falco`s summer(ish) holiday

[xrphil]

countdown starts today, two weeks till i take the falco on its summer(ish) holiday.
were going to travel down through france belgium, holland, germany, austria, slovenia, bosnia and herzgovenia then ferry from montenegro to italy, south of france inc monaco, up to switzerland and lake geneva, then to france, luxemborg and back to blighty
six of us going, 3 beemers with fancy suspension etc, a yam 1300, a gpz 1100, and the falco.
got to that point today when i realised that its coming around quickly with a bit of stuff still to do. tried to get oil today, and had to order it specially, so not changing the oil till next week. gonna give the bike a once over and put the 16t front sprocket back over the weekend, need to get MPG up a bit, so as not to be forcing to many early stops.
anyone know what tank milage to expect at constant motorway sensible (80-90) speeds, with 16t and std can and chip put back. been getting about 125miles to light coming on up to now (sl carbons and chip). also any idea what range is from light first coming on, to oh sh1t i`m out of fuel!

[Gio]

Are you catching the ferry to Bari in Italy?

We're doing the same in August and I'd like to know if its okay

[xrphil]

Hi Gio, yes we are going from Bar to Bari, and i`ll be heading for the Bar!!
its an over nighter, leaves 10pm gets in around 7am, got a cabin and i think breaky included.
my mate has a place 2 1/2 hours up the coast via the coast rd in Italy so spend the day and night there before moving on.
of course i will give you the low-down when i get back.
let you know of any good (or bad) bits, I may even be able to recommend B&b`s etc if your interested.
let me know and i`ll write details as i go round if you want.
regards, Phil

[Gio]

Much appreciated

[anzacinexile]

anyone know what tank milage to expect at constant motorway sensible (80-90) speeds, with 16t and std can and chip put back. been getting about 125miles to light coming on up to now (sl carbons and chip). also any idea what range is from light first coming on, to oh sh1t i`m out of fuel!

Got a FP chip and Hi Renegades. I get steady crusin' 140 miles to lights on and I nearly ran dry (spluttered going into the station) at 175.

Dont want to do that again, Sunday in France and the next station was over 20 miles away

[sabestian]

OHHHHH I envy you!!!!

[xrphil]

yea i have to say the excitement level is rising, been to the top of old yugoslavia before, but looking forward to the bit down to Montenegro through croatia. well looking forward to all of it really.
hard making up a list of what to take and what to leave, only so much room.

[Gio]

yea i have to say the excitement level is rising, been to the top of old yugoslavia before, but looking forward to the bit down to Montenegro through croatia. well looking forward to all of it really.
hard making up a list of what to take and what to leave, only so much room.

When we go to Korcula in August we're going via Germany and Austria as its the quickest (2 days to get there) what route are you taking?

[HisNibbs]

I don't know about the mileage you can expect but from the sounds of it you'll be doing some at least, of what I remember as being the Yugoslavian coast road.

I've fond memories of that stretch as I went that way a couple of times on my way to Greece and Turkey a few years back. A fantastic experience about a 1000 KM of non stop turns following the cliffs, just about hanging off over the ocean and rocks a hundred feet or so below.

Keep your wits about you and enjoy......

[Gio]

I don't know about the mileage you can expect but from the sounds of it you'll be doing some at least, of what I remember as being the Yugoslavian coast road.

I've fond memories of that stretch as I went that way a couple of times on my way to Greece and Turkey a few years back. A fantastic experience about a 1000 KM of non stop turns following the cliffs, just about hanging off over the ocean and rocks a hundred feet or so below.

Keep your wits about you and enjoy......

Its nearly all motorway now (compliments of the EU gravy train)

[Goldie]

I don't know about the mileage you can expect but from the sounds of it you'll be doing some at least, of what I remember as being the Yugoslavian coast road.

I've fond memories of that stretch as I went that way a couple of times on my way to Greece and Turkey a few years back. A fantastic experience about a 1000 KM of non stop turns following the cliffs, just about hanging off over the ocean and rocks a hundred feet or so below.

Keep your wits about you and enjoy......

Its nearly all motorway now (compliments of the EU gravy train)

Sure you can avoid the old coast road by taking the new m-way, but where's the fun in that?

