is this do-able?

[chris___]

Me and a mate are riding from Nottingham to muricia,spain in august. Due to work commitments we only have 9 days for the trip.

The plan is to get through France in 2 days mainly motorways, then 2/3 days through spain taking in better roads down to murcia, stay there (my parents have a place there) for 2 days chilling out and then head back to home in 3 days.

A few people have told me itll either kill my bike (bros 400 with 45 OOO on the clock) or just knacker me out in general and cost a shit load in tolls etc.

Ive done plenty of 200+ mile days in the uk when i had my hornet but never ridden abroad.
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[chillyman0]

Sounds painful haha
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[c-m]

You could do it, but it won't be plesent and will be expensive.

The bike should be fine (so long as you are up to date with maintenance). You'll fail before the bike.

[G]

You could consider taking a ferry to Northern spain. Probably won't be massively quicker, but may not be TOO much more and probably will be more relaxing .

[chillyman0]

[chris___]

[John933]

I've done this a few time's. And it all to do with what time you are doing the crossing. If I was you I would ride down the night before stay in Dover and get the 7.am crossing. Now it's up to you how you get down there. If you use the toll road's, I work on doubleing the petrol price's up. As what you use in petrol, and pay in toll's. That work's out at £10 a gallon.

The up side is if you stay on the toll's you can fly camp in one of the rest area's. So you save on one or two night's camp. Dover to the south of Spain at a push 3 day's. And that's if the weather is good. If it rain's and it's crap add an extra day.

Hope that help's. And have a good time.
John933
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My trip

[chris___]

thanks for the advice all!

We'd be getting the 6am ferry from dover on the day of departure. Is there realistically a quick way through france without the tolls? I was under the impression that plenty of people have blasted through france and its not that bad physically?
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Yamaha rxs100 > Kawasaki ZZR600 > Kawasaki ZX6R > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda Bros 400 > Suzuki SV650S K2
Bikepics page

[John933]

[chris___]

Wouldnt say no mate!
____________________
Yamaha rxs100 > Kawasaki ZZR600 > Kawasaki ZX6R > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda Bros 400 > Suzuki SV650S K2
Bikepics page

[John933]

Not all toll free. But a mix and match. Short distance that you have to pay. And it cut's a lot of the back road's out.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209414193245900737848.00049e2722edba57cefc7&ll=50.986099,-0.351562&spn=19.376883,39.155273&z=5

John933
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My trip

[chris___]

Cheers mate much appreciated
____________________
Yamaha rxs100 > Kawasaki ZZR600 > Kawasaki ZX6R > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda Bros 400 > Suzuki SV650S K2
Bikepics page

[Gerrard]

I live in Malaga and do the trip regular to Dover. As John said its getting the ferry right that makes the trip easy or hard.
Dont discount the ferry to Santander as the ferry costs and Frances dear petrol only make it a tad differant in price.
Plus it will be hard work on a 400cc bike.

Have fun anyway..
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[geordie_e]

did a trip in October last year

here is a full write up of it

https://www.centre4vsoc.co.uk/reports/2010_reports/Spain_Portugal_2010.html

I ended up getting the Santander ferry back cause it was cheaper, £163 versus £200 to ride 2 days thru France

Hope this helps

Cheers
Geordie

[Marmalade]

You could do it in a day if you really had your mind set on doing it.

Bear in mind tyres, fuel, tolls do help lots if you are in a rush but add 10p per mile to the cost.

Work it out, properly and like others have said you'll find it not much of a difference in cost between riding and cruising the ferry
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