I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, as this site has an abundance of helpful information. However, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. A friend and I would like to tour Europe, start in Spain and work our way east, then up and over ending in Ireland. Perhaps someone who has done a similar trip would be interested in helping us make appropriate preparations.

Some things we need more information on:

BIKES: best bike suggestions for women (and less advanced riders)

Visas/Passports/Carnes: How does all this work and what of it do we need for Europe (we are American citizens and would be most likely flying over ourselves and the bikes) Are there any other documents we must have? Like insurance (health/auto)? What kinds?

How to know where to go: Best maps, GPS, etc...

ACCOMMODATIONS: This is a biggy. We do plan to camp a lot, in order to save $. Where to camp? Best hostels/hotels for people on bikes?

MONEY: How to handle purchases and currency. Is it best to have cash? Can you use your American Credit/Debit cards?

Also, how much is enough!??? Everyone is different I know, but a general idea of how much to bring would be nice.

*making money in another country if you're not a citizen???

KNOWING HOW TO BUDGET!

Oh and Equipping the bikes... What is essential to a successful trip and what is commonly suggested?

HELP!!! I know this is a lot to ask but the best advice comes from those who have been there and done it.

We appreciate anything you can share even if it's just a good website or a useful book!

Thanks!

Please read this in the spirt in which it is given. Asking all those questions implies that you may be a novice at any kind of travel. I see that you are from California. May I suggest that you buy any mid-size inexpensive motorcycle (assuming that you have a motorcycle license and you have training) and do some local traveling, camping, etc. Take a bit smaller bite. California is a wonderful state for motorcycle travel. It has everything and people from all over the world come here to ride bikes. By taking your time and getting your feet wet while looking forward to a big overseas trip, many of your questions will have already answered themselves.

If I am reading you wrong, excuse me. Prehaps less incompassing questions might be answered a bit more specifically.

BTW if you want information about traveling in California, I know several of us can help you there.

__________________
Sam Jones

You probably stumbled upon this website and have not really had a chance to explore it yet. You'll spend many hours finding the answers to all of your questions and more, right here, over the coming months. Just take it step by step and you'll be fine. Buen Suerte!

I will say this gently: You are asking people to plan your whole trip and decide which bike and equip the bikes. Thats a lot to ask, even if people wanted to plan your trip, instead of their own, how could they, without knowing you or your plans and dreams?
No one will do it for you, almost everyone will HELP you, if they feel you've done your share first.

Make a list of questions and start finding answers to them one at a time, you have already started the list in your first post ;o)

Use the internet, use this site, plan your route, plan how many days, plan how to live and sleep, then ask concrete questions that you couldn't find any aswers for here.

There are f.ex. a lot of threads about which bike for smaller people/women. And just look to your left, there is a heading saying PLANNING, start from the top, enjoy.

Planning a totally new adventure does take a lot of time. People on this site also take a lot of time planning. They go out around home or on small trips, to test their camping equipment, clothes, bikes, skills etc. and then go home and improve the equipment and their packing lists.
Then when they are ready, they go for the big trip.

That said, Europe is hardly a major exspedition. All info is readily available on the net or at touristbureaus of that country. Many people speak english, there are lots of bikeshops and supermarkets. If you plan specific tours, try to find a commercial tour operator and use his description of the tour, to plan yours ;o)
Visa, Mastercards can be used in all major cities and probably out in the country as well, if you don't go to far out in the mountains or woods.

Do your footwork, then come back with specific questions and you will get help here, AND let us know how you did !


hehe, you have already found it, probably the best !!

__________________
Poul
May you enjoy peace and good health !

Get to a HU meeting. Go to the talks .. listen, take notes, ask questions. Shoulkd be one of these a year .. somewheres 'near' to you. Even joining a local HU community and have a local meeting at your place (or going to someone elses) can help get you started. And if you have a traveller stay that might really open your eyes.

Get a guide book on Europe - that should answer your questions on visas, money, when to go, where to go, accomodation, food .. The local libaray probably has an old one .. good enough for a rough idea.

