Hi everyone,

So I'm a total newbie at long distance travelling, and have only been riding for about a year (have close to 10'000km under my belt). I currently live in Paris, where I mostly commute daily, and have done a few trips around the countryside and mountains with a group of friends. I think my maximum in a day was around 300-400km. I'm planning a trip early next month from Paris to Frankfurt, to visit a friend of mine who lives there. I'm hoping to add a small ride or two around on of the forests on the way back. The trip should be about 550-600 km average each way.

If that doesn't sound crazy enough (I'm sure it's nothing to you guys ), I'm also seeing if I can squeeze in a trip from Paris to Milan at the very beginning of November. As some of you might know, the EICMA motorcycle show takes place there in the first week of November. Since it's also my birthday around that time, I thought I'd ride down there both to celebrate my 25th and to make one more big outing before winter hits. It'd be somewhere between 800-900km each way, and i'd also see if there are any alpine routes worth checking out, or if the weather is too bad, some of the routes closer to the coast.

So, before I share these plans with my family, I thought I'd ask here first - am I totally crazy to even think of doing this? I have this burning desire to get out there and go, and figured why wait until i'm 50? However, I also realise I might be too green for the trip, and maybe I should be patient. How long did you all wait until taking the plunge?

Hello

If you commute daily in Parisian traffic you're about ready for pretty much anything!

I had about 6 months riding experience (about 2,000km) when I went on a tour of Ireland 2up with my girlfriend on the back (about 1,800km in 5 days). This was the first time I ever rode with a pillion on board.

I now have 2 years experience and about 8,000km riding under my belt. A lot of it 2up. We fly to Buenos Aires in 3 weeks to start a 6 month tour of the Americas. Again, we'll be 2up. I have doubts over the amount of riding experience I have, but what the hell, we're going for it. You only get experience by riding, no? You're only young(ish) once too!

The trips to Frankfurt and Milan you mentioned sound like the perfect trips to get used to long distance touring. Wish I could have done a few similar trips as preparation.

Hope this is of some use, if only so that you can tell your family that some idiot from Wales (with less riding experience than you) is going on a 6 month trip to South America with his better half on the back!

I too have been riding for a year. I was advised to do 5000 miles before doing any serious touring 2 up. I agree with this 100% in retrospect having now done 10,000 miles and feel it would have restricted my learning having lots of luggage and a passenger. My wife and I are now about to cross Africa this winter. I still feel inexperienced but able to do it. The trips you have planned sound excellent and similair to my first longish trips. Get on the road and enjoy!

A while back, before I reached the grand old age of 50, I laid my hands on my first bike that was really up to going a good distance - a Guzzi Le Mans 2 and set off, without a second thought, to the Bol D'Or. I lived in the UK at the time and the Bol was still at Paul Ricard near Toulon. It was quite an adventure - especially as I didn't speak much French but I had a great time. I took three days to get down there (1400km) but had to ride back in one go to get back to work - I arrived home at 8.30am soaking wet but got into work for 9 having already been awake for 36hrs.

Since then I've done dozens of European tours and a year long trip to Cape Town so my original mis-adventures obviously didn't put me off.

Two up riding is a bit of an acquired skill and involves a fair bit more organisation in terms of carrying the luggage etc.. But I always think the most important thing about taking a passenger is ensuring that they have full confidence in you. One of my first trips with my wife on the Guzzi was a complete disaster because the bike was so poor for a pillion> We tried the XT500 next which was even worse and nearly put her off for life but she has since covered a good few hundred thousand kms on our European trips and down through Africa (mostly on BMWs and Guzzis).

In summary, what I'm trying to say is if you want go on a long trip on your own don't over-organise it, just go and see how it works out. If you going 2 up you need to be more responsible.

Hi guys, thanks a lot for the encouraging messages, and for sharing your experiences!

garmei - thanks for the welcome, and your trips sound amazing. Hopefully someday I'll have the guts+time to go so far as South America! Your reply is definitely encouraging Best of luck to you and your girlfriend on your trip out there, enjoy!

robinhelen - thanks, it's good to hear from someone with a little more experience than me. Thankfully I won't have to take a passenger and luggage will be minimal, I don't think I would be too comfortable otherwise. The bike is a little small. I hope you and your wife have a blast in Africa!

Magnon - 1400km in one go is quite a feat, I don't think I could manage going for that long. Ever considered joining the Iron Butt rally? I'll be going on my own for both trips, I think my 250 will die carrying two people for such a long time. And with the (pretty but) rubbish pillion seat, it would mean any poor sap that comes along with me will hate me forever for breaking their bum. Thanks for the advice though, when I do have another half come along on the trip, I'll definitely consider what you've mentioned!
PocketHead - that was my reaction too

Most of my thoughts have been said.

What you have not said is the size of your bike - ie. comfortable touring speeds and attainable distances.

It really depends if you consider the journey is part of the holiday or a means of getting to/from it - and have a bke there.

I prefer to just get it done with, so longer distances just involve griting teeth and getting on with it. The faster the bike, potentially the sooner it is over. Others prefer to meander and stop regularly.

