Ali in Austria

Although the 660 should in theory be better, practically I don't think it is.

The only Downside with the 550 is that the maps have got so big in storage size that if you want the whole of Europe on you have to use an SD Card to supplement the memory. The 550 can handle a card up to 8GB but will only recognise up to 4GB. It treats the memory as a total rather than separate locations when in use so maps can be shared between the internal Hard drive and the SD Card.

In reality you don't need all of the maps on there at any one time and there is ample room for what you do need. Even the software will remind you if a map area for a route you have planned is not on the device and ask you if you want to add it.

It is easy to change it from bike to bike but if you want to use it on several bikes you own at the same time I would suggest getting additional power leads for hard wiring and additional Ram Mounts and Cradles.

I would recommend Hard Wiring a switched feed to the Power Lead. If you have a Live Feed, moisture can over time cause corrosion, short between the pins on the cradle and pop the fuse inside The Sat Nav Unit. (I made that mistake on 1 bike). Keep the pins clean and all is good. They are substantially more robust that the Tom Tom ones.

Everyone will have their preference.

I've used a Garmin Zumo 550 since 2006. Many trips to Europe including organised Bike Tours, and it came with all the bits for Bike & Car. Even the Mrs gets on with it

I see lots of 660's and input routes in to them for guests but of the two, I prefer the 550.

It is probably because I am used to it but it behaves better than the 660 IMHO albeit that it has now been superceded.

Garmin's Tech Support are second to none and if it does go tits up out of warranty they do a very fair (again IMHO) replacement scheme.

I do not like Tom Tom and find it a RPITA to input routes even using Tyre, compared to Garmin and the Garmin Software.

Many who like to tour but use a Sat Nav originally designed for a car begin to regret not getting one designed for a motorcycle and Touring.

Just my few pennies worth.

A little knowledge can be dangerous.

Heated grips will drain a battery not being charged very quickly. That is the danger of having them connected directly to the battery.

Heated clothing will do the same. I once made the mistake of sitting at a pump while the wife went in to pay and had left the ignition on with a non running engine. Battery was completely discharged a few minutes later.

Oxford have a built in safety feature that switches them off when the battery drops below a certain level.

Cheaper ones tend to have elements on just one side so if you don"t fit them correctly the heat is at the back of the grip and not the front. Better sets have elements all round.

Many, not necessarily cheap brands, have no insulator for the clutch side so the heat dissipates in to the bars. Not a problem on the throttle side obviously.

I removed the official Suzuki heated grips on my VStrom because they suffered from both the above faults and replaced them with Oxford Grips. I've been using this set for over 5 years with no problems. They can get uncomfortably hot on high settings when wearing thin gloves.

My Quad has OE heated grips designed for them and they are very efficient (essential in winter out here) but then it is Canadian and built for harsh winters.

What some don't realise is wearing really thick gloves reduces the benefit from the heated grips. It is best to look for some with a thinner palm and thicker back.

Heated gloves can be a better option. It is important to get sone where the elements curl over the top of the fingers otherwise your finger tips suffer. I've found heated inner gloves have this feature more commonly than heated gloves themselves.

As others have mentioned, "Target Fixation" and poor observation are the main obstacles to overcome before you start looking at better technique.

Get yourself on some form of advanced riding course or do one of the Police Observed days. You will pick up some invaluable tips and your observation will be raised. You will be surprised how much difference it makes.

pump the lever hold and crack the banjo bolt at the master cylinder you may have air stuck in there

+1 but make sure you have some thick cloth to catch the spillage. We always included this step after a major overhaul.

I've tested them in anger. The Kevlar remained intact although the outer was shredded as you would expect. I did suffer some pretty nasty friction burns though which have left lasting scars.

Hasn't put me off wearing them in the heat.

Also the supplied software is crap. You can't edit a video with out converting it from mp4 to AVI or MOV, then some basic adjustments are possible after which you have to convert again (to mp4 i think). No ability to combine clips either which seems crazy, unless it's just a ploy so you buy their expensive software. Even the short 2 minute video Gayle took was about 20-30 minutes in conversion. Mine from this morning (7m long) has so far taken about 2 1/2 - 3 hours to reach 71% and now seems to be stuck.

If it ever converts I'll post my test video.

All Go Pro files have to be converted prior to editing in any software. It is because of the way the native file container records and stores the information. Most formats record all the info for each frame on each frame. Go Pros spread it around the file.

There are good free file converters out there. On Macs I use MPeg Stream Clip.

