Should read "UK to Italy via Switzerland and France"!

I've got a crazy little trip planned next week in preperation for something much bigger in the future.

Story so far:
Bought myself a XR600R with big disk, big tank and importanly rear pegs. built a rack and got a beefed up spring. kitted out girlfriend and sat her on the back.

The plan:
Ride down to Sardinia via France and Switzerland. Ive got 3 weeks to get there and back and want to do some serious offroading and camping out in the mountains. Does anyone have any suggestions, must see places on the way down etc? I'm especially interested in high passes from switzerland to itally, there seem to be a lot of tunnels in and out, but that doesn't seem much fun on my machine. its an open book at the moment and being my first 2 wheeled trip i'm looking for suggestions (not about choice of bike though!!!)

over to you:

What about a little detour to Slovenia? Vrsic pass is a perfect one. No tunnels, only a lot of curves. Well worth trying.

Safe jounrey and great fun! Alps are the best!

Benka
www.BenkaPulko.com

Hey, I'm planning a similar trip.

I fly into London-Gatwick, and then start my trip on a Ducati Darmah from Portsmouth, over into France, and then into Northern Italy, Switzerland, up to Belgium and then back to England. I start my trip Sep 6th, and I finish Sep 28th. I need to be back in England by Sept 23-24th to watch the Motocross of Nations, but other than that my trip is pretty flexible.

From what I remember living in Switzerland 23 years ago, any road that takes you over a mountain pass is a twisty one. In most cases, if there is a tunnel, the road that originally took you over the mountain pass still exists.

I'm thinking of the Col. du Grand St. Bernard and the Simplon Pass (both going from Switzerland into Italy) and then there's the famous Passo Dello Stelvio (also on the Italian Swiss border).

I'm not your typical tourist. I don't fall for tourist traps, and I prefer nice scenery and uncrowded roads. For example my perfect vacation in Italy would be to visit the Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Aprilia and Meccanica Verghera (MV) Agusta factories in Northern Italy. A motorcycle race would be awesome to watch, if the tickets aren't too expensive. I looked into watching the MotoGP - very expensive tickets in Europe.

My flight over is likely to be the most stressful part of the trip, I'm guessing.

__________________
Better to be an idiot than a crook.

Hi, I headed through Germany into Switzerland and into Northern Italy for the Stella Alpina this year.

There is a book called "Motorcycle Trips through the Alps and Corsica" by John Herman (I think???) which is full of Alpine passes - all tarmac. I purchased the book from Amazon.

Some of the passes in Switzerland get very busy and can become a chore, that's when curiosity takes over when passing dirt tracks in the mountains......

Have fun, Phil

__________________
650 Transalp

I just did a trip going from Austria into Northern Italy and then Switzerland via the Stelvio Pass, plenty of scope for off-roading, not that I did much due to having a heavily loaded GS...but the Stelvio pass at 10,000 feet is amazing. I can dig out a Garmin City Nav route on Version 8 if needed.

well worth getting. (Motorcycle journeys through the Alps and Corsica 3rd edition, John Hermann)

Also have a look at www.alpineroads.com

__________________
KTM supermoto
BMW R1100GS
"tourer in waiting"

I was there (switzerland and Italy) last April. One of the best roads and views that i've ever seen. Highly Recommended.
Try to travel light. You may find everything on the road.

__________________
ozhan u.
website under construction

So I made it, my girlfrind made it and the bike made it. 4400Km's, from Wiltshir to Dover, accross to France, down through the alps, accross to Italy, accross to SArdinia and back again. XR600 is not the most obvious choice for 2 up travel with camping equipment etc, but it coped. The GF gets her own bike next time!
Pictures to follow when I get my home computer up and running again.
Found some nice passes and some nice offroading in the Alps around Die. Highly recomened!
Cheers for that website btw. Didn't get it in time, but will be planning the next rip with its use.