Bol D'or advice

[cat69uk]

Hi all,
Thinking of a random trip down to Bol D'or mid September, weather dependent. Not planning too much, it's about 1000 miles from Hexham(Newcastle) to the South of France. £86 quid tunnel, £80 quid ticket & camping, fuel and tolls, hotel or 2 through France. Any advice from anyone who has been? Just going on my trusty ZX9R, 1 week at most.

[Fastchas]

I did this twice in the '90's, once on a GSX600f then the next year on a VFR750FL.
Went striaght down through France the first year, did 1500 miles in 7 days, the second year did 2500 miles, a kind of anti-clockwise route from Cherbourg, down the left hand side to the Biscarosse (lush!), along the foot of the Pyrenees to the Bol D'or then home through the French Alps, going under Paris back home.
Not sure what advice I can give really, except try to gain access to the pits to use their stters! Maybe befriend a Brit team. Do NOT use the provided camp toilets if you can help it.

[Dakkon]

Just be aware of the new speed restrictions that came into effect from the 1st July

[Triaguar]

I would try and give myself more than a week. Then you can take the time for finding some good roads.

[dc2rr07]

Not done the Bol but we did Hull Zeebrugge ferry when going to the south of France, saves about 500 miles and gives you a nice early start of the ferry.

Edited by dc2rr07 on Thursday 2nd August 22:41

[Fastchas]

You looked into this anymore OP?
I seem to remember I was riding around 400 miles a day with the weekend spent at the racetrack.

[Biker's Nemesis]

I did it in one go back in 1989 on a 350 LC from Morpeth Northumberland.

Down to Dover, on the ferry and rode through the night. I had a couple of fizzy painkillers, couple of tabs and a coffee every fuel stop and sort of managed ok.

Same crack on the way back.

[scunnylad]

I went loads of times in the 80's and 90's then went back the first year it returned to Paul Ricard.
There were iirc correctly 3 camping zones at the circuit. The most expensive had posh bogs n showers but as we are tight northern bds we went for the cheapest option. By sat morning the bogs were straight out of trainspotting. Lots of fireworks and moto x bikes thrashed round all night.
You could walk straight in the pits and use the toilets tho.

Years ago the tolls were free for bikes on the weekend but not now.

[MartinB7]

One and only time in 1979, avoided the toll roads and hid behind a hedge for several hours with the bike when the gendarmes got too excited. 2 days each way.
Don't remember much apart from the toilets, even the flies gave them a miss

Gotta do it at least once

[PurpleTurtle]

I went once to Magny Cours about 14yrs ago and fking hated it.

German lunatics bouncing their bikes off the Rev limiter all night long 2ft away from my ear on the campsite and dreadful stty bogs. I’m used to camping at all kinds of rock festival so certainly have no hairs and graces but for me it was hell on earth.

I ended up leaving my mates early and had a very enjoyable fast spirited solo ride back up to Le Havre, couldn’t wait to get into my cabin and get a solid six hours kip.

[cat69uk]

Thanks all, going to book tunnel the week before and ticket(weather dependent) and point my wheels south. Hate over planning, just wing it and see how it goes! Probably saunter down Tuesday, and hammer back.

[cat69uk]

Ferry booked for next week. and my Bol D'or ticket. Excited!
Quick one regards security at the event. Can I leave helmet/jacket in my tent, places to leave them like BSB or chain to bike?