German Diesel Bike Rally

[Diesel Dave]

Chaps, I wanted to book time off work to attend the German diesel bike rally but can't appear to reach Rafi's site.

Can anyone confirm the date/location.

Regards
Dave

[oldbmw]

the meeting is at Hamm near westfallen in germany.. I haven't been able to find it as there seems to be a great number of them scattered aboutthe german countryside. I would be pleased to know which one because i would like to go there, via verdun and bastogne. Would like to know exactly where so Viamichelin could direct me. I would hate to turn up at the wrong place. dates is 2-3 sept i beleive. If anyone wants company riding across france to hamm, let me know, especially if they know the way

[Stuart]

Dave, I too have tried the site and yes, Raf's site appears to be down at the moment.
I'll check back tomorrow and if it's still down I'll drop him a line.
It's usually on the 9th of sept or thereabouts.

[Diesel Dave]

Stuart, I've had a reply from Rafi and yes his site is down, he sent a copy of the flyer for this years event which I have forwarded.

Start booking those Hols guys for 7-9 Sept and the venue is the same as previous years - the Bauhof Willshouse.

I too had trouble locating Hamm last year so I asked Rafi for the Lat & Long so I could plumb this into the Tom Tom it's 51:40:11 N, 7:54:10 E.

190 miles from the Hook of Holland Ferry (about 4.5 hours by 360cc diesel Royal Enfield without stops).

I'll be dragging Gaz along on his 1.6 Fiesta engined bhemoth, he might even get the autobox fitted in time.

Regards to All
Dave

[Anorak_ian]

For those who are taking this journey via Calais. Gas up / top up in Calais cos there are no gas stations that take cash until ya get to Ostend. Take the E40 motorway to Ostend, if you have had a long journey you may want to stay at the best biker hotel around, (here's the flyer)

Here's the link http://www.grd.be book early.
From Ostend take the E40 to Gent. The E17 to Antwerp (or its real name Purgatory) and the E34 all the way to Hamm.
I'm sure somone will let me know if this is not the right Hamm (there may be others).

[oldbmw]

The E17 to Antwerp (or its real name Purgatory) and the E34 all the way to Hamm.
I'm sure somone will let me know if this is not the right Hamm (there may be others).

Note, it seems to be legal for bikes to go the wrong way in one way streets in antwerpen. Parking though is another matter entirely.

[Anorak_ian]

Have they finished working on the motorways and the on off roads to it around Antwerp?
I didn't see much road works on the way down to Ostend from Holland last year, but on the way up and down two years ago it was murder!
We spent so many hours trying to get out of antwerp, I'll never go back.

[Stuart]

I tried the northern route once but too much traffic!
It's easier for my brother and I to cross from Newhaven to Dieppe and then take a small road (the D1) on into France.
We could take the ferry on the long northern route but it makes sense for us to do all the riding abroad and not half of it in the UK.
The above route takes us right across France and the scenery and french roads are great. We go via Neufchatel-en-Bray (N29), Amiens (go into centre to avoid dodgy toll road), St Quentin, Riqueval, Bavay and finally to Mons where there is a great little camp site (on ring road) within walking distance of the town bars. There are always spaces there in September. Very historic town this complete with the Brass Monkey in the square and the Cathedral.
Day two sees us leave Mons on the E19/42 and go via Liege, Aachen, Koln (E37), Remscheid, Wupperstall, Hagen. Unna and to Hamm.
We stay off the toll roads as a rule. The N roads in France are fine.

[oldbmw]

Day two sees us leave Mons on the E19/42 and go via Liege, Aachen, Koln (E37), Remscheid, Wupperstall, Hagen. Unna and to Hamm.
We stay off the toll roads as a rule. The N roads in France are fine.

Note too, many of the 'D' ( Departmental, so same number appears all over France) Are equivalent to 1960's UK single lane 'A' roads. Often they are all but abandoned except for local traffic ( much of it agriculteral) These make pleasant riding. I just rode over 100km circular ride with meeting/passing less than a dozen cars.

I will try to locate a Hamm near Unna. If anyone knows exactly how to get to it using viamichelin.com could the post the url of teh trip, so i can confirm destination... Thanks.
like this, route from ST Malo to our BnB
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/ ... image2.y=7