Any advice (except the obvious riding on the right) for a first timer travelling in France.
Things like; do I need tie-downs for the chunnel? Crossing borders between euro countries etc etc.
Avoiding toll roads. All advice will help in my planning.
Cheers (thumbs)
Advice for first European trip
Re: Advice for first European trip
my 1st thoughtJimboF650 wrote:Any advice (except the obvious riding on the right)
Use a SatNav to navigate off the ferry/train and in towns. But take a map and familiarise yourself with the route. They're also useful for finding petrol. Note: some fuel stations are unmanned and payment is by card. Sometimes, even if accepted in a shop, the card still won't work at a fuel station! So when you get fuel, fill up!
Avoid Paris.
If you don't speak the lingo, take a phrase book & learn a few phrases beforehand.
Have fun!
living an ordinary life in a non-ordinary way
Re: Advice for first European trip
Here are my tips
Chunnel - No tie downs needed. Book in advance, but I have found even just a day in advance is £30 each way but just turning up on a bike can cost up to £100 one way. Also on a bike (just like a car) they will slot you onto the next train 99% of the time. In a car they are flexible too, but not as much as a bike.
Crossing borders in EU. Depends how far you plan on going, but none between France/Germany/Poland/Italy/Spain/Belgium etc etc. I think there are a couple when you start getting further afield.
The one from Poland to Lithuania is gone now too as I happily found out after being caught out there about 8 or 9 years ago in the car without some paperwork
Take you V5, Insurance, MOT docs as well as the normal safety stuff, (Hi Vis/Spare bulbs etc, even though I have never been asked to show them) and you'll be fine
European breakdown cover, the cover the chunnel sell you is good, but expensive. I have ADAC cover. €79 a year and covers most of Europe.
Toll roads are easy to avoid, if you're not in a rush.
Just another thought. Learn some of the common signs. There is some yellow diamond shaped one which is something along "Right of way" and sometimes it means a minor road has right of way joining a main road (Opposite to most of the UK) and it can catch you out. I must have been across there a few dozen times now and still struggle sometimes. I try to get stuck behind a car at some junctions/raffic lights etc as then I can follow them through and see where to go
Chunnel - No tie downs needed. Book in advance, but I have found even just a day in advance is £30 each way but just turning up on a bike can cost up to £100 one way. Also on a bike (just like a car) they will slot you onto the next train 99% of the time. In a car they are flexible too, but not as much as a bike.
Crossing borders in EU. Depends how far you plan on going, but none between France/Germany/Poland/Italy/Spain/Belgium etc etc. I think there are a couple when you start getting further afield.
The one from Poland to Lithuania is gone now too as I happily found out after being caught out there about 8 or 9 years ago in the car without some paperwork
Take you V5, Insurance, MOT docs as well as the normal safety stuff, (Hi Vis/Spare bulbs etc, even though I have never been asked to show them) and you'll be fine
European breakdown cover, the cover the chunnel sell you is good, but expensive. I have ADAC cover. €79 a year and covers most of Europe.
Toll roads are easy to avoid, if you're not in a rush.
Just another thought. Learn some of the common signs. There is some yellow diamond shaped one which is something along "Right of way" and sometimes it means a minor road has right of way joining a main road (Opposite to most of the UK) and it can catch you out. I must have been across there a few dozen times now and still struggle sometimes. I try to get stuck behind a car at some junctions/raffic lights etc as then I can follow them through and see where to go
Re: Advice for first European trip
The chunnel needs no tie downs, just park your bike with the front wheel against the edge of the walkway, leave it in gear and on the sidestand. It'll wobble around and you'll make a couple of desperate grabs but it'll go nowhere.
There aren't any border crossings as such, it's just one big friendly community unless you go into Switzerland where they'll have a border crossing.
Toll roads are expensive but the quickest way of getting from A to B.
Just take all your documentation and forget you're actually abroad apart from the obvious bit of driving on the right side of the road.
There aren't any border crossings as such, it's just one big friendly community unless you go into Switzerland where they'll have a border crossing.
Toll roads are expensive but the quickest way of getting from A to B.
Just take all your documentation and forget you're actually abroad apart from the obvious bit of driving on the right side of the road.
Re: Advice for first European trip
No tie downs needed on the chunnel.
Unless you have to get to a set place at a set time then stick to the back roads.
If you have any doubt about staying on the right then put something on your lefthand mirror to indicate that that's where the white line in the road should be.
Outside of August and not school hols then there should be no need to book, just start to look for somewhere around 3-4pm.
If you have a fixed amount of days to be travelling then probably best to plan head so you know where your going and have an objective each day, you'll probably see more that way. But don't rush or ride late, the place will still be there the next day...
Above all...... relax and have fun!!
Nick.
Unless you have to get to a set place at a set time then stick to the back roads.
If you have any doubt about staying on the right then put something on your lefthand mirror to indicate that that's where the white line in the road should be.
Outside of August and not school hols then there should be no need to book, just start to look for somewhere around 3-4pm.
If you have a fixed amount of days to be travelling then probably best to plan head so you know where your going and have an objective each day, you'll probably see more that way. But don't rush or ride late, the place will still be there the next day...
Above all...... relax and have fun!!
Nick.
Re: Advice for first European trip
You will need all your documents, photo/scan them as back up. French roundabouts are made of glass when it rains.
