BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

In a weeks time I head off for a 12 day tour of the Italian lakes. Never done anything like this before and was after any tips from the forum tour veturens. The must haves and must does?

You will LOVE it.  Doing trips like yours changed my whole attitude to biking - I really love the sense of adventure, packing everything into the bike each morning and setting off for somewhere you've never been or seen before.  Can't beat it!


My two top tips are:


1.  Take less stuff.  No matter how little you pack, you'll have too much.
2.  Relax and enjoy the scenery.  Don't spend every hour of every day in the saddle.  Remember, it's a holiday.
3.  If you can, get at least one night at the Villa Madruzzo, near Trento.  The steak tartare is the best I've ever had!


http://www.villamadruzzo.com/en/


Enjoy!


8) 8) 8)

Main things are obvious
Carry original V5 licence and insurance.
European medical card. (free from the Post Office) or on line.
Addition medical travel insurance. ( many won't cover you on big bikes)
Breakdown cover.
The absolute minimum kit you can get your pillion to pack.

Take only one riding suit for rain or shine--something like a Klim Lattitude or equivalent.


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pbsrides wrote: Take only one riding suit for rain or shine--something like a Klim Lattitude or equivalent.

What - you know people who take two riding suits??


Must need big panniers for that - or maybe that's why some RT riders have that HUGE top box...

Have a great time UkD!
Can anybody recommend a medical insurance company as my multi trip will not cover me for my Tour

Coverwise.com.  £20.00 for 6 days 2 up.

MAG travel insurance. There are three schemes, bronze, silver and gold. The top scheme is gold and covers European annual travel for about £42, which I think is extremely reasonable as an example for a solo person aged 45. For two people, aged 45 and 42, it would be about £75. This covers multiple trips for a year and is therefore way better value than the cost of single trip insurance, unless maybe you are certain of making only one journey in which case they offer single trip policies. Unlike most travel insurance, it covers road motorcycling as you'd expect from MAG.

http://www.magtravelinsurance.com/
for an online quote.

You probably have to be a MAG member, but as a biker I think you should be anyway. And you are supporting them by using their insurance as they will receive a commission.

Sounds like a great trip coming up there UKD! I can recommend Lake Como which the wife and I visited last year whilst touring on our bikes. Admittedly, we caught the train into Como from our B&B 10 miles South. We took the boat trip up the lake to Bellagio where we dined on the lakeside at one of the numerous bistros there. What's handy, you can treat the boat trip like a ferry by hopping on and off at any of the numerous stops it makes en route to Bellagio. Whatever you do, you're sure to enjoy it I'm sure .

Everyone carries to much gear on their first few rides
Underwear, socks and Tshirts are all the type you can shower in at end of day and good to go next day, swim suit a couple pairs of pants and few Tshirts, pair of walking shoesI'am good for two weeks
Our general rule is to hit the road early and be at destination by 3pm. Out west 300-400 miles a day depending on roads
Don't hesitate to stop often take pictures and enjoy your ride
PS
Leave in a couple weeks for a western US ride, 6 states 3000 miles, dozen national parks

T6pilot wrote:
Leave in a couple weeks for a western US ride, 6 states 3000 miles, dozen national parks

That sounds like a lot of fun...

Cheers guys! I'll have a look

If you can.  do stelvio  great Road fantastic atmosphere fantastic sights

If you have time visit lake maggiore, especially Isola Bella.[size=1.8em]

Thanks for all the tips and recommendations, much appreciated. Looks like I need to take less kit, that is for sure and get some bike specific insurance. One last check of bike today and a practice luggage pack tomorrow and I'm all ready to go, just a week early