Ultrablade's Motorcycle Tour Guide to France and Spain

<HTML> <BODY bgcolor="#fffff0" text="#000000" link="#ff0000" alink="#00f0ff" vlink="#b000b0">  <H2 align=center>UltraBlade's Motorbike Tour Guide to France and Spain</H2> <CENTER> <font face="Comic Sans MS" size=5 color=blue>Welcome! </font></P> </CENTER> Have you ever wanted to visit Spain by motorbike? Have you ever wanted to tip your motorcycle into a high speed bend in safety - knowing that there'll be little traffic or few hidden junctions to panic you? Yes; then welcome to the guide for motorcyclists who wish to travel from the UK to Spain via France. The Pyrenees and the Massif Central are two regions covered as you make a virtual tour to the Spanish Costa Blanca. The best motorcycling roads are described along with photographs of some fabulous views and interesting tourist sites, and for scratchers and wheelie experts there are details of safe, fast roads. Hints, tips, and motorcycling laws of France and Spain are explained and whether you ride a Honda Fireblade (CBR900RR), a Yamaha YZF-R1, a Suzuki GSX-R, a Ninja, or a BMW tourer you will find something of interest in this bike guide.</P> <H3>Why this site?</H3> This site has been written to guide you safely across France and deep into Spain by motorcycle. Along the way you will meet interesting people, fantastic roads, brilliant sunshine, and the heaviest rain imaginable! But never mind the rain, this site has all the information you need to have a great time, either with your friends or on your own. Yes, this site has been written with experience gained from four solo trips to the Costa Blanca by motorbike, and three by car with a passenger. The basics are the same no matter how many are in your party, but the problems tend to be more obvious if you ride solo. The motorbikes which are suitable for a long ride, the clothes to wear, the equipment to carry, E.111, tyres, green card - all this info is available on this site.</P> <H3>Site pages</H3> This web site contains the following chapters:</P> <A HREF = tour_welcome.html TARGET = Main>Motorcycle tour welcome</A><BR> <A HREF = tour_about.html TARGET = Main>About this guide</A><BR> <A HREF = rest_breaks.html TARGET = Main>Rest breaks</A><BR> <A HREF = stories.html TARGET = Main>Stories</A><BR> <A HREF = riding_skills.html TARGET = Main>Riding Skills</A></BR> <A HREF = preparations.html TARGET = Main>Preparations</A><BR> <A HREF = hotels.html TARGET = Main>Hotels</A><BR> <A HREF = maps.html TARGET = Main>Maps and books</A><BR> <A HREF = faq.html TARGET = Main>FAQs</A><BR> <A HREF = landscapes.html TARGET = Main>Landscapes</A><BR> <A HREF = seascapes.html TARGET = Main>Seas, lakes, rivers</A><BR> <A HREF = towns.html TARGET = Main>Towns and villages</A><BR> <A HREF = buildings.html TARGET = Main>Buildings and ruins</A><BR> <A HREF = vehicles.html TARGET = Main>My vehicles</A><BR> <A HREF = roads_french.html TARGET = Main>French roads</A><BR> <A HREF = roads_spanish.html TARGET = Main>Spanish roads</A><BR> <A HREF = gallery_spain.html TARGET = Main>Photograph gallery - Spain</A><BR> <A HREF = gallery_france.html TARGET = Main>Photograph gallery - France</A><BR> <A HREF = gallery_blanca.html TARGET = Main>Photograph gallery - Costa Blanca</A><BR> <A HREF = links.html TARGET = _top>Links page</A></P> If you have enjoyed Ultrablade you may want to visit one of my other sites by visiting <a href="http://www.nealsworld.com">Neal's World</a>.</P> <H3>Safety Warning!</H3> Do not undertake this sort of trip by motorcycle unless you are an experienced biker! Although touring the continent can be a 'holiday of a life-time', there are very many pitfalls to catch the inexperienced or unwary. I have noted particular issues throughout the text, but before you attempt this sort of tour you must ask yourself these two questions. (1) Could I ride a motorbike from London to Newcastle in one day, and then back again the next day? (2) In safety?</P> If you can't answer yes to these two questions then either stick to the UK and read this site out of interest, or do a trial tour of northern and middle France to gain experience. Thats' it - lecture over!</P> <H3>About the author</H3> Born in Cardiff in 1952 the author is a professional telecomms engineer with hobbies which include competitive swimming, photography, fishkeeping, and, um, oh yes, motorbiking. Currently car-less he has also enjoyed some sporting cars such as a 2.8i Capri, an RS Turbo Escort, and a 1340cc Mini-Cooper S. The interest in two wheelers started at age 16 with a real dog of a Lambretta scooter. Cars didn't follow for four years and scooters came and went a couple of times until, at the age of 30, a 250 Honda Superdream was purchased. This was at the time that the learner laws effectively removed the 250cc market at a stroke leaving Honda with a load of bikes which needed a steep discount to sell. He is married, lives in Suffolk and currently runs a 1998 Tricolour Fireblade.</P> </BODY> </HTML>