I’d also take a puncture repair kit but not mandatory.
Echo most of what's been said. Been back about a fortnight from a trip round France and Belgium WW1 battlefields on my 03 FZS600. Bought a small Givi magnetic tank bag, pocket on top for phone to nav with when needed, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Givi-EA106B-Easy-Magnet-Tank-Bag/dp/B01AUMVME0 got one for 30 quid from ghost bikes, brilliant bit of kit. Kept essentials in it; documents, wallet, cash/cards, hi viz, power bank, disc lock and crack pipe e-cig. Toll booths can be a bit fiddly with gloves on and you need to make sure you choose the right lane to accept whatever you want to pay with. Lanes with an orange t only and/or a 30kph speed only displayed are for automatic tags, don't go in those or you'll be in a world of shit if it's busy. Lanes that accept cash/card are usually marked on the overhead signs with images of cash/card or CB (bank card). You need to plan ahead if you want to use cash to pay for fuel, automatic fuel stations pre authorise and ring fence your card for about €90 each time you fill up which can be a problem if you use a pre paid travel card as it can take a couple of days for the funds to reappear; in France manned fuel stations hours are roughly 8-12 and 1-4, outside this and it's always card only, some smaller supermarket fuel stations have no option to pay with cash. Fuel is a bit dearer over there and motorway fuel is seriously expensive so swerve that if you can. French fuel price check website https://www.prix.carburants.gouv.frIf you're on an older bike make sure you fill up with juice that's labelled E5 or better still E0, I never found any E0 abroad, difficult to get in GB, think it's only Esso premium unleaded that's E0. Swerve E10 if you can and DO NOT put E85 in, it's cheaper but contains 85% ethanol and will rot your fuel system. E5 is the same ethanol content (5%) as bog standard UK unleaded, E10 seems to be the standard unleaded SP95 in France with a few exceptions, SP98 is premium fuel and mostly E5 ethanol content but it's more expensive than boggo unleaded. Check what your bike will run on and check at the pump when you juice up. Carburant is French for fuel, essence is petrol, SP = unleaded, 95 or 98 the octane rating and E = ethanol content. Gazole is diesel so deffo don't use that...
E0 is still widely available in the uk, most (but not all) Super Unleaded 97 in the UK is Ethanol free. As yet, there is no requirement in law for Ethanol to be present in that grade, and I hope it stays that way.
Quote from: agricola on 23 September 2019, 07:21:59 pmE0 is still widely available in the uk, most (but not all) Super Unleaded 97 in the UK is Ethanol free. As yet, there is no requirement in law for Ethanol to be present in that grade, and I hope it stays that way.Does that include BP and Shell 97 octane?.
BP Ultimate is still E free, apart from south west England, Cornwall, tee-side and scotland.
Quote from: agricola on 25 September 2019, 02:06:18 pmBP Ultimate is still E free, apart from south west England, Cornwall, tee-side and scotland. ....and Cambridge in the east of England. I've just filled the car up with standard 95 octane and checked the Ultimate 97 pump whilst I was there. It's clearly labelled E5 also .
Also, the fuel suppliers are reluctant to disclose the ethanol content.