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European Tour 2016 - help needed

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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 13:29 - 24 Aug 2015    Post subject: European Tour 2016 - help needed Reply with quote

ok me and the wifey have decided to tour europe next year. Its very early days but i want to get it all planned well in advance.

Our plan so far..

Ferry from hull to rotterdam
motorail from dusseldorf to verona
ride back maybe taking in several countries
ferry from rotterdam again or maybe france?

after as much advice, links, tips, etc as you can give. Know there are some thread son here about euro trips so will read as much as i can.

Plan is to take 10 - 14 days in total.
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raesewell
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PostPosted: 14:40 - 24 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have looked at Motorail in the past and it aint cheap.
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 15:04 - 24 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

hmmm will check it out, thought i read about £250 but might be wrong on that one.

Also wondering about bike friendly hotels and security, been checking out the thread on BCF euro trip, obviously easier to secure a few bikes but i'll just be on the one.
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Undinist
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PostPosted: 16:25 - 24 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

So you live in the North East and you want to see...Alps? Beaches? Vineyards? Cathedrals? Motorbike factories? Race tracks? Gourmet restaurants? Or what?

How many hrs a day you want to spend on the bike?

Do you want to avoid motorways?

Also, what bike? And will you have hard luggage?
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Casper
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PostPosted: 16:34 - 24 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why not ride down to Verona? Google says 12 hours so split that over two days. If taking 14 day jolly then you still have 12 for other things. You could even take longer to get down taking in the likes of the Black Forrest and over Switzerland and a few passes in Austria. West to Monaco and take in France. Do the Newcastle crossing and end your jolly in Amsterdam. Less travel time to ferry home.
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Undinist
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PostPosted: 16:37 - 24 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, what month are you going?
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 09:56 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok this is our initial plan

ride to hull (overnight cabin)
ferry from hull to rotterdam
ride to amsterdam
ride amsterdam to dusseldorf
train from dusseldorf to verona (overnight train)
then its riding back through switzerland, germany, belgium, france
ferry calais to dover and ride back up to manchester (stopping at her parents in the midlands)

Only a rough idea, would like to spend a few days in each major city. Wife wanted to do the train journey and want to make the riding enjoyable rather than painful, so its about fun not getting as many places in as possible.

Planning to take my bike, superduke, and buying a pannier set and tank bag.

If any of that sounds mental tell me, not even planned the route or places yet, getting a map this weekend, what month is best?
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doggone
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PostPosted: 10:17 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

To me part of the adventure is the day or two heading south towards the Alps. Unless there's a special reason for going to Verona, far more biking fun can be had closer than that.

The key is not feeling rushed along by any pre-planned schedule.
Unless you go in August accommodation or camping is not a problem as you go.
The Hull sailing is a nice way to start, but I prefer the short crossings back and just turn up when I get there even if it cost a bit more.
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 10:44 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

hopefully the riding back will keep me happy, any specific roads or places to visit would be appreciated.

The plan was to book all the ferry's, trains, hotels in advance. So will need some good planning so we arent having to blast to the next place.

We plan to stay in hotels and B&B's, we usually do the TT so this is an alternative next year. We usually budget about £2000 all in for our week on the IOM so if it comes within this its happy days.

Havent got a clue what kind of expenses we'll need per day, fuel, food and drink, etc.

Any advice you can chuck at me will be gratefully received.
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chris-red
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PostPosted: 11:21 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't plan you'll have more fun. Maybe book your first hotel but the rest of it decide where you wanna go then use hotels.com or whatever to book the next hotel the day before. It has the benefit of freedom and being able to decide to stay it a place if you like it or change your plans if things go wrong. My missus HATED the fact I did it like this on our last euro tour. that was until I got a puncture and lost 2 days (France sleeps from lunch Friday to lunch Monday it would seem) That would have meant we wasted loads of money on hotels we couldn't use...
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Last edited by chris-red on 14:32 - 05 Feb 2016; edited 2 times in total
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 11:38 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

hmmm good point, suppose its easy enough to book the day before, can have the hotels planned in advance but not booked.

Mates just got his GS back from the dealers and i'd so love to be going on that rather than my SD.
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arthurmo
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PostPosted: 12:26 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm beginning to plot next years it's either Norway if they ever sort the crossing out or Northern Turkey. So far it's an overnight somewhere around Strasbourg and then over the Alps down to Venice to get the overnight ferry to Igoumenitsa in Greece and then a couple of days across Greece into Turkey. Coming back it's either a couple of island hops across the Greek islands back to Italy with some emigrants tucked in the panniers or up through Bulgaria and Romania and the trans al whatsit roads.

It's all pipe dreams so far see you all on the north circ next year.
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Undinist
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PostPosted: 14:26 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you want to do motorways or twisty roads?
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 14:39 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

will mostly want twisties as its meant to be fun and sitting on a motorway aint no fun. Got to keep wife happy so few hours riding am and another few pm each day.
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Casper
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PostPosted: 15:22 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

rubyhorse2 wrote:


The plan was to book all the ferry's, trains, hotels in advance. So will need some good planning so we arent having to blast to the next place.



In that case i would be looking to only do 200/250 miles a day. You will average around 50 miles in an hour so five max on the bike as you are stopping for fuel/lunch/sights etc. When you have the trip done like that in a quick (ish) draft then ask what is in the area of your planned destinations and whats the best roads. Everyone will throw you must see this or ride this road so you will need to jot them all down and Google the sights or passes to see if you fancy it. I do prefer to just go and make the trip as i go along but its your jolly so do it your way.

