Riding In Europe

[escapefjrtist]

Last week I had the chance to visit with a fellow from Germany. For background, the facility I'm in, is made up largely of German equipment. This guy is a manufacturers rep. and had been in the US about 2 weeks, traveling to several plants. Since I generally entertain the foreign guests, I spent a couple days with him.

When I met him in my office, he saw my FJR screen saver and picture on my wall. He immediately recognized the bike, asked if I owned one, wanted to know specifics, etc. and off we went. Work was out the window at that point.

In the course of conversations, he remarked that he was in the market for tires, exhaust, and PC to "uncork" his bike (a ZX12R). He and his buddies like to run the autobahns and play with the cars which are limited to 155 mph. h34r:

I told him my tires are about toast and I was putting new ones on very soon, not what came as OEM. He then told me that in Germany the bikes must run the tires and exhaust that the manufacturer specifies or has tested. He then showed me his registration, which called out Dunlops or Stones plus a lot of other bike information (max speed 298kph). The bikes must be inspected yearly by the "certifying authority" (his words) and if any aftermarket parts are found, the plate is not renewed. He even said that if he were stopped on the road, and the police were sharp and spotted the wrong tires or pipe, they could impound the bike on the spot!

I guess when comparing the good ol' USA to this, things aren't too bad....

Sorry this is so long, thought it was worthwile to pass along.

--G

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

I think it would be hard for such standard equipment rules in the USA. Too much money and suppliers would buy the A$$hats off.

 

[markjenn]

The tradition in the USA is much more cowboyish "do what you want." Go to Mexico and you don't even have to run a license plate for the most part - you can ride around most of the country with an unlicensed two-stroke dirt bike if you want.

There are good and bad to both extremes. Riding in Europe is mostly a pleasure but you do have to pay a lot more attention to things - it's not a kick-the-tires, light-the-fires type of place to ride.

- Mark

 

[teerex51]

Having ridden both in the US and in Europe I'd like to put in my € 0.02 worth.

Riding in the US is more laid back when it comes to Big Brother dictating specs & equipment, inspecting your bike, checking your papers etc.

I've hit the roads in the US with pipes so loud they would have warranted immediate arrest and execution in Europe.

I've seen & ridden custom bikes that would have been pulled over, inspected and impounded over here for lack of type approval.

Yet, I never even tried to duplicate the riding style that is allowed or tolerated here. In the US, while certainly exceeding the speed limits, I've kept it within the limits of decency, hardly ever lane split and never cut cagers off or kicked their doors when they were hogging the road.

European regulations (especially in Germany) are everything that visiting German rep said. You can NOT pick the tires of your fancy for your bike, cannot change rims or lights or trick out your ride without having to get it inspected and every mod recorded on its registration.

Yet you can buzz cagers like an F-16 would an enemy formation of turboprop cargo planes B) . Riding here, due to the shorter distances involved, is more intense and loaded with adrenalin. In Southern Europe especially.

In the States you have great distances, wide highways and a handful of "legendary" twisty roads which (I hope you won't take this the wrong way)are a dime a dozen over here. Different riding skills are needed.

We all ride the same bike, the awesome FJR. Yet some of the farkles I read about on this Forum are very unusual in Europe and typical of this different way of using the same "platform". Extra driving lights, wider windshields, all kinds of electronic gizmos mounted on stands, consoles etc.

An American friend who lives in Germany and teaches US Servicemen (and women) in Europe riding skills took part in a recent bike rally in the Italian mountains.

Our 50 bikes totaled a collective 45,000 kms of high speed riding and cornering on narrow, steep and often treacherous roads.

He was truly amazed that not a single accident happened and said he was impressed at the average riding skills of European sport-touring jockeys

And a final interesting detail. It has become customary in France and Italy for cages driving on 2-lane highways to move all the way to the right in order to let bikes pass. Is it the Valentino Rossi effect or are they simply tired of getting their doors kicked in?

