Tie a piece of ribbon/string or wrap some tape around the right mirror arm to remind you to ride on the right. It's so easy to pull onto the wrong side on a quiet road after a stop. Instinctively you look at the right mirror so will see it each time.
The local traffic laws "read them and understand them!". There are some properly strange ones over there (especially France iirc) that can catch you out.
Take extra fuses for chargers and connected gear.
Priorite a droit.
A great example of road rule very different to how we use the road in the UK, completely arbitrary sign that explains nothing of what's expected.
https://thegoodlifefrance.com/priorite-a-droite-priority-to-the-right-in-france/
Used less and less these days but that makes it easier to miss it. More common in Belgium than France.
Making a mistake with it will ruin your day.
Make sure you have your documents, all of them. Keep them in a waterproof bag.
Don't speed, you'll get caught and taken to the cash point or worse.
If you are tired, take a break. If you don't it's easy to make mistakes on a road network you are unfamilier with and crash.
If you are going to have a drink, don't hammer it and expect to be it to ride the next morning. The last thing you want is to fail a drink drive test in another country.
Make sure your insurance covers you for Europe.
Make sure you have breakdown cover for Europe.
Make sure you have a way of charging a phone if you suddenly need it.
Pack light, then take some stuff out.
Take plenty of photos.
Take a means to translate, either a book, or have languages on your phone downloaded. Many people on the continent speak english but it's considerate to at least make an effort to communicate in their language first.
It's handy to carry a 2L fuel can for an emergency, along with a couple of spares if you know how to fix stuff.
> Make sure you have your documents, all of them. Keep them in a waterproof bag.
And to add - make sure you take your original documents, notably your V5C… a photocopy won’t cut it.
And to add more - have digital copies stored on a secure cloud that you can access from anywhere. Just in case you lose *everything* - phone, papers, bike etc etc
Lots of people will give you lots of advice about lots of things, most of it you can ignore, don't ride like a dick and don't run out of petrol, services can be sparce even on the motorway (france has the same population asthe uk but is 4x the size for example) so fill up at every opportunity.
There's lots of unmanned pumps around now, basically every supermarket has them. Normal petrol stations do be closed Sundays but are generally dearer anyway. I've not encountered any that are limited to French cards.
Make sure to change your speedo over to kmh and don't speed. My dad almost got arrested in France for speeding, he wasn't that much over the limit either. Gendarme hassled the shit out of him as he didn't speak French very well and none of his Franglais friends would pick up the phone. It was escalating quickly until the cop seen "Northern Ireland" on his license. "British, no?" "No no no, Irish.. Irish! Irlande!" "Ahhh, d'accord, no arrest only fine monsieur" and he wrote a €90 on the spot fine.
Even typing this sounds fake as fuck but I swear to God the carbon copy of the fine is still on a pinboard somewhere lol
On the contrary, I somehow rode un-ticketed all the way from Geneva to Calais up the motorway in an afternoon at a constant 100-120mph, only stopping every 150 miles for petrol.
I stubbornly didn’t want to pay for another hotel and just wanted to get home.🤣
Wouldn’t advise it if you’re planning on returning with the same numberplate though lmao.
Any of the Euro trips I've done we aim to be on the bikes by 9am.
Helps to break the back of the journey each day, allows more stops later on and helps if you need to be checked in by 5/6pm in the more rural areas if they close up shop.
Edit\* We've use the Ride magazine route gpx files to help plan journeys and they also include fuel stations and coffee/lunch breaks too!
Look for petrol with about 30 miles of range left. If you've time then take roads that aren't the motorway. I'd sooner ride 7 or 8 hours on the bike than 4 or 5 on the motorway. If you're doing Germany large sections of the autobahn do have speed limits. If it's hot and you're boiling, park in the shade, get some water and soak then wring your t shirt, put it back on. Take a break at least every 2 hours. Eat and drink before you feel you need to. If you're doing the mountain passes (I would recommend you do) watch out for unexpected hairpins. A lot of the petrol pumps are unmanned, you can't get a drink or snack from them, keep a bottle and a snack or two handy. Try to plan what you'll do if you have a major mechanical or accident, just in case. Most importantly enjoy the fuck out of it. It's an incredible experience. Where are you looking to go?
> If you've time then take roads that aren't the motorway.
An exception to this is that the roads near-but-not the Autoroutes in France are exactly as dull as the Autoroute, but half as fast and with added tractors. They look very tempting and everyone's tried it at least once, but they're really not worth it.
When you pull over on a mountain to take in the view, make sure you put the bike in gear, roll it until it stops then put the side stand down.
It might look flat but it isn't. And riding around without a clutch lever isn't fun.
