Motorcycle Touring in the Alps
“Head out on the highway, lookin’ for adventure”: Steppenwolf’s famous lyrics might well have been inspired by one of the many popular Alpine motorcycle tours. Imagine yourself riding along in the crisp mountain air, winding your way through the region’s majestic countryside on some of the most demanding, serpentine roads of southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and even Liechtenstein. Here, tight switchbacks, long gentle sweepers, mountain passes, autobahns and back roads, far from busy tour bus routes, draw riders from around the globe. Organized motorcycle tours of the Alps generally come in 14-day packages and offer participants ample time to enjoy the customized itinerary. On one day riders may wish to test their skills by navigating a series of challenging mountain passes and on the next to enjoy a dose of relaxation, traveling more slowly or just taking in the Alpine scenery. The program offered by most tour companies aims for maximum flexibility. Each day group members are presented with an agenda for the next leg of the journey by the knowledgeable and often multilingual guides. Anyone who finds that a particular route is not to their taste will be offered a number of alternatives. These may include the chance to visit an interesting museum, explore local sites, do some shopping or try the regional cuisine. For organizational and safety reasons, however, all participants are required to meet at a specified final destination, at a designated time, or, alternatively, to inform a guide if for some reason this is not possible. For the past 32 years, Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures, Ltd., has offered what they call “tours that are not tours.” Pioneers in Alpine motorcycle touring, the company set the standards for this type of vacation. Aware that participants are as much in search of relaxation as they are of a spectacular ride, Beach emphasizes what they like to call “the joy of individual exploration.” The company’s numerous Alpine adventures, including tours for greenhorns and seasoned motorcyclists alike, are free of the organized group activities that they feel create more stress than rest. “Our focus is on the riding,” says company president Rob Beach. “It’s impossible to describe what the Alps are about until you are there. It’s some of the most difficult riding in the world, but also the most rewarding,” he adds. After having spent 10 years on Alpine tours, traveling some of the same routes more than 100 times, Beach is still awestruck by the scenery: “It’s magical!” he enthuses. For those who wish to experience that magic and end up back in Munich in time for a Wies’n visit with the whole “gang,” Beach’s offers its Oktoberfest Olio tour from September 14 to 28. AdMo-Tours, a Swiss-based company, which has its central booking office in California, considers their 15-day Alpine Odyssey Motorcycle Tour a “vacation” rather than an adventure. Every other day of the program is scheduled as an optional riding day, allowing a tailor-made schedule that includes sights and activities of personal interest. For a different twist on motorcycling excitement, motorcycle-addicts should check out Edelweiss Bike Travel’s racing tours, including a new Racing E Grand Prix Tour of the Czech Republic. Though the starting point of Brno may not be located in the Alps, the race does speed through plenty of Alpine countryside. Here, approximately 200,000 motorcycle-mad spectators celebrate one of the most popular Grand Prix races in Europe. Most tours are scheduled between June and early October, to make the best use of the warm weather. Rental motorcycles are provided as part of the tour package and the model and make vary according to the type of riding planned. Although the majority of rental motorcycles are BMWs, Honda, Suzuki and Harley Davidson bikes are also offered by some tour operators. Even if you live close to the Alps, chances are you’ve never experienced them quite like this. Forget the sweat of cycling, or the claustrophobic experience of traveling by car. Nothing compares to the élan of being out on a mountain road with the sun on your back and the purr of the engine in your ears. Whether you were born to be wild or are simply a Sunday driver, the thrill of getting there is what it’s all about. FURTHER INFORMATION Most tour packages include motorcycle rental, hotel accommodation (pre-booked and based on double occupancy; single occupancy available at additional cost), breakfast, dinners (limited number), support vehicle and luggage transportation, tour guide(s) and a rider’s package comprising maps, guidebooks, a list of recommended riding gear and tour-related information. Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures, Ltd. A German subsidiary is located in Munich, but tours are booked through the New York office. www.beachs-mca.com; Tel. +1 (716) 773-4960; Fax +1 (716) 773-5227 AdMo-Tours www.admo-tours.com; Tel./Fax +1 (760) 249-1105 Edelweiss Bike Travel www.edelweissbiketravel.com; Tel. +1 (760) 249-5825; Fax +1 (760) 249-3857