UK based touring club / group recommendations

Paul2129 · Nova Slayer Joined: 21 Jul 2013 Karma :

Obviously apart from BCF, can anyone recommend what they think might be the best way to connect with other UK riders who are planning to tour Europe from UK ? What are the best forums, groups, or ways to reach out to riders with similar interests in touring ?

Any advice would be most appreciated

Paul

Enduro Numpty · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 31 Oct 2012 Karma :

The best advice I can give, and it is only my opinion based on my experiences, is if you want to tour in a group choose your riding buddies very carefully. Riding in a group is all about compromises and some people aren't prepared to do it. I very much include myself in that category. It may sound selfish and maybe it is, but there is nothing more frustrating than riding at someone else's pace. The larger the group then generally the slower the progress. Unless there are agreed riding criteria that are stuck to then tensions soon surface. Stopping regularly for fag breaks for a non smoker is a PITA. Stopping every few miles because the guy on the race replica needs fuel or has lost the feeling from the kneck down can also be irritating if your on a bike that's capable of big miles between stops.

It all sounds a bit trivial but I've had a couple of trips that were less than great in the past riding with guys with a different mind set. I'm not blaming them, it's just the way it is. These days when I go abroad on the bike I prefer to travel with my wife and that's it. I can count on 2 fingers the people I would consider riding with for say a 3 week trip to Europe.

However you do it -ENJOY Thumbs Up

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

I went on one Euro tour with seven bikes what worked well. All ages and different bikes I.E, Tourer, Enduro, Sports etc. Everyone had the same map and we all knew our destinations for each night to if the faster riders wanted to take off then do so and the bimblers can bimble alone. If you set lowish miles per day then you can still holiday as a group when you meet up at the destinations as its not to late However. Like Enduro Numpty i tend to go alone with the wife now as we get older and stink of pee.

Paul2129 · Nova Slayer Joined: 21 Jul 2013 Karma :

Hi, thanks for a couple of interesting replies, and very good points that you've made. Unfortunately my girlfriend doesn't share my passion for motorcycle touring, and the lack of touring buddies is threatening to keep me from exploring Europe for yet another year. I have the option of going alone, which I can imagine would be both good and bad for different reasons, but I'm starting to think that it would be better to go alone than not at all. I do have a friend who'd interested in touring, and that probably will result in one euro tour this year, it's just that I was hoping to squeeze in more than one trip this year.
I'm going to join my local bike club, I'll see if that produces any interest

Thanks again

Paul

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

When i did my tour that i am on about it was Italy via a night in France, Germany and Austria. The lass i was going out with was not into bikes and only had a couple of lifts from one side of Edinburgh to the other to visit her mum. She was itching to go the trip. I had a mate who lived in Germany who she did not get on with so i would get a 2nd trip alone (Bonus) But once over there the girlfriend lived the trip (apart from one day of rain) Cant to afford a long weekend in Holland to see how she would feel? Not shit like Amsterdam but head south for a couple of nights or east into Germany. You should look at Hull, Rotterdam with P&O as you might get a short break cheap with them. If camping on your trip get a B&B every 2nd or 3rd night for the sake of a good bed and shower. That keeps the woman happy. They tend not to like wet wipe washes Smile

raesewell · Traffic Copper Joined: 22 Oct 2012 Karma :

If you trawl the forums you will find trips going on.
I am running a trip to northern France in April and have 8 people going, as an example.
So just keep an eye on the various forums.
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Yamaha FJR 1300 Normanton West Yorkshire

New Sarum · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Karma :

Are there concerns on your part from undertaking such a trip on your own? If yes, what are they? You may find most, if not all, are imagined rather than real.

New Sarum · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Karma :

Are there concerns on your part from undertaking such a trip on your own? If yes, what are they? You may find most, if not all, are imagined rather than real.

Matt B · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 May 2012 Karma :

willis1337 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 06 May 2009 Karma :

www.old-gits.org

This year's is full, maybe for next year?
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S