to do when you get there, but the routing and general logistics. Command Decisions |
|
|
Whoever is leading is always right - even when he's wrong All members of the group should take it in turns to take the ride lead, because it's much easier to follow than lead and it's unfair to expect the same person to always be the leader. Heading up a group of riders in unfamiliar road layouts and having to navigate, watch a satnav screen, traffic and others of the group can be a very stressful experience. The
last thing you need at such a time is backseat driving and arguments
over the inter-bike radio about which way to go. Dick or Harry may
know or see a short cut but if Tom is leading, everyone follows
Tom. If he cocks up, it doesn't matter - the satnavs will
always get you there in the end, even if they take you all round the
houses in the process. So
- the golden rule of navigation is - whoever
is leading is always right, even when he's wrong.
Always follow the leader, and keep quiet unless he asks for help.
Tomorrow it might be your turn in the hot seat, and when it is, it's
no shame to pull into a layby or side road and get a fix on where
you are, and to check your route - or simply as a breathing space
after a while of fighting the pressures. |
|
The
A
typical Formule-1 room is either twin bed (photo, right, with the
washbasin obscured by the opened window and the privacy panel) double
bed or double bed with bunk-bed above.
======== 
|
Country |
Name |
Location |
Visited By |
Comments |
|
Austria
|
Werfen 47.479556 / 13.186108 |
Author
|
May
2010. Excellent Inn
immediately on the right as you come off the bypass to the north of
the village. Very hospitable with huge garages for bikes, outstanding
service and ideally placed to visit the "Where Eagles Dare"
Castle Hohenwerfen just a mile or so up the road. Very highly
recommended.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Author |
Most recently in May 2010. Friendly and comfortable hotel three miles east of Ypres along the Menin road. Has its own private Trench and Bunker system to explore, with good food and drinks available. Take a taxi into Ypres to watch the Last Post ceremony. Other WW1 sites are close by. Very highly recommended. |
|
|
Author |
May 2009. Very good site just off the south-east of
the ring road, within walking distance of the town centre. Good facilities. |
||
|
|
|
Trebonice, 15 miles west of Prague, just
inside outer ring road |
Author |
May 2007. Simple clean site with bar/restaurant and
very helpful owner, but watch out for tent thieves visiting whilst you
are away, and during the night. Very good local bus and then Metro service
into |
|
|
|
Author |
May 2008. Friendly family site on the south side of
the city, with good facilities and easy to find. |
|
|
|
|
Author |
May
2009. Situated at Plouvain about 7 miles east of |
|
|
|
Formigny
(near |
Author |
Cider
Farm site to the north of the village. Mangy facilities. |
|
|
|
Aren
/ Saucede |
Author |
May
2008. Riverside no-frills camp in very quiet location; nip into the
centre of adjacent |
|
|
|
|
Author |
May
2009. Large camp to the south of the city, very spacious and with good
facilities. |
|
|
|
|
Author |
May
2009. Spacious camp to the north-east of the city, noted for the many
grazing rabbits. Pleasant location, good facilities. |
|
|
St
Malo |
Author |
May
2009. Outstandingly good site about 6 miles south of the town, bar/restaurant,
pool and play area, owner most hospitable. Very highly recommended. |
||
|
Chanac |
Author |
May
2008. Very quiet spot nestling in hillside village. BBQ places, walk
up to the village for food. |
||
|
Camping Piscine |
Bourg d'Oisans |
July 2008. Bottom of Alpe d'Huez, so crazy if the
Tour de France is coming through. |
||
|
|
|
July 2008. Magnificent setting beside |
||
|
Val Joly |
Watten |
June 2009. Convenient for |
||
|
23 miles
south of Paris
|
Comfortable,
decent showers, laundry facilities, WiFi, a bar (but no food), Restaurants
nearby (10-15 minute walk), BBQs (just charcoal and food required) and
20 minutes by RER from Paris. Very busy during the busy periods - Easter,
European Summer holidays so it is recommended you book. It's not cheap
but great as a base to explore Paris.
Le
Beau Village, 1 Voie des Prés,, 91700 Villiers sur Orge |
|||
|
|
Le Bez |
Author |
May 2008. Largeish secluded site rather off the beaten
track, no frills but clean and respectable. Google
Earth |
|
|
|
|
|
Author |
May 2007. Fine site well to the east of the lake,
bar/restaurant, good facilities and quiet. |
|
Colditz |
Author |
May 2007. Tidy forested camp with simple facilities
wel placed to visit the famous Castle at 51.131164 / 12.807319 |
||
|
am See |
Lindau |
|
||
|
Biberach 48.338636 / 8.028310 |
Author
|
May
2010 and 2011. English owner - very accommodating with excellent facilities
and food, inside secure parking for bikes. Very highly recommended.
|
||
|
Unering cottage 48.028000 / 11.250702 |
Between
Seefeld and Starnberg, 35 miles SW of Munich. Owned by Dr
Karl Neppel
|
Author
|
May
2010, 2011 and 2012. Quite excellent! Extremely quiet location, cellar
play/bed room with laundry area; living room, kitchen and shower/WC;
and three single beds + ensuite, plus another twin room. Would easily
sleep 5. Very highly recommended.
|
|
|
|
Author |
May 2007. Excellent, large bar/restaurant and facilities.
|
||
|
|
Luarca, Asturias AirB&B here on the cliff top road (Calle la Pena) leading west from the town |
43.539909 / -6.542254 or What3Words.
|
Author
|
It was excellent, the upper storey of a modern villa, fully equipped
with kitchen and a large living room. Three double sized bedrooms, one
with a double bed, one with two single beds together and the third with
twin beds. Bathroom/shower and a second toilet. Secure garage parking
at the rear for motorcycles. WiFi, TV/DVD player.
|
|
San Pelayo de Tahona 43.527092 / -6.396776 |
Author
|
May
2018. Thoroughly excellent and beautiful villa, one part with 2 double
bedrooms and a twin, the larger part with 4 doubles and a single. Fully
equipped with secure covered off-road parking. Most highly recommended.
|
||
|
La Pobla de Segur |
Author |
May 2008. Excellent riverside site in an olive grove,
accommodating owner, pool, bar/restaurant. Stunning scenery and perfect
for the Pyrenean mountain roads. |
||
|
|
Op dem Deich |
Vianden |
June 2008. Beautiful setting. |