Newbie

[stanhort]

Thanks Lee

Have been onto Moto-Bins and been assured that they carry a good deal of /6 parts.

A dingos breakfast is Aussie slang for a Piss and a look around! The saying derives from Dingos being extremely careful animals who are continually being hunted by dog trappers. Their wariness is such that before breaking cover at daybreak, they have a quick piss and a very carefull look at the surroundings before venturing further afield!!




Went up as far as Dumfries and Calarvarock Castle just over the border in Scotland and the snow was bucketing down. Not sure how upright the beemers stay in those conditions? Also, driving along the motorway in something approaching blizzard conditions, the 4-5 lanes of traffic didn't back off from 70 mph. Scary stuff for bikes if your blonde enough to be out in it!!!!!!!!!

What sort of touring do you do around the continent and what is the cost like to do B&B's etc for a couple of weeks? Always fancied a trip out to the western front in France/Belgium and over to Gallipoli for another dingos breakfast.

Regards
Nick

[horse27]

Hi Nick

There is a very nice route just below Belgium (staying in Northern France and going through the Norde-pas-de-calais, Champagne-Ardenne and touching on the Lorraine regions) ... pop into Luxembourg for a look and then into Germany for the Mossel Valley and the Nurburgring The Eifel mountain region is not to be missed on a bike.

Take the beemer back to it's spiritual home!

B&Bs are plentiful and good (say 25-30 Euros a night) but camping is also a good option as the French can't get enough of it and the sites are all over. Or a mixture of both ...

Belgium is flat but a quick route back to the UK (even though it looks (and is) further).

Funnily enough I went out to Turkey earlier in the year for a Dingos breakfast - hired a Suzuki Freewind (don't ask) from Izmir toured all around including hopping from Canakkale to Eceabat on the ferry to the Gallipoli peninsula - it was just before ANZAC day so must have been early April? They were setting up for the services. Good time to go if you are interested but very cold at that time of year. I know a decent mechanic in Canakkale if you need one (see above mentioned Freewind) but take care in Istanbul ... the WORST driving I have EVER come across (and before this I had India, Sicily and North Africa at the top of my list).

Might is right ... Cheers, Lee.

[boxerpan]

Belgium is flat but a quick route back to the UK (even though it looks (and is) further).

I would recommend avoiding Belgium unless you are going to Spa

[Mitch]

The roads in Belgium are generally poor, they make up for this by brewing many different kinds of beer, most of which are extremely strong! Spa is a must, devote an hour or so to tracing the full route of the old circuit. I went there in July for a classic bike event, arrived the day before, it's quite spooky as there are some stretches of perfectly surfaced road bordered by rusting armco that don't go anywhere. There was a Porsche club trackday on the new circuit, with a genuine 917 racer circulating, making GT3s look very slow indeed. That flat 12 echoing through the forest was a real 'hair on the back of the neck' moment! A trackday on the new circuit is highly recommended, can be arranged via Neil Leigh at [url]aeaventures.com[/url]

[boxerpan]

Spa is a must, devote an hour or so to tracing the full route of the old circuit. I went there in July for a classic bike event,

We are heading there for the classic bike thingy with the RC30 lot next summer........can't wait

[stanhort]

Lee

Glad you're getting the hang of our lingo!

With regard to your Gallipoli run, what sort of distances are involved as well as run times from a start point in, say, South of England? Also what of the reliability/quality of petrol etc in the remote areas?

Requiring mechanical assistance in Turkey sounds a bit dubious! We have a program on tv out here where it shows Aborigines bodgying up vehicles in the outbback to get by. Not a great vision and I suspect Turkey villages might be similar.

Listening to the cricket at the moment - 3/400! and an even greater indinity was the expulsion from the grounds yesterday of the Barmy Army's trumpeter!!

Regards
Nick

[horse27]

Nick

If you are going from England it's a fair old run to Turkey but would be a great trip ... you got Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria in the way before you get to the "European" part of Turkey (where the Gallipoli peninsula is) ...

1600 miles in a straight line from London to Istanbul (according to Bill Gates) So about 2500-3000 miled on the road I guess???

One cool thing is hopping between Europe and Asia though.

Like most of continental europe petrol is good quality (it should be as it is so bleeding expensive) - I actually found Turkey easier than, say, France for finding it - they have modern 24hr stations everywhere (with really good coffee) and most have a bar/restaurant attached - France is fine too (especially if you are blatting through on the autoroutes) but when you get rural it gets harder on a bike.

Main towns all over europe are modern and "westernised" now - something to do with this globalisation thing but rural Turkey can be a little lawless (towns have police but outside is looked after by the military ... all very friendly though) ... I got pulled a few times but they were just interested in the idiot touring around on a motorbike in April.

Take care near the Syrian, Iraq and Iran borders though - there is something going on there at the moment

Ta, Lee.

[BockingBandit]

So Lee,.. just 1 small question: Where were your 3 challenge buddies; Skinny Tall & Fat, when all this globe-trotting was going on????

[horse27]

I went with a mate who is 6' 8" and 17 stone but not fat ... does that count?

(Not joking either)

I promise you'll get an invite next time - it was just I would have felt the pressure of competition and felt compelled to keep stopping to collect the answers to meaningless questions