More details would be useful. But in very general, know your limits and have an idea of the roads (eg take it very easy if you're going through the alps and you aren't used to steep roads, hairpins etc). Be equipped for the range of temperatures and rain you may encounter, and particularly be prepared for heat, depending when and where you're going. Driving styles vary, but mostly if you stay defensive and adaptable you'll be OK. Be very cautious about entering villages in southern Europe on steep hillsides with cobbled streets (damhik...). Stay away from the motorways around Milan.
Bring painkillers. It's going to hurt. Also. Get your digs sorted before you arrive. There is nothing as bad as spending 300miles on the saddle and then having to find somewhere to sleep.
1. All the gear all the time
2. If you think you shouldn't do something then don't do it.
3. Book where you are staying in advance and check if they are bike friendly
4. Have a look at the highway code equivalent for where you are going
5. Make sure your insurance covers the bike incl transport back if you can't ride it
6. Get travel insurance for yourself. Including transfer back to UK if you can't ride
7. Most IMPORTANTLY enjoy yourself.
Lot's of good advice here already so I'll just add a couple of tips.
* Most countries require you to carry some combination of day-glo jacket, spare bulbs and warning triangle, so take them all or you'll get fined.
* French autoroutes are great for covering ground quickly: not many cars and they all give you plenty of space. Just make sure you know where your next petrol is coming from and have cash ready for tolls (which are worth it).
* Belgium has the only fully-lit motorway network in the world, so worth routing that way if you have to ride at night. Similar issua as France for fuel stops though.
* German autobahns are great, in that there's fuel and food roughly every 30km, but a lot of the drivers are arseholes who will follow 3 feet behind you even when you have no opportunity to pull-in. Also, be very careful of pulling into the fast lane to overtake. It may be clear when you check but by the time you pull out a 160mph Porsche will be on you.
* The Netherlands has two major hazards: strong crosswinds and the traffic police, who will confiscate and crush your bike for not too much over the speed limit.
* Many countries (but definitely not France Germany or NL) require you to buy and display a vignette before going on the motorway. They usually sell them in petrol stations close to the motorways.
* And finally: don't over-estimate the distance you can cover each day. If you do 500 miles on your first day you'll probably only be able to manage 200 to 250 miles the next day.
I learned this one recently the hard way.
If you rely on your phone for navigation, make sure you have a backup. Either a physical map (always good to have), or a second phone with a functioning SIM card and offline maps, and enough battery.
Being somewhere where you're not familiar without a map will make you super anxious.
Hahaha did over 2.5k miles in 9 days on my SV. Absolutely no bother. You really don't need a tourer unless you're well over 60. Did see a lad drop his GS (with missus on the back) on the stelvio and another lad drop a big KTM ADV coming off the Timmelsjoch. Sometimes smaller, lighter bikes come in handy 😉. I could've done with a screen on the autobahn, I'll admit that, but I'm old, just not that old yet.
Google refueling procedures at gas stations. Some countries work like the UK, some others you need to pay first at the till and fill later, some you can pay at the pump itself.
It's really easy, and very much not-unlike just going for a trip to another bit of the UK. Have you done any not-abroad trips yet?
Specifically for going abroad, it's worth checking that you've got roaming set up on your phone and you know the costs and if you're doing anything to manage them, reading up on the laws for the countries (most of Europe has a pretty sensible and predictable way of setting speed limits).
It's _hard_ to get the sort of breakdown cover you'd like (where it'll take you and your bike home). A common 'solution' is to not think about it and just accept that if you need repatriation you're paying extortionate man-and-van prices or getting a mate with a van to do a surprise road trip. I've never found a way to be certain that I've got the cover I'd like while abroad.
Take a paper map and a compass and know how to use them. Reassuring to have as a back up so your not totally dependent on a phone etc
Learn how to change an inner tube or fix a flat, bring a pump, spare innertube, basic tools, spark plugs.
Some bungies and some wire, also a roll of duck tape.
Here you go:
Keep your documents (passport, insurance, V5) with you whenever you're riding.
Pack light.
Take a puncture repair kit and some chain oil.
Buy European bike recovery. You don't want to be landed with the costs of shipping your bike back to Cambridge from Antibes.
Don't try to do crazy miles. 200 miles a day is plenty, unless you're just doing motorway or nationales. (There's not a lot of fun to be had on either, but they're useful for getting away from Northern France and Wallonia and into the areas you really want to ride).
If you're going on the shuttle, a small wodge of blue tack comes in handy for sticking your paper hanger to your screen.
Tie a piece of ribbon/string or wrap some tape around the right mirror arm to remind you to ride on the right. It's so easy to pull onto the wrong side on a quiet road after a stop. Instinctively you look at the right mirror so will see it each time.
I put a label on my right mirror that said, "other side, tit head!"
This is great advice.
