Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > Europe
Short swiss tour Short swiss tour
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts
Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 16 Sep 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: england
Posts: 79
Short swiss tour
I am planning a short tour of switzerland for this october. well i guess the 2 main concerns are the weather- will it be warm enough? and is it possible to wild camp?

This shall just be a short 4 dayish tour on a honda cg125, so nothing major, looking to do no more than 300 miles a day, maybe even 250.

also is it worth getting the vinette? or can i avoid motorways? CG isnt built for them, plus I do not have a windscreen to stick the vinette on to.

any advice very welcome
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 17 Sep 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Auxerre
Posts: 71
er... no & no.


does that help?

ok, I'll expound a little. Having spent a week end in the haut Jura last week end, involving a wee dip into switzerland I can tell you that it was only 13°c during the afternoon. Most of switzerland is at a fairly signifigant altitude & in fairly close proximity to some snowy heights down from which the wind can become pretty chilly. It may not be TOO cold, but it won't be warm & balmy.

As for wild camping, in the parts of switzerland i've frequented over the years, I wouldn't risk it. I've never seen it done & it doesn't strike ma as the sort of thing that the swiss authorities would be verytolerant of.

having said that, I know there are people on here that actually live there & who will be more in touch with swiss reality, be it seasonal weather or camping tolerances

have fun.

MooN
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 17 Sep 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Oxford UK
Posts: 2,104
Shouldn't be much of a problem if the CG is reliable. You're gonna spend a lot of time in the saddle and a fair bit of time in the dark if you're aiming to do 300 miles a day off the motorways in October. If you've got half decent clothing and good waterproofs you'll be warm enough at that time of year.

Should be cheap on fuel though. If the pound keeps going down against the euro we'll all be touring on CGs next year.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 18 Sep 2009
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Samaipata / Bolivia
Posts: 890
switzerland
hi dmitrij,

if you start, lets say in Zurich and you do 300 miles for four days you are somewhere near Madrid, and that is not Switzerland anymore :-)

300 miles will take from one end of Switzerland across all of it and you are in the next country ...

... if you intend to come to Berne, send me an email

yuhmak (at) web (dot) de

... and I will provide you with Gluehwein, Fondue, a hot shower and a bed.

Camping just somewhere should not be a problem, but I am not Swiss so I dont really know.

enjoy

Mika
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 18 Sep 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: england
Posts: 79
300 miles a day is what i would want to do on average, coming from London and going back to London, so a lot of boring roads in Northern France. To be honest i've never gone motorbike touring, so I am not sure on good daily miles, but this summer i cycled from London to Egypt in 7 week resting 2 days a week on average, so if I averaged 200km a day cycling then surely 300 miles on the CG is ok?

I will take up your offer to stay for sure, Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 19 Sep 2009
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Between London & Singapore
Posts: 153
Hi Dimitri,

Spent a week riding around the Alps in August and have done Switzerland several times before.
On the weather front, I'll defer to the local experts but would say is expect very changeable weather in the Alps during the Autumn.

We've never bothered with the Vinette or the motorways as Swiss roads are so good and frankly we're there for the great mountain roads and passes!

I wouldn't recommend wild camping, I'm pretty sure it's against the law and the Swiss police don't tend to look the other way! Almost every village seems to have a simple clean campsite.

Good luck doing 300 miles per day on the CG on the way down (you have my respect!), but assuming you'll be doing the mountain passes I'd have thought you'll really struggle to do 300 miles a day up on the passes. I can't recommend the San Bernadino, Splugen and Stelvio passes enough!

Have a great time!
__________________
www.motoventurers.com
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 19 Sep 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 56
I was with mi motorcycle in Switzerland in October 2008 and visited Zurich and Lucerne.

The weather in Zurich was terrific (you may visit FIFA, they receive you with good free souvenirs. You must ask for it jajajajaja), but the weather in Lucerne change all the time, in the Alps were not snowing but raining a lot, to much traffic and very nice cold.

Maybe because I didn’t know about it, didn’t pay the vignette. I just paid an insurance for the green card (it was expensive).

Good luck.

Iván
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 25 Sep 2009
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 23
dmitrij,

some info for you may look at:

Wild camping allowed? - English Forum Switzerland

Regarding the weather, and especially if you intend to ride in the many high passes in Switzerland (with great scenery), you might check if they are open or not (some close pretty early in the year):
Inforoute TCS - Cols et tunnels
swissinfo - Informations routières en Suisse. L'état du traffic sur route et autoroute - Inforoute.- swissinfo
http://www.meteonews.ch/index.php?section=ch&page=leisure&spage=wetter_pas 〈=en

Get prepared for the cold at those altitudes.

As for the vignette, save your money, Switzerland is a small country and each place is quite easily reachable by taking secondary roads, your CG will thank you for that, and you will enjoy the scenery better.

As long as you do not enter Switzerland through the few border checkpoints in between french and swiss highways (like the Bardonnex checkpoint in Geneva : you come from french highway A40, and step in Switzerland directly on the swiss highway A1 ; there they'll be waiting for your cash), you are not obliged to buy the "vignette autoroutière"

note: green road signs in Switzerland indicate highways, blue ones indicate secondary roads, unlike in France, do not be mistaken
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 27 Sep 2009
Contributing Member
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Comox, B.C. Canada
Posts: 40
Suisse in October
Hi Dmitrij,

Just did two weeks from Kent in England through France to Suisse and a couple of days in the Lake District of Italy before coming back through France along the middle of the country.

We took mostly D roads all the way down, and were in Suisse the second day. Was a pretty long day riding the D roads all the way, but they were very quiet and very scenic.

Thought I would just mention that we crossed the border at Bern and were simply waved through.

We rode three passes. Furka and couple of others, we had snow flurries on two of them, and that was about on September 14th or 15th. Out of Italy too it was cold in the pass we used, but it was not (quite) snow flurries, but it seemed close!

We could also see snow on the mountain tops on the passes around us. Whether it stuck or not I don't know.

Hope that is of some help.

Kind regards,

Ian
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 27 Sep 2009
Contributing Member
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Comox, B.C. Canada
Posts: 40
Oops
Sorry, I think we crossed at Basel, not Bern. Too many B names
Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
FYI, Ammo box, Swiss water bag & etc. available here pbekkerh Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? 0 24 Apr 2009 18:57
xt 600 e-swiss model igrujin Yamaha Tech 1 21 Mar 2007 06:55
Swiss army Water bags?? Sjakkelian Camping Equipment and all Clothing 1 3 Nov 2006 06:00
Look for a Swiss couple Bossit Travellers Seeking Travellers 2 14 Aug 2006 04:26
Oz to Swiss sujith Trip Transport 1 7 Feb 2005 20:34

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

Your ad could be here, on EVERY page of the HUBB, or the whole website, or as many as you like!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 22:25.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top