How much money .. how much do you spend 'at home'? Think about how much more it costs to travel - you don't buy 2 lbs of tomatos on the bike - not unless you are taking them home .. when travelling you buy things in the smaller quanities so factor that in. And you 'll be paying more for accomodation too .. and petrol (gas) prices are highter too .. but start with how much it costs to tour at 'home' .. and then add to that.

You need to spend at least 1 week reading this site .. see the stuff on the left side bar and go through that .. this site is huge .. it will take you some time. And you'll need to reread some of it ..

Oh any question about 'best' ... no one answer .. all depends on the selection ... is cost important.. reliablity, size, weight, etc etc .. Very easy to ask .. harder to give a good answer ...

The most important thing you need to do is sit and think about what you want to do. Having decided that .. then it is a question of how. Riding bikes around Europe is fairly easy these days. You may find it easier (and cheaper) to buy bikes in the UK, travel - and resell them in the UK before leaving. Saves the costs of flying the bikes around. Think about the what .. not the how first. What do YOU want to do?


--------------- Edit - try to make it easier...
What you want to read here first is on the left side bar "Planning" section all of that ... then look under the "Bloggs" section "Traverlers Stories" try to pick some out that have Europe in them .. then read under "Communities" followed by "Meetings"

As for "What YOU want to do" ... the things you want to see (cities, country side, animals, trees, buildings, food, famous sites, historical sites ), do (swim, walk, climb, listen) ... If you don't know or just want an idea of tehplace .. then read a general tourist gide book on Europe .. and pick out what intrests you from there?

__________________
---
Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

Amen to all previous suggestions.
Here's one of many other websites that will help:
BMW MOA : Global Touring - to Europe

:welc ome:
I think sometime old hats around here can forget how scary the first step can be. I agree that taking some "test" rides at home is a great idea. But as for a easy first trip Europe is likely to be one of the best. SO GO FOR IT. But Lets try to help you start



First do every thing Frank suggested.

As for guide books, just make sure that you grab a "on a shoe String" one so that it is aimed at the budget traveller.. no point in knowing what is the most luxurious hotel in the area if you are camping..

Maps : any one will do.. really I like Michelin, and a German company called Freytag and berndt but it is Europe.. and it is really easy to get around. If you can drive in the US with out getting lost you will be fine in the EU. (JUST LEARN ABOUT ROUNDABOUTS)

As for best bike: Unfortunately this is something we can not answer.. there are far far too many variables.

Like your body size (a fit 5foot 101lb person could not handle the same fully loaded bike as a fit 200lb 6 footer .. regardless of sex). If you gave us a bit more details like size, years riding, style of riding (in the past). ectra.. we maybe able to give you some direction. One suggestion I would say look at though: is consider buying a bike here (somewhere in the EU) and selling it on your way out. It would save the shipping cost/hassle and insurance maybe just be easier.

As for route this is the same as any other travel, figure out what you want to see (lonely planets are great for this). Buy a map and plan it (what i like may not be what you like). One suggestion I have is if this really is your first trip, and if you don’t speak fluent Spanish (or other) (remember spain spanish has a lisp and if you are used to mexican spanish it can be hard to understand), start in the UK and end in spain that way the "growing pains" of getting used to bike travel will not be compounded by not being able to ask for anything (help) will be (slightly) lessened.

You will need insurance both bike and health. (no idea how to help you here though).

Camping is easy in most of europe during the summer months and is harder in the autumn and winter (things close for the season). So no worries there.. most “shoe string” guide books have a list.

Cost is always an issue with any travel. Overlanding you have to add in Fuel.. I was in CA last week and saw the you are paying ~$3.50 USD for a US Gallon. In the uk we are playing ~£1.10 per lt (1 us Gallon = 3.785 and £1 = $1.80USD = $7.60 per US gallon roughly).. And France is even more expensive for fuel. So what ever you use $$ wise in petrol now triple the cost calculation. There are also hefty road tolls in some places (which as a general rule can be avoided in most cases by taking non-major routes). Some places in the EU also require a road tax (vignette) to be paid at the “border”. The rest of the cost will be determined by what you do on a day to day basis.. you can spend a lot or a little.. How much top shelf grog do you want to drink? Self catered or not.. again it is no different then any other travelling.