Paris has taught you much of traffic awareness and anticipation, but a new experience could be the higher speeds on Autoroutes - particularly the unlimited speeds permitted on some Autobahns. You learn pretty quickly to keep to the nearside and use mirrors looking far further back when contemplating overtaking.
Be assured, even doing 200kph, cars will regularly come up behind far faster than you expect

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I would stick to 3-400 per day. More kms are not better kms. Ted Simon rightly said "The Interruptions are the the Journey", so stop awhile and look around. If you want to do big kms, use Easyjet - it's cheaper too.

Some people do go on about how many kms they do, but many others just think that this is pointless. You go and do just what you want to do, without reference to anyone else. You need no-one's approval for what you do. Follow your own star.

PS dont think that 50 is too old - there are lots here who are well over 50 who do very nicely thankyou!!

We did a short trip last week around the Gorges du Tarn and the Millau viaduct. We went along the Lot valley and returned through the Cantal. Day 1 and 2 were a very leisurely 200 & 300 km but as ever, real life gets in the way, and we had to get back on day 3 so we had a longer trip to do. I've always found this to be the case, perhaps, a direct result of not over organising. However, I agree with Caminando and Ted Simon that the interruptions make the journey memorable but some days it's just good to ride a long way.

Hi guys, thanks for the additional advice!

Tony P - Thaks for the warnings, the autobhan is actually one of my concerns. I'm on a Kawasaki Ninja 250, and the top speed of the bike is 170kph. It can get up to speed fairly quickly and cruise along fine at 130-150kph. I've been on the French autoroute a few times and haven't had any trouble getting up to and staying at 130kph, but it can be a bit boring, so envisage quite a few rest stops on the way. My only other major concern is the seat which after a while feels like a block of wood. I'm planning to get some sort of pad, maybe the airhawk or gel.

Caminando - Thanks for the advice, my plan is to get there in one go, but take my time on the way back to explore some of the little towns and routes, and there's also a nice forest road i've heard of a little out of the way of my route back. In Milan, I may just take a few extra days off work and make it an extended trip, either to visit the Italian countryside in the North, or the alps (not sure if I'm ready for the latter just yet). And I meant no offence to anyone 50 or otherwise. I often tell my friends I can't wait until I'm 50 (I kid you not), but I hope to at least have loads of fun until I get there

Magnon - You're right, I guess I'll have to see when I get there. I'm on my own so it'll be up to me to decide in the end. I'll be looking at a few routes around there for either trip in case I want to do some exploring thanks for the reply.

Sarko has declared war on speeding, especially motos. So don't get caught. You know about the unmarked mobile speed traps, rear facing, so it's up to you.

There were, I think, around 6-8000 deaths last year on French roads, maybe 8-900 were motards.




Les Gorges du Tarn are superb.

No offence taken!

Age is a total irrelevance - but sadly an attitude some suffer from.

My most adventurous/arduous motorcycle trip was last year when my passport told me I was 67.
I explored several parts of eastern Siberia that had never previously been ridden by moto, incuding nearly 9 weeks off tarmac. I'm not boasting, but trying to point out age is no barrier - in fact at times it was a positive advantage exercising some caution over the headstrong youngsters with me (40 and mid 50s!).

Forget the household mirror.
Lead with your heart and the body will follow. Believe me, it will.

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No ... I don`t think you are crazy.

But don't expect good weather in the alps in November.
Many of the big passes will be closed, f ... cold and many rain.
Its not the season to go on a bike through the mountains.
May its better to take ski. *g*

Here you find many links: ALPENPORTAL | Alpenpässe Links to websites available in franch/english to.
one more: [url=http://alpenrouten.de/verkehrsinfos.html]Wintersperre und Verkehrslage Alpenp

Only ever running a 125cc field bike 20 years before, I bought a 1500 Goldwing one December, I took my Direct Access in Feb the next year, and by August was in Picos De Europe, Portugal for 3000 miles over 2 weeks, fully loaded with the wife on the back. (About a ton in total). 6 yrs later (yesterday) I rode my GSa, 300 miles from Manchester to Newport and back..... and I am an old man. (well old'ish). The comment above about riding through Paris in the rush hour....... you are ready my son, go forth, Avante.

Caminando - oh yes, I've had one nasty surprise over here already. I got clocked doing 57kph in a 50kph zone and had to pay a 90€ fine (that was the reduced amount for paying early) and lost 1 point on my license. Was none too pleased about that! Didn't know about the Gorges du Tarn, it looks amazing. I will definitely put it down in my ever growing list of places to visit!

Tony P - Yes I know what you mean about age, I have a lot of respect for older riders, especially folks who've been there and done that! I definitely hope to become one too some day!

motravel - thank you for the advice and the links! If the weather isn't looking too friendly over the alps, perhaps I'll give northern Italy a try instead and cross over directly to France instead of through Swtizerland.

bigdoozer - thanks for the encouragement! Although I live in France I'm actually portuguese, so it's nice to run into someone who's been there. What did you think of it? One of my dreams is to ride over there and tour the country up and down by bike