On my downloadable gps routes there are petrol stations on the routes every 100-150km. The need to carry a jerry can depends on your bikes tank range. If your bike can manage a minimum of 300km/180miles before the warning light comes on then you should be fine, but I’d never go further than 200km/120miles without topping up as my F800GS will only manage 300km safely. DON’T wait for the bikes low fuel warning light to light up before looking for a fuel stop as you can easily get into trouble.

I consider a tank range of 300km/180miles the absolute bare minimum for touring in rural areas, Alps, Pyrenees included.

If your bikes tank range is lower than 300km then I’d seriously consider carrying extra fuel, especially if you intend to ride in rural areas or on a Sunday. Otherwise plan your route very carefully to be sure of finding fuel.

In the Pyrenees fuel stations are fairly abundant; especially on the Spanish side as long as you plan a route that will take you through at least medium sized villages or small towns. Beware however, on both sides of the border, and especially in Spain the stations in rural areas may close for lunch/siesta (2-4pm) and can be closed all day Sunday.

If you are planning your routes with SatNav software on your PC (e.g. Garmin MapSource) beware that some of the fuel stations listed in the software have gone out of business due to the recession. This is becoming an increasing problem in France where rural populations are packing up and heading to the big towns in search of work. Less people in rural areas = more petrol stations closing down and neither the Garmin nor TomTom SatNavs are being updated with these changes.

Unmanned fuel stations are also becoming more popular in France, so bring a major credit card (Visa/MasterCard – Do Not Use Lazer/Debit cards for buying fuel! Lazer/Debit work on a different system and the petrol station may initially charge you €100 or more (up to €400). This is a minimum balance holding request, the petrol station then charges your card at the end of their business week and cancels the minimum balance holding request. The holding request is to make sure you will have the funds in your account when they get around to charging you for the fuel you bought. The system is a pain in the arse!

Many lads using Lazer/Debit cards at French petrol stations have found their accounts frozen mid trip from balance holding requests, so buy with cash if at all possible or Credit Card for unmanned stations.

I’m heading off to France, the Pyrenees and Spain in 2 weeks, and as my F800GS will only manage 300km of spirited riding on a full tank I will be carrying an extra 5ltr jerry can with me as I plan to ride some of the mountain trails where fuel stations definitely don’t exist.

Hope this helps with the decision.

Denis

Enjoy your June trip Steve and safe riding..

Denis

I’m off to the Dolomites 1st week of June after catching the bug in the Pyrenees. I’ll be spending a few days in the area then heading to the Aosta Valley and the Mt Blanc region before heading back to Calais – 8 day trip. Can’t wait.

Steve

Sorry for the lat reply, it’s been a busy few days..

It’s hard to recommend a good route from Roscoff to Pau as there are too many Central France is littered with great roads so you will run into them without trying. Travelling south I rarely take the same route twice unless I’m short of time in which case I’ll take the N roads and use the motorways to get around the bigger towns and cities without hassle. I would however seriously recommend you work in the Gorge du Tarn into either your route down or back, in many ways it’s better than Gorges du Verdon. It’s just 20km-ish north east of Millau and the Millau bridge which really is well worth a look too.

The easiest way to find great roads is to stay away from the touristy coast line, obviously stay off the motorway, and most importantly get yourself a Michelin map and look for the roads with the green lines along them. These are the scenic/tourist roads almost all of which are marvellous, try to follow the “D” regional roads which usually give you easy access both to fun roads and plenty of B&B’s/campsites etc. Also the Michelin maps have a “BIS” route indication, this is a very specific French road classification which roughly translates to “The Road Less Travelled”, these roads/routes are outstanding cultural, historical and scenic routes. If you come across a road sign with a “BIS” on it – follow it

As for “brown trouser” moments I wouldn’t worry, the Pyrenees roads are far less hairy than the Alps. The only pass that might get a little unnerving is Col du Tourmalet which is the highest pass. If you approach the Col from the west there is a very tight corner with a nasty gradient near the top, if approaching on the east ramp its got a “visually impressive” drop off cliff and a nasty hairpin turn. However, both those turns are only difficult if you’re riding a big, top heavy bike like my old RT, on your light and nimble Vstrom DL650X it’s easy. Also, if you have ridden in the Alps you are not going to find any pass nearly as challenging as many found in the Alps.