Working.. that is hard .. you have to get working visas for most (if not all places).. and this can depend on a lot of things like age, qualifications, country, health (some thing like fruit picking can happen but you work hard and long for little dosh) and if you want/can work for cash in hand.. (but this may not be legal). So you will have to contact embassies for specifics of where you want to do it.

As for packing.. that one I will default to the rest of the site.. there is 100s of pages on that so I wont reinvent the wheel.



Go luck and just remember that it is actually a lot easier then you think... Just go for it and it will happen.

:mcha ppy:

__________________
2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

You can also get in touch with the HU Communities in the areas you are travelling through for more specific information for that area, and possibly even a free bed or couch to sleep on.

You might like to take a look at "www.AlpineRoads.com - The Best Biking Roads In The Alps" There's a lot of information there about bike touring in Europe and many of the regular contributers are from the U.S.

All good responses but did anyone mention how much fun and how enlightening a trip to a different county on a motorcycle could be. Once upon a time in the late 70's we took a trip to europe, bought a couple of small bikes in london and traveled around thru britan, france and spain. We had a great time. No GPS or foreplanning, just as much cash as we could scrape together and a passport. Still have memories of the people we met and the places we saw. Go do it!

I would tend to agree with the comments above, however, as I have a little time on my hands, here are a few pointers:

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, as this site has an abundance of helpful information. However, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. A friend and I would like to tour Europe, start in Spain and work our way east, then up and over ending in Ireland. Perhaps someone who has done a similar trip would be interested in helping us make appropriate preparations.

First of all what time are you planning on coming over?

Spring or preferably early summer would be best for Europe - it's not like California, it always rains in the UK & Ireland x

Perhaps more importantly, how long have you got?! Your route sounds interesting and diverse, but there is a hell of a lot to see in Europe... Having just spent a couple of months in Europe this summer, I can recommend northern Portugal, southern and eastern Spain, the Pyrenees, the whole of the south of France across to the Alps, and even dip into Italy and Switzerland too. The UK and Ireland also have masses of culture, landscape and architecture to explore. Personally I'd stick to the western side of the UK if you like scenery, and do try and visit Scotland too. The UK is not a huge place (compared to California), but it still takes a long time to get anywhere. Fundamentally though, you will never see it all, so don't try - pick a few places that you 'must see' and then navigate between them...


BIKES: best bike suggestions for women (and less advanced riders)

You want something that will handle a lot of road (and higher speeds) well, but also be able to go 'off-road' as there are some fantastic dirt roads and trails to be found. Go for a mid capacity 650cc sort of machine... there is a reason why the BMW F650 is so popular as a travel machine, we don't have the stalwart KLR/XRL/DR range you do in the USA unfortunately. If you are bringing you own bikes, then you'll have a wider choice and an Euro dealer would be able to order parts if you required.


[I]Visas/Passports/Carnes: How does all this work and what of it do we need for Europe (we are American citizens and would be most likely flying over ourselves and the bikes) Are there any other documents we must have? Like insurance (health/auto)? What kinds?[I]

You shouldn't need a Visa for any EU country (not sure about Switzerland as it's non EU, but they are very relaxed at boards now anyway), and neither is a Carnet required unless you head further East into Russian territories.

US health insurance ought to be available with worldwide coverage. You won't be able to buy insurance for a foreign registered machine in the UK, but you can get green card cover for the whole of Europe from Arisa (see the thread here on the hubb) that covers the UK too.


How to know where to go: Best maps, GPS, etc...

Only you can decide that - you won't ever be able to see it all, so pick a few places you definately want to see, and plot an interesting route between them. It's always an adventure if you've never been there before. Michelin do some good road maps/atlas at around 1:400,000 scale - they show most roads and things like campsites etc. You don't need GPS particularly, although it can be nice to preprogramme your route in the night before and let it guide you while you admire the scenery. It's also very useful for getting you through or around towns and cities. I recommend a Garmin unit with City Navigator mapping software for Europe - you can buy this in the US before you leave.


ACCOMMODATIONS: This is a biggy. We do plan to camp a lot, in order to save $. Where to camp? Best hostels/hotels for people on bikes?

