Motorbikes/Going abroad: Almost as soon as you have a motorcycle it will start hinting that it would love to "go foreign". It's just one of its many winning ways. Like most temptations, submission is the only remedy, writes John Wheeler
Most motorcyclists dream of going foreign, but some never get around to it. Reasons often include fear about driving on the right, language problems and worry about something going wrong with the bike.
Planning and preparation pay dividends, although route and need not be set in stone. A general intent is better than a do-or-die schedule.
If you have a PC, get hold of a copy of Autoroute. Mac users will need Route 66. These programmes let you select a start point, end point, any number of intermediate points and will sort out a route, produce a map, timings, fuel costs and much else besides.
Both programmes will even give you all the tricky turns to take at junctions and in cities.
For technophobes who feel happier with a book, Hallwag's Europe is all you need.
One of the first things which you'll notice once you reach foreign soil is that road signs are way ahead of what Irish motorcyclists are accustomed to. They even point in the right direction! Road surfaces, save when really off the beaten track, are another revelation.
Aside from the motorway network, most other major European roads are now dual carriageway. So, "driving on the wrong side of the road" is much less of a problem . . . with one exception: pulling out of a service station, café, or B&B you can easily forget yourself and set off on the wrong side of the road.
To avoid embarrassment, injury or worse, when I head for right-hand drive countries I put small red fluorescent stickers on my left mirror and the left side of my windscreen. On the right mirror and right hand side of the windscreen I put a green sticker. Red equals danger. Green equals go. This has saved many an anxious moment. You can find the stickers in any stationer's shop.
Roundabouts are rare on the continent and traversing them anti-clockwise does require a degree more concentration the first few times. Practice in a deserted car park before you leave home.
If your machine is well maintained and your tyres are not on their last dying gasp, you are no more likely to experience serious problems on a 2,000-mile continental trip than doing 2,000 miles at home.
Most prices in pre-euro days seemed about 50 per cent more than I expected to pay back home. So, if a €10 snack is your idea of sustenance, budget for €15.
Going foreign will make your bike very happy. You'll probably enjoy yourself as well. My bike and I are off again in July. It's trip number 200-and-something.