Watch out for the nutters down there... we had a wanker in a white van weaving all over the road to stop us passing him; nearly took out my mate ...closest I've ever come to punching a driver's window in!

[xrphil]

not 100% on the exact route, as one of the other guys are planning that, last time we went via munich cos my sis lived there, this time i think we are staying east a bit and going through innsbruck, so possibly strassborg (talking of gravy trains !!) or stuttgart, then down to Trieste.
we were going to do this in about 2 days, as i have been telling them how slow the yugoslavian rds are, looking on multimap i didnt realise they had stuck in a motorway.
the std of driving there used to be very bad, people ignore motorbikes, and overtake regardless of you coming in the opposite direction.
the IQ level wasn`t overly high last time either! we hooked up with a dutch couple for a week, after they stopped when we broke down (only on a motorbike, do these things happen)
and the guy said `there all stupid here` i thought you cant say that! 10 days later i was agreeing with him. relly funny some of the antics though, like watching a guy put out the fire on his ice cream machine with a bucket of water, when it was still plugged in
got to say i do fancy that run down to greece and Turkey, how long did you do that over?

[HisNibbs]

.
the std of driving there used to be very bad, people ignore motorbikes, and overtake regardless of you coming in the opposite direction.
the IQ level wasn`t overly high last time either! we hooked up with a dutch couple for a week, after they stopped when we broke down (only on a motorbike, do these things happen)
and the guy said `there all stupid here` i thought you cant say that! 10 days later i was agreeing with him. relly funny some of the antics though, like watching a guy put out the fire on his ice cream machine with a bucket of water, when it was still plugged in
got to say i do fancy that run down to greece and Turkey, how long did you do that over?

Hard to remeber exactly.... the first time going that far was I think in the late 70's on a year out before univercity. I had planed on going further but I think the Isralies decided to have a war and in the end it was a Turkish lorry driver that stopped me. Exactly as you said he pulled out to overtake a tractor beacause a motorbike is a gap in the traffic to some. Any way it hurt my pillion a lot more than me. I basically took the soles off my boots, my mate lost the skin off his arse. Decided to head slowly back after that, I think it was a 5 or six week round trip, good job we didn't have intercoms in those days or I never would have put up with his wimpering..... That trip was on a n MZ 250 . We went again a year or so later on my BMW R50/5, went down to Athens , Corinth a great road down to "Igamanitsa" which is probably not spelt correctly but is the Greek port for Corfu. Great road cross county from there through Meteori to the other side. Any way I've not done much more than a couple of trips to Italy and the odd trip to Austia, Germany and France since. Any way if you take the motorway you might as well take the car or fly.

No that is not exactly true. I've done some motorway miles in my time but I generaly try to avoid it . Once through 50 or 60 miles of Northern France or Belgium you can make good time , have fun and not pay tolls. Get to the Alps and you'd be very sad indeed, or in a very great hurry, if you did n't chose the twisty route on the map between A & B. Sod it tear up the map and follow the sun.

Any way sounds like your'e planning a great trip and it makes me a little jealouse and also a little nostalgic. I gona have to find the funds for that trip to see my bother in law's house .... can't remenber where it is but it's never far away if you travel by dragon .... Sorry it'd be just a day on the Falco.

[xrphil]

well much as i don`t like motorways, i have to say that the first (and last) leg of the trip will be done that way. its just to get through northern Europe, and down to the good bits
the intention from there is to stay off them where possible, doing 300 milles a day should be OK but if we are running late they can be used to `catch up` a bit.
I do remember last time in yugoslavia, we went out to plitvice national park, it was only an inch or so away on the map! the lady at the B & b said she would save us some dinner as we would be late back, we laughed and said nooo we have fast bikes we`ll be back for tea, 10pm we got in
the rds were so slow and windy. we were bloody freezing when we got back as we had worn hot weather gear. The lady gave us some local firewater, which worked just like readybrek, i was glowing all over after a couple of those

[xrphil]

waaaaaaaay haaaaaaaay, off tommorow night, stop round one of the guys houses, as there only 40 miles from chunnel, and on 5.45AM !! train. then its off we go.
14 countries, 15 days.
sort of looking forward to it a little bit