Stef

 

[escapefjrtist]

Thanks for the insight Stef. I guess if one looks at the regulations from a safety point of view, there's probably some merit.

"buzz cagers like an F-16".....

Sounds like fun, but that would never "fly" over here.....

--G

BTW, The Italy video you posted awhile back was great! The narrow roads and cages must make riding interesting....

 

[teerex51]

Escape,

You're right. My US friends always warn me when I'm stateside NOT to ride so aggressively vs the cagers Someone could pull out a .357 and blow me out. :angry:

Today I rode on the same mountain roads where we had our rally. I was with a friend who rides a K1200S. We had a ball, but because we were just 2 bikes we took liberties that you might as well forget when you have a bunch of bikes following you. Really cutting it close. B) That was exhilarating but tiring.

We also had to keep an extra eye out for the LEOs. They're always out on weekends and eager to boost township revenues.

Last saturday the local cops set up a trap on a nice downhill grade after the twisties where you would instinctively open up...too bad it's a 50 kmh area.

They wrote 150 speeding tickets in one day, some for fines of $500.

BTW. I posted the link to the riding video you mentioned in the Ride Reports section of this Forum under Europe.

Stef

 

[FJR-UK]

Although German restrictions are more extreme than UK restrictions, an out-of-the-crate FJR is still a useful tool - whatever country you are riding it in. The recommended rubber and supplied exhaust system are perfectly capable of taking the machine to its limits.

 

[fjrchooser]

True enough on the stocker FJR-UK, but a good amount of the enjoyment comes from making it your own. At least it does if your limited to a national 70 mph redline.

I'd be willing to trade though if several interstates were opened up to those displaying the proper stickers indicating they possessed the skills, knowledge, attitude and equipment to make it as safe as it could be.

I can also see where it puts the onus on the manufacturer to put out a very capable machine in the 1st place, something we've no doubt benefitted from here in the U.S. without realizing it.

Consider Europe's war debt paid in full as long as they keep this caliber of machinery headed our way!

 

[slapnpop]

/Goes out on a limb

Consider Europe's war debt paid in full

If you as me Europe's never been in any debt. That whole area (along with asia a few times) has been bombed to smitherines and over ran and the common people made to suffer. It was just the right thing to do (and took us too long). No debt involved.

A few of thier leaders on the other hand... They could be made to pay.

 

[OmegaSix]

I'll weigh in with this little insight - being an Army vet, and having been stationed in Germany - and ridden in Germany / Austria / Italy...

We Americans are constantly being bombarded with messages from our government to counter "Aggressive driving".... It's an "epidemic" in the states. OMG!!!!!!

Bullsugar...

We Yanks don't know ANYTHING about aggressive driving - because that is NOT what we do.

We drive ANGRY. That's what causes our problems. That's what causes our cousins in Europe to be concerned that they might get blown away by a .357.

You execute an inside pass on a mountain road here in the states - some pissed off sonofab*tch is liable to try and cut you off, run you down, kill you, jump up and down on your deceased body, get his wife and kids to do the same, and stomp away cussing about how your punk ass deserved it.

You execute an inside pass on a mountain road in Europe, and your as likely to recieve a friendly wave from the passee as anything. They RESPECT a well executed pass. It's a completely different culture.

Yes the authorities expect you to have serviceable equipment, and be properly trained. Once that hurdle is accomplished, the culture expects you drive your own drive, don't interfere or worry about what others are doing, and have some godd*mned fun!!!!

They have it right.

 

[teerex51]

OmegaSix

We Yanks don't know ANYTHING about aggressive driving - because that is NOT what we do

I certainly agree with that statement. I never cease to be amazed at the laid-back driving style in the US. (Granted, I've been driving and riding mostly in NC in recent times. I just love it there.)

On a couple of occasions I've seen potentially catastrophic situations evolve on US roads because of careless driving (soccer moms on their cellphones, geriatrics at the wheel etc.) but never because of aggressive driving.

Over here we have both. The best of both worlds, huh?

Stef