I did go one a tour once that was all pre booked hotels. We went to North Italy/Austria/Switzerland some of France and Germany. I did enjoy it but the long ride days was a toil in the heat hence me saying 200/250 max miles. Another thing to look at is the tolls and use a sight like booking.com for the hotels to get cheap deals.
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 15:47 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

really appreciate the info there, its hard to gauge how many miles is comfortable each day as i have never done a tour.

i'll certainly plan for 250 miles per day then, last thing i want is the wife getting grumpy.
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Undinist
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PostPosted: 15:57 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

For twisties you MUST get the local or regional Michelin maps - all the best stretches have a green stripe along them because Michelin categorizes them as 'Scenic'. Makes route planning so easy.
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 16:25 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok i think the best course of action is to plan where/what we want to see and then the route around this. So will

We're also thinking of coming back via stwitzerland and france rather than germany now.
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Undinist
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PostPosted: 17:51 - 25 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

arthurmo wrote:
I'm beginning to plot next years it's either Norway if they ever sort the crossing


I did a cycling tour of Norway - fantastic. It would also be epic on a motorbike. Perfect roads, no traffic, the best scenery, friendly police. Expensive hotels and booze.
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spnorm
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PostPosted: 22:03 - 26 Aug 2015    Post subject: Re: European Tour 2016 - help needed Reply with quote

rubyhorse2 wrote:
ok me and the wifey have decided to tour europe next year. Its very early days but i want to get it all planned well in advance.

Our plan so far..

Ferry from hull to rotterdam
motorail from dusseldorf to verona
ride back maybe taking in several countries
ferry from rotterdam again or maybe france?

after as much advice, links, tips, etc as you can give. Know there are some thread son here about euro trips so will read as much as i can.

Plan is to take 10 - 14 days in total.


Funnily enough, I went to Verona for the opera in June and headed back to Holland for the ferry home 😉

The route home was Verona - Riva del Garda - Fussen - B16 to Rothenburg (fantastic old town) - Sorpesee - Groningen - - Amsterdam - Ijmuiden https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153420249004350&type=1&l=8f7fe2e32a
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MacZurbi
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PostPosted: 10:26 - 31 Aug 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

raesewell wrote:
I have looked at Motorail in the past and it aint cheap.


German Motorail will change handling up to 2017 on all routes. It will be, that cars/MC will be carried by lorries to the final destination and driver/passengers should traveling on the normal trains.

This modell is already in use of some german domestic routes.

Regards,

Fredy
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rubyhorse2
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PostPosted: 16:07 - 04 Feb 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok its time to start getting some plan in place.

Ferry - hull to rotterdam (£196 with cabin)
Motorail - dusseldorf to verona (£430 private cabin, they have a special in may so bike goes free)
tour italy, back via france and belgium
Ferry - calais to dover

anyone used the motorail and can tell me what the scene is? cabins, loading, anything else we need to know.

Trying to work out costings, our plan is to do some nice hotels in some places and then eurocamp the rest of it. Need to keep the costs down or the missus will say 'lets do a normal holiday' if the price keeps creaping up.
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Enduro Numpty
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PostPosted: 21:01 - 04 Feb 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Personally I wouldn't use the train on a bike holiday but that's just me. Regarding accommodation: The way we've done it for the last few years is to book 1 maybe 2 days in advance. Booking.com is our favoured online site. Our booking criteria in order of importance is Secure Parking (free if possible), Decent WiFi (for finding next accommodation) and Location. We tend to try and get city centre locations as there's much more to do.

From Verona you have all the Alps to play with. On balance Switzerland arguably has the best roads and passes but accommodation is very expensive and the Police take no prisoners when it comes to speeding. Italy, Austria, France and Slovenia all have some great roads in stunning landscapes. The Black Forest in SW Germany also has some world class roads.

Try to avoid the mountains at the weekend if possible as most of Europe seems to take to the passes. The Stelvio seems to be on every ones bucket list but to be honest, nose to tail coaches and repetitive hairpin bends just don't hold that much appeal.

I wouldn't book everything, do a bit of research and have a rough plan and book it as you go.

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy Cool
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spnorm
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PostPosted: 21:28 - 04 Feb 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

It might be cheaper to ship the bike to Pisa with Euro Bike Trans (their depot is outside Manchester) and then take a cheap flight from Manchester Thumbs Up

Amsterdam to Düsseldorf is a pretty boring ride anyway, so your time would be better spent riding from Pisa to Verona
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Dave V4
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PostPosted: 23:51 - 04 Feb 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

rubyhorse2 wrote:
ok its time to start getting some plan in place.

Ferry - hull to rotterdam (£196 with cabin)
Motorail - dusseldorf to verona (£430 private cabin, they have a special in may so bike goes free)
tour italy, back via france and belgium
Ferry - calais to dover

anyone used the motorail and can tell me what the scene is? cabins, loading, anything else we need to know.

Trying to work out costings, our plan is to do some nice hotels in some places and then eurocamp the rest of it. Need to keep the costs down or the missus will say 'lets do a normal holiday' if the price keeps creaping up.

Belgium is shite pal, roads are shite, many are concrete and the drivers are dicks. come back through the Black Forest then run through France albeit near the border to Belgium. If your worried about costs, try the autorail from Paris to Niece, £100 for the bike then get a recliner seat in the sleeper/overnight train for £40 each. Awesome roads then from Niece back through the Alps, France, Italy and Switzerland then into Germany and the Black Forest. It works out around 1500miles or so back to Calais or more if you want to take in more passes. Beautiful scenery and did I say the roads are awesome.
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