The roads on the Spanish side are for the most part better, almost all have a perfect smooth surface, and outside of July and August you will have them mostly all to yourself, apart from the odd cow wondering aimlessly across the road. In fact, on both sides of the border I’d consider the biggest hazard being the itinerant bovine menace which is about the only potential “brown trouser” moment you are likely to face. Simply stay alert for them and your speed in cheque and there won’t be any problems.

Also around mid/late May there is a strong chance you will come across sheep farmers clogging up the roads moving their wool makers up to the high pastures. Unlike the Alpine roads the Pyrenees roads are far lower and thereforehave a far higher concentration of farmland, which means tractors, animals etc, all of which will be your main road hazards. As long as you keep that in mind you really have nothing to worry about.

As for mostly basing myself on the French side, well that’s just a personal preference as I’m very fond of French food, and even more fond of the regional cognac and especially the more rustic armagnac’s that can only really be found in the south west area of France. It’s just my very own guilty little pleasure

With that said though there is not really that much difference price wise between France and Spain anymore. Hotels, campsites and B&B’s are much the same price, even supermarket and fuel prices are starting to pair up and Spanish motorway tolls are some of the most expensive in Europe. A really good Spanish restaurant will also be summarily priced, but generally eating out, beer and wine is still much cheaper in Spain.

As for winging it with B&B’s you should be fine as you will be there very early in the season. The only thing is that you do need to start looking for a place to stay around 4pm, 5pm at the very latest. If you get stuck head for the nearest town with a tourist office who will help you find a place for the night. If you speak a little French the village post office, Tabac or Spar shops are also a great place to help find a local B&B as those guys know everyone in their district. If there is an unlisted B&B in the area they will know of it, but you will need to speak a little French.

I’ll actually be in the Pyrenees myself up until around the 30th, so you never know, I might just see you there

Hope this helps, happy travels..

Denis

Just looking through your Pyrenees trip of 2012 & I am very tempted to give it a go.
I am intending sailing into Roscoff on 26th May & after a leisurely spin down through France hope to hit Pau after 3 or 4 days on non motorway roads.

I am wondering if you could roughly recommend a route for me coming from that direction. I have noted your routes & hope to try some of them, however I dont want any “brown trouser” moments so maybe you could advise me what cols to avoid. I hasten to add that I’m an “aul fart” now & could do without such moments but not afraid of moderate adventure but no scary stuff!!

I am also wondering why you always seem to base yourself on the French side of the border, I would have thought it would be cheaper on the Spanish side, but you probably have a very good reason for that.

I dont want to go booking places to stay in advance so I’m wondering if there’s any problems just “winging it” & finding B&B in the Pyrenees on each day just by turning up?

Dont worry about going in August, you will have a blast what ever time you go.
Would be happy to advise/help or have a look over your route, just send me an email to denis.smyth@roadtrooper.com with a route google maps link, kml or gdb/gpx and I’ll have a look..

All the best..

Denis

I’m not going to say that intercoms are definitely legal or not as the tossers in Brussels keep coming up with new and increasingly bloody ridiculous laws every couple of days. That said if intercoms are illegal in Spain or elsewhere it’s the first I’ve heard of it! Especially as the bike dealers in Spain are selling them!

I think there may be a little confusion here over in-ear earphones and the actual use of intercoms and SatNavs while riding! In Spain “in-ear” earphones are illegal, or at least it’s a 90€ fine if you’re caught wearing them while connected to an mp3 player as they are regarded as distracting to the rider. So, any bike-to-bike intercom system that uses “in-ear” earphones are illegal, but if it uses speakers fitted within the helmet thats fine.

