Look forward to your exploits up the pass,I'm there in September. All the best with it,have a blast 
Don't forget the "Iconic" photo.
Don't forget the "Iconic" photo.
First European adventure on two wheels..
- Thread starter Sly
- Start date
Haha it was so busy, I didn't get a photo there. But I got a few others and the Calimoto tracking to prove I did itLook forward to your exploits up the pass,I'm there in September. All the best with it,have a blast
Don't forget the "Iconic" photo.
Bright and early. That's what I kept telling myself. Up at 5AM, bike loaded and barking into life at 05:50
Going to be a long day but might as well make the most being this far South. I wasn't planning on doing Stelvio but why not. First stop, food for the bike. Then we get cracking.
My GPS was taking me along a toll road. That's fine, I'll pay it. Except the lady told me the toll was to get onto a train and that I had to go via some pass. If I ever meet her again, I must say thanks. The road leading to the pass was epic in its own right.
Turns out I was on the Umbrail pass. Nice warm up for the main event.
We arrived around 09:30, I think just ahead of the main masses.
Stopped at the top for a quick snap. Wow. I was speechless. I've watched Clarkson, Hammond and May thrash Lamborghini, Porsche and Aston Martins up this hill and now I'm here. A bit sad to be experiencing this on my own but sometimes that's what one needs.
Decided to pull at one of the turns for a nice background photo. Excuse the wana-be Instagram model in front of the bike.
The most strangest thing, this lady asked to have her photo taken with my bike. A bit hesitant (just because I was caught by surprise) but sure.
A nice little jaunt all the way to the bottom
Must say, some proper want to be Marc Marquez on this road.
I ended up going a little bit into Italy and then turned around and headed back up.
After getting to the top, I bought the obligatory sticker and headed back home for a nice sunset drink and chill.
Tomorrow is a rest day (or so I thought!)
Going to be a long day but might as well make the most being this far South. I wasn't planning on doing Stelvio but why not. First stop, food for the bike. Then we get cracking.
My GPS was taking me along a toll road. That's fine, I'll pay it. Except the lady told me the toll was to get onto a train and that I had to go via some pass. If I ever meet her again, I must say thanks. The road leading to the pass was epic in its own right.
Turns out I was on the Umbrail pass. Nice warm up for the main event.
We arrived around 09:30, I think just ahead of the main masses.
Stopped at the top for a quick snap. Wow. I was speechless. I've watched Clarkson, Hammond and May thrash Lamborghini, Porsche and Aston Martins up this hill and now I'm here. A bit sad to be experiencing this on my own but sometimes that's what one needs.
Decided to pull at one of the turns for a nice background photo. Excuse the wana-be Instagram model in front of the bike.
The most strangest thing, this lady asked to have her photo taken with my bike. A bit hesitant (just because I was caught by surprise) but sure.
A nice little jaunt all the way to the bottom
Must say, some proper want to be Marc Marquez on this road.
I ended up going a little bit into Italy and then turned around and headed back up.
After getting to the top, I bought the obligatory sticker and headed back home for a nice sunset drink and chill.
Tomorrow is a rest day (or so I thought!)
Get the photo printed, first big trip, great scenery, your own bike and you’re there under your own steam. Lot of ticks there that deserve a reminder.Day 3 was a "place to be" day. Slight change of "plans". Alarm set for 3:30AM sharp. This time I heard it. Mostly because I was already awake at 3AM.
Out the hotel room, down to the bike, loaded up and...wait, where are those custom molded earplugs, oh please tell me I haven't lost them, they cost...oh wait, what's that in my pocket. Anywho, business as normal.
The reason for my early departure was to get to some family down in Switzerland, so I decided to get a move on to get there in time for the kids to be awake so we could enjoy a day by the pool and just chilling about. Bit of "work" (riding at 4AM) before holiday mode..
Now, the benefit of leaving 2 hours before sunrise is, less traffic and, I get to test my Lone Rider lights out in the dark.
Low beams
View attachment 526423
High beams
View attachment 526424
Camera doesn't do it justice but they do light up the road very well (flood lights) and quite some distance down the road (throw/spot lights).
Anyway, plodding along until I noticed the Waze was showing no speed limit..and there were cars coming flying past me. Could this be, the Autobahn? Well, when you're sitting at 150KM/H and a Mercedes E class AMG comes past you as if you had suddenly installed a reverse gear in the bike, yes. Yes it is.
View attachment 526427View attachment 526428
It was great fun stretching the legs on the bike, legally. Decided 220 was enough for me. The end result of Autobahn results?
View attachment 526430
Lots of these...
Anyway, pit stop over and back on the road. Managed to get to the family at a reasonable hour in the morning, just in time for breakfast/lunch/tea/brunch (whatever the youths call it these days)
View attachment 526431
View attachment 526432
Great to see the wider family who reside in Switzerland. Enjoyed an afternoon nap, lounging by the pool, snacks and laughter. Could get used to this...at 32 years of age
We decided to head back to the accommodation where the mother in law, grandmother in law, wife and 2 daughters were staying at.
