Route suggestions for the Alps

[drrod]

If you hurry you will miss things like this.....bringing the cows down from the mountains. It is a festival time and you get to take part in the party.

 

[ST1100Y]

... I am not a 200-mile-a-day guy that has to stop every hour for a 45 min break.

I read you, still: >500km/day in that terrain is ambitious...

 

[CYYJ]

... I only have 7 days of riding. and I usually spend 12-14 hours riding each day (sunrise until near sunset).

No problem only having 7 days for your European trip. But, I think you will need to re-evaluate your plan to spend 12 or 14 hours each day riding if you want to focus on riding twisty mountain passes. There's a huge difference between doing long rides in North America ("covering miles") vs. doing challenging rides in the Alps where you are dragging pegs and navigating 180° switchbacks every 90 seconds in mountain passes. Besides, if you spend all your time riding the motorcycle, you won't be giving yourself the opportunity to enjoy the scenery, the cultural differences, the historical sites, the food, etc.

I do two 3 week long riding trips in Europe every year, using Zurich Switzerland as my base of operations. I used to live in Zurich, so I know the area pretty well.

Given that you have 7 days, that means no longer than "3 days outbound, 3 days inbound" from your starting point. You can completely write off your first day due to jet lag, even if you fly business class and sleep all the way through the flight on a lie-flat bed. It's just not safe (and no fun either) to try and go riding after spending 8 hours at an 8,000 foot cabin altitude, and then getting off the plane and confronting a 7 hour time zone difference. In other words, the plane may land at 9:00 AM German time, but your body clock is still stuck at 2:00 AM Texas time.

So, what all this means is that you should pick a small area - no more than perhaps 200 miles (320 km) straight-line distance away from whatever location you land in - and focus on exploring and enjoying all the routes available in that area. Believe me, anywhere in southern Germany, in the Swiss Alps, or in Northeastern Italy will have far more interesting roads to explore within a 200 mile radius than you could possibly ride in six weeks, let alone one week. Americans tend to think that roads like Deal's Gap are rare and unique - in the areas mentioned in the last sentence, you will find half a dozen 'Tail of the Dragon' roads within a 45 minute ride from wherever you slept last night.

My suggestion to you is that because this will be your first trip to Europe, you focus on riding in the Swiss Alps. The scenery is far more impressive than in southern Germany, the mountain passes are the best you will find in Europe, and just about everyone you will encounter who is riding a moto, working in a hotel or restaurant, or otherwise engaged in serving the public will speak English. That's a big benefit to you if you are not fluent in German, French, or Italian.

Switzerland is a bit more expensive than Germany or Northern Italy, but not terribly so. The quality of restaurants & hotels is first-class, you won't find any unpleasant surprises. The roads are as smooth as billiard tables, they are the best in Europe. You will not find any yahoo drivers or loud exhausts in Switzerland, that isn't tolerated. But, on the other hand, the Swiss police are pretty sensible about motorcycling as a sport - provided that you strictly respect the speed limits in the villages, they won't bother you for speed out in the uninhabited mountain passes.

Get yourself a paper Michelin Map of Switzerland (it's Michelin Map number 729, you can get ne from Amazon if you can't find it at a large bookstore) and do some internet research on motorcycling in Swiss passes. You can sketch out a number of circle tours such that you can spend perhaps 2 days in each hotel, heading out in the morning and riding perhaps 2 or 3 passes each day before coming back in the late afternoon. You don't want to be changing hotels every night - that takes a lot of time and really detracts from the enjoyment of a trip.

I hope these suggestions help you with your planning. FYI, I'm heading over to Zurich at the end of the month for 3 weeks of riding.

Michael

 

[Slammer]

No problem only having 7 days for your European trip. But, I think you will need to re-evaluate your plan to spend 12 or 14 hours each day riding if you want to focus on riding twisty mountain passes. There's a huge difference between doing long rides in North America ("covering miles") vs. doing challenging rides in the Alps where you are dragging pegs and navigating 180° switchbacks every 90 seconds in mountain passes. Besides, if you spend all your time riding the motorcycle, you won't be giving yourself the opportunity to enjoy the scenery, the cultural differences, the historical sites, the food, etc.

