Almost ready

[thgil]

Well i'm nearly ready for my first big trip into europe on the guzzi.The bikes just been fully serviced and all luggage has been bought.I must admit that i'm slighty nervous about riding on the other side of the road but i guess thats something you have to learn pretty damn quick!So i just thought i'd ask you guys for any tips on things to take(have bulbs etc).I'm heading for Romania then greece a 2 day ferry trip to northen italy,alps,france then home.All feedback would be most welcome cheers.

[Martin Barrett]

Well thats some first trip. My only venture across the channel was to the V11 meet last year.

 

What to take. I took a bulb and fuse kit, and puncture kit with gas bulbs. Since my tumble on the ferry to Ireland I've added plug caps and spare plugs. (I got away with it on that occasion) I think the rule is only take what you know how to use. I think you may need a first aid kit to comply with some Euro countries. But first aid is about improvisation. A field dressing should surfice IMHO.

 

On my 1700mile Ireland trip I wore the rear pads right down by the time I was leaving Wales. So dual carriage way home without using the rear brake. So for Scotland I took front pads with me and a tube of copaslip, just in case they needed changing on the 2500mile trip. They didn't.

 

As to driving on the wrong side of the road. Didn't have a problem was only there for three days. The major roads are easy due to white lines and sign posts. The little roads eg Dike tops could get carried away and revert but I found that the roads and scenery being different always acted as an aide memoire. I believe the big danger is if you stop for fuel or photos and then go to rejoin the carraigeway, being where you're most likly to forget. Also the longer you are there the more natural it becomes so you then use less thought to keep right and that again is when you don't.

 

Have a good trip.

 

I also had the reassurance of Guzzi's Euro assistance and also took out RAC cover, belt and braces - Didn't need it.

[gallo_se]

Coming the other way around, form Italy to Ireland passing through UK last year I had also my first experience riding on the wrong side of the road, I remember I found myself at 6 o'clock in the morning at Portsmouth, it was dark and there was a thick fog that you could cut it with a knife. As long as you are on double carriage roads and motorways is not a problem, since the beginning, you have to be careful when you are on local roads. When I got close to Holihead I had to ride or 80km on a local road, every turn was a bump to my heart, cause I was seeing huge trucks coming straight in front of me, in what would have been my side of the road in Italy, then hopefully they where on their left, and I was also. Anyway, sorry for the digression, I would say that it takes 2 or 3 days to get used to it, the first part of the trip will be on motorways, I suppose, so you will have time to adjust yourself. True is that whenever you get ditracted, for example when you simply start the motorbike and perhaps you are thinking of something ese, your instinct brings you to ride on the other side, so, especially at the beginning, you need to be fully concentrate and remind yourself that you have to ride on the "wrong side". An idea could be to stick a small paper on the tank or close to the instruments to remind you the side you have to ride on. Last suggestion: roads can be very bad in Greece, small and the asphalt, or tar, however is called can be very slippery, due to low quality. Greek are also driving like mad, so be careful. Being from italy I wouldn't mind that, but I experienced that In UK you are used to drive more relaxed and carefully, so, have an extra eye on it. Regarding what to carry, I agree perfectly with what Martin said, I would only add to bring a cover for your saddle, since on the boats they will bind it thightly to the ground with heavy duty ropes, we don't want your saddle to be damaged. Bring with you a lot of sun lotion, that's not for the motorbike avoid parking the motorbike below pine trees, resin is leaking from these trees and it can be very difficult to be removed from the paint without damaging it. If you don't want to leave your motorbike on direct sunlight for all the day, perhaps bring a light cover with you. If you know your dealer well and have a good relation with him you might ask him if he can borrow you an ECU for the travel, that you can give him back when hopefully you will not need it (this is a little bit of paranoy, I know). Daddy would say: always lock your motorbike, don't leave it in dangerous places. Go my son, you have my blessing, and......enjoy your trip.

[gallo_se]

I forgot: if your dealer can borrow you the full set of relays olso......I know, I'm getting even more paranoid, but in Rumenia and Greece I don't know what kind of service you eventually can get.

[jihem]

>As to driving on the wrong side of the road.

 

 

i used to live in London for a while, i was actually a motorbike messenger there.

Coming from the continent, I had to re-adjust often, especially when going tired after hours and hours in the saddle, rush in peak hours with ultra urgent whatever in the box, etc...

so i used to mentally picture my home in London with cars passing by: that exact picture would immediately trig me if I was about to go wrong...

 

do the same while travelling in Europe: picture yourself something with cars driving by the correct way, and that memory will serve you as instant reminder...

 

(i know it's damn stupid, but it worked )

[Martin Barrett]

I forgot to say - try and ride in daylight hours only