The one thing you will find is Europe is much more expensive to travel in compared to the US - roadside hotels tend to be big chains, and cost around €60-70 a night (yep, that's euros, not dollars.) There are no Motel 6's at 40 bucks a night, although the French do have the Formula 1 chain that are around €30 for the room. It's shocking the amount I had to pay compared to when I was traveling in the US last year.

There are plenty of campsites in southern Europe particularly, but some can be pricey as they tend to be in the more touristy areas. Wild camping is not as easy as it is in the USA, as most of the land in Europe (and especially in the UK) is owned by someone, and is typically someone's farm. It is possible to wild camp in more remote places, but best to get yourself off the beaten track a little way.


MONEY: How to handle purchases and currency. Is it best to have cash? Can you use your American Credit/Debit cards?

That's easy - any credit/debit card that has the VISA symbol ought to work in ATMs and in shops/restaurants/hotels etc. All petrol (gas x) stations take cards too. We live on plastic in Europe these days. Do watch out for the currency exchange rates when using you US card/s abroad though - you can get hit using a credit card for cash withdrawls especially.

Currency wise, almost all of Europe uses Euros, the UK and Norther Ireland has Stirling (Pounds), while Southern Ireland is Euros too. The Swiss have their own Francs.


Also, how much is enough!??? Everyone is different I know, but a general idea of how much to bring would be nice.

Impossible to answer - it depends on how long you are coming for, what you want to do (tourist things - theatre, exhibitions, concerts, restaurants etc.) but it will always cost more than you thought, and much more than it does in America typically...

A (very) rough calculation can be made on the following: hotels €60-70 a night, campsites €10-20 per night, fuel €1.30-€1.50 a litre (and yep, there are 4 of those to one of your gallons!) and fast food/modest restaurant €6-20 a meal.


*making money in another country if you're not a citizen???

Bar and restaurant work is still pretty easy to find I would imagine, although 'cash in hand' work is increasingly difficult to find in litigious Britain now...)


KNOWING HOW TO BUDGET!

Have money in the bank, and a credit card...


Oh and Equipping the bikes... What is essential to a successful trip and what is commonly suggested?

Tools that will allow you to remove a wheel and fix a puncture, and anything specific to the bike such as airfilters etc. if it's a US spec machine... Otherwise you can find a bike shop pretty easily.

Security can be an issue, which is why a lot of people use hard luggage if they plan on leaving the bike while sight-seeing (which is why you're coming to Europe, surely?!) Otherwise you can always check into a hotel and leave your kit there if you plan to spend some time away from the bike.

Clothing wise, the golden rule is bring less than you think you'll need - if you are traveling day in and day out on a bike you don't need much at all - just a change of clothes for the evening, a warm jacket/fleece and some underwear (and swimwear perhaps). But do have waterproofs with you, even if it's just an oversuit. You can alway buy anything you don't have but find you really need.


HELP!!! I know this is a lot to ask but the best advice comes from those who have been there and done it.

It is a lot, but hopefully I've given you something to further investigate?


We appreciate anything you can share even if it's just a good website or a useful book!

Thanks!

As others have said, this is probably the best website - plus google the tourist information sites of the countries/regions/cities you think you'll want to visit.

Books tell you about where other people have been - buy a map, get a pen, and plan your own adventure!

xxx

For Europe I'd advise that the riding gear is waterproof - no oversuit, innersuit etc .. but self contained waterproof. The reason being that the weatehr changes so frequencty (or can do) that continually putting on and taking off seperate waterproof gear will get you down. A riding jacket and pants that are already water proof just makes things so much easier.

__________________
---
Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

That's a fair assumption, but it's also 35°C+ in summer in the south of France (and often hotter in southern Spain) - most waterproof riding gear isn't vented enough for that sort of weather... hence the suggestion of a lightweight oversuit that you can pack away. I travelled throughout Europe in June, July, August this year, and only got caught in the rain twice (north Spain and northern France) - the rest of the time I needed suntan lotion on my wrists!

An oversuit also doubles the protection of 'waterproof' riding gear, which eventually leaks or at least gets soaked itself?

xxx