Super Tenere in Italy

[HDFlyer76]

I've been in Italy since December 20th been between Milan, Rome, Florence, Amafli coast and Cinque Terre. Driven well in excess of 1,500 miles, seen more scoters than I could ever hope to count. Probably a 100 or more GS's in various forms, from the 1200 to the 650. Today I finally saw a 1200 Super Tenere in seaside port of La Spezia, then not more the quarter mile later I saw the 660. Still the only two I have seen in 10 days. It was a welcome sight. Mine is lonely in the garage in California.

 

[eemsreno]

I think it is always exciting to see a Tenere out on the road, Here in Iowa I don’t see many riding around ether.

Come to think of it I don’t see much of anything but Harleys.

 

[Mully316]

I've been in Italy since December 20th been between Milan, Rome, Florence, Amafli coast and Cinque Terre. Driven well in excess of 1,500 miles, seen more scoters than I could ever hope to count. Probably a 100 or more GS's in various forms, from the 1200 to the 650. Today I finally saw a 1200 Super Tenere in seaside port of La Spezia, then not more the quarter mile later I saw the 660. Still the only two I have seen in 10 days. It was a welcome sight. Mine is lonely in the garage in California.

I spent three years working in Turin Italy. Your stats seemed to be consistent with what I saw as well. Beemers were plentiful, lots of KTMs too.. I can probably count on both hands the number of Super Tenere I saw, but that was also before I owned one so maybe I wasn't looking hard enough

Hope you enjoy Italy, what an awesome country.

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[tomatocity]

For your Italy vacation, had you thought of traveling with a motorcycle? A friend of mine owns Experience Italy and I have tried to get him to arrange a motorcycle vacation for me. He does not have a clue. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Mully316]

For your Italy vacation, had you thought of traveling with a motorcycle? A friend of mine owns Experience Italy and I have tried to get him to arrange a motorcycle vacation for me. He does not have a clue. Do you have any suggestions?

http://www.europemotorcyclerental.com

I'm not aware of any organized tours, but there are several choices for rentals. The link above rents all kinds of bikes. As you can imagine the touring options are plentiful. If you are looking to spend most of your time on the bike (rather than in museums or on the beach)...The Alps offer endless incredible roads in the North. Then pretty much the entire Mediterranean coast is awesome. Lodging is not tough to find as there are plenty of larger towns/small cities on the coast. I've also heard great things about Sardinia and Sicily however those were the two places I missed while in Italy. I can't imagine a bad bike trip in Italy as long as you stay away from the Autostrada (toll highways), and don't get stuck in Rome or Naples traffic.

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[HDFlyer76]

For your Italy vacation, had you thought of traveling with a motorcycle? A friend of mine owns Experience Italy and I have tried to get him to arrange a motorcycle vacation for me. He does not have a clue. Do you have any suggestions?

Traveling with my wife and family so motorcycles were not an option. Would love to ride much of the same area and further north into the alps during a warmer time of the year.

 

[snakebitten]

Spent a couple of weeks along the Amalfi Coast. The wife and I rented scooters and felt like we belonged! It's a scooter-bike country and you can get anywhere on them.

Lifetime memory! One of the best all time. Italy rocks!

 

[cosmic]

Can't agree more.
As much as I enjoy the Alps, I'm in love with Sicily. North is just to sterile.
True about the tenere's...
I reckon there are 20 to 1 gs's vs s10's.

©

 

[HDFlyer76]

I always thought that lane splitting in California was crazy until I saw the way the locals ride their scoters through traffic in Italy. I guess we could all use some lessons from the locals, but then again the speeds don't approach what we do even in traffic in California. At every light you can expect to have as many as ten scoters pass you by to be the first to leave at the traffic light. They even rode against oncoming traffic in Rome and then cut back in at the last second, crazy!


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[snakebitten]

Shortly after landing in Napole, I thought I was dropped right in the center of the worst drivers in the world. No regard for painted lanes. No order. No discipline. Chaos.

Within 48 hours of riding WITH the Italians, I completely reversed my opinion. It's hard to describe, but it was amazing to see how AWARE everybody was to what was going on around them. Its like friendly competition for position.

In the states, it just LOOKS like the lady in the Lincoln is driving good because she is so orderly and staying perfectly in her painted lane. But she is painfully UNAWARE of what is going on around her. And there is nothing "friendly" about competing for a spot in yankeeland. We take it as a personal assault if someone invades our self proclaimed space.

