What daily mileage is realistic to plan to do touring France, Germany Switzerland etc.

[Old Geezer]

I have done some local travelling in France apart from initial blast down Autoroute to Reims most is done on RN's and D roads especially in the Jura mountains and Alps. On the latter the official speed limit is 55mph and Gendarmes give out nice fat immediate fines, no argument! When twisty even that speed is hard to maintain for experts who know road never mind an old codger like me. Despite this I see reports on the forum of some who recon to do 400+ miles per day. Allowing for 2 fuel stops (15mins each say if group) couple of photo stops (5-10 mins each) and a meal stop (1 hour) 400 miles is a long day. :unsure:

Am I wrong or is it more realistic to half this distance (except for odd days on Autoroute getting there and returning to ferry)?

[sexysi]

On the 5 day 10cr run around all of those places in June we are doing the following.

A quick tally up on the mileage = now.

Day 1 445miles
Day 2 436miles
Day 3 353miles
Day 4 416miles
Day 5 338miles

Total = 1,988miles

Roughly 7-8 hrs a day riding. First day is mainly motorways and a lot of Day 4 is.

Day 3 is the most fun as it is the stelvio loop and down to Slovenia day, hence the mileage is lower, to make it fun. The stelvio loop itself is a 100 miles.

But in June/ July we are looking at least 12 hrs of daylight. So can easily be done, even if you add on fuel stops and lunch. We are talking avg speed of 50mph for 400 miles in 8hrs.

So if we said 400 miles a day, with an hr lunch we are talking 11hrs riding at 36mph avg......That is pretty slow.

si

[Spike941]

Old Geezer, what's the rush? We hate motorways, they have their uses, but bike trips are to be enjoyed. I've done many a european trip and avoid motorways and duel carriageways like the plague. Morning coffees, pleasant lunches, afternoon teas and a bit of sight seeing. That's what it's all about. I reckon on 200 to 300 miles a day tops.

[sexysi]

I have done some local travelling in France apart from initial blast down Autoroute to Reims most is done on RN's and D roads especially in the Jura mountains and Alps. On the latter the official speed limit is 55mph and Gendarmes give out nice fat immediate fines, no argument! When twisty even that speed is hard to maintain for experts who know road never mind an old codger like me. Despite this I see reports on the forum of some who recon to do 400+ miles per day. Allowing for 2 fuel stops (15mins each say if group) couple of photo stops (5-10 mins each) and a meal stop (1 hour) 400 miles is a long day. :unsure:

Am I wrong or is it more realistic to half this distance (except for odd days on Autoroute getting there and returning to ferry)?

I have planned this as an adventure ride/endurance ride. If I was doing 200 miles a day, I would do 4hrs riding and 8-10hrs sitting around. There are some great roads out there and being on the bike riding is where I want to be. I would much prefer to ride the bike as opposed to sitting at a camp sit watching kids play swingball, but everybody has different ideas. Yes it is hard work, but it is a short sharp trip to see and ride some great roads.

Old gizzer, how do you fancy my Norway run next year 5,000miles in 2 weeks, that's 357 miles a day, trouble with up there you get 24hrs of daylight :sick:

si

[johnnyboxer]

400 miles+ every day is too much, much too much

400 miles in day is ok when you want to get somewhere or get home, but every day nope

Doing 400+ miles every day you become knackered, have no time to stop and see the sights, take pics or stop for coffee etc

400 mile days on mountain roads, takes an age of time to achieve

250-300 miles is much more enjoyable for a 6 hour riding day in the Alps

SexySi - I wouldn't do your agenda, no sirree..............your agenda looks like hell to me (I've done trips like that, with mates many times and you all end up falling out, because everyone is pissed off)

Not for me and I've been touring Europe for 25 years now

Last year....... I did Zeebrugge to 20 miles east of Freiburg in the Southern Black Forest - it's 445 miles and I did most of it (75%) on Belgium and French autoroutes and 25% over the Vosges via St Marie aux Mines

