Alps Motorcycle Tours - Priced Right

[Orson]

Second on Bike storage:
How prevalent are self-storage units/mini-warehouses in Europe?

mototouring near Milan offers storage and basic bike maintenance such as oil changes.

I have no idea about the quality of their services...I just read about it on the net  

[mtmc]

I am planning on starting out in Lisbon, Portugal (seems like a good place to start). I don't want a central hub for storage, as that would mean having to be somewhere. I would like to simply, at the end of a trip, find a near by place to store the bike and then take a bus or train to the airport, and on the next trip be able to pick back up where I left off. This would allow me to meander around as much as possible.  Thanks for the link Orson those are the places I need to find as well as Stefan Knopf's place.

Alex, I must admit you kind of talked me in a circle about the bikes. Of the three I mentioned which one you recommend and any other specific makes/models to consider? Also, I will be riding in all seasons as I have winter and summer breaks. I really don't want to appear to be a pain in the butt as I would like to pick your brain and see you on the road down the line.

-Matt

[Global Rider]

Alex, I must admit you kind of talked me in a circle about the bikes. Of the three I mentioned which one you recommend and any other specific makes/models to consider?

Well since you already have an '07 GS Adventure, why not stick with that. I don't have any trouble handling it in the tightest of hairpins and narrowest of roads. See below...

If you want to leave that one at home and get another, then I'd suggest an R1200 GS provided you can get it with a low 1st gear. You'll need it. Both my Adventures came with the lower 1st gear and having lived with them both here and in the Alps, I can imagine what the normal or regular 1st gear must be like...frustrating.

Either of your other "unfaired" bikes will do also. I just prefer the stance on the GS. I wouldn't want an RT, LT or similar. It can get quite hot behind a fairing and that wind blast is a treat in the slower stuff.

That road is narrow to start with and super tight if you are on the inside...


A GS Adventure almost taking up a whole lane in Corsica...

[mtmc]

Perfect, Thanks Alex. I am sure I'll have more later. Any advice from anyone else? I am sure others could use the info.

-Matt

[Orson]

From my experience, U-Storage places such as the ones that are plentiful in the US, aren't that plentiful in Europe. They could have them hidden somewhere, but in my recollections, I only remember seeing one in London.

In my case, I found a mom & pop Guzzi shop who store my bike for me. They prep the bike for me so it's ready to go when I arrive. A big city dealer may not have been as helpful. These people are very nice treat me like a long lost relative whenever I return  

As Alex mentioned, Europe is fairly small. You can ride from southern Sweden to northern Italy in 2 days.

[throttlemeister]

That's like saying the US is a small country, cause you can drive from Kansas to Dallas in 1 day. From the North of Norway to the South of Italy is over 3000 miles, and about half of that East to West.

[Orson]

That's like saying the US is a small country, cause you can drive from Kansas to Dallas in 1 day. From the North of Norway to the South of Italy is over 3000 miles, and about half of that East to West.

now, who could take offense over sumthin I said?  

I meant, if you were short on time, motorways can get you across Europe fairly quickly.

there  

surely someone named throttlemeister has no objection to that  

[Global Rider]

That's like saying the US is a small country, cause you can drive from Kansas to Dallas in 1 day. From the North of Norway to the South of Italy is over 3000 miles, and about half of that East to West.

OK, lets keep it simple.

Without doing a marathon, you can easily do 1000 kilometer days and not arrive ultra late anywhere. That based on using autobahns, autoroutes, autostradas or motorways, no heavy traffic and no endless contruction zones.

Using a combination of back roads and autobahns (A7, A8 and A5), I can leave Rovereto in the morning and be in Heidelberg by late afternoon and still stop along the way to take plenty of pics.

[throttlemeister]

now, who could take offense over sumthin I said?  

I meant, if you were short on time, motorways can get you across Europe fairly quickly.

there  

surely someone named throttlemeister has no objection to that  

Just nitpicking.

[Musicman]

Yeah, I know its convenient, but film has soooo much more latitude. And what is this White Balance shit? I never had to worry about that on film.

Film is normally balanced for daylight or flash. If you shot film indoors using natural tungsten light and no flash everyone will be yellow... very yellow. With film you could buy tungsten balanced film at high-end camera stores, with digital just change a setting.

[Musicman]

mototouring near Milan offers storage and basic bike maintenance such as oil changes.

I have no idea about the quality of their services...I just read about it on the net  

I have some friends who keep their bikes at Mototouring. They have used them for years and are happy with them. I have rented from them three times with good experiences too.