Speakers fitted within a helmet’s padding are legal, so for example you can have a Bluetooth device (Scala Rider) connected to the speakers so you can listen to your mate commenting on the semi clothed hookers working the roadside or listening to directions from a SatNav. However it’s illegal to operate/adjust ( i.e. press any buttons) a SatNav or intercom while riding a motorcycle.

I have, as yet to hear of any cops anywhere enforcing this as it’s almost impossible to police and I think most cops have better things to be doing anyway. I was stopped by the Guardia Civil 3 or 4 times last year and each time I had in-ear Bluetooth earphones in and they did not seem to care. Either way it’s always a good idea to carry a couple of hundred euro in cash just in case you are unlucky enough to get caught and have a cop enforce this rule.

So, to be clear – it is technically illegal to take your hand off the handlebar of a moving motorcycle to adjust a SatNav or an intercom attached to the side of your helmet, the argument being that you are not in full control of the motorcycle. To turn on/off or adjust the volume of the Scala Rider system for example you need to pull over and stop to do so. This is fair enough and probably common sense, a lot like useing a hands free kit for using a mobile phone while driving a car. However, EU legislation is coming to ban all use of phones, hands free or not while driving, how this will affect intercoms remains to be seen, but they will probably become illegal at some stage.

The traffic laws in Spain are very difficult to give advice on. For the most part all common traffic laws are EU based, but the problem in Spain is that Spain is made up of autonomous states, regions like Murcia, Valencia, Catalonia, Navarre, Castile etc all have slightly different regional laws and their own governments under the central Castile government in Madrid. Even the fines differ from region to region! It’s impossible for a tourist to know each regions specific laws and the cops understand this and will usually ignore infringements like these “if” you are not also driving dangerously like over the speed limit!

Either way, dont be worried. Have extra cash in the unlikely event you do get fined, just use your common sense and ride with the intention of arriving home with your “fine” money intact
Hope this helps..

Denis

First off, you’re going to have to put your indicators and mirrors back on as they wont be street legal in Spain without them. I doubt if you would make it past customs before you get you’re bikes impounded, and even if you did the Guardia Civil will bankrupt you with cash on the spot fines out on the road.

As for the hi-vis, you don’t need to wear one but you do need one and must wear it if you break down or get a puncture etc and need to stand on the side of a road or motorway. You will also need spare bulbs and fuses but you do not need to carry a warning triangle, that’s only for cars etc..

You will definetly need; Passport, spare cash for on the spot fines, insurance, road tax, registration docs etc. I’ve more info on this and riding in Spain tips here A Virgin’s Touring Guide

If your going to take in some off roading in the Navarre region etc you must be able to carry plenty of extra water as it can get seriously hot (30C+) and extra fuel if your bikes tank range is under 270km, if you break down or run out of fuel in the remote areas of the parks you’re in big trouble. If you have a laser card DO NOT use it for buying petrol in France or Spain, use only a credit card, but cash is better.

The weather on the French side can be very different from the hot/dry Spanish side especially on the Atlantic coast which has frequent torrential downpours (May/June) so ye might want to take rain gear.

There are plenty of speed and drink driving checks on the Spanish side, even in the middle of nowhere and the fines are cruel. Stick to the speed limits and watch your drinking in the evenings and you will have a blast. The roads on the Spanish side are better, but on DR605’s I don’t think you will care what type of road your on

If you can you should visit the Spanish tourist board offices in the UK or online to get more info on the Pyrenees national parks, in many areas it’s prohibited to use motorbikes on the trails. But there are plenty that you can and even cross the French/Spanish boarders via these tracks/trails which you will love. Just be careful, there are bears and wolves in those hills

I’m planning to get back down there this year myself on a F800GS to find some of these trails. If you find any good ones yourself be sure to let me know so I can upload them for others to find..

