Motorcycle Touring Tips and Tales: Tricks and Travel Stories

2026 Leod Escape Schedule is RIGHT HERE!

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:54:00 GMT

People want OUT again. We haven’t seen demand this high since post Covid

Munich to Mugello
1. June 28 to July 9
2. The classic riders return to do again and again is back
3. Family run hotels in Munich, the Italian Alps and Tuscany
4. Three days on the Italy’s BEST track
5. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE
Mugello Track Snack
1. July 12 to July 7
2. 5 Nights Accommodations 3&4 star hotels with character
3. 1 Rest day in Tuscany
4. Video coaching and classroom sessions with Nitro Nico
5. S1000RR Track Bike Insured with 2500€ deductible.. Upgrade to slicks available
6. Good Breakfast – EU does hotel breakfasts right with regional specialties
7. Lunch at the Track – Eat with your fellow riders in the restaurant near the media center.
8. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE
Dolomites Trippinar
1. July 12 to July 18
2. The “Motorcycles and Misfits” Training Trip and that started it all
3. The most scenic twists of Europe
4. Freedom of Pace, Ride in Small Groups, Instructors on Tap
5. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE
Vienna to RedBull Ring NEW
1. August 10 to August 19
2. Combined with amazing riding in the Julian Alps this trip is NOT for beginners
3. Incredible Austrian, Italian and Balkan food, plus more passes in a day than you can count
4. Three days on the fastest circuit on the MotoGP calendar
5. CLICK HERE TO SEE IT – SOLD OUT BUT GET ON WAITING LIST
Pyrenees Trippinar NEW
1. September 27 to October 3
2. In and out of Barcelona
3. 4 Nights in the mountain resort town of Vielha
4. LONELY beautiful roads, welcoming mountain people
5. Putting together resources for it now
Core of Catalunya
1. October 7 to October 16
2. In and Out of Barcelona, 4 star hotels in the Pyrenees and Costa Brava
3. Local Guides take you where tourist buses can’t go… at pace
4. Three days on Catalunya Circuit the most popular track in Spain
5. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE
Portimaó & Andalusia
1. October 18 to October 29
2. In and out of Malaga
3. Ride across southern Spain on mountain roads with local guides
4. Five nights in a 4 Star Hotel and 3 Days Track Instruction on the “Roller Coaster”
5. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE

Yes we stay here! Where oh where could this be?

Our Tips for the Perfect Base

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:15:00 GMT

When we make an “Escape” this principle is key – Finding the perfect spot – RESORT TOWNS

This is an example using the hotel we’ve chosen for the Julian Alps Trippinar for 2025

Now since running that trip we’ve learned a few things and will change what we reserve and when but still the principle held true. Great place to be!

Leod Escapes does not go for bargain hotels we go for a good value in a resort town. These hotels are often family run and provide you with genuine welcome and good service.

To travel like a local you want to go to a resort town not a tourist town. Today’s example is Slovenia. As a motorcycle rider, you want to be near great roads. You want to be in beautiful wilderness. Obviously for Slovenia, your target is somewhere in the Julian Alps. One of Slovenia’s top tourist destinations is the lake city of Bled. It’s stunning it’s beautiful. It’s expensive and it’s packed with tourists who will usually only see it for a day or two. Restaurants and hotels here only expect to see you once. They are not motivated to serve you well or give you a good deal. So that’s where you don’t wanna go. Mountainous areas are populated with ski towns that serve visitors during the winter, but often need help during the summer. They’ve learned that mountain bike riders and motorcycle riders are a good supplement during the summer months. They want your business and they want you to come back.

So for Slovenia, we did a little searching and we asked our local Slovenian motorcycle rental to confirm it. Our choice is the Slovenian mountain resort town of Kranjska Gora. Just on the border with Austria and Italy, this resort town gives you the economical benefit of Slovenia and the high standards of serving Austrian and Italian guests. Four star hotels often cater to people looking for status. Your three star hotel will give you close to the amount of comfort and amenities without a higher price. They will help you with finding good local restaurants and often provide comforting services like spas and massage services for those aching joints at the end of the day.

So our choice for the Julian Alps trip is Hotel Alpina near the center of the small town of Kranjska Gora. We always arrange to eat at the hotel restaurant for just the first night. Just in case it’s been a long day.

Rooms in a three star hotel are usually smaller but comfortable. Let’s be honest you don’t need the latest furnishings and wallpaper. You just need a comfortable bed and a good shower. You didn’t come all this way just to hang out in your room.

Three star hotels often have nice lounge areas which make for good places to meet and plan next ride. Breakfast in European hotels is surprisingly good but simple. You can count on fresh baked bread an array of seasonal fruit and usually hot dishes like omelettes and bacon served on order.

Parking can be a problem in the winter, but in the summer, there’s usually not as many people so parking is not as much an issue and there’s plenty of room for bikes. probably the only thing that might un nerve American visitors is a lack of air conditioning in three star hotels. Europeans seem to have less of a problem with just sweating. Thankfully, high mountain air cools things off at night, so the strategy is to leave your window open at night to cool off the room and then close it before you leave.

We have already tracked down a local specialty restaurant that we can’t wait to try. While Slovenian food is good, the locals have a real taste for the barbecue flavors of their Balkan neighbors. The Balkan people have a reputation of extreme kindness and a desire to make people happy with food.

So what is all this cost? How much more is the tourist town compared to the resort town in summer? Well, obviously, we get some special pricing for larger groups, but still the price is less than a half. You will pay €250 a night for a three star hotel in Bled. In Kranjska Gora you’ll pay around 100 or less and that includes breakfast.

This is an example using the hotel we’ve chosen for the Julian Alps Trippinar for 2025

Why the Trippinar was created – A look backstage

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 01:18:00 GMT

30 Year motorcycle and travel industry veteran Cat MacLeod of Leod Escapes offers up some insights on the moto tourism world and why a new kind of moto travel needed to be created

The “Good” about Standard Motorcycle Tours

The best part is Motorcycles! If you don’t understand this head to golf.com and leave the real fun to us weirdos. Motorcycles are the best way to experience the world. You enjoy unobstructed views. You feel the curvy road. You experience the smells, the sounds and the fun of waving at passers by. While there is a lot to be said for the solo experience, there is nothing better than riding with friends. Even on a tour with strangers you quickly make friends. Sharing adventures with kindred spirits can draw people into lifelong friendships. Getting people out of the country is a good thing. Pulling you out of your culture expands your perceptions. You unplug from your home identity. You interact with the real world rather than staring at your phone. If you sense a vile diatribe about mass tourism coming, let’s be clear, there are touristy things that should be experienced. Locals and tourists love a walk in an ancient redwood forest. Despite the crowds, I never miss a chance to see the Pantheon when I’m in Rome. There are lots of motorcycle tour companies and many are good. The big ones run pleasant, if somewhat bland tours for the mass market and they can be fun. These standard tours satisfy what many people think they should get out of a trip abroad on two wheels. A relaxing motorcycle vacation where riders don’t have to think, worry or mentally engage with anything…just ride to the next stop. Let’s take a little look backstage and examine the root causes of why many people will not take them.

The Bad – What Sells Versus What’s Great

Good tour operators are frustrated by this paradox. What sells often isn’t what is great. For example: A ride across the Czech countryside of Bohemia with plaza lunch in Jindrichuv Hradec is far better than an autostrada ride across Tuscany with lunch in the lovely hilltown of Volterra. The Czech ride is more fun, more authentic, isn’t clogged with tour busses, the lunch will be better and cheaper….but Czech doesn’t sell. The Tuscany/Volterra day sells because it’s a destination people have heard of.

The Bad – Exit Through the Gift Shop

Tourist attractions are easy for a tour operator. Alluring photographs and familiar names sell tours. Attractions give guides a break from 24/7 babysitting. The castle walk, folk dancing show or stale tapas tasting keeps clients entertained. Guides get a respite from painfully obvious questions or over sharing that would make a therapist cringe. At its best, an attraction offers visitors a wondrous experience. They deliver insight into the culture of the host country. At worst, it’s an overpriced, fake experience. It’s a local embarrassment that ends with a tacky gift shop. So how do these places continue to exist? It’s not the tour operators that keep them churning. It’s the tourist mindset.

Be a Traveler NOT a Tourist

Tourists are seen by locals as anything from a favorable annoyance to a vile infestation. Most of what makes tourists annoying is willful ignorance combined with a need to impress people back home. Tagging Internet approved attractions with selfies on their phone, in a frantic race to “see” as many sites as possible. This mindset perpetuates embarrassments like, the mess of “Checkpoint Charlie”, the underwhelming “Little Mermaid Statue”, the pickpocket paradise of “Khoasan Road” and the absurd “Romeo & Juliet Balcony.” Tourists return home with empty heads, empty wallets, and a suitcase full of “trophies” destined to gather dust or stuff Christmas stockings. A tourist goes to SEE, a traveler goes to UNDERSTAND. An engaged traveler is welcome just about anywhere. Travelers are genuinely curious. Not just listening to what’s on the museum audio guide but paying attention to local life happening in front of them. Why are people buying that? What are those political posters about? What’s the top trending food here? Exploring cultural differences is fun. Visit a foreign grocery store, it’s fascinating. A traveler offers a mirror for locals to see themselves in a different way. Meeting you could be the most interesting part of their day. Travel mirrors your own culture back at you. You don’t know your country until you leave it.

The first reason most riders won’t take a tour – Boring Pace

Most moto tour operators have a BIG problem. Many of their clients lack riding skills. A danger to themselves and others, you won’t know which ones until you get on the road. Claims of expertise, training courses, and the famous line of, “Oh I’m just gonna take it easy” mean nothing. It’s the worst part of our jobs that we are hesitant to talk about. Moto tour operators are often forced to take riders from one tourist attraction to another on routes designed for the least skilled rider of the group. This isn’t the best route. It’s the one that sells tours and won’t kill you if you’re riding skills are low. Good tour guides moderate the pace to accommodate everyone but ultimately if you’re all in one group, you’re tied to the least skilled rider. So the first reason most people won’t take a tour. They think it’s gonna be too slow.

The second reason, most riders won’t take a tour – The Idiot Gear

We riders have a dirty secret and we all know it. In groups, some of us ride like idiots. So what’s really happening? Often times there is one or two riders, riding well within their limits and enjoying the road. These riders are relaxed, smooth, they are breaking early and into the turn, using a little body position to put more rubber on the road and not too much lean angle. These riders are using skills to enjoy the road at a spirited pace. Then for reasons of ego, status, showing off, call at what you want, the idiot gear kicks in. Some of us start riding faster than we should. We ride beyond our abilities. Tense, twitchy, running wide, not looking far enough ahead, using too much lean angle, these riders are using RISK not skill to go fast. Luck runs out. As a tour guide, I’ve got plenty of video clips of riders blowing turns, almost dumping it as they scrape pegs, breaking too late, making passes they shouldn’t and other obvious signs they’re pushing it. The worst are “destination roads”. Roads that are famous and promoted in the tour brochure. Passo Stelvio is littered with broken mirrors and front brake levers. Riders who don’t have the skills insist on riding it and since it’s such a famous road they feel this is the time to push it. The tow trucks and local hospitals are very familiar with this problem. Hopefully riders just end up having a close escape and perhaps admitting a “pucker moment” at lunch. When luck runs out, we are cleaning up a mess that holds up the whole tour. So this is reason number two most people won’t take a tour. They are worried they will feel pressured to ride beyond their ability.

The “Ugly American” rider and the curse of geography

So if routes have to be made for the least skilled rider, are American riders a problem? Unfortunately, yes they are but it’s not entirely our fault personally. We are simply products of our environment. Yes the USA is a vast nation isolated from the rest of the world but for such a large nation, we are short on curvy paved roads. We have some fabulous riding areas from the Blue Ridge Mountains of the east to the Rockies and Sierra ranges in the west. There’s hundreds of little spots but far too often, it’s surrounded by vast swaths of straight or clogged mazes of sprawl. American riders had to get their thrills another way. We are famous for big beautiful heavy machines with lusty exhaust notes and no real need for handling. We have certainly indulged in an array of off-road bikes to dice through the woods or race across the desert. It’s been fun but as products of our environment American riders sadly are famed for having low riding skills compare it to the rest of the world when it comes to twisty tarmac (pavement). Americans have been buying more performance oriented machines but our riding skills are still behind the curve. There is a decent percentage that is an exceptions to this and we have to give credit here to the many training programs that are increasing in popularity. According to foreign guides, we’ve still got some catching up to do. That’s okay, changing and catching up is something Americans are good at. So train up before going abroad.

It’s time for something new – It all began with a bunch of misfits

At Leod Escapes we are known for the “Track & Tour” vacation made for track riders to do some sport touring in a foreign country and then do track time on a famous MotoGP Circuit. Since our clients are intermediate track riders or better we can design our routes like locals. Our clients are coming to ride a MotoGP Circuit and enjoy some thrilling twisties off the beaten path. We don’t have to include tourism attractions. No flamenco shows on our tours. As a frequent guest on the “Motorcycles & Misfits” podcast, we were presented with a challenge. Make a tour for the rest of us riders. First most motorcycle riders in the USA are not track riders. Second, although our tours are magnificent they are also very expensive. How do we lower the cost significantly? Third how do you accommodate riders of varying skill levels so that everyone has fun? After two years of thoroughly testing our solution, we are ready to present the Trippinar.

The Trippinar

It’s not a tour. Think of it as a weeklong motorcycle training seminar to show you how to ride like a local, eat like a local and stay where local vacationing riders would stay. You get some homework on routing from Leod Escapes and an online rider training course from Yamaha Champions Riding School. You get prepared and train before you arrive. Locals don’t need a luggage truck neither do you, so don’t pay for one. Use our tips on how to pack light and right. Then enjoy a fun week in a great riding destination like the Julian Alps, the Dolomites, the Pyrenees or Tuscany. These are the places local riders go to enjoy great roads, great views and of course great food. Yamaha Champions Riding School coaches join us to help refine your skills but only if you want. The better you get at something the more fun it is and primary goal here is fun. Stay in touch with fellow riders and get real time feedback from the instructors on an included Chatterbox X2 Slim radio.

Freedom of Pace

Join a squadron of 3 to 4 riders based on your desired pace. Practice your skills and improve without the pressure of trying to keep up or the frustration of being stuck behind someone too slow. Everyone has taken the YCRS ChampU course and practiced at home. So you are all speaking the same riding language. Now you practice your skills on real challenging roads not some parking lot. This is epic good fun. No following the guide. You practice roles of being leader, navigator, or sweep in your squadron. This means everyone can ride within their abilities and improve their skills.

Ride the dream for less

So we’ve tested it for two years in several destinations and it works. People have a blast and their riding improves. We get a lot of people traveling outside the USA for the first time. After a few days peoples fears vanish. It’s not that hard. People engage with the locals like travelers. Clients are returning and in some cases to do the same Trippinar again with friends. The price includes the hotels, rental bikes, instructors, preloaded GPSs, a roadbook and use of radio units. It’s everything you need but more importantly, you’re not paying for stuff you don’t need. Our instructors love it to. There’s less pressure on us to manage a client every waking minute and instead give them the freedom to explore. They return home better riders and more confident global travelers. Wanna go for a ride?

2025 Trippinar schedule

2025 Julian Alps Tripinar June 8-14 ( https://www.wetravel.com/trips/2025-julian-alps-trippinar-leod-escapes-97504413 )
- In and out of Vienna Austria
- Ride Austria, Slovenia and Italy
- Most challenging roads, less traffic
- Great Austrian and Slovenia food, don’t miss the Balkan places for lunch
2025 Dolomites Tripinar June 15-21 ( https://www.wetravel.com/trips/dolomites-trippinar-june-2025-leod-escapes-61839294 )
- In and out of Munich Germany
- Ride Germany, Austria and Italy
- Challenging roads, medium traffic in resort area
- Great German food and beer plus REAL Italian food

2025 Pyrenees Tripinar September 7-13 ( https://www.wetravel.com/trips/2025-pyrenees-trippinar-with-motogp-option-leod-escapes-16291150 )
- In and out of Barcelona, Spain
- Option to watch MotoGP at Catalunya before and then ride the Pyrenees for a week
- Challenging roads, lots of sweepers and mid speed curves, lowest traffic
- Real Spanish food, proper Tapas and local specialties
2025 Tuscan Tripinar September 14-20 ( https://www.wetravel.com/trips/2025-tuscan-trippinar-leod-escapes-82432350 )
- In and out of Rome, Italy
- Ride Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria Italy
- Medium challenging roads, lots of mid speed curves and variable pavement, not much traffic once you leave Rome
- Italian food and wine that’s off the charts, made with passion

How the Trackdays Work

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 21:18:00 GMT

We have several preferred vendors that we work with for rental track bikes and track programs. There are other vendors we will not work with because the quality of the bikes and service is not to our standard. Your safety and the quality of your experience matters more to us than a good deal on track bikes. Mainly, we want to make sure that there is good tire changing service and mechanical service available to take care of the bikes. They must be in top condition as you head out on the track at high speed.

How much track time do I get and what is the format?
1. Most of our track and tour escapes feature three days on track
2. Riders get 4 to 6 20 minute sessions per day
3. Most of the time we run with a regular track day, where a separate session is dedicated to our riding school
4. If we are running with a track organization and no school, you’ll be placed in the appropriate riding group
Is it just us or are there other people on track?
1. With the track schools we work with there will be other students
2. The overall number of people on track is still low just please pass responsibly
3. All of our track events happen at regular track days
4. Track people are track people all over the world. They are just like you.
Will I get to see my lap times?
1. Yes but we encourage you to not ride at your max ability but instead try to learn the track and the new skills the school is trying to teach you
2. Your lap times will often be shown to you at the end of the day just so you can see how you’re making progress from day-to-day
3. The organizations we work with typically provide each bike with a transponder for lap time recording
How are MotoGP tracks different?
1. They are bigger, wider, smoother and faster
2. They also have lots of good reference points to help you choose your breaking turn in and exit points
3. Their facilities are more extensive
4. You get to ride where your heroes ride
What are the track bikes like?
1. The motorcycle provided to you will be the current year model.
2. The most common model we use is the BMW S 1000 RR
  1. It’s very neutral and easy to ride
  2. The electronics package is excellent
  3. The adaptive suspension works very well. No suspension changes are necessary.
  4. Overall, you don’t have to spend much time concentrating on adapting to the bike you can just work on your riding and learning the track
3. Fuel is included, and your bike will be fueled up as needed
4. Your tires will be set to the proper pressure and chain lubricated
5. With regard to riding mode, some vendors will require that you start in a lower mode and get used to the track before advancing to race mode
Some vendors offer warmers and slicks as an upgrade option.
1. If you do not use, slicks and warmers, your bike will have the high-performance street tires that normally come stock in that country
2. If you choose slicks and warmers, your bike will be put inside a paddock pit box for power
3. Most riders can get by on one set of slicks for three days however, you can purchase an additional tire if you need it
4. In many cases, the mechanics will alert you that your tire is getting close to done
Some vendors have track gear for rent
1. You will need to have a standard euro size
2. You can choose to just rent leathers or an entire kit
3. Leod Escapes recommends that you bring your own leathers and track gear to ensure perfect fit and comfort
4. Some track vendors have suppliers on site that will let you test helmets and gloves. We encourage you to enjoy this feature.
Our most common track vendors offer a full day, schooling, and coaching program
1. The one on one coaching video review and classroom sessions are all included with your Leod Escapes package
2. The coach to student ratio is usually three or two to one
3. If you want to forgo the coaching and just ride, all we ask, is that you do so respectfully on track and pass safely
4. USA riders will find this program closely resembles YCRS in its curriculum but is explained in a different way.
What about pictures?
1. Every event has a photographer that will sell you photos and often slow Mo video
2. We encourage you to get these pictures and video
3. Sometimes we are able to arrange an overall Leod Escapes group discount
What about rain?
1. Our favorite vendor has a supply of rain tires
2. It takes time to switch over a small amount of the bikes to rain tires, so, in many cases, we will just try to wait out the rain for a few sessions in the hopes of sun.
3. If it is clear, it’s going to rain most of the day then rain tires will be put on some of the bikes and those who wish to ride in the rain will take turns on the “wets”
4. The rain tires and taking turns is hardly an ideal situation. Understand that we schedule these track events in accordance to typical climate, but as climate change continues to throw things into disarray, we are faced with this situation at least once every few years.
What about insurance for the track bike?
1. Insurance packages are available and the numbers change every year
2. The standard deductible is between two and three thousand euros
3. You can often purchase additional insurance for complete coverage
Can I mount a camera on the track bike?
1. The answer, for this depends on the individual circuits
2. With the school program cameras are required on the coaches bikes
3. You will get all the video from your coach
4. It is sometimes possible to mount a camera on your rental track bike but please make sure the mount and the secondary securing device is approved by the mechanics on site
What about all the paperwork involved?
1. Leod Escapes works with our vendors to try to get you to fill out most of the paperwork before the day of the event
2. Paperwork must be done on paper and not digitally. We send it out before so that you can bring it with you.
3. Filling out, the questionnaire helps pair you with an appropriate instructor. Please do it.
4. There will still be the standard track waiver that you will have to sign on the first day
What about food at the track?
1. Your Leod Escape includes lunch and snacks
2. Sometimes our track vendor will provide lunch and other times lunch will be provided by the local restaurant at the track
3. We encourage you to drink 4 to 6 L of the bottled water made available to you each day

Cancelation Policy

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 02:10:00 GMT

Leod Escapes Cancelation Policy

We try to be fair. Our reputation matters more than a few bucks and we want you to be happy. None the less we have to have a basic cancelation policy.

