riding abroad

[gerbil]

hiya i'm a newbie here,
was just wondering if any one got any advice for riding abroad.
im riding to germany in june with my bike club but have never ridden out of england. ive been told loads a stuff like you have to ride at 95mph on the motorway or you'll get shoved off but then also told it's not true, that if you have an oil leak the police will confiscate the bike (over my dead body) and you have to carry certain tools ect. ive had a look on the net but it only really gives you road signs and the legal speed limits (not the way people really ride/drive) so if any one has any info it would be much appreciated.
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squeeeeeeeeeeek

[Stu_666]

Hi,

yeah, would'nt mind doing that myself one day (RS125 at the moment does'nt really make it practical ). I think what you've been told that you have to ride ay 95mph on the motorway prob. relates to the autobahn's in Germany where some of them have no speed limit. Even still, I would'nt have thought you have to go the fastest you can on them. Whereabouts are you off to out there?

[hustler]

[hugo-a-gogo]

yeah, where are you going?

I know they're all foreign, but each country is different
from mcn

IRELAND
Speed limit signs have just changed from mph to km/h in Ireland, and the police won’t be interested in the excuse that you didn’t know. Camera detectors and speed clampdowns are becoming more common.

NORWAY
Police are cracking down on speeding with sneaky tactics like hiding behind trees with cameras, particularly near the ports in the south. Doing 30 km/h over the limit could earn you a 500 Euro fine.

DENMARK
Mobile speed traps are common and they also like to use unmarked cars. Watch out for vans at the side of the road and never be tempted to race a car. If you’re speeding and you see one following you, slow down. Fines go up to £350.

HOLLAND
The Police have very fast Volvos, and if they see you speeding they’re likely to sit back and follow you until you have to stop to fill-up. At that point, you’ll get a fine ranging from 28 to 400 Euros (£20 - £280). If you’ve been breaking the limit at more than 50km/h (31mph), the fine goes up to 670 Euros (£460) and they can seize your bike. (edit: they can also take your licence off you, you'll get it back, but not for a few days, and you can't ride in the meantime)

PORTUGAL
The Portuguese have a relaxed attitude toward speed. Police seldom go out looking for speeders and rarely use speed cameras. The limit on the motorway is 120km/h (75mph), but up to 150 (93mph) is unlikely to attract attention. If they nick you, you’ll be fined up to 500 Euros (£350).

SPAIN
Spanish cops rarely go looking for speeders, and when they do they prefer to use their judgement. But mobile cameras are beginning to be used. If you’re caught you’ll get an on-the-spot fine. Up to 30% over the limit, or 155km/h (96mph) on the motorway, is a 150 Euro (£100) fine. Any more and the fine doubles.

SWEDEN
Police take a very dim view of speeding and regularly patrol roads looking for offenders. Breaking the limit can earn you a fine of between 105 and 210 euros (£75- £150) provided you're not over it by more than 40km/h (25mph).

CZECH REPUBLIC
The Czech Republic has better things to concentrate on than speeding, and enforcement is minimal compared to some of its neighbours

BELGIUM
Speeding by even the smallest margin means a fine ranging from 50 euros (£35) for just over to 175Euros (£120) for 20km/h (12mph) over. If you get caught a second time, the fine doubles.

AUSTRIA
Penalties start at 36 euros (£25) for 20km/h (12mph) over the limit and go up to 220 euros (£150) for more than 50km/h (31mph) over the l30km/h (80mph) limit The Police are notoriously zealous and have 1600 Laser guns and 500 radar traps.

GERMANY
Many sections of the Autobahn are limited to 120 or l30km/h (75 or 80mph), but there
are still unlimited stretches. Speed cameras are common but face forward, so can't
catch bikes. Out of town, 10km/h over the limit is tolerated, but any faster could earn
you a fine of between 20 and 60 euros (£14-£42).

FRANCE
Do more than 50km/h over the limit and the cops can give you an on-the-spot fine of 3800 euros (£2600) and confiscate your bike for ever. A lesser offence can earn you a fine of between 90 and 760 euros (£60-£530). Mobile speed traps are common and radar detectors are illegal - you have been warned!

