MCi Tours

madmechanic

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Usually tour round Europe on my own and go where I plan the night before , but I keep getting drawn to a MCi self guided tour.
Any advise or experience would be a help.
I know some will say why pay someone to do what you do yourself but looking at the prices 11 nights b&b with 8 evening meals euro crossing and full gps routes as a guide if wanted some 3* but mostly 4* hotels and the price is probably cheaper than you could get them yourself.
The thing that I think will be worth trying is every day when you set off you have a set destination to head to and not having to search for a hotel when you get there .
 
Usually tour round Europe on my own and go where I plan the night before , but I keep getting drawn to a MCi self guided tour.
Any advise or experience would be a help.
I know some will say why pay someone to do what you do yourself but looking at the prices 11 nights b&b with 8 evening meals euro crossing and full gps routes as a guide if wanted some 3* but mostly 4* hotels and the price is probably cheaper than you could get them yourself.
The thing that I think will be worth trying is every day when you set off you have a set destination to head to and not having to search for a hotel when you get there .

Thing is, it is your trip. If it makes you more comfortable, do it. Holiday time away on the bike is valuable time. Some people love to plan themselves, sometimes in infinite detail. Some are happy to do what you've done previously, or ride and find a place on the day (or like me generally consult booking.com about 3pm..)

The only drawback I can actually think of is eating in the hotel of an evening. I like to have a stroll and find somewhere.

There is no right and wrong of course. Seems you're tempted so why not do it :thumb
 
I did a few tours when Alistair ran it. Mostly before the big hotel booking engines existed and after he had a cancellation so I got a discount to make up the numbers.

You are paying quite a premium, especially as a solo traveller. The French Alps trip works out around £150 a night which is more than I spend on a solo trip using similar hotels. Also, for me, I like the planning stage, researching routes and planning places to stay. I like having a room booked ahead, as it is a target to aim for so motivates you to get on the road fairly early. I'll vary the route for weather and traffic conditions - it's not often there isn't an alternative route at lower altitude or using an autoroute if you need to make up time. Room booking is so easy nowadays - if you have a phone, tablet or laptop with you then you can book a place at 5pm on the same day or several weeks ahead using one of many booking sites.
 
I think why not give it a try?
It may be the worst holiday you've had, or it might be the best!
If it's the worst, then put it down to experience and do something different next year. On the other hand, you may love it.
Either way you will have tried something new.
Whichever you choose, just enjoy it
 
I've done a few mci trips, my first in 2008 and at the time they were great value and I met some guys whom I still go away with now every year, but over the years the prices increased and the eve meals were really poor i.e. Greasy piece of chicken n chips !! there clientele went from sports bike riders to old men on beemers, We were paying for the escorted tour however i have never participated in the escorted part and the escorted means your paying someone's wages, I used the tour companies to meet like minded bods and now do our own trips, saving £££ .
 
As it’s not one of their organised trips you will not be guaranteed any company in the evenings or people to ride with. You are just paying for them to do all the organising of routes and accommodation, although they have a lot of experience of this so hopefully they will pick reasonable places. We have done a few organised trips with the previous owners and always had a good time.

If you don’t want the hassle of organising a trip yourself go for it


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
If you just want someone else to have generated interesting but safe/tested routes, you can get that from The RiDE Guide to Europe - in fact, all the routes are free to download. The mag itself is more of a menu... Shows what the riding in the different areas is like and explains the itineraries.

If you want someone to do the logistics of booking all the hotels for you, that is a service you should pay for, like using any travel agent.

If the route is bespoke - generated just for you, taking in things you want to see and giving the kind of riding you want, that’s definitely worth paying for. But if it’s just an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all tour, it’s an expensive way of getting it. All you’re saving yourself is the morning of booking your own hotels.

That said, if it’s appealed to you and you can afford it, then why not give it a go? I agree with Dave (above) that the real strength of tour operators is the group trips, where even if you do your own thing in the day, there’s company and banter in the evenings. But this way will let you use their route knowledge at the time that suits you (not tied to their tour dates) and takes all the effort out of planning/booking. It isn’t the cheapest solution, which you know, but it would be a good solution - and I guess that’s the bit you weren’t sure about.
 