Now I might be a bit biased here but, this photo I really love. Might get it printed. Just sums up how good this damn bike is. It's carried me and everything I need from the UK, over 1500km, at 124+MPH, with comfort and enough poke for me. Might not be the newest or fanciest bike around but, it has something no other bike has....it's mine. (Well, ours if you ask my 2 year old)
View attachment 526435
Now, good nights kip ahead of tomorrows plans. Stelvio pass
Enjoy your trip and I’d suggest make as much up as you can as you go along, don’t be restricted by too tight a plan if you can. Stop when you like somewhere, keep going when you don’t. You won’t go homeless.
But if you have booked everything in advance, you’ll have some peace of mind.
Either way you’ll enjoy it.
That’s a very good suggestion.
Apple and others can create some very good books of pictures, at a good price. I have never done it, but wish I had.
I also wish I had pictures from my first trips, but too late now.
Last edited:
Thank you mate. I have a photo of my daughter with my bike of that first night in Switzerland, that one is being printed with a few others.
I do enjoy stopping here and there just because I can!
Tonight's accommodation (on the way home) as somehow, put me in the Vosges mountains. Completely by luck, had no clue I booked the hotel in this area
Looks like you are enjoying this trip .. well done you for venturing out on your own for the first time.
Keep it coming .. all looks very nice indeed !
Keep it coming .. all looks very nice indeed !
So, what happened to my rest day?
Well, the weather. Because I only packed my mesh kit and a rain jacket, I did keep one eye on the weather and saw the Furka and Grimsel weather had started to close in so I decided to write the rest day off and head that way and onto the next hotel in Southern France (more on that later)
I decided to pack up my bag and top box, say goodbye to the Mrs and kids and head off to the main goal for this trip : Furka and Grimsel pass. Once I was given a lesson by my wife's Swiss gran on how to pronounce the names properly..
So off I went, and as usual, first pit stop was more fuel.
Fast forward a few hours and I find myself in Sisikon at the most picture perfect lake I have ever seen in my 32 years on this planet..
(I will post some screenshot from the helmet cam when I download the footage)
These passes need no introduction. To most of you experienced tourer, I'm sure these are boring but, for me, I'll let these photos do the talking..
Had to take a quick snap by this famous hotel..
I did get caught in some of the rain but nothing we couldn't handle. Thankfully it cleared up on the way to the hotel. Ah yes, that hotel. Which I picked at random. Which happened to be right in the Vosges mountains...
Just in time for a late afternoon thunderstorm. Enjoyed a very nice fillet steak, chips and coke. Was very good. They also had a lock up garage with 3 other bikers (from Belgium) who just arrived to do some loops of the Vosges mountains.
Now to bed. Little did I know tomorrow will be the longest day on the bike I have ever had (and hopefully ever will).
Well, the weather. Because I only packed my mesh kit and a rain jacket, I did keep one eye on the weather and saw the Furka and Grimsel weather had started to close in so I decided to write the rest day off and head that way and onto the next hotel in Southern France (more on that later)
I decided to pack up my bag and top box, say goodbye to the Mrs and kids and head off to the main goal for this trip : Furka and Grimsel pass. Once I was given a lesson by my wife's Swiss gran on how to pronounce the names properly..
So off I went, and as usual, first pit stop was more fuel.
Fast forward a few hours and I find myself in Sisikon at the most picture perfect lake I have ever seen in my 32 years on this planet..
(I will post some screenshot from the helmet cam when I download the footage)
These passes need no introduction. To most of you experienced tourer, I'm sure these are boring but, for me, I'll let these photos do the talking..
Had to take a quick snap by this famous hotel..
I did get caught in some of the rain but nothing we couldn't handle. Thankfully it cleared up on the way to the hotel. Ah yes, that hotel. Which I picked at random. Which happened to be right in the Vosges mountains...
Just in time for a late afternoon thunderstorm. Enjoyed a very nice fillet steak, chips and coke. Was very good. They also had a lock up garage with 3 other bikers (from Belgium) who just arrived to do some loops of the Vosges mountains.
Now to bed. Little did I know tomorrow will be the longest day on the bike I have ever had (and hopefully ever will).
are you camping inside the topbox ? it's fucking enormous !
Haha. Just a 57L. Too big for one person, wish I had a 42L one too. But this is for when the wife is on the bike with me.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2015
- Messages
- 13,268
- Reaction score
- 5,371
Keep the posts coming - great to hear how the trip is going! Counting down the days till my own departure, can't wait!
Good stuff.
I’ve just done those passes on my Rocket, don’t worry about boring people, that’ll never happen.
I’m loving the flexibility shown too, rigid plans make for stress and anxiety.
You’ve got it bang on first go
I’ve just done those passes on my Rocket, don’t worry about boring people, that’ll never happen.
I’m loving the flexibility shown too, rigid plans make for stress and anxiety.
You’ve got it bang on first go
Owner is really lovely guy. Locks the bikes in the garage, you can have the key to access the bike at anytime or leave early if you need etc. Food was really good
For a first trip and first report, this is excellent. Keep it coming and enjoy the ride.
Great write up, thank you.
And fair play for doing your 1st trip of this type on your own.
And fair play for doing your 1st trip of this type on your own.
Similar threads
