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Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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  #1  
Old 1 Feb 2011
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Smile European Trip
Hi All,

I have a sneaky feeling that I will be laid off from work this year, so I decided to buy a motorbike and see if I can kill a couple of months soaking up the sights and sounds of Europe. I plan to set off from the UK, then travel through France, down the coast of Italy, across to the 'heel', then catch a ferry to Greece, then up through the Balkans and back to the UK, via whatever route takes my fancy at the time.

As I doubt I won't have much to rush back too, I was wondering if any of you have been to these countries and if you can recommend any places of interest, things to avoid - general tourist stuff really.

I passed my test in 1996, and I finally managed to get my first bike last weekend (seriously!), I brought a BMW R1100GS and after 10 minutes riding, I felt I had always ridden one (I'm sure it didn't look that way though!). Anyway, any advice would be appreciated, especially items to take and leave behind.


Many thanks - Will
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Old 1 Feb 2011
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This might be useful:
Balkanology :: Overview :: Introduction
have a great time and drive safe
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Old 5 Mar 2011
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euro tour
hi will,my first advice would be to avoid france,and go via germany and switzerland to get to italy.apart from buying a swiss motorway sticker,there are no toll's,so your not stopping all the time,and france can be pretty........my suggestion is to enter italy via the simplon pass/lake maggire route.if you follow the east coast down,the gran sasso mountain range is a great stop-over,also the abruzzo national park nearby.if you go to the `heel`,you must visit sicilli and mt etna,easy ride back up to bari and ferry's to greece.not been to greece for a while,but if your camping,try asking in remote bar's to camp in the garden!we've had some fantasic times when we've done this!!try karavostassi nr areopoli in the south,or when your heading for the balkans,arnissa nr edessa.we stayed at the paradise club,and still laugh.....at prossotsani nr drama.ask for yarni the russian.buy a map in greece.it help's really!hope this has helped,have fun.





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Old 6 Mar 2011
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Pay attention please.If its your first bike, its a mistake to buy 1100 at the beginning. A personal advice of age 56, better to start riding a smaller one at the beginning and never go abroad riding before having a 5-6 years experience in your home country. Every year we rescue about 10 unexperienced riders in natura. Safety first.

The reply to the question where to ride depends on your hobbies.The best way is to look at the map and feel which colors invite your souls.Browns and yellows are adventure, greens nature and blues seaside comfortable holidays.

Best Wishes
zeki avar
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Old 6 Mar 2011
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Quote:
Pay attention please.If its your first bike, its a mistake to buy 1100 at the beginning.
Got to agree .
I went straight on to a ZZR 1100.
With hindsight I was a bloody fool. Luckily I got off with it (so far ).
It would have been better to work my up the power ladder, I think I missed out on a lot of fun that can be had on the smaller more nimble bikes.
Watch your right hand, It can kill you.

But you have your "Big Bike" now so enjoy.

For your first trip to the Continent it may be an advantage to travel with someone else that has done it before.

As for things to take with you - Bring all your dreams and leave all your troubles

I'm going for a run in July ( Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain then back home via the Alps) Maybe our paths will cross.
Have a good one.
Rory
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Old 6 Mar 2011
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As a relatively inexperienced rider (planning on doing off road courses) inspired by lots of similarly inexperienced riders taking off on their big trip I would be interested if the more experienced riders on the HUBB agree with the minimum 5-6 years experience suggested above before you attempt a trip abroad.

A tad overly cautious or on the money?
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Old 19 Mar 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by istanbul bisiklet motosiklet View Post
The best way is to look at the map and feel which colors invite your souls.Browns and yellows are adventure, greens nature and blues seaside comfortable holidays.

Best Wishes
zeki avar
You know - I like that. I think it's very true.

Buy a map or maps of Europe, as large a scale as seems sensible, and just study them for a while.

Look at the patterns of the road layouts, where they are twisty, where they are straight, where there are big empty areas, maybe with a few tiny thin roads criss-crossing, where there are only tiny villages, mountains, rivers and valleys, where the big cities are, all that sort of thing. See what sort of ideas it generates in your head.

Then just go without thinking about routes too much more.
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