Deposit: A deposit of around 30% of the tour cost is charged to reserve your spot on a tour/tripinar. This reserves spot at the rates and dates specified for the tour/tripinar. If you signed up before December 31st in the current year for next year before dates are confirmed you can get your deposit back within 30 days of us confirming your dates for the tour. Once the dates are confirmed, your deposit is used to reserve your touring motorcycle, accommodations, track fees, pitbox, trackbike, luggage van, guides, etc..At that point the deposit is non-refundable but can be used for another tour/tripinar the same of following year. Realize that Leod Escapes often can’t get money back from vendors, or suppliers so we loose money when you cancel.

Installment Plans: We use WeTravel as it gives you the flexibilty on paying your tour/Tripinar in installments, not a large lump sum at one time. The total is broken into 2 installments for Tripinars and 4 installments for Tour & Track. Other people can also contribute to paying for your tour – say as a birthday fund.

Balance: The balance of your tour/tripinar is due 45 days before the tour start date. You can also pay in full before that time.

Canceling: Any cancellation over 45 days before the confirmed tour start date, you will loose only the deposit OR it can be used for another tour/Tripinar the same year or the following year. Any cancellation under 45 days you will not receive any money back. To secure special rates with vendors we have to pay deposits which are often non-refundable or come with a cancellation charge, and we must pay our vendors/suppliers in full usually 30-60 days before you arrive, so we cannot get money back from our vendors. If you must cancel Leod Escapes allow and encourages you to transfer “sell” your spot to a friend. Leod Escapes values our reputation among the motorcycling community and from enthusiastic customers. It’s not in our benefit to operate at a loss, but it is in our best interest that you feel you are treated in a fair and equitable manner. If Leod Escapes cancels a tour due to not enough participants to run it, we encourage you to transfer your booking to another Tour/Tripinar that year, or we will refund your money in full.

Trippinar – Rider Training, Travel Training, Freedom of Pace all at a lower price.

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 23:08:00 GMT

What’s a Trippinar

All Trippinars are the same price
- $3000 Shared Room (grab a roomie)
- $3500 Single Room
- $3800 Couple on one bike
What is included for this price?
- 3 or 4 Star Hotels for 6 Nights
- Base rental bike for that tour
- Online ChampU course
- Two coaches on tour
- GOOD Breakfast everyday
- Everyone is on the same helmet mounted radio units, no sketchy bluetooth with us
- Road book with array of routes your Squadron can take
What’s the YCRS aspect like on tour?
- This is not the same as taking a ChampSchool or ChampStreet course
- The guest coach is there to reinforce what you’ve learned from your ChampU online course
- You can request some one on one coaching with realtime feedback over the radio com
- Using your YCRS skills on real world challenging roads is practical and loads of fun

Okay! So what’s on the calendar this year?

2025 Julian Alps Trippinar

Jun 8 – 14, 2025
- In and out of Vienna Austria (Europe’s most beautiful city… Deal with it Paris)
- Ride Austria, Slovenia and Italy
- Most challenging roads, less traffic
- Great Austrian and Slovenia food, don’t miss the Balkan places for lunch
2025 Dolomites Trippinar

Jun 15 – 21, 2025
- In and out of Munich (Germany’s most welcoming city)
- Ride Germany, Austria and Italy
- Challenging roads, medium traffic in resort area
- Great German food and beer plus REAL Italian food
2025 Pyrenees Trippinar

Sep 7 – 13 2025
- In and out of Barcelona (Spain’s most vibrant city)
- Ride Spain and France
- Medium Challenging roads, lots of sweepers and mid speed curves, lowest traffic
- Real Spanish food, proper Tapas and local Catalan specialties
2025 Tuscan Trippinar

Sep 14 – 20, 2025
- In and out of Rome
- Ride Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria Italy
- Medium challenging roads, lots of mid speed curves, low traffic once you leave Rome
- REAL Italian food and wine that’s off the charts, made with passion

See what riders say about the Trippinar

What do I do next?

Sign up for email (we don’t share email addresses and we don’t send very many)
Email sign up is at the bottom of the page
Check your calendar and choose a Tripinar
Reserve your spot
Tell your friends because it’s fun to share with your riding buddies
Tell your friends on social media
Read the emails to help you prepare for the Tripinar
Do your ChampU online course
Practice what you’ve learned in the ChampU course
Special discount available if you want to take a YCRS champ Street or Champ School event
Get Excited… tell your friends again just to annoy them with envy
Practice your ChampU lessons again
Go on Tripinar and have a supreme blast
Post photos to social media… again annoy your friends with envy
Return home a better rider and a savvy moto traveler
Go for a ride with your friends and watch their jaws drop at your increased skills

Munich to Mugello 2024 Customer Videos

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 00:36:00 GMT

Client Sean shows us how to “Ride the Dream”.

Munich to Mugello Day 1

Munich to Mugello Day 2

Munich to Mugello Day 3

Munich to Mugello Day 4

Munich to Mugello Track Days on Mugello

Munich to Mugello Day 10

Munich to Mugello Day 11

The post Munich to Mugello 2024 Customer Videos appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Our favorite Travel Wear… with a discount

Sat, 25 May 2024 00:23:00 GMT

How do you spot an American tourist “mark” in Europe?

Easy, they are the ones dressed in a T-shirt, board shorts or pajama bottoms with a butt bag and a day pack… oh and don’t forget the baseball cap. This not only screams to all locals you’re a tourist but also tells any scammer or pick pocket you are someone who is going to be easily distracted. Dress up a little. Nothing over the top but being a traveler is not a time to dress for the gym or bed.

Ministry of Supply provides our favorite travel wear. They like what Leod Escapes does and have offered you a 25% discount just by using the word “LEOD” at check out.

We particularly love the Apollo Shirt. The Velocity pants. Women love the reversible black travel dress and super light wearing sleeveless tanks. Look for items labeled “Formal workwear/travel. The items are super comfortable, quick drying, don’t wrinkle and make the savvy traveler looks just a cut above.

Video Camera Tips for Traveling Motorcyclists

Fri, 10 May 2024 15:25:00 GMT

Cameras on Tour
At Leod Escapes we spend a lot of time on the riding motorcycles and shooting video. This was post was last updated May 10 2024 and technology is always changing. This is a summary of what we’ve learned that we hope will help you capture some of the magic of riding motorcycles.

Capture the moments – Small “Action Cameras” mean we can video our rides abroad and show them to our envious friends. It is however something else to pack and manage while you are on your vacation. Don’t let your desire to share the moment with your friends online take away from the great vacation experience you are supposed to be having yourself. If you are going to bring an “action camera” here’s a few tips to keep hassle to a minimum and get a better shot.

The right tool for the job – Most action cameras aren’t built with speed and vibration in mind. You need a camera with image stabilization if you are going to mount the camera on a motorcycle. This was GoPro’s greatest weakness for riders until the GoPro 7. It was often the reason we pushed people toward the Garmin VIRB camera back in the day. Now image stabilization on the GoPro is really good. The current crop of GoPro 10,11,12 have longer battery life is better than 7-9 models. The camera battery will run out during the day, make sure you buy a camera with replaceable batteries and you have 3 or 4 batteries on hand. We consider the GoPro to have superior hardware but buggy software. You’ve got to check your camera and make sure it hasn’t crashed before you head out. The GoPro can also very fussy about which microSD card you are using, SanDisk Extreme cards work best. Other actions cameras are not as picky and you just need quality microSD cards meant for video. You’re looking for high speed write times, especially if you are shooting in 4K. The differences between the 10,11 and 12 can really only be noticed by pro shooters and not really applicable so if you need to save a few bucks you can buy the older model and you’ll most likely be quite content with it.

Mounting & choosing your shot – If you’ve got just one camera a helmet mount from Chin Mounts is really your best bet as your head is a natural gimbal that can stabilize your shot. Mounting on the helmet though is not always the most dynamic shot and mounting the camera high can make it look like your are going slow. Also everyone seems to ignore the fact that people ride with their head tilted down, you need to angle the camera accordingly. Be aware that the video camera does not track like your eyes. A quick turn of your head to look at something won’t look good on video. Mounting forward and low with the camera tilted up a little makes for a good road riding shot. Do not ignore the great shots your camera can get of your buddies and the surrounding country by mounting the camera on the top case or side case facing back. A handle bar mount facing forward or back can be interesting as well. Bring a few extra mounting plates or attachments. Review your footage often to see what adjustments you need to make. You’d hate to get home and realize your camera was positioned wrong the whole time. Also every time you stop, check to see if a your camera is free of bug splats as that can really ruin your shot. The fun isn’t just on the bike though. Bring a small hand grip/tripod. Like this one.

Settings – Set to the highest resolution you can while still having image stabilization working.It used to be you would have to set your frame rate to at least 48 to avoid what we call “Jello World”. Latest GoPro cameras are getting much better about this and you can shoot 30fps. This saves on battery and card space. Setting the field of view too high can also negate the image stabilization. Set for a field of view that’s somewhere in the middle to to avoid fish eye distortion and keep your image stabilization at full force. We prefer the linear setting.

Care & feeding – MicroSD cards have become so cheap you might be tempted to buy one big card for your whole trip. Given how fussy these cameras can be about cards some times we recommend you have three or four smaller cards. It does mean you’ll have to watch how full your card is getting but it also means you can quickly swap cards if there is a problem. We also recommend an aftermarket battery charger so you can charge all 3 or 4 of your batteries each night while you sleep. Video files are HUGE. Either bring a laptop with an external drive of a terabyte or more of storage or bring extra cards.

We want you video and will share ours – If you’ve got 4k horizontal video of the trip, we will happily trade for it. We’ll even give you access to the choice cuts we pull after g0ing over the video for a week.

Creating the Show – Try 3 or 4 different mounting points for more dynamic entertainment. Remember it’s not all about the road. It’s the food, it’s the sights, it’s the people you ride with, the places you stayed, get video of all these things. It works best to post multiple clips of video, no more than 3min long. Don’t forget to savor the moment yourself before you savor the envy of your friends.

Hotel Sink Laundry!

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 00:56:00 GMT

If you want to travel light like a pro you gotta do it. See links below video for featured items.

Submersible Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine
https://a.co/d/cBIBTvd
Tri-Braided Cord Clothes Line
https://a.co/d/4U1kpIG
Travel Clothesline Laundry Clothesline (with 2 Strong Suction Cups)
https://a.co/d/4OzgXiZ
Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets
https://a.co/d/etgY6I0

Leod Endorses Bison Leathers – Discount Code & Bison Herd Glove Offer

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 01:32:00 GMT

Leod Escapes & Bison Track Leathers

When we choose a product to wear we have to subject it to more scrutiny than your average customer. We have to ask is this a brand we can endorse? Track riders look to us as a source of expertise so when it came to choosing a new brand of leathers we did our homework. Here’s why we chose Bison.

High Quality Product for an Honest Price
Not just custom fit but real custom design that stands out
Bison is part of our “Track Family”. Rob and Tosha are there in the paddock at MotoAmerica, Amateur Racing and track days. They stand behind their product and support track riders.

Our Bison discount code will get you “Bison Bucks” basically store credit when you make a purchase. It’s not much but it is worth it.

Contact Leod Escapes to get your discount code.

Use the code at BisonTrack.com

Here’s a video from bossman Cat explaining why.

What if you’re already wearing Bison? Well we got an offer for you for 2024 FREE GLOVES!

The post Leod Endorses Bison Leathers – Discount Code & Bison Herd Glove Offer appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

How a Travel Training Tour Works

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:46:00 GMT

You’re busy, we get it, here’s a quick breakdown

What’s on the schedule this year?

What is this how does it work?

A week long motorcycle trip in Europe
5 Days of riding, bike included in price, lots of upgrades available
Included information and onsite instruction teaches you how to ride Europe yourself
Low cost, short trip makes European riding a reality,
You learn riding Europe is VERY fun and not that hard once you understand how
You enjoy the adventure with riders like you
Ride, Eat, Explore like a local on vacation rather than a tourist

What’s included

3 & 4 star hotels chosen for location and character
Base model bike with lots of upgrade options
Every bike has a GPS with routes loaded and everyone gets a “road book” with routes
Everyone gets use of a helmet radio com to stay connected while riding
Online Champ U course from Yamaha Champions Riding School to brush up on your skills
Two instructors are riding as well and are there to help
REAL breakfast included

What’s the format

Group of 10-20 divided into small Squadrons of 3-4 riders based on desired pace
No having to follow the tour guide, your group follows the GPS
You and your group choose from array of routes or make your own
Arrive on Sunday, Depart on Saturday, Ride from Monday through Friday
Dinner and lunch we teach you how to eat like a local for maximum flavor and better value.

Wait you’re not some scam are you?

Leod Escapes has been in business for over 10 years
We built this program because we are seeing motorcycle tours become out of reach for many
These trips are put together with the help of the Motorcycles & Misfits Podcast
Check our YouTube Channel , we are riders just like you, we’re just tour operators as well

Leod Escapes “Track & Tour” here’s what you should know

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 07:36:00 GMT

Here’s this year’s “Track & Tour” schedule

Yes Fellow Track Rider… we are crazy like you

Yes we think going round and round of the same piece of pavement on a high performance motorcycle is one of the best days to spend your day. Going absurdly fast dragging various body parts in the process, these are things that terrify mere mortals. It’s more than just an expensive “hobby” to you, it’s part of who you are and you want to ride the best circuits in the world. So do we.

How a “Track & Tour” is structured

A 10-12 day vacation arriving and departing from the same city
5-7 days of sport touring on routes that local riders enjoy
The street bikes are always well maintained with a.range of options to suit you… if you book early
3-4 star hotels with character
1-3 days of track time on properly maintained less than a year old
Group size ranges from 5 to 15 bikes
When group size is greater than 7 we usually split into two groups according to preferred pace
Luggage van accompanies us on larger tours or in the case of small tours a luggage truck delivers our track gear to the track hotel

Leod Escapes is for intermediate to advanced riders

This is not a tour for less skilled riders we leave that to the large mass market motorcycle tour companies
Because our clients are track riders generally their riding skills are superior
We do go at a quicker pace on the street where it is safe to do so. It’s not an unsafe pace because our riders are more skilled
We generally divide into two groups during sport touring according to preferred pace
Leod Escapes works closely with Yamaha Champions Riding School and recommends YCRS if you’d like to brush up on your skills before a tour
Your riding will improve on tour

Leod Escapes is for riding travelers not tourists

A tourist goes to see and traveler goes to understand.
Leod Escapes does not follow the same routes as bus tours like other motorcycle tour operators to and from tourist attractions.
The fun curvy back road that puts you in touch with the country we’ve come to visit is our destination
Leod Escapes has been in business for 10 years but we will never have a mass tourism approach like the larger tour operators
Our goal is for you to ride where locals ride, eat where locals eat, and stay where a local would stay on vacation.

As a fellow track rider YOU are the secret sauce

Your “Escape” is not just about where you go and what you do but who you do it with.
Track riders may come from all walks of life but we’re all crazy in the same way and the friendships that are quickly made on our tours often continue on for years.
Your track family is all over the world, you just haven’t met them yet.

Blah Blah Blah don’t just listen to us… listen to what our clients say in the videos below

Get on the email list, we don’t send out that many emails.

The post Leod Escapes “Track & Tour” here’s what you should know appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

2024 Tour Schedule and Status

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 03:47:00 GMT

Leod Escapes Tour Schedule 2024

2024 Motorcycles & Misfits Dolomites Training Tour Status as of Feb 9 2023: Over Half Full Still lots of good bikes

DATES: June 23 to June 29

You will ride Europes motorcycle playground, the Italian Alps (Dolomites), like a European. You’ll learn about routing, rentals, what to pack, where to stay, how to eat, cultural barriers, cameras, traffic norms, and of course how to get by when you don’t speak the language. If you know all of this already guess what it’s a great way to ride for a week with a great group of people for a lot less than a standard full feature tour. You should be an intermediate to advanced skilled rider and who views obstacles as a chance for adventure. This event is created and run by 10 year tour operator veteran. Cat will step out of his role as a guide to be your teacher and engage you in some hands one real world training. Miss Emma from Motorcycles & Misfits podcast will join us and give you some valuable motorcycle tips as well. If you want to see the world on two wheels but don’t know how and aren’t flush with fat wads of cash, this is your first step.

Watch Videos, See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

2024 Munich to Mugello Track & Tour Status as of Feb 9: SOLD OUT)

DATES: June 30 to July 11

Munich is Germany’s party town. The Dolomites (Italian Alps) are Europes top motorcycle playground. Mugello is a work of art that you get to ride on. If your only going to do this once, then this is probably the tour you want. Passengers can head into Florence while riders are at the track. This is a cross country adventure for track riders with lots of challenging roads and incredible vistas. The villa we stay at in Tuscany is plush and delicious. You should be an intermediate B level track rider or better, this is not a tour for beginners. Same goes for the street. If your aren’t a regular canyon dicer then brush up on your skills with our friends at Yamaha Champions Riding School . You’ll have great evenings over amazing food and drink. While in Europe, you ride like a European, eat like a European and stay where European riders stay. This is not a tourist trip but a traveler adventure with some long miles on some days . The practice on the road and the track will send you home not only a more worldly traveler but a better rider.

Watch Videos, See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

2024 Motorcycles & Misfits Castles & Curves Training Tour Status as of Feb 9: 2 SPOTS LEFT

DATES: July 14 to July 20

Yes motorcycles are fun on curvy back roads and your welcome to open it up on this tour but this event is more about leveraging the other strength of motorcycles, it’s the best was to see the world. How do you road trip Europe and see the sights? Well by motorcycle of course. We will show you how. This event is created and run by 10 year tour operator veteran. Cat will step out of his role as a guide to be your teacher and engage you in some hands one real world training. Special guest instructor Maus MacLeod gives you the top tips on seeing the sights and she’s a pro castle hunter. Miss Emma from Motorcycles & Misfits podcast will join us and give you some valuable motorcycle traveling tips as well. If you want to see the world on two wheels this is your first step. You’ll learn about planning routes, finding hotels, planning airfare, what to look for in motorcycle rental and how to keep yourself fed, fueled and lodged when you don’t speak the local language. Special attention paid to packing light on this trip, what to look for in different countries for lunch options and how to navigate Europes attractions like… castles. You’ll learn how to engage through authentic experiences with the locals It is not only educational and inspiring, it’s also cheaper than seeing the world as a tourist.

