From england to Italy - June - advice needed.

[Blunet600]

Im going to be doing my first bike trip to italy in june with my dad. I need some advice on what I will need to take and what will be handy to have. I'll be going on my hornet 600. Luggage wise ive got a backpack and a cargo net.... my dad has the same but with a tank bag also and he is going on his zzr 600.
I've been searching for posts and other people that have done such trips but didnt find what i was looking for. I found one but it has not been updated.
Im going to be going from england, through france then to italy. Whats the law on camping in these countries, is it the same as scotlands law of you can camp in any field within reason?
Also there will be days where we will be wondering off and leaving the bikes with all our luggage, how is the best way to prevent any of it getting nicked? (and before anyone says "dont leave your bikes with luggage" how do you carry it all around....)

Cheers.
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Honda - Power of Dreams - NSR 125R - Hornet 600

[G]

Not sure if it's mine you saw, but think mine's updated to the point of Italy.

I'd definitely recommend taking in some alpine roads - I went through Switzerland, taking back roads from Bern to Martingy, then the St Bernard pass to Aosta.

I just wild camped, selecting locations carefully. Generally I don't think it's legal, but I didn't have any problems. I think at least once a farmer may have 'investigated', but decided I wasn't a threat and left.

My main luggage is secured onto the bike from the inside, then locked externally. I used a 'pac-safe' to keep my kit secure while walking around big cities.
https://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=42

[Blunet600]

I dont think it was yours i saw, the one is was reading had only just got into france. Do you have a link to yours?
What did you take luggage wise? would i manage with a back pack and cargo net?
I will write those roads and routes down and try to take them when i go. I will be taking a map with me and a tom tom just incase.
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Honda - Power of Dreams - NSR 125R - Hornet 600

[G]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=185136

I think mine ends in Italy - I might try and actually get the next instalment up tonight (Italy to France) seeing that there's only twenty minutes worth of work left to do or so.

You can see the luggage I took - I took way more than I needed, but happy with that as I now know what I did and didn't use, so could probably halve it for next time!

I found a decentish (Zumo 660) GPS incredibly helpful and made it a lot less stressful - helped by not having fixed targets, but means if I did want to get somewhere specific, it was a hell of a lot easier!

[barnhatter]

I have been to Italy twice once via France, Germany, Austria, Czech republic, Croatia ant into Italy staying for a couple of nnights in Ravinnia. The other time was through the centre of France via the Millau bridge and into france at Menton staying in Tuscany at Cortona. I like Italy but the north roads can be hard work with Lorries going across from east to west and back. Once away from the north it gets good again.
I use 2 hard Givi panniers and strap my tent across the rack, It does cause a bit of handlebar wobble during deceleration but holding the bars with both hands stops it. Not keen on backpacks and tank bags. having hard lockable panniers means I can risk leaving things on the bike I also lock my helmet using a lock and cable to thye front wheel.
I use proper campsites, they are more secure, have toilets, washrooms and essentially a shower to feel more human at the end of the day.
Up to now I have always eaten out each evening so never bothered cooking. Had trouble finding resturants this year so am now going to use a trangia cooker so will be able to get something hot.
As hornets are not fully fared any distance greater than 300 miles gets trying and speeds greater than 80 mph is hard work to maintain although I have done 460 in a day and held 100 mph for an hour.
I like the tunnel for spped and convenience, using Tesco vouchers makes it cheap, but the ferries make it moree of an experience as you see leaving England/france.
The only oter advice for the moment is plan your route in advance, I use a Tomtom rider which works well and by setting an itinary will follow the rout you want not the default roads. I plan the days riding and load it into my Tomtom weeks before my trips, loading each day individually, looking to stop at a compsite in a town at the end of the day.
Well sorry for going on a bit, hope its of some help,
Simon

[Blunet600]

Didnt even know you could do that on a tomtom. I dont have a motorbike tomtom, its for the car i dont do many trips and wouldnt really be worth getting a bike gps, the same applies with the panniers which is rather annoying as it would be a better idea but they just wouldnt see enough use to justify the cost.
I probably buy the bagsafe/presafe whatever they are called that go around your bags with wire cargo.
____________________
Honda - Power of Dreams - NSR 125R - Hornet 600

[barnhatter]

Although a bit expensive hard givi luggage works well and you can change it from bike to bike so should last for years. They save the struggle of trying to fit luggage onto a bike.
They also are repairable as a lock broke on mine so got a new one.

[jacobino]

I've traveled a lot in Italy by bicycle (not with a motor like you) and there are lots of campgrounds around major cities in the north and along the coast in the south. I agree with Barnhatter that it's better to go to the designated camps (and they usually cost less than $10 a night if you have a tent).

I've also had great luck with stealth camping, I always ask first if someone is around, and sometimes this turns into offers of a shower, dinner, etc. (Italians are really friendly!)

Go to the "pro loca" in small towns and they'll help you out. One time all I wanted was a field to pitch my tent, but when I asked the pro loca folks to suggest a location they called the mayor and arranged to open up the school so I could have a shower.

When you want to store your luggage, just ask--at a campsite, pro loca, even a restaurant or cafe. There's a good chance someone will do it for free--if not, offer to pay a few euros and they'll probably help you out. If you're in a decent-sized city in Italy, look up "postiglio" (storage) in the yellow pages and you'll probably find something.

I hope this helps!

Jacob