BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

As we approach the end of the year, and to take us through a wet and probably costly winter, we’re planning new routes and destinations for our annual summer jolly on the bike.

This time we’re looking at southern Greece via Anek Ferries from Ancona in Italy to Igoumenitsa in Greece, and a run down through Patras to an unchosen as yet destination in the Pelopenese.
Our France/Italy route should be about four days, an overnighter on the ferry, and a day-ish to pop down the coast.

So far we reckon spending about 7-10 days in the area before returning to Italy via Patras to Bari, then a wander up through Italy visiting Herculaneum en route, and returning via the Alps at Val Cenis before heading back to the Chunnel and home.

We’re guesstimating at about 4 weeks and 4,500 miles depending on where my wife dreams up for ‘unmissable’ places.

We did a 11 day mini-circuit of France this year because it was the first time touring on the BM, and now we know we’re comfy doing the miles it’s a grand tour for ‘23.

Anyone else planning for next year yet?

Yes. Picos in May

Going to Germany for a week with our other halves in June. We're using it as a reconaissance mission for when we go again for two weeks on our own at the end of August

My plans for next year if my passport ever turns up are To start in the Netherlands across to Hamburg down to Berlin then to Dresden, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and so on, more or less a big circle.

I've emailed VW and BMW to see if i can get their factories tour. I try to get in a factory tour with every trip. I've been to the VW factory tour before. It is massive. It is a town within a town. I've had many factory tours, most are free and others want a couple of pounds for their charities. The factories have ive been to range from plastic molding units, Ducati, and Guzzi, right up to a place that makes those giant mobile cranes. Most give you tea and sandwedges or allow you to eat in the staff restaurants.
Here in the UK Mini and Toyota give a good tour

We are all booked up for next year.Hopefully I'll be fully mobile by then.

Depart Portsmouth 4th August (2 night crossing) Arrive Santader then down to Lagos in the Algarve for 5 days then up to porto for 2/3 days.Then it's onward to a place called Llanes on the Spanish NW coast,from there we'll do the Pico's for a few of days.Then it's off to a place next to Biarritz to finish off.Sail back on the 30th.
This is the last time I'll tour down that way,2024 and its of to Norway, Sweden etc.

burridge01 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 01, 2022 10:22 am We are all booked up for next year.Hopefully I'll be fully mobile by then.

Depart Portsmouth 4th August (2 night crossing) Arrive Santader then down to Lagos in the Algarve for 5 days then up to porto for 2/3 days.Then it's onward to a place called Llanes on the Spanish NW coast,from there we'll do the Pico's for a few of days.Then it's off to a place next to Biarritz to finish off.Sail back on the 30th.
This is the last time I'll tour down that way,2024 and its of to Norway, Sweden etc.

Excellent Matey... Really hope you're back in full form and ready to go for the August trip.

Plans for 2023 a group of us are going through the tunnel to Luxemburg then up to the Harz mountains for a couple of days
Then 8 of our group are going to Arnham then onto Ypres.
Two of us are making our way towards Berlin then to Warsaw heading up to Estonia then making our
way back to Poland to visit AUSWITCH, then back through CZECH to Prague making our way up to
Rotterdam for the ferry back to Hull. the trip is expected to take about 3 weeks

I'd like to take a trip to northern Norway, Kirkenes for example. Maybe another further south in Sweden and Norway.

And another to central Europe too. But that would need to take place in April before it starts to get warm there.

And naturally again a trip around Finland. But that could be later in the autumn.

In the middle of September off on the Hull/Rotterdam ferry, down through Germany for 3 nights at the top of the Großglockner pass and a meander back over 9 days, with the missis.

My whole justification for getting the RT last year was to go touring - just now trying to work out where and when
Ultimately we want to tour through Europe to Austria (where we lived for a couple of years) with an itinerary which allows time with old friends & neighbours. I’ve considered using the train to knock off some miles, interested to hear if anyone’s got recent experience of that.
We’ll probably do a long weekend in the UK in Spring as a trial run.

Having initially read horror stories about the RT reliability and as it was a new bike to me I searched for comprehensive breakdown cover for our 11 day tour around France last year.

After checking a number of companies I decided on this one because it also included repair/parts/labour as well as the usual breakdown/repatriation, not something to be sneezed at if a shaft throws a tantrum, unlikely I know but… needless to say it ran beautifully with not a hint of a problem.

https://www.eurobreakdown.com/Home.aspx

As an indication of costs: our upcoming month long trip to Greece in June is quoted on top cover at under £100. Not a lot for peace of mind.

I'm picking up my new to me RT next week. I've had bikes since I was 17. I'm now 53 and never toured!! I'm really looking forward to getting across the channel on this one! We have friends in Holland so a quick Dover-Dunkirk return for a couple of days will be on the cards sooner rather than later. Then later in the year maybe a trip to the Swiss alps. Been many times in a campervan and car but never on a bike, so really looking forward to that!!

Windy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 8:52 am I'm picking up my new to me RT next week. I've had bikes since I was 17. I'm now 53 and never toured!! I'm really looking forward to getting across the channel on this one! We have friends in Holland so a quick Dover-Dunkirk return for a couple of days will be on the cards sooner rather than later. Then later in the year maybe a trip to the Swiss alps. Been many times in a campervan and car but never on a bike, so really looking forward to that!!

There’s plenty of advice on what you need to take, obligatory and advisory, on the bike and happily less than the car. Have a good time, you’ll soon find it’s addictive!