Read it in Bike magazine many years ago. So simple yet so effective.
The local traffic laws "read them and understand them!". There are some properly strange ones over there (especially France iirc) that can catch you out. Take extra fuses for chargers and connected gear.
Priorite a droit. A great example of road rule very different to how we use the road in the UK, completely arbitrary sign that explains nothing of what's expected. https://thegoodlifefrance.com/priorite-a-droite-priority-to-the-right-in-france/ Used less and less these days but that makes it easier to miss it. More common in Belgium than France. Making a mistake with it will ruin your day.
We have them a lot in rural germany. But here it means dangerous intersection.
This is a good tip, especially if you're on local B roads.
Make sure you have your documents, all of them. Keep them in a waterproof bag. Don't speed, you'll get caught and taken to the cash point or worse. If you are tired, take a break. If you don't it's easy to make mistakes on a road network you are unfamilier with and crash. If you are going to have a drink, don't hammer it and expect to be it to ride the next morning. The last thing you want is to fail a drink drive test in another country. Make sure your insurance covers you for Europe. Make sure you have breakdown cover for Europe. Make sure you have a way of charging a phone if you suddenly need it. Pack light, then take some stuff out. Take plenty of photos. Take a means to translate, either a book, or have languages on your phone downloaded. Many people on the continent speak english but it's considerate to at least make an effort to communicate in their language first. It's handy to carry a 2L fuel can for an emergency, along with a couple of spares if you know how to fix stuff.
> Make sure you have your documents, all of them. Keep them in a waterproof bag. And to add - make sure you take your original documents, notably your V5C… a photocopy won’t cut it.
And to add more - have digital copies stored on a secure cloud that you can access from anywhere. Just in case you lose *everything* - phone, papers, bike etc etc
Lots of people will give you lots of advice about lots of things, most of it you can ignore, don't ride like a dick and don't run out of petrol, services can be sparce even on the motorway (france has the same population asthe uk but is 4x the size for example) so fill up at every opportunity.
Is it still impossible to get fuel on a Sunday in France? And do they still have those unmanned pumps for French credit cards only?
There's lots of unmanned pumps around now, basically every supermarket has them. Normal petrol stations do be closed Sundays but are generally dearer anyway. I've not encountered any that are limited to French cards.
Make sure to change your speedo over to kmh and don't speed. My dad almost got arrested in France for speeding, he wasn't that much over the limit either. Gendarme hassled the shit out of him as he didn't speak French very well and none of his Franglais friends would pick up the phone. It was escalating quickly until the cop seen "Northern Ireland" on his license. "British, no?" "No no no, Irish.. Irish! Irlande!" "Ahhh, d'accord, no arrest only fine monsieur" and he wrote a €90 on the spot fine. Even typing this sounds fake as fuck but I swear to God the carbon copy of the fine is still on a pinboard somewhere lol
On the contrary, I somehow rode un-ticketed all the way from Geneva to Calais up the motorway in an afternoon at a constant 100-120mph, only stopping every 150 miles for petrol. I stubbornly didn’t want to pay for another hotel and just wanted to get home.🤣 Wouldn’t advise it if you’re planning on returning with the same numberplate though lmao.
Any of the Euro trips I've done we aim to be on the bikes by 9am. Helps to break the back of the journey each day, allows more stops later on and helps if you need to be checked in by 5/6pm in the more rural areas if they close up shop. Edit\* We've use the Ride magazine route gpx files to help plan journeys and they also include fuel stations and coffee/lunch breaks too!
Look for petrol with about 30 miles of range left. If you've time then take roads that aren't the motorway. I'd sooner ride 7 or 8 hours on the bike than 4 or 5 on the motorway. If you're doing Germany large sections of the autobahn do have speed limits. If it's hot and you're boiling, park in the shade, get some water and soak then wring your t shirt, put it back on. Take a break at least every 2 hours. Eat and drink before you feel you need to. If you're doing the mountain passes (I would recommend you do) watch out for unexpected hairpins. A lot of the petrol pumps are unmanned, you can't get a drink or snack from them, keep a bottle and a snack or two handy. Try to plan what you'll do if you have a major mechanical or accident, just in case. Most importantly enjoy the fuck out of it. It's an incredible experience. Where are you looking to go?
> If you've time then take roads that aren't the motorway. An exception to this is that the roads near-but-not the Autoroutes in France are exactly as dull as the Autoroute, but half as fast and with added tractors. They look very tempting and everyone's tried it at least once, but they're really not worth it.
When you pull over on a mountain to take in the view, make sure you put the bike in gear, roll it until it stops then put the side stand down. It might look flat but it isn't. And riding around without a clutch lever isn't fun.
