HarleyTechTalk

Greetings to all:
I am loosing my job but I will be in the payrolls for still 8 to maybe 10 months.
I have a crazy idea.  I want to tour Europe for a month or so riding a bike. I have 100s  questions and I am wondering what this forum advice will be.
As I keep "brain storming" and more input and information I get, more and more question will arise. I have heard or briefly read about touring Europe riding a motorcycle. But never paid too much attention because I never imagined myself doing it.
So, here we go. This is  the first draft "plan"
Keeping in mind I have a limited budget. What bike? Should I buy one in Europe or take mine  H-D across the pond and back? (to outline the route in case of a breakdown, thinking H-D dealers network in Europe )
Where to go? I am thinking flying to Italy to start the "tour" and ending in England. Going through Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany...
Well, please give me your thoughts and hopefully your own experiences.
Regards to all

If you only are going to do one, then I would do the Edelweiss tour over the Alps.

Other then that hard to beat southern Spain.

Hippo, thank you for the advice. I am thinking to travel in what I think is the safe side of Europe. Have you done it? Did you have any problems? What kind of bike? Did you rent one?

The wife and I did it and I've got two bits of advice based on OPINION only.  First, rent.  Second, rent something else.  I say this for two reasons.  First, Italy (for example) has three dealerships in the whole country so while you will get rescued it can take days.  The second reason is the roads are old, narrow and very, very twisty.  We rented RK's and returned them the second day for Ducati ST-4's and never looked back.  We didn't do the Autostradas and the RK's were useless in ancient medieval towns.  Northern Europe might be different...haven't ridden there.  For what it's worth.  
    It was the trip of a lifetime.  Ray

From Italy you must go through Switzerland! I was there in the spring of 97, and it is just beautiful! There were also lots of bikes. Some of the roads were very narrow, and at times traffic was crazier than here. I would familiarize yourself with traffic signs and laws before going. Be prepared for all sorts of weather at any time. I"m not sure which would be best, shipping your bike over or buying one there. Take a camera and make sure you have several memory cards! Don't forget to check out the money exchange rate, you might have to pay twice if the dollar is still low. I was fortunate when I went, the Euro wasn't in place yet, and my money went pretty far. If you go, have fun!

Yes, long time ago.

I did it both ways. Once shipping my bike to Frankfurt via Lufthansa cargo, and once renting. The rented bike was a RT though.

IMO renting is the only way to go, it costs a little bit more but they have to worry about everything, anything happens and it's one phone call and you have a new bike. No wasted time.

Right now the exchange rates are very favorable compared to 6 months ago. It helps a lot if you speak the local languages, as you can often stay at student B&B's or farms for a few $. Many speak English but then you are trapped in tourist mode and hotels are very expensive. In that case might be better off getting the guided tours that include everything, lodging, meals, etc.

As far as safe, don't worry about it.
I went to eastern Europe and Russia in the 80's and nothing happened other then great food and beautiful women. Most people in eastern Europe are like good old boys that like to drink and party.

For flexibility and savings, tour yourself.  Rent a bike from a place like Admo (locations throughout Europe), and deliver yourself memories lasting a lifetime.  Have ridden many places overseas and this approach works.

Here's a tour of the Alps from a bike I rented out of Geneva.  13 pass videos, images, many outstanding memories.  The link notes details, suggestions, etc...

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthread.php?t=8375

Having lived there for 14 years and ridden there 9 of those, I envy you lol.

The area of southeastern Bavaria in Germany (Munich, Bad Tolz, the Alpenstrasse), Austria south of Salzburg (Bad Reichenhall, Zell am See, and the whole Salzkammergut region/state), and Northern Italy (what is called the South Tirol, around Bruneck/Brunico) offers some of the best motorcycling roads in the world.  Switzerland is another area to see, as well as the areas of Germany west from Koblenz (near Trier and around the Nuerburgring), and south of Karlsruhe in the wine regions and Black Forest (Schwarzwald).  The areas south of Munich were where I put on thousands of miles.  A little short section of road called the Tatzelwurm between Bayerischzell and Oberaudorf is well worth finding and riding.

