Myself and a few friends are wanting to ride to Lake Garda may/June2010.

Does anyone know the best route there and any motorcyle friendly stop offs on the way as well as the best place to stay once there?
I would be grateful of any information that will aid my plans

many thanks

 

HI cmc1, I live in England so whereabouts are you setting off from? Let me know and I'll advise on a good way to cross the Channel (which ports to use) and a decent way travel down through France.

We did a ride down to Venice as part of a Europe tour this year, and stayed for a week at Lake Como - superb
http://www.ridgewayguitars.co.uk/y_o...2009_page1.htm

Derv

 

I rode to the HOG rally at the bottom of the lake last Sept. You don't say where around the lake, I've been four times and would recomend Riva del Garda at the top of the lake as a good base.
Just for a laugh I put it into map point

Time Mile Instruction For Toward
Summary: 761.1 miles (1 day, 3 hours, 49 minutes)
DAY 1
09:00 0.0 Depart near Calais on Local road(s) (East) 0.6 mi
09:01 0.6 Keep STRAIGHT onto E15 3.1 mi
09:05 3.7 Road name changes to A216 [E15] 1.0 mi
09:06 4.7 Keep LEFT to stay on A216 [E15] 0.3 mi Lille / St Omer / Arras / Reims / Paris / Dunkerque
09:07 5.0 Keep RIGHT onto A26 [E15] 0.3 mi St Omer / Arras / Paris / Reims
09:07 5.2 *Toll road* Stay on A26 [E15] (South) 158.6 mi
11:22 163.9 Stay on A26 [E17] (South) 4.6 mi
11:26 168.5 Merge onto A4 [E17] 5.9 mi
11:31 174.3 *Toll road* Stay on A4 [E17] (South-East) 184.5 mi
14:09 358.8 Keep RIGHT onto Ramp 0.3 mi Saverne
14:10 359.1 Bear RIGHT (South) onto E52 [N404] 2.1 mi
14:12 361.1 Road name changes to N404 1.8 mi
14:14 362.9 Keep RIGHT onto Ramp 0.1 mi
14:14 363.0 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto N4 8.9 mi
14:27 371.9 Turn RIGHT (South-West) onto D422 8.0 mi
14:41 379.9 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto D500 4.8 mi
14:45 384.6 Take Ramp onto A35 19.2 mi
15:01 403.8 Road name changes to E25 [N83] 6.6 mi
15:08 410.5 At exit 23, road name changes to A35 [E25] 41.1 mi
15:43 451.5 Entering Switzerland
15:43 451.5 *Toll road* Road name changes to A3 [E25] 2.1 mi
15:47 453.6 *Toll road* Merge onto A2 [A3] 26.0 mi
16:12 479.6 *Toll road* Merge onto A1 [A2] 4.8 mi
16:16 484.4 *Toll road* Keep RIGHT onto Ramp [E35] 46.2 mi E35 / A2 / Gotthard / Luzern / Reiden
17:00 530.6 End of day
DAY 2
09:00 530.6 *Toll road* Stay on A2 [E35] 101.0 mi
10:36 631.7 Entering Italy
10:36 631.7 *Toll road* Road name changes to A9 [E35] 0.5 mi
10:36 632.1 Stay on A9 [E35] (South) 4.4 mi
10:40 636.5 *Toll road* Stay on A9 [E35] (South) 5.5 mi
10:45 642.1 Stay on A9 [E35] (South) 9.3 mi
10:53 651.4 *Toll road* Merge onto A8 [E35] 5.4 mi
10:58 656.7 Stay on A8 [Autostrada dei Laghi] (South-East) 1.1 mi
10:59 657.8 Take Local road(s) (LEFT) onto A4 [E64] 6.6 mi A4 / Venezia / Milano Viale Zara
11:05 664.4 *Toll road* Stay on A4 [E64] (East) 76.4 mi
12:10 740.8 Keep STRAIGHT onto Ramp 0.5 mi Peschiera
12:11 741.3 Merge onto Local road(s) 54 yds
12:12 741.3 Bear LEFT (North) onto SR249 [Strada Regionale Gardesana Orientale] 0.9 mi
12:13 742.2 Keep RIGHT onto Via Venezia 0.1 mi
12:14 742.3 Turn LEFT (North) onto Local road(s) 21 yds
12:14 742.3 Bear LEFT (North-West) onto Local road(s) 76 yds
12:14 742.4 Bear RIGHT (East) onto SR249 [Via Monte Baldo] 4.8 mi
12:22 747.1 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto SP5 [SR249] 109 yds
12:22 747.2 Road name changes to SR249 [Via Gardesana] 3.1 mi
12:28 750.3 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto SR249 [Via Guglielmo Marconi] 9.2 mi
12:44 759.5 Turn LEFT (North-West) onto Local road(s) 1.6 mi
12:49 761.1 Arrive Lake Garda

SUMMARY
Driving distance: 761.1 miles
Trip duration: 1 day, 3 hours, 49 minutes
Driving time: 11 hours, 49 minutes
Cost: £99.20

Going last year we did it in 3 days, day 1 the 85 miles to Dover on the cross channel ferry and via Belgium Luxemburg in to Germany staying the night in Saarbrubrucken. motorways all the way, you need to remember on Sundays and mondays a lot of France and Belgium it's difficult to get petrol. Day 2 we rode to Lindau on the end of Lake Constance, stayed off the motorways most of it. Day 3 into Austria and cross into Switzerland then via Chur and St. Moritz into Italy, down the side of Lake Como and onto the autostrada from Milan to the bottom of Lake Garda.
We came home in 2 days , straight to Milan then diagonally across Switzerland into France and spent the night in Colmar. Day 2 we made the mistake of the toll roads. I would have used the mootorways but gone round the Belgian side on none toll motorways.
Remember if you use the swiss Motorways you must buy the vignette or face a 300 euro fine. if you choose to go across Switzerland petrol is cheaper than most of Europe and the motorways are good. Get off before the gothard tunnel and go over the pass

 

Thanks for the nice pics . Now I have another new dream trip .

 

Go for it, you'll not regret touring Europe. They love bikers there (on the main continent that is - some brit hotels can be a bit funny about accommodating bikers). Anywhere south are the places to head for, Italy, South of France - alps, Spain - all fantastic. Some of the old Russian annexed countries (now called Eastern Europe) are good too - Slovenia is particularly nice as is the Black forest area of Germany.

Having said that we're coming over to your side of the water in 2010 - bit further north than Texas though, we're heading for Canada and riding out of Vancouver........should be fun!

Hope you get your dream

Derv