Yep, I loved riding and driving in Italy. Didn't mind the food and hospitality either.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Shortly after landing in Napole, I thought I was dropped right in the center of the worst drivers in the world. No regard for painted lanes. No order. No discipline. Chaos.

Within 48 hours of riding WITH the Italians, I completely reversed my opinion. It's hard to describe, but it was amazing to see how AWARE everybody was to what was going on around them. Its like friendly competition for position.

In the states, it just LOOKS like the lady in the Lincoln is driving good because she is so orderly and staying perfectly in her painted lane. But she is painfully UNAWARE of what is going on around her. And there is nothing "friendly" about competing for a spot in yankeeland. We take it as a personal assault if someone invades our self proclaimed space.

Yep, I loved riding and driving in Italy. Didn't mind the food and hospitality either.

Italy is super easy to find bikes to rent and a great place to ride. There are a number of places to rent in Rome within a short walk of the main train station.
::008::


I've ridden in 16 countries around the world, many more than once, and just about every country except the US is just how you describe. After about 10 minutes, fender driving even near the Arc d'Triumph in Paris is normal. I had a guy from Seattle following me last month in Taipei and Jim was a relatively new rider. At first he was bewildered and thinking about returning the bike. After an hour together he was comfortable and we had a great day seeing stuff that we never would have, otherwise.

With rental bikes anywhere, I find at least one tire is usually under-inflated and sometimes badly. Make sure to have them show you the tire pressure gage readings for each tire before you sign for the bike. Also photo the person renting to you and every inch of the bike before starting out, then again at return, to prevent "scratches and other damage" that some less scrupulous outfits will try charging to your credit card after you leave. It's not uncommon. It never happened again to me after I learned from another person to include the person renting the bike out after photographing the inevitable scratches on a rental. You delete the photos after the next credit card statement clears the bank.


And don't forget that the plastic shower cap from the hotel can keep your head from touching the inside of the rental helmet. Eewww.

 

[Rasher]

I find the driving in most of mainland Europe is better than the UK for motorcyclists.

Generally they are more aware of their surroundings rather than driving like Zombies, France in particular is good, the drivers tend to drive to the conditions rather than get to 55mph / turn on cruise control / turn up stereo / turn off brain which is what they do in the UK.

In most of Europe cars will move over for bikes, expect you to pass in traffic and let you in, in the UK if there are a dozen cars stuck behind a truck and you start to pick your way through people don't want to let you in, and when you squeeze into a gap they then sit on your tail light as if they are gonna get to their destination quicker if they do so, or they think you are somehow sowing them down - of course a few seconds later you are off again never to be seen - why the f**k can't they just cannot let you pass through without all the drama is beyond me.

The Germans drive better but like to have lots of rules and rigidly stick to them, still better than the UK though, and although the Italians and Spanish seem a bit more crazed I agree that they are fine when you get used to them, I feel safer around them than my countrymen.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I find the driving in most of mainland Europe is better than the UK for motorcyclists.

Generally they are more aware of their surroundings rather than driving like Zombies, France in particular is good, the drivers tend to drive to the conditions rather than get to 55mph / turn on cruise control / turn up stereo / turn off brain which is what they do in the UK.

In most of Europe cars will move over for bikes, expect you to pass in traffic and let you in, in the UK if there are a dozen cars stuck behind a truck and you start to pick your way through people don't want to let you in, and when you squeeze into a gap they then sit on your tail light as if they are gonna get to their destination quicker if they do so, or they think you are somehow sowing them down - of course a few seconds later you are off again never to be seen - why the f**k can't they just cannot let you pass through without all the drama is beyond me.

The Germans drive better but like to have lots of rules and rigidly stick to them, still better than the UK though, and although the Italians and Spanish seem a bit more crazed I agree that they are fine when you get used to them, I feel safer around them than my countrymen.

Yup, aside from the left side thing, narrower roadways, and being allowed to filter, the attitude is something you Brits seem unfortunate to have picked up from us Yanks. Or was it the other way?



Having lived in Drizzledorf, Germany, you know what is expected of you and that most of the Germans, Austrians, and even Swiss do follow their rules.


The thing that aggravates me about France are the number of speed traps on main roads and the invisible loose gravel they use on the road repairs in the hills & mountains. Nothing like an ass-puckering total loss of traction when leaned over to wake you up! The good wine, food, and sights make up for it.