Heading back to Switz & Germany this July, cant wait !! Usually we ride over but this yr shipping the bikes and flying is the way we are going. Cant wait. Anyone who's been to Switzerland and Germany will know. If i won the lotto thats where I'd move to !!! Cant wait, best roads on the planet ! Passes around Andermatt are excellent but quite high, also doing the Fluela pass, will post up pics when we get back.
Hi, I'm going to Andermatt for the first time this year in the last week in June. The plan is to stay there for three nights and ride as many of the roads and passes as possible. Do you reckon there are enough roads in the vicinity to fuel 3 days x 200~250 miles a day or am I better staying there for two days and moving on to Interlaken or something like that?
Wise move! If you want any pass recommendations let me know. I hope to redo the roads to the south-west of Garmisch-Partenkirchen which are just staggering.
I would do a couple of days in Andermatt (quite enough to keep you amused) and then a day based in St. Moritz, where there are another whole heap of passes. Don't go to Interlaken - a boring touristy place with little to recommend it. All the interesting roads around Interlaken (the passes) actually finish at Andermatt, so there is nothing to be gained by going there. And the "motorway" around Interlaken is one lane and is always a traffic jam. Avoid. From St. Moritz, you can do some of the Austrian passes and the Itaiian ones. But you've still go the Julierpass, the Albula (like a moonscape at the top) and the Bernina. And you won't want to miss the Stelvio. World's biggest whisky bar (by the quantity of whiskies stocked) is at the Hotel Waldhaus am See at St. Moritz. It's actually a very affordable hotel. Of course, if you want to splash out, you could stay at one of the 5* hotels in the village - plenty of choice!
Andermatt is a great base camp. To be honest you could stay there for 3 days with ease imo. The passes are excellent and roads are fantastic. This hotel Hotel Sonne, ihr Hotel in Andermatt Uri has 3 garages so your bikes will be safe. ANdermatt is a smal village but perfect for a beer after a days fun. You could head to Zermatt one of the days where you will park up and get a cab or a traIn into the village, you cant drive in the village. There is a taxi service and a garage guy where we parked. Paid garage guy him a fiver for each bike for the day for secure parking, was fine. We done the passes back to front and front to back. The cops are fine as long as you DO NOT speed in towns and adhere to speed limits around / in towns. Unless you re literally going like a nutter you will be fine. We were fast riding but not going overboard. One other day we done the Stelvio. It was good to be there but wouldnt go again to see it. Plenty of other roads around that are fantastic. You should also consider Black Forest, its flat, fast but if it rains, can be v slippy. Check out pick i took from Stelvio when i had the fireblade.... Cant wait until July, living for it !!!
Like it! Should you go overboard on most of the passes (and the Susten particularly springs to mind) it's a drop of several thousand feet. You'll be happy to know that there are sort of concrete bollard things lining the sheer drops - so nothing much. Makes steaming up to hairpins in the fog interesting!
:biggrin: Yeah, its daunting to say the least. Frist time i actually went on the passes it was raining & foggy !! Not nice. But for the following few days it was bliss. It can be unsettling cant it ? I think its all softly softly and be as smooth as you can. Plenty of resting with water. can get a little dehydrated. Its a long way down when cars are literally dots below or houses..... Gonna do this every yr, sick of crap roads, crap drivers and crap weather. Need something to aim for. Gotta get me a bullet cam now i think of it
Cheers guys, sounds like it's going to be as good as I expect. We're actually booked in the Sonne, and are riding down the B500 in the Black Forest on the way down, so the planning isn't going too badly. I like the idea of going over to St Moritz and if anyone has any routes on file for Andermatt or Motitz they could post I'd appreciate it. I want to plan everyday on the Garmin before I go and leave nothing to chance. Good news about the police - I've heard horror stories about the Swiss pulling people through the tunnels for minor infringements and ripping them off big style in fines. No experiences? Another question is; what is the best gear to wear? The website says the temp averages 8 degrees but I guess it will be anything between zero and 12? That's still pretty cold and I guess it will be quite warm through Germany but much colder at Andermatt, so I'm thinking textile jacket, winter gloves and waterproofs with plenty of layers - is that about right?