Watch Videos, See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

2024 Czech Out Brno & the Twisties of the East – Track & Tour (Austria, Slovenia, Czechia) Status as of Feb 9: 1 SPOT LEFT

DATES: July 27 to August 7

This is less like a tour and more like a bunch of guys riding and exploring Europe. It was originally conceived as a 50th birthday party tour. Expect a just a whee bit too much to drink and a lot of laughs. Vienna is the city of Mozart, Strauss, home of the waltz and it still pulses to the tune of “Wine, Women and Song”. The pace in the mountain curves is quick but safe. In the towns we keep it down. If you need some time off, some old fashioned fellowship and goofy laughs then this is the trip for you. Some early bookings snuck in and we already have enough people to bring a luggage truck on this one. While yes we hit some amazing roads in the Alps and across Bohemia we actually take a day together to explore Vienna’s sights by day and sumptuous night life in the evening.

Watch Videos, See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

2024 Spanish Pyrenees to Aragon Status as of Feb 9: 10 SPOTS LEFT – RESERVE BEFORE MAY 1 AND GET FREE EXTRA NIGHT IN BARCELONA

DATES: September 1 to September 12

Arrive and depart from the passionate Catalan capital of Barcelona. Ride the pristine, traffic free, mountain passes between France and Spain. Stay in a few castles and high mountain resorts along the way, this tour delivers plush and unique accommodations.. The rich mountain food is merging of both French and Catalan cooking with more Basque influence as we head further west. Experience the massive 16 turn circuit of Aragón on a new S1000RR. This tour runs very smooth thanks to our local guides. Dinner included with this tour and we don’t skimp. It’s one of our more luxurious tours.

Watch Videos, See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

2024 Tuscany Travel Training Tour Status as of Feb 9: Just started taking bookings, about 20% full, lots of different bikes but not a lot of each model get yours now

DATES: October 6 to October 12

NEW FOR 2024 Everyone wants to go to Tuscany… and they should. Leod Escapes has done Italy every year for 9 years. It’s a special place but you don’t want to see it by bus or car. You want to bounce from hill town to hill town on curvy roads by motorcycle. We’ve found the perfect town to base out of. We’ve found some good hotels. We are creating great routes to go to all sorts of cool places across Tuscany, like Piensa, Chianti, Volterra, Tavulia and all the great roads in between. We know where to get bikes. Arrival and Departure will be from Rome and we know how to do Rome right. We are pulling the information and will post pricing as soon as we have it. Our goal is to make it low cost like the other training tours so it’s accessible.

See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

2024 Core of Catalunya Status as of Feb 9: 2 SPOTS LEFT

DATES: October 17-26

See Photos, Get a General Idea

View details, download brochure, or reserve your spot

The post 2024 Tour Schedule and Status appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Chatterbox X2 Slim – It’s not just for tour guides anymore

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:43:00 GMT

Rider communication for group rides

Rider communication is more than just fun with your buddies while you are riding together. When you are running a tour you’ve got to keep your group together. You have to keep people informed and keep the tour flowing so everyone has fun and you get to the damn hotel before the sun goes down. For years we always put Chatterbox X2 Slims on our tour guides helmets so the tour leader could stay in contact with he sweep rider. Doing so allowed us to have a better tour experience, we could ride longer routes and keep everyone together. The increased range and clarity of the radio system of the Chatterbox X2 slim was the professional grade answer. After using them for 5 years we can’t imagine running a tour without them.

Red Leader this is Gold Leader we starting our attack run now

In 2022 we tried something different, we put a unit on everyone. It’s not always easy introducing new tech to clients on tour. To make it easier used the video we created on the X2 Slim to get people up to speed. It takes a day or two for everyone to get used to the controls but once everyone is reasonably competent the results are great. You can tell the whole group, “Hey, lunch stop will be in 20min, we recommend the Schnitzel here”. If someone has a fear or concern, they can tell the guides immediately and have their fears put to rest so they can get back to enjoying the ride. “Hey my fuel light just went on.” — “Not a problem our fuel stop is just 2km ahead.

Wait you made an instructional video?

Hey can I hear about what other people thought about the Chatterbox on your tours?

Yes you can. We interview a lot of our participants and put the video together into testimonials about our tours.

How to Prepare for Your Tour

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 02:59:00 GMT

Get Ready
You’ve invested in the adventure of a motorcycle tour. Here’s how to prepare so you’ll get the most smiles per mile.

Not Being “the problem”
Riding in groups on a motorcycle tour far from home is fun. That sense of wonder and discovery is infectious. Everyone you are with is more likely to be relaxed because they are “on vacation”. Far from their guarded home environment people are often more authentic and honest than they would be at home. Indeed, if you really want to know someone, travel with them. Tours are often where life long friendships are made. It doesn’t happen every tour but us motorcycle tour guides know the common types of “problems”. When you’re “the problem” you usually aren’t having any fun either so here’s how to avoid it.

What’s Your Plan?
Riding ability is always the big unknown for motorcycle tour operators. No matter how much a tour guide tries to learn about someones skills before the tour, you just don’t know until the first day. Leod Escapes tours run at a quicker pace than your average motorcycle tour as we attract more skilled riders. Regardless of which tour operator you are with, there’s usually a range of skills within your group. While the general rule we say on Leod Escapes tours is “if you are trying hard to keep up DON’T”,you still don’t want to be the rider that is holding everyone up. Crashes hold everyone up for hours. To get more enjoyment out of your motorcycle tour make a conscious effort to improve your riding skills before you get on the plane. Every time you swing a leg over your bike, you should have a plan of what you want to be working on: Braking? Vision? Smooth throttle? How about picking and executing a line? What’s your plan?

Driving Culture
People are products of their environment and regions do develop their own habits. It’s hard for a local tour guide to explain their own culture. You have to have a basis for comparison. Here’s our biased take on some of the places Leod goes. Italian drivers are aggressive but skilled and they expect you to be just as a aggressive. In an emergency Italians will turn the steering wheel before pressing the brake. Italians aren’t too worried about the rules. Germans follow the rules. In Germany and Austria the passing lane is for passing only, once you done passing, get the hell over. The positioning of stoplights is completely different in Germany and outsiders will find themselves often stopping too late. Germans will show you five road signs all at once. In Spain, once outside of the cities you won’t see many vehicles at all. Spaniards just don’t drive that much and their skill level shows it. Overall your average European has spent time on at least a scooter growing up so they are in general more courteous to motorcycle riders. Australians tend to follow the speed limits pretty closely on main highways because while tickets are rare, they are damned pricey.

Rehearsal and Practice
Gear up in all the riding gear you intend to take with you and take your bike out for a long day trip. Will this gear serve you well? Where do you always put your wallet, your cell phone, your motorcycle keys, your camera, your gloves, your helmet when you stop. Develop routine habits for these items. Practice doing fuel stops fast and being ready to go quick. These habits will serve you well when you are faced with all the wondrous distractions you’ve paid to experience.

Being the Traveler, not the Tourist
You are going on this organized trip to experience another land on two wheels. We all know this is best way to see the world. Realize that unless you travel abroad a lot, most locals will spot you as a foreigner straight off. Body language is often the first giveaway. If this is your first trip in a non-English speaking land avoid the temptation to speak in English at double volume. Guess which nationality is famous for this? Various tour operators vary in their approach; at Leod Escapes we focus about 80% on authentic local stuff and 20% on touristy spots. As touristy as some things are they are often still worth seeing. Be patient with people who speak only a little English. Try to learn a few simple words and phrases. Curiosity is of course encouraged but asking complex questions in English will probably get you an inaccurate answer if not a blank confused smile. While abroad you are an ambassador of your nation, be a polite and courteous guest. Cultural attitudes, regional characters and just plain acceptable behavior varies far more than most of us realize. If you feel you are being wronged, tell your tour guide and let them handle the situation.

Handle your High
You might be able to pound 4 beers at lunch and ride just fine but don’t do it. It will make your fellow riders nervous. Attitudes vary from tour operator to tour operator with regard to evening festivities. At Leod Escapes when the ride is done, we often encourage our clients to have a bit too much fun with the subtle reminder that tomorrow we have to ride again.

Come home different
Some people are used to high amounts of control in their home environment. To suddenly be in a strange place without comforting indicators of status and authority can be very threatening. When fear gets the better of them they lash out. Sometimes, if they can’t be the captain of the ship, then they’ll do everything they can to sink it, just to feel like they have some sort of control. We would urge you instead to engage control over your attitude about travel. To have a great tour you need to cultivate an attitude of adaptation. Find joy in learning about the world around. Comforting narratives from home and beliefs you may have been taught for decades can be called into question often as you travel, let go and learn. As travelers we seek to return home not just happier but wiser, how will your trip change you?

Game for Adventure
Tour operators and guides just set the stage. How you enjoy yourself is out of our control. Things don’t always go as planned. Bikes break down, road construction happens, restaurants unexpectedly close, there’s a massive convention in your arrival city. Much as your chosen tour operator has hopefully tried to plan for all eventualities… rain happens. Take it in stride, you could be safely at home sitting on the couch binge watching Netflix but you chose to experience life and life is unpredictable. You will undoubtedly return home with some amazing memories. That’s why we all do this.
Now you know… so let’s go!

Smooth on the Brakes, Plan with your Eyes
Before your grand adventure, practice really getting hard on the brakes smoothly. Practice loading the tire with 5% of front brake lever, THEN squeeze on full brake smoothly. Sudden hard moves with anything on a motorcycle is a recipe for disaster and that certainly includes the front brake. Proper front brake usage can slow you down dramatically. Load the tire with a little brake, pick a smooth patch of pavement and give it a hard squeeze. You’ll realize you’ll have to prepare your body for this. Keep you body weight low, and weight both your pegs, yes you’ll have some weight transfer to your arms but the idea is to minimize this as much as you can. Proper braking ability will help if you are one of the slower riders who needs to catch up in the straights and then brake for the next turn. Indeed it’s often the first step to becoming comfortable with higher speeds, knowing you have the ability to slow down. Practice being mindful of where you want to enter a turn; where you want to apex and don’t open the throttle until you see your exit point. This will help you enjoy your trip and give you more relaxed moments to view the spectacular world you’ve come to see safely.

Track & Tour, what, when, how and OMG which one?

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 21:25:00 GMT

Welcome Fellow Rider A “Track & Tour” is 11 to 12 Day Sport Touring Vacation with Track Time on a famous circuit. You might be saying “Okay, looks cool but how does it work?” So press play and read below.

What’s included?

Accommodations in 3 and 4 star hotels,
Street sport touring bike, upgrades available
Late Model Track Bike and Track Fees
GOOD breakfast every morning
Welcome and Farewell Dinner
Spain and Portugal Tours Include Full Dinners every night
Motorcycle tour guide
Support and luggage vehicle

What do I need?

Passport
Intermediate “B Group” track ability or better
Proper Street Riding Gear, full face helmet
Track Gear, (Track Gear Rental Possible but need to know EU size)
8 to 10 thousand USD
12 to 14 days of time off

Leod Escapes Track & Tour 2023 Calendar

May 26 to June 6 2023 Austria Slovenia & Brno Party Tour
June 25 to July 6 2023 Munich to Mugello
September 11 to September 21 2023 Italian Dream with YCRS
September 26 to October 7 2023 Spanish Pyrenees to Aragon with YCRS
October 27th to November 7th 2023 Portugal & Portimao (Finalizing Pricing Not yet ready for booking)

How full are the tours? When should I reserve?

Getting rooms and bikes is not easy so we always encourage you to reserve ASAP, earlier bookers get better bike choices
All tours have had an array of early bookers in December. January and February is when most people reserve.
The Brno party tour is coming up soon in May so reserve early while the Portimao trip runs in November so there’s a bit more time there.

Tips on which tour is for you

Just need a break, some laughs and some fellowship, then the Brno is for you. It’s our “Idiots Abroad Party Tour”, expect a bit of wild ride both on and off the bike, it’s always a much smaller group as well
If you won’t be getting another vacation like this for a while then the Munich to Mugello tour while demanding, gives you the widest array of experiences
Passengers for this year the Italian Dream tour is probably your best choice
For YCRS grads join Keith or Eziah this year in either Spain or Italy

Plan Your Escape

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 17:37:00 GMT

Just learning what we do? It can be a bit bewildering and there’s probably a lot of questions. Lets get started with the basics.

Is a “Track & Tour” right for me?

Are you an Intermediate (B Group) track rider or better? Do you want to explore foreign countries on two wheels? Are you more interested in authentic cultural experiences than tourist attractions? Would you rather ride a great country road at a good pace than visit a local museum? Would you like to explore a foreign country with a bunch of crazy track riders just like yourself? If the words “Hell Yes” keep coming out of your mouth then it’s time to plan your Leod “Escape”.

How to choose?

All “Track & Tour” Escapes are the same concept. It’s 10-12 day sport touring vacation with 1-3 days of track time on a a MotoGP circuit. Since Leod focuses more on authenticity than mass tourism the distinctive character of the country you are visiting really flavors the tour. This makes the tours very different from each other. Italy is about immersing yourself and being just another part in daily beauty of Italian life. Some tours like the our routes through the Pyrenees or the Alps are about breathtaking views from a distance while italy is often about the details right up close. Czech Republic and Austria are about getting far off the beaten path and seeing how the modern world has integrated with things that haven’t changed in centuries. Germany, Australia, Thailand, where ever we go we are just looking for great roads off the main highway, hotels that reflect the culture of the country they are in and restaurants that are local favorites. Some tours are better for couples. Some tours are good for party animals. Some tours are defined by the surprises at found at the end of your fork. Some tours are all about staying in a castle or two. Often what is a “trip of a lifetime” turns into a yearly habit, so choosing becomes less of a stressful decision.

Get on the email list get your deposit in early

Often you are ready to go and have to plan to do it “next year”. That means you need to sign up for our email list so you’ll be notified when tours are ready to book. Getting your booking in early gets you a wider choice of bikes and assures you your spot on the more popular tours.

Once you’ve reserved your spot…

Read this post about how to prepare for your tour.

Am I fast enough on the street? Will the group be to slow for me to have fun?

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 21:00:00 GMT

Okay here’s often the big worry of riders and the very reason why many won’t go on a group tour.

First off Leod Escapes is not a tour operator for beginning riders. Everyone is a reasonably skilled track rider and we go on specific roads because they are exhilarating to ride quickly. We are not a “bus tour on two wheels” type of operation which frankly is more mass market and sells quite well but that isn’t us. We’re the tour for the riders looking to enjoy and increase their skills.

What if I’m too slow on the street for the group?

On Leod Escapes tours everyone is a track rider but that doesn’t mean high speeds on the street. It just means that our riders as a general run are more capable. On all our tours we make an effort to accommodate faster riders. Often the faster tour guide will go with them up front while a slower tour guide will bring up the slower group. IF YOU ARE TRYING HARD TO KEEP UP DON’T. Pushing beyond your limits often leads to less experienced riders trying too hard to catch up on the straights. They then find themselves coming into the next turn too hot, they panic, target fixate and crash. So calm down, plan ahead and keep the rubber side down. Don’t worry you won’t be left behind. It’s good to grow your skills with practice and it’s good to push yourself a bit but if you find yourself franticly scaring yourself, it’s time to slow down.

Intermediate riders find themselves improving a lot on a tour like ours. We encourage those worried about their skill level to check in with our friends at Yamaha Champions Riding School . Please if you can’t go the speed limit on the freeway… don’t book one of our tours. If you have no experience with sport riding on the street don’t book one of our tours. If however you are an intermediate street rider a tour with us will be more than entertaining, you riding will improve dramatically over the course of a week. Don’t worry, nobody will be left behind and the last rider in always gets the biggest cheers.

What if I’m too fast? I ride pretty quick on the street… am I going to be bored?

First off it’s not bored, it’s frustratedly “screaming in your helmet” maddening to be stuck going slow with a group. Tour guides know this situation well and we hate it. We want to go at a fun pace to. On a Leod Escapes tour, if the lead guide can’t go fast enough to be trail breaking in the turns then it’s not fun for us either. While not everyone on the tour will be as fast as you we often separate the group and let the faster riders go ahead and the slower riders to bring up the rear. We will stop at major intersections, tops of mountain passes or other prearranged areas to regroup. There have been cases where a few riders are faster than our guides would care to go and we make some special accommodations. Also there’s been times when a large portion of the group is very very fast and we make special use of com gear and GPS units to keep everyone on the same route.

Spanish Pyrenees to Aragón In Depth

Sat, 25 Apr 2020 18:11:00 GMT

Welcome fellow rider. Spain has announced it will open to foreign visitors on July 1 and we are makings plans for October 15-25 so things are on target. In a surprise stroke of luck we will be doing our track days at Aragón in between the two scheduled MotoGP races so we know the small town of Alcañiz will be filled with MotoGP crew while we are there. Take a 10 minute break. Enjoy an in depth look at what it’s like to be on the Spanish Pyrenees to Aragón “Track & Tour”. Turn your sound ON.

Special Spain Corona Virus 2020 Addendum to Cancelation Policy

Here it is in plain English.

If the tour must be canceled because Spain is locked down again or you can not get a visa to enter due to Covid19 (SARS-CoV-2) you will get your full amount of money back with 45 days of cancelation. It takes us a while to get what refunds we can.

Leod Escapes is taking the cancelation risk. We will loose at least $1400 on every person if the tour is forced to cancel. Given the situation we feel confident with that bet. If YOU are required to get a Covid19 test in order to travel and you refuse, then you will loose your deposit. We’ve taken the test ourselves, it’s really not that bad.

Other than Covid19, normal cancelation policy applies.

3 Spots left for lunatics like you, so let your friends know

As it stands now we have room for 5 more riders on the tour, however bikes are extremely limited as another large tour out of Barcelona is going to Corsica and Sardinia. Check with us about doing that with Mugello next year. Any way we have room but here’s the latest bike count. Tall guys, go lighter and supermoto style it on the 850GS. Shorter guys I think I’d take the new F750Gs over the older F800GT, it handles better. Couples with a tall pilot, take the GS over the RT. We have a rider who needs a roommate to so there’s that option open as well.

4 BMW F750GS

5 BMW F850GS

3 F800GT

2 BMW R1250GS

2 BMW R1250RT

1 S1000XR

Everyone gets a 2020 S1000RR to ride at Aragón

Tour Includes (Oct 15-25)

10 Nights Accommodations in 3 and 4 star hotels, many in historic Spanish Paradors
6 Days of twisty riding across the Pyrenees Mountains and the scenic backroads of Northern Spain
3 Days Track Training with Troy Corser
BMW S1000RR Track Bike
Good buffet breakfast every morning
Fine Dinners at all our evening stops
Local multilingual motorcycle road guide
Support and luggage vehicle

Does Not Include

Airfare (We have lots of Airfare Tips for you)
Lunches (Order what you want!)
Fuel for your rental bike

Prices Start at $7900

Or watch a few testimonials if you are still wondering if this is right for

Veracity of Viruses on a Motorcycle Vacation

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 22:32:00 GMT

We are riders. Fear doesn’t serve us. Rational precautions do. Here’s what you should know.

Wait… a tour operator is going to lecture me on COVID-19?

Yeah I am and here’s why. The threat of an epidemic turns peoples normal comfortable world upside down. As an international tour operator my team and I are used to dealing with peoples reactions when they are taken outside their normal routine. More importantly I’m used to the particular reactions of clients raised in the culture of the United States. You want to know who someone really is? Then travel with them. The core that their neighbors and coworkers never see, well on tour we get to experience it. For some that’s specifically why they travel. They leave their stressful modern prisons for a turn in the yard. For others the shocking realization of who they really are may not hit them until a week after they have returned home. Regardless, when you remove someones comfortable trappings of status and the unconsciously soothing normalities of the familiar, people’s emotions kick in. As expected, I’ll tell you to calm down and think but I also caution people to plan for and expect others panic.

