New Member

[Blubber]

Welcome and enjoy your euro trip 

[GSX1400Convert]

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

GSXKing, bike (Laverda) was at Concours last year and won best Cafe Racer. Won't be this year because I'll still be in Europe, well Thailand actually, for a holiday after the big ride, on the way back.

[Villiam3rd]

Welcome, bike looks awesome

[GSX1400Convert]

Please be extra vigilant about bike security while in London. There is a massive amount of bike theft all over the country at the moment, especially in the capital... So please be careful at all times.

Must be a real problem, every second person I speak to about it says that!
I only have one night in England (Dover) with the bike before leaving for France the next morning.

[Icebreaker]

Lovleg brukes welcome

[grog]

Convert, just read your Laverda story, incredible bike and your persistence also.

[VladTepes]

Laverda story, where? @grog

[GSX1400Convert]

Laverda story, where? @grog

Here: www.throttleroll.com/chris-laverda-1972-750sf/

[VladTepes]

Fanatic ! Yep you certainly ended up with a beautiful result. I've never owned a Laverda but always loved them for some reason.
And that's the only non-Orange Laverda I've seen that I like.

Annual attendance at the concours back when it was at the story bridge may be partly to blame.
In any event that is bloody wonderful.


I did not one thing in that article though..

"The 270 degree crankshaft makes the bike sound Ducati-ish.

:confused1:Not entirely sure if that's a compliment

[GSX1400Convert]

"The 270 degree crankshaft makes the bike sound Ducati-ish.

:confused1:Not entirely sure if that's a compliment

Standard is 360deg, had it rephased to 270deg. Article writer asked what is sounded like ........... "Ducati-ish".

[BbigMmac]

Welcome!

[grog]

I went to show a few years near Story Bridge, Burke St Park? Mid 80s was me. Had a perfect Ducati back then, never showed it. Can you blokes remember the SS Ducati that always won, used to put it up on a stand. Had over 200th Ks on it, looked brand new. Ill search old pics to post it.

[grog]

I knew i had a pic of that Duke. Ill search for others, might find some Laverda ones.

[gsxbarmy]

Great trip - I did something similar last year doing the passes of Switzerland, went down through the Black Forest and back up through the Vosges mountains.

A couple of things (just in case you don't know, if you do, then apologies)

- you need to buy a motorway pass when you enter Switzerland. Cost is about £33-ish depending on the exchange rate. And you MUST display this. Police get very upset if you don't and will fine you.
- DO NOT SPEED IN SWITZERLAND! They have a zero tolerance policy, and the fines are extreme. Watch the video below if in doubt (watch from about 7.35 in to about 13.00 - 4,000 Euro fine, instant 3 month ban!!).
- In Switzerland and France they have weird mobile speed camera's. They look a little bit like trailers with a short radio mast on, and are left by the side of the road, and hard to spot.
- If you do the Vosges mountains, don't "play" with the locals - they know the roads! Also do watch some of the hairpins on the ride up - don't ask me why, but on some of the hairpins themselves they have replaced the road with cobbles - not the thing to discover at the last moment!
- Always worthwhile carrying a clothes peg with you - handy for clipping things like tunnel passes or credit cards to you or your bike (you'll find you'll need your credit card for a lot of the French motorway tolls)
- France closes on a Sunday. And I do mean closes! Fuel is generally only available at Supermarkets and by credit card at the pump

Do enjoy the trip though, the views and the passes are just fantastic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL3v-VvmRhs

[Red Biker]

Welcome, sounds like a proper trip that, good.luck with it