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2 week tour through europe.


samuel
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Hi all,


I am planning on going on a 2 week tour next June/July 2018. I plan to get the ferry in Southampton over to Granville in France. i will visit, Switzerland. Lichtenstein, Austria, Germany and Holland.

This will include Le mans. the alps, and the Nurburgring track.

The plan is to do a days riding with a day or two in each destination for sight seeing and I will be looking at B&B's as I like my hot showers at night and in the morning.

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Hi Pieman,


the main reason to go from Southampton is for the overnight ferry, I can then have a good sleep ready for the first leg of the tour. :o

 

Hull to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge is an overnight ferry too :wink:

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Thanks guys and gals, This trip is a first for me so any advice will be welcome. I am going to make a holiday of it as well as a sight seeing tour (hence the two weeks). And maybe make some friends if I can get a group of people to join me :cheers: . and although I consider myself a responsible and safe rider I also have an alter ego who is a Barry Sheen wannabe. (fist to heart)

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Good on yer Samuel. However when in the Alps you will do well to average 35mph :D On the B500 you will do well to do 90kph without the gestapo sneaking up on you astride his Bavarian fun stopper :cry: My advice is enjoy it and be careful :thumb:

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thanks pie man. The general idea is to have a fun time as well as get home safely, are there any places where i have to be careful of bike theft or mad drivers etc. and what about filtering???

I have heard that some countries take a dim view of it.

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Hi Stu, I was thinking of starting and finishing in France but either way is as good. I am not great on geography but hull is possibly a little nearer... so that may be a good alternative :thumb:

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I'm sure there will be plenty on here that will be along and offer good advice. Have a look at www.ride.co.uk for ideas on routes for starters. Good Luck :D


IMO I have found that our European neighbours are more biker friendly and are more aware of bikers; however you still have to be vigilant and have your wits about you :shock: They usually expect you to pass, so they move over slightly :D . Saying that the luftwaffe or Bundespolizei will have you for filtering :roll: Priorite a droit isn't as popular but still exists out in the sticks of France, only last week coming back from Sarlat I came across plenty of them.


People will say Google is your friend, well not when route planning over the winter months trying to create routes for your summer trip over the alps :x


We have always found secure parking :)

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excellent and thanks. As far as the luftwaffe goes My dad ,god rest his soul, :angel12: was in the good old RCT and was stationed in Germany for quite a few years and I was born In RAF Wegberg, My sister was born in munster. i hope this will pull some heart strings... maybe :lol:

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Hi Guys and Girls,


I have finally managed to set my route and timetable, All i need to do is find out if anyone else want to join me and a couple of friends. We are getting the ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre at 10;30 pm 23rd of June 2018 and will be going through France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, germany, Holland, Luxembourg and finally back to L Havre for the ferry home on the 06th July.


Please message me if you are interested in Tagging along part or all the way. and I will give you the destination and time details.


Ride Safe.

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I too like a good nights sleep before a long days riding... my strategy is to book a room at either the Travelodge or Premier Inn at Eureka park (Ashford) which is just over 12 miles from the channel tunnel.


Have everyone arrive there in the early evening then a group meal.. usually at the Beefeater. then a relatively early night and up in the morning and away... a short ride to the Tunnel and across within an hour or so. https://goo.gl/maps/2tUhnbmT7n82


Booked in advance the hotel room was £48 this year for a twin.. so £24 each. and the crossing was £79 for a return. I prefer to pay a little more (than a ferry) for the flexibilty of the Tunnel... so if Im a few hours early.. or arrive a few hours late this is never a problem. Im just put on the next available shuttle. Occasionally this means a bit of a wait... but thats no real hardship.


I'm not really a fan of the Pays du Calais area of France... and so using the tunnel means I can be well away from it quickly... for instance the Ardenne mountains are less than 200 (toll free) miles away and the border with Luxembourg just a little further... and from then it just gets better.

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Hi Guys and Girls,


I have finally managed to set my route and timetable, All i need to do is find out if anyone else want to join me and a couple of friends. We are getting the ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre at 10;30 pm 23rd of June 2018 and will be going through France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, germany, Holland, Luxembourg and finally back to L Havre for the ferry home on the 06th July.


Please message me if you are interested in Tagging along part or all the way. and I will give you the destination and time details.


Ride Safe.

 

WoW that was quick working that one out :shock: Enjoy your trip and hope it all goes well.


Not for me sorry I'm off down the RDGA next year. :)

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Hi guys. Thanks for all the tips and suppot. as for the planning... that was the fruit of 2-3 hours of pc work, 2-3 weeks of looking at maps, 2-3 years of talking about it and 2-3 decades of wishful thinking. We got there in the end. :D

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just in the extreme off chance anyone is interested I will be getting the overnight ferry to Le Havre, down to Orleans, down to Switzerland, through Liechtenstein, into Austria ( all through the alps) and then up through Germany to Holland and Luxembourg and back into france to Le Havre for the return ferry.

13 days = no sweat, no rushing about and the chance o appreciate the sights these beautiful countries have to offer.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Enjoy, and have a safe trip.


I'd love to read about this route, places to stay etc upon your return as this is a possible honeymoon choice for me and the Mrs next year, so seeing how it goes will give me ideas. :thumb:

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  • 3 weeks later...

just in the extreme off chance anyone is interested I will be getting the overnight ferry to Le Havre, down to Orleans, down to Switzerland, through Liechtenstein, into Austria ( all through the alps) and then up through Germany to Holland and Luxembourg and back into france to Le Havre for the return ferry.

13 days = no sweat, no rushing about and the chance o appreciate the sights these beautiful countries have to offer.

Dont go mad filtering in Switzerland- they don't like it. I had read about it before i went so I just sat in traffic- I witnessed cars deliberately blocking gaps and people actually opening doors to stop it- on one occasion they nearly knocked them of the bike :shock:

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Dont go mad filtering in Switzerland- they don't like it. I had read about it before i went so I just sat in traffic- I witnessed cars deliberately blocking gaps and people actually opening doors to stop it- on one occasion they nearly knocked them of the bike :shock:

 

holy crap, they make the north circular sound civilised :shock:

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Like any low crime country... when the locals see someone, anyone, break the law.. they react.


we have a similar thing going on here... i definitely "react" when I see a car weaving about in its lane and then as I pass see that the driver has a mobile phone clamped to his or her ear.


Filtering is illegal in Switzerland and attracts a 100CHF fine.. on the spot. if you add onto that filtering and not indicating that adds another 250CHF and you can bet the police will go over your bike and find everything illegal and fine you for that too... this assumes the police are happy to fine you on the spot... it gets more expensive.. a LOT more expensive if they decide to send you before a magistrate.


I know of one guy who did it.. and the fine came to 600CHF... thats about £460 and he got away with it lightly.


If you want to go to switzerland.. read up about their traffic laws and dont break them. If you dont care about their laws.. be sure you have enough money in your bank account. If you cant pay an instant fine... then thats where the fun really begins.


bear in mind.. riding in any built up area and exceeding the speed limit by 12MPH (or 15mph in the countryside) will get you a £180/£200 fine.. on the spot. get caught riding above that speed... and you can kiss your passport bye bye and wait to see a magistrate... probably spending the time in a police cell.


Switzerland is a low crime country for a reason.

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Top tip, take phrase book and learn the basic lingo of the country your visiting. Please and thank you's will open doors and put smiles on faces which will make your tour all the better. Stay safe, play to the rules enjoy.

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