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Who would enjoy this trip?

Who would enjoy this trip?
In many respects, virtually anyone with the slightest sense of adventure and a bit of stamina would enjoy this trip. However, more experienced riders who relish challenging, but rewarding riding conditions tend to gain more from this event than pure novices.

From where I live in the Midlands, it's an 850 mile ride down to this part of the Alps. Even split over 2 days, some people can find this distance tiring. We had incredibly hot weather, nearly 40 degrees Celsius, all the way down in 2002, and even the most experienced riders were starting to wilt a bit by the end of the day.

In complete contrast, we had torrential rain on the return journey. I'm not trying to put anyone off of course, but just stating the fact that it quite a long ride to get there!

One could split the journey over 3 days each way, but, by the time you arrive, you'd hardly have time to enjoy the view, before having to turn around and set off back again. So, it's two days "touring" to get there, a clear week in the middle to ride, relax and explore, then 2 days' ride home again.

Once in The Alps, most of the riding is done on spectacular, high altitiude, mountain passes. Maybe this would not suit you, if you don't enjoy the twisties. It's all down to the kind of riding you prefer to do. The Sportsbike riders love those mountain passes, the Tourers cope incredibly well and do the trip in considerably more comfort.


Absolute beginners have sometimes really struggled on this trip. On a rating of one to five stars in terms of riding challenge & adventure - this has to be a level 4.

850 miles to get there, 500 or 600 miles in the week, then 850 miles home again.  Some sustained motorway sections, some long stretches of "N" roads, and in the mountains dozens of high altitude passes and 1000s of tight bends.

 

Thailand would be level 5.

My UK trips would be level 3.

 
  Triumph Bonnevilles

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