Just booked my flight to Rome with destination Pescara and will be touring Italy, Germany and Swiss from May 21st to June 9th. Any suggestions of what not to miss, get togethers, or meetings would be great!
I will need to service the bike first and wonder what the preferred oil is that I will be able to find, the bike has synthetic in it now and has been sitting for two years.
I would seriously suggest you hire a GS out there. I have done the same and only go on my own bike as I am just a tunnel ride away from Europe mainland.
I will be out there at the same time - maybe catch up on the mountain passes or in the Black Forest
Just booked my flight to Rome with destination Pescara and will be touring Italy, Germany and Swiss from May 21st to June 9th. Any suggestions of what not to miss, get togethers, or meetings would be great!
I will need to service the bike first and wonder what the preferred oil is that I will be able to find, the bike has synthetic in it now and has been sitting for two years.
Europe.
Moto playground. Enjoy.
If your wheels have been sitting for two years consider buying a new battery.
Not sure about your oil, but do the filter as well.
If you plan to ride on the Auto Bahn (Austria or Switzerland) you can buy one of these http://www.german-way.com/autobahn2.html at the border.
Italy you pay at the booth. Germany is still free. We carry a small change purse. The common Euro helps.
Much more fun off the slabs anyway.
ADAZ (German Auto Club) still offers short term green card up to 3 months but the price has really increased now €105 / month Still need to apply in person, not available via internet. You said your bike has been stored, maybe you already know all this. Sorry.
Good roads and fantastic scenery. Dave's site is really good. Highly recommend. http://www.bestbikingroads.com/
We mostly camp, but find these to be very handy and full of good info for motos. You can usually pick up a current book at any of the hotels. http://www.tourenfahrer-hotels.de/home/partnerhaeuser/
Take plenty of pictures. http://www.eva-marie.at/Biker.32.0.html?&no_cache=1&L=1&tx_edgallery_pi1[galID]=3 Awesome days ride. JENNA enjoyed
Did I mention ENJOY
Thanks for all your thoughts (hatred is a form of love in the negative), and suggestions. It will be interesting to see how the bike has taken to sitting so long. I left it on a BMW charger but would think the battery may be toast since it is still the original. Believe I need to buy one there rather than carrying one with me (I do want to be allowed on the plane). Brake/clutch fluid should be good having done them 2 years ago but all other fluids will be done with synthetic as it may be a while again until they will be changed again or I can switch to dyno and change at both ends of my trip.
Trying to also decide what to do with the bike after this trip. Leaving it there for extended periods seems pointless so I may include a trip to Heidelberg to visit Stefan at Knopf Tours to decide if I should leave it with him or ship it back... thats another story.
No one mentioned anything about meetings so if you see a yellow GS with Ontario plates going by, give me a wave. I'll be in a high viz jacket and will probably use a drink and conversation.
ADAZ (German Auto Club) still offers short term green card up to 3 months but the price has really increased now €105 / month Still need to apply in person, not available via internet. You said your bike has been stored, maybe you already know all this. Sorry.
Does anyone have experience, or can recommend going through Croatia? Are we talking better scenery, roads, and security? I could potentially pick up the ferry in Bari, Italy which takes me to Dubrovnik then up the coast to Zara and beyond to Italy. I would imagine they would accept Euros in Croatia but not sure what their local currency (KN) would convert to. Also would my Green Card be good? All sorts of questions but any info you may have would be appreciated as I have already done the Italian coast.
Sorry I haven't been, but I'm told it has some stunning scenery, esp. coastal. Your green card is no good for Croatia, but I understand you can buy one at the border. Don't know the cost. Meant to write ADAC for German Auto Club. I see that Step.. is still making the %%%
Spent about 6 weeks in Slovenia. Beautiful. Spoken English very widely used. Great coffee. But Italy is still the world's coffee making No 1. Did I mention the pastries. Yum.
Yeah I bit the bullet for the Green Card at twice the cost of two years ago but did not have other alternative. If it is no good in Croatia and concern for security, I may be best to stay in Italy.
On the green card you will find a table of European Countries that it does and doesn't cover. The 27 EU Countries but also a couple of exceptions being Switzerland, Norway. Andorra wasn't covered last time I looked. We've met many people on our travels that have loved Croatia and not one had any security issues. Same advice anywhere, stay alert. Some countries certainly treat motos with more respect than others though. Enjoy the travels.
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