Tank Slap - Motorcycle Forum

I could happily spend a whole day looking through the bikes in the Ducati museum. I am truly gobsmacked by the trip guys, it looks and sounds great (apart from the no petrol in the dark bit), a trip on a bike down into Italy was always on The List before, but I think it's been bumped up a few places looking at this thread. Funnily enough in all the times I've been to Germany for work, I've only ever met one arse - in Munich, maybe you caught the same guy.

Btw thanks for taking the time to post all the pics Duke, much appreciated.

P.S. I'm with Bratty - I've let my inner Fizzy rider out on occasion and caned a bike through the tunnels as well, Dartford Tunnel late at night is a treat for the ears.

A really great thread. Thanks again.

That's excellent fuel consumption for a fully laden large engine bike.

Great stuff mate.

Found this site with some info on the Hooge crater and Birr cross roads cemetery we visited Duke. Thought it might be of interest.

http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/flanders/hooge.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great write up, we did have a lot of fun.

I've definitely got the euro bug now, I love france, but Germany was great in a different way too. Italy is gorgeous, but the roads are scary with the riders and drivers on them. Dog eat dog and pretty stressful at times.

Some of the twisties demanded a light, flickable bike, not a sports bike or indeed a large tourer IMO.

We would need to concentrate on one area in the future. I think if your touring, you take something suitable for touring and look at the scenery. If your there to ride twisties, it's a very different holiday. Mixing the two too much doesn't work.

I'll never forget Misano, best motorcycle racing weekend I have ever been to. The Italians do it best!

When I get time I'll post some race pics and some of our other pics as our route back was different. Highlights for us was the Alps and Into lake Como and the south of France, Monaco was something else.

A pleasure to have your company Duke. Some good pics there

Riding in Europe beats most the UK by a long way. Less traffic and more open roads equals fun.

I agree with your point re: touring or just enjoying the roads local to you. Its one or the other realistically. The Multi was too big and heavy when fully laden to get much enjoyment on the twisty German roads. If i could have left all the luggage at the hotel then it might have been different. We discussed going back there sometime to stay for a few days and just enjoy the roads with no luggage. I also took too much stuff despite telling myself beforehand to be realistic about what to take!!!

That said taking all the kit made loadsing up easy each day and it was always secure and safe.

Panniers are a pain though when trying to filter especially with lots of trucks in the queue.

Duke your bike did look very heavy and cumbersome to handle at times. As a suggestion to assist maybe add more preload to the rear and at least the bike will have it's normal geometry, I know you said it was very light at the front at speed.

The splugen pass is apparently one of the most dangerous roads in the world.

http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/it ... italy.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would have been even more dangerous in the dark and wet

Blade wrote:Duke your bike did look very heavy and cumbersome to handle at times. As a suggestion to assist maybe add more preload to the rear and at least the bike will have it's normal geometry, I know you said it was very light at the front at speed.

I have just got the handbook out to have a read and it does say to add more preload and possibly rebound too.

I didn't really give myself enough time to ensure everything was spot on before i left. I will know next time.

It was a big learning experience for us all mate and I learnt loads I would do differently next time.

Re: Splugen pass it actually says in the write up extremely dangerous in the dark or wet with unlit hairpins some of which are in unlit tunnels. We 100% made the right decision that night. I'm sure 1 if not all of us would have had a incident negotiating those roads in the dark, rain, low cloud especially when already extremely tied.

Here is a video of others riding it. I had forgotten about the hairpins in tunnels. I think that was when Bratty got hacked off by the car driver tailgating him.

Badly missing the craic of being out riding with great mates on roads and countries we had never ridden before.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcPPmZ09Em0[/video]

Must admit I'm missing being on the road everyday and the craic with good mates, not only an epic trip but a bloody good laugh, good times, happy days.

Duke not sure if you were aware of this as I certainly wasn't but the round about at the end of the menin road about 1/2 mile from our hotel was hellfire corner. Said to be the most dangerous place on earth in 1917.

Its really blown me away and humbled me what we saw in Ypres. Obviously everyone is aware of the huge sacrifice by our brave young men during the 4 years of ww1 but being their brings it home with a sledge hammer the horror and hell these brave chaps confronted every single day.

3rd Battle Ypres 1917 WW1 Footage Hell Fire Corne…: http://youtu.be/CKTRk7lrm7c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Truly in awe and deeply grateful for what our grand parents did for our comfortable free life's.

Not done the Splugen pass, I think that's a one to go on my to do list.
The tunnels look a right mare, as they narrow and make you go in the middle, heaven help you meeting a car going tother way