SWITZERLAND
Police rigorously enforce the limits on all roads, and breaking them by any margin is
Not officially tolerated. Fines generally vary from 14 to 540 euros (£10-£375) but can
shoot up to 1500 euros (£1040) for just 25km/h over the limit in towns or 35km/h (21mph)over on the motorway. Again, they may take your licence, but a ban’s unlikely to be enforced in the UK.

ITALY
Italy’s cops are famously flexible when it comes to speed. In fact, the whole nation has an affection for it, and it's not unusual to find a car driver who fancies a dice with a bike.
The limit on the motorway is 130km/h (80mph) but no one seems to have told the locals, and the police, frankly, have better things to do. Understandably though, the liberal attitude stops at the
entrances to towns. If they do decide to take action, you'll face a fine ranging from 32 to
500 euros (£22-£350) for up to 40km/h over the limit. Any faster and they can hit you with a 1250 euro (£870) fine.


from my own experience in germany, on the unlimited sections, 95 mph is too slow for the outside lanes, and too quick for the inside lanes

take your v5 and your licence (sounds obvious to me, but a lot of brits don't think of it)
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"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them - but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one. That is why they are dangerous."
Hunter S Thompson
clicky 4 bikey

[NickD]

I spent a lot of time in Germany, and know of no tools that you have to carry. You are required to carry a bulb kit, and if in a car a first aid kit. You could do 70 on the inside lane of the unrestricted autobahn sections without a problem, TBH it feels no different speed wise to the M1. Never really had a problem with the plod over there either.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[gerbil]

i'll be riding to furth with my bike club (freedom riders manchester)
we be meeting up with the kent and solway lot then catching the ferry to amsterdam then riding to germany. apparently it's at the back end of germany. their having a 25th anniversary party
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[tatters]

what about carrying a small Fire extremister law l,ve heard of?
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[gerbil]

oh poop i hope not, i've only got a little el250
hugo-a-gogo might be able to enlighten me on that one
i hope
ive just bought some panniers today for all the just in case things i might have to carry but i wasn't expecting fire precautions as well.
do you think i'll get away with having lots of people with capable bladders instead of an extinguisher!!!!!
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[hugo-a-gogo]

fire extinguishers and tools? never heard of any laws for these things

holland and spain and somewhere else, maybe france now require hi-vis vests in cars, dunno about on bikes tho
____________________
"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them - but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one. That is why they are dangerous."
Hunter S Thompson
clicky 4 bikey

[Vespa]

.

[gerbil]

umm, not being the wisest of chicks i don't know how to adjust my headlight although one of the lads will probably know.
i will be checking with my insurance what breakdown cover i've got but will probably get AA or RAC cover anyway, best to be safe than sorry eh!
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[Scotsman37]

There's also one called International Break Down Cover. They can provide UK& European cover or if you want short term cover for Europe.

https://www.internationalbreakdown.com/

[hugo-a-gogo]

lemme know when and where you are coming through germany (i live in düsseldorf)
____________________
"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them - but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one. That is why they are dangerous."
Hunter S Thompson
clicky 4 bikey

[gerbil]

cool cheers, i'll check them out
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[gerbil]

will do
i know we're leaving on the 1st june and catching the over night ferry to amsterdam then we'll be taking it pretty much as it comes from there
are you going to the freedom riders 25th anniversary party????
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[hugo-a-gogo]

you'll probably come past d.dorf if you're heading into germany
____________________
"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them - but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one. That is why they are dangerous."
Hunter S Thompson
clicky 4 bikey

[gerbil]

is the weather over there decent in june
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[hugo-a-gogo]

can be very hot, 40° (but it can also piss down )
____________________
"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them - but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one. That is why they are dangerous."
Hunter S Thompson
clicky 4 bikey

[gerbil]

oh no bikini's and brolly's sooooo don't match
oh well i guess i'll have to prepare for the best and worst.
you might get the odd pm in the run up to june for a weather check (if that's o.k.)
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