When editing video files be aware processes take time and it is often best to go away and let it do its stuff.

While we are in that neck of the woods, This was The Großglockner earlier this month.

Well, I am not too worried about pic quality, as it is more for insurance purposes in the case of someone hitting me off.

I am more interested in finding which ones will automatically loop the recordings? and are a reasonable price.

For the reasons you want it you should be focusing on picture quality. If it is not clear then it won't help you. I've seen very clear footage where it was obvious who the person was and what happened, be dismissed as inadmissible.

Part 2 now uploaded. Apologies again for the twee music.

It all depends on your budget. My Rukka gear is still doing its job 10 years down the line. 10 years of many thousands of miles, extremes of weather and temperatures and much abuse. But it is not cheap.

Where in Europe are you going? Don't assume it is always hot or you may have a grim time. You can hit a Blizzard in The Alps or sudden cold weather at any time. European Thunderstorms are something else. Make sure you have kit that can cope with both extremes. Even with Textiles, it is good to have an over-suit, preferably 2 piece as they are easier to get on in a hurry. It will keep your textiles clean and drier.

Budget textiles tend to be about a 500 weave. Rukka and the likes are 1500 and far more abrasion resistant. I have tested mine thoroughly. Modern textile materials such as Rukka CoolMax can deal with heat and cold.

Modern textiles also breathe. In order to do so they need to be clean. Wash them periodically with a proprietary wash such as NikWax Tech Wash and every 3 washes top up with NikWax TC Wash In. On materials where water beads, if it starts to soak in then it is usually because they need cleaning.

I ride in The Alps from March to November and usually only have a T Shirt under my Rukka Suit, swapping the thermal liner as I need to. A Pair of Summer and Winter gloves make all the difference. Even in winter on the Quad I usually only have a EDZ Yetti Fleece in addition to my normal gear.

Like most things, you get what you pay for but even a budget suit used in conjunction with an over-suit will keep you cosy. In order to remain cosy, waterproof boots and gloves are a must. Nothing worse than putting on wet gear in the morning when there is no chance of the weather improving. It is not always easy to dry your gear overnight unless you are staying somewhere with drying facilities for bikers. The central heating is usually unnecessary and off in the summer.

Sorry I can't recommend cheaper gear as over the years I have accumulated a loft full of bargains that don't work but hopefully the tips will be of use

It was a lovely warm sunny day but masked a strong biting wind higher up.

Cr*p music (Otherwise it gets blocked in Germany and Austria) but nice scenery and it is on my door step

Make sure the Hire Company allow it to be taken to Europe.

Breath Test Kit x 2 is still required to be carried in France but as of March 1st 2013 The French government have repealed any fine for not having it (Bizzare or what).

Bulb kit, Hi Vis 1 per person, Warning Triangle and First Aid kit all or some of which is required in various countries on your route.

No problem sleeping in Services or Rest Areas just don't go pitching a tent and keep your doors locked.

People using the shops to try before they buy elsewhere are a pain but it won't last forever. Soon the shops will be gone.

When trying a helmet and it feels comfortable, keep it on for 10 to 15 minutes. Any little discomfort during that time should ring alarm bells as it will be very painful after an hour or so.

If you decide that is the helmet for you, make sure you also try on the one they give you in the box as a demo can be well broken in.

Used to stay at the same B&B as the M&P guys when doing the NEC Bike Show.

Good bunch of lads and lass.

We have to have them by law. End of October to end of March. Life carries on as normal throughout the winter. Occasionaly have to put chains on our Mini Bus due to the amount of snow we get up here but our little Dihatsu Sirion has never needed them.

They wear down quickly when the weather warms up though.

I never came across a motorway in Switzerland, do they even have any? I think I had one for Switzerland as I was leaving but it was CBF money so didn't have a clue how much I was paying. Did ask the bloke for a shorter one and he said they don't do them. Had one for Austria too but that was a 10 day one after I had entered the country the woman said I was lucky not to have been stopped. In Austria they have overhead cameras to make sure it is valid, but I went through loads and never got stopped.

You won't want to go fast through Switzerland anyway, it's such a beautiful country.

edit: having just looked on google maps they only have dual carriageways.

A lot of motorways in Europe are only 2 lanes. Switzerland has motorways and a years Vignette is around 40 quid from memory.

The Austrian scanners rely on registration numbers and send the fine to the owner. I don't think they bother with foreigners yet. It is rare but they do checks at the bottom of "Off" slip roads. If you see a sign warning of queues on a slip road it is often because of the checks. It isn't worth taking a chance for the sake of €4,80 for 10 days.