“You are going to die! We won’t tell you how until after sports and the weather.”

Consider the emotion fear. Truth may be the first casualty of war but rational thought is the first casualty of fear. More than any culture on the planet, Americans are fed a media diet of fear. Over the decades, US minds have become numb to it. Advertising and news formatting have to continually spice up the spook factor just keep peoples attention and sell advertising. Foreign visitors find it morbidly comical but if you’ve lived with it all your life you don’t notice it. You think it’s normal to be told that you should be scared, on a daily basis. Geography of the USA effects the culture as well. Compared to most other nations USA citizens are geographically isolated and therefore are not used to travel abroad. As such, the fear of the unknown is more common in US citizens and is something we deal with a lot. Example? Imagine a 20 min conversation with a client convincing them that their chances of being blown up in a terror attack in Munich are Infinitesimally lower than them being car jacked in their own town.

Okay so calm me down about the Corona virus

When you work in the travel industry, there’s always some big thing that happens every 5 years or so. A big storm, a war, and yes this isn’t the first time some contagion threatened to end the world or at least the fiscal year. Our vendors are all over the world. Our partners tell us first hand what’s happening on the ground in places like Italy, Sydney, Hamburg and Shanghai. Our operations department head worked for 27 years in medical administration and is quite familiar with CDC protocols. First I want you to take a moment and look at some important numbers on a very helpful website set up by Johns Hopkins. https://systems.jhu.edu/research/public-health/ncov/ Look at the two big numbers in the top right hand corner. Total Deaths and total recovered. That’s right “recovered”. You don’t hear anything about people who’ve recovered from the virus because that’s not scary enough to hold peoples attention. Contracting this virus is not a death sentence. It’s a harrowing battle with a really bad case of the flu that could put you in the hospital. So how do you get the virus? This is where expertise matters so you refer to the experts that know. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html

It’s important to note that people who already have compromised immune systems are at much greater risk. It’s also important to point out that if you contract the corona virus and don’t have a clean healthy place to fight off the infection… you’ll likely die not from the corona virus itself but from a secondary infection. Translation, those with access to proper medical care in clean environments are at much lower risk. That’s why China built two new hospitals in Wuhan in less than two weeks. So look closely at the map and be mindful of where cases are and take simple precautions but be rigidly strict about them. So what should you do to prevent getting sick? Here’s what the pros say. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

Wait, you are going where?!

We watch daily updates and hear reports from our contacts as you might expect. What you probably haven’t predicted is the occasional conversation we have to have with clients. We run motorcycle tours all over the world. Our job is to put our clients on the best curvy, scenic backroads…where nobody is. Never mind a little face mask, our clients spend most of their vacation in a full face helmet, 20 feet away from anyone. We’ve also learned geography isn’t an American strong suit. We have to explain to people how their fears are unfounded due to simple geography. “Yes Corsica and Sardinia are islands in the middle of the ocean far from major population centers and certainly no where near anyone who is sick.” The odd part is we are explaining this to brazen dare devils who routinely risk life and limb for a thrill.

The positive side of panic

I’m sure you’ve already started imagining all the negative things people will do when they start to panic. That’s a good practical exercise but there is an upside to this. Those convinced the world is about to end will stay home. I’m frankly really looking forward to going to Italy this year. We don’t hit many touristy spots but the few we do stop at are probably going to be blissfully vacant. My guess is all the old folks on the bus tours will stay home. Fine by me, I’ll finally get some decent video of San Gimignano.

A few more hurdles at the airport and enforced hand washing at lunch stops

We know some countries have been or will be shut out. For Example Italy will not allow anyone from Hong Kong into the country. Conversely no Israeli is allowed to fly to Italy. As you might expect, some of these moves make sense while other are purely for the benefit of perception. Those of us who travel a lot know the uselessness of most “security theater”. It is a show designed to make the ignorant people feel safe. The rules at every airport are different and seem to change with each shift of personnel. Health screening is usually just poorly administered questionnaires we’ve seen at the airport before. I would hope to see something more effective this year. If you have a cold… probably not a good time to travel. You will undoubtedly cause a reaction… and it won’t always be a rational one. I’ll probably keep an N99 Mask on me for some of the more close quarters areas I have to go through during air travel. If there’s one person on the tour who can’t get sick, it’s the tour leader. I imagine, to help put peoples minds at ease, we’ll include a pack of tissues and hand sanitizer on the Italy tours this year. Also my tour guides won’t let anyone sit down to eat until they’ve washed their hands… just like mom used to do. It’ll be fun.

MotoGP Tours

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 16:27:00 GMT

Welcome fellow rider. Below are some videos and quick basics about our Motorcycle Tours with MotoGP in Italy

So what’s included in the tour?

3 & 4 star hotels,
Two Days at MotoGP tickets with seating in Ducati Grandstand
Tour bike rental with public liability insurance
Luggage and support van when needed
Italian tour leader
Tickets to Ducati Museum and Ducati Factory
Airport transfers
Breakfast everyday
Welcome and farewell dinner
Italian medical insurance for visitors

What’s not included?

Airfare (We have lots of Airfare Tips for you)
Lunches (Order what you want!)
Most Dinners (Order what you want!)
Fuel for your rental bike

What’s the difference between the two tours?

Mugello is shorter and designed to cost less. It’s 8 days and features the best riding in Tuscany with long day loops from an old ducal residence near the center of Florence. No need to pack and repack each night and no need for a luggage van.
Misano is a longer tour across a broader range of central Italy hitting 5 different hotels. We will also be stopping by Valentino Rossi’s home town of Tavulia.

How much does it cost?

The Misano 10 Day tour ranges from $5455 to $9590 depending on the type of bike and whether it’s a single rider in a shared room, their own room or a couple riding two up.
The Mugello 8 Day tour ranges from $4550 to $8000 depending on the type of bike and whether it’s a single rider in a shared room, their own room or a couple riding two up.

Is it worth it?

Here’s what rider like you though of seeing MotoGP

What motorcycle should I rent in a foreign destination?

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 14:47:00 GMT

Rent to Ride Not to Impress – When leaving your personal world behind it’s tempting to rent the flashy bike that will make you look cool. Don’t do it. The locals can kick your ass on a 20 year old 250cc scooter because they know the road. Also pounding pain pills at the end of the day because you choose the racy looking bike or spending your whole trip in fear trying to rein in a high performance rocket is no way to have fun. Paying extra to rent the “Big” bike when the mid sized bike is more fun is a classic mistake. Rent for your enjoyment not your ego.

The Right Tool For the Job That Fits Your Size and Ability – Don’t choose what you know, choose for where you are going to go. The right bike for long highway miles with a passenger is different than the right bike for narrow twisty mountain passes. If you are on a tour with a luggage truck then a top case or some soft side bags or a tank bag is all you need. Riding two up with no support then you’re gonna want some luggage capacity. Leod Escapes tours almost always have a luggage support vehicle on them. Shorter riders face challenges but also advantages. Shorter riders often weigh less and need less horsepower and can enjoy cheaper rental bikes larger riders can’t. Midsized engines are often easier to handle, challenge you to become a better rider because you can’t cheat with horsepower AND they cost less. If you are worried about your abilities get the bike that weighs less and is easier to ride.

Try Before You Buy – Renting a bike for a week or more will really get you familiar with it in ways a short demo just doesn’t. Lots of motorcycles are purchases right after someone returns home from a successful trip. If you are considering a purchase what better way to familiarize yourself with a model than to rent it and have some fun. Hello Japanese manufacturers, please court rental fleet owners as it will increase your sales. Nothing wrong with BMW but it wouldn’t be nice to try some Japanese machines once in a while.

Renting First Tier, Renting Second Tier and the Dealer Demo Trick – In wealthier destinations with lots of visitors you’ll find first tier rental fleets. The fewer visitors to a destination the fewer the machines and in particular the variety of model available. First tier fleets machines are rarely more than a year old with low mileage that are usually premium brands like BMW, Ducati etc. These fleets are more expensive but you have greater assurance of machine quality. Leod Escapes generally only uses first tier rental bikes. Second tier rental fleets are older bikes of assorted brands with more mileage on them. Second tier rental fleets are harder to find and there’s always a bit of a worry about how well the machines are maintained so ask questions. On all rental machines you should demand enough rubber left on tires, brake pads with life left in them and brake fluid that’s relatively fresh so your brakes aren’t mushy. On second tier fleets check closely for loose bolts, suspension rebound damping, chain and sprockets. Be aware rental fleet bikes tires are often over inflated which can be dangerous. If you’re doing a bit of a longer term rental and would like a new high quality bike you can sometimes work a deal with a local dealer. Dealers are allotted demo bikes which must get a certain amount of mileage on them before they are allowed to sell them. They might be willing to bend the rules a bit and let you help them get those demo miles put on the machine while they pocket some rental money. It’s not common but don’t overlook the possibility.

Shipping or Buying a Motorcycle – You might be wondering, why don’t I just ship my own motorcylce? Unless you live in the same economic community importing a motorcycle can be very complicated. Differing emissions standards alone mean you can have difficulty ever getting the motorcycle legally licensed. Not to mention import duties and customs issues. If you are going to be in a destination for two or more months, consider buying a used motorcycle there and then selling it when you leave. A local dealer might be quite happy to help you with this.

Adapters for Europe

Mon, 13 May 2019 18:58:00 GMT

When traveling with cell phones, or devices that need power, you always want to have adapters for your travels. Europe adapters are easy to come by and easy to use. The voltage is different so if you are charging sensitive camera equipment, you might want to have a power converter as well. Beware, the power converter has a cooling fan that can be noisy in your hotel room. Your EU adapters are the Type C, 2 prong plugs. In the past we’ve used the multiple USB plug devices that come with different adaptors. Us tour guides often have to charge more things, so we like the nice 8 port smart chargers these have built in protection that the normal adaptors dont. We just get an EU cord for them.

power converter

The post Adapters for Europe appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Australia Specific Air Travel Tips for Leod Clients

Mon, 04 Feb 2019 19:40:00 GMT

Air Travel Tips for Motorcyclists

kayak.com

Air Travel Tips for Motorcyclists

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 23:26:00 GMT

You want to ride the best vistas, the best curves and have thrilling adventures in far off lands. Perhaps you lack the time and money to scour the globe for decades on two wheels or maybe you just want to skip ahead to the good stuff. Also 2/3rds of our little rock is covered in water so sooner or later as a motorcyclist, you’re gonna have to fly. Leod Escapes founder Cat MacLeod worked in airfare and we book a lot of airfare ourselves for our guides. Here’s our tips for fellow riders.

Principles not rules

There are so many variables in the marketplace for airfare that there really are no rules. There are however principles based on the balance of probability and even that doesn’t conform to a standard distribution. Advanced mathematicians put together the pricing algorithms to try to keep airlines running in the black and even they fail sometimes. So buying airfare is more about what you understand than a precise prescription of what you should do.

Good things come to those who plan ahead

Start looking at the airfare market about 10 months before you want to fly. Yes it’s sometimes possible to get exceedingly cheap deals last minute but those are rare. Get familiar with the airlines that commonly service the route you are interested in. At Leod Escapes we start poking around the airfare market as soon as we have tour dates. That can be up to a year in advance. We typically use kayak.com as it’s interface is pretty good and they do a good job of aggregating airline fares and consolidator fares. We generally follow their advice on when to purchase because their fare forecaster is pretty good.

No such thing as the cheapest fare

People always say they want the cheapest fare, until they see what they’d have to endure to get it. When the cheapest fare from San Francisco to Munich involves 30hours of flight time with a 5 hour layover in Copenhagen and another 10 hours in Istanbul, suddenly that price isn’t worth it. One of the reasons airfare is so complicated is everyone has different thresholds of what they are willing to pay. How much more would I pay to fly with Air New Zealand over United? How much more would you pay to fly KLM instead of WOW (Icelands Low-cost Airline). Is a direct flight with 5 hours chopped off the travel time worth an extra $400? Should I use my points and save $500 but have to pay $700 more for the flight? If you start shopping early, you will face questions like these.

Chances are there’s more than one major airport within an acceptable drive time of your home. Smaller “secondary” airports have cheaper gate fees (what the airport charges the airline) and can play host to discount airlines. Do not overlook them. A business class seat on a discount carrier out of a secondary airport can be cheaper than an economy class seat on a major carrier out of a bigger airport. Airports and national airlines are heavily subsidized by tax dollars. As such, Alitalia pays less to park it’s planes in Rome than United Airlines. Lufthansa pays less than Delta to park a plane in Munich. Sometimes countries want your tourism dollars and increase the incentives through subsidies to a national carrier. Even if the prices are the same, you’ll generally get a better flight experience for your money via an airline based in the country you are visiting. You also have a better chance of arriving and departing from a nicer terminal with a better staffed customs desk.

Beware the codeshare

Airlines form alliances for a number of reasons. One of them is to try to get around the higher gate fees charged to “foreign” airlines. Airlines within the same alliance are not equal, so keep an eye out for that. For example, that Air New Zealand flight is actually “operated by United”. This is called a codeshare and it can be disappointing if you’re not watching for it.

Airline Fares and Consolidator Fares

To help balance demand Airlines sell inventory under contract to wholesalers who promise a certain volume at a certain price. The tickets are just as valid, whether you purchase them direct from the airline versus through a a third party. However if the prices are the same, buy direct from the airline. When push comes to shove in overbooked flights and other mishaps, direct bookers sometimes held in higher esteem.

Timing your landing

As tour operators we’ve seen clients make this mistake a lot. There are 24 time zones on the planet and the damn globe revolves at 900mph. Pay close attention to the local times of your departure and arrival, that includes the date, as crossing the international date line can make things fun. Consider that the best time to arrive in your destination is late morning to early afternoon, so you can check into your hotel and get a shower and then try to walk off a bit of that jet lag.

50lbs of Fun

Checked baggage is limited to 50lbs per bag. As a rider you’ll discover that sport touring jackets and pants as well as track racing suits are more bulky than heavy. Still it is all about weight. Look for large lightweight cases or duffles bags with wheels. Don’t count on luggage carts being available in your destination. Aside from issues of availability, they are often coin operated and usually when you arrive you don’t have any local coins. When shopping for bags and cases, consider that there is another sport that frequently travels with very bulky gear… hockey players.

Your Supersuit is flying to

It’s easy enough to replace shirts and a toothbrush but replacing motorcycle gear can be tough when you are forced to do it in a rush. So it’s really vital that your gear arrives with you. Checking in early increases the probability that your luggage will make it on the plane. Avoid short layovers where your bags may not have the time to make it from one plane to the next. A good layover time is 2 hours.With taxiing time, getting everyone out, boarding time for your next flight, if you have less than an hour you will be running and your bag won’t make it. Should your bag get misrouted, you want to make it is easy for people to discover it. Make sure your luggage tag is solid. Put a printed itinerary inside your bag and take a photo of your bag so you can show it to the appropriate personnel. Finally, avoid the temptation to ship your gear bag. Aside from the wary question of who is going to receive it, importing items into other countries is fraught with many variables and paperwork can sometimes hold things up considerably. You’re the hero of your own story, keep your supersuit close to you.

Preparing for Thieving Spurious Associates

As frequent global travelers we’ve seen a lot of security lines. It’s useless theater to provide the illusion of safety. The ever changing and completely different standards at different airports around the globe at least give it a sense of variety. What’s more troubling than the show you participate in, is the one that goes on with your checked bags. DO NOT leave expensive consumer electronics of any kind in your checked bag. You will undoubtedly be taking a camera or two with you, make sure the expensive hardware is in your carry on luggage. Things like knives, emergency roadside tools and such need to be stowed in your checked luggage but buried well inside helmets, socks, boots and multiple zippered compartments. The TSA has taken a number of GoPro cameras and Leatherman tools out of our checked luggage over the years so we’ve learned. If they are going to take things out of your bag while searching it, at least make them work for it, bury those items deep.

The best way to see the world

This all seems like a bit of a hassle until you let the clutch out for the first time and take off down a foreign road. No cages, or cattle barges for you, you’re a motorcyclist and your adventure starts now.

Motorcycle Passenger Pleasures in Italy

Sat, 17 Nov 2018 13:19:00 GMT

Ready, Set, Swoon

When you mention touring in Italy what comes to mind? Pasta? The Coliseum? Cypress lined drives of Tuscany? Yes, there is that, but there is so much more. As a passenger you take in all the views, along centuries old winding roads. It’s a never ending parade of picturesque scenes between the small hill towns of Marche, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. Then there’s the food. Just the special local dishes of like wild boar, incredible table wines would be enough to bring anyone back again. The wonderfully friendly people of Italy make this a great riding destination. Everyone is so engaged with the social joys of life. The sheer romance of the place captures one’s attention. Couples in the park talking and kissing. A group of old men playing rounds of Bocce Ball. Large groups of friends out for the oh so common 4 hour long dinner. The couples that line the walled parapets of Pienza to watch the spectacular sunset. All the scenes you pass by tell a story of relationships. This is what Italy is to a passenger. It’s not just the pretty views everywhere; it’s how each view tells a story of Italy’s “La Dolce Vita.”

Oh my god you have to try this

Italy is a country that sells more food-based tours than any other in the world. Once there, you can understand why. The fresh ingredients, the simplicity of everyday items, the local spices and the love of good food permeates this country. Every region has it’s specialty dishes based on the terrain and weather. Much like those fantastic wines that need the right balance of soil, rain, drainage & sun, each regional dish is a reflection of the locality. This means you must try the pasta Carbonara in Rome. In Bologna, you must try theTagliatelle al ragù di cinghiale, which is a beautiful, hearty and rich spaghetti with wild boar sauce. Foodies will gasp at the sight of Strangozzi al Tartufo in Orvieto, for this regional dish is served with a huge mound of shaved black truffle on top. Italians LOVE their food, and no meal makes this more evident than dinner. This is not just the end of the day meal. This is a time for friendship, family, love and laughter. Combine this with outstanding dishes, splendid wine, and it’s easy to see why typical Italian dinners last 3-4 hours. Make sure you go on a diet beforehand so you can still fit into those motorcycle pants the 7th day of the tour.

The best seat for the show

Hollywood loves those cypress tree lined drives in Tuscany. So much so that they will often film the same one from different angles. The tree lined drives are beautiful, but they are not all in Tuscany and it’s not just about cypress trees. Gorgeous sycamore lined roads abound in Marche. The olive lined roads roll over the countryside in Umbria. Outside of Rome, there are dense pockets of jungle like greenery between expansive hazelnut orchards. It’s all about seeing the hidden backroads of Italy. For rider and passenger both, the tour route keeps you entertained. There’s so many curves, riders often find themselves looking forward to a bit of straight road for a rest. For passengers, there’s so many romance novel style vistas, that sometimes it’s a relief to see the whimsey free zone of an industrial park or large super market. For excitement, who needs to wait in line at an amusement park? The mountain passes of Raticosa and Sambuca are a thrill ride that Ducati uses to test it’s latest models.

Park where tourist buses can’t – go where tourists never do

You are not a tourists, you are a travelers. Doing it on two wheels means you’ll get in and out of picturesque hot spots faster as well as savor places off the beaten path. The stops in hilltop towns are just magical. Generally you stop every 90 minutes, with small cappuccino and espresso stops in the mid-morning and afternoon, and a longer stop for lunch. Remember, cappuccinos are only in the morning, as you do not have milk in drinks after 11am in Italy. Take time to wander the narrow cobbled streets of Radicofani. Walking along the lover’s lane to the walled parapet of Pienza and see the vast valley below. Explore the towers of San Gimignano. See the enchanting town of Civita de Bagnoregio, perched on an butte of tufo rock, accessible only by a single narrow bridge. Stand in the immense plaza where the Palio di Siena, Siena’s famous horse race happens every year. See the pageantry of Siena’s districts marching and rallying their fans. These are the romantic and adventurous moments in Italy.

You’re taking me to an industrial factory?

