Table of contents
- Motorcycling in the south In winter it’s off to the south to drive
- Routes on the Mediterranean
- Packing list – that must be included
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17th pictures
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1/17
To dream: fishing port at night.
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2/17
Shorter waiting times than at any ski lift: at the pre-start.
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3/17
If the streets in Germany freeze, one could consider burning over the asphalt in warmer regions. Here are a few tips on where to go.
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4/17
Also nice: outing with your dog – without a motorcycle.
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5/17
One should emigrate: now and immediately.
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6/17
If you drive a lot, you need a lot of rubber.
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7/17
Paddock atmosphere: grilled sausage with beer – simply wonderful.
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8/17
To drive dizzy: Spain’s mountains.
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9/17
Watchdog: … and who stole the wheels?
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10/17
To the point: curve training.
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11/17
Man does not live from bread alone: also from the sun.
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12/17
The duty: driver briefing at sunrise.
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13/17
The freestyle: curve surfing until sunset.
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14/17
Where MOTORRAD tests: under palm trees.
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15/17
What you want: boredom has no chance.
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16/17
A route overview map for southern Europe.
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17/17
That knocks enduro riders out of their boots: Offroad in Spain.
to travel
In winter it’s off to the south to drive
Motorcycling in the south
In winter it’s off to the south to drive
When gray clouds make the short days even shorter and the mood even dreamer, only one thing helps – head south to ride a motorcycle.
Werner Koch
11/24/2010
The same program has been going on for years: shortly after Christmas, the skis are strapped to the car roof, cold-proof clothing packed and then stuck in a traffic jam. Traffic jam on the highway, traffic jam at the ski lift, traffic jam at the breakfast buffet, traffic jam on the way home.
MOTORRAD reader Matthias Knofe and his motorcycle-infested clique have now changed the winter program, lashing their motorcycles in the trailer instead of skis, stowing mountain bikes, hiking boots and dogs in the car and literally leaving the snow-covered mountains behind. On the way to Spain you are not alone with your idea of a different kind of winter sport. Countless vans, small vans and cars crammed full to the max head out into the sun. Always with you: the motorcycle.
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This idea was kicked off a good 30 years ago by a couple of motorcycle-crazy racing drivers who wanted to secure a lead over their competitors through early training. And of course from the MOTORRAD test team, which found the best conditions in the south to deliver serious tests with fast machines even in winter.
Back then, long before the great motorsport boom, the choice of racetracks in the Mediterranean was limited. Calafat, 120 kilometers south of Barcelona, Ledenon in the southern French Rhône Delta or the former Grand Prix track in Rijeka, then Yugoslavia, were possible places to go, where, with a bit of luck, spring-like temperatures prevailed between November and March.
Today the choice of routes is almost unlimited and the large selection of training courses on the racetrack is also designed for non-racing drivers. A complete annual overview of the organizers, dates and general conditions can be found on the relevant Internet pages (www.racing4fun.de).
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To drive dizzy: Spain’s mountains.
However, it is advisable to discuss any unclear questions regarding the training process with the organizer by telephone. This includes, above all, the division into groups and the speed of the groups. Anyone who finds themselves in a pack of ambitious racers as a sporty driver without racetrack experience has grown together. Because on the hunt for the best lap times, these gentlemen simply dig into gaps where there is actually no gap at all. And good advice for self-protection for newcomers to the racetrack: leave the stopwatches at home. Anyone who tries to file away seconds after the first day has a good chance of getting some nice x-rays from the medical center.
In contrast, more and more motorcyclists are venturing onto the racing slopes under the eyes of professional instructors. Not to burn daring lap times into the asphalt, but to calmly perfect your own driving style on your own motorcycle. That was exactly the reason for Matthias Knofe to set out south for the first time. His wife Annett is to start the motorcycle season well trained with her Yamaha MT03, son Robert with a classy MV Brutale in spring, and friend Irina wants to explore her own limits on her flashy Yamaha YZF R6. Serious racetrack training with Doctor Scholl in Calafat definitely helps more than three days of skiing in Zermatt. In order to make the long journey to Spain worthwhile, a few days of stress-free vacation are planned in addition to the lively hustle and bustle on the race track. The day on which the hot-blooded racers let off steam in the four-hour race is used to spy out the extremely low-traffic mountain routes around Tarragona at this time of the year. A cornering area that couldn’t be more exciting and beautiful. A test drive through the bizarre rock formations is also a favorite program for the MOTORRAD editors. The nice thing about it: most of the Spanish race tracks are surrounded by mountainous landscapes with fantastic curves. Even the hopelessly overcrowded coastal roads in summer are almost car-free zones outside of the season.
No wonder that more and more touring machines and coarse-tread enduros are appearing in the paddock and exploring this endless cornering area. Off-road freaks in particular will love the Spanish hinterland with adventurous gravel stretches through steep rocky gorges and over tricky mountain ridges with a fantastic view of the azure blue Mediterranean Sea. Wild cross-country driving is also taboo in Spain, but those who are used to reading good maps will find the most wonderful paths and slopes for the rough vehicle. Which finally resolved the fickleness between skiing holidays and motorcycling.
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Where MOTORRAD tests: under palm trees.
In order to combine racetrack training and vacation off-piste, the training days should be discussed with the organizer. If you have no ambition to join the crazy pack at the hobby race, you should book this day as free time. Or you can distribute a complete range of training courses to several people, so that one or two days are available alternately. Because one thing is clear: Anyone who races around the race track for more than three days at a time is one hundred percent and incurably gas sick. If, on the other hand, you put one or the other day off in between, the matter remains exciting until the end. And you have time to shake yourself out of your bones with sport and exercise, which is surprisingly strenuous for many on the racetrack.
So that the vacation is vacation from the first hour, the accommodation should be arranged before departure. The training organizers usually have the contact addresses or arrange accommodation in bungalows or holiday apartments themselves. If you set off on the run, you should consider that many hotels in the south are closed or fully booked in the winter, especially around the turn of the year.
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That knocks enduro riders out of their boots: Offroad in Spain.
On the other hand, holiday apartments and nice bungalows can be rented on most of the routes at fair winter prices, some in fantastic locations. Since the holiday accommodations are designed for summer conditions, you should expect that the poorly insulated houses will have to be heated with gas burners. Even bringing an electric fan heater with you can’t do any harm. Although the temperatures are mild during the day, Father Frost can haunt holidaymakers on a clear night. Clever, who can then crawl into the plump down sleeping bag.
The best times of the year for a trip to the south depend on the location of the racetrack. In general, the more south-westerly, the safer the weather and temperatures. However, an ice-cold north wind, the mistral, can blow the soul out of the body of sun-hungry bikers in special areas. This includes the catchment area around the Rhône Delta in southern France (race tracks: Ledenon, Le Luc, Paul Ricard), the piste in Calafat / Spain near the Ebro Delta or the former GP track in Rijeka.
However, there is no reliable forecast for either wind or weather. From over 25 years of experience with winter tests, it has emerged that the trickiest season in the south is around the turn of the year until mid-February. Then you have to reckon with short but severe cold spells with snow as far as the Mediterranean coast. If you want to bring the long-awaited spring a few weeks ahead, you have the best chances of catching your first sunburn in southern France or Tuscany at the beginning of March. In addition, the motorcycle routes around Ledenon near Nîmes or Mugello near Florence are some of the best things you can do. With this in mind: let the skis in the basement and let the pure joy of motorcycling run its course. See you under the sun.
Routes on the Mediterranean
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The routes on the Mediterranean.
Big question for sun seekers: How does my motorcycle get to the south??
The easiest solution is the increasingly widespread use of a van, i.e. a car with plenty of space and overall length. Secured at least four times with sturdy straps and loaded with an empty tank, this is the most popular mode of transport.
Option number two: The trailer that you can also rent. If you have more than one motorcycle, please only use an overrun brake and a stable, wide-gauge design. The disadvantage: When the trailer is open, the motorcycle is exposed to rain, snow and, under certain circumstances, road salt. In addition, the machine should definitely be secured against theft.
Third and probably most convenient solution: the motorcycle transport by a forwarding agency. Some organizers offer this service for their training sessions or arrange a specially equipped shipping company that also transports bulky luggage (spare wheels, tires, tools, leather suits) and delivers them to the paddock on time. Price example for transport costs motorcycle Germany-Southern Spain-Germany: around 400 euros upon delivery to the organizer. A return flight to Jerez / Spain booked about three months in advance can be found for around 250 euros.
Fourth possibility: The journey by axis. Whereby only relatively weather-proof seasons come into question, because the journey via southern France through the Jura low mountain range to Lyon can be an icy affair. The big disadvantages: limited transport options for tools etc. and the fact that in the event of a fall or a defect, the return transport of man and machine becomes really complicated.
The highway tolls from the Basel border crossing to Nîmes / southern France (around 700 km) cost around 46 euros without a trailer and 72 euros with a trailer. The prices are similar in Spain. From the La Junquera border crossing to Valencia, the approximately 600 kilometers cost around 49 euros without and 53 euros with a trailer.
Who as a carpool can save a lot with good travel planning. The website www.racing4fun.de has set up an extra section for car-sharing and transport options for this too.
The routes to the map:
1. Portimao / Portugal
Highly demanding, varied Grand Prix track with a complete pit area, infrastructure and worthwhile country roads on the coast. www.autodromodoalgarve.com/
2. Jerez / Spain
Demanding Grand Prix track with a complete pit area and rewarding country roads in the area. www.circuitodejerez.com
3. Almeria / Spain
Demanding test track with pit area and infrastructure. Worthwhile country roads in the wider area. Worth seeing: coast around Capo de Gata. www.circuitodealmeria.com
4. Cartagena / Spain
Demanding, varied racetrack with a complete pit area, infrastructure and worthwhile country roads in the wider area to the north. www.circuitocartagena.com
5. Valencia / Spain
Relatively easy Grand Prix track with a complete pit area, infrastructure, but less worthwhile country roads in the wider area. www.circuitvalencia.com
6. Calafat / Spain
Relatively compact racetrack with pit facilities, but limited infrastructure. Very worthwhile country roads around the Ebro Delta. www.circuitcalafat.com
7. Arragon / Spain
Very demanding, varied Grand Prix track with a complete pit area, infrastructure and worthwhile country roads in the area. www.motorlandaragon.com/
8. Alcarras / Spain
Demanding racetrack with complete infrastructure. Located on the immediate foothills of the Pyrenees with beautiful, winding country roads. www.circuitalcarras.cat
9. Barcelona / Spain
Very fast, demanding Grand Prix track with a complete pit area and infrastructure. Worthwhile country roads in the wider area. www.circuitcat.com
10. Pau-Arnos / South West France
At the mercy of the Atlantic, cooler weather, the beautiful mountain and valley route between November and the beginning of March is not recommended. Very beautiful surroundings. www.circuit-pau-arnos.com
11. Ledenon / South of France
Not very fast, but extremely demanding “small Nordschleife”. Brilliant: the environment with the wild Ardèche gorge. www.Ledenon.com
12. Le Luc / South of France
Small, not very demanding racetrack, well suited for beginners. Excellent starting point for tours in the Moorish Mountains or the Verdon Gorge. www.circuitduvar.com
13. Rijeka / Croatia
Fast, demanding course with extremely grippy surface, but incomplete infrastructure. Beautiful mountain roads in the area, be careful when wet, sometimes very slippery road surface, especially on the coastal roads. www.grobnik.hr
14. Misano / Italy
Grand Prix racetrack with some very fast corners and a relatively straightforward route. Here things are poor with worthwhile motorcycle routes in the immediate vicinity. www.misanocircuit.com
15. Mugello / Italy
The extremely demanding Grand Prix circuit is nestled in the hills of Tuscany. No less worthwhile: the winding low mountain range in the immediate vicinity. www.mugellocircuit.it
Packing list – that must be included
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Crap – forget the tires…
Catering:
Provisions / drinks for the journey, because one becomes poor and sick from the extremely expensive sandwiches on France’s highways. In Spain, on the other hand, there are usually very good coffee bars on the motorway.
Personal:
Good maps (get them in Germany) on a scale of 1: 100,000, maximum 1: 200,000 with the most beautiful, curvy motorcycle sticks, warm sleeping bag, pillow, warm hat, gloves, sunglasses, sun protection, glasses wearers spare glasses, music equipment with headphones, CDs, books , Medicine complete, muscle oil, leisurewear, sportswear, bike with tools, inline skates, hiking or climbing equipment.
Driver equipment:
Earplugs, leather suit, boots for the racetrack, boots for country roads (if necessary with climate membrane), helmet with spare visor and pin lock against fogging, back protection, gloves, warm gloves or thin undergloves, undersuit, rain suit, wind stopper for leather suit, buff for neck and Head, driving suit for the country road, small backpack for day trips.
Tool:
Mechanic’s combination, work gloves, calibrated air pressure gauge, small foot pump, locks for motorcycles, cordless screwdriver with bits / charger, complete tool box, 20 liter canister, five liter measuring cup, funnel, roll of paper or cleaning cloth, lubricant, degreaser, engine oil, brake fluid, multispray , Plastic boxes for parts, multiple sockets, improvisation box with screws etc., tent, beer table, chairs.
Accessories motorcycle:
Driver’s manual, second ignition key, list of authorized dealers in the respective country / region, camber parts (brake / clutch lever, left / right footrests) tires for the race track, a set of front brake pads, if possible tire warmers, front / rear mounting brackets, swing arm mounts with matching thread, safety locks for motorcycles and vans / trailers.
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