Hope this helps, let us know how the trip went when you get back..

Denis

This problem happened before with other members using a mac/safari and I’m still not fully sure why it’s happening. The code your getting is actually the source code of the .gpx/gdb file and for some reason this code is not recognised and packaged by your mac/safari as a downloadable .gpx/gdb file.

Try the following steps – right-click on a link, select “Save File” or “Save Link as” button. In pop-up “Save As” dialog click “Save”. Also you can try to copy the code – open a new .txt file – paste the code into the txt file then save as a .gpx/gdb file which should be readable as a track or route by your nav program. This usually works for the Garmin Mapsource prog, not sure about TomTom.

If this does not work just email me directly at denis.smyth@roadtrooper.com with the files you need and I’ll be happy to email the track/route files you need so you can plan your trip.

Thanks

Denis

I’m new following your blog, great site, irreverent writing style and fantastic pictures, thank you. I also wanted to download a track to plan a ride but it does not download using Safari (on mac). Rather clicking a .gdb or .gpx leads to a page showing the coding of that file, example:

Waypoint

0200C7527F00AC20B1000D23FE0050447FDD

0200C7527F00933023002116000076003500
</gpxx:r
Etcetera…
Could it be a compatibility issue with Safari? What do you recommend?
Much thanks in advance, regards from Nyon.
Claude

You guys have a really great site yourselves, I’d say I’d probably fit right in being a borderline old git myself

Absolutly feel free to link or reference to my virgins guide download page, the advice in it “for what it’s worth at least” is free. It’s probably a bit long winded but hopefully it helps those who have yet to get their bikes a little further afield.

Just so you know I’ll be writing in a few updates to it soon. As it’s now a year old it needs a little tweeking here and there to keep the info/links etc fresh.

Best regards
Denis

Regards

David Mc
http://www.old-gits.org

The Route des Grande Alps is the best route in the western Alps and a great way to get into touring, it statrs off just south of Lac Leman on the French Swiss border and finishes up near Nice. There are loads of variations to the route, but for the most part it follows the epic D902. I prefer to finish up in Castellane at the edge of Gourge du Verdon which is un miss-able.

You have a great bike for the job which will chew up the motorway so you could shoot straight down the motorway on the 1st day and be ready to tackle the good stuff on your 2nd day. Go via Rheims and stear clear of Paris as the traffic around Paris is alway nuts and toll fees are more expensive. Some of the alpine roads are tough going, so if you are taking a pillion you will be lucky if you manage 200km in a day through those hills;)

Once you get into the Alps though dont plan on doing any more than 300km max in a day.

Copy and paste this Google Maps link into your internet browser – http://goo.gl/maps/gwLe3 This would be a really good route with many of the best passes to get the initial planning done.

But a lot depends on your dates. If you go too early the higher passes may be closed. The highest passes may not open until June! Make sure not to go during the Tour de France or you will face endless traffic jams and all the hotels etc will be booked out.

Also check out my 2010 and 2011 tours through this area, there is tons of info on alternative routes and links to places to stay and loads more which should answer many questions for you.

Make sure to get an up to date Michelin map and not an AA map as the Michelin maps are far better for France and match the French road sign colour codes. The AA maps have their own colour codes which make things more confusing if you get lost. I think I have a list of maps for this route and a guide to French road signs here http://www.roadtrooper.com/a-virgins-touring-guide/

Hope this helps to get you started, if you have any more questions just fire away..

Cheers

Denis

I did this trip in the last week in May. From the end of April or early May almost all the passes are open. Tourmalet is the highest pass and therefore usually the last to open which can be anywhere from early/mid May to the end of May or very early in June but that is rare.

The French are very good at getting the tourist passes open as soon as the last snow has fallen and most of the passes into Spain are open all year. You’d be safe enough planning a trip starting mid May. But there is always a risk that Tourmalet wont be open til the last week in May.

