advice on road trip

[littlejimmy12]

stepping into the unknown for the first time and going on a 10 day trip to Europe - Belgium, France etc.

Has anyone got any advice as I have no idea what to take or even how to take it. I'm looing at some soft panniers but my bike has high mount Zards and my pillion pegs have been removed (permanantly).

My bike isn't exactly gr8 for touring, its seat kills me after about an hour and I've dropped the front down because of the rizoma clip ons.

Any advice anyone ??

[Grumpy]

Personally I would travel light, take just enough, or some travel wash!.
The obvious thing is to have the bike checked over, possibly service, check the life left in your tyres.
The law in France says you must carry spare lamps.
Europe is a very bike friendly place so chill out and enjoy the trip!
PS have you thought of joining the group travelling to belgium for the MOB rally, there is a good mix of touring experience within the group!

[LVC]

Sorry Grumpy - no law over here for bikes to carry spare bulbs (nor flourescent jackets before anyone else adds to that false rumour) :thumbsdown:

Insurance papers, V5 and passport (or photo ID) are compulsory though. Lens deflectors are rarely used and the gendarmes don't know what they're for or supposed to do anyway. Don't let a Gendarme hassle you about ANY mods to the bike (exhausts, mini-number plates, lack of rear reflector, LED indicators, etc. etc.) as they do not have the authority to issue any "amends" or "PVs" for non-French registered vehicles :D

They will fine you for speeding though especially in villages (usually 50kmh but can be 30kmh). Most traffic cameras are forward facing so smile as you're flashed as unless you've a front plate the photo they won't be going anywhere :spin:

Feel free to pop in if you're passing through the Loire valley :yoparty:

[Grumpy]

Thanks for that, about the lamps, LVC ! I do like the French speed cameras, I smile nicely every time I set one off!!!:biggrin:

[Steve'o'M900]

We did a 10 day european trip around France/Italy. Have a look at Ventura rack and the large soft bag its an awesome bit of kit. I managed to get Jeans/6 T-shirts/Trainers/Wet weather kit/Wash kit/Spare gloves/Spare visor.

Just keep each day fairly short, we pushed each day to about 350miles which isn't a great distance, but when you look at fueling/coffee breaks/**** stops/getting lost/arse ache then you'll find the day flys by and its already 17:00hrs!!
Try and plan your routes in detail before you go, as you can find some of the best roads in France

Steve

[littlejimmy12]

good stuff people keep it coming

[ducmon83]

i would highly recommend a Cargo Endurance Tank Bag. borrowed a mates for a trip recently and thought it was awesome. map holder on top/ lots of compartments/ waterproof cover/ detachable as a rucksack. its a great bit of kit for only about £60.

(i even rested on it when the motorway got too much for me!!!)

[littlejimmy12]

Personally I would travel light, take just enough, or some travel wash!.
The obvious thing is to have the bike checked over, possibly service, check the life left in your tyres.
The law in France says you must carry spare lamps.
Europe is a very bike friendly place so chill out and enjoy the trip!
PS have you thought of joining the group travelling to belgium for the MOB rally, there is a good mix of touring experience within the group!

Would love to grumpy but I'm moving back to london around then and starting my second year of legal studies so don't think I will have the time. Travelling light def the way to go.

[gremlin]

Soft panniers may not be a good idea, my mate Lou put them on her bike and they caught fire, her knickers went flying down the motorway much to the amusement of those behind. She didn't realise until it was too late, she obviously doesn't use her mirrors enough!

[Grumpy]

Littlejimmy, are you in the suffolk area at the moment?

[littlejimmy12]

Littlejimmy, are you in the suffolk area at the moment?

Cambridge area, how come?

[littlejimmy12]

Soft panniers may not be a good idea, my mate Lou put them on her bike and they caught fire, her knickers went flying down the motorway much to the amusement of those behind. She didn't realise until it was too late, she obviously doesn't use her mirrors enough!

this is my worry with soft panniers (not the knickers bit :spin::spin:) esp with my high level Zards and I have no pillion foot rests - cargo net and backpack

[Grumpy]

I'm just down the road on the essex/suffolk boarder.

[gremlin]

Yup he's not got any excuse for not coming out to play! I'd go for a back pack and tank bag if you can reach the bars safely and tail pack if it can be well secured. After all you don't need much in the way of clothes etc, as long as you have complete change in case you get wet, a reasonable number of pairs of knickers and socks, although I'm sure if push comes to shove you can find a launderette. When we went away last year we got all our clothes in a large sports bag, including towels and that was for fourteen days. So a single chap should be able to survive with a decent sized back pack. Towels take up space but if you're in hotels that isn't an issue although you can get micro towels which dry really well and are tiny. I can get clothes for five days in a medium sized ruck sack with toiletries etc, but I'm not bothered about being seen in the same outfit more than once and my undies don't take up as much space as a chaps!:mand::mand:

[richard horton]

If you are wearing a rucksack on your back, 1. do not have the zips meeting at the top, as you lean forward into the wind, the wind will force itself into the gap between the zips and if you are doing more than about 90mph it will open the zip and deposit all your possessions, clothes, spare underwear across Northern France. - voice of experience, both zips all closed at lowest possible level - left or right
2. put only soft things in the rucksack on your back - if you fall off (or are knocked off with disk locks or heavy chains or tools in your rucksack and you land on your back) displaced vertebrae = paraplegia

[littlejimmy12]

[QUOTE=gremlin;309799]Yup he's not got any excuse for not coming out to play!

point taken - to be fair I have been doing exams since April. They all finish in 2 weeks and then I'm off on holiday. Upon return i will make more of an affort to 'come out and play'

grumpy you must be v close because I am on the cambridge, essex border. I'm near haverhill/saffron walden

[gremlin]

Only pulling your leg! I know you've been very busy and exams are a complete nightmare. But you'll have no excuse when they're done with.

[Grumpy]

I used to live in Haverhill, and still, on occasion, work in the area. I now live a 15min bike ride away, near Sudbury.