I've got a shot trip planned to southern France next month and we decided to use the Paris Autotrain to get the bikes down to the good stuff as quick as poss. As this is a non passenger train does anyone have experience on how they secure the bikes as cant get that info and after mine went ping on the ferry last year am a little paranoid at leaving my baby in the hands of others. fyi I don't have a centre stand fitted.
I have done this before, and they are very careful and the bikes were very secure. We took a Desmosedici, several 998R's and SPS's, a very rare Spondon and a 1098R. No trouble at all. You ride on, and sit on the bike, whilst they put the wheel chock in place, then secure it with two ratchet straps on the front fork or similar and two more on the footpegs or similar, and then ratchet it tight. It was bombproof. Then you get off, go and get on the other train, and when time to disembark, you repeat - get on the bike yourself, then they arrive, cut the disposable straps away, remove the chock, and you ride off. I was really impressed, they were quick and the bikes were very secure. By far the most secure option I have had for transporting the bike. I too wasn't impressed last time I took the ferry (put on sidestand, and then just one dirty great strap over the seat! Don't worry, it's really good.
I put the bike on the train to Italy last year, see the slings through the frame and pillion foot pegs? They use the ratchet straps on those. They know what they are doing and the bike didn't move at all when it was strapped down.
Thanks for the feedback guys and ChamMTB glad you have first hand experience of this route - put my mind at rest. After the ferry experience of having a kip in the cabin only to hear "will the owner of Ducati Multistrada blah blah report to the information desk.." was the best laxative I ever had - all I can say was domino effect, just what you need on a post tour rainy night in Portsmouth. FYI we actually found it chaeper to jump on a sleazyjet to Nice than get the passenger train. Will be sampling the Alps on the way back and was plan 3 day return ride. Will post a few pics
Hang on, people buy a 20000E touring oriented motorcycle and then get it on a train? As Nuttynick already suggested, ride it...
Yes that would be the general idea but short on time this trip so focusing on getting down fast as (without the fine) check this out Don't mess with the French police - Telegraph
Don't go reading links like that, it'll only make you nervous. And make sure you give us a write-up on the whole autotrain business, including costs, after you've been. I'm very interested in it, just need to convince my brother they won't damage his beloved bike.
Cham and Lenoir, thanks for the reassuring posts. A group of us have booked the AutoTrain this summer so it is good to see/hear peoples' positive experience with it.
I see. I have yet to be stopped by the cops in France for speeding. On the autoroute I do about 140-160kph. Local roads are different, stricly follow the speed limit while passing through a town or a village. Once you get out though, feel free to speed up. As long as you dont drive as if you were on a race track, you'll be fine. Of course sometimes its a matter of luck, if you run in a cop that got up on the wrong side of the bed... Anyway, as Figaro said, dont worry too much about that and next time when you have more time ride it and enyoi the scenery. Edit: be sure to keep an eye out for the country's golden goose, the radars.
Most of the radars are front facing at the moment, so not too much of a problem. Mind you, I've set a few rear-facing ones off but never heard anything. Been pulled a few times too, but the cops have been nothing but fair, and I've been let off with a warning each time. British sweeney are worse in my opinion, but even they will take a soft line if you keep your trap shut.
I've set off countless speed cameras in France and never had any follow up from plod and apart from taking it easy in built up area the only place to be a bit careful is where the speed limit drops as you approach a toll booth. The dirty bastards have been known to have hand held radar guns aimed at nicking you as soon as you get into the lower limit when you've got nowhere to run to and the fines are particularly nasty.
Stay off the toll roads...the police have always preyed on bikes at the toll booths; the tickets have got (or certainly used to have) times printed on them, and the police could easily work out your average speed between booths and hammer you accordingly.
They're also pretty keen on waiting 50 yards past the booth and pulling British bikes over for a friendly chat which always involves them asking if you've just got off a ferry and whether you had a beer while you were on there.