ncrk.,Funny you should initiate this thread, I am planning the same thing in the spring and have started my research.  I don't think a big bike like a HD is practical or nimble enough, as stated above the streets are tight.  I am looking at something that resembles a dual sport maybe in the 650cc range, possible the BMW or the Ducatti.  I don't think I want to be bentover hauling ass  as much as sitting upright  and checking stuff out.  I googled "Bike Rental Italy" and a number of websites popped up, rates range from $350 per week ( no miles to ) $725 all mles included.  The price varies aslo on the size of the bike you want to rent. The rates posted only go for 28 days and the price comes down the longer you rent.  I haven't contacted any of the rental sources yet to see if the rates would be even less for a 60-90 day rental.  I think I read somewhere on a posting ( this site maybe ) that shipping of a bike to Europe fromthe US is about $1000 each way....Fro me the planning is in the numbers crunching....I have only been to Spain and Italy but no matter which way we drove we couldn't go wrong......contact me on my email and we can compare notes
chris

Shipping used to be 800 each way so it easily could be over 1000 now. Then you have to add insurance, and comprehensive is quite expensive especially with a international license.
How big a bike depends a lot of where one goes. Typically a bike small enough to be nimble in the tight stuff, but powerful and fast enough not be run over by traffic. IMO anything less then a liter bike is iffy.

Think KLR650 on the autobahn. No way.

Depending on what time of year you go, having spent 4 drunken years in Germany I can agree with FASTFLSTF as far as the area to tour.  Altho, anywhere in the alps is good, just beware..the lightly travelled roads can be very narrow and no guardrails with very steep drops.  If you have a fear of heights, it can be unnerving.

I would also agree to renting something other than a Harley if the tight twisties of the alps is your destination.  Some of the roads I recall in Switzerland and France had no fewer than 30 or 40 switchbacks going up a pass, and they are a helluva a lot tighter than anything in the states.  I think they were originally made for mules, not motor vehicles!  No sheit.

But, gosh, you could go city to city throughout Italy or Germany or Eastern Austria and not have to worry about tight roads, and you will experience so much.  I spent much of my time in the alps (as a ski instructor), but travelled  a lot on the flat lands.  Its all good!  My favorite spot is Solden, Austria...thats where I am going when I die.

Menace

one month, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany... you will see asphalt and thats it. Everyone on the first trip to Europe want to see the whole thing, try to concentrate on one or two regions at the most cause there is a lot to discover in a minimum distance there are so many differences in so little distances, and so unique to each, I've done Bordeaux,Burgandy, Rhone and Provence in France in three trips, never biking, but for what I've seen I wouldn't rent a FLH btw, I did the Dragon and spent two weeks in Ca. Az, Ua and Nevada seen The Rockies,  :wink:aka Bacchus

I know nothing about Europe but I do know about riding motorcycles. Been all over The US, and parts of Canada, and the memories are priceless.
Hope you go for it !!!   

Sonny

Dennis
"My favorite spot is Solden, Austria...thats where I am going when I die."
"
it will not do me any good if I wait until then
chris

Mike Carter's book, Uneasy Rider is worth a read

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/feb/23/featuresreviews.guardianreview10

and take a look at this motorcycle travellers' site

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/

enjoy your ride

I have been in Austria for almost five years now after several years in the US and Canada. Riding in Northern Italy, Switzerland and Austria/Slovenia is among the best I know of. Infrastructure is great and plenty of hotels to choose from. There are various hotel groups geared towards bikers. They offer guided tours in their area and are come in different price levels.
As to the bike, I would use what the locals use around here. BMW 1200 GS comes to mind as the most universal bike for any kind of trips around here. My personal Ultra is sometimes a little bulky.
As to safety, don't worry. Very low crime rates compared to some places I have been in my days.....

How much money and time do you have?
If possible ship your own bike. There's nothing like riding your own bike around some foreign country, and then at home riding around on the same bike remembering where it's been. As an example the Vincent Owners Club ship their bikes worldwide. National Rally in New Zealand? No problem. The UK crew hire a (nearly wrote 'skip' there!) container and put the bikes on a boat about 6 weeks before the rally then fly in and meet the bikes. They did the same when they went to the USA.

I fully understand you not wanting to hire a barge like the FLTRI I ride in the UK and Europe. Rubbish bikes, not sure why I bought it in the first place, but. Grinding the under-carriage up and down those passes is fun, seeing off people with sports bikes who can't ride is fun, arriving in comfort without a sore backside is good! Testing your riding skills two-up with luggage over frankly unsuitable roads in the mountains in the rain is is is - umm 'fun'.

