C
CAD
Guest
2300 miles later and we're home. Brilliant time.
Switzerland.
You'll need a Vignette to ride the roads here. Costs 40shillings a bike and lasts all year. Need to have the sticker in plain view on your screen. Great when you're only there for a week or so. Stopped in a superb campsite in Lauterbrunnen a few miles north of Interlaken and 580 miles from Dunkerque. Did the Shilthorn and Jungfraujoch (pop the names in your search engine) while we were there. Cost ?220 for the pair of us but WELL worth it. The roads are brilliant. We did the Susten (Bit of a wake-up here. At the highest point a biker had come to grief. Bike trashed against the armco and he's in the middle of the road with an oxygen mask on. Hope he's OK! His buds weren't too sure), Furka and Grimsel passes and they are superb. Everything from weaving corners to 180 degree switch backs right out of the Italian Job. But beware, there are lots of speed restrictions and no-overtaking stretches and the Swiss Dibble take no prisoners. The locals also make a habit of phoning them and bubbling you up if you're breaking the law.
Austria.
330 miles later we're in Zell am See. You'll need a Vignette to ride the Motorways here. We did a sneaky and didn't bother. Got away with it but there you go. No idea what it costs but they are available to buy in all the service stations. We did the Gerlos Pass, Grossgockner Hochalpine Strasse and the N108 from Lienz to Mittersill. As one German told me the Austrians can make money from shit. How true. There are toll points (look for the word Maut and you'll know you've got to pay) all over the place. The Gerlos cost a few Euros, the Grossglockner 17 Euros each (28 in a car) but lasts all day so you can go over it as many times as you want but the the last vehicles through is at 21:45hrs! and the tunnel on the N108 8 Euros each. Pretty much all the Alpine passes in Austria cost something. However the roads are brilliant and deserving of a right good thrashing, especially the Grossglockner which has special Biker Points along it with free safes for your kit and Bikers Only parking areas. Fantastic. Everything from smooth, winding bends to 180 degree switch-backs. Couldn't wish for more.
Germany.
450 miles later and we're camped on the Mosel. Not much to say really. The roads are nice but a real come-down after the exhilarating alpine passes. Still we did the Rhine and Mosel Wine Strasse.
Some of the Alpine passes have minimal corner protection and having an off means a lot of fresh air before hitting ground again. Transiting the coutries can be a pain because of all the speed restrictions and no-overtaking stretches even on straight main roads. The Dibble cruise the motorways in 911 Porches so don't mess them about. The Swiss and Austrians love their tunnels. Some are a few miles long and you end up travelling through thick exhaust fumes and not all of them are free either.
If you're going it might be worth having a look at www.AlpineRoads.com a great site that goes over lots of stuff.
Switzerland.
You'll need a Vignette to ride the roads here. Costs 40shillings a bike and lasts all year. Need to have the sticker in plain view on your screen. Great when you're only there for a week or so. Stopped in a superb campsite in Lauterbrunnen a few miles north of Interlaken and 580 miles from Dunkerque. Did the Shilthorn and Jungfraujoch (pop the names in your search engine) while we were there. Cost ?220 for the pair of us but WELL worth it. The roads are brilliant. We did the Susten (Bit of a wake-up here. At the highest point a biker had come to grief. Bike trashed against the armco and he's in the middle of the road with an oxygen mask on. Hope he's OK! His buds weren't too sure), Furka and Grimsel passes and they are superb. Everything from weaving corners to 180 degree switch backs right out of the Italian Job. But beware, there are lots of speed restrictions and no-overtaking stretches and the Swiss Dibble take no prisoners. The locals also make a habit of phoning them and bubbling you up if you're breaking the law.
Austria.
330 miles later we're in Zell am See. You'll need a Vignette to ride the Motorways here. We did a sneaky and didn't bother. Got away with it but there you go. No idea what it costs but they are available to buy in all the service stations. We did the Gerlos Pass, Grossgockner Hochalpine Strasse and the N108 from Lienz to Mittersill. As one German told me the Austrians can make money from shit. How true. There are toll points (look for the word Maut and you'll know you've got to pay) all over the place. The Gerlos cost a few Euros, the Grossglockner 17 Euros each (28 in a car) but lasts all day so you can go over it as many times as you want but the the last vehicles through is at 21:45hrs! and the tunnel on the N108 8 Euros each. Pretty much all the Alpine passes in Austria cost something. However the roads are brilliant and deserving of a right good thrashing, especially the Grossglockner which has special Biker Points along it with free safes for your kit and Bikers Only parking areas. Fantastic. Everything from smooth, winding bends to 180 degree switch-backs. Couldn't wish for more.
Germany.
450 miles later and we're camped on the Mosel. Not much to say really. The roads are nice but a real come-down after the exhilarating alpine passes. Still we did the Rhine and Mosel Wine Strasse.
Some of the Alpine passes have minimal corner protection and having an off means a lot of fresh air before hitting ground again. Transiting the coutries can be a pain because of all the speed restrictions and no-overtaking stretches even on straight main roads. The Dibble cruise the motorways in 911 Porches so don't mess them about. The Swiss and Austrians love their tunnels. Some are a few miles long and you end up travelling through thick exhaust fumes and not all of them are free either.
If you're going it might be worth having a look at www.AlpineRoads.com a great site that goes over lots of stuff.
