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Post by steve63 on May 5, 2022 13:05:09 GMT 1
I did threaten to start this thread a while ago but it looked like it might not be happening and now it looks like it is..... Anyway, we are planning a trip to Spain via the ferry to Santander in June and there are a number of things we are looking into connected to that trip. I have listed some/most of them below. It would be interesting to me at least to have other peoples thoughts on them. 1) Travel insurance - Being a motorcycle trip, does if effect things? Who has anyone used? 2) Sat Nav - Never had one for the bike but they weren't around (not really when we last went). 3) Break-down insurance - already covered by the AA for the UK but they want £400 for the trip because the bike is so very very old (2003 ) 4) Cash - I have ordered a stack (to me) of Euros but the Mrs especially is not keen on carting wads of cash everywhere. 5) Phone mounts - I have just bought an Oppo 94 5G. Quadlock were recommended but they don't do a case for it.
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Post by billbott on May 5, 2022 13:49:28 GMT 1
Hi Steve, I have been doing a euro trip every year for the last 20 (pre covid of course) and planning to ride to Spain and back on my GPz this year. Also done a 1500 mile trip up to and around the NC500 on a C90…
I use a ventura bag and rack as its easy to load and unload. As well as the stuff you listed, I take a puncture repair kit, basic tool kit, duct tape and cable ties, waterproof map book. We always book hotels ahead on booking.com – make sure you take the free cancellation option so you can change your plans along the way (like if you see a sign for the Grosglockner pass and end up in Italy instead of Austria…..)
1) Travel insurance – I just use our family insurance policy although I’ve never tried to claim….. 2) Sat Nav – I have a cheap car Tom Tom which I hard wire to the battery and keep in a waterproof pouch on my handlebars – which also comes in handy for toll tickets etc. 3) Break-down insurance – I am with Peter James Insurance – European breakdown cover is included as standard! 4) Cash – I take a 0% credit card and use that as much as I can then pay it off over the next year. Usually take a couple of hundred euros and use a cash till if I need any more. 5) Phone mounts - I just keep my phone in a polythene bag in my pocket, saves any mither from the FPO.
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Post by geoffers997 on May 5, 2022 16:22:53 GMT 1
I do the Portsmouth to Santander trip once or twice a year - it’s a good boat and a nice start to a road trip.
My general tips:
1. On the boat get a cabin. Do not think you’ll get a nights sleep on their reclining seats. Cabins with windows are nicer but the inside ones are fine - think Travelodge with a smaller bed and you’ll be ok.
2. The food onboard is good (it’s a French boat after all) and not massively expensive. Being cheap I take a microwave curry and rice for my evening meal as they have microwaves onboard
3. Once on the road in Spain it’s fairly plain sailing. Speed cameras are sign posted and if you travel on a Sunday the police are mostly in church or asleep.
4. There are a few tolls north of and around Madrid but none between Madrid and Malaga in the south.
5. Petrol isn’t monumentally expensive on Spanish motorways and the services are better quality than uk ones. If it’s really hot they don’t ship super unleaded so be aware if you need fuel and it’s over 40 degrees.
6. Always park where you can see your bike or car as thieves love foreign plated vehicles.
7. Enjoy the ride. The north and south is mountainous and have great mountain passes. The central plains are flat and vast. The volume of traffic is not as high as in the uk so you can have some proper fun.
8. The Spanish love cash but post pandemic they are coming around more to cards. I use a Monzo card as it’s the cheapest way to use plastic for purchases.
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Post by abar121 on May 5, 2022 16:57:43 GMT 1
We did a trip to Spain and Portugal using the Santander ferry a few years back. Probably my favorite Euro trip so far. Loads of amazing roads, incredible history towns and cities and great food. What's not to like I use Ram Mounts for mobiles or an old tom tom. They were well. If you can stretch to it, the Paradors are wonderful to stay in and usually in historic buildings. I'm going to head to Portugal via the Satander ferry, hopefully in the summer. Looking for a trail bike to restore at the moment. They have fantastic fire trails all over the country.