My rule of thumb for not getting nicked in Switzerland (which is no guarantee that you won't -it happens): In 50 and 60 limits (kph) do 50 and 60. It's nicer for the inhabitants of villages anyway. This is where most impromptu radars will be. In tunnels on motorways, I stay on the limit too - take special care when exiting tunnels as radars are sometimes mounted permanently. I have had very few fines in the 25 years I've lived here, despite making the most of the roads. Biggest one I had was last year on the Zurich side of the Brunig pass. That carries a lot of traffic and I expect a few communities see it as a money-making opportunity. But there is no reason to be unduly paranoid in Switzerland - no more than the UK in my view. For the gen on roads, get : Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and More Motorcycle Journeys: Amazon.co.uk: John Hermann: Books Brilliant book and the route suggestions will become obvious (to be used with a decent map - my favourite is the Hallwag map of Switzerland - better than Michelin for Switzerland. What to wear end of June? Well, it's the mountains, so the weather is fairly unpredictable and extreme. By and large, I am strictly T-shirt and leathers and unlined oversuit for the rain. When it's really chilly, I wear one of those thinnish skiing top things over the T-shirt. Quite often, you will find it pleasantly cool, say 18-20° on the passes, and toasty in the valleys. There's no way I'd even be motorcycling in the Alps if I thought it was going to be 8°, so I'd ignore that. But it can vary easily. If you are very unlucky, it will snow but that's rare. More likely it will be splendid, clear crisp Alpine weather in the mountains and really warm and sunny in the mountains. Plus riding a bike at any lick on these roads is quite a physical business - it's easy to work up a sweat. In my experience, Andermatt is not very cold. The days can be chilly early in the morning, but if you dress up for that, you'll be sweltering by mid-afternoon.
I've been to Andermatt almost every year for the past 6 years, and will be there again on July 10-11. I usually stay at the Hotel Sonne. The restaurant is nice, the rooms are a mixture. This year I am staying in Ulrichen at the base of the Grimsel/Furka passes for a change. I always go at this time of year and the weather is VERY mixed. I've had torrential rain on a few occasions only for the next day to be beautiful, and on two occasions I've had snow !!. Last year I made a video of riding both sides of the Susten Pass on my Multi 1200S (the vid is split in two parts as it's 30 mins long). It gives a pretty good idea of the pass It's one of my favourite roads. Part 1: Part 2: (the downhill run starts at 3:08 ) My trip this year then heads over to Cortina in the Dolomites, via St. Moritz, Stelvio etc etc etc, then up the Grossglockner, across to/past Innsbruck, down the Timmelsjoch to Zernez, St. Moritz, back to Andermatt/Ulrichen, then Basel, Nancy,home. Total 10 days.
Done 'em all. You'll have a ball! Forget which pass it is in the Dolomites (is mentioned in Herman's book) where the hairpins are all numbered. I found myself on it in a thunderstorm. My heart sank when I saw the sign for "Tornante 34" shortly followed by "Tornante 33" etc. 30 hairpins on a 916 with water sloshing about. Great!
I'll definitely take my waterproofs this June! Multirod - do you think there's 3 days full riding around Andermatt? I'm trying to decide whether to stay there for two or three nights? I like the idea of being settled for three nights but want to do different roads each day.
I'd stay for 2 nights, then head over to St. Moritz ( or stay in Zernez, just past St. Moritz & surounded by great roads & cheaper !!, & Stelvio is close by). If you go up Stelvio (have a sausage at the top) you must go down the other side, direction Bormio, as it's much smoother & sweepier. Also the Umbrail Pass is good at the top of Stelvio, Splugen, (Gavia, be careful) etc etc.
For planning have a look at Latest Routes. Most of the major Swiss passes in with reviews, photos and videos.
New this year- Please add your favorite routes! Also, since you are obviously ride a multi- come join us on the EMM. I think there are no less the 4 red 1200s coming from the UK. 7th European MultiStrada Meeting
Funny, that "Hidden Gem" route that was uploaded on the 13th. That's just a few miles from me - I often do it, in fact I did it on Saturday. But it really is a hidden gem - a few bikers know about it, but usually it's deserted (thankfully). For how much longer?
Will have a look at that link. Not long for me. Be hitting Germany / Swiz on 23rd July I only pray for dry if not good weather.
We have been sitting just under the jet stream for the last few weeks, so weather here has been much better here than in the UK. Hopefully it stays like that for your trip and beyond. If you are staying around Andermatt- one of the "must do's" is Furka Pass Grimselpass- B6 Sustenpass- B11- you can do this loop either way. Also the Oberalp Pass going east is one of my favorites. For the full lowdown see Routes have a good trip.