Every dedicated motorcycle rider wants to visit the Ducati plant but what about passengers? It’s actually interesting! The tour isn’t just informative, it’s inspiring. What a great place to work! The medium sized factory is of course staffed with local Italians but far more women than most would think. It’s fun to see eyes get wide as a young Italian women quickly and masterfully assemble high power engines. The touching moment is when a new motorcycle completes it’s journey and is started for the first time. You realize this machine is going to be someones pride and joy and you watched it start for the first time. The Museum takes a look back at it’s first machines all the way to the most recent World Superbike and MotoGP machines. This is true Ducatista holy ground, with probably the most desired gift shop to get your holiday shopping done early.

Still Impressive after 2000 Years

To top everything off, your tour’s arrival and departure point is the Eternal City of Rome. It may seem a bit touristy, but then Rome’s been doing tourism for thousands of years. They are good at it and there’s plenty worth seeing. This is a city that should be explored for it’s cultural history, and it’s contributions to the world. There is nothing like walking in the coliseum, and sitting on a stone bench that held thousands of spectators for hundreds of years. Walk through the remains of the Roman Forum and picture it as it originally was, built with streets of white marble. Cuddle on the Spanish Steps with your rider. This is the gathering place for local Romans before heading out for the night. Stand in the Pantheon at noon and watch how the sun’s rays enter the building through the oculus. Stroll along the top of the hill along the Trinita dei Monti next to the Villa Medici for sunset views over the city. Take your love to the Trevi Fountain, which has been fully restored after nearly 2 years and looks better now than in the old movies. The proper way to do the coin toss is to stand with you back to the fountain and toss with your right hand over your left shoulder into the fountain, one coin to return to Rome, two for romance, and three for wedding your true love. It probably comes as no surprise that the fountain brings in an average of 3000 euros a day which is used to subsidize a supermarket for the poor in Rome.

So they just go round and round?

If you aren’t a fan of motorcycle racing then idea of seeing a race live sounds deadly dull. The reality is quite different, especially in Italy. By now you understand that Italians are a passionate emotional people, especially about things they enjoy. Now imagine joining 100,000 Italians to experience something they love, like MotoGP. The old adage, “If you want a crowd, start a fight” rings true here. While there has been consistent champions in MotoGP, the battles have been close lately, which means everyone wants to see. Even if you don’t know all the riders names you’re still going to have an amazing time just because of the sheer spectacle of it. This is modern Italy, acting like Italians have for centuries.

Chauffeured about at speed

While a helmet and touring jacket would never grace the cover a romance novel, we passengers are happy to ditch the tiara and say “This princess wants to go for ride”. Authenticity, adventure and the thrill of seeing a whole foreign world around us is what we get. It’s exhilarating, touching and brings the two of you closer together. You stop for lunch in tiny hilltop towns that haven’t changed in hundreds of years. You marvel at yet another incredible meal. You stay in a small boutique hotels, or country villas. You walk ancient streets arm in arm on an evening excursion to the fountains in Piazza Navona. You laugh as you look left and right and see everything your rider is missing.

Who wouldn’t want to luxuriate in a pool with a very local glass of wine, overlooking a vineyard? Will you make that special find at a butcher shop in San Gimignano that sells their own seasoning packets from locals herbs? Will you smell the flowers and grapes ripening on the vine as you whisk through the Chianti region? Will you ride the glass elevator together to the top of the Vittorio Emanuel Monument for views over Rome? These are pieces of what could happen but this trip is your story. Where will these moments fit into the romance novel of the two of you?

The post Motorcycle Passenger Pleasures in Italy appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

From Highway 1 to Col du Tourmalet – What a NorCal Ducatista learned in Spain

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 18:04:00 GMT

By Tom C.

Your riding is stale.

Maybe you’re like me. I like to think I’m fast. I love throwing my Panigale into corners with quiet confidence on my favorite local curves. I KNOW these turns because I’ve ridden them 100’s of times. Sure, I think I’m a decent rider but what really is my basis of comparison? Does that sound familiar? What if you put your skills to the test on high mountain passes and a MotoGP circuit in another country? Would you realize that you’re not as good a rider as you think? Would you return home and be quicker and safer on your home turf? The answer is yes.

I can say this with a bit of confidence having just returned from the Spanish Pyrenees to Aragón “Track & Tour” by Leod Escapes. My local run is the northern California coast. I love nothing more than tearing up Highway 1 north of Jenner on an early weekend morning. I know I’ve been training myself on a stretch of corners that ranks among the top coast rides in the world. But am I really that good of a rider? This is where Leod Escapes comes in and shines a light on who you are, as a rider. I had a true epiphany.

Wait, what’s a “Leod”?

A quick word about Cat MacLeod and Leod Escapes. Based in northern California Cat MacLeod is as dedicated to motorcycles as any of us. He just happens to be an accomplished world traveler, business leader with a crazy dream; leading fellow riders to undiscovered backroads AND famous MotoGP tracks. It’s a 10 day, shared experience with your fellow riders, navigating mountain twisties, unique hotels, and flogging a MotoGP circuit. In the setting sun, toasting the day’s successes with regional dishes and a lot of frosty, adult beverages.

I know this guy. This isn’t my first Leod Escapes tour.

Cat is a cocktail mix of tour leader, riding coach, travel guide, and know-it-all comedian, wrapped in a viking package. In 2015, I was part of the inaugural Italian Dream to Mugello “Track & Tour” in cooperation with Ducati. Finding yourself tucked behind a Panigale windscreen on the front straight of Autodromo Mugello was a bucket list, life moment for me.I loved it so much I bought the updated version locally upon my return. Apparently the right motorcycle tour is far better than an extended test ride at your local dealership.

So what did I learn?

So aside from meeting some great people from all walks of life, riding killer, empty mountain passes in brilliant Spanish sunshine, here is how my riding has been impacted:

First, and this is really my epiphany, my street riding skills improved substantially.

Riding thousands of miles with friendly rivals on unfamiliar roads helped me with my visual habits, my braking, and my smoothness. Everyday I had a chance to work on a specific skill while being able to watch someone with superior skills in front of me.

There may be no trophies at the end of the day, but someone is always buying that first round to toast our successes.

Second, and this may not apply to you but it sure applied to me, I learned to truly trust my tires. Current tire tech is amazing and if you stay smooth it’s shocking what modern tires can do.

Third, professional instruction matters. Two-time, WSBK Champion, Troy Corser and his team at Motorland Aragón clearly boosted my riding abilities. This is no lip service BS, Troy will tell you exactly how YOU are riding…and how to be faster! They also gave me plenty of homework for what I need to continue to emphasize on my riding days.

Your fellow Speed Demons

You are not alone. It’s not just you and a few of your friends who are like this. Moto riders come from all over the world, from all walks of life, but we all live for the rush. Traveling with them is like a Sunday ride everyday for a week plus. What makes the tours even more welcoming is the number of couples riding two up ( or on their own rides) and faster, female bike jockeys. This is definitely NOT a bro-cation.

But…the cost?

There’s no getting away from this, cool stuff costs money. Here is how I got ahead of it.

Review the website ( www.leodescapes.com ) and choose a tour that appeals to you. Call Cat and his team to get some additional information and put down a deposit…NOW because stuff fills up.

Here is what is going to happen…you will start researching the trip, the hotels/airlines, the track, the weather, the bikes…in effect it will become real. Then you will start to look at your fitness and you will have an absolute reason (no NYE resolution BS!) to lose a few pounds or pump a little iron. Every 6-8 weeks, connect with Leod Escapes and add a little more to your initial deposit. By the time the final payment is due, its a McNugget and not a Big Mac. Before you know it, BOOM you’re twisting the throttle on some of Europe’s most desirable roads and racetracks!

Bottom line, I fulfilled a Mega Millions dream…and never got more than 2 numbers.

Opening the throttle WIDE on Aragon’s back straight 10 days after my MotoGP hero’s battled it out doing the same…simply life changing. Let me add…that straight goes on FOR DAYS…

The questions you are asking yourself…

Can I do it? Most definitely, with some exceptions. The tour is led by riders, for riders who become MUCH better riders. If you have your doubts, call Cat MacLeod directly and he can lead you through the in’s and outs.

Is it worth it?

Ever chuck yourself into a semi-blind corner, tap the apex and then rocket out with the front tire levitating…that’s Leod Escapes! A little bit of the unknown, a test of skills and a never ending, shit-eating grin. I’ll see you out there on Highway 1, I’ll be the faster one.

Passenger Pleasures in Spain

Sat, 27 Oct 2018 14:43:00 GMT

Did you see that?

This is the most common question posed between a motorcycle passenger to the rider. This is due to the fact that while the rider is focused on the road and the upcoming turn or traffic sign, the passenger is looking everywhere else. Being a passenger, a really good passenger is something most riders don’t think about. Keeping your body loose and flexible to bend with the turns, brake and sudden accelerations is key, but the real joys of being a passenger come with the views. Let’s face it, in cars and busses, your view is obstructed by bars and plastic, roofs and sides paneling. On a bike, your views are limited only by your ability to turn your head so many degrees to the right, left, up, and down. Really, for a good passenger, nothing is off limits, even watching behind you. Some people may argue that a helmet impedes your vision, my answer is that they are not wearing the right helmet. With a proper helmet ( I wear my Arai with pride), your central and peripheral vision is vastly superior than in a car, because the helmet is on your head, not in front of you. This opens up a world of possibilities. While the driver is focused on the road, and they damn well better be, you get to look at the entire rest of the world. The world is on parade just for you, with trees, mountains, waterfalls, wildlife, ancient villages and people doing things you’d never see at home. The vistas on the Spanish Pyrenees are truly spectacular. Sky spearing peaks with dramatic skylines, insane curvy roads built into the sides of mountains traverse the Pyrenees. What was once a goat path 500 years ago has been widened and paved to allow one medium seized vehicle to navigate these majestic peaks. Some of these views come with harrowing drop offs…and no railings. Memorable moments come from being able to notice the little things, like the yellow ribbons on all the trees of a Catalan town, the central square statues made of farm equipment, the hawk flying following above you as you traverse the down a mountain pass,. My favorite is the sheep wearing knitted hats. I’m not joking folks. While the riders were working on avoiding the flock of sheep, I was waving at the herders, watching the dogs do a magnificent job of rounding up stragglers, and several sheep were sporting colorful knitted hats with long dangling tassels. Those are images only a passenger will ever have.

Did you hear that band playing?

It’s not only the riding, scenery, and views, but also the people, architecture, tapas, Paradores, and history of the country. If you are serious about being a great passenger, pick up a guide book for where you plan on going. Your rider is interested in the route, you’re interested in the country the route goes through. Learn about the history of the region. This will not only make you a better traveler, but a better companion to whomever you are traveling with. This can be your moment contribute and shine. to not only your riders vacation but the entire group as well. Knowing a bit about the country’s history will give you a greater understanding of the people, architecture, art, and even food. Nowhere is this more evident than in Spain. Knowing the history of the long battles between Christianity and Islam, will show you why Moorish palaces that became Christian Castles have so much Mudejar architecture (often done by Jewish artisans). Even the role that pork plays in the Spanish diet is linked to this conflict. While in the foothills of the Pyrenees, we stopped for espresso in the medieval town of Ainsa. Walking through the courtyard of the 11th century castle and into the plaza of the 16th century town and having café con leche outside on the cobbled plaza has a unique charm. Going in one of the houses on the main square, we were treated to a cellar for the kitchen, main sitting rooms on the ground floor, and 2 dining rooms in the upstairs. One with a royal red, plush velvet dignitary style, the other in a rich green, huntsman motif. Another lunch stop in the Pyrenees was on the French side of the border will be forever etched in my mind. Traveling at anytime of the year in Spain can be special, but we were doing the Pyrenees in late September, early October. This turns out to be the time, when the herders are bringing their sheep, cows, and horses from the high mountain pastures to the lower ones for winter. We happened to arrive in the small town during their Foire aux Cotelettes festival. We heard some amazing local band playing, rides and games set-up in a carnival atmosphere for the kids, and a huge tent with tables set-up for the adults to sit, eat and talk, while 17 men out front grilled the lamb that was being served with local beer. Standing out front, listening and watching the local band play regional folk music, while the mouth watering smell of roasted lamb wafted by on the breeze. There are no words to describe an experience like that, and being immersed in it was truly special. These are just some of the treasures a passenger can find when traveling.

(There’s always a festival of some sort happening, join it. This one’s all about lamb)

Where’s my hairdryer?

Let’s face it, just having a bed and shower are all the requirements most guys need after riding all day. For passengers, we often have different requirements. We will notice the softness of the bed, the number of pillows, the set-up of the room and amenities that come with your stay. Leod stays in 3 & 4 star accommodations. In Spain, these standards can vary widely so we’re thankful the guides research these places quite a bit. Spain is a large country with a huge number of palaces, monasteries, castles and convents that are historically important but expensive to maintain. Enter the beauty of the Parador. A state run historical site that has been modified to be a hotel. Complete with tapestries, mosaics, wine cellars, and turrets, these historical building are kept preserved by visitors dollars and have a strict amenities standards. You will always have soap, shampoos, lotion, TV, hairdryer and WiFi (although due to the thickness of some castle walls , Wii is more of a hope than a certainty). Many have historical artifacts in sitting rooms, and hallways.The old wells dot the courtyards. Plaques describing the great moments of history that happened there hang on the wall. Where else can you say you stayed in a castle?

(The route says adventure, the hotel says vacation)

(Palaces, Castles, the hotels on the Spain tour are something different)

Eat where the toothpicks are.

Spain is known for its Iberico Ham. This is a specially cured ham, a descendant of wild boar fed on acorns and prized for its exquisite taste. Everywhere in Spain you will see the ubiquitous cured pig leg on the special stand sitting on a bar or table. Tapas roughly means “small plates” and that’s exactly what they are. This is a beautiful idea. Instead of a large dinner in one place, the typical Spaniard goes bar hopping with friends and family eating a few small plates and sipping tintos (dark red, young wine) at several favorite places. This is a time for socializing and having a great evening with small bites. The beauty of this concept is that you can try many different dishes. Order more of what you like and quickly (an inexpensively) find plates that are not to your liking. For true connoisseurs of flavor, the ultimate tapas places are Basque. Pintxos, are small plates with a toothpick sticking out of the dish. All Pintxos are based on the simple principle of quality food of 1 item, special sauce on a piece of bread. With this simple concept it is crazy insane how many different varieties of Pintxos you will see at one spread in a Basque Tapas restaurant. This is bar food, so you will always see a large display on the bar, you pick up the food you want, and at the end, count up your toothpicks and pay. The savvy diner knows that some pintxos are better heated, and many places have specialty Pintxos that are on a menu and prepared in the kitchen, as well as the large spread on the bar. You will eat well and eat the most amazing dishes you have had on any tour. Anyone in the mood for seared scallop with chili aioli on a toasted baguette?

(You won’t starve in Spain)

Barcelona, The town of Antoni Gaudi

When traveling on a motorcycle or any tour, your arrival and departure city are often the same. If you’re going to have a true vacation and adventure, start it out right. and arrive a few days early. There are a number of reason why this is a great idea. You have traveled all this way, take some time to truly enjoy it. This is a great time to walk off the jet-lag and acclimate yourself to the local time. Most bike rental places will not rent to someone who just got off an international flight. You need time for your mind and body to adjust. Part of that adjustment will be just observing the city, people and flow of traffic around you. Take a free or guided walk around the historical part of the city. It is an easy way to spend an afternoon. When you are finally on the road, all those signs won’t be so confusing, because you have seen them before and now know what they mean. Barcelona is a lively port city with a colorful history and many things to see. This is home to Moderisme architecture. A style championed by Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). This creative architect used the flowing lines of nature with stone, stained glass, woodwork and ironworks to create stunning buildings, parks, and private homes. Several of his architectural creations have become UNESCO World Heritage sites. Take the time, and book ahead to visit Batllo House, Casa Mila, Park Guell, and the church of Sagrada Familia which is still under construction and slated to be finished around 2026, at which time it will be the tallest church building in the world.

(You could only be in Barcelona)

(The Palau de la Música Catalana, one of the jewels of Barcelona with nightly concerts)

Your preferred seat

When it comes to motorcycle touring, the passenger has the best seat in the house. You are immersed in the entire experience, without the responsibility of the piloting. The feel of the road and the bike beneath you. The crisp fog in the misty mornings in the mountains, the lazy sun in the afternoons. You take in the smells of the towns as they are having a market day full of vegetables and the savory smell of roasted lamb at the festival. The sounds of the bells on the cattle as they graze on high pastures. The sights of the dense woodlands, rolling hills, high desert plateaus, and majestic peaks of the Pyrenees are all yours to enjoy. All your senses are engaged. The memorable moments of your tour will be forever intertwined with your senses and feelings in those moments. Those are things that can never be captured on any camera or video. These are the joys and memories of a motorcycling passenger in Spain.

(Take me for a ride)

Sachsenring and Italian Alps Videos

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 19:05:00 GMT

2016 Tour Summary

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“Vamos Bien!” – Riding Spain’s Pyrenees & Motorland Aragon Circuit

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 13:50:00 GMT

Setting Expectations

What makes a great motorcycle vacation? Is it how many times you experience joy, excitement or wonder? Some riders come to experience the brilliance of a MotoGP circuit, but what about the sport touring? Is it only about the ride itself or do awe striking views, eye rolling delicious flavors count? Can you keep score by counting how many times someone says the word “amazing” or you find yourself gasping for breath because you are laughing so hard. What of the fellowship with riders forged in the crucible of shared moments? Do you keep count by how many tears fall when you have to say goodbye?

When a tour operator launches a new tour in a fresh destination the question of comparisons is unavoidable. Leod Escapes already runs motorcycle tours with track time in 4 other countries. Riders have been treated to curves on the California coast, the Austrian Alps, Italy’s Tuscan Hills and Australia’s Omeo Highway. Adrenalin has been served up on circuits like Sachsenring, Laguna Seca, Mugello and Phillip Island. While the Spanish Pyrenees to Aragón had been the most requested tour in a poll held in 2017, would it be successful? And how would you define that success? In 2018 the first tour was run.

Tis but the making of a moment

As any Leod Escapes employee will tell you, success is defined by perfect motorcycling moments. Those memories of your trip that last a lifetime. The tales that are told again and again. These become the shining points of light when the darkness of the world threatens to consume us. It could be that perfect three turns you rode on Col de Tourmalet before accelerating into an impossible vista. It could be seeing the dawn light on the 14th century palace you slept in last night. It could be dragging your knee for the first time in Marquez Corner at Motorland Aragón. It might be laughing with fellow track riders while drinking a curious green liquor, in a cave restaurant frequented by MotoGP riders. These moments are personal and different for every rider but there’s no mistaking that moment of clarity. You pause and know this is a special time in your life. These authentic moments can not be manufactured. A good tour operator knows, all you can do is carefully set the stage. The right route, the right time of year, the right hotels, the right bikes, the right personnel, and the right attitude increase the probability that these magic moments happen.

Welcome to Barcelona

While the city is diverting, the overall tour happens across the historically allied regions of Catalonia and Aragón. Massive mountains, medieval villages and vast open country dotted with castles greet your eyes around every turn. This is a trip across a forgotten empire with 1000s of years of history. It must be noted that Catalonia has a long troubled relationship with Spain and it’s capital Madrid. Over the centuries this relationship has ranged from a friendly soccer rivalry to brutal repression. At the moment the future of Catalonia remains uncertain. The majority of people in the region would like to separate from Spain. Referendums on this desire have been held and unfortunately the will of the people go directly against Spain’s financial interests. While Catalonia only represents 6.3% of Spains territory and 16% of its population, it represents 20% of Spains tax base and 25% of its exports. While the tension is plainly evident, with independence flags flying everywhere and yellow ribbons displayed for jailed Catalan politicians outnumbering birds, all parties concerned are desperate not to resort to violence. It still remains a safer destination than the USA. There’s a feeling though, that you are riding through a region that’s about to turn a page in history.

