Biking in Europe

I'm supposed to be going to Budapest next weekend, and have somehow got
the idea it would be fun to ride there. Anyone got any experience of
riding in/to Hungary? Seems to be about 1000 miles, so I guess it'll
need an overnight stop.

The Michelin routefinder is telling me to go Brussels - Cologne - Mainz
- Linz - Vienna - Budapest, and looks fairly sensible on the map -
though please advise if you've done it and know a better way.

Oh, and do those in-ear headphones do a good enough job at cutting out
noise to double as earplugs? Would be good to have some entertainment
for the journey.

 

Fly.

Say you burn £1 of fuel every 10 miles (conservative estimate), after
a thousand miles you'll have spent £100 on petrol and another £100 for
the journey home. Then you've got toll roadcharges. Don't forget to
cost in things like wear on your tyres and general service of the bike
and it's an expensive trip. Oh, and don't forget to count in the cost
of the overnight accommodation (each way), meals, phone calls.

So, £250 petrol (delays, etc), £40 for wear on the tyre (could be more
or less depending on your style of riding and tyre type), £120 for
hotel/breakfast (each way), £50+ for food and drink en route.

Bike: £460+ (toll roads not included)

Fly: You can get from Gatwick to Budapest return for £115.80 and it
takes less than three hours. You could rent a car locally for about
£200 or less if you needed your own transport while there. Parking
will be free as you can just report it stolen.

No, they don't.

Keep your eyes open.

 

Seconded.

Personally I'd suggest flying, unless riding to Hungary is something
he's always wanted to do in which case the cost isn't an issue.

 

Yeah, I was planning on getting there quickly and taking a bit of time
on the way back, maybe have a day in Vienna and somewhere in southern
Germany. Or perhaps go through Switzerland on the way back - I dunno.

 

Then add another few quid for Swiss motorway tax to my original quote

 

Haha, you're all doom and gloom, eh? I'm sure you're right, flying is
the sensible option, but I kind of feel like going on a road trip. It
is a fucking long way though.

Anyway which flight is that cheap?

 

Two day trip; drivers in Budapest are fucking appalling (do not take
this warning lightly!); there's not enough traffic anywhere else to
worry about; they have a zero tolerance to drink/driving; petrol in
Hungary is about the same price as the UK (which, considering their
average wage is about 1/3 of the UK at best, means petrol to them is
outrageously expensive); the women are stunning; there's a lot more to
the country than just Budapest; generally Hungarians are incredibly
polite and friendly, but Budapest is like any capital city, so therefore
has a scum element; outside of Budapest very few people speak English -
German or Russian are more widely spoken, although neither country is
exactly popular over there.

Phonetic spellings of a couple of useful words:

See-ah : hello (also used for goodbye)
Hallo : goodbye (although also used as hello)
Cuss-a-nam : thank you
Nem : no
Ee-gan : yes
Keer-am : please

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
IQ 18 RADIO http://www.iq18films.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me

 

It'll be their national carrier, Bongo Bongo airlines (lie.) I just
popped in outbound 20th July, inbound 27th July on Expedia. Try
ebookers too.

If you *want* to do it as a road trip then the cost doesn't matter.
Road trips do not have to be financially motivated, sensible or
reasonable.

To do it by road make sure your UK tax is in date and the bike has a
UK MOT which is in date. As you'll be in the EU or EU-friendly
countries for the journey you shouldn't have any visa problems unless
you hold a foreign or British *Subject* passport.

Make sure your motorcycle insurance company provide you with the docs
you may need to make a claim while abroad (like the 'green card' if
they still provide them) as well as breakdown & recovery in all the
countries you wish to visit. It's worth checking the boundaries
provided by the insurance/breakdown underwriter. While you may be
insured in Switzerland to ride, your breakdown/recovery may not be
active in Switzerland as it is not an EU country. It takes a five
minute phone call to check or fix this, but can be very expensive
should you need to use it and it not be there.

As for any trip abroad within the EU or neighbouring nations, you will
need an EHIC (free - apply for it online today as they can take some
time to arrive - you'll need your National Insurance number) this is
the card that has replaced the E111 forms which have now expired. Go
to www.ehic.org.uk and fill in the online form ASAP. The EHIC will
entitle you to free or reduced cost medical cover within EU member
states and places like Switzerland.

You need travel insurance. You can do calculations online but you
must phone the company and have a "Motorcycle" endorsement added to
your policy. I insured with www.insureandgo.com for the <ahem> French
Run. Pay an extra couple of quid and take their Excess Waiver as it
will reduce the price you pay for any claims considerably for you.
They charged me about £1.60 a day extra for 'hazardous activity' cover
(riding a motorcycle.) It's worth noting that many insurance
companies will reduce your excess if you have an EHIC.

If you already have annual insurance you will still be able to add
Motorcycle hazardous activity cover to it for a pound or two a day.
Without this cover if you do a Statto you will end up paying the full
cost for your medical treatment. A broken thumb is more expensive to
fix than you think.

Make sure your insurance company recognise your tank bag/top
box/panniers as luggage containers. If someone pinches something from
them you may not be covered otherwise. Carole Nash does motorcycle
travel insurance cover which includes things like this.

Also: When you leave your baggage unattended in a foreign place be
sensible. You *are* going to have to do it, unless you unload and
carry everything into the toilet with you at a service station when
you want to piss.

Oh, and plonk a GB sticker on the rear of your bike (top box will do)
if it doesn't have an EU-style registration plate. This will help to
reduce any arguments with the local jobs worth police. Also take with
you your certificate of vehicle insurance and the registration
document - stick it in a waterproof bag and put it in your pocket.
It's worth making a photocopy and putting it in another place (bag) in
case you lose the originals.

 

<snip>

Or just pack credit card, wodge of cash, BUPA annual insurance
certfiicate (card, actually), make one swift call to Auntie Carole
saying: "I'm taking such-and-such a bike abroad" and go.

Works for me and has done for many years.

 

And don't forget: Az Isten bassza meg a büdös rücskös kurva anyádat.

 

On Sun, 9 Jul 2006 16:58:16 +0100,

I doubt TimP has been taking his bike abroad too often.

Mind you, mine didn't get very far in the end either...

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So then, when are you next in France?

<fx: prepares club>

 

This should be in the FAQ's. Adie?

 

<snip magyar stuff>

Wot he said about alcohol; I have been stopped and breath tested five
times in one evening - and the limit really *is* zero. I also hear that
cops are far more honest nowadays - which is good news as long as you are
legal. You'll also need bike and rider papers (inc passport) if you get
pulled. Somewhat sadly, speeding fines also reflect Western prices now -
200/300 plus Euros is not uncommon (used to be a standard roadside fine of
roughly 10 USD for up to 50% over the limit, and it was never worth the
paperwork to say it was more than 50% over). And be very aware of the
priority signs on back streets in Bp...

 

I've never done this. What's the reasoning behind it?
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..80389../..21885.../..31432.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR'06 Points: 85 Miles: 413

 

Wot, next to the bit about snipping?
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..80389../..21885.../..31432.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR'06 Points: 85 Miles: 413

 

<copies post to folder>

yep. will do it next time I do an update which is waiting on someone
else at the mo.
--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

Triumph 955iSS (for sale) / ZX9R / GSF1200 bandit (for sale) / CG125
keeper of the FAQ for my sins
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11

 

But, it's all theory, Nick's never actually ridden a bike abroad.

"Take clean pants, a credit card, and a map... it'll work out."

 

Apart from the twenty times I rode it abroad in the last couple of
years, no.

 

p

It was so practical, that I left it in for prosperity.