The higher areas start getting real cold from end of Oct, from Nov your into the snow again on the higher passes.

Hope this helps..
Denis

Thanks
Steve

What can I say, you have the perfect tool for the job with the RT and you’re going to love it. Both sides of the border are fantastic with the roads on the Spanish side the best, smooth and winding – just perfect for the RT.

I’ll have another post up next week with more info on the area, with more routes and plenty of videos to come on the YT channel.

I’m sure you will have a blast

Safe riding,
Denis

We`re booked in to Chapeau Bleu for 7 nights end of July this year so your report and routes are perfect timing for us.After that a ride down to Barcelona for 4 nights (keeps the wife happy ) then back to Santander.
2012 rt with wife as Pillion and really looking forward to it. We stayed in Briancon last year and followed your recomendations for the Mont Prorel and had a great stay.

Tony.

I’ve just posted my adventures for day 2 of this trip and will get day 3 up next week. I’ll also be releasing a video each week on my YouTube channel so you can see the roads for yourself.. Hope you enjoy..

Thanks again

Denis

Cheers

Denis

I found a bug in the download page, it should be working for all now and I’ve started uploading some new routes,,

Rgds

Denis

Thanks for your quick reply, I will let you know how I get on.

Thanks

I’ve only just rebuilt the website from scratch and the new one only went live last week so it’s easily possible that there are still a few little bugs with it, but I’ve tested it at my end and it seems to be working. Unfortunatly one of the things I had to do with the new version of the site was to reset all the users/subscribers names and passwords. When transfering the users database across from the old site to the new 50% of the data and all the passwords were lost. Hopefully by tonight I’ll have all the users/subscribers details back in the database but not the passwords, but all you/they have to do is just go through the forgotten password process to recieve a new password and ability to change it again to one of their choice.

So, hopefully your issue may be related to your password, try resetting your passwordthen login and try downloading again which might sort it. If your still having the same problem let me know, if i know it’s not a password or rights issue I will have a better idea of what the problem is. Just email me directly at denis.smyth@roadtrooper.com

Sorry for the trouble,

Denis

I am having trouble downloading your excellent routes, GPX files. Is there a problem as last week it was no trouble.

thanks

Either way it’s off my list as I’m looking for a 2nd hand bike, and as there is loads of 2nd hand GS’s around I’m more likely to get a good deal..

I’ve only just let my R1150RT go to a new home. I had to let one bike go to make way for a different bike, but keeping the F800R was a no-brainer for all the reasons you just listed and more.

At the end of the day you simply have to sit down and write down all the things that you practically need from a bike, remember it’s also a tool to do a job, define the job before choosing the tool. The Multistrada and 1200GS are great bikes and personally I don’t find them too heavy as I’m used to the 1150RT who’s (dry weight) is heaver than the 1200GS Adventure anyway and will most likely be my next bike.

But, the last thing I want to be doing is navigating daily traffic on a GS, for ease of use, fun and fuel economy the F800R beats it every time, but for long distance touring which I do a lot of it’s got to be a bigger bike. Therefore, for me at least I need to have two bikes, both different, and both brilliant at different things.

If you spend most of your time in traffic, and touring is not so important then I’d wonder if you actually need a GS/Multistrada type bike, especially if you wont be riding rough roads or green lanes? Additionally, the big bikes really become a headache as daily city commuters as well as being expensive, and except for touring I almost never used the RT as the F800R is a joy for any distance up to 300km!

If I were you I’d seriously consider keeping the F800 and buying a 2nd hand 1200GS or Mulitstrada and having the best of both worlds until you know what you really want and suits your daily purposes. You can then sell off one of the bikes or both and buy a new one if that’s the way you’re swinging. Don’t forget to consider though, if you want a bike to do big tours the GS/Multistrada will only do the exact same mileage between refills (180 miles /300km) as the F800R, which to me, does not make them proper tourers either, hence my decision to get the GSAdv with the 33 litre tank.

