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I have toured abroad many times over the years but by far the best way is to go by bike, preferably with friends. Whether camping, B & B or using hotels a bike gives the greatest feeling of freedom and adventure. Britain is the only country I know where bikers are made to feel like second class citizens. On the continent the opposite is true. The roads are very definitely better and other road users are much more aware of bikes are more likely to pull over to allow filtering and overtaking. In general bikes don’t have to pay in car parks and as long as you are not causing an obstruction you can generally park where you like. I have actually had a French policeman help me to push the bike (ST1100) onto a pavement so that I could secure it to a lamppost. Each year I go I seem to see more and more British Bikers touring the continent just for that feeling of freedom, (I suppose the weather might have something to do with it as well).

From experience there are a few tips that are well worth knowing to make life a little easier when planning a trip to the continent.

Documents:

Passport:  A passport (obviously) is necessary, especially if you want to get back into Britain without having to claim “Asylum”. A passport is also required to register at many continental camp sites and hotels, and unless you pay in advance you will most likely have to leave your passport at the desk until you check out. A very useful document to have is a “Camping Carnet” (see below) which most camp sites will accept instead of a passport.

Driving Licence:   A full driving licence is required - a provisional is not accepted.

Vehicle Registration Documents (V5C): All E.U. countries require that you carry the original V5C (not a photocopy) or a letter of authority from the vehicles owner if it is not your own vehicle and/or a Vehicle on Hire Certificate (VE103B) if it is a company or a hire vehicle. Our own Customs and Excise can get pretty stroppy if you can’t produce your vehicle documents when asked to do so on return and the French police can actually detain you if you can’t prove ownership  of your bike.

Insurance :   A Green Card is no longer a statutory requirement but it is best to advise your insurance company where you are going and for how long. All insurance companies will provide the minimum cover required within the E.U. but if you have comprehensive insurance many will extend it to give you up to 60 days full cover in Europe as long as you let them know when and where you are going. (Carry your Insurance Certificate with you and also your M.O.T. Certificate just in case).

Accident Document:   Obtainable from your insurance company or broker and must be completed in the event of an accident.

Form E111: This form is no longer valid. Instead a European Health Insurance Card must be obtained It must be produced in E.U. countries if you are taken ill and wish to claim treatment via reciprocal health agreements. The new card is valid for either 3 or 5 years and is free of charge. It can be obtained on-line, (click link above), by telephone, (0845 606 2030) or by obtaining a form from the Post Office, (providing of course that the government have not closed them all),

Camping Card International:  As mentioned above, if you are camping this card is well worth having because as well as mentioned previously it entitles you to some good discounts at many camp sites and tourist attractions in 11 countries and is accepted as ID at most camp sites. The card is valid for a year and can be obtained from the RAC/AA and a number of camping/caravaning organizations etc., it will cost about £6.00.

Travel/Breakdown Insurance:  Check with your current breakdown cover provider before going abroad as it may not cover you whilst you are away. Many companies offering travel/medical cover class motorcycling as a high risk pastime, (such as skiing), and either won’t cover you or will require an additional premium. I use a combined travel/breakdown insurance via the BMF (Edgar Hamilton Ltd Travel Insurance) which covers me for a full year home and abroad and unlimited travel.

GB Sticker:  A GB sticker of the “correct size” must be on the back of the vehicle although if you have a modern number plate with an E.U. marking “GB” then this is accepted anywhere in the E.U. (and Switzerland) instead of a separate GB sticker.

Medical Kit:   A suitable Medical or First Aid Kit is a requirement on the continent, (the police could actually check to see if you have one),. Much cheaper than buying a kit from the chemist is to use a suitable Tupperware or similar, or even cheaper, a plastic ice cream or margarine container and put together your own kit from a supermarket (or liberated from work).

Spare Light Bulbs:   Again a legal requirement on the continent, (but a sensible one).

Warning Triangle:  Definitely a requirement for a car but appears to be optional for a motorbike, (where are you going to carry it on a bike anyway).

Accessory Socket:   Really useful when camping to power a small light or any 12v accessory but also handy to charge a mobile phone at any time. Maplins do a good flush fitting one, (suitable for bikes with fairings), with a waterproof cover for £6.99 (part no. WD68Y Car Acc Panel).

Swiss Army Knife:   Yep - the best thing I’ve ever bought. On a camp site in France one evening with two bottles of wine and no corkscrew - never again. Cheapest place to buy one is France, much cheaper than England or Switzerland. Get one with all the “bells and whistles” and it’s like having a toolkit.

Mobile Phone:  Most mobile phones will work on the continent but many will need to be “enabled” to do so, usually just a matter of calling your network provider. Beware however, it is very expensive to use a mobile phone abroad. Costs vary from around 99p/minute in France to around £1.75p/minute in some countries. Many people don’t realize that if someone phones you whilst you are abroad not only will they have to pay to make the call but you will have to pay to recieve it.

Tie Downs:   Of all the ferry companies I have used only the British registered companies actually tie down your bike with decent tie downs. Some of the other non British companies either use lengths of oily rope, with no thought paid to the possible damage to your bike, or will at best point to where the oily rope is and leave you to tie your bike down yourself. Take a couple of decent tie downs, quite cheap in Halfords or most motorcycle accessory outlets. When not on the ferry they are just as useful for lashing extra gear onto the bike.

Formule 1 Hotels: I often use Formule 1 hotels to save putting up the tent when I only want to stay one night. They are basic but cheap, (around 28 Euros/£20 a night for a room that sleeps three), and nearly every major town has at least one, usually located in the business parks adjacent to main roads so they are easy to find. Whenever you book a room ask for secure parking for the bikes - there usually isn’t any - but they have always given us a room on the ground floor where you can park the bikes underneath the window and the best bit is you don’t have to carry loads of gear through reception and down corridors, you simply pass it all through the window and save all the effort.

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