Thanks are you going on a scoot or a bike?

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Vespa GTS250

Headlight and tail/brake light bulbs are a must, forget the rest you won't get caught. I do carry a hi-viz vest for the hard shoulder and a FAK for my own use (hangover pills etc.), but leave the firefighting kit and things to get boy scouts out of horses hooves to truck drivers and the plod.

UK cards can be a PITA especially on a Sunday in rural areas where the petrol stations go automated from about 5.30 on Saturday. I carry enough cash for a days ride, fill up on Saturday and try to have a rough plan for getting where I want to be via the bigger roads. I've never had trouble finding fuel in sensible places. Faced with an automated station that won't play, just wait for a local and ask them to fill up for your cash. Horrible Gherkin etc. sell a nice little 500ml fuel can if you think it will be good for your mental health.

I used RAC for years, but recovery via your insurance can be better. They seem to argue less should you need a full recovery back home. Given the age and book value of my machinery, I just have a credit card with a limit big enough to hire a van. No point fighting with a company who'll want me to take a cheque for fifty quid and walk away.

Don't let this stuff worry you, this will be a great trip on the road to wherever you want to go.

Andy

on a bike, but that book contains so much useful information on some of the places I hope to visit. It's a good read, too.

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I am a traveller, not a tourist.

Take advantage of the completely different attitude that exists towards bikes on the continent to that in the UK.
For instance, an enduring memory of one of my early trips to France, was finding a very nice village, with pavement cafe, just at the right time for lunch.
Being a French village, the road was very narrow and I wasn't sure where to park. I hovered a bit at the kerb by the inviting pavement tables looking for the nearest place where there was room for the bike.
Straightaway, a waiter saw I was pondering, nipped over, completely removed one table next to where I was stopped and beckoned me onto the pavement to park in the vacated space.......

Still being a bit new to 'the continent' I was stunned, but took advantage of it thereafter.
Sadly you're too late for my favourite, being able to ride on the pavement all the way up and down the Champs Elysees in Paris (although the at the tables was the most expensive in the world I think!) They stopped that quite a few years ago , but elsewhere is still OK.
But even then the French attitude persisted - when the Champs Elysees was being re-modelled large signboards were erected on the pavements, saying, roughly, "To the bikers. Sorry. After September you'll no longer be allowed to ride on the pavement. But we'll be stopping cars parking on all the side-streets, you can use those instead." Can you ever imagine that happening in Westminster?? Take advantage of these enlightened attitudes!

For War memorials, the Thiepval memorial is one of the largest and most thought-provoking, maybe on your route back to Calais. From there to Calais there are lots of war grave cemeteries tucked in all sorts of out-of-the way places. The tiny ones outside little hamlets can be just as interesting as the bigger well-known ones. They all have a local history notebook, in English, in a little hatch, that you'll find in a wall near the memorial.
I'm pretty sure you can find maps of France that show where they are. Or just ride around and you'll see signposts to them.

Have a great trip.

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TTR250 - London to Cape Town

Thought I would give all you helpful people an update on my prep, which I have to say i'm thoroughly enjoying.
Got myself a new front tyre as the front was losing air a bit and Ive had it on for good few years. The rear looks like its got about 1000 to 1500 miles left so thats more than enough I'm sure. Worse case I'll get a new one fitted before I go but certainly no need yet and thats a pretty quick fix.

Ive bought myself a stop and go puncture kit, air pressure gauge, little jump leads and a wind up torch. All very small so easy to keep in the scooter and give me a bit of piece of mind.

Good call on the service as I do need one soon and been putting it off due to £££ so I will book one in advance for end of April ready for my trip mid May.

To buy,
A GB sticker as my number plate does not show the Euro flag. I went into Halfords but they only had car ones so I will pop into a George Whites or Hein Gericke on the weekend and pick up one of them as I assume they have them?

I've found a battery extender which I hope means I can use my Sat Nav for quite a few hours so might get this Portable Power Supplies - PortaPow USB Battery

And work out were i'm going & get some maps!

See if I have a suitable bag to use on the bike or buy a cheap one.

Ive told a few people what I'm planning and they all look at me like I'm mad as I'm going on my own. Its like they are saying "thats a shame you must be so lonely" lol As you can imagine they don't ride, I think it will be great.


A question I forgot to ask, for the ferry home do I need to book this in advance or can I just turn up buy a ticket and come home?
Or if I have to maybe the day before? The reason I ask is i could spend up to 10 night but I'm planning 7. However if Its a trip of a lifetime (so far) I wondered if I had flexibility?

Ok thats all for now.

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Vespa GTS250

Dave:

Be aware that tire wear - especially rear tire wear - increases very rapidly with higher vehicle speeds and higher laden vehicle weights. You will probably be doing a fair amount of highway riding (e.g. 50 MPH or more, far faster than usual city riding), and your scooter will likely be as heavily laden as it has ever been. So, if you have the slightest doubt about that rear tire, replace it now. It is a PITA to replace tires while on tour, you have to wait for the shop to procure the new tire, you have to find a shop familiar with your scooter, etc.

Trying to get the last 1,000 or 1,500 miles out of the existing rear tire is just 'not good economics' in this context. FWIW, I replace the tires on my ST 1100 prior to beginning any long tour if I have the slightest doubt that they might not last all the way through the tour. It doesn't matter if the tires have 40% tread wear remaining - if it won't last for the planned tour, they get replaced.

You don't want to be out there trying to enjoy yourself and at the same time being constantly worried about whether a part (tire) will hold up.

Get the service done early enough to permit you to put 100 miles or so on the scooter before you head out on the trip. That will be sufficient use to determine if there are any minor headaches present arising from the service visit (e.g. something that might need a further adjustment).

My experience with UK ferries is that they price their sailings very much like the airlines. If you book well ahead of time for specific sailings, you can get very low prices. If you just show up and buy a ticket, you pay "full list price", which can be outrageous. The ferry companies don't make any distinction between a small scooter and a huge Gold Wing or Harley-Davidson... they are all motorcycles. I suggest you do some research. One alternative might be to book and pay ahead for a 7 day trip, and find out what the change fee and/or price increase is if you decide to prolong your voyage for a few extra days.

Michael