London - Amsterdam

KingKong · Crazy Courier Joined: 03 Sep 2011 Karma :

Hey fellow Bikers!

Am riding to Amsterdam on Friday, from London. I won't be able to go via Harwich, so it will be from Dover but I'd like to enjoy the open sea so it will be via Ferry instead of the Eurotunnel.

Any one provide me with tips/advice (preps, speed traps, local police in France/Belgium/Holland), and any suggested routes please? Also, does it make a difference which ferry I cross with?

Thank you xXx

doggone · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

Watch out for the death-wish cyclists.
The centre of Amsterdam is confusing as the canals are like concentric circles and your inbuilt direction finding tends to assume it's a grid pattern.

Marmalade · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Karma :

Best thing is to just get there on the motorways, taking a non motorway route will make the 4hr trip a 10 hr trip.

Just on the belgian/netherlands border is a town called meer, as you go into town there is a takeaway that does the best food. Thumbs Up

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Casper · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Jul 2010 Karma :

How much of a hurry are you in to get there as you can pop up to hull and do the overnight crossing to Rotterdam if you like the sea that much.

waffles · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Karma :

I have just done that trip - Dover to Amsterdam - with some mates. Do the motorways, they are dull but get you there quickly and the service stations through Belgium are really nice with free wifi. Amsterdam itself is great and depending on how long you are staying for you should get a 1/2/3 etc day travelcard as it's cheaper to get around using that, it covers all trams, buses and metro and works like an Oyster card in London.

Watch your speed in France and Belgium and any time you see a speed camera sign there will be a camera coming up which are grey and in the central reservation. I think they were forward facing though but French coppers in particular will insta-ban you from riding and take your licence off you if you are caught, they are spending their summer cracking down on foreign speeders.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

KingKong · Crazy Courier Joined: 03 Sep 2011 Karma :

Now that's what I call very helpful suggestions! I appreciate it, very much; THANK YOU Thumbs Up

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Kwak 636 (2005)

Past - 2016 Ninja 300 (dark grey); K4 GSXR 600 (sexy yellow); 2002 CBR600FS; 2004 GSXR 1000; 2006 Kwak 636; 2005 Yamaha XVS 1100 Dragstar (facepalm); 2005 Kwak 636; 2011 Yamaha R125.

KingKong · Crazy Courier Joined: 03 Sep 2011 Karma :

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Travel card? Eh?

Trains and trams are for all intents and purposes free in Amsterdam. Wink

Casper · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Jul 2010 Karma :

orangepeeleo · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Mar 2010 Karma :

Are you doing this on the R125 in your sig?? Shocked

I was in Amsterdam about 3 weeks ago with the missus, loved it that much we booked flights back over in January about 2 days after we got back! Very Happy

for ~£280 all in for flights and hotel its looking like a yearly get away tbh

Great city, very easy to get around using the travel card mentioned above, we bought ours from the GVB office in front of Central station
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Bikes : HN125 (sold) - Lexmoto ZSX 125 (Stolen!) - Currently bimbling on : '10 YBR

orangepeeleo · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Mar 2010 Karma :

raesewell · Traffic Copper Joined: 22 Oct 2012 Karma :

If you like steak find the La Boca Argentinian steak house in Amsterdam, near Dams Square. Good steak
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Yamaha FJR 1300 Normanton West Yorkshire

grr666 · Super Spammer Joined: 16 Jun 2014 Karma :

Hour and 10 mins from Bristol by plane, best to book way in advance on a budget airliner and it's cheaper than the petrol bill.
Last time I went via easyjet it was something daft like £16 each going out and £11 each coming back.
I'd only go there to get off my teats anyway so I'd not be taking the bike as I know no self control when I'm
in Amsterdam. My wife was my girlfriend last time we went and we had a mad mad time there. But I'm not sure
I'd like to pilot a bike around Centraal Station. It's sketchy enough on foot after sampling the local 'fresh produce'. Mr. Green

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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off. Thumbs Up