Have fun & dont be afraid to mangle the lingo, always good to try (thumbs)
Have fun & dont be afraid to mangle the lingo, always good to try (thumbs)
With enough profanity, you can accomplish anything
Re: Advice for first European trip
As above, but with the photocopied licence, insurance and V5 documents take a couple of copies of each. I always keep the originals in a locked pannier and the photocopied ones in a folder in the tank bag.
If it's your first time abroad on the bike you could cut out a small arrow out of bright coloured card and stick it on your dash with a bit of blue tac pointing to the right, just as a reminder when you're setting off to keep on the right.
Also take a spare set of keys, keep them on a lanyard round your neck, just in case you misplace the main one.
Last, but not least be flexible, don't think you have to stick solidly to your plans, things can change on the road. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Relax enjoy the experience and get saving up when you get back because believe me it's fookin addictive!!!
Enjoy!
If it's your first time abroad on the bike you could cut out a small arrow out of bright coloured card and stick it on your dash with a bit of blue tac pointing to the right, just as a reminder when you're setting off to keep on the right.
Also take a spare set of keys, keep them on a lanyard round your neck, just in case you misplace the main one.
Last, but not least be flexible, don't think you have to stick solidly to your plans, things can change on the road. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Relax enjoy the experience and get saving up when you get back because believe me it's fookin addictive!!!
Enjoy!
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Re: Advice for first European trip
Hi Buddy,
I did my first European trip 3000 miles in 11 days (although 1st day and last day were to and from the ferry). No real issues, as everyone has said, but I had one issue. Paying for petrol. my debit visa card could be accepted at some petrol stations and not at others. Also some pumps charged my for 120 euro's and held this amount in my account until the amount of 15-20 euro's was collected. Obviously this soon stalled my bank account. It was useful to have my friend with me who paid for some and I re-imbursed him later. I think a spare credit card or euro's stashed on the bike might be useful. Oh and if doint the Stelvio pass. We did it from the Austrian side and it was quite difficult, I fell off after 20 odd severe hairpin bends, because a biker comming down cut the corner and I had nowhere to go. Many do it from the italian to the Austrian side and find it much easier. Have a great time.
cheers
Mike G
I did my first European trip 3000 miles in 11 days (although 1st day and last day were to and from the ferry). No real issues, as everyone has said, but I had one issue. Paying for petrol. my debit visa card could be accepted at some petrol stations and not at others. Also some pumps charged my for 120 euro's and held this amount in my account until the amount of 15-20 euro's was collected. Obviously this soon stalled my bank account. It was useful to have my friend with me who paid for some and I re-imbursed him later. I think a spare credit card or euro's stashed on the bike might be useful. Oh and if doint the Stelvio pass. We did it from the Austrian side and it was quite difficult, I fell off after 20 odd severe hairpin bends, because a biker comming down cut the corner and I had nowhere to go. Many do it from the italian to the Austrian side and find it much easier. Have a great time.
cheers
Mike G
Re: Advice for first European trip
Some things that the french police are getting really hot on are...
Helmets...you must have a reflective sticker on each side of your lid...thats 4 in total..they can be pound coin size but if they stop you they will look for them.
White lines...don't be tempted to cross solid white lines...they are getting really hot on bikes doing this at the mo...they will stop you and fine you big time.
Lights...this is kind of the norm these days but the french police love to see lights on bikes. If you turn them off they will stop you and ask you to turn them back on.
Motorway speeding...watch you speed on the autoroutes. I go to france many times a year and i have ...in the south...seen bike cops pulling bikes as they leave the motorway toll booths. They then look at the ticket and can tell the average speed a bike was doing. the ticket says when and where you joined and when and where you left...the rest is simple maths....they will again fine you big time.
High vis..bit of a fuss over this...you are required to carry one so that you wear it in the event of a breakdown. Just stick a cheap one under your seat and forget about it.
If you stick to the rules and respect the locals you will be fine...
Riding in France in the summer is a delight..i will be over there myself this year.
Mike
Helmets...you must have a reflective sticker on each side of your lid...thats 4 in total..they can be pound coin size but if they stop you they will look for them.
White lines...don't be tempted to cross solid white lines...they are getting really hot on bikes doing this at the mo...they will stop you and fine you big time.
Lights...this is kind of the norm these days but the french police love to see lights on bikes. If you turn them off they will stop you and ask you to turn them back on.
Motorway speeding...watch you speed on the autoroutes. I go to france many times a year and i have ...in the south...seen bike cops pulling bikes as they leave the motorway toll booths. They then look at the ticket and can tell the average speed a bike was doing. the ticket says when and where you joined and when and where you left...the rest is simple maths....they will again fine you big time.
High vis..bit of a fuss over this...you are required to carry one so that you wear it in the event of a breakdown. Just stick a cheap one under your seat and forget about it.
If you stick to the rules and respect the locals you will be fine...
Riding in France in the summer is a delight..i will be over there myself this year.
Mike
And the beast shall be huge and black, and the eyes thereof red with the blood of living creatures, and the whore of Babylon shall ride forth on a three-headed serpent, and throughout the lands, there'll be a great rubbing of parts
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Re: Advice for first European trip
If your a little nervous of first time riding on the right ask any other bikers on the chunnel if you can hang on their tail for a few miles to find your feet, did that my first time. If your using a mapcase on the tank stick a bit of tape with an arrow pointing right its often the last place you look before you pull off. Have no fear you will enjoy. Get a michelin map and look for the D roads with the green borders use as many as your time/distance route allows. Accept it as a learning experience because you will go again. Everybody has their own take on bike touring you will learn lots about yours the first time! hope this has been help full, have fun.