Whatever you decide to do it’s important to get in a couple of test rides on different models and compair them to the F800 with a clear head. Unless a different model really rocks your boat then walk away until you find something that does.

Before Xmas is the best time for getting a great deal on a 2nd hand bike, prices will climb again coming into next summer.

Good luck,,
Denis

Considering the 1200s Multistrada, or the new 2013 1200GS both great bikes but heaver and not as manageable in traffic. let alone the fuel economy and servicing costs!

It all points to either keeping mine or getting another new F800R. My heart is wanting a change for something different but the R is such a great all round package once you own one its hard to consider anything else to use as a daily commute.

Denis

I was over in Wales a few years back and really enjoyed it, I hope to get back at some stage. Congrats on the getting the bike, the F800R should be perfect for those Welsh roads as it’s an underrated, brilliant, easy to ride, stress free, economical all-rounder.

If your looking to accessorise your F800 a bit I can really recomend the halogen lights from motobozzo – http://www.motobozzo.de/xtcatalog/product_info.php?language=en&info=p130_BMW-F-800-R-Halogen-Nebelleuchten.html

They look great but more importantly they will make the bike and you far more noticeable to cars as the F800′s headlight, like most bikes in my view, is not great. Since I put on the halogen side lights I’ve really seen first hand how cars now pull over to let me through when I come up behind them and are less likely to pull out on me at junctions. I still cant believe the difference they have made, especially as they only cost around £100 inc delivery, much better value then the Touratech ones. Well worth considering dude, but please dont pull up next to me at the lights lol…..

Stay safe

Denis

It may even inspire me to do a bit of touring. I live in west wales and so have some pretty good biking roads but it would be good to go futher a field.

I have just bought an F800r in orange so appologies if I draw up along side you at the lights! That is how I found your site, looking for reviews for the F800r.

Thanks again

Jeff

I also found some really excellent bike friendly places to stay, drink and eat so I hope you come back for more, I might just convince you to head to the Pyrenees next year instead

Cheers
Denis

Just to let you know that I spent a couple of nights at the Mont Prorel in Briancon on your advice.
Marvellous!
Know what you mean about the fireplace though!
My lad and I followed your suggested routes from Albertville ((nice little campsite called Lac de Carouge) through to Briancon – stunning for us first timers.
Dossed around on the Sat then followed route you published starting and ending at Briancon.
It was brilliant, Cols, passes, Alpine lakes the lot – so thanks very much for passing on your experiences
Planning to do something similar next year maybe head into Italy for a few
Sent from sunny (I lie) Cornwall.

Bob and Jon

I’m using the Drift HD170 Stealth, it’s a very handy little cam and worth the money in my book. The GoPro is another great camera but it looks a bit bad if you plant it on the top of your lid.
Watch out for the Guardia Civil on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, the sneaky buggers have hidden speed cameras even in the remotest areas and check points on border crossings and rural roundabouts as far south as Barcelona.

Have a safe trip, you are probably going at the best time of the year..

Denis

What helmet cam are you using?

JC

I’m planning another big trip through the Alps and Pyrenees again next year (2013) and I’m hoping to have the time to spend at least 2 to 3 days in Briancon in which case I’ll certainly be looking forward to returning to your hotel.

As an Irishman as well as a biker I certainly appreciate a bit of good grub, a great bar for a couple of beers and a bit of crack and a good nights sleep before hitting the road again after a solid breakfast, you guy’s have it all and recommending the Mont Prorel is a pleasure..

Hope you still have the pool table?

All the best,
Denis

We hope to see you again soon and we look forward to meeting more of your followers.

Warm regards,

Julien Candy
Director
Hotel Mont Prorel
Briancon
http://www.hotelmontprorel.com

Have you been up to the medieval town of Bocairente? I can seriously recommend spending a an hour wondering around the old hilltop part of the town, some incredible churches and monasteries if your into the history buzz and it’s a part of Spain few tourists find.