Motorcycle Touring in Europe and Ireland
Even if you’re a new rider, with a little care it’s no big deal taking a motorcycle abroad for the first time. Riding on the wrong side of the road is easier in many ways than driving a car abroad, and you’ll often find a warmer welcome, too. It’s all part of the extra freedom that riding a motorbike or scooter brings.
How to get there:
It’s very easy to take your motorbike to continental Europe or Ireland. Car ferries also carry motorcycles, or you can ride onto the Eurotunnel shuttle and ride off again as easily as parking in a multi-storey car park.
If you take the ferry, you just ride on board. One advantage of being a motorcyclist is that you often get to board ahead of all the car drivers – beating the queues once again! Watch out for slippery patches of oil or diesel on the metal deck surfaces – avoid sudden changes of speed and direction.
The crew will direct you where to park and help you secure your bike so it won’t fall over as the ship moves. Different ferries use different methods to restrain motorcycles, but it’s a good idea to carry something to protect your seat or paintwork from the straps – an old waterproof is ideal.
Once you’re happy that it’s secure, you can leave the motorcycle and its luggage, knowing that the car decks will be locked for the rest of the voyage. Choosing a longer, overnight crossing costs more, but you have the advantage of starting fresh after a night’s sleep in a cabin. Remember, as soon as you ride off the ferry into France, Belgium or the Netherlands, you’re riding on the right.
If you choose the Eurotunnel, again you’ll be boarded separately. Simply park as directed by the crew. The short crossing is a chance to stretch your legs or eat a snack. You ride off the train, out of the terminal and straight onto the French motorway. Voila!
Take extra care when riding your motorcycle or scooter abroad, especially after you’ve stopped for a meal or overnight.
Touring tips for Europe and Ireland:
- Legal stuff: you must have 3rd party insurance (at least) so check you are covered before you go. Driving licence requirements vary abroad, but in general a full motorcycle licence issued in the UK will allow you to ride the same motorcycles abroad. A CBT is only valid in the UK, so if you want to ride abroad, it’s time to take that full motorcycle test.
- Local driving laws: check before you go for any special requirements. For example, in France you must carry a complete set of spare bulbs for lights and indicators.
- Petrol stations: it’s common for petrol stations to be closed on Sundays, or to switch to an automatic mode that only accepts that country’s credit cards. If you’re carrying cash, some kind local will usually use their card to save you from an empty tank.
- Toll roads: many European countries use tolls on their main motorways, so if you plan to cover lots of miles fast you’ll need coins and/or credit cards somewhere that’s easy to reach quickly. However, there is usually an alternative route without tolls (and mostly without lorries) that’s a boon for motorcyclists.
- Take a detailed road map, one that shows the small roads. Those are the ones you’ll enjoy exploring.
Have any of your own tips to share? Post them on the Get On Community – and share the photographs from your own trip abroad too!