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Post by geoffers997 on May 5, 2022 18:36:48 GMT 1
Join the Amigos de Paradores and you’ll get cheaper rates and deals. - it’s deffo worth doing as they’re in beautiful old buildings, great food and have secure parking.
Avila, Salamanca and Toledo all have brilliant paradores and are about 4hrs from Santander
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Post by steve63 on May 5, 2022 23:54:24 GMT 1
Brilliant. Some great ideas there. It's given me plenty to look at, thanks.
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Post by JonW on May 6, 2022 0:30:18 GMT 1
Its a car video but Harry just recently did this and the scenery looks amazing and the old towns are stunning. He talked a little about the ferry as well etc. maybe useful?
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Post by steve63 on May 6, 2022 6:37:49 GMT 1
I'll have to dedicate a bit of time to go through all these points. Last night I spent some time looking at breakdown insurance and I found most of them, but not all, draw a line at 16 years old for the bike. We're off on a test trip to Dalby Forest on Saturday. The Mrs has booked us a pitch for one night. On the Spain trip we've booked the first 5 nights in Hotels and then decide where we want to go. The camping is more of a plan B than plan A. It just gives us more flexibility. This is the bike last week when we did a tester.
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Post by abar121 on May 6, 2022 16:31:16 GMT 1
That looks familiar! Spot my Sprint 1050 and a mates Blackbird here in Olite. A womderful spot to stay a night or two.
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Post by steve63 on May 6, 2022 17:57:06 GMT 1
That looks familiar! Spot my Sprint 1050 and a mates Blackbird here in Olite. A womderful spot to stay a night or two. That looks like a nice spot. We have four nights booked in Albarracin. For no more of a reason than I bought a copy of Ride magazine and there was a bit in there about good rides. There was one about the road from the south up to Albarracin. Albarracin was voted the nicest looking village in Spain in about 2017. I often see interesting places popping up on the screen saver on my computer at work and think that I'd like to go there. Sometimes it's as simple as that. It's about a 400 mile ride from Santander so easily done in a day but as the journey is as important or more so than the destination we spread the map out and found somewhere near the mid point and booked it for the first night.
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Post by steve63 on May 8, 2022 20:42:34 GMT 1
We did the one night in Dalby Forest. I was bloomin freezing during the night and had horrendous back ache. About 75% of the weight we're carrying is camping stuff but the Mrs really want to do at least some nights in a tent so that's how it is 🙂 Bike needs a bit more pre-load I think but tyres we're about 7psi down when I checked so it might be better now I've sorted that out.
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Post by abar121 on May 9, 2022 9:05:58 GMT 1
Wack the rear damping on max, assuming it's not already there. After 15k or so, the rear shock starts to go south.
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Post by shaunthe2nd on May 9, 2022 9:40:03 GMT 1
I'm jealous about the rod trip. A few of us did Germany last year but stayed central in a rented house in Cochem, and set off in different directions each day. It meant we could travel lighter, no camping gear nor cold nights! I'd stick to your plan A, but either way enjoy the trip.