You are used to touring Europe on your own, booking your own hotels but, I read your post correctly, you now favour joining up with others. I guess the reasons why are twofold:

1. You can take advantage of the tour company having taken the grunt out of it. You’ll have your overnight stops marked out and booked, your day to day routes created for you; just rock up and ride away.

2. You gain some company, either during the day or in the evenings.

Both are easily justifiable, you save time and you spend some money. Whether that’s good or bad value, you’ll find out and decide for yourself.

How about a real alternative?

Why not arrange a tour or jaunt (it doesn’t have to be miles or even tens of days away) of your own but then post an open invitation for bods to join you? I ran perhaps 40 or more of these amateur tours over a 10 year period. These ranged from anything between a day or two out in France, to three weeks lapping Germany. If you haven’t done something similar before, try something simle(ish) with a small group (say four bikes) would be my suggestion, maybe to somewhere you are familiar with or maybe adapt one of the RiDE routes that Simon W has suggested, perhaps? Then, if you enjoy it, run another. They get easier and easier as you go along.

Any hints and tips if you do?

1. Whenever possible, everyone start each day with a full tank of fuel. That way everyone starts off at the same point, so it makes fuel stops easier

2. Many bods do not ride long(ish) distances, so they have no real idea of their bike’s real range. It’s very often much further than they think, so there is no need for some to panic when the fuel meter hits half empty. A good rule of thumb is 10 miles per litre of fuel.... now you’ve got them wondering how large their fuel tank is; many bods do not know but some of them will know the cost of fuel to the fraction of a penny and be certain that the latest Michelin tyres are the dog’s bollocks, way better than the last Dunlop tyres, which they loved. I once asked a fellow (full panniers, loads of stickers, extended screen, the full nine yards) how big his tank was? The answer: “No idea, but I usually put £25 to £27 in, sometimes £15 if I am a bit short”, I kid you not.

3. Start, wheels rolling, by 09:30. It’s a simple truth that one hour in the morning translates to two in the afternoon

4. Aim to have a coffee stop mid-morning (say 30 minutes) a lunch break (90 minutes) and an afternoon tea stop, again of 30 minutes

5. If you have a bod with a small fuel tank (see points 1 and 2) don’t worry. I have lead groups on - amongst other things - an HP4 (17 litres) and on a megamotto at 14 litres. We have all made it round. I simply splashed in fuel each time we stopped

6. Try to finish each day, bikes fuelled up, by between 17:30 and 18:30

7. If you have a GPS, the ‘Miles remaining to final destination’ and ‘Arrival time at final destination’ are both really helpful tools. Get to love them..... as you can watch the day vanish!

8. Make a note of what you do, the distances, time taken etc. Your little diary will be invaluable to you by trips, 5, 10, 20......

9. Distances with a group of say six to 10 bikes? 250 miles in a day on French D roads (no goat tracks and and no innumerable left, right, left, left, right turns.... keep it reasonably simple) 350 if you lob in some motorway, too. 10 bikes can be hard work at cafes and lunchtime restaurants and.......

10. Get a decent map. It will one day help you, trust me on that alone
 
Organised tour.

Riding with several other bikes.

Groups of bikermates every evening.

I'd rather pull my own teeth.
 
Organised tour.

Riding with several other bikes.

Groups of bikermates every evening.

I'd rather pull my own teeth.

Driving for a living, I understand your need for solitude; and being the master of your own destiny; or is that destination; :D. It all depends who ; and how well you know , the people you chose to ride with. I knock around with a close knit bunch of mates ; and we have travelled all over Europe together at some point; but there are still times I like to say ; I'll meet you there. Feel free to correct my grammer; and spelling.:D:beerjug:
 
Richard: self-guided tour = you ride on your own, no group; tour company merely supplies routes & books hotels/crossings for you
 


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