First solo trip

[grantmac]

Finally going to do one. First solo trip. Taking my “wank panzer” on its first ride from The Hague down to south of Calais to the small town of Montreuil. Great little restaurant and hotel with a high quality food Logis rating. Riding down Saturday early June and back Sunday. New bike needs to be run in and first service due at 1000km. So perfect to do this and then it’s ready to go for my multiple trips over the summer. Should be fun…

 

[Udders]

Have fun.
Solo riding is quite invigorating. You don’t have to be constantly thinking about everyone else and what they might want.

 

[grantmac]

Have fun.
Solo riding is quite invigorating. You don’t have to be constantly thinking about everyone else and what they might want.

Might indeed set a precedent

 

[TIJ650]

Finally going to do one. First solo trip. Taking my “wank panzer” on its first ride from The Hague down to south of Calais to the small town of Montreuil. Great little restaurant and hotel with a high quality food Logis rating. Riding down Saturday early June and back Sunday. New bike needs to be run in and first service due at 1000km. So perfect to do this and then it’s ready to go for my multiple trips over the summer. Should be fun…

I’d definitely recommend mixing in some Route Napoleon from Gap or Grenoble.
I like riding alone cause you only have to concern yourself with one agenda.
I’ve found over the years when riding in groups - if you’re faster than alpha man, you’re an accident waiting to happen……….and if you’re slower - you’re a fanny!! Lol
Nothing in between, so need to find friends same speed. Should actually be prerequisite?!

 

[TIJ650]

………..you meet the best friends when bashing fairings

 

[grantmac]

’d definitely recommend mixing in some Route Napoleon from Gap or Grenoble

Bit difficult on a weekend only trip from Holland…. But I’ll take your advice for future. We actually know France quite well as we ride there 3-4 times a year

 

[TIJ650]

New bike needs to be run in and first service due at 1000km.

I remember reading somewhere it’s not good to run your bike in on the motorway at constant engine speed. Much better up and down the box at varying revs. Guess Motorrad bounce them off the rev limiters when first built anyway………so less important. Enjoy

 

[wessie]

Montreuil

which one? There are many of them

 

[grantmac]

I realise…. The one just south of Calais
Montreuil sur Mer

 

[grantmac]

I remember reading somewhere it’s not good to run your bike in on the motorway at constant engine speed. Much better up and down the box at varying revs. Guess Motorrad bounce them off the rev limiters when first built anyway………so less important. Enjoy

You’re absolutely right. I won’t be much on the motorway preferring the coast road all the way from Rotterdam down so should be fine

 

[timeandtide]

Enjoy!

 

[Wapping]

preferring the coast road all the way from Rotterdam

With a short exception of a stretch between roughly Sangatte and Audresselles, there is not too much to really commend the coast road.

I’d cut inland a bit, to pass through Flanders and then on the diagonal thro’ say, Wisques.

Take the really small roads. Maybe modify this a bit:

Thread 'A weekend break in north east France, all within 40 miles of Calais….'

Apr 29, 2025

The London Marathon finds me trapped in Wapping, cut off from the rest of the world due to closed roads. The consequence of this is that I have taken up going away to France or Belgium on the Friday and not returning until the Monday morning.

This year, I thought I’d do something a bit different, to see what might be possible, going away to north east France, but never more than 40 miles from Calais. I also thought I’d ring a change by turning left (eastwards) when leaving the Chunnel, instead of heading south or westwards. I wasn’t disappointed.

People say that the roads of north east...

• Wapping
• Replies: 41
• Forum: Motorcycle trips

• 

 

[er-minio]

I love traveling on my own. You’ll have a blast.

Mix of b roads and a bit of necessary motorway will be a good breaking in routine for engine and all other mechanical parts.

I’ve done the same to my last two cars driving them down to Italy literally the day after picking them up. Both haven’t complained so far

Have fun!

 

[Ectopic]

I love traveling on my own. You’ll have a blast.

Mix of b roads and a bit of necessary motorway will be a good breaking in routine for engine and all other mechanical parts.

I’ve done the same to my last two cars driving them down to Italy literally the day after picking them up. Both haven’t complained so far

Have fun!

How do you drive two cars at once?

 

[er-minio]

Broomstick and windows rolled down.

 

[Ectopic]

I love a solo bike trip. I did a couple of 2-week holidays between wives and found the first couple of days of the first trip quite lonely - not having anyone to talk to about the journey, scenery etc. But very soon realised that the upsides outweighed the downsides; complete freedom to go where you want, when you want.

 

[er-minio]

Most of my "solo" is normally the first leg of the travel to meet friends to then continue on, as most times I'm riding from the UK and they ride from Italy and we meet "in the middle".
I just had to cancel a trip to Spain over Easter, but the mechanic was the same, ride on my own to BCN over a couple of days, ride with them all the way to Gibraltar and around there, then split from the group mid Spain as they would go to BCN to take their ferry and I'd go to Bilbao to take my ferry.

So, about 4/5 days on my own in total. Mixing it with being with other people for the rest of the trip, makes it less "lonely".


A few years ago I did the Parpillon on the way south, and met another guy on top of the pass, while I was sitting by the tunnel entrance admiring the scenery.
We ended up riding the rest of the day together (he was very fast and very experienced offroad), then aperitif and we both went on our ways. It was nice.

I keep doing UK/Italy every once in a while on my own (3 days by bike) but it lost its appeal as I've done it many times and I started wanting to be more direct/faster in getting to destination.
But I always go visit the swans in this little town in the middle of nowhere in France on my way there or back. It became my little ritual.

I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to stomach a long trip completely on my own though. I know people that do/can do it, but not sure I'll love it over a certain amount of days.

 

[siddo]

I always go solo for at least 2 weeks in September. 3 this year as I have extra holiday. I can't wait.
It's bliss being on your own and not having anyone to consider.

 

[leadfarmer]

I’ve only done one “tour” solo, my Billy no mates tour around the motorcycle factories of Italy, which was very enjoyable

I’d have had to do a bit less of a motorcycle centric trip if I’d had wifey on the back but for me that’s a small price, I prefer touring 2 up far more than solo

 

[Posh Pete]

Montreuil? Since you're there, have a look at FM Haig's HQ just outside the town ... http://roadstothegreatwar-ww1.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-visit-to-general-haigs-headquarters.html?m=1

Coincidentally, I visited Dryburgh Abbey today where he's buried. He's got the same gravestone as every other UK soldier killed under his command.