[throttlemeister]

Film is normally balanced for daylight or flash. If you shot film indoors using natural tungsten light and no flash everyone will be yellow... very yellow. With film you could buy tungsten balanced film at high-end camera stores, with digital just change a setting.

You mean...



Yellow?

Of course, I could have changed the WB to get the true colors. But then I'd lost the atmosphere too. WB is overrated. People should be a little less obsessed with capturing the right colors and a little more with capturing the right feeling. The reason you see yellow with tungsten lighting is because the light IS yellow. Using a flash or a compensated film or adjusted WB changes your picture to something that isn't there and something you never saw with your own two eyes. That doesn't mean they don't have their uses, but people use them too much unnecessary imo.

[Global Rider]

Fuel prices are certainly becoming a big part of any tour in Europe...no complaints though  ...

FYI! Fuel prices per liter during June 2008 were:

€1.206 for Super 95 in Slovenia;
€1.354 for Super 95 to as high as €1.529 for Shell V-Power 100 in Austria;
€1.687 for Shell V-Power 100 in Italy.
As high as €1.709 for Aral Ultimate 100 in Germany.

4 weeks of riding ran me €636 or about US$1000.

[photomd]

Are you still keeping a bike over there? I read where the EU is throwing fines at people who keep bikes in the EU for greater than one year if the bike is imported. Any news?

[mtmc]

I took my bike to lisbon from the US in May and they didn't say anything about such a thing at the customs warehouse. Of course they could have and I would not have known, my Portuguese is nonexistent.

[Global Rider]

Are you still keeping a bike over there? I read where the EU is throwing fines at people who keep bikes in the EU for greater than one year if the bike is imported. Any news?

I've never had an issue, even when chatting to the German Polizei at an autobahn rest stop.

So take it out of the EU for a day and then re-enter.

[TexPaul]

Alex,

First off let me thank you for all the great info and advice you've given to date.  We're heading to the Alps and Dolomite's in early September (2 weeks) and I was wondering about availability of accommodations.  I've been on several websites that list MC friendly places (MOBIKEHOTEL to name one).  Do you think we need to make reservations in advance of our arrival or, that time of year is it possible to find a place without much hassle at days end?  We plan to stay in one place for 2-3 days at a time but there may be situations where we only spend one night.
Also, we're going to take a day to visit Venice while in the Dolomite's, but we are not driving into Venice.  Was considering staying someplace close (like Verona) and taking a train or bus for the day.  Any suggestions?

[dtor]

Also, we're going to take a day to visit Venice while in the Dolomite's, but we are not driving into Venice.  Was considering staying someplace close (like Verona) and taking a train or bus for the day.  Any suggestions?

If you choose to stay in Verona (a very nice city) the Albergo Torcolo is a nice ** hotel.

http://www.hoteltorcolo.it/en/index.html

If you want to stay closer to Venice, there are lots of hotels on the River Brenta road which is just south of and parallel to the A4 autostrada from Padua to Venice. Plenty of busses to take you into Venice in 20 minutes or so depending how far out the road you stay. There's a tourist info place on the A4 west of Venice which will book rooms anywhere in the area for you.

[FJR-UK]

We stayed in Verona (a very nice town) and took the train to Venice. A word of warning: on Saturday and Sunday morning, every bugger in Milan has the same idea and they get all the seats before you get on the train. Be prepared to stand all the way to Venice. Or, go on a weekday.

[Global Rider]

Alex,

We're heading to the Alps and Dolomite's in early September (2 weeks) and I was wondering about availability of accommodations. Do you think we need to make reservations in advance of our arrival or, that time of year is it possible to find a place without much hassle at days end?

Do you have your tour planned? If so, what towns do you think you might be staying in? Let me know and I'll post places that I've stayed at. Other Euro touring members might want to help out as well.

I'm always in Europe between the end of May and the middle of July, so I can't comment on accomodation availablity in September, but I would think you'd be OK then. Since you plan to stay put for 2 to 3 days, use the day you arrive to call ahead to your next planned stop. You do have those accomodations lists at the beginning of this thread?

Also, we're going to take a day to visit Venice while in the Dolomite's, but we are not driving into Venice. Was considering staying someplace close (like Verona) and taking a train or bus for the day. Any suggestions?

Good plan and Verona is a nice little city to meander through as well.

BTW, I'm sorry to be back here. You are going to have one hell of a great time. Lets hope the weather cooperates.