BARF Brain Trust; Riding in Italy?

[sjuels]

Looks like I will be in northern Italy this summer, and would like to rent a couple of bikes and ride a little.

Stelvio pass is the first thing that comes to mind, but I am looking for suggestions and advice!

I have found a couple of places that rent bikes, but would like to hear about people's experiences and if anyone know some great, scenic goat roads I would love to hear about that.

Thanks,
/Soren

 

[two wheel tramp]

I have rented from CIMT and loved them. Ride the Bobbio from Genoa to Piacenza and the road from Genoa to Sassello. Most of their roads off the Autostrade are goaty.

 

[bikeama]

I should be on Stelvio July 30. If you see an old man on a Multistrada with a HiVis Darian jacket and my wife on the back give me a wave. We will be coming from St Moritz Switzerland. :thumbup

This is the tour we are doing. There will be 3 couples, on a Multistrada a Triumph Tiger and a BMW GS.

 

[ThinkFast]

I’d check out the Dolomites north of Bolzano, near the Austrian border. The ride up from the Milan area goes along Lake Garda through amazing wine country. Great roads.

I’ve only driven it, but will be one of the first places I go exploring when I finally get over there again with a bike.

 

[bikeama]

+1 on Lake Garda. Great food and wine.

 

[slydrite]

Stelvio is pretty fiddly, all U turns, all the time. But loads of other roads on the way there and in the Dolomites are better, IMO.

Riding in traffic in Italia is freaking great! I love it!

 

[bikeama]

Stelvio is pretty fiddly, all U turns, all the time. But loads of other roads on the way there and in the Dolomites are better, IMO.

Riding in traffic in Italia is freaking great! I love it!

Agree with Stelvio being fiddly, but it is a bucket list pass.
I have done several passes in Switzerland and except for the views which are killer.:thumbup:thumbup Ebbetts and Sonora Passes are better roads. :teeth


*Oh and Switzerland has speed cameras and an 80 KPH (49.7 mph) speed limit off the highways :thumbdown

 

[black cx]

Went last year with a few buddies. Rented Ducatis in Bolgna. Rented Vespas in Rome

https://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526821

 

[flying_hun]

I’d check out the Dolomites north of Bolzano, near the Austrian border. The ride up from the Milan area goes along Lake Garda through amazing wine country. Great roads.

The Dolomites are a definite must. Also, for any of this, get John Hermann's book on riding the Alps. It's the bible, and it contains everything you need to know. It's the best motorcycle guide book I've ever used.

Stelvio is pretty fiddly, all U turns, all the time. But loads of other roads on the way there and in the Dolomites are better, IMO.

Riding in traffic in Italia is freaking great! I love it!

The Dolomites are fun, and I get why riders would like it more than Stelvio...

It's just that they're wrong (sorry, Neal).

I've ridden a shitload of Alpine passes in every Alpine country except Slovenia, and for my money, Stelvio is the jewel in the crown. It is so amazingly fun! Gas it, stand on the brakes, throw it around, and gas it again. Maybe the best single ride I've ever had. Yeah, give me the fiddly ones!

While near Stelvio, head over to the Passo di Gavia, another high, remote, goaty pass, and huge fun! Other passes worth taking in northeastern Italy include Penserjoch, Timmelsjoch, and if you just bump into Austria, Staller Sattel is a hoot. If you go further into Austria, Grosglockner is favored by those who think Stelvio is too fiddly.

I have done several passes in Switzerland[/URL] and except for the views which are killer.:thumbup:thumbup Ebbetts and Sonora Passes are better roads. :teeth

And that right there is why Switzerland is overrated, IMNSHO. Ebbetts and Sonora are fun passes, but I can think of a number of alpine passes in Italy and France are far better rides.

One other reason why the Alps are a better riding experience is that when you get to the bottom of one pass, there is another one waiting for you right there. In the Dolomites it's not that hard to bag 8 or 10 unique passes in one day. Hermann's book even includes a single day route that bags 17 different passes. Try that in the Sierra.

 

[89fj]

I did the Stelvio on an Edelweiss tour five years ago. I had the biggest adrenaline rush by the time we got to the top. Plenty of other roads in that area too. Enjoy :thumbup

 

[NoTraffic]

All of the above plus if you're an auto fan, check out the Porsche and MB Museums in Stuttgart. Then check out all the curvy roads in the Black Forest. I rented a car (because I was out there on business) and drove around quite a few of their canyons around there, plenty of fun. Def. many motorcyclists riding over borders between Switzerland, Germany and France. Mercedes Benz museum was out of this world (I spent 5 hrs there).

You prob. already know to get the Int'l License prior to going.

 

[bikeama]

One other reason why the Alps are a better riding experience is that when you get to the bottom of one pass, there is another one waiting for you right there. In the Dolomites it's not that hard to bag 8 or 10 unique passes in one day. Hermann's book even includes a single day route that bags 17 different passes. Try that in the Sierra.

This^ We did like 7 passes on one day without trying. Go over Grimsel, stop for lunch at the bottom, good food everywhere. Less than 1/4 mile and you are headed up Fruka Pass.


Halfway up Frukapass looking back at Grimselpass. the picture does not do justice to how pretty it is there.

 

[Marcoose]

An all-around thanks for all these wonderful stories and tips. They all send me back to the old country, the first bike, and some old flames too. Lol.

Retirement back there is a strong possibility, among other reasons, to close the arc.

Thank you for the good memories.

 

[ScorpioVI]

Stelvio Pass was meh. I mean the scenery was great but as far as a great riding experience, nah. It's basically U-turns and tourist buses all the way through so you're never at any kind of pace that would make it fun.

Now the backside of Stelvio however, heading north towards Bormio is a blast. Probably my favorite ride in Northern Italy.

If you want to go further north into Switzerland here's a list of the passes in that area. I recommend all of them.

Wolfgang Pass 1,631 metres (5,351 ft)
Fluela Pass 2,383 metres (7,818 ft)
Ofen Pass 2,149 metres (7,051 ft)
Umbrail Pass 2,501 metres (8,205 ft)
Stelvio Pass 2,757 metres (9,045 ft)
Terzo/Primo Cantoniera
Passo di Foscagno 2,291 metres (7,516 ft)
Passo d' Eira 2,209 metres (7,247 ft)

There's a link to my Alps RR in my signature if you're interested.

 

[NoobCorpse]

Stelvio pass (front side) in the summer is highway 9 - buses, motos, bicyclists, autos. The back side (switzerland) is nice, but watch your speed - they don't fuck around,

Timmelsjoch is good, Bolzano / Lago Maggiore / De Garda are great too. Expect them to be crowded though. The Dolomites are great.

I did some Edelweiss tours in those areas, and you really can't go wrong. Edelweiss also rents bikes (not just tours) - they're kinda pricey, but you get late-model bikes that are in fantastic condition.

 

[flying_hun]

We hit Stelvio around 4 in the afternoon on a Sunday. No tour buses, no crowds. I had no problems blasting up there as fast as I wanted to go. If you want to hit it when you want to hit it, skip the tour groups.

Here's an example from my favorite Alpine videographer. He doesn't get held up much.

youtu.be/M1y9GIC60A4&t=260s

 

[bikeama]

We hit Stelvio around 4 in the afternoon on a Sunday. No tour buses, no crowds. I had no problems blasting up there as fast as I wanted to go. If you want to hit it when you want to hit it, skip the tour groups.

Here's an example from my favorite Alpine videographer. He doesn't get held up much.

youtu.be/M1y9GIC60A4&t=260s

Video error?

I found this one.

youtu.be/7hKs5iq5XWo

 

[flying_hun]

Try this link

 

[bikeama]

That worked. Nice video, bad music.


youtu.be/M1y9GIC60A4

 

[one_fungi]

These tips and stories are great, lots of ground to cover!

I'll be in N. Italy with the wife for a week in early Oct. Any recommendations on where to rent from for day trips around the northern lakes and alps? I am seeing CIMT and motorbikerental.com as options so far. We'll primarily be traveling by car between Milan and Venice area but want to do one or two day-long loops 2up.