I do two 3 week long riding trips in Europe every year, using Zurich Switzerland as my base of operations. I used to live in Zurich, so I know the area pretty well.

Given that you have 7 days, that means no longer than "3 days outbound, 3 days inbound" from your starting point. You can completely write off your first day due to jet lag, even if you fly business class and sleep all the way through the flight on a lie-flat bed. It's just not safe (and no fun either) to try and go riding after spending 8 hours at an 8,000 foot cabin altitude, and then getting off the plane and confronting a 7 hour time zone difference. In other words, the plane may land at 9:00 AM German time, but your body clock is still stuck at 2:00 AM Texas time.

So, what all this means is that you should pick a small area - no more than perhaps 200 miles (320 km) straight-line distance away from whatever location you land in - and focus on exploring and enjoying all the routes available in that area. Believe me, anywhere in southern Germany, in the Swiss Alps, or in Northeastern Italy will have far more interesting roads to explore within a 200 mile radius than you could possibly ride in six weeks, let alone one week. Americans tend to think that roads like Deal's Gap are rare and unique - in the areas mentioned in the last sentence, you will find half a dozen 'Tail of the Dragon' roads within a 45 minute ride from wherever you slept last night.

My suggestion to you is that because this will be your first trip to Europe, you focus on riding in the Swiss Alps. The scenery is far more impressive than in southern Germany, the mountain passes are the best you will find in Europe, and just about everyone you will encounter who is riding a moto, working in a hotel or restaurant, or otherwise engaged in serving the public will speak English. That's a big benefit to you if you are not fluent in German, French, or Italian.

Switzerland is a bit more expensive than Germany or Northern Italy, but not terribly so. The quality of restaurants & hotels is first-class, you won't find any unpleasant surprises. The roads are as smooth as billiard tables, they are the best in Europe. You will not find any yahoo drivers or loud exhausts in Switzerland, that isn't tolerated. But, on the other hand, the Swiss police are pretty sensible about motorcycling as a sport - provided that you strictly respect the speed limits in the villages, they won't bother you for speed out in the uninhabited mountain passes.

Get yourself a paper Michelin Map of Switzerland (it's Michelin Map number 729, you can get ne from Amazon if you can't find it at a large bookstore) and do some internet research on motorcycling in Swiss passes. You can sketch out a number of circle tours such that you can spend perhaps 2 days in each hotel, heading out in the morning and riding perhaps 2 or 3 passes each day before coming back in the late afternoon. You don't want to be changing hotels every night - that takes a lot of time and really detracts from the enjoyment of a trip.

I hope these suggestions help you with your planning. FYI, I'm heading over to Zurich at the end of the month for 3 weeks of riding.

Michael

Typical Züripeeps, thinking Zürich is the center of the world..
Not sure about basing yourself in one hotel, there is too much diversity and too many places to stay the night to limit yourself like that. I never worry about finding a place, I generally ride till about sixish or sevenish then look for someplace to grab some food, watch the sunset over a beer and crash out for the night and I have always found a place.
Where are you flying into? Three suggestions, Munich, Stuttgart or Innsbrück, and of course Zürich if you want to go the CHian way.
If Munich then take a look at the route, Füssen, (with the castles) along the Plansee and up and over the Arlberg, then to Landeck and follow the Silvretta high alpine road to the Montafon coming out in Bludenz, then into Switzerland and head south crossing the border to Lichtenstein turn Right at Vaduz and to Malbun where you can spend the night and drink water directly from the mountain, believe me when I say that is the best water you will ever have in your life.
That is a day.
Next day follow the A13 (dont forget your vignette) past Chur towards my favorite pass, The Splügen, that is a "lets-ride-off-a-sheer-cliff" road. The Splügen takes you into Italy and the great lakes for a taste of real biking. That is another two days, because you will like it too much for just one day.
Back into Switzerland and the Old, old Bernadino and you can choose to go either left into CH or right into Austria. if you go into CH and head over the Klausenpass into central CH you stand a chance to ride to Lake Geneva and towards the Mount Blanc.
Austria takes you to the bi-passes of Stelvio (Jeremy Clarkson called it: "the finest road... in the world) and the Umbiral, take it from me you will be tired, you will be hungry and you will be thirsty.. that maybe two days to reach, ride and enjoy.
By this time you will maybe have a few days left, so head into Italy and over the Old, old bendy-wendy, twisty-wisty old.OLD, Brenner and back into Austria towards Innsburuck and the passes back into Germany. Stay a day in Munich and dont forget, if you go perhaps a month later, the Oktoberfest is waiting for you.
Have a look at the Motorradtouren bayern group on Facebook, join, introduce yourself and your plans and you will be inundated with suggestions and ride buddies.

