Europe bike tour 2011. HELP

[Clean_up]

Hi....
I am wanting to start planning a 2011 bike tour of Europe.......where the hell do i start?
do i hire a bike over there? Do i buy one over there and sell it after im done? Do i take one with me from here? Wanting to cover as much of Europe in 3 weeks as i can, maybe able to go for a bit longer.
Anyone ever done anything like this? Any help, ideas, hints, comments etc would be greatly appreciated

[Clean_up]

Hi....
I am wanting to start planning a 2011 bike tour of Europe.......where the hell do i start?
do i hire a bike over there? Do i buy one over there and sell it after im done? Do i take one with me from here? Wanting to cover as much of Europe in 3 weeks as i can, maybe able to go for a bit longer.
Anyone ever done anything like this? Any help, ideas, hints, comments etc would be greatly appreciated

[clint640]

For 3 weeks it would be cheaper & easier to hire. Buying something over there might be ok if you have a local contact to sort it out before you get there, otherwise it would likely cut into your touring time quite a bit. I did a quick 5 days out of Munich on a hire bike a few years ago & it was great - stick to the Alps would be my advice if you are going for the riding. There is a website called Alpine Roads (or similar) that has more than enough routes to keep you happy for 3 weeks. Do some research on the net for accomodation in the places you might go. Have fun!

Cheers
Clint

[triple-bee]

We toured europe for years we have maps places to stay what countrys do u want to visit ?

[glitch_oz]

2 HUUUGGGEEE ride-reports to get you going.


2007, 6 weeks, 5 Aussies, 8000+ k's...... 2 5 0 0 pics+!!
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1506

2009, 3 weeks, 6 Aussies, 5000k's.....1 6 0 0 pics+ !!
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2645


Don't expect to cover much of Europe in 3 or 4 weeks !!
Make it 3 or 4 years....

[cold comfort]

Hi- am also looking at 2011 for a trip thru the Alps (2 up) Bosenberg do guided tours with accommodation but expensive. Their website is worth a look for the routes alone though the book "motorcycle Journeys through the Alps" has them all. I agree hiring is probably sensible with the time constraints and, for me, as part of a wider trip.
A KTM 990 or similar would prob be the most versatile (but not the most exciting) .

[mattsdakar]

Hi there,
I worked as a London Motorcycle courier a few years ago and always hired my bikes.
Try googling hire bike companys, the one I used in Acton did all range of bikes for short and long term periods. There were at least 4-5 London based bike hire companies back then.
To give you a bit of an idea of cost 8years ago I use to pay 80pound a week for a Honda CB400, fully serviced, bigger model touring bikes were 2-3 times this amount.

[stormerUK]

http://www.bosenberg.com/ Try this link as a start.........get a nice Busa!.....

[mcguyver]

I am just staring to research the same thing and came across this site which may be of some use to you.
http://www.allan-wren.com/

I ouwld think that for 3 weeks your only option is going to be hiring a bike.

[brockzila]

i did london to london lia france ,gremany, austria, italy sth of france late in 2008 had a blast.
there are alsorts of things to do and see three weeks. you have to come up with some sort of time frame and and where you want to go and do.
I would have to say london ferry to leharve or st milo or balboa then w coast france/north spain, across to the med sth of france, switziland, north italy, ducati, motormorini all the supercars are all with in reach from biloginia then up to austria, and germany, nurenbureg ring then back over to london, maybe via prague and north germany/ poland would be a good 3 weeks.

get your self a euro sat nav, its not a option!!! i ended up getting one in munich. esp in italy(they dont know what a road sign is and drive like f"£$ing nutters. i just put mine on avoid tolls and motorways and it put me on some of the most amazing roads that i would never have found other wise.

hire dont buy for that time. bikes are cheap in the uk, but you dont know any history. renting will get you a good bike thats serviced and reliable. plus you dont have the problem of selling it upon your return.

ask if you want any help!!!!

[Urano]

they dont know what a road sign is and drive like f"£$ing nutters.

oh, c'mon don't say that!!!
we're just a bit "creative".... .

clean_up, where do you want to go?
in your shoes i wont miss spain, south france, a little part of italy then up to swiss and germany ending in denmark. but it's tough in three weeks...

[Bikemad]

Hi....
I am wanting to start planning a 2011 bike tour of Europe.......where the hell do i start?
do i hire a bike over there? Do i buy one over there and sell it after im done? Do i take one with me from here? Wanting to cover as much of Europe in 3 weeks as i can, maybe able to go for a bit longer.
Anyone ever done anything like this? Any help, ideas, hints, comments etc would be greatly appreciated

hey clean up...........went to the IOM 07 and plan on goin again 2011 as start of a tiki tour round a bit of europe hopefully involving the nurbergring,also open to suggestions
wanna get to uk 1st week of june and go from there.....possibly more than 3 weeks...........if timing etc works out maybe we should have a pint and chew the fat on the idea.
likewise cold comfort

[Clean_up]

Hey everyone,
thanks heaps for your help so far and advice.
Things have changed slightly...
will have 5 weeks, taking the fiancee (will be wife by then), and have had a rough look at the plan.
Will ferry to balboa, across spain to barcelone, along the med to italy, down west coast of italy, over to greece, back to italy, up east coast of italy, through austria, through bottom of germany, up towards latvia through poland, spend a few days in latvia (fiancee is from there), up into helsinki, round through the artic circle, down sweden, demark, top of germany, netherland, belgium, paris, then home.
hoping to cover about 12,000km in 5 weeks....

[Bob]

These guys may be able to assist:

http://www.biketours-uk.com/

I interviewed the guys here ages back - and they know their stuff. They will be a good starting point for UK and France and the Isle of Man if you fancy it.

[Urano]

Will ferry to balboa, across spain to barcelone, along the med to italy, down west coast of italy, over to greece, back to italy, up east coast of italy, through austria, through bottom of germany, up towards latvia through poland, spend a few days in latvia (fiancee is from there), up into helsinki, round through the artic circle, down sweden, demark, top of germany, netherland, belgium, paris, then home.
hoping to cover about 12,000km in 5 weeks....

congrat'... it'll be a very long and hard way...

to me: in spain you'll have to see madrid and valencia. no doubt on it. along the med means by ferry or by road? if the latter, all the france's south coast worth the journey.
then we come to italy.
i'd follow the road from nice, to genova then la spezia.after that you could turn to the interior, pisa > florence > arezzo >siena >viterbo >rome. then, i'd turn to the east coast, but i understand that you'll probably want to see naples and sicily, even if you are much likely to be disappointed. so, you'll probably want to go down to naples, calabria, maybe sicily then greece. i'd do instead rome >perugia >east coast down to bari >taranto then greece. on the return from greece i'll ferry to rimini >ravenna >up to venice then austria and go on. salzburg >munchen are "must see" if you can wien too...

if you need more accurate direction let me know...