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Post by steve63 on May 9, 2022 12:37:15 GMT 1
Wack the rear damping on max, assuming it's not already there. After 15k or so, the rear shock starts to go south. Well it has done about 22,000. I noticed when I was sussing out how to raise the pre-pload that the damping adjuster seemed to be pointing at the 'S' and not the 'H'. I'll consult the handbook and Haynes to see how many clicks there are and where it is now. It's difficult to see what setting the pre-load is at now. There's all kinds of stuff in the way. I know I should really just do one thing at a time and see what works but
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Post by steve63 on May 9, 2022 13:02:58 GMT 1
I'm jealous about the rod trip. A few of us did Germany last year but stayed central in a rented house in Cochem, and set off in different directions each day. It meant we could travel lighter, no camping gear nor cold nights! I'd stick to your plan A, but either way enjoy the trip. We rode through Germany on the way to Corfu in 1990. Stopped on a campsite for one night somewhere up in a forest near Munich. It was the night England played The Cameroons at Italia '90. 1st July 1990 (just looked it up ) There was the German couple who owned the campsite, a Dutch couple and us watching the game. The German couple were laughing every time England made a mistake, which was a lot. Quite a few massive glasses of fantastic German beer! We weren't up and away early that next day. These things are what you go away for. The Mrs. seems quite set on the camping thing. I'm not sure why exactly and she seems quite adamant so I'll just go along with it. She may have fond memories of previous trips to Spain. I find there are often ulterior motives for things that I'm not informed of until afterwards We did the Trans Pennine trail on push bike in 2012. Four of us with camping gear but we did B&B's, Hotels and camping alternately and it was a really enjoyable trip. Incidentally, I only found out recently that B&B doesn't necessarily mean Bead & Breakfast (bit like R&B doesn't mean Rhythm & Blues anymore I guess) and is more a generic term. I found this out when I booked a B&B and my Mrs. told me there was no breakfast. It was news to me. How can they do that We have the four night booked in one place and we will probably travel out from there. When we go out We'll probably just stick the top-box on. After that it's just play it by ear but I don't intend to move everyday. The hassle of setting up and packing away everyday is no fun especially not in the blazing sun. Ah the blazing sun. It should be warm enough for the cold not to be a factor, or that is the hope
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Post by Tobyjugs on May 9, 2022 17:21:36 GMT 1
Hi Steve when it comes to cash Or money it's always handy to have a bit of cash, but I always use my pin card. I think that's a debit card in the UK. I have been all over the world and the only place it hasn't worked is West Africa. Just check first with your bank or inform them of the country you want to use it in. Ask about extra charges abroad. I get a better exchange rate using my card.
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Post by steve63 on May 10, 2022 12:58:39 GMT 1
Hi Steve when it comes to cash Or money it's always handy to have a bit of cash, but I always use my pin card. I think that's a debit card in the UK. I have been all over the world and the only place it hasn't worked is West Africa. Just check first with your bank or inform them of the country you want to use it in. Ask about extra charges abroad. I get a better exchange rate using my card. Good point about checking with the bank. I'll pop in some time. Presuming there is anyone there to talk to and my branch of Nat West is still open They don't like real people in the flesh, only at the other end of an internet connection. I applied for a credit card a few years ago as we were going on a cruise and I thought we would need one. I applied in what I thought was plenty of time but it arrived after we set off. The process to get one was very complicated. Before they were almost throwing them at us, even people without a job. I used my debit card instead. I guess from their point of view they don't know for sure you have the funds in the bank when using a debit card but with a credit card it's guaranteed. I can't remember using a debit card abroad before but I may have done. They used to say "cash is King" but not so much now. Recently at Go Outdoors I bought a self inflating airbed for £99 and something for £2.50. I handed over £110 in cash The cashier was on the radio for ages and keeping everyone waiting so I asked what was going on. She said she had to get another member of staff to check it because it was over £100 in cash. I made a joke about laundering money. When she eventually opened the till to give me my change there was almost nothing in it. Up in Dalby Forest I overheard two different people asking about where they could go to get a phone signal. One was trying to buy something like a coffee or some cake using his mobile as they didn't accept cash. The shop is in the bottom of a valley surrounded by trees (obviously). We're all doomed if Putin knocks out our phone signal or internet.
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Post by copper99 on May 11, 2022 11:50:07 GMT 1
Regards your travel insurance, I can guarantee anything offered by your home insurance , one of the banks or any "high street" offered cover, will not lot cover you on a bike over 125cc or any "extreme sports" So for travel insurance, you need a specific broker such as. bikerstravelinsurance.co.uk/?msclkid=ccfc8e4dd11611ecabc672e844f9e438Breakdown on older/classic bikes will always have exclusions, so wont recover the bike to home if it cant be repaired to check the wording carefully. Google maps or some of the bike specific maps on your phone will get your around the world with no problem..they are constantly updated s well. Ive used for many years and Ultimateaddons case with my iPhone , on a multitude of bikes, using a USB to power it. the maps work off line as well. usb Your Mrs is correct about not taking to much cash...
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Post by abar121 on May 11, 2022 15:11:31 GMT 1
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Post by copper99 on May 11, 2022 15:21:23 GMT 1
many maps work off line, so dont need data...google works offline, I think waze and a few other specific map "apps" do as well.
