So, what have I learned?
- The Ardennes region is beautiful, the west of Germany to the south is pretty nice too.
- Anything under 100mph on the Autobahn is slow. At UK motorway speeds you're just in the way.
- If there's not an Audi or Bemmer or any other car in your left mirror when you're in lane one there will be when you look an instant later. More often than I liked I saw someone going away from me before I'd realised they were coming up behind.
- The VFR800 5th gen is not a comfortable bike for me. Too little leg room.
- No matter how comfortable your kit feels it'll be agony after ten hours in the saddle. Side note: I was in one-piece leathers .
- Ten hours in the saddle is too long: when Google Maps says eight to ten hours it means eight to ten hours at 140kph.
- All German Autobahns have 12km of roadworks just after you've got on them, reducing your average mph drastically.
- You're unbelievably lucky if you're bike breaks down 10 metres from the accommodation you're staying at and the next day is a working day
- I haven't had calouses like this since I was 14.
- I'm pleased I've done it and had some great rides in some great sections of road but I won't do anything like this again.