France trip - I survived!

[bigtwinthing]

GrossGlockner pass in Austria is popular with all bike manufacturers for bike testing. We saw the new Suzuki V Strom on test there on 2012.

Ive been there 5 times and the bikes less pokey, but it is 3400 meters high.

[Jamoi]

Sounds like a good trip, accidents aside..

We stayed by the lake at Annecy, was beautiful!

Certainly was the prettiest place I've stayed in for a while

That's some Trip that. Have you a special seat on your Storm.?

Not really, but I have raised the foam height & recovered with alacantra, which has helped my gangly legs from being so bent up!

One interesting thing I noticed at the top of the mountain section, was my bike would no longer tick over and felt like it had 50hp must have been pretty high!

Yeah I noticed the same when I went a few years ago. Somewhere up in the Alps the R1 I was on felt like it lost quite a bit of power. It would no longer power wheelie in 1st even as hard as I would try, it felt like a 600.

How far south did you go? Did you go to Lyon and then over to Annesy or did you detour down into the Alps?

This is the rough route, was flipping insane, didn't touch a motorway just tyre scrubbing twisties! I never realised such awesome roads existed to be honest.

Brilliant trip, i am off next week just for 3 days for the WW1 sites etc.

Have a great time dude, take more pics than I did

well done jamoi !

scenary looks good

Cheers mate, I wish I'd had more time to stop and take in the scenery, truly stunning places, maybe 10 days would be better next time.

[Jamoi]

Some more pics stolen from my new mate Harry

[tony.mon]

Some more pics stolen from my new mate Harry

]

Why, Jamoi, it's massif!

[Miztaziggy]

One interesting thing I noticed at the top of the mountain section, was my bike would no longer tick over and felt like it had 50hp must have been pretty high!

Yeah I noticed the same when I went a few years ago. Somewhere up in the Alps the R1 I was on felt like it lost quite a bit of power. It would no longer power wheelie in 1st even as hard as I would try, it felt like a 600.

How far south did you go? Did you go to Lyon and then over to Annesy or did you detour down into the Alps?

This is the rough route, was flipping insane, didn't touch a motorway just tyre scrubbing twisties! I never realised such awesome roads existed to be honest.

Yeah, I remember that feeling, I still believe the roads down in the south especially are the best I have ever ridden, and that includes tracks Donington and Cadwell too Good aren't they?

Looks like you did the majority of the Route Napoleon which I have talked about on here before. It's from around Monaco / Cannes up through Grasse on to Grenoble then Lyon. Did you notice the gold eagles along the route?

[Jamoi]

Oh man, sooo good!

Route Napoleon was ace, if a bit narrow & ferking cold at the top. Didn't see any gold eagles, but then I was trying not to plunge over the edge most of the time

Just booked my 1st track day, the roads round here are shite now

[Watty]

Looks and sounds like you had a great time Jamie Great you and the storm are back safely, unlike a couple of the others

[VTRDark]

This is a fantastic picture.

Good to see you home safe and sound Jamie. Quite an adventure you had there

(:-})

[Pete.L]

the roads round here are shite now

Nothing will seem as good for a while. I've still fond memories of that part of the route and that was quite a while ago now.

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing

Pete.l

[macdee]

I guess I should explain about the non-returning bikes...

1 - There were 2 adventure bike guys on the trip and they went off to find some 'green lanes' en route, instead one of them found a tractor reversing into the road, bike was in 2 big bits and the poor guy shattered his pelvis and knee.

2 - The Hayabusa went into a unlit mountain tunnel and lost sight of the GSXR in front, found it but rear ended it and parked the bike and himself in the tunnel wall breaking a couple of ribs and trashing the busa :-(

3 - On the way home the guy on the S1000rr carbon decided "feck it, I'm off to Germany" so off he went and he is still there.

that's crap for the men involved hope they mend up soon

[simon t]

Let this be a wake up call for you to get your sorry arses down here and enjoy some life changing (in the best possible way) riding. Day before yesterday I was at summit of Mt Ventoux, avoiding the pushbikes, enjoying the twisties and admiring slendid scenery.

Anything you need to know about biking here send me a message - I'd love to see some Brits down here to make up for all the Krauts on Beemers. Hey, may even put a few of you up for the night

Quite right, a week isn't enough. Minimum Sat to Sun = 9 days. Rather than go for the grand tour I'd recommend (IMHO) finding a base (eg, round here ) and taking half or full day ride-outs. Gives you time to chill if you want, rather than chasing an itinery.

Off to find some shade now - full sun and 30 degrees at the moment

Cheers, Si