Kawasaki Versys does the Alps

[Flipt]

Got back from a solo tour of the Alps a couple of weeks ago, riding through Belgium, Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany on my 2007 Kawasaki Versys 650.

Done similar trips quite a few times but this was the first time I've ever toured Europe on my own and I would recommend a solo tour to anyone! The sense of freedom is enhanced as is the sense of adventure and it makes for a really relaxed yet thrilling ride!

The bike performed well although it did suffer from a couple of the usual Versys quirks, snapped clutch cable and seized filler cap, along the way. Cable I always carry with me but the filler cap had to be butchered open by a friendly local with a huge screwdriver!

Can't fault the bike on the tight Alpine roads, perfect balance of power and handling coupled with quite low ratios in the first three gears made the climbs and hairpins an absolute pleasure. Along the Route Napoleon the little Kawasaki did cry out for more top end power however!

Bridgestone BT023's gave lots of confidence on the twisty bits and suit the Versys well. Was getting between 160 - 200 miles to a tank and didn't use a drop of engine oil or have to adjust the chain during the trip.

Luggage consisted of a 48 litre top box and large bum bag coz I prefer to use hotels rather than camping. Bike is fitted with the tall Givi touring screen, bark buster hand guards, action cam mount (Cheap and cheerful video setup) and I used a car satnav in the Givi universal canvas case.

Favourite places along the way were Lake Annecy, Col De L'Iseran, Little St. Bernard Pass, Mont Cenis / Lake Cenis and the climb up to the Mont Blanc tunnel for the stunning views.

Best country for me is always France and the worst is always Belgium!

2,200 miles in total and only hit the rain once for an afternoon (Thunderstorms) which soon gave way to temps in the high 80's early 90's and brilliant sunshine again.

Hope you enjoy the videos and I welcome any questions about routes etc.

Thanks for reading, just wanted to share my experience!

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[Flintlock]

Thanks for taking the time to share-looks like you had a great trip

[Shunt]

Looks Brilliant, Its pretty much what I`m plannin for me and the missus next year.

You pics just spur me on more.
Thanks

[Boggs]

Fellow Versyian,well done sir,looks like you really enjoyed that....

[Still Gotta Pulse]

That's it? :unsure:

2200 miles and some of it through some of the most beautiful parts of Europe for a duration of what, 7 to 14 days and you condense it into a 3 minute read?

That's not a ride report or sharing your experience, that's just telling people where you went and by what means.

[royle100]

looks like over 60mins's of video!

[Flipt]

That's it?

Yup! That's it! hmy:

I just figured the videos showed the beautiful scenery and as the saying goes, a picture can speak a thousand words............. really sorry for the poor report and dissapointing you.

I realise there are far more experienced people on here like yourself who can write a long and flowing report, but I aint that good at it.

Feel kinda embarressed now, after creating this post full of excitement and enthusiasm

[chillidave]

Fellow Versyian,well done sir,looks like you really enjoyed that....

+1 You,ve even got the best colour. :laugh:

[royle100]

Good effort! Looks like plenty of work on vids.

[Still Gotta Pulse]

That's it?

Yup! That's it! hmy:

I just figured the videos showed the beautiful scenery and as the saying goes, a picture can speak a thousand words............. really sorry for the poor report and dissapointing you.

I realise there are far more experienced people on here like yourself who can write a long and flowing report, but I aint that good at it.

Feel kinda embarressed now, after creating this post full of excitement and enthusiasm

I am sorry you feel embarrassed and it really wasn't my intention to create such a feeling for you. Videos are ok to a point but too much on board footage does tend to become overbearing at times. Look at Youtube, everybody is doing onboard video. Next is the producers choice of music , not to everyones taste and to endure an hour of the same tune would feel like being locked in a room of looped music. The very reason why I watched no more than 30secs of each of your vids!

For me, and this is constructive criticism , the reader needs to be held captive. So many vids out there do the complete opposite, they turn viewers off because it's the same old same old.
For a vid to keep the viewer interested then it needs to be cut/edited/different views onboard , perhaps some stills etc etc. Nobody said it was easy.

A written RR , in my opinion, does so much more to grab the readers attention, much like a short story. It takes much time to compile and write a 'full' RR but it is more satisfying to receive a more varied feedback from the many readers about particular parts that interested them than to keep receiving a brief 'thanks for sharing...'

It doesn't necessarily matter how good or not one is with writing, the secret is how it's written. By this I mean instead of ' I drove 400 miles today, had a few beers then went to bed. Tomorrow I will do 300 miles and sunbathe...' it would be better to write what you are doing specifically, how you feel , what made you tired, what makes it feel like freedom on your own, why you feel France is best and why you feel Belgium is the least liked, who you met/spoke to, what about , etc etc.

A ride report is just that , a report. It covers everything from your emotions to your bike, your journey to your sleepless nights. Only you know what this adventure meant to you and why , the thoughts in your head as you turned right at that junction and saw that 'whatever' on the other side of the road. How about telling the world 'exactly' what you endured on your journey , the ferry over, that thrill when you had to downshift a couple of gears to get out of a situation , really, the report could be endless, there is so much going on .... unless of course you simply fly to a beach and lay their for 10 days solid. Even then you could write a few pages about how the sand filters through your fingers, the temperature difference above and beneath the sand.

As I said, don't feel embarrassed, it was your journey, your adventure, and it always will be, that can never change. I am merely putting my point across , the view from one of your target audience if you like. I shan't apologise for my words, it's the only way I work , speak as I find, but again, don't take it too personally but please, if you have something to share with people then all I would ask is that you share the experience properly - afterall , the music on those videos wasn't playing during your adventure was it?

All that aside, I too recently did much of the Alps solo and I wholeheartedly agree with you , it's a fabulous experience to do it unaccompanied and in such a beautiful part of the world. B)