England to Italy (slow bike route)
 

Howdy,

I need to make it from England to Sicily for the Motogiro race in May. I think I'll only have 2 or 3 weeks to get there. I think my bike shows up around May 1, and the Motogiro starts May 18. I'll be on an old Ducati 250cc so it's not that fast. Any route recommendations?

After the Motogiro I'll have all the time in the world to explore, but I don't want to miss the Motogiro.

Kind of thinking of going to Tunisia, Algiers, Morrocco, Spain to Portugal before the Isle of Man Grand Prix.

--Dave

Don't use a map. Follow rivers. They always have a centuries old road next to them that is still small and charming - the traffic goes on the big highway ten klicks away. Won't be a straight line though...

Simon

In Italy, be sure to use Super Strada 1 - the old coast route from somewhere around Genoa south. It is a blast. Don't do it on a Sunday, though - the local boy racers are scary.

Depending on which ferry you use, i might be able to accompany you for some of the way, if you wish.. I ll just follow you, was always sweeper when riding as a group back in the old days :)

A few months ago, I went from London to Monza for the F1. I went Calais, Le Mans, Magny-Cours and then Milan. This only took 5 days by Route National clocking up around 200-300 miles a day, so Sicily in 18 days should be more than possible. I recommend that you skip out France altogether (no petrol stations and the roads are actually quite boring outside of the Alps)and go through Belgium, Germany (Eiffel Mountains) and definitely Austria (Alps) and then Venezia to Bologna (Ducati factory) to Roma, Napoli and down that way. Rome will be a nightmare, but there are plenty of forgotten ruins nearby for lunch/fag breaks and Naples has Vesuvius and Pompeii for a good half day stop. Personally, I am now debating whether to join you...

It's a 40 year old 250cc, so I expect that it will continue to break every day. So far, that hasn't been a problem since I've been able to fix the problems (up until the piston fell apart). Crossing mountains will be neat as I'll be learning how to figure out which jets to change to.

Once I make it to the Motogiro, then I'll have months until IoM Grand Prix. The top speed is about 60 mph/95 Kmph. I'm not sure any of you can put up with me riding so slow, but if you think that won't bother you, I'm up for anyone who wants to go riding.

muthaf9cka's route seems neat to me, but so does Simon Kennedy's plan of just following rivers. I'll just combine the two.

I've been thinking of going to the Motogiro d'Italia but getting rather apathetic responses, could be an opportunity to meet up.

You're obviously taking part? Sounds pretty adventurous for a little Duke, I'm sure the classic mags would be interested in your adventures. Keep us posted of when you arrive in Blighty, May's gonna be around faster than you imagine.

I'll post when I'm showing up. I'm hoping May 1.

I can't believe it's already Feb. So much stuff to do and to figure out how to do it, and so little time.

--Dave

I'm not going to be able to leave in 2007. It'll be 2008, to ride cross the US and ship my bike from New York to England. Then figure how to cross Europe and Asia seeing how many World War sites and museums I can.

Damn.