France trip, REVIEW inc PICS

[bigtwinthing]

Go to Santander (yes thats Spain) then across Andorra in to france, it is fantastic, all along the south french coast then back up through to UK again, awesome trip

[Ckennedy]

Thats for the tips lads but everything is now booked. I shall try to upload the route tonight if I can but I am falling asleep already

[Ckennedy]

Everything is now packed, insurance sorted, health insurance sorted, hotels book, route planned and ferry booked. Some how we have managed to fit everything for our voyage into a set of panniers and a tank bag How? I do not know. The left pannier is full of breakdown tools, wire, fuses, bulbs, oil and grease along with a pair of shoes and water proofs. The other full of clothes. The tank bag has 2 jumpers, camera, the route for each day, insurance docs, mot cert, v5, passports ect ect ect.

Here she is loaded up. Did a test fit of everything to see how it all sat. I am a little worried about the weight on the seat unit from the panniers. How do they look to you lot?




Surprisingly these panniers are not touching the indicators

[AMCQ46]

Chris, you have done well getting the packing down that small............given that there are 2 of you and one is a woman.....I take my hat off to you both.

I suggest you get some of the black matting to put between the paniers and the paintwork to stop rubbing, and you also need to make a support to stop all the force from the panniers pushing in on the tail unit and braking the mounting tags.

I will try and find photos of what I do....but it is a length of broom handle cut to a length wider than the tail plastics, with some plastic top hats screwed onto the ends to spread the load where they contact with the paniers. then I use a bungy to hold the broom handle up against the bottom of the mudgaurd and it takes all the inward forces generated by the weight of the paniers

[AMCQ46]

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and I would put duct tape on the plastics under where the bungy sits so there is no rubbing the paint over a long trip

[Ckennedy]

Thanks for that Al I was told you had a way of doing it so I was going to message you but you beat me to it I have some of that rubber matting stuff around I just hadn't put it on for the test fit. I also have a piece cut for the tank bag too.

Where did you get the plastic caps from?

[AMCQ46]

Where did you get the plastic caps from?

found them in one of my "Steptoe" boxes [you might be too young so will have to google it ........think they were part of a kitchen unit, but I have no clue.............not very helpful sorry

[Ckennedy]

Haha no I'm not to young. I just about remember them. Just about to buy a broom handle to butcher later to be honest its the top mounts im mote worried about. Iv already done away with the bottom ones

[Miztaziggy]

The paniers look about right

Though no idea how you get enough in there for 2 of you, when I went to France on my R1, I took very similar paniers that were full just for my own stuff....

[neil]

Years ago we did three trips to France, Italy Switzerland etc. with all camping gear as well. I still wonder how we managed to carry all the stuff needed. That was on Suzuki GT750 twice and Suzuki GS850. Would love to do it again. Hope you have a great time take lots of photos to share with us. Looking at your packing well done, I'll show Helen so she knows she takes too much! Enjoy
one other thing, don't forget the extra width of bike with those panniers

[Ckennedy]

I did have to evict a couple of her tops to be fair. The ones that were not flattering she has done well to be honest compared to how much she wanted to take last time. I have constructed something similar to what amcq has for his panniets but a bit more heavy duty due to the weight of the panniers. I shall try fitting it in a bit and take pic to see what you think. Also see how much improvment it makes to where the panniers it. When we get to the nice roads we only have 4 or 5 hours riding so plenty of time to take in the view and get pics

[Ckennedy]

The updated and final route follows. Looking closely at some of the roads they look fantastic. Will have to wait and see.

Thursday Evening
Coalville to Dover

Friday
Dover to Calais on the ferry.
Calais to Le mans

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Ca ... ls&t=m&z=7

Saturday
Le mans to Clermont-ferrand

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=le ... ls&t=m&z=7

Sunday
Clermont-ferrand to Marseille

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Cl ... =1&t=m&z=8

Monday
Marseille

Tuesday
Marseille to Digne

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Ma ... 3&t=m&z=10

Wednesday
Digne to Lyon

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Di ... =1&t=m&z=9

Thursday
Lyon to Paris

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=ly ... ls&t=m&z=7

Friday
Paris

Saturday
Paris to Calais to Coalville

Fingers crossed it all goes well and we enjoy both the trip, the bike and each others company

[bigtwinthing]

When i do my europe trips i take 1 pr of socks, undies and t shirt, i buy new cheap ones and just throw the dirtys one away, done that for 25 yrs, always worked for me and most supermarkets in europe sell that stuff really cheap. However you must take some cable ties, Worlds best invention!!!
Good luck and have a great time.

[lumpyv]

have a great ride mate

don't forget they drive on the wrong side of the road ! sounds flippant but I drove no problem for about three days in Sweden then completely lost the plot at a busy junction, luckily I was in a car not on a bike

safe journey.

[Ckennedy]

Thanks fella's. Just had a quick look for petrol stations around the route through the Alps and made a note of 1 or two around the 100mile mark so I know that is my limit. Also had a quick look at some other bits of the route and looking at it we will be covered for petrol The only down side to owning a gas guzzeling bike with a tiny fuel tank