 

[Upt' North]

Listen to Michael, for a Canadian he's a wise man .
You cannot know how your body and mind will feel after 8 hours of sensory and physical overload. The mountains of Europe are truly incredible, amazing places to ride but listen to the enlightened, they've done it, got the T, and mean well.
Does it actually matter if you ride two or four passes in a day, some of our best moments in the mountains have happened when you take the time to stop. You can't interact with the world whilst travelling as fast as you can from A to B, the stops aren't all about beer, there's people and wildlife, views out there that you simply won't see when pushing for the next curve or 10,000.
I've seen many examples of riding too hard and too long and I've never ridden over the Stelvio without seeing the carnage it leaves behind. I'm sure UP, Michael and Slammer will confirm that these are places that bite back and bite back hard if you don't fully respect them.
Just take your time and enjoy.
And yes a week will be just fine, if you ride 7 x 8 hours you'll sleep until Christmas.
Upt'North.

 

[Uncle Phil]

There are passes that if you ran off the road, I feel pretty confident you could make a phone call and eat a sandwich before you hit bottom.
I have crossed the 'pond' several times and Michael is spot on - the first day you are just not fully functional. I do recommend the first day that when you land, you stay up until the local bedtime regardless of how sleepy you feel. Sort out how you will pack the bike and such stuff and take it easy. It will help 'reset' your body clock to local time. Switzerland does have some of the great passes (Klausen, Pragel, Susten, Grimsel, Furka ) and it is absolutely lovely if you have only 7 days -

Uncle Phil - Alps 2008 Day 12
Uncle Phil - Alps 2008 Day 13

The roads are unforgiving and the challenge is to stay focused on the road and not focused on the incredible scenery. We based out of Andermatt which is a really lovely town and close enough to some wonderful passes and roads.

 

[CYYJ]

Not sure about basing yourself in one hotel, there is too much diversity and too many places to stay the night to limit yourself like that.

Maybe I didn't express myself well. I don't suggest that the rider base himself in one hotel, rather, what I suggest is that he plan to stay 2 nights - or possibly even 3 - in each hotel.

Touring and exploration (as opposed to transiting) is a lot more enjoyable when you don't have to pack up each morning, and then check in and unpack each evening. A one-night stay is fine if you are trying to get somewhere, but a series of one-night stays becomes tiresome and wears you out if the main purpose of the trip is to enjoy yourself. The rider's objective (ride mountain passes) lends itself to circular routes that take you back to the same hotel for a couple of days.

Good suggestions on the routing, though, @Slammer . If the OP is renting a motorcycle, Munich might be the least expensive place to rent it (and thus the best entry/departure point). Switzerland is an expensive place to rent a bike, Germany much less so. I don't know about Austria.

Michael

 

[Slammer]

Maybe I didn't express myself well. I don't suggest that the rider base himself in one hotel, rather, what I suggest is that he plan to stay 2 nights - or possibly even 3 - in each hotel.

Touring and exploration (as opposed to transiting) is a lot more enjoyable when you don't have to pack up each morning, and then check in and unpack each evening. A one-night stay is fine if you are trying to get somewhere, but a series of one-night stays becomes tiresome and wears you out if the main purpose of the trip is to enjoy yourself. The rider's objective (ride mountain passes) lends itself to circular routes that take you back to the same hotel for a couple of days.

Good suggestions on the routing, though, @Slammer . If the OP is renting a motorcycle, Munich might be the least expensive place to rent it (and thus the best entry/departure point). Switzerland is an expensive place to rent a bike, Germany much less so. I don't know about Austria.

