Motorcycle Touring on Edelweiss Bike Travel's Alps Extreme Tour The writer describes the Stelvio as "... at 9,045 feet, and the third highest in the Alps", and the Grossglockner as "... Europe’s highest and most scenic pass, the mighty Grossglockner, which peaks at a toe-numbing 8,215 feet". His arithmetic is sadly even worse than his geography.
I think you are the only person who would have spotted this. I think the author needs a new editor . Send him an email
Ive done the Stelvio..its ok i suppose..... Butm the timmelsjoch pass, oh my word !! Ballsy to go hard. But there is no room for error, zero. If anyone is looking for fun roads, base yourself in Andermatt, you'll love it. More passes than you can shake a stick at.
How is it for police though? we avoided Switzerland for that reason. Our concerns were confirmed by a couple English guys we met at the factory in Bologna who had just been fined £500 each for crossing a white line in the road!!
I don't think that Switzerland is worse than anywhere else. Mind you, I won't be doing the Brunig pass again in a hurry (ho!). It's a low level pass in any case, fairly uninteresting with too much traffic, but handy for getting to Lucerne. Was booked between villages on a scenic lakeside stretch for no good reason at all (well, speeding obviously) and given a ridiculously large fine. Did you say money-spinner? The document I had to fill in was in about 9 different languages! Was reported to my home cantonal police who treated it as a misdemeanour - no further action required. I have heard of police on some of the passes spying people from afar with binoculars to make sure they don't cross white lines, so I don't. But then France isn't what it was. Been booked there twice now in two years (could be three) minding my own business on fairly deserted country roads not far from Switzerland. Everywhere you look, local authorities are trying to get a tax boost by fining motorists for petty speeding offences in places which have no relation whatsoever to road safety. I'm still a lot more frightened by the plague of Gatsos in the UK than I am by the odd speed trap in Switzerland, although it is true that there are cameras here. Most of them are on the motorways, however, so beware. Lausanne to Geneva is full of them. Also beware of city motorway ringroads - most have a couple. But the Alpine passes? Never had a problem in many years (apart from the Brunig, which barely counts as a pass). The Swiss still favour the bog standard radar trap set up in a parked car, or on a tripod. To be honest, in the summer, there are so many bikes on the roads that if there was anything untoward, someone would warn you about it before you got there. The situation in France is much trickier. The gendarmes favour hand-held laser binoculars which you have no chance of seeing before it is too late (like yesterday, sigh!). The hide completely out of sight on some vantage point and then send out the posse to head you off at the pass... On the other hand, they are nice enough to warn you in most instances if there is a fixed radar coming up, so as long as you slow down before you see it, you should be OK. Keep off the RNs in France and you can save yourself a lot of grief, but it's not a certainty.
Makes sense I guess, most places do seem much the same overall. We had a right blast coming back up through France with no problems from Police, that said you could see for miles ahead of you on the A roads so usually able to slow down on time.
I have done the Stelvio, Like all passes it is what you want to get out of it, we did it early evening, so little traffic, but it does get very very busy at times, quite narrow in places with some dodgy passing areas, it is always worth doing it once, just to say you have done it, doubt I would do it again. I have been to Switzerland, again great scenery on most parts, did a few passes cannot remember names but the main ones, I got a little tired of them tbh straight road, Hair Pin Etc., with lots of traffic, roads good quality, no issues with Police, though except there were quite a few accidents on their Bank Holiday so much traffic on the passes. Have Done Spain Pyrenees in the last month, although we never went up to the high stuff, it is so huge to ride around there, would deffo go there again, little traffic, most part the roads are good condition, very varied types of roads covering every possible variation of bends etc. Love Luxemburg for a quite trip and trash around so little traffic when you get out on their smaller roads. Not had any trouble with Police in I guess 8k miles in Europe over the last 2 years
Swiss five-o never bothered us. We were not acting the complete t!t but we'd be quick without being flat out if that makes sense. Striaght roads ara a chore but twisties, we'll have them all day long, inside and out, up and down! We based ourselves in Andermatt on two trips and done all the passes etc. As long as you aint a complete headcase and slow down to the right speed at villages / towns etc you will be fine. If you aint been to Germany you should go. Its beyond epic. I reckon it exclipses the swiss passes. So many damn good roads in europe, so many little holidays a year from work !
Hi All, Good to hear of your adventures in the Alps. Personally I have never had problem with police/fines having done 10 day tours in 2007, 08, 10 and 12. I agree with MaDProFF, the Stelvio is good to tick of the list but far better are the Timmelsjoch, the Grossglockner, the Gavia and the Grimsell Pass. I have some good 10 day routes if anyone is interested. Out of interest, does anyone have a recommended route south of Spiez in Bologna, perhaps via the Italian lakes? Many thanks for any route tips.
One place I can recommend to anyone is Orta. It's a tiny island in a lake (an island I have never visited) but you can spend the night in a cool hotel on the lake shore opposite the island. No traffic is allowed in Orta, so you leave your bike just outside the village. It's a top place with a piazza and restaurants and the like, not far from the Simplon pass and Domodossola. I will admit to not having been for a few years, but I doubt it's changed. My bike has never been molested there.
We didn't see anyone speeding when we were in Switzerland this year. It seems no one does anymore than the speed limit. Germany Black Forest is a must do for anyone. The roads around the B500 at the Baden-Baden end are biker heaven.
Yup, hate the road banding though when damp Camp out in Garmish, great spot and anywhere within a days ride is epic. Germany is our best spot, by miles. Biking mecca !
Yes the overbanding is scary sometimes even in the dry. I had a front wheel slide on some on the way through this summer.