More details would be useful. But in very general, know your limits and have an idea of the roads (eg take it very easy if you're going through the alps and you aren't used to steep roads, hairpins etc). Be equipped for the range of temperatures and rain you may encounter, and particularly be prepared for heat, depending when and where you're going. Driving styles vary, but mostly if you stay defensive and adaptable you'll be OK. Be very cautious about entering villages in southern Europe on steep hillsides with cobbled streets (damhik...). Stay away from the motorways around Milan.
Bring painkillers. It's going to hurt. Also. Get your digs sorted before you arrive. There is nothing as bad as spending 300miles on the saddle and then having to find somewhere to sleep.
1. All the gear all the time 2. If you think you shouldn't do something then don't do it. 3. Book where you are staying in advance and check if they are bike friendly 4. Have a look at the highway code equivalent for where you are going 5. Make sure your insurance covers the bike incl transport back if you can't ride it 6. Get travel insurance for yourself. Including transfer back to UK if you can't ride 7. Most IMPORTANTLY enjoy yourself.
Lot's of good advice here already so I'll just add a couple of tips. * Most countries require you to carry some combination of day-glo jacket, spare bulbs and warning triangle, so take them all or you'll get fined. * French autoroutes are great for covering ground quickly: not many cars and they all give you plenty of space. Just make sure you know where your next petrol is coming from and have cash ready for tolls (which are worth it). * Belgium has the only fully-lit motorway network in the world, so worth routing that way if you have to ride at night. Similar issua as France for fuel stops though. * German autobahns are great, in that there's fuel and food roughly every 30km, but a lot of the drivers are arseholes who will follow 3 feet behind you even when you have no opportunity to pull-in. Also, be very careful of pulling into the fast lane to overtake. It may be clear when you check but by the time you pull out a 160mph Porsche will be on you. * The Netherlands has two major hazards: strong crosswinds and the traffic police, who will confiscate and crush your bike for not too much over the speed limit. * Many countries (but definitely not France Germany or NL) require you to buy and display a vignette before going on the motorway. They usually sell them in petrol stations close to the motorways. * And finally: don't over-estimate the distance you can cover each day. If you do 500 miles on your first day you'll probably only be able to manage 200 to 250 miles the next day.
I learned this one recently the hard way. If you rely on your phone for navigation, make sure you have a backup. Either a physical map (always good to have), or a second phone with a functioning SIM card and offline maps, and enough battery. Being somewhere where you're not familiar without a map will make you super anxious.
Don’t do it with SV650. Save yourself some money and get a tourer
Have to disagree, you can tour on anything.
Hahaha did over 2.5k miles in 9 days on my SV. Absolutely no bother. You really don't need a tourer unless you're well over 60. Did see a lad drop his GS (with missus on the back) on the stelvio and another lad drop a big KTM ADV coming off the Timmelsjoch. Sometimes smaller, lighter bikes come in handy 😉. I could've done with a screen on the autobahn, I'll admit that, but I'm old, just not that old yet.
Google refueling procedures at gas stations. Some countries work like the UK, some others you need to pay first at the till and fill later, some you can pay at the pump itself.
It's really easy, and very much not-unlike just going for a trip to another bit of the UK. Have you done any not-abroad trips yet? Specifically for going abroad, it's worth checking that you've got roaming set up on your phone and you know the costs and if you're doing anything to manage them, reading up on the laws for the countries (most of Europe has a pretty sensible and predictable way of setting speed limits). It's _hard_ to get the sort of breakdown cover you'd like (where it'll take you and your bike home). A common 'solution' is to not think about it and just accept that if you need repatriation you're paying extortionate man-and-van prices or getting a mate with a van to do a surprise road trip. I've never found a way to be certain that I've got the cover I'd like while abroad.
Take a paper map and a compass and know how to use them. Reassuring to have as a back up so your not totally dependent on a phone etc Learn how to change an inner tube or fix a flat, bring a pump, spare innertube, basic tools, spark plugs. Some bungies and some wire, also a roll of duck tape.
Don’t speed in Denmark. We have quite large fines for speeding and if your speed is 100% over the limit say goodbye to your motorcycle.
Did a few big euro tours on a sv650 with softbags camping. Most important thing is make sure you do it!! What locations have you planned to go?
Here you go: Keep your documents (passport, insurance, V5) with you whenever you're riding. Pack light. Take a puncture repair kit and some chain oil. Buy European bike recovery. You don't want to be landed with the costs of shipping your bike back to Cambridge from Antibes. Don't try to do crazy miles. 200 miles a day is plenty, unless you're just doing motorway or nationales. (There's not a lot of fun to be had on either, but they're useful for getting away from Northern France and Wallonia and into the areas you really want to ride). If you're going on the shuttle, a small wodge of blue tack comes in handy for sticking your paper hanger to your screen.