UK based riders for Elephant Rally 2013?
 

Is anyone thinking of doing the Elephant Treffen in 2013?
I believe the dates for the Solla meet are (1-3/2/2013).
Dave.

I'm planning on going to the Solla version (isn't there another one at the Nurburgring a couple of weeks later?)

Unless you're planning on walking there though the bike I'm using is likely to be the slowest thing on the road - my schedule is 2 1/2 days each way and that's being optimistic. Might be worth keeping in touch so you can give me a tow when you see me at the side of the road :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Hi.
Lol, yeah, towing no problem.
I believe the Nurburgring one is from the 15-17/2/2013.
It's the Solla meet I'm thinking of.
Will keep in touch mate.
Dave.

What are you planning on using?

This -


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps6f3373b6.jpg


Old 70's Suzuki 125 smoker. 60mph flat out but 100mpg appeals to my bank balance. Someone gave it to me a couple of months back and I thought it would be perfect with a few mods. I'm hoping I won't go fast enough to get cold

I did it this year and walking is fast enough to get cold , great fun though .

I would have to say that the other advantage of a smaller, older bike is the narrow tyres and the fact that picking it up is a heck of a lot easier. You'll be thankful for that chain cover too.

Any plans for the electrics? I assume it has a kick starter, but if it's 6 volts you'll want everything to be like new and well greased up.

Most years the road from the autobahn to Solla is covered until they clear it for the day visitors on the Saturday. The outfits of course win for carrying capacity and stability, but I'll take this Suzuki over some of the fat tyred solo's you'll see. Twenty miles out, darkness falling, a mix of fresh snow and frozen slush on the road, a 1200cc touring bike two up is not the weapon of choice. We saw plenty turn back or resort to walking alongside, which having ridden all the boring Autobahn stuff is a real shame.

That said, coming back in 2010 I came through a blizzard near Frankfurt that was so bad the trucks had stopped because they didn't have enough traction to take any hill and the cars (and me on the outfit) were playing follow the lights in front at walking pace. If you meet this on any solo I'm afraid stopping and waiting is the only option.

Enjoy.

Andy

Apart from the fact that it didn't cost me anything so removing the tax disc for refund purposes is about the limit of my financial commitment, you're exactly right about the other stuff. Narrow tyres, chain case and about 85kg total weight (+camping stuff) are all ticks in the right boxes as is virtually nothing to bend when it falls over.

Down side is 6v electrics and a really sh1t headlight. Checking all the wiring connections if where I'm at with it now, but there's not much I can do to improve the headlight beyond changing to a 6v qh bulb. I've got a couple of 1500 lumen bicycle lights en route from China atm that run off lithium batteries and I was going to relay them into the lighting circuit. A couple of hours each and I can recharge them overnight in a hotel, along with phone, ipod, sat nav etc. 6v is a real pain.

I know what you mean about the weather turning really bad and stopping traffic on the autobahn. My very first trip abroad (many years ago!) we were coming back from Innsbruck in early Jan in a van towing a caravan and on a "minor" autobahn heading for Luxembourg. About 2.00am I handed over to my co driver and lay down to get some sleep. 2 mins later we started to climb a slight hill and about 1 min after that we were sliding backwards down the same hill on sheet ice. We had to jackknife the caravan into the ditch at the edge of the carriageway to stop us. Good job it was hired!

Suzuki Student
 

Love the bike, hope it goes well and you have a great time! Your very brave, or what's the other thing...................my wife says I'm.............naw, it's gone!

Best of luck!

[QUOTE=backofbeyond;396947]and about 85kg total weight (+camping stuff)Quote A couple of hours each and I can recharge them overnight in a hotel, QUOTE]


A bit of a contradiction here, so is it camping or hotel?
So which Elephant are you going to, is it the 'original one'? I don't like planning in advance but could well be interested, would use either a 500 Enfield or YBR125 and don't mind what low end speed is used.

[QUOTE=palace15;397013]Two Elephants is starting to get a bit confusing - a bit like some 70's bands breaking up with each member then claiming their new group is the spirit of the original. I'm heading for the Solla meeting near Passau at the start of Feb. According to Google it's a bit over 750 miles e/w for me (630 ish from Calais) so on the Suzuki I'm going to need two overnight stops each way. They are going to be in cheepy hotels. The camping kicks in for the time I'm there - either two or three nights (haven't decided yet).

Last time we went on a small bikes (TS100 Suzuki, DT125 Yam etc) we camped the whole way and I caught flu (the real thing, not wimpy man-flu) on the return trip. I spent 10 days in bed and really thought the end was nigh. Once bitten, twice shy and all that so Etap or whatever they're called this week (Ibis Budget?) will get my en route euros. Plus I can charge everything up. I've used these kinds of hotels a lot and only partially trust them to hold a room reservation. Three or four times over the years I've turned up a bit later than planned and found they've given the room to someone else so now I'll phone to confirm if I'm going to be late. That's ok in France as I speak good French but ordering beer is the limit of my German and trying to find the hotel phone number in the dark at the side of the autobahn with numb fingers and frozen brain isn't easy. The camping option might then be the only alternative.

Sounds like a good move.
I was thinking of F1/Etap hotels, for two nights aiming for Nurenberg/Regensburg on the last night of travel.
Regensburg is the closest (110km total, 80km of Autobahn) so depending on the conditions would make a good step off to the rally and hopefully give a daylight arrival time.
Do people fancy a meet up? Either at the rally or some point before?
Dave.

Good plan. The Etap is OK in a trading estate sort of way and you are up next day and only an hour or two away from the site.

Andy

When I was looking at routing to Solla a couple of weeks ago I'd loosely decided that my 1st overnight would be at Aachen on the Belgian/German border and the next one at Regensburg. Now I'm starting to wonder whether it'll be full up with snow on their boots bikers :rofl:.

There's only a few F1's in Germany (presumably the Germans are rich enough not to have to sink that low!) and none of them work for my likely daily progress, so I need to find a few more cheepie chains to check out nearer the time just in case. Are there any German chains equivalent to Etap? Hopefully one that has a better restaurant chain than Courtpaille attached.

We should keep this thread live and update it with travel plans and timetables nearer the time. Be good to roll into the Regensburg Etap and recognise some of the bikes parked there. Whatever you're on it'll be better than the Bloop so maybe the local pikeys'll take yours first. :rofl::rofl: :rofl:

Hi

Sorry for being stupid but u got any info on this rally i might be up for it :thumbup1:

I have Googled it but just found people talking about it :freezing: