26 replies to this topic

[paddy900]

A weird concoction - just like the Flemish themselves. They have their own language don't speak much English and in certain places object violently to French. Maybe that's how they managed to retain their cultural identity...

So why Belgium on a bike?
The Spa racing circuit is legendary and the Ardennes is a veritable motorcycling playground. Unspoilt and not exactly heavily policed, the Champagne- Ardennes are a welcome respite from the radar-addicted French Gendarmerie. The WW1 Salient battlefields (Passchendale) are worth a visit, then there's Ypres and the
Menin Gate - the bugle call at 8pm is a truly moving experience.

FERRIES

Turn left at Calais or Dunkirk and Belgium is just 40 miles up the road!

CURRENCY
Euros all the way - it's the EU remember? £1 = 1.25 Euros (May 08)
Same Euros you use in France, Spain, Germany, Austria and Italy so keep
any change for your next foreign trip.

SPEEDING
Just don't go mental on the E40. Out in the countryside it's a lot quieter and a lot more fun.

ROADS
Countryside can be awesome. Brussels is full of tramtracks, potholes and politicians and therefore best avoided. Road signs are green on the motorway
and blue on major roads. So much for EU conformity...

FUEL
It’s too expensive so Belgians buy cheap fags and fill up in Luxembourg!

POLICE
Carry your documents with you. Talk nicely and they can be amazingly tolerant. Bike cops ride FJRs and have bright orange helmets. Police cars are creamy coloured with orange flashes (and blue flashing lights...)

DRIVING STANDARDS
They really DO like to reverse out of driveways into the main road. And it can be life threatening. Give Way signs are crocodile teeth painted across the junction that you don't usually see until too late... Trams have right of way and tramtracks are
very slippery when wet. Hmmm how do I know that?

MEDICAL
Take your EHIC card with you and take out separate medical/travel insurance cover. For the tramtracks yes? Hospital food and treatment are excellent.

Edited by paddy900, 10 January 2011 - 09:49 pm.

[dapleb]

POLICE
Talk nicely and they can be amazingly tolerant.

Certainly.....incredible to watch G tuck in behind the pole-lice...wait a second and then pull out and overtake. They were doing the speed limit so we were err not. G says its more a question of acknowledging that they are there. Not sure I'd rectumend trying that one too many times though.

[duibhce Kaelann]

SPEEDING
Just don't go mental on the E40. Out in the countryside it's a lot quieter and a lot more fun.

when in Flanders do keep an eye out on local roads as well. Especially if it is a bigger road that for no apparent reason has a 70km/h speed limit. Flanders is littered with speed cams and the local police do like to use their mobile cameras as well...

Once south of the language barrier it's a lot better. Just keep of the throttle closed while passing through the villages.

Edited by duibhce Kaelann, 10 January 2011 - 10:04 pm.

[bondy]

I loike Belguim & Mr & Mrs G

[dablik]

Anybody who smokes should definatley stop in Luxembourg to top up with tobacco,, then again on your way home.

[TDMTAM]

This is a timely post as I might be going over to Belgium in April.
TAM

[duibhce Kaelann]

This is a timely post as I might be going over to Belgium in April.
TAM

we might even have a government by then

[TDMTAM]

we might even have a government by then

May be we will have one by then as well!!!!
TAM

[Rallyist]

The AA do some good pages for each country requirements
http://www.theaa.com...ybycountry.html
very usefull and all in one place.

[ChrisG]

May be we will have one by then as well!!!!
TAM

You, the Welsh, and Norther Ireland have already got them, it's us poor sods in England who don't

[TDMTAM]

Booked up for a few days in Brussels now, just need to figure out where to go only really have 2 full days & to myself.
TAM

[whichwaywasit]

Booked up for a few days in Brussels now, just need to figure out where to go only really have 2 full days & to myself.
TAM

Hello Tam
I was in belgium on a bicycle 3-4 yrs ago. The river meuse northwards from charlesville meziere is very nice. Big river, steep narrow side valleys small villages quiet roads. Very popular with bikers, saw tours of harleys 30-50 stong with outriding marshalls (well what else would a marshall ride) tassles and rebel flags. Quite a lot of other bikers as well. If you want a half hour walk around and reasonably priced normal food, the fortified town of Rocroi fits the bill. Even the wife would like there.
If you want rolling french type rural countryside you will find it to the southwest of charlesville

[dandywarhol]

Just avoid the N67 Monschauer Strasse into Eupen - must be the worst fuggin' bit of road in Europe - Belgian pave at its best - if you didn't have dodgy fork seals before you will have doon that "road"

Glad you're back safe Mr G

[duibhce Kaelann]

- must be the worst fuggin' bit of road in Europe -

over the winter a lot of the other roads have been doing a lot of catching up. Feels more like riding somewhere outback in the Ukraine now...

[TDMTAM]

Any other suggestions of places to go in Belgium. I am thinking the first day will try get to see Flanders but wondering if there is any thing else near that i can visit.
The second day I am tempted to ride out to Nurburgring but that might be a bit much there & back in the day( forgot to say that I have to return to Brussel at night to meet up with my wife who is working at a conference there). But open to suggestions.
TAM

Edited by TDMTAM, 05 February 2011 - 06:36 pm.

[dapleb]

Beestjas and Baasjes is on at the Expo in April. Yes Baasjes is as it sounds...its Belgie for BADGERS. And Beestjas is cake I believe. Its CAKE AND BADGER FEST.

http://www.flanderse...1... en Baasjes

[TDMTAM]

Nurburg Ring idea is off as it is only evening TF sessions the week I go.
TAM

[Kaustic]

When I went to the TDM meeting last year I stopped in Gent on the first night. I camped at the Blaarmeersen campsite, from which its a cheep bus ride to the town center.

On the way back I stayed in a youth hostel in Namur which was OK.

[duibhce Kaelann]

You could go to Gent. There's an exhibition till the end of May on Lieve Blancquaert, one of Belgium's most famous photographers. She's been in the business for 25 years now.

You could ride out to the coastal region and visit Ypres, the IJzer Tower, the trenches, the cemeteries: Tyne Cot and the German cemetery at Vladslo with the Käthe Kollwitz statue"Grieving parents".

Or you could turn the other directions and ride south of Brussels to visit the massive boat lift at Strepy-thieu, the old inclined plane at Ronquières and the other old boat lifts along the Canal du Centre.

And while you are there you could ride a bit further to Durbuy, claiming to be the smallest city in the world. But it is first and formost an biker's hangout and meeting spot on sunny days in the Ardennes.

[TDMTAM]

Thanks for that duibhce I have looked into those still have not disided yet on what to include but I was thinking of:
http://www.cantillon.be/br/3_1
Looks like i will be staying here can you tell me what is the score with reguards to parking motorcycles on the street does it cost, is it safe. The hotel has a carpark free to residence at the weekend but costs during the week when I'll be there I have asked about parking the bike there but not had a reply yet.
Any more suggestions of possible outings

TAM

Edited by TDMTAM, 13 February 2011 - 10:11 am.