Going to Swiss Alps and Frence Alps and maybe Spain? Have three weeks free. Any good roads you can recommend? Also where are the major towns in the Swiss and French Alps and are there classic routes I should get to. Have done my research but always good to have more info- thanks
Don't get caught speeding in Swiss, it is vvveeeeeerrrrrrryyyyy expensive. Buy a Michelin map and follow the green bits.
I got pulled for a routine inspection on my alps trip this year in Switzerland and got told my lack of baffles could cost me 600 euros! As it was a training exercise I got let off, but one of the other riders got done on the same day! Ouch!
I got fined €750 last year down in the French Alps for speeding......and banned for 6 months. Switzerland is even worse apparently, so just enjoy the beautiful scenery there. If you go to Spain, ride the N260 in the Pyrenees!
I'd stay out of Switzerland... Beautiful but crap on the bike! Have to be careful in Austria too but grossglockner is awesome. 3 weeks is an awesome amount of time, if I had that much I'd go to Germany, hit the ring, then head down south to Black Forest, Austria to grossglockner then into Italy over Dolomites, go balogna to the ducati factory, then head round coast to Monaco, nice and have a play on the napoleon, then the pyranees n260 and ferry home.... Bliss!! Would be my ideal divorce present that lol
I'd do pretty much exactly the same.....apart from the busy Monaco bit. Stay in the mountains and avoid the traffic.
I've been to Switzerland twice, and frankly I think it's overrated. Yeh doing the passes is great but the police are hot, and so are the prices.... Ave wage is £45.000. the roads look spectacular, but bright sunlight into dark tunnels is unpredictable, and the drops from the side of the road are certain death, so pushing the envelope just becomes Russian roulette. I'm all for a Whizz, but having half a chance if it goes wrong is a good Idea. If you want to take your time see the scenery, great you'll have a brill time; But is that why we buy a Sports bike?
Swiss Alps are great, stay in Andermatt its right in the middle of all the major high swiss passes with access to some italian ones too, Gasthof Schwarzbaren is good and has a garage for bikes though there are other hotels. On your way head to Germany, Speyer is a nice town near to Hockenheim and has a great technical musuem there, well worth a day visit, then down through blackforest B500 then down past the Bodensee toward Switzerland. There are masses of good roads as some have already mentioned, N260 across the pyrenees is a blinder too. Go and enjoy it all, 3 weeks you lucky b*******. As for the police, get silly and expect the consequences, I'm thinking the way some seem expect to ride abroad without facing the consequences of the law if you get caught is a bit niaive. If you want to race go on a trackday, if you want to see europe and enjoy some of the best roads in the world go ride em.
Thanks for info, going to take it easy in the Alps and then think i'll head down to Spain hear its a bit quieter down there, will let u know how I get on. Rosslare to Roscoff Friday looking forward to it, especially with my new K-Tec suspension which after couple of days setting up for my personal riding style is amazing- CHALK+CHEESE!
Ah you lucky B. don't fancy your ferry trip though. Anyway, Spain is good although I gather the spanish plod can be just as bad as anywhere else. If you go to the Pyrenees they're better from half way along the border with France east toward the med, the other way they aren't so good. Keep an eye out for cows or oxen or whatever the f**k they are wandering around the roads in the mountains, they graze on the pastures but aren't fenced in !!! Also, if attacking a good mountain road and you can see the road winding up the mountain have a good gaze up to each corner the plod are prone to using them as lookouts for speeding, on the spot fines apparently can be large. Having said all that, it's a big country and you're out of the main tourist season so you'll most likely have open roads and love every minute of it. Have a good one.