As for which countries to go to, Europe is big, but ride for a day and you can be in a different country with a different language. Have a look at a few 'Lonely Planet' books for ideas.

I live 35 miles from London and have toured Europe extensively, two trips last September almost 5000 miles. ViennaHog made some good points, so let me add some.
August Sept would be a good time, and you could take in Faaker See AKA European Bike week in Austria, i go every 2 years so won't be there next year. June and there can be snow in the alps so do your research. The suggestion of a BMW GS is a good one. No idea who claimed there were only 3 Harley dealers in Italy, I've got more dealer shirts than that from northern Italy.
A few years back a friend from CA toured Europe and we got an arrangement with a deal here, he bought a new bike and they agreed a price to buy it back depending on mileage. If you want to ship your own bike, it cost me about $700 to England from Houston in a container for my FLTR.
You are going to find Europe expensive compared to America, especially gas. A good GPS would help too, but you can get by with maps. It's harder to make miles than in America, when we tour we usually aim for 250 to 300 miles a day on non freeway roads, after all you want to see it.
Places I'd recomend are Germany the black forest, Austria Gross glockner, all of Italy but the north near austria and Switzerland around the dolomites and Lakes Garda and Como are nice, Milan is a 5h1t hole. There's a lot to see in England, just depends what you like and want to see. If and when you decide to come over PM me and I'll do what I can to help with routes etc.

You won't want to be riding roads like these 

A few from Italy and Switzerland, in places you can do three countries in an hour.






See the new James Bond film this is one of the roads



Don't forget the food

Got to tell ya. When I go over for a tour I sure wouldn't do it on a Harley. No offense but those roads are all to inviting and they scream for something that handles and brakes like a mo fo. Buell yeah but something that eats up the turns.

Pixs are beautiful, I mean "BEAUTIFUL".
Five years ago I was in Italy, Pascara to be exact.
Had a bike there waiting for me to ride, the wife's relatives made it possible.
I just wanted to ride in the country and the mountains and take along a picnic lunch for us.
After I saw how they drive in the city, I trashed the idea.   
I didn't think I could make it out of town alive to enjoy the picnic.
The cities are a zoo for traffic.
It's no wonder that they all wear helmets.
I agree, don't take or ride a Harley there, they're to big for the roads.
The national park (mountains) are beautiful, took it in a car.
Loved the place and I want to return again !!!!!!!!
The out of towns people are great.
Believe me when I say......in the cities and big towns, they have a menu for the locals and the tourists.
The tourists usually pay double.    (HINT) Stay out of town and a GPS might be well worth it in a strange country(s).
If you don't do it, you'll forever wish you had........DO IT.
Enjoy your trip.

Panzer

  Don't ride a Harley, yeah no one rides a Harley in Europe the roads are too small    The are Gold wings pulling trailers and 50 seat buses on those roads. do it properly and do it on a Harley. At Faakar See there were close to 100,000 bikes and I'd say 80% were Harleys. As for driving / riding in Italy, you will get a lot more space and respect on a Harley than anything else. The problem for Americans is they are so used to big roads and bad drivers, at least in Italy they only pass on one side and don't all drive in five lanes at the same speed.

88b, you're killing me man.  I travelled most of the roads in your pics.  Been 22 years since I left, but its still fresh in my mind...thanks for the pics.  Also, I agree, Garda Lake is a great place to hang.  Spent a week there in summer, and couldnt beleive all the pretty women at the outdoor cafes at midday.  Too bad I was with my 1st wife. 

I could also agree that if you just stay in one region, you will see a lot more than going between multiple countries.  So much to see in one place.  I spent a week in Munich one night.  ;-)

If you ride the autobahn, stay out of the left lane unless there is nothing at all behind you in the left.  A Mercedes or Porsche doing 150+ MPH will be on your ass in a few seconds, and they WILL come from out of nowhere.  And, if they hit you in the left, its your fault for not yielding to them in the left.  German law.  Wish we had that law in Colorado.

Menace

I cant help but wonder why anyone would want to spend $$$ in a foreign country when there are hundreds of thousands of back roads to ride around here in the USA and spend your money in this great country.  Maybe US economy isn't as bad as talking heads say every day