Planning a trip to Europe...

[GlobalRider]

I will bet by the 2nd day, you will be saying, "I should have listened"

Its too bad photos aren't three-dimensional...



I'd like to see how many riders can handle the inside of that hairpin at full lock, trials style because they have to due to a car coming down the opposite way. By the way, the grade right at the hairpin is something else again.

[franze]

here's what these corners look like from eye level. The big difference in elevation in each corner prevents you from seeing what's approaching, or what's in the road..... cows, goats, poop, rocks, bicyclists.... We have segments of roads in North America that may have a corner or two like this. This particular road is about 20 miles of corners like this. These roads follow the horse cart paths from Biblical times. They are not engineered. The radius opens or closes, depending on a tree or a rock that was there 500 years ago. This is why it's so fun. You are going to ride roads like this. You will see more GS's on roads like this than any other model. It's why I bought one when I got back to CA.

[GlobalRider]

here's what these corners look like from eye level.

And the larger radius hairpin in the forefront which will be taken on the inside going down is a lot easier than the much tighter one in the background which will be taken going up.

And to top it off, that road is in excellent condition and WIDE by alps roads standards.

Why would anyone ride anywhere else? If I could only own one motorcycle, it would be stationed in Europe.

[MLS2GO]

Is that in northern Italy near Cortina by any chance?

[franze]

Is that in northern Italy near Cortina by any chance?

why yes it, you may move to the front of the class. It's the east side of the Passo di Stelvio, what many claim to be the holy grail of big alps passes. It was the only time in my three years of riding euro back roads, that I really had to work to keep my r1100rt on line. That downhill, inside line is tight. And yes, busses and trucks use these same roads. I have very little experience riding two up and I sure wouldn't choose this type of riding for cutting my teeth. For some reason, I always was more relaxed going down than climbing

and just when you think you're one badass moto rad SOB...........here comes someone that really is.............

[pffog]

Here is another, a faiarly wide switchback. One of my personal classification tools is when the fog line has a point, it is a switchback, when it has a radius, it is a hairpin.

BTW, we have VERY few paved switchbacks in the US, most are wide hairpins by European standards.

[GlobalRider]

why yes it, you may move to the front of the class. It's the east side of the Passo di Stelvio.

Not even close in that case.

[MLS2GO]

I did not think it was the east side of Stelvio. I thought it was close to Cortina. If I have my directions correct this is the east side of Stelvio though.

[franze]

Not even close in that case.

Considering the title of this thread is "Planning a trip to Europe" I consider the 137 miles from Cortina to Trafoi pretty close . I had breakfast, packed the bike, and well before noon I was at the Stelvio "welcome mat".





this picture is from the beginning of the climb. still have grass, streams.........



even a farm


and a resort owned by long lost cousins ..........




the middle


the top

[gunnert]

Trip is over....
Flew from DC to Munich (Jun 30- 14 July), rented a new GT from Motogreek (HIGHLY recommend). Road two-up.
4 nights Simonhof Hotel Hinterthal Austria
5 nghts Evaldo Hotel Arabba Italy
3 nights Edelweiss Resort Garmisch Germany
This was a trip of a lifetime for my wife and me. We were VERY lucky with weather. Less than a half day of rain for entire trip, but it was hot. I had no trouble with the GT and will rent another one next time. I guess a lot of the negative comments about riding a GT in the Alps would be for those that don't "RIDE" their motorcycles...

[pffog]

...............
This was a trip of a lifetime for my wife and me. ..................and will rent another one next time......................................

A little contradiction in the two statements?

Call Apls-aholics anonymous, we have another member So when do you start step 2?? There are a very small number of people lucky enough to make 12 steps or more

[GlobalRider]

Considering the title of this thread is "Planning a trip to Europe" I consider the 137 miles from Cortina to Trafoi pretty close.

Not if someone is trying to pinpoint a location of a pic. In North American terms, that would be next door, but there is so much one can see in 220 kms (this is Europe...we deal in kilometers) and if one takes the right roads (not the SS38), that can take a long time.

I had my friend and his wife join me for two weeks in the Alps this year. It was their first time over on two wheels and he will most likely return as the roads "back home"are now labeled as boring. I got quite a few hugs after some of the roads we took..."the touring companies don't take you on these roads" I'd tell him.

We went over Gavia and Stelvio in the rain and heavy winds with maybe 25m visability at the top. One rider went over the edge on the west ramp of Stelvio; the police and ambulance were roadside and climbers were rappelling down to the rider...I doubt he was in one piece. There were deep fresh scrape marks in the pavement. I wonder what he was thinking...if at all.