Riding the European Alps

[QLDZX6R]

Zhead and I are going to Europe next June July for six weeks and wanted to ride, but found the cost or renting prohibitive so I looked into taking our bikes over and having them to ride. There is a shipping company here in brisbane that can ship the bikes to UK for less than AU$1000.00. we will be leaving about june 20th but the bikes have to go 31 days earlier, I have to tee up with a bike shop in London to recieve and prep the bikes, (a mate is there now sorting this out) if the bikes are registered and I have a certificate from main roads we can ride them anywhere. I have to take out insurance when I get to UK but that will cover the bike as it passes through most european countries. Italy and some other countries require you get third party insurance locally as you pass through but this can be sorted out at the borders, otherwise, it isnt too difficult so long as you dont sell the bike and dont stay in any country more than 3 months. Italy also requires an international drivers licence. BY having our own bikes we figure we can look for cheaper accomodation out side of the main centers, and we will have total freedom. Plus the kool pics of your own bike in front of major tourist attractions. Be happy to pass on my info and research and it would be great to plan a ride, there is a huge tunnel in Switzeland that Zhead wants to ride through and I have seen that particular road heaps of times. Also I have registered on some bike forums in the uk and germany and everyone kindly offered beds and floors and are keen to organise rides while we are in their areas......as bike riders we are part of a greater enthuiastic friendly community.

Sorted.

[Wik]

mate
all the European countries require an international licence for car and BIKE..especially the Benelux countries
the Polizi there get very upset if you can't produce it on the spot ..along with yr (local aussie) licence
passport..and vehicle (in yr case bike) rego and insurance details

I say that from experience

Oh Yeah I believe you, I have been researching this for six months, and advised by authorities, what we have to have including int licenses, and local issue licence as you say, and all appropriate paper work, not just rego papers but a certificate, much like a safty certificate issued from Main Roads here.... When did you take your bike over? Once the red tape was sorted, I bet you had a great time, hopefully by June, well May when the bikes leave all this will be done and all that will be left will be a good time to be had. Any one is welcome to tag along, should post that as a ride...

[mike-s]

When i looked this up on the RTA website for when we went to the US it advised us that our NSW licences were adequate to use internationally. I suspect i would have gotten funny looks had i asked anything about getting a proper international license.

[Smitty]

When i looked this up on the RTA website for when we went to the US it advised us that our NSW licences were adequate to use internationally. I suspect i would have gotten funny looks had i asked anything about getting a proper international license.

..yes you would

International driving licences are NOT isssued by the RTA or VicRoads
but by the NRMA or RACV etc

[SoundGuy]

When i looked this up on the RTA website for when we went to the US it advised us that our NSW licences were adequate to use internationally. I suspect i would have gotten funny looks had i asked anything about getting a proper international license.

..yes you would

International driving licences are NOT isssued by the RTA or VicRoads
but by the NRMA or RACV etc

Ha!! i didnt know that

[Rossi]

Look into buying a bail bond too for Europe especially if you intend Spain as a destination or travel route.....basically it's an insurance policy which pays your bail should you be locked up
Italian police in particular, like to get the fine from international riders on the spot , they will take you from the scene of the offence to the cashpoint machine to get the cash if you don't have it on you.........oh by the way - the lift "back" to your bike is not included