The Pyrenees Mountains in the Fall

The Pyrenees Mountains on the border between France and Spain are laced with roads made for challenging and scenic rides. These “Curves Curves Curves” grace the Tour de France every year. Hidden canyon runs and narrow pass roads that are frequented only by sheep herders, and the odd motorcycle or bicycle rider. The routes vary from 160 to 250 miles a day but regardless of the mileage count, it’s a full day of riding everyday. Leod consults with local guides to make sure each day is an adventurous curve quest and the group is rolling into the hotel a good hour or two before dark. Low traffic is a Pyrenees joy factor. It rarely gets noticed while the fun is happening. It’s only at the close of the day, over a few drinks, that you begin to reflect that one of the reasons you had so much fun is because no one else was on the road. It makes one wonder what the Alps used to be like 50 years ago. If the summer vacationers are gone then what’s the weather like? By early October there is a slight crispness to the air in the morning that’s gone by mid day. Throughout the entire tour, the temperature rarely gets over 28C/82F, even on Aragón. There’s plenty of daylight and little chance of rain. The sheer riding quality of the routes themselves are motorcycle dreamland craziness, on par with anything you’d find in the Alps. EU funding, winter ski tourism and the Tour De France keeps these routes in good repair. When the sun streaks across a steep green valley, as you dive down the curves, it’s pretty clear you’re in the right place at the right time.

Tinto, Tapas & Jamon

There’s nothing more sincere, than the love of good food. All dinners are included on this tour and the hotels do serve up an array of local delicacies. No matter where you are in Spain, you’re never far from it’s signature ham/jamon. It’s more than a source of national pride around the world, it’s a daily staple that is everywhere. One wonders if Spain is secretly breeding pigs with 6 hind legs. Spanish red wine is called “Tinto” and it’s a very dark red and naturally goes very well with Jamon. The renowned “Tapas” which means “little plates” are more Basque than Spanish but their popularity in all Spanish cities is evident. Barcelona is your best place to enjoy tapas on this tour. Another reason to come a day or two early. What makes special moments happen with tapas? Tapas are just bar food but chefs can get quite creative. The advantage here is you can try just little bits of many different tastes until you find the dish you must order 2 more of because it’s amazing. Pintxos is the same idea but centered on what flavorful creation you can fit on small piece of bread with a toothpick. Dinner starts late in Spain, which usually means your fellow riders have thankfully showered and gotten two rounds in before dinner. Breakfast is usually a light meal in Spain but Spanish hotels think differently. It’s quite evident that the upscale hotels on this tour, really want to make sure guests check out stuffed to the gills. A good meal in a new place brings people together and a few bottles of Spanish wine makes them friends. Meals on a tour with fellow track riders is just as much about the company as the food.

Your hotel is over 1000 years old

Okay so maybe it’s a little touristy but there’s just something cool about parking your bike in front of an edifice of the past and then staying there for a night. In 1928 Spain set up the Paradors program in an effort to preserve some of it’s historical building by turning them into hotels. It’s amusing how parts of these old stone structures have been adapted to serve the shifting hospitality tastes of modern generations. The result ranges from quirky to downright majestic. It does add to the cost of the trip but the experience is well worth it. Of particular note is the Parador Hotel “La Concordia” in the town of Alcañiz, not far from Motorland Aragón. This was a fortified castle, convent and a palace before becoming a Parador in 1968. This fortress was historically pivotal in the history of Aragón in 1412. A grand agreement was reached here after King Martin died without a direct heir. Representatives came from far and wide to reach “La Condordia” and select a successor without the need for bloodshed, hence the name of the hotel.

When you stay in the Castle of Cardona, you are staying in a vital piece of Catalan history. There’s been a fortress on this hilltop since 886. The castle has grown over the centuries but was never taken by force, even after considerable bombardment in the 16th century. This is a massive fortress. It’s an authentic pleasure to climb it’s towers, feast in it’s halls, and hear about it’s most tragic ghosts.

Which turn on Motorland Aragón will be your favorite?

This is a massive facility on the high and dry central plains. It’s fast, it’s technical and when you’re on a new BMW S1000RR the circuit starts to feel smaller after your 4th session, mainly because you get used to opening the throttle so much. This is a circuit that is meant for a liter bike. For some that special moment has everything to do with 2 time WSBK champion Troy Corser. Directly learning from Troy and getting easily passed by this road racing legend goes way beyond just getting him to sign your shirt, though there’s plenty of that as well. Great photography is on hand so you don’t have to just try to remember that favorite turn, you can get of photo of yourself in it. Getting on the gas entering turn 17 onto the front straight is certainly a howl in the helmet fun spot. Beware, you’ll need to keep an eye out for that famous Aragón wall. While riding, your eyes will be bouncing from apex to braking point, at which point the wall will be behind you. Take a good look around the paddock during your track days at Aragon. A track day in Spain is more than just a local affair. Your track riding brethren come from all over Europe to ride this circuit and you’ll see some big money in paddock and hear a many different languages being spoken. Relax, the default among strangers is always English. Aragon like any MotoGP circuit, is smooth wide and safe with lots of run off areas but will it be your favorite? There’s only one way to find out but it will certainly be the fastest course you’ve ever ridden. The back straight is mind bending.

Local professionals who are crazy like you

If you want to have that authentic moment in a foreign country then you need local expertise. It really helps if that local guide shares your passions in life. Sergi “Slim” and David are your local connection in Barcelona. Both speak English, Catalan and Castilian Spanish. They know the roads, they know the food, they know the language, and most importantly they are track riders like you. They understand your obsession. This is not a normal motorcycle tour that travels at a pleasant tour bus pace. You’re riding with a group of track riders. In general that means riders that are smoother, safer and faster because they’ve got the skills. When the road says “Fun!”, those who want to answer the call head to the front and follow Sergi as he wicks it up. Sergi doesn’t ride at an unsafe speed, as a track rider he just has greater skills. Skills that allow you to follow along at a pace you enjoy. Cat MacLeod your overall tour operator, rides in the middle of the pack keeping an eye on turns and keeping the group together while David does amazing things with the luggage van around corners bringing up the rear. Whatever speed is going make you smile that’s the speed you go. There’s no fear of not being fast enough or being stuck in a dull mule train or always having to watch behind you to make sure the next rider makes the turn. Everyone regroups when complicated turns have to be taken to stay on the route. This style of tour riding alone increases the probability of more “Oh damn this is awesome” moments. Up at the top of say… Col D’Aubisque, Sergi waves you into the small parking lot after you’ve just railed the tight twists at YOUR pace. Looking out over the expansive vistas of the Pyrenees with only the sound of laughter and the ticking sound of cooling engines, you’ll know, this is why you left home.

Your knee dragging family

The track riding community is the same all over the world. It’s a supportive tribe of lunatics who understand the thrill of speed and mental peace that comes from chasing apexes on rumble strips. A Leod Escapes tour group is never a group of strangers. It’s an enabling support group for track riding addicts, ready to bust loose on the ultimate playground. While every tour is different because of who arrives at the airport the ultimate outcome in Spain is the same. You’re going to have some insanely fun days and probably some wild nights because you’ll be spending 10 days with people just like you.

So did it work?

In a word, absofuckinlutely. The 2018 Spanish Pyrenees to Aragón was a pure success. Leod’s”Track & Tour” recipe is simple but it’s the authentic ingredients of each nation make the flavor of each tour so different. Direct comparison is impossible. All the planning of the right elements is a key factor but it’s the riders who come on these tours that make the dream real. We all return home, regaling our friends with tales and savoring the memories of those perfect motorcycling moments. Wanna go for a ride?

A look at Leod Escapes long anticipated “Track & Tour” vacation with track instruction by Troy Corser

(Riding into the Pyrenees with great days ahead)

(The right place, the right time with people just like you)

(Placa de Catalunya, if there were a center point of Barcelona this would be it)

(A Catalonia Independence Flag flies high over Cardona Castle)

(Railing down Col Du Tourmalet)

(Another great day, another night of good food and wine)

(First course in an 8th century palace)

(It’s not supposed to be fancy. Tapas are just creative fun bar food, so grab a drink and explore)

(Parking bikes in front of our palace for the next 3 nights)

(Cardona Castle is so large it’s difficult to take a photo of it but it’s fun to sleep there)

(Sometimes a little bit of the past creeps into your modern room set inside a castle)

(Aragon makes you flog a liter bike like it’s a 600, it’s that fast)

(Route guide Sergi “Slim” makes sure faster riders don’t get bored)

(Six different nationalities in this picture, it’s doesn’t matter, we are all track riders)

(David, Cat, Sergi and Nancy set the stage for fun and handle the troubles)

Italy Tours In Depth Video – How it works and what riders love about it

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 15:21:00 GMT

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Do I need a special drivers license for Europe?

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 21:05:00 GMT

To ride in Europe, you do need an IDP by law.

https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpapplc.html

https://www.caa.ca/international-driving-permit/

The post Do I need a special drivers license for Europe? appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Stay Powered when you travel

Sat, 25 Nov 2017 19:09:00 GMT

This applies to every tour we run.

You are going to use your smart phone much more than you normally would when you travel. Listening to music or watching movies on the flight. Taking photos and posting to social media while you are on tour. Tracking your location on smart phone maps while walking in a strange city. When you are out of power, you are out of contact in a strange place. Cat uses the Antigravity Batteries AG-Micro-Start Sport. You can get 3 full charges out of it for cell phones, or 2 for big display iPads. You can charge up your GoPro camera in the top box, because GoPro camera frequently power on and drain their batteries when you don’t want them to. You can recharge it with a USB micro cable so no brining along an additional power supply. It has a handy built in flashlight and finally you can jump start a car with one of them. Yes, we’ve actually done it and certainly any motorcycle will jump. Plus, it comes from a company dedicated to PowerSports, so your money goes to support the industry you love. If you are interested, here is the link https://shop.antigravitybatteries.com/products/micro-starts/sport/

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Prosciutto, Prosecco & Panigales… what the Italian Dream tour to Misano or Mugello is like

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 13:49:00 GMT

 Only an Italian can do it

Italian culture is a national treasure. It’s the source of Italy’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. It’s why Italian design is sought after around the world but it’s also why things can take a frustrating long amount of time to get done. The Germans have a procedure. The Spanish seem exist on “it’s good enough”. The Aussies don’t always know what they are doing but they are proud to get it done anyway. The Italians need to feel good about something or they aren’t as interested. Food, sex, art, friendship, love and passion of all kinds drive these people. It is often said that Americans live to work while Italians work to live. That means that one way to get things done is to bring a little “life” into an Italians work. This a country of relationships. In a world where favors and jokes drive people more than money or pride, you need an Italian to get the job done.

Enter Enrico our man in Rome. Besides knowing the best backroads in Italy, Enrico used to produce TV commercials. He knows all about schedules and logistics and planning. More importantly he also knows how to create and maintain relationships with his fellow Italians. How to get a special favor from the hotel. How to joke with the waiter and find out the best dish on the menu. How to work even the toughest gate keepers in Ducati with charm to get our clients something no one else gets. For this you need an Italian who knows how to make people feel good. Enrico isn’t just an entertaining part of our Italy tours, without Enrico we would not get the authentic Italian experience. In a world where some tour companies will let a Russian give you a tour of Spain, we know better. When it comes to Italy, only an Italian can show it to you right.

Hot priests of Rome

For 14 thousand years people have been living in Rome. The cycles of history repeat and it’s sometimes a wonder that remnants of the past remain as each successive generation puts it’s on mark on the city. It is however those remnants that tourists come to see. Leod Escapes as a brand has an aversion to tourist traps but the spectacle of Rome is worth wading through the tacky to witness the amazing. For over a 1000 years Rome and mostly the Catholic church has been honing it’s skills at creating tourist/pilgrim traps. You have to hand it to them they are really good at it. The Baroque and Renaissance cathedrals still work their magic on visitors today. By selling “indulgences” and using “relics” to attract pilgrims for centuries, Rome in particular has financed one of the most impressive collections of art and architecture in the world. As a track riding adrenaline junky, churches and ancient monuments may not be your thing but it is really worth it to arrive an extra day or two early and take in this incredible city. This is also a great city to pick a shady spot and watch the cycles of life unfold. You’ll quickly notice the business of the church means hundreds of visiting priests and nuns from all over the world are a whole separate market that the city has learned to cater to. Our favorite evidence of this is the “Priests of Rome Calendar” available at many of the generations old souvenir stands. It is very tasteful, very professional, and gayer than pink suede. It’s also so ubiquitous that it’s pretty clear the church’s stance on homosexuality is certainly evolving with the times. You are bound to build up an appetite doing a lot of walking around the “Eternal City.” Don’t worry, Enrico wouldn’t dare let you eat where tourists eat. His family has lived in Rome for 7 generations. In the evening you will dine like a Roman.

Riding through little stories

Getting off the beaten path is what we do on every tour but the results are not the same. In Australia we feel like we are on a journey through a barely tamed wilderness. In the Alps we’re dropped into the set of a fantasy movie. On our Italy tour it’s a romance novel. This tour is not about grand vistas of vast wilderness but the tales of peoples lives who have lived in these little towns for centuries. You’re riding past old walled cities, vineyards, farms linked together over rolling hills. It’s not just the old and the quaint but the flare and character of the Italians. Everywhere you see signs of a passionate life, lived through tragedy and joy. The curves of the centuries get repaved, the same stories get retold with modern props but it’s still Italy.

Vale! Vale! Vale!

A habit for enjoying the moment is no more evident than watching MotoGP at some small little cafe in Italy. We do this every year and it always a memorable moment. A patched wifi connection to a laptop, a video cable plugged into a big screen TV and we’ve created a local event in a small village. Sure you’ve watched MotoGP on your computer or maybe with some friends at an accommodating sports bar. Now try watching it with a bunch of passionate Italians in some little bar in a mountain village somewhere between Sienna and Bologna. Yes it’s fun, now imagine what happens when Valentino Rossi wins. Visting motorcyclists supply the entertainment with a laptop and a MotoGP account. The little cafe serves up the priceless atmosphere. Something that is only possible when you have a charismatic local Italian guide.

Watching passion being built

If you are reading this, chances are you’ve ridden more than a few bikes. You know some have character, a personality that an experienced rider can feel. Late at night when Italian engineers and designers are arguing over wine, I feel certain that someone puts down their glass and asks the question, “Yes but will it be fun?” Then a crucial design is made. Only the Italians would ask this and that’s why I think an Italian bike is often more than just a machine, it’s something riders love. That doesn’t mean there aren’t times when you hate it but there’s no doubt this is a machine you feel. No place exemplifies that more than a little factory in a small industrial district outside Bologna. Even with Audi’s cold hand on the purse strings Ducati is still very Italian. The factory tour is a nice mix of facts and deft public relations spin. The lines are technically interesting to watch but nothing really hits you until one by one each bike is rolled into the dyno. When it’s fired up for the first time you think of the future that lies ahead for this bike. You realize you’re watching someone’s baby being born right there. The miles of exhilaration that this one machine will bring. The joy someone will experience just looking at it in their garage. This is a special moment for a motorcyclist. The Italian passion of this relatively small motorcycle producer makes the Ducati brand is extremely powerful. The race department doesn’t exist just to drive innovation either, it also exists because to an Italian, winning races is really really fun.

Misano versus Mugello

Both of these are Italian MotoGP tracks, which means the pavement is superb, the safety standards are top notch and the pit facilities are excellent. Misano has the honor of being named after Marco Simoncelli while Mugello is just flat out renowned period. Misano has the bonus of being right on the Adriatic coast so you get to stay in a beach resort while you are there. The final plus of Misano is Valentino’s home town of Tavullia is just down the road and we can include it on the tour. Mugello as a track is more beautiful and due to it’s elevation changes is a bit more fun to ride. The point is neither is a disappointing option, so at Leod we choose which ever one is the more convenient time for the tour.

Dario Marchetti’s Red Pageant

It’s amazing how much has been written about the Ducati Ride Experience both by Ducati and by reviewing press yet people still ask a lot of questions about how it works. This is probably because for the most part Ducati looks at the DRE as an engaging branding experience and journalist are looking to please the Ducati PR department. First off yes it is awesome and yes it is expensive but we feel that to come to Italy and ride a Ducati Sportbike on an Italian track with a bunch of Italians is about as authentic as it gets. We’ve run with both the “Track Warm-Up” and the “Track EVO” events. The “Track EVO” event is supposed to be for more advanced riders but because people are generally picking an event that suits their calendar rather than ability the events end up being pretty much the same experience for our group. The “Track Warm-Up” event means you spend the afternoon before the event doing training drills and getting used to the bike. While the value of the drills for improving your skills could be debated the drills also serve another purpose. The instructors running the drills are taking note of your performance and putting you into the appropriate group. How these guys can gauge a riders’ ability to handle a Panigale at speed just by watching them fuddle about on rough parking lot pavement around cones is beyond me but they manage to do it.

The next morning the real fun begins. There’s the big intro as to who the guest instructors will be. Lots of minor champions and usually one or two big champions will be on hand. Get passed by Carlos Checa or be lectured about your braking technique by Andrew Pitt or realize the guy behind you in turn 5 is Michele Pirro. These are fan moments only Ducati serves up and they are damned cool. After some very basic classroom instructions that feels like it’s been edited heavily by lawyers you are assigned with four or five other riders to your instructor. Finally it’s time to get a feel for what the Panigale was really made for. The bike is torturous at parking lot speeds but once on the track it is absolutely brilliant. Your instructor takes the first session to show you the proper lines. On each lap a different student swaps in directly behind the instructor to see exactly where to put the bike in each turn. Then it’s time one by one for a student to take the lead and try to replicate the lines. Session after session goes this way all day with your top level coach giving personal input on each student on how to improve. If this sounds like you are trapped in a slow group think again. The groups are very well matched together and abilities are pretty close. Besides if you are going a tad slower than your top pace then there’s no excuse for you missing an apex is there? Being required to slow a bit makes you practice the nuances until it’s your turn to impress your teacher… or completely blow the turn. Given the expense of repairing a Ducati and the low 500€ deductible it is remarkable how fast you’ll find yourself going in a rather short amount of time. It’s also surprising how few bikes do go down during the whole day.

This is a very Ducati day. It’s like an upscale track school with attractive hostesses and espresso. I’m sure the DRE is pitched to the accountants as a marketing event to drive bike sales and to be honest it does. Leod Escapes clients have come away from the DRE with nothing but praise for the bike and more than one has gone straight home and purchased one. It is however much more than that. The DRE imparts passion into the participants which can not be measured with marketing surveys or spreadsheets. It’s one of those infectious experiences that people won’t stop talking about for months. The optional photo and video package however will keep riders social media well supplied for at least two years. We’ve also seen the photos be very effective on dating sites.

The four hour ritual

Even with the increased pace of modern life the importance of savoring the moment still reigns supreme in Italy This of course applies to food. What passes for pasta in most of the world seems like overcooked plastic mush once you’ve eaten in Italy. We do take a few opportunities to sample Italy’s upscale restaurants but the quality found in an unpretentious cafe is often the real surprise. The nature of the ingredients and Italian culinary skill makes absurdly simple dishes here a revelation of taste. Italy is a place where you are always tempted to linger longer in a place than you should. The culture demands that you slow down and enjoy what is before you. This means it is not just the food itself but the time taken to savor it that matters. Italian eateries don’t operate on high client turn around rushing people in and out. A meal particularly in the evening is a time to relax, converse, drink wine, enjoy some food, drink more wine, laugh, enjoy another course and then repeat. This means any dinner in even the most modest Italian restaurant is not just a meal it’s a social event. It’s a four hour ritual that you get used to very quickly.

Life as it should be ridden

We rip up back roads following Enrico, who in classic Italian character sometimes smokes while he rides. We occasionally go ahead of Enrico and push the performance of our Ducati or BMW street bikes to even higher speeds. We’ll dodge notoriously fast Italian drivers while navigating cobblestone streets. We’ll rail around a MotoGP track following champions and push our abilities. These sound like heart pounding moments with people seething with excitement and they are. The irony is of all our tours, this one is the most relaxing, because it’s Italian.