Michael

Ah, ok, got you! No worries. Austria seems a bit pricy, however I do know visitors who have used these guys:

Startseite

www.bike-travel-service.de

I don´t know what the OP´s budget is, but they seem to be fair.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

These are the folks I rented from on my 2019 trip. They are based out of Frankfurt but have rental shop in Munich about 10 min from the Munich airport. They even came and picked me up and dropped me off at the airport. I have nothing but good things to say about them. Great folks. I rented a V-Strom 650 from them. Prices were good in comparison.


Allroundvermietung
Inhaber: Peter Meisel
Max-Holder-Str. 5
60437 Frankfurt am Main
Telefon: +49 695600920
Fax: +49 6956009320
Email: info@motorradvermietung.de

Anfahrtsskizze unter www.motorradvermietung.de

 

[woodybelle]

This is the route that I rode in 2012. We started in Zurich and rode for 8 days. Loved every minute of it. We stayed in Trento for 2 nights and 2 nights in Covara to do our Dolomite loops.


This ride in 2016 was 9 days. We stayed in Lavigno for 2 nights and Arraba for 2 nights in the Dolomite area and then went to Lake Como for a night before heading back into Switzerland and then around Mount Blanc and into France for a couple of days. We did about 250 miles per day and rode all day every day. There is no better place to ride that I have ridden.

 

[Slammer]

This is the route that I rode in 2012. We started in Zurich and rode for 8 days. Loved every minute of it. We stayed in Trento for 2 nights and 2 nights in Covara to do our Dolomite loops.


This ride in 2016 was 9 days. We stayed in Lavigno for 2 nights and Arraba for 2 nights in the Dolomite area and then went to Lake Como for a night before heading back into Switzerland and then around Mount Blanc and into France for a couple of days. We did about 250 miles per day and rode all day every day. There is no better place to ride that I have ridden.

It´s a nice route indeed.
But!
It goes around the really pointy bits of the alps and tends to stick to the lowlands, it´s the route I would take if I wanted to crunch the kilometers.
By the way, havn´t heard from the OP about what he thinks

 

[Slammer]

I'm sure UP, Michael and Slammer will confirm that these are places that bite back and bite back hard if you don't fully respect them.
Just take your time and enjoy.
And yes a week will be just fine, if you ride 7 x 8 hours you'll sleep until Christmas.
Upt'North.

Oh heck, yes, need to respect the roads. If not, there are plenty of places you can take a short cut and a long scream to the valley.
In the Alps I like, for instance, to kill the engine, leave it in gear for emergency sakes and just roll down the mountains. NO engine, just silence, It´s as close to flying as you can get. You may be overtaken by cyclists, but you get these insane persons overtaking you anyway.

 

[Al Gully]

In the Alps I like, for instance, to kill the engine, leave it in gear for emergency sakes and just roll down the mountains. NO engine, just silence, It´s as close to flying as you can get. You may be overtaken by cyclists, but you get these insane persons overtaking you anyway.

On this side of the pond, we call that Mexican overdrive.

 

[drrod]

I would certainly echo UP's comment about using Andermatt as a hub. And I can recommend this hotel as a place to stay. Very nice little mom and pop place. Excellent food and reasonably priced

https://www.booking.com/hotel/ch/gasthaus-zum-sternen.en-gb.html?aid=306395&label=andermatt-V8nBqV4ZBTDvxnjdv1DeEgS394389825773%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap125%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-144751399%3Alp9001394%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm%3Appccp%3DUmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9YZVcNNsENnH02-pWD53qm9c&sid=a9f030ec8ed4c06bc0e001ef19ba9705&atlas_src=sr_iw_btn;dest_id=-2551037;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=2;group_children=0;no_rooms=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;type=total;ucfs=1&

If you are flying into Munich, this is a very good place to rent a bike. They are part of a large BMW dealership and the bikes are new and in excellent condition. Top drawer outfit.

Startseite

www.bike-travel-service.de

 

[ST1100Y]

... to kill the engine, leave it in gear for emergency sakes and just roll down the mountains...

With no oil pressure on the transmission...

 

[Al Gully]

From the other bike forum I belong too, this was going to be my place of rental if I don't fly my bike over with me to Munich.


Address:
Motorrad Maier
District Nikola
Renatastrasse 8
84034 Landshut

 

[Al Gully]

With no oil pressure on the transmission...

I'm sure he has the clutch lever pulled in.