[Hiker]

Every year my wife gets to travel to some part of the world for an international music conferance. What's nice is I get to tag along and just cover my own airfare. Last years trip was Italy. We always try to wrap a couple vacation days around the trip for fun. So.. I get to make all the route plans, which is cool with me. So I decide on this trip we're going through the Alps and hit some cool passes. I was absolutely shocked at all the motorcycles over there and all the touring clubs. Below is some pictures of the most awesome pass in Europe. It's called the Stelvio Pass. It's about 11000+ feet high and to get there is one incrediable ride. We had a rental which was an Opel Astra. Small, but it did have a stick, a must. While up on top I was able to talk with some of the bike club riders and found out some cool stuff. Later that trip my wife had suggested I make one of these runs for my 50th B-Day in 4 years. (No age jokes..please). So .. since that trip I have been researching all the ins and outs of the best touring company's. Bar-non is the Beach Motorcycle Adventures. I attached the link to there site. If you have a few moments, check it out. When the site is open go to "Ride the Alps" attachment on the left side of the screen. Then check out the slide shows of the different years trips. This has to be the best riding in the world.
I've already started saving my $$.

The picture below is the south side of Stelvio. Imagin riding thru this countryside?

The pic below is the north side and this is only a 1/3 on the drive down. As you can see your only seeing from treeline upwards.. Imagin riding your bike down that.

Here's is a webcam of the top of Stelvio.
Stelvio Webcam
Look for "Webcam sul Passo" on the left side...then look for "Est P.so dello Stelvio"
I check this site EVERYDAY... They are 9 hours ahead of PST zone. Wait for the weekend and see all the bikes up there. In the winter there is 20' deep snow there. the pass didn't open til end of June this year.

Below is the website for Beachs Motorcycle Adventures...
http://bma.buffnet.net/index.htm
Anyone want to go... August 2008...see ya there.

 

[Curt]

I wonder how Jim Feuling's streamliner would handle that.
Curt

 

[QKENUF4U]

get rid of that crap white stuff and give me 85degs all day and it would be the perfect riding. would be very nice to live over there. i actually want to make a trip the ISLE O MAN but dont know if it will ever happen.
your one lucky man. :wink:

 

[Green Knight]

Those roads looks SOOO sexy. I wish there was something even 1/10 that nice here in Iowa.

 

[Hiker]

The top picture was most likely taken June or July. The bottom pic was in August. The temps in the valleys are in the 70's to 80's but the passes get down to the high 50's, mid 60's in August. Great ridin weather. End of the day you hang with your ridin buddies over a German beer at a local Gasthaus and talk about the day and make plans for your next day. 12 days of this....

 

[1Adam12]

Nice pics and would definately love to visit....not too sure about riding in the snow covered terrain though. bet they have people fall off every now and then.

 

[ZX-2R]

Riding

I'd like the uphill portion...not so sure about going down hill being as much fun...but I guess if I had 12 days...Hope that you enjoy it...
I hope to be settled into AZ with some mountain riding...but nothing quite as much fun as that is going to be...

 

[bikeaholic]

re

when do we leave? :lol:

 

[Hiker]

Re: re

when do we leave? :lol:

August 2008... start packing...

 

[Hiker]

Re: Riding

I'd like the uphill portion...not so sure about going down hill being as much fun...but I guess if I had 12 days...Hope that you enjoy it...
I hope to be settled into AZ with some mountain riding...but nothing quite as much fun as that is going to be...

The snow has very little effect on the ride. You may have alittle water running across the street, but very little. They have great water drainage throughout the passes. And the streets are very small. These are not American roads built for H2's and Burbs. These are Euro roads, narrow and well maintined.

When you get to AZ... There are some great roads out here too... Salt River Canyon is a great run as long as you don't get stuck behind a truck. Old RT 666 on the AZ/NM border is awesome...back side into Jerome over Minges Mtn is good...Yarnell Pass is pretty fun too. Another amazing run is up through Monument Valley and north into Mexican Hat and the Valley of the Gods... ****... I can't wait to get my bike...Just talking about this is getting me excited.....lol

 

[Aikata]

Now that's some sweet looking pavement!

 

[heineken]

I'm down. That'll be right about the time I finish my masters. (Insert age joke about old guys here)

 

[Spok]

now thats determined road building, looks like an amusement park for bike riders

 

[ZX-2R]

666

Been on 666 with truck and 5th wheel...had the middle of the trailer hanging over the inside of the turns, front bumper just inches away from the rock sides of the road...A Trooper was going to give me a ticket, I made it legal...I had to remove the spare tire from the front bumper...It was a nightmare of a road that took me hours to get through, first and second gear, over 50 gallons of gas used, had 70 gallons just before I started... didn't think about ever going back on the road, EVER again until just now when I saw your mention of it...

 

[Hiker]

Re: 666

Been on 666 with truck and 5th wheel...had the middle of the trailer hanging over the inside of the turns, front bumper just inches away from the rock sides of the road...A Trooper was going to give me a ticket, I made it legal...I had to remove the spare tire from the front bumper...It was a nightmare of a road that took me hours to get through, first and second gear, over 50 gallons of gas used, had 70 gallons just before I started... didn't think about ever going back on the road, EVER again until just now when I saw your mention of it...

Ya know they renumbered that route.. It's SR191 now...No more SR666.. Too many religous right wingers complained... That's OK..Same great road, just different number..

 

[heineken]

Sounds like it was a rather fitting name though.....

 

[ZX-2R]

SR191/666

Whatever they want to call it...it would be a great road if we had a way of knowing about oncoming traffic...I suppose a bike coming down the road would be enough...I've seen some sliding and skidding and some backing up...nerve raising on me for sure. it MIGHT be nice on a bike...I was to worried that last time I was on it...

 

[spdrkt ZX7R]

Sweeeeeeeet!!!!! I wanna go for a ride.