Yesterday, I had to embark on a much dreaded expedition to a music shop which is in the south west of Milan. I live in Monza which is north east of Milan, which means that if I take the car, the 42Km round trip will probaly take half a day.
So I took the bike.
This means that even with the bulk of the GTR a certain amount of filtering can be performed and at least I can nip past people in between the traffic lights, of which there are thousands...
There are some larger, busier roads that go around the main centre of the ciy but inside the Tangenziale which are two lanes each side with a central part for buses, trolley buses and taxis. Until now I have stayed out of them for fear of repremand by the Italian rozzers...
BUT. Yesterday, I read the sign properly and it appears that scooters and motorcycles are also allowed to use this special road in the centre! So I joined in!
This was MUCH more exciting! I eventually found myself in a group of about 25 scooters, bikes etc. belting down this thing with everyone fighting for 'pole position' at the lights, overtaking the buses and taxis with most people displaying an almost total disregard for the speed lmitations... :punk:
My half day excursion turned into a 2 hour round trip! Excellent! :clap:
It was also 30°C so it was helpful not to be stuck in the other lanes in the middle of a load of fume spilling hot air belching saloons driven by muppets on the telephone.
Just thought I'd say...
Byee
Ros
damn, we are all feeling your pain dude, a 30 degree ride through Italy on a Gtr ,
:mfr_lol:
I'd hardly call a 21 km trip to the shop a 'ride through Italy', but I can assure you riding through the centre of Milan is not a pleasure. Firstly you don't know where you're going because the GPS doesn't know about road closures. Similarly, it doesn't know where all the 20cm deep potholes, diesel spills, cobblestone paved bits are. Also, it seems a prerequesite to be a total ignorant :censored: to be allowed to take a car into Milan and it seems mandatory to hold a portable phone to your ear.
But it is currently hot :banana:
Ros
its 22c up here 'int Lakes at the moment :banana:
Quote from: Ros on June 07, 2013, 01:05:29 PM
I'd hardly call a 21 km trip to the shop a 'ride through Italy', but I can assure you riding through the centre of Milan is not a pleasure.
Ros
Ros, we travelled down from Como to Genoa, then across to Pisa via Sestri Levante....
Somewhere near to Milan we went through an incredibly green bit of countryside, and at one point crossed a wooden suspension bridge over I think a river or Lake... Any ideas where I'm talking about?
:cool:
Bryn, there is a lot of nice greenery around Milano but I do't know of any wooden suspension bridges.
Did you ride over it on the GTR? :shocked: :surrender: :mfr_lol:
Looks like a nice trip, that. I think Pisa is close to where MGValerio lives, Isn't it? Maybe My memory is failing...
I have to say, other GTRs are a rare site round here... Don't know why...
Not the GTR ... an 1150 Adventure BMW ...
The bridge had wooden slats and rope sides, and had a couple of spans, so we went up and down a bit on the way across.... I think it was to the North West of Milan, as we skirted around the city and avoided it....
If I can find out where it was I'll post it up....... MG is somewhere near Pisa, it was nice seeing the tower..... we headed to Rome after that, then up through the mountains to Rimini, then Pisa, then the Stelvio... and up to Garmisch.... :cool:
Now that does sound like a nice trip!
How did you find the quality of the roads in Italy? I mean the upkeep of the road surface?
I nearly took the front wheel off yesterday - a bit too close to the car in front and not enough time to avoid a huuuuge pothole...
Ros, I don't recall any particular issues with the roads we used... The guy at the front took us on some real twisties too.....
:biker3:
Quote from: Ros on June 08, 2013, 10:59:08 AM
How did you find the quality of the roads in Italy? I mean the upkeep of the road surface?
Last year I went over both St Bernard passes from Switzerland through Italy to France.
The roads in Switzerland were superb but once over the border that changed dramatically.
The ride down from the Grand St Bernard wasn't too bad but going up the Petit St Bernard was appalling. Potholes galore, no overtaking allowed and 60 km/h speed limit. On the other side of the border again nice, well maintained roads and a joy to ride on.
The highlight was when I came up from behind to several sports cars (2 Mitsubishi Evolution, 1 Ferrari and 2 Porsche) stuck behind a truck and I just went past taking one after the other between the hairpins. :clap:
I bet they wished they had taken the train instead. :mfr_lol:
In future I will stay well clear of Italy and rather haunt the French and Swiss Alps instead. :mfr_lol: