With summer upon us (or what passes for summer in the UK), it’s high time for bikers to head to the continent for great roads, delicious food, and to mime frantically what you want as you inevitably struggle with the language!
Riding on the continent is something I believe all bikers should do at least once, especially as it’s so easy to get to. Exposure to other ways of life is one of the best ways to enrich yourself, and the roads are often fantastic too!
In this post I’ll cover what you’ll need, and what you’ll need to know before you embark on your European adventure. I’ve been on a few trips through Europe by motorcycle, and lived in Gibraltar for three years so I thought I’d pass on some advice and experience.
First off, you need a plan.
Sometimes on a motorcycle you want to just head off into the sunset without a care in the world, but having a plan for a European tour will make your life a lot easier and less stressful. You don’t have to book all your hotels and stops in advance, but having a hotel or two booked before you leave and have a rough route sketched will save you a lot of time and headaches; you’re out to enjoy yourself after all! Most hotels have wifi, and most bikers have smartphones nowadays so booking the next hotel and next day’s ride are a cinch in the evening. If you want to relax, just do a couple more days’ worth of planning in one go. Always give yourself some time to explore where you’re visiting too, doing lots of miles gets very tiring and boring, very quickly.
You can get over the Channel by ferry from several ports, such as Portsmouth, Dover or Hull, to ports in France, Netherlands and Spain, amongst others. Another option is the Channel Tunnel from Folkestone to Calais, which is by far the quickest option.
Secondly, you need a bike.
It seems obvious, but you don’t just need a bike, you need a bike that’s ready to take you places. Breaking down in another country will not be a good experience unless you’re able to patch the bike yourself. Having breakdown cover will go some way to mitigate the issue, but the best thing you can do is prepare the bike beforehand. Checking, or even replacing, fluids prior to going is essential, as well as checking all seals, cables, lines and tyres for any deterioration. If in any doubt, it’s absolutely worth replacement or repair, you don’t want it going wrong in the middle of nowhere in a country you don’t know. A basic service will give the necessary checks if you don’t feel confident.
Now that you know where you want to go, and you have the bike to get you there, you can start thinking about what gear and equipment you need to bring.
Even though weather patterns are generally more stable further from the coast, it’ll always be worth bringing waterproof gear, and even spare gear such as gloves and neck buffs so you have some dry gear spare. Nothing is worse than getting into wet gear for a day’s riding in the morning, and it’s certainly not what you want on holiday!
Bring gear that will deal with the weather you may face, this is so you don’t ditch all your gear when it gets warm, and you’re not facing frostbite on top of a mountain. Your favourite race suit may not be appropriate, vented and waterproof touring gear is likely your best bet, or at least a waterproof oversuit. I personally favour a vented sports jacket and aramid fibre/kevlar reinforced jeans with a one piece waterproof suit in event of bad weather, and extra layers if it gets cold. Make sure you have a visor cleaning kit and spare clear visor if you’re riding with a tinted one.
A puncture repair kit is a real essential, and will minimise the chances of a puncture ruining days of your trip. You can limp to a tyre shop for a repair or replacement with ease and carry on normally. A small pump and pressure gauge are very useful to have too. Tie wraps and/or duct tape are handy for when things go awry and the bike needs patching in a hurry, or for emergency waterproofing! A small basic toolkit could be essential and will do almost all jobs on your bike in a pinch, and not all bikes’ included toolkits will be robust or extensive enough. A small bottle of chain lube is a must too.
Spare bulbs are a legal requirement in some European countries, and they make sense to bring regardless. Different countries have different laws for required equipment, but, generally speaking, having the spare bulbs, a high visibility vest and a first aid kit will cover you. Breathalysers and reflective helmet stickers are not required in France; the laws and fines are no longer in place despite some shops wanting to clear their stock and saying otherwise. Bringing your passport, V5 registration document and insurance certificate are also absolute musts. If you have a blue GB symbol on your number plate then you’re set, otherwise you’ll need a GB sticker on the rear of the bike. If you haven’t already, sign up for a European Health Insurance Card, or EHIC, as it’ll give you free or cheaper access to many hospitals if something goes drastically wrong, and obviously bring the card with you. This shouldn’t preclude travel insurance however, which is also something to consider.
Don’t get caught with a speed camera detector, or have a satnav showing their locations or you could have a hefty fine heading your way. Some countries’ laws take a dim view of action cameras (GoPro, Drift and the like) but in my experience they are not enforced, unless of course you’ve been naughty, in which case you’re on your own!
It is definitely worth bringing something to document your trip; whether that is a full camera, a helmet camera or even just a journal, it’ll be worth having the memories to look back on, or share if you’re so inclined. Shots of you and your bike atop a spectacular mountain pass will be the envy of your biker friends!
The final thing to prepare and bring is arguably the most important: you.
Unless you’re used to riding long distances and you have the bike to help you, a long trip can be seriously exhausting. You can boost your stamina by improving your general fitness and by going for long rides prior to your trip to give your body a chance. If you can’t (or won’t!) do this you should take this into account when planning your trip; fatigue can cause you to make bad decisions, potentially with fatal consequences, so make your days shorter. Drink water rather than anything caffeinated, avoid too much alcohol and take frequent breaks.
Go into the trip with your eyes and mind open, people behave differently, and you being the foreigner won’t be accommodated for sometimes. Enjoy the sights, interact with the locals, learn a few phrases and words, have that aperitif you get offered after a meal (if you’re not riding!) and generally embrace all that travelling by motorcycle has to offer.
We welcome your thoughts and feedback - what do you consider essential for a tour in Europe?