If you get out our way look us up.

Yeah same here, i will be doing one in a 600, want to do italy though, i think you can do switzerland if it doesnt snow?

but just seeing if people want to go around that way :_

Switzerland is no different to any other Alpine Region mate. The downside is the Police do not like motorists full stop. 80kph (50mph) limit on normal roads and very expensive on the spot fines. I know a German who got clocked at 120 kph (75mph) just trying to get back with his group and he got 600 euro on the spot, instant ban and the promise of a further 600 euro fine in the post which if it wasn't paid, the advice was not to return.

I've seen them do multi stops on bikes and a defective tyre attracted 500 euro on the spot. They don't discriminate against bikers and everyone is fair game. A Ferrari driver is still appealing his 16000 euro fine. They appear to means test when applying fines.

Full years Vignette required for their motorways.

Fantastic roads and spectacular high passes but be aware of the consequences of getting carried away. Don't worry if you haven't got the cash on you. They very kindly give you a lift to a Cash Point.

Have a look here

http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/sale-special-offers

50 Quid off the Drift HD (1080p) and very, very good.

30 Quid off the Drift HD720 (720p) and comes in under 100GBP.

Certain tinted visors are legal in the UK if they only restrict a certain amount of light as defined in the Regs. You can get a fine for using an illegal one. Similar to the Regs for tinted windows in cars.

There were two main reasons for the regulations. Dark visors blur the peripheral vision and, at the time of the regulations, tinted visors didn't pass the ballistic test. For some reason they were more brittle but I'm sure materials have moved on since then though.

Secondary internal visors aren't regulated and can be as dark as you like and no different in principle to wearing sunglasses.

You would be unlucky to get a fine unless you wear an illegal one at night.

Power sliding my Road going GSXR1000 round Cadwell Park thinking I was a Racing God only to discover my Scottoiler had thrown a wobbler and was liberally coating my back tyre.

No sooner than the question is asked, a victim comes along!

Taken from the TRC Forums

http://www.therevcounter.com/motorbike-touring-forum/81390-banned-in-france.html

I got back from a trip a few days ago.

To cut a long story short, I was caught speeding down on the N85 between Barreme and Castellane. Yes, yes....poor obs....I think I was 'got' by a hiding Police motorcyclist.

The limit was 90KMH, my speed was measured at 152KMH, 94MPH. Ironically, my police bike escorted ride to Digne les Bans (with blue flashing lights and sirens) was conducted at that exact speed.

I was pretty worried and thought for a time they were going to lock me up.

Due to me doing more than 40KMH over the limit, I was fined 750 Euros, banned immediately (driving licence taken) and had to park the bike up at the cop shop. I have since received confirmation that I am banned from driving in France for six months.

A very kind chap on our campsite rode the bike to the Italian border for me so I could get home.

All my own fault, and I'm kicking myself but there you go.

Be careful out there chaps, they mean business.

Due to the nature of an Airtex type jacket, it is likely to be trashed in an off but the armour should do its job.

I only ever where textile or kevlar these days.

Over the years I have spent a fortune on gear that doesn't work and when I got in to serious regular touring I invested in a Rukka suit. Not cheap but it is now 7 years old with many thousands of miles behind it and still does its job. Surprisingly it still fits but that may be because I was already a Lard Arse when I bought it. Two low speed offs on ice with initial impact in the same shoulder area have resulted in a barely visible bobbling of the outer material.

Textile suits such as Rukka have a much denser weave than most and will put up with much abuse, even low to mid speed offs. They don't come cheap though.

The Kevlar in denim style jackets and jeans will keep their integrity but won:t protect you from friction burns and as for an impact with the tarmac or an object, without some form of armour, they offer no protection. The latter applies to any material including leather of course. The Denim style material will shred very easily destroying the garment in question. I have tested them in anger and they did a good job but chest armour might have prevented the 6 broken ribs and punctured lung. If I had secured the cuffs I probably wouldn't have had a bad case of Road Rash on my forearm, but it was a hot day,

I've seen even expensive leather suits fail under duress, seems splitting etc.... and in my view they aren't the be all and end all.

The most important thing is that whatever you wear it must fit well, securing properly around the wrists so it doesn't ride up, the same around the back and ankles and that the armour sits naturally in the correct position when on a bike.

Be wary of jackets with zip off arms. I have seen some ugly injuries caused by the zips.