Dragging Matilda Explaining the essence of the Leod Escapes “Australian Curves to Phillip Island” track and tour. Wallaby! Wallaby! Wallaby!

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 18:43:00 GMT

Check In, Zone Out

I wax rhapsodic about the philosophical wonders of international airports. The hope it inspires. The cavalcade of unusual faces. The absurdity of the high end duty free shops. The familiar smell of Haribo gummy candy and surprisingly good food at unreasonable prices.These unique international waters are comforting. They are a mix of what our species has collectively agreed is civilization, both eminently familiar and novel at the same time. I love it and it’s a good thing to because something uncomfortable is coming.:The flight.

My trick is to warp my head out of time. It’s takes me about 2 hours to get into this self induced altered state on consciousness. Normally I’d relish the thought of telling readers about wonderful times I’ve spent a bit out of my skull, but this isn’t one of them. This mix of anti-inflammatories, melatonin, droning podcasts and bad super hero movies mixed with allergy meds is so secret my conscious mind doesn’t know the formula. It serves a purpose though. This particular contorted ritual makes me loose track of time. It’s damned useful for flights to Australia because it’s a long flight. Australia is worth it and here’s a few reasons why.

Old Rocks, New Country

Australia is the oldest continent on earth and has been isolated by water for over180 million years, but the nation of Australia is just over 100 years old. While the large cities of Sydney and Melbourne have an Australian feel they aren’t that different from your standard metropolis anywhere in the world. Once you leave the cities though, you begin to understand a bit more about Australian character as a reflection of the land they are in.

This is a big, wide open country and “modern civilization” has only had about 100 years to try to take hold. The land is formidable and unlike any in the world. A practical pioneering spirit still reverberates through the culture. People here value hard work, hard play and clever resourcefulness. Aussies are more willing to take a risk for a laugh or chance at profit than your average European or even American. That’s not to say there aren’t lazy or bureaucratic Aussies, it’s just in Australia you’re expected to make fun of them.

Getting out in it

On our European tours, well paved roads have existed in some places for over 2000 years, here in Australia, roads are a fresh sight. Yes we are riding on pavement 98% of the time but these roads are new. The Omeo highway, the curviest road in Australia, was recently paved for the first time in 2016. The road design was overseen by a motorcycle enthusiast, who cut down the trees in the sight lines for you. This wide open country makes fuel stops feel like outposts rather than conveniences. In some cases we work hard to select just the perfect route for maximum fun. Other times the road we need, just doesn’t exist yet and we have to take the long way round. The main road, and really the only road along the eastern coast is a roller coaster of gentle hills with high speed sweepers. Just enough curves to keep things entertaining while at the speed limit. The twisties through the Snowy Mountains are tighter and can be relentless. We have heard people laugh as they complain, “Are we going to get some straight road soon?” Even the Great Ocean Road along the southern coast, rivals the best of California Highway One, north of San Francisco. Forget the dusty desert outback, we ride though vistas of gum tree forests, wide open range country, and misty rain forests. This is the Australia you don’t see on TV and it’s brilliant.

Barbie is a doll and they are called prawns

Just forget any Australian slang you think you know, you’ll pick up a bit while you are there and it is a lot of fun. Fosters, aka “Buzz in a Drum” is not a popular brand at all in Australia. No everyone is not descended from convicts from the UK. Yes, Aussies can have an alarming capacity for alcohol and do actually eat vegemite. No, you won’t like it. One of the great aspects of Australia for most of our clients is Australians speak a variant of English. They enjoy genuine conversations and make little time for vacuous chit chat. You will get to know Australia though it’s country and it’s people in a relatively short time. Other things like understanding Aussie rules football will take longer… a lot longer.

The Man from Snowy River

When Hollywood needs a man’s man they frequently try to cast Australians. This is a place where alpha male habits of bravery, diligence and whit pay off or get you killed right quick. Small wonder they turn out talented motorcycle racers. Their attitude to physical danger and physical injury is so casual that it’s downright comical. Part of that reason is due to the Australian sense of status, they don’t really value it. Wankers and knobs who are full of their own self importance will get the stuffing punched out of them fast. This is not to say that Aussies on the whole are unsophisticated. They are some of the most well traveled people in the world and have global tastes and are surprisingly well informed. Like any pioneering spirit they genuinely enjoy learning new things, they just won’t be bragging about it. They won’t be paying homage to what is proper either, they’ve got a job to get done. It’s best summed up in the phrase, “We don’t always know what we are doing, but we are going to do it anyway.”

Getting a bit soft

Our cross country curvy route from Sydney to Melbourne is a not place for tourist buses or tourist accommodations. We stay were Australians would in small resort towns. Aussies don’t feel a need for status conscious accommodations. They want something comfortable and convenient, not stylish and pampering. To want the latter means you may have gone a bit “soft”. Instead of new furniture and fancy entertainment systems you’re more likely to find practical comforts, like in-room laundry, a giant bath tub or hot water pressure that could peel paint.

Critter Calls

Australia’s signature animals are hardly endangered. kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and echidnas are more than just models for tourist t-shirts, they are road hazards. It’s very likely your first sight of an Australian animal will be a dead Wallaby on the side of the road. The bloody things are everywhere and are far more likely to be a danger to a motorcyclist than any of Australia’s notorious poisonous creatures. After seeing so much roadkill we make a point to stop by a hidden spot we know in the national park to see live wild kangaroos. The only animal that’s famously Australian and not seeking death on the highway, is the kookaburra bird. We’ve managed to hear it’s laughing call in the wild a few times. Thankfully the heavyweight Wombats only come out at night and the tire destroying spines of the echidna are rare, though we have seen them in the wild. As for concerns about poisonous locals taking a bite out of you, just follow the simple bush rule: never put your hand someplace you can’t see. After 4 years of running this tour, we’ve yet to see a single one of these Australian biohazards. All the local medical clinics are stocked with anti-venom and Australian’s attitude about it is again comically relaxed. Animal lovers will be happy to know we do take some time on Phillip Island to get up close and personal with Australia’s unique furry locals. If you are the spouse of an animal lover beware… your partner will likely be smitten and you’ll have to hear “Wallaby Wallaby Wallaby” for the next 6 months.

Meat Pies or Roti Pisang?

Australia may be a British Commonwealth country but thankfully they didn’t learn to cook from the English. Australians may not be much for fancy names but they do love quality food. Use of fresh ingredients and farm to table sensibilities in many places gets you a some great food in some surprisingly remote places. The typical Australian meat pie is still available everywhere but their popularity is waning. Asian immigrants brought their flavors to the cities first and now Malaysian and Thai restaurants are starting to show up in the remote resort towns. Seafood lovers will find a new array of southern hemisphere fish to try with Barramundi being a must. What do the guides look forward to eating? The roti and fried chicken at Mamak, a Malaysian food restaurant Sydney, the Penang curry at “Thai on the Isle” in Cowes and smashed avocado on toast for breakfast available everywhere.

Double Apex the Southern Loop

You ask any MotoGP racer what their favorite course is and over half of them will say “Phillip Island.” Why? As much as the facilities, town and welcoming Aussie fans are a plus, it really comes down to the track itself. The pavement is like riding on sticky sandpaper. There’s only one blind turn and that’s the slowest section of the track. Above all there’s more than one fast way around the track making it a battle ground track where it’s fun to play with your buddies/rivals. Conditioning wise the track will take it out of you with it’s sustained G-Forces on high speed left handers. If you think Siberia Curve will give you a break from the left G-Forces think again, it’s banked and can be taken at much higher speed at the apex than you’d initially think. The sweeping approach to the straight means you are hard on the gas long before you straighten out. Beware, the lovely ocean view as you’re hitting your top speed can be a bit distracting and pull you off line. With multiple lines, clear views and confidence inspiring pavement speeds quickly pick up. Riders there for the first time get up to speed fast so their second day is all refinement and fun. The fast track, the sea air, friendly Aussies and the best circuit gift shop we’ve ever seen makes this our favorite course with Mugello a close second.

Resort town with a Side of Petrol

Phillip Island’s main town of Cowes is a small resort spot for city dwellers in Melbourne. While the track and the local fairy penguins bring in tourist dollars, the desire for the stream of locals on a weekend holiday keep quality high hoping for that repeat business. There’s more than a few motorcycle racing fanatics that double as track workers who live here. Plus this town has the best MotoGP fan shop we’ve seen anywhere in the world. For a motorcycle racing fan this spot could be the best spot in the world to have a vacation home. There’s a reason we spend three nights in this great little town.

Good on ya Australia

Of all our tours, Australia consistently runs the smoothest and that’s largely due to the Australian attitude. The wide open country means that services can be sparse but those that do exist do the job right. From food, to race tracks, to absurdly cute animals, even cheap travel souvenirs, the Aussies deliver. So “Cheers Mate”, we’ll see you again this December with a fresh batch of wild eyed track riders.

“Guta Laune” – Tales from behind the curtain of the Sachsenring & Italian Alps Track & Tour

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 13:41:00 GMT

Okay what the hell?

At Leod Escapes we run motorcycle tours with track time on famous circuits. That means for 9 to 10 days you are in a destination far from home. You’re riding the back roads on sport touring machines and doing some track time on proper sport bikes. Everyone on the tour is a track rider. This one element changes the flavor of these tours completely. Track riders are distilled motorcycle rider concentrate with a talent for mitigating risk while pushing limits in every area of existence. That alone means this is not your standard motorcycle tour but the environment of our Sachsenring & Italian Alps tour adds 100 horsepower to the equation. The potential for mayhem grows exponentially, let me try to explain.

Brothel Belch on the Futon

I’d been bouncing in and out of various forms of sentience in the back of the luggage van for several hours. Mattias is filled with dangerous ideas, but the futon left in the back of the luggage van was a good one. A bump and some braking slid me forward a few inches and made me belch. The smell of cheap brothel vodka and Nic Nacs, a fiendish German snack made by encasing a peanut a dorito-like shell, seared into my sinuses. It was time to wake up. My head in my hands, I looked down at the futon. Eleven days, that’s how long this roller coaster had been going and how long since these pants had been washed. Could we wash the futon? Eleven days ago, at 5:30am, Mattias woke me from this very cushion, at a rest stop on the Autobahn. We were driving to Munich to pick up clients that day from the airport for the yearly running of the “Sachsenring & The Italian Alps” tour. My turn to drive. My official time as tour guide had started.

No problem, this is the fourth year we’ve run this tour. I’ve driven the autobahn dozens of times. Mattias’s new VW transport van had the sports package upgrade. This plus a cigarette and red bull should be a wonderful way to start a tour guides day right? The rat bastard had taken a different route this year. He decided it was my turn to drive at 5:30am on the A7. This is a road where men with names like Gunter and Thorsten grit their teeth and commute behind the wheels of their 911 Turbos. This is not a tourist friendly wide, flat, straight stretch of autobahn, this is an A level, red group, pro commuter course. It’s dark, it’s foggy and the road is 4 lanes of high speed sweepers and serious hills. The road just kept throwing up those “circle with a slash through it signs”, the nationwide symbol for “game on”. Euro heavy haulers to the right, german sex on wheels to the left, curves and hills with no speed limit. This is no place for a squiggly van with a snoring ass-goblin in the back. I may have ridden 7 MotoGP courses to date, but B12 and nicotine are seeping out of my palms onto the wheel.

Drop a gear and kiss your rea r

The tour was off to it’s usual start. This tour has always been nuts. I love it and I dread it. Sort of like returning to a hot romance with a drug addiction on the side, strange days lie ahead. Other tours are a nice reward after months of hard work and planning but this tour is always ten days of fun mayhem and a whole lot of “WTF” moments. It’s our longest running tour so why doesn’t it run smoother? It’s the increased variables. There are just more volatile elements that are conspiring to make sure I only get 4 hours of sleep a night. It’s a constant battle and sometimes they win. Here’s a few examples.

Grits or Schweinshaxe

Mark Twain wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…”. He fails to mention however that sometimes it’s a tough bitch to kill. Guess who’s job it is to kill it and try to find a place for the body at 2am? Mine. This tour more than any other drops clients into the deep end of different cultures. Authenticity is part of our secret sauce but it creates unpredictable situations. Real Munich beer halls are not as used to out of country tourists as you might think. Americans are rarely seen in the small mountain towns of the Dolomites. As for the odd East Germany city of Chemnitz, near Sachenring, that’s a place that’s not used to visitors from outside Sachsen, let alone outside the country. When you get off the well manicured tourist trail, seemingly similar cultures collide. Why do most tour guides take their clients to tacky tourist traps? Because it’s easier, especially with Americans and Chinese. Most people in the world live within 8 hours drive of a foreign country. Adapting to different languages, food, drinking games, methods of flirting, standards of service and body language is part of their normal experience. The large geography of the USA creates insulation, ignorance and a fear of foreign places. Track riders know how to mitigate fear but new tracks are easier to adapt to than new worlds. There are dozens of examples of this but here’s a simple one.

For 5 days now, Dan’s face had looked like someone had swapped all the boxers in his luggage for briefs during the flight. He was just too embarrassed to say anything. He was having fun but required a bit more help from the tour guides.The joy of discovering something new was a childhood memory that took extra effort to coax forth. He was tired and thought something familiar might sooth him, grits. He was tired and teetering on the edge of an adult tantrum but grits at an east German beer hall? His accent and the noise alone meant there was no way the waitress was going to understand him, even if she knew what grits were. It was really loud because Americans outside of the USA for the first time always talk at double volume. To avoid the horror he’d experienced four days ago when he saw his first bidet, I switched into show barker mode. I lured him, after another beer, into trying roasted pork foreleg (Schweinhaxe) with a side of deep fried mashed potatoes (Croquettes). This was the nearest approximation to grits I could find on the menu. It took a good 15 minutes to convince him. A small celebration happens in my head as I have coaxed a very conservative man to try something he’ll never get at home. These moments are precious but they are also why guides are often very busy “guiding” during meals. The challenge now was to inhale my own Schweinhaxe in 2min. I had to guide a group of now drunk motorcyclists, on a convoluted, 4 block walk back to the hotel.

The Dolomite Brain Fairy

In the fading years, when the grim reaper comes to audit my clients books, chances are they’ll be telling him about those perfect moments in the Dolomites. I’ve logged 1000s of miles there and I’m still amazed. It’s just too idyllic. To my cynical mind it’s absurd that some people live in this paradise. It’s like some nerdy god decided to make an over the top terrarium for pet humans. From the impossible granite peaks to tiny details like flower filled window boxes. I mean the supernatural tweaker even put extra mascara on the cows. It gets positively ludicrous. For motorcyclists it’s an impossible dream of vistas and curves, and fellowship with riders from all over the world. This awesomeness creates a problem… the Dolmomite Brain Fairy.

As top riding coaches and neurologists will tell you, we have a finite amount of concentration. Each pass urges you on, another great set of curves, great pavement, surges of adrenalin and flat out “I can’t believe this is real” awe takes it’s toll and the horrid sounds of metal and plastic sliding on pavement soon follows. The Dolomite Brain Fairy strikes again and my day gets more interesting. The injuries are usually minor. The worst was a broken collar bone but picking up and transporting damaged bikes in the Alps is a nightmare. Which of course creates bizarre situations and plenty of stories. Ever have to ride the northern side of Stelvio 4 times in one day? Every wonder what the inside of an Italian Police station looks like? Sometimes crash delays can cause late night group rides on pitch black mountain roads you can only navigate by reflectors. Who wants to hear how a client got cursed out by the Swiss rider he hit, in the hospital bed next to him? Ever discover the BMW R1200GS has a “limp mode” it falls into if there’s even a tiny hairline crack in the boxer engine case?

Riders have their off days and to be fair it’s not always the riders fault. Yes even your author still cringes at the thought of the beautiful BMW HP4 I had to run into a barricade to avoid an idiot in an SUV. It may be the most amazing place to ride a bike in the world but beware the Dolomite Brain Fairy, she hates shiny new bikes.

Munich’s Natural State

German’s are well known for their ruthless precision and addiction to procedure. The side effects are occasional bureaucracy served up with a chilly personality at work. Germany takes pride in getting the job done right and it’s well earned. The same attitude thankfully transfers to leisure time. German’s love for a rousing booze up is legendary. Their beer maybe renowned but the national pride really lies in the act of drinking it with friends. In a country where breweries are as common as post offices, fabulous beer is everywhere but if you’re going to really party, you go to Munich. It’s not just in October. You’ll find blithering drunk groups of people celebrating in Munich year round.

The local people and police in particular consider drunks a humorous part of daily life. Probably because they know they’ll be just as inebriated soon themselves. Unless you are hurting someone the police just smile. Sometimes the police will help prop you up so you get that perfect drunken selfie. Munich dwellers are rather practiced at dealing with people who are completely hammered.

Motorcycle riders are independent minded people, track riders even more so… now add alcohol and stand back. The tour always spends at least two nights here. Many people arrive a night early for a chance to drink with the guides and then walk off their jetlag/hangover in the morning. Things go off script pretty fast.

The Matthias Factor

One key but unstable element of this tour, is the uncommon character of Mattias. He’s one of our German guides but is the most un-german German I know. He’s spontaneous, creative and is repelled by schedules, routines and procedures. The best and worst words you can hear from Matthias are “I have an idea”. He’s a bit of a genius but his ideas either turn out to be brilliant or disasters. He also has an amazing talent for convincing people to do things they shouldn’t, myself included. He’s the life of the party and an emergency problem solver. He’ll get you into trouble and then help dig you out. Who convinced two Italian mechanics to use a torch and hammer a beat a bent rim back into place so it would hold air? That’s Matthias. Who brought a keg of beer so people could have a fresh cold one the second they parked their bike? Who’s antics will conspire to make us late again? Who gets world champion superbike racers drunk? Who man handles an old ZX-10 around the Alps so a client who crashed a bike can ride his more comfortable BMW S1000XR? Who keeps you flush in cigarettes the whole night and orders another round of shots? Who convinces the restaurant to stay open late just for us? Yeah that’s all Matthias.

The final Matthias variable, he doesn’t pass out from drinking. His brain gets drunk in sections, until everything’s gone except what I call his lizard brain. He’ll stagger about like a drunken iguana for hours until he sobers up. Trying to get him back to his hotel room is like asking a wild animal to please get back in the cage, it’s not going to happen. You just turn him loose with a separate “drinking wallet” with 500 euros, a burner phone and a lanyard with tag on it that says, “If found, please return this man to the Park Radison Hotel” in both German and English. Matthias is not a normal human but he is our most requested guide.

Autobahn Day

To get from sport touring paradise to MotoGP wonderland we travel 450 miles in one day. First from the Alps to Munich by motorcycle, then from Munich to Chemnitz by cars. By now you are starting to notice a pattern. More chances for fun, more possibilities for delays and things to go wrong. This is the day to open it up and throttle on. It also means adventures in fuel management at high speed. Then there’s the crazy mid journey transfer of dropping off bikes and picking up rental cars in the span of an hour. Setting all the car GPSs to the Chemnitz hotel and sending a pack of track day junkies out onto the German autobahn and hoping for the best. It’s especially goofy when it happens on a Sunday and the only car rental places are at the main train station. The adventure never stops. Last year our clients drove through lightening storms and hail to get to Chemnitz and then had 2 full days of sun on the track.

The Attitude Adjustment

Lets get right to the heart of it. In central and northern Europe, sex is viewed as an enjoyable fact of life. The worlds oldest profession here is legal and regulated, making it safer for everyone. I once watched a dinner party ending at a restaurant in Germany and as couples were leaving I witnessed something I don’t think I’ll ever see in the USA. One gentleman said his goodbyes and began leaving on his own. A woman, apparently his wife, said in German, “Honey, do you have enough money for her?” She suddenly realized she’d said that a bit loud and began to giggle in slight embarrassment. Her husband, laughed slightly and said “Yes dear, I have enough” and walked out. For older couples where men still have a high sex drive but their wives are less interested, professional services are available. Certainly there are varying opinions but I’ve heard several Germans say this helps keep families together because there’s no affairs. In other cases I’ve heard stout testimony about how this calms men down and lowers the crime rate. Regardless, of all the destinations we serve this tour offers the best of selection of these types of services. A minority of our clients arrive with more pressing “needs” than others. It’s a rather sad state of affairs that some of them have gone “hungry” for so long but it’s my job to act as tour guide in these realms as well. Mishaps here are far less common than one might expect but it does introduce a variable as to how long our late night evenings might take. Dark festive lounges, a variety of service providers and the standard issue polite but ominous big men looking like giant action figures. More interesting is the sometimes vast difference between before and after. Some clients are far easier to work with after a simple “attitude adjustment” and I’ve been thanked profusely for it more than once and not just by the client.

Gute Laune

It had been an all nighter at the brothel, looking after several clients. The damnable sun was already up and I had airport transport duties. One of my favored establishments offers free drinks with the cover charge… a sensible businesses arrangement but takes it’s toll as the night goes on. We’d parked the luggage van in an Aldi parking lot but the gates were down. I was too drunk to drive but gave Randall clearance to engage in the Matthias style solution of driving the luggage van over the rather tall bushes so we could escape. It had been a good run. We’d had only one small crash in the Alps. Sachsenring had been two brilliant sunny days of shredding slicks with no crashes. Memories were made, livers abused, friendships had been forged over huge steins of beer. Many had contributed their own personality to give the tour a unique flavor.

Four trips to the airport later it was almost done. Matthias kept repeating the phrase he’d learned from a 3 day rock festival. He explained that each morning the crowd would be roused from their marijuana smokey haze with the words “Gute Laune” which roughly translates to “good feelings”. The crowd would reply back in “stoned out of their gord” German fashion “Gute Laune”. He’d managed to get everyone on the tour to say it right to. So it had been a tour of good feelings, the best yet…until next time. Randall thankfully was happy to drive north as I ate my bag of NikNaks and passed out on the futon. Gute Laune.

All the VIDEO about Leod Escapes Italy Tours

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 14:44:00 GMT

Clients tell you about riding with Ducati on Misano during the Italian Dream to Mugello/Misano .

The post All the VIDEO about Leod Escapes Italy Tours appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Videos of Australia Curves to Phillip Island

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 13:37:00 GMT

The post Videos of Australia Curves to Phillip Island appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Helmet Comm units. What you should know and what Leod Escapes uses.

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 11:13:00 GMT

This tip was originally written for Bikeminds.com by Cat MacLeod

Okay helmet to helmet communication is really cool and very useful. It keeps you and your passenger or wingman connected as you enjoy the road. You ride safer, there’s less confusion and there’s a great feeling of comradery as you share the experience while your helmets are on.

What you’ll love.

“Gravel on the right”
“I’ll need fuel in the next 40 miles”
“Wooohooo! Look to your left!”
“I’m gonna hit this curvy section hard, you ride your own pace, I’ll wait for you at the top”
“Hey could you soften the rear suspension honey?”
“Easy here, the cops like to set up speed traps just ahead”
“Hey I don’t see Rob and Molly anymore pull over.”
“So I got the new album and listened too it all weekend while riding.”
GPS DIRECTIONS – “On the next round about take the 3rd exit”
“This is Red 5 I’m going in”

What you’ll hate.

“Why won’t this thing pair?”
“What?” “I can’t hear you.”
“Reposition your mic, all I hear is wind noise”
“Voice command confirmed, Radio On” – at full volume static when all you did was cough
“Quit getting out of range man I can’t hear you.”
“Hold on we’ve got to pair these things again.”
“Honey could you stop singing in your helmet… I can hear you”
“Bob? Bob? Can you hear me?” – As you realize the unit has crashed again and you have to try to restart it with one hand…while riding a twisty road.
“Why won’t this F#&KIN@ thing stay paired?”
“The audio is so bad I can’t tell what song my iPhone is playing through this thing”

The problem is once you use it a few times and it works you are hooked. How long can you deal with the hassles of com gear that doesn’t work properly? Gesturing frantically trying to get people to pull over to repair bluetooth units. Dealing with voice activated mics (VOX) that always come on at the wrong times or not when you want them to. Bad user interfaces that turn on features you don’t want, flooding your ears with static at just the wrong time. Ranges that work for passengers and rider together but quickly fail on curvy roads past 100 meters. Hooking units up to your computer desperately hoping a firmware update will keep the unit from crashing twice a day on your next ride.

Parts that make or break the whole

New models come and go but the basics of good helmet communication remain the same. Vocal communication is talking and listening but you’d be surprised how some companies go cheap on these components. When reading reviews and examining units in person you should focus on a few things. You want to have GOOD speakers. An option to unplug the existing speakers and put in accessory speakers is a smart thing to look for. Stick in some serious earplugs and test the speakers. Are they REALLY LOUD but also CLEAR? Same goes for a microphone and it’s wind/noise canceling ability. One of the issues with bluetooth com units is that the channel is commonly left open. So, if you’ve got a poor noise canceling mic you could end up listening to someone elses wind noise the whole time or vice versa. Don’t be dazzled by an array of features you probably won’t use. The more things a helmet com unit can do, the harder it is to design easy to use controls. Ease of use is better than an additional feature you probably won’t use. Also the more features a unit has the greater the possibility that the software isn’t up to the job and will crash the unit. The most basic test. How easy is it for you to turn the volume up and down and power cycle the unit while wearing gloves? Do this with your eyes closed, because you won’t be able to see the unit when it’s on the side of your helmet or stuck to your bars.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth as a protocol was designed in the late 80s by Ericsson to be used for cell phone wireless headsets. While the Bluetooth protocol was never designed to work over 100 meters the range has been boosted by increasing the power. Max range of these units is about 1.5 miles in good conditions. Since the units do an analog to digital to analog conversion there’s always a tiny lag between when you speak and what your buddy hears. You are, in a sense, pairing two cell phone headsets together. Bluetooth is clever but it is a complicated digital protocol that isn’t always 100% reliable. It was meant for devices that stay in close proximity to each other and rarely go out of range. It can have a hard time pairing up two devices that constantly are in and out of range. If you are a rider and a passenger, bluetooth should work just fine. If you are a pair of riders who ride together, in reasonably close formation, you should be fine as well. Some units now use a bluetooth hopping feature that allows multiple units to be part of a small network. Thus extending the range by extending the network, provided all your buddies are using it. Also some riders link their bluetooth helmet units to their cellphones and then hold a conference call on all their phones. This ties up phones, and can be expensive but it works if there’s good cell coverage. Popular Bluetooth brands are Sena, Scala and Uclear with plenty of other competitors on the market.

GMRS/FRS

What’s old is now new. You know those handy little walkie talkies with a 4 mile range, a wide array of channels and a simple push to talk/transmit button? Those things boaters, campers, and low budget security people use… what if someone made one for riders that was small and fit on a helmet? That’s what Chatterbox does and the latest models are now similar in size to the bluetooth units but with double the range. Since the primary com protocol is radio, there’s no bluetooth pairing. Just set the channel frequency for two or 100 riders. It makes no difference. A limitation is that it when you are transmitting you can’t hear the other party and vice versa. So some simple radio talking formalities can be helpful. These units do use bluetooth to connect GPS and smart phones. This is top grade equipment with quality speakers and microphones and easy to use interface. They are also rather expensive. This is what touring companies and rider training schools use to keep their personnel in contact during group rides and track coaching programs.

Fine Okay, so what do YOU use?

There is no best product, only the right tool for the job. What’s the right choice for you? Commuter? You and your passenger? You and your small riding crew? I am a motorcycle tour guide. My needs are a bit more “industrial strength” than your average rider. I have used three different bluetooth brands and two GMRS/FRS models from Chatterbox. I’ve also seen countless other bluetooth models show up on my tours. I’ve seen the happiness when they work. I’ve also seen the frustration of my clients fiddling with tiny buttons on the side of the road when units don’t work. For my purposes I need the Chatterbox units long range, quality components and ease of use. I need clear communication between the lead guide and the sweep guide on a tour. I also need the simplicity of the push to talk transmit radio feature. I turn off voice activated mic options to keep the main com channel constantly clear between all our guides. Also our luggage vehicle can tune into our frequency with a cheap hand held unit. I will have to admit, I also happily use it for personal use and when I work with some of the top track training organizations so I’m quickly in the loop with all the coaches. As a tour operator, proper com that works, makes my tours run smoothly and I’m willing to pay a significant premium for the best, because for me, it’s worth it. Your needs may differ but at least now you can make an educated buying decision on what’s right for you.

Motorcycle Riding California High Sierra Passes Tips and Videos

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 07:45:00 GMT

“The Passes are Open!”

California has two major mountain ranges. There are 1000s of miles of great riding so the High Sierra Mountain Passes are something special. These are very empty regions, so take Leod Escapes tips on lunch and particularly fuel seriously. Also, some of these roads are very lightly traveled so stay safe because you are a long way from help.

When? These are high mountain passes that get covered in snow during the winter and only start opening up in mid-May to early June, and close when first snow falls.

How? These great passes are covered in Leod Escapes “California Curvin ” and “California Curvin to Laguna Seca” Tour. Custom tours that match your desires are easily created.

Which are the top motorcycling passes and why?

Carson Pass – 8,574 ft (2,613m) California Hwy 88. This is a great smooth scenic run with lots of sweepers that is good for beginning riders as it is the easiest pass technically and has low levels of traffic.

Tioga Pass – 9,943ft (3,031m) California Hwy 120. This is a beautiful pass road but heavily trafficked by Yosemite visitors and also heavily patrolled by park rangers. Enjoy the views but don’t expect to enjoy much sport riding. It’s a good road to relax on if you’ve had a full day and just want to take in the sites and don’t mind some RV traffic .

Ebbetts Pass – 8,736ft (2,663m) California Hwy 4. This is the advanced pass. It has some European style switchbacks, it goes down to one lane and the top and has some crazy undulations between the rocks. For advanced riders this road is an absolute winner. It’s also the least trafficked mountain pass in the Sierras. Enjoy!

What Women Want to Pack

Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:33:00 GMT

50% of what I bring is electronic equipment, so I
am used to packing VERY light.

Basic rule. Put everything you WANT to take
with you and put it on the couch/bed 1 week before leaving. Each day weed out about 1/2.

or you can do what I do:

In 1 Large suitcase pack your motorcycle riding
gear:

Jacket & liner

Pants

Boots

Gloves

Helmet

THEN,

use 2 Small duffle bags – 1 for non-riding days
(cities & travel) and 1 for
motorcycle riding days.

City & travel duffel:

1 pair nice shoes

3 pairs pants

4 underwear & bra & socks

4 shirts

swimsuit

Jacket for possible cold

Travel / Riding duffel

5 pair underwear

1-2 active bras

2 pair leggings for under the motorcycle gear

5 shirts – Light & airy & 1 long
sleeved for warmth

5 pair socks

1 pair bendable sneakers

1 windbreaker jacket that packs down, but gives
warmth.

A small toiletries bag for toothbrush, paste,
hairbrush, deodorant, minimal make-up and other small necessities. Always have a small bottle of medications for
anything you might need – Tylenol, Midol, Ibuprofen, Migraine medication,
anti-diarhea, nausea or sleep aid medication.

It’s never fun to have to search for a pharmacy
if you are hurting. This bag will get
transferred to your travel duffel.

Another hint to make space, is to bring clothes
on the motorcycle you don’t mind throwing away.

I always bring some shirts that have had their
last, and I toss them after wearing them all day. Makes your bag lighter
and gives you more room to pick up some stuff for you and relatives or friends.
You can go home with a Bondi Beach shirt, a bag from Rome, a Barca Jersey
from Barcelona, etc…

I expect the weather to be warm, but always plan
on layers. The mountains can get cold especially at night, and California coastal fog can be bitter cold in the mornings.

Bring your cell phone charger and get an
international plan before you leave. Usually you can get one for 21 or 30
days, and then it will automatically cancel. Be sure it does. If
you bring a camera, bring an extra memory card, and spare battery &
charger.

The post What Women Want to Pack appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Ride like an Italian

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 11:47:00 GMT

Everyone thinks Italian drivers are crazy, and to a certain extent they are, but they are also GOOD. Growing up in a major and old city like Rome will make anyone one of the best and quickest riders in the world. Italy has numerous road and street signs that are posted like every other European country with the standard Blue for major Motorway, Black for city or towns with the kilometers of when you will reach it posted, and the standard tourist destinations in Brown. Familiarize your self with the standard No Entry, One way only Signs and in Rome, the No Parking on one or both sides of the street.

Get used to seeing massive amounts of scooters, mopeds, and motorcycles, its the best and fastest way to get around and you can park most anywhere. Scooters and motorcycles will jockey for pole position at every stop light. Lane splitting is not only done, but expected of you. Honking is just a way of Italian drivers to let you know they are there, so you don’t run into them, it is not a mean or insulting gesture. You will see plenty of mopeds with Italians cheerfully talking on their cell phone with the cell phone tucked partway into their helmet – this is a normal part of life. Turn lanes are often used for passing lanes and during rush hours the emergency lane on the freeway(what we would consider the shoulder), becomes a motorcycle and scooter lane.

Follow your guide(closely) and embrace the madness. You’ll have great stories to tell your friends.

Italian drivers are aggressive and competent, and they will expect you to be the same.

The post Ride like an Italian appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

Rider Magazine Review of Italian Backroads to Mugello “Track & Tour”

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 22:18:00 GMT

Greg Drevenstedt of Rider Magazine was the most capable moto-journalist we’ve ever met and he was awesome to have on tour. Here’s the link to his article http://ridermagazine.com/2015/11/03/tour-review-leod-motorcycle-escapes-mugello-italian-backroads/

The post Rider Magazine Review of Italian Backroads to Mugello “Track & Tour” appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

VIDEO: Sachsenring & Italian Alps 2015 Review

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:54:00 GMT

Read our 2015 review of the Sachsenring & Italian Alps tour. Experience thrilling rides & stunning landscapes. Join us for your next adventure!

Video: What’s in the tour guides luggage? Part 1

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 15:18:00 GMT

We’ve learned quite a few tricks and discovered handy products for packing light and right on a Leod Escapes “Track & Tour”.

StopNGo

http://www.stopngo.com/tubeless-puncture-pilot-for-motorcycles-scooters-atvs/

Aerolite Extra Lightweight Large Folding Flight Bag

http://amzn.com/B006L4CWAU

Stackable Pill Organizer

http://www.forgettingthepill.com/products/stackable-7-day-pill-organizers-items-368-379

Antigravity Batteries AG-XP-3 USB Port

http://a.co/cDvpl8T

Travel Adaptor Guide

http://www.skyscanner.net/news/international-travel-plug-adapter-guide

Leatherman Charge TTi with bits

http://amzn.com/B00PG2VW5E

Chatterbox X2 Slim

http://chatterboxusa.com/collections/main-units/products/x2-slim

Rolo Travel Bag

http://amzn.com/B00KEDAKR6

Leod Escapes Travel Shirt

https://www.leodescapes.com/shop/product/3

Northern California Food

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 18:56:00 GMT

Whether you are on a self guided motorcycle tour we’ve put together with a GPS or are on one of our custom guided motorcycle tours in California you’ll want to know about food. Good food is important and sometimes it is the deciding factor in choosing a great California motorcycle route. Regardless of the curves or the view, it’s not a great California motorcycle road when you are starving. Even in places where the population is sparse like Highway 36, we know where to go for an interesting and satisfying meal.

San Francisco natives are notoriously picky eaters. The demand for fresh and flavorful food radiates out of San Francisco. The further you get away from San Francisco the more you get standard American food. The wine counties of Sonoma and Napa are the stars of fresh farm ingredients to your table. Most restaurants have agreements with local suppliers, so your food never comes from farther away that 50 miles. Even on self guided GPS tours we give you suggestions where we take our clients for lunches and dinners on guided tours but don’t be afraid to explore. Fresh-farmed oysters in Marshalls, BBQ in Walker, where Jeff begins cooking meat at 5am, fish tacos in the Sierra passes and great beer at the Eel River Brewery in Fortuna. A delicious meal while on vacation, makes a good day of riding great, so we pay special attention to food.

We rarely partake of the “free” breakfast offered my American hotels. The day should start with a good meal and we know where to take you for a good breakfast. Try the braised chicken breast omelette at “Grounds”.

California was part of Mexico before it was part of the United States so you can bet that authentic Mexican food is not only delicious, it’s also a good value.

Ever had fresh oysters right out of the sea and cooked right in front of you. We’ll tell you where to pull over right off Pacific Coast Highway 1 and grab a seat by the bay.

Find your new favorite food

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 17:14:00 GMT

Don’t be afraid to sample new foods and flavors. Experience the flavors of where you are, and further afield. English food is bland, curry is now England’s national dish. German fair is hearty and warm, but the locals love Turkish food with a passion. Australia has a plethora of fresh, flavorful fishes, but we fell in love with Malaysian food. The only problem with trying new things is that sometimes it doesn’t suit your tastes, but more often than not you’ll fall in love with a new type of food. So experiment, share and enjoy! So you ordered something and you didn’t like it, this is a low cost risk, order something else.

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Money and Credit Cards

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:58:00 GMT

We live in a digital and credit card age. When traveling Internationally, it is advisable to carry some cash in the local currency. It’s best to exchange money at your local bank or credit union, their rates are better than airport exchange rates. ATM’s are all over the world and getting more cash is easy, but will come with a foreign transaction fee which can vary widely due to country and individual bank policies. Always contact your credit cards and notify them of your travel plans and any large purchases or hold that will be placed on your card. All motorcycle rental agencies require a security hold or bond of $1500 up to €5000. These are held so that the bike returns to them and in the same condition it left. The hold for the security amount is then released. You may not want to use cash for everything but it is advisable to carry enough for food and gas where ever you are going. European and Australian credit cards operate on an EMV or “chip and PIN” technology. That means they are em-bedded with a microchip and you are required to use a PIN to verify security and authorization of payment. PIN’s on credit cards in the USA mean a cash advance and hefty percentages apply. So, use a local ATM and get the most cash you can – fees vary widely, and use cash for small purchases and your VISA or MasterCard for larger purchases, just remember to tell them to pass when they ask for your PIN. Leave your AMEX at home. Europe and the rest of the world operate primarily with VISA, so be sure you have one if you intend to make any purchases, and if you are a military member, your VISA should already have a chip & PIN EMV system in it. USA banking is just starting this system, so there are card to be found that don’t have foreign transaction fees and have the chip and PIN for 1 time transaction authorizations.

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Traveling with your mobile phone

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:49:00 GMT

When traveling Internationally, your cell phone is your lifeline back home. There are 2 options when traveling outside the USA for keeping connected. Purchase an International or Global plan from your cellular carrier for the time you are away or get a local SIM card. Both of these options will be expensive for calling people (use Skype), so the real pricing comes down to data services for the money. Check to make sure that where you are going will get coverage with an International plan. No need paying for something you can’t get. All carriers have plans – so pick one with a set time period – (your travel dates or 30 days), then select your data plan, and find out if you exceed the date allowed, if the plan will up you for the same or different pricing. Always expect to use more than usual and use local Wifi when you can. It is always safest to turn off roaming when traveling and put your phone in flight mode at night to conserve data and usage.

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But I don’t Speak…

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:33:00 GMT

The most common reaction I get when telling people I am going to a foreign location is, “but you don’t speak the language”. This is probably one of the most crippling fears of travel. The fear of not being understood. It’s true, I don’t speak anything other than English, but I have never had a problem communicating. Every culture knows a smile and nod is friendly. Asking for the name of a town will get you a barrage of directions, and when they see your confused look, you get directions in mime. You will figure it out.

The best thing to do for those who are not natural linguists, is to learn a few basic nicety phrases on the local language. Basic Greeting, Hello, Excuse me, Please, and Thank you will