There's no point in me repeating the stuff you've been told to take so I won't. However, the advice you got just to forget about the GB sticker is BAD advice. If you put one on and go, then it doesn't matter if you need it or not. If you DON'T put one on and go, then find out the hard way that you ned one, where are you going to buy one? Get one and stick it on before you go. If nothing else you won't ruin you trip worrying about it, you WILL worry about it as soon as you get off the ferry in France if you don't have it. ;)

cheers for all the advice guys, i'm looking forward to my little trip already!!

I didnt say 'just forget about the GB sticker'. I said if you have one of the new style number plates with the GB on the plate it is not needed, this applies throughout the EU. :rolleyes2:

Calm down old boy. I never said you did. Read the thread again. No need for the raised eyebrows.

Here on this forum you can find very useful advices.Thanx a lot...!

Just a quick note on navigation in France without a GPS. If you don't speak French (I do) it can be a bit confusing at first when approaching large towns & cities following signs for a particular town or city further along your route. If signs showing where you are heading suddenly disappear then all you need to do is follow signs saying "TOUTES DIRECTIONS" or sometimes says "AUTRES DIRECTIONS" (meaning All Directions or Other Directions). If you keep following these signs you should eventually reach signage which directs you along your chosen route. My first few trips to France in the late 70's and early 80's had me cursing about French signage until the penny finally dropped and it then becam a piece of p**s.

Hi Iand
I found this link useful, for my first trip abroad last year.
First-Time Motorcycle Tour of Europe? - Article from Motorcycle Co UK
It repeats a lot of what has been said, but it useful info...
Enjoy your ride:mchappy:
Jay

Personally in over forty years of riding/driving in Europe I've never ever had a GB sticker. I do have a small Flag of St.George sticker though.

As for riding on the 'wrong' side of the road, when I leave Calais Docks (for instance) I simply follow the general traffic for a few miles before my first overtake. It then becomes natural within a few minutes.

Concentration is essential and I've found if I do make a mistake, it'll be first thing in the morning when leaving the hotel, or pulling out from a petrol station. In addition, when you return to the UK, it's also easy to make a mistake here too.

The great thing with riding abroad is that for the most part, it's a lot less congested than here. Last summer we rode down to Austria and that included a spell though Southern Germany. At a steady 80mph, I was the slowest thing on the autobahn and German drivers are fast with precious little patience. A tiny dot in the rear view mirror becomes a 130mph Audi TT with it's headlights blazing within seconds. I was glad to get off the autobahn and onto the minor roads.