Riding abroad

[Riktus]

Correct - Motorcyclists are not required to carry Hi Viz jackets or waistcoat - even in the event of a breakdown and if you have been fined for it then you are entitled to challenge that fine. I carry one anyway as a pack but only because i use it to wrap spare bulb boxs in and i have used it to assist another motorist when I helped change a tyre for a woman who was struggling.

I havent bothered with light reflectors for a few years now because I very rarely ride at night and when I have the lights have always been like dim candles anyway.... But if you want to there is a template on Rainbows website that you can copy and make a cover.

Rik

 

[Gossy]

I'm off to Spain soon, will my 2013 RT need anything on the headlight as I'll be on the 'wrong' side of the carriageway.

BMW Assist

 

[stolzy]

Correct - Motorcyclists are not required to carry Hi Viz jackets or waistcoat - even in the event of a breakdown and if you have been fined for it then you are entitled to challenge that fine. I carry one anyway as a pack but only because i use it to wrap spare bulb boxs in and i have used it to assist another motorist when I helped change a tyre for a woman who was struggling.

I havent bothered with light reflectors for a few years now because I very rarely ride at night and when I have the lights have always been like dim candles anyway.... But if you want to there is a template on Rainbows website that you can copy and make a cover.

Rik

The spare bulb thing amuses me. In most modern cars there is little chance of changing a headlight bulb at the side of the road. On my Audi, you have to remove most of the front of the car to get at the headlight bulbs.

 

[Yonkyo]

Just got back from a 1600mile tour of northern France on my RTLE. No hVis, stickers etc...no problems.
4200 miles on the clock now and the rear Conti is squaring off a bit after 100s of miles at 100+mph fully loaded.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Just got back from a 1600mile tour of northern France on my RTLE. No hVis, stickers etc...no problems.
4200 miles on the clock now and the rear Conti is squaring off a bit after 100s of miles at 100+mph fully loaded.

Me too, last week

Even had a headlight bulb go in Belgium

Bought a bulb at first car garage in Germany on a Sat afternoon, 30 seconds to change and all fine again

 

[Yonkyo]

Me too, last week

Even had a headlight bulb go in Belgium

Bought a bulb at first car garage in Germany on a Sat afternoon, 30 seconds to change and all fine again

Nice one..

Funny, I also had my low beem blow (it was a cheap eBay xenon bulb I'd fitted)
So I had to buy standard H7 in a froggy services.
Took a bit longer to fit on the RT though as its a fiddly job.

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

SO what do you need to take then?

Im just about to look at the DVLA site etc to sort my list out, going to Holland Belgiium frnace germany luxembourg switzerland lichtenstein austria

short one this year, keeping it local cos i dont want to catch ebola in africa which was Plan A this year!!!

 

[Yonkyo]

SO what do you need to take then?

Im just about to look at the DVLA site etc to sort my list out, going to Holland Belgiium frnace germany luxembourg switzerland lichtenstein austria

short one this year, keeping it local cos i dont want to catch ebola in africa which was Plan A this year!!!

Just a toothbrush and credit card..

 

[stolzy]

Just a toothbrush and credit card..

Passport's useful if you want to get back into Blightly - nobody else will look at it.

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

ha ha no i just meant with the supposed changes to the systems in france etc

i am well enough travelled to remember my passport

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

ha ha no i just meant with the supposed changes to the systems in france etc

i am well enough travelled to remember my passport

Nothing for the bike

They have bulbs and tyres in France you know

No HiViz

Nu bulb kit

No breathalyser

Nowt

In 25 years of touring on the bike, in France it's always been the same

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

anything changed for all the other countries?

cheeky fecker

 

[stolzy]

Not even an MOT

 

[DaygloDavid]

I use a removable headlight protector http://www.nippynormans.com/product...ector-clear-r1200rt-2010-onwards-hlp-1200rt10, which has the LHD to RHD conversion stickers attached http://www.rainbowmotorcycles.com/Headlamp/R1200RT.pdf, (page 2).

 

[Bumpkin]

Hi Viz is required when in a car. it's assumed that you can wheel a bike off the road and hence there is no requirement to carry one. Same as warning triangle. Good point above about having one on board if you're intending to play the good Samaritan though.

Breathalyser law was seen as ridiculous and, whilst I believe it's still on 'the books' it's not being prosecuted.

Spare bulbs are technically still a requirement so I carry a spare indicator bulb as everything on my bike (VFR) is doubled up anyway. In fact, thinking about it, I believe that one of the twin tail-light bulbs could even be pulled and used for that.

Helmet stickers are a relatively new law but not enforced that I've heard of.

GPS camera warnings; illegal but your regular gendarme isn't qualified or authorised to start fiddling with your GPS to find out. Needs to be the French equivalent of DoT bods, known to hang out at ferry ports and pull people over for a check though I've never seen evidence of this. Got pulled over by Spanish police in the Pyrenees this year for a spot check, the young officer took particular interest in my GPS screen shielding it from the sun, possibly we were at a known mobile camera location and was looking for an on screen prompt

With asymmetric headlights I do apply some black insulating tape to change the pattern. Pointed the bike at a wall at night and used two pieces of card to find the right spots on my twin headlights, one to cover one light, the other to find where to put the tape. Works well and peels off easily afterwards. I hate being dazzled by others at night and so practice what I preach, only fair.

 

[khunpaul]

Do we know which bulb kit is suitable for WC RT yet?

Also, the previous RT had those knurled knobs that manually swung the beams up/down, left/right reachable under the handlebar void. - I haven't looked to see if they are still on the WC?

 

[dave hendy]

If all your lights are LED you don't need a bulb kit!

 

[Yonkyo]

If all your lights are LED you don't need a bulb kit!

Nope, the headlights are still Halogen on the new RT, so I'm thinking of sticking a Hidden kit on mine.

 

[dave hendy]

Nope, the headlights are still Halogen on the new RT, so I'm thinking of sticking a Hidden kit on mine.

Joys of having a GS TE then!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DaygloDavid]

Also, the previous RT had left/right reachable under the handlebar void.

Is this adjustable by the rider or do you still need the sticky tape.