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Post by steve63 on May 11, 2022 18:18:21 GMT 1
The Mrs. sorted the Health Cards a few weeks ago. I left it to her 😊 Received the puncture repair kit today. I hope never to need it. With O2 roaming is the same as the UK the guy told me when I bought the phone. I think you have to turn on roaming before you leave the UK but I can't see anywhere on the phone to do it. A visit to the O2 shop is needed.
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Post by steve63 on May 16, 2022 13:04:29 GMT 1
Hi Steve, I have been doing a euro trip every year for the last 20 (pre covid of course) and planning to ride to Spain and back on my GPz this year. Also done a 1500 mile trip up to and around the NC500 on a C90… I use a ventura bag and rack as its easy to load and unload. As well as the stuff you listed, I take a puncture repair kit, basic tool kit, duct tape and cable ties, waterproof map book. We always book hotels ahead on booking.com – make sure you take the free cancellation option so you can change your plans along the way (like if you see a sign for the Grosglockner pass and end up in Italy instead of Austria…..) 1) Travel insurance – I just use our family insurance policy although I’ve never tried to claim….. 2) Sat Nav – I have a cheap car Tom Tom which I hard wire to the battery and keep in a waterproof pouch on my handlebars – which also comes in handy for toll tickets etc. 3) Break-down insurance – I am with Peter James Insurance – European breakdown cover is included as standard! 4) Cash – I take a 0% credit card and use that as much as I can then pay it off over the next year. Usually take a couple of hundred euros and use a cash till if I need any more. 5) Phone mounts - I just keep my phone in a polythene bag in my pocket, saves any mither from the FPO. We did our first foreign trip in 1986 to Spain via North Sea Ferries +France, again in 1988 via Dover-Calais. Then we did Corfu in 1990 via North Sea Ferries and Germany/Yugoslavia back via Italy. The TT in 1992. The plan was a foreign trip and the TT every year and then Children came along. The kids have both bu@@ered off now so we're back to it although we did do a trip to France in 2013 for my 50th only about 400 miles each way from Rotterdam. On the R1, two up and fully loaded that's a long way My Mrs made a point the other day. She said that if you've made the trip on a bike but broke your leg while out walking or anything else whilst not actually on the bike then we will be covered. Which made me wonder what the insurance is actually covering us for. The E111 gets you scraped off the road and taken to a very basic Hospital (just like the NHS in the UK). I've almost made my mind up to buy one of those B-Line sat Navs, about £150. I do have a Tom Tom but it's old and doesn't have Europe on it. I keep my phone in my jacket pocket now. I've kind of gone off the idea of a mount as I haven't found anything I like the look of yet.
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Post by abar121 on May 16, 2022 15:29:19 GMT 1
If you're a bit of a techie, you can put a Europe map on to most old tom toms. Like this www.actualidadgadget.com/en/free-tomtom-maps/I did it to my tom tom one, which didn't seem to mind a few drops of water either. Or a torrential rain storm
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Post by steve63 on May 18, 2022 12:52:02 GMT 1
If you're a bit of a techie, you can put a Europe map on to most old tom toms. Like this www.actualidadgadget.com/en/free-tomtom-maps/I did it to my tom tom one, which didn't seem to mind a few drops of water either. Or a torrential rain storm I'm a bit of a techie, a very tiny minute almost non-existent bit I bit the bullet and bought the Beeline thing yesterday. I'll give it a go over the next couple of weeks. Some of the reviewers prefer the just turn right or left and how far interface over the more complicated view. I actually bought a Garmin car sat nav a few years ago with the full Europe map on it. It was quite inexpensive at £100. The idea was to replace the Tom Tom because as well as being out of date the clock always insists it's 12 o'clock no matter how often I re-set it. I never got on with the interface and ended up giving it to my lad and started using the Tom Tom again and putting up with the clock thing. Maybe the clock thing can be fixed but I've never looked into it. You know the old dogs new tricks thing?
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Post by steve63 on May 24, 2022 13:05:25 GMT 1
I do the Portsmouth to Santander trip once or twice a year - it’s a good boat and a nice start to a road trip. My general tips: 1. On the boat get a cabin. Do not think you’ll get a nights sleep on their reclining seats. Cabins with windows are nicer but the inside ones are fine - think Travelodge with a smaller bed and you’ll be ok. 2. The food onboard is good (it’s a French boat after all) and not massively expensive. Being cheap I take a microwave curry and rice for my evening meal as they have microwaves onboard 3. Once on the road in Spain it’s fairly plain sailing. Speed cameras are sign posted and if you travel on a Sunday the police are mostly in church or asleep. 4. There are a few tolls north of and around Madrid but none between Madrid and Malaga in the south. 5. Petrol isn’t monumentally expensive on Spanish motorways and the services are better quality than uk ones. If it’s really hot they don’t ship super unleaded so be aware if you need fuel and it’s over 40 degrees. 6. Always park where you can see your bike or car as thieves love foreign plated vehicles. 7. Enjoy the ride. The north and south is mountainous and have great mountain passes. The central plains are flat and vast. The volume of traffic is not as high as in the uk so you can have some proper fun. 8. The Spanish love cash but post pandemic they are coming around more to cards. I use a Monzo card as it’s the cheapest way to use plastic for purchases. Been meaning to reply to this for ages.... 1 We booked a cabin, there's no way I'm doing 36 hours in a reclining chair. I did 6 hours when I was 9 years old going to Jersey and still remember the trauma! 2. I love food. Part of the holiday. 3. We land on a Sunday, full throttle 4. We aim to use the equivalent of B roads and avoid tolls at least on the way there. 5. One guy I met said his mate cancelled a trip because of petrol prices . It is what it is I say. I've been using the cheap muck recently and it appears to run the same. 6. Good point. Even big lumps like VFR800's. Will take a lock, cheers. 7. I just need to rein myself in a bit. Back in 1988 it was quiet but then so was England although we didn't know it at the time 8. I love cash! I saw what turned out to be a card only petrol pump in Brussels a few years ago and didn't know what to do so I rode away and found somewhere else!
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Post by steve63 on May 29, 2022 10:36:53 GMT 1
Regards your travel insurance, I can guarantee anything offered by your home insurance , one of the banks or any "high street" offered cover, will not lot cover you on a bike over 125cc or any "extreme sports" So for travel insurance, you need a specific broker such as. bikerstravelinsurance.co.uk/?msclkid=ccfc8e4dd11611ecabc672e844f9e438Breakdown on older/classic bikes will always have exclusions, so wont recover the bike to home if it cant be repaired to check the wording carefully. Google maps or some of the bike specific maps on your phone will get your around the world with no problem..they are constantly updated s well. Ive used for many years and Ultimateaddons case with my iPhone , on a multitude of bikes, using a USB to power it. the maps work off line as well. usb Your Mrs is correct about not taking to much cash... Sorted out the insurance with the company on your link, thanks. My Mrs reminded me in an annoyed tone at about 11:30 as we were just getting into bed. Does anyone else have another half that waits until you are just about to go to sleep and it's too late to do anything about it before reminding them of something important?
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Post by steve63 on Jun 15, 2022 13:05:14 GMT 1
Thanks for the advice everyone. What's not sorted by now is not going to get sorted. The tank is brimmed and we're ready for the off....nearly......soon. I'll send you a postcard
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Post by shaunthe2nd on Jun 15, 2022 13:20:57 GMT 1
Enjoy. Stay safe.
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Post by geoffers997 on Jun 15, 2022 18:00:04 GMT 1
Safe trip. I took the boat to Santander a couple of weeks back - spanking new boat, lovely food.
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Post by brigitte on Jun 16, 2022 17:15:39 GMT 1
I actually bought a Garmin car sat nav a few years ago with the full Europe map on it. It was quite inexpensive at £100. The idea was to replace the Tom Tom because as well as being out of date the clock always insists it's 12 o'clock no matter how often I re-set it. I never got on with the interface and ended up giving it to my lad and started using the Tom Tom again and putting up with the clock thing. Maybe the clock thing can be fixed but I've never looked into it. You know the old dogs new tricks thing?
This could be the "GPS-rollover" thing:
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