Fazer Owners Club - Unofficial
General => General => Topic started by: Robbie8666 on 04 February 2019, 02:53:08 pm
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ok so my son been selected to play in a "round ball" tournament near Brest in June, so I decided that rather than get stitched up driving the parents minibus I'm taking my bike over on Ferry (Plymouth to Roscoff). (booked!)
destination is approx. 40 miles from ferry, campsite is 8 miles from there.
never taken a vehicle over.
I know they drive on wrong side of the road & that's a bout it!
I know June a way off but want to make sure of few things like, I was thinking about taking bike fuelled up (its a Triumph Nightstorm , full tank range 170miles fitted with panniers ).. is full tank allowed on ferry?
what legal requirements to I need? GB plate? bulbs? warning triangle? hi-vis?
searching through I see gloves are compulsory.. but I wear them anyway!
cheers
Robbie
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https://www.drive-france.com/faqs/motorcycling-france/ (https://www.drive-france.com/faqs/motorcycling-france/)
Cheers
John
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Post Brexit, it may all change but at the moment its simple.
Hi-viz (meant to be worn but nobody does) in case you break down
Spare bulbs
Headlamp deflector (I never use them)
GB sticker or euro number plate
Insurance certificate and log book and licence carried at all times
Helmet is meant to have hi-viz reflective stickers but ignore that as your a visitor
Gloves are a legal requirement now but most sensible people wear them
Breathalyser - Ignore the bullshite at halfords and on the ferry (they may still be a legal requirement until the law is repealed but the fine is €0.)
Biggest thing to learn is keep your eyes on stalks.
The French are very bike friendly but filtering is illegal (never need to do it as so little traffic where I am in Mayenne).
They ride on the wrong side of the road.
Roads joining from the right onto your main road have right of way (You have to give way even though there are no markings) unless the side road has a give way or stop sign.
30mph (50kmh) limit starts as soon as you pass the village/town limit sign
National speed limit starts (unless its signposted otherwise) as soon as you go through the village/town limit sign (Same as the entry sign but with a line through it)
National speed limit on single carriageway roads is 50mph (80kmh) since last summer and police do on the spot fines.
NSL on motorways is 110kmh (70mph ish) or 130kmh (80mph ish) depending on the signposts. On the 130kmh stretches, this automatically drops to 110kmh when its wet.
As of yesterday when I came back to the UK after a weekend away, fuel is about the same price as the UK. If you want to fill up over there Unleaded is "San Plomb 95"
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Don't think you need to wear a high viz jacket all the time. Just after a breakdown. I've heard you need to be able to put it on before you get off the bike. So store it in a tank bag rather than topbox etc.
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Don't think you need to wear a high viz jacket all the time. Just after a breakdown. I've heard you need to be able to put it on before you get off the bike. So store it in a tank bag rather than topbox etc.
I know for cars you need to be able to put them on before getting out the car. For the bike, I keep mine under the seat wrapped around the spare bulbs to stop them rattling :pokefun
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That would work. Legs akimbo, unlock seat lift it up and pull out hi viz, put on jacket. Then you can get off the bike..... to pick up your bulbs from the floor :D
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As said earlier, be careful if ‘making progress’ on the autoroutes as the coppers do frequent checks. Especially so near to the ports looking for foreign plates. Fines are on the spot... don’t ask how I know 😀
Fortunately for me I was travelling with a mate who is UK plod and they let us off with the fine after showing his ID badge! Clocked us at 160 Kph with a 130 limit. They take you to get the cash if you haven’t got it!
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If you haven't got enough in your account, they'll confiscate your bike and take your license. A few years back my pal got chased by an Impreza police car, license taken and fined around £600. We all had agreed to knock the speed off when we'd got above Troyes, but this must have slipped his mind.This was in early September and got his license returned via British consul in December. He also had to arrange for a white van man to take his bike to Calais from Reims. More expense. The days of flat out off the ferry are in the past now. It was great while it lasted though :lol .
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many thanks.. good advice
I will get a spare bulbs pack, got hi Vis will make sure its accessible!
will keep my speed down as not in a rush :)
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I learnt something there!! I didn't realise filtering was illegal in France. :rolleyes I've been riding through France a couple of times a years for the last 10years and filtering everywhere! :eek :eek
I must admit I don't bother with the headlight mods (it's a fazer), I carry a high viz and my plate has a GB sticker on it, that's about it. I don't carry spare bulbs, breathalysers or have the reflective stickers on my helmet. I seem to remember reading that no one has ever been fined for not having these?
The roads are pretty straight forward, 2 major differences to be aware of:
1. Dodgy roundabouts - they have some which are the same as in the UK, but also some where you have priority coming onto the roundabout but not once you are on it. Or Arc de Triomphe, where you have priority coming on and coming off, but not once you are on the roundabout! :eek
2: Priority Right / "priority a droite" - This image explains it better then I can... basically on some major roads, a car on an adjoining minor road has priority and can pull out on you between these signs. It's worth knowing about!!
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I learnt something there!! I didn't realise filtering was illegal in France. I've been riding through France a couple of times a years for the last 10years and filtering everywhere!
Illegal? They're French ;) It's also illegal in Germany, and there car drivers will turn in to block you filtering in stationary traffic. Bastarde!
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[….It's also illegal in Germany...
I learnt something there also! :eek
I always filter in Germany. I only do it because I see other bikers doing it and assumed it was legal. There is usual a good 10miles of stationary traffic around Hanover and I just drop the bike down a gear into loud mode and carve through it.
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Although it's illegal in France, motorists usually go out of there way to give you an overtaking opportunity, and are very bike aware mainly, especially truckers. Sometimes wagon drivers will warn of danger with the left indicator to hold you back until it's safe.
As already said, Germans are known to turn into when filtering, happened to me several times last summer in the Black Forest area. They are so law abiding it's ridiculous.
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me n dynspud orf to france soon cant wait...
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Me neither mate :D
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me n dynspud orf to france soon cant wait...
Have you used the wrong login ? :pokefun
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Post Brexit, it may all change but at the moment its simple.
Hi-viz (meant to be worn but nobody does) in case you break down
Spare bulbs
Headlamp deflector (I never use them)
GB sticker or euro number plate
Insurance certificate and log book and licence carried at all times
Helmet is meant to have hi-viz reflective stickers but ignore that as your a visitor
Gloves are a legal requirement now but most sensible people wear them
Breathalyser - Ignore the bullshite at halfords and on the ferry (they may still be a legal requirement until the law is repealed but the fine is €0.)
Biggest thing to learn is keep your eyes on stalks.
The French are very bike friendly but filtering is illegal (never need to do it as so little traffic where I am in Mayenne).
They ride on the wrong side of the road.
Roads joining from the right onto your main road have right of way (You have to give way even though there are no markings) unless the side road has a give way or stop sign.
30mph (50kmh) limit starts as soon as you pass the village/town limit sign
National speed limit starts (unless its signposted otherwise) as soon as you go through the village/town limit sign (Same as the entry sign but with a line through it)
National speed limit on single carriageway roads is 50mph (80kmh) since last summer and police do on the spot fines.
NSL on motorways is 110kmh (70mph ish) or 130kmh (80mph ish) depending on the signposts. On the 130kmh stretches, this automatically drops to 110kmh when its wet.
As of yesterday when I came back to the UK after a weekend away, fuel is about the same price as the UK. If you want to fill up over there Unleaded is "San Plomb 95"
After Brexit it might be a tad more difficult. :lol