Got off the boat and on the road at 8.45am - lunch and fuel at 12.30 (stopped for 40 mins) and chatted to a couple of dutch bikers and arrived at hotel at 5pm
That was on a big, laid back, lazy 1150GSA, indicating 90mph on the motorway bits and that was a long day, for me

Yes it can be done, but was it fun...............nope

Don't underestimate the effect of heat too - temps in the 30's can sap your resolve and concentration, plus your energy - 400 mile days in 30c takes some stamina too
I always ride with an insulated Camelbak now on road tours and can drink 2 litres between refuelling the bike - I fill the bike and re-fill the Camelbak from the big cold bottles of water in the fuel station's fridges

Water is important, even on the road trips

[Nickw909]

I would plan on max 300 miles a day for a road ride.

Nick.

Sent from a little keyboard using fat fingers......

[gebrauchtwagen83]

400 miles+ every day is too much, much too much

400 miles in day is ok when you want to get somewhere or get home, but every day nope

Doing 400+ miles every day you become knackered, have no time to stop and see the sights, take pics or stop for coffee etc

400 mile days on mountain roads, takes an age of time to achieve

250-300 miles is much more enjoyable for a 6 hour riding day in the Alps

SexySi - I wouldn't do your agenda, no sirree

Not for me and I've been touring Europe for 25 years now

Completely with JB here

[sexysi]

When i originaly done this it was in a Triumph tr7, two drivers 2,500 miles in 4 days..... so that is 600miles a day/night, inc traffic jams.

We did the last haul in Germany at Night driving all day and night. :blink:

With the bikes it is easier, less mileage, knocked off 500 miles from the original and added 1 extra day, plus we don't hit traffic jams, well don't slow down for them.

But the route is a guide, we could change it a bit etc etc on the way. I would say the worst stint is from Rosheim to the Burg in Germany. That is about 350 miles in one hit. With a 40 mile journey afterwards to the campsite.

This breaks the back of coming back in one hit though.

si

[johnnyboxer]

When i originaly done this it was in a Triumph tr7, two drivers 2,500 miles in 4 days..... so that is 600miles a day/night, inc traffic jams.

We did the last haul in Germany at Night driving all day and night. :blink:

With the bikes it is easier, less mileage, knocked off 500 miles from the original and added 1 extra day, plus we don't hit traffic jams, well don't slow down for them.

But the route is a guide, we could change it a bit etc etc on the way. I would say the worst stint is from Rosheim to the Burg in Germany. That is about 350 miles in one hit. With a 40 mile journey afterwards to the campsite.

This breaks the back of coming back in one hit though.

si

I think you'll be in for a surprise...................doing it on a bike in summer is no way as easy as a car

For one a car is comfier, you don't have to wear hot bike clobber, you can stretch out in a car, cars have aircon (I agree a TR7 doesn't), you can eat and drink on the move in a car

A car can travel faster than a bike as it travels longer, because it doesn't have to refuel as often as bikes - over the course of a day

Refuelling on a bike is 15 mins as a minimum, by the time you have taken your gloves/helmet off and filled up paid, stopped a wee, got a drink and then back on the road - cars can refuel and go in 5 minutes

[sexysi]

I suppose it's why they put the A in ABR..... It's an adventure.


Had a look at the Long way round website. The 2 guys did 20,000miles in 115 days, so that is an avg 175 miles a day. But they spent 1/2 there time off road doing 20 mph, whereas we are on tarmac and not dodging bullets. :woohoo:

I'll let you know when I get back what it was like, TBH if I wanted a nice easy ride I would have got a Harley and just laid back and drifted.

You have to push yourselves these days, just to prove to yourself you are still alive.

I would say half the people on here wouldn't ride down to Africa, like the Long way down did, If someone asked me I would go tomorrow! We only have a small amount of time on this earth and I want to live life to the MAX.

I maybe 46 but I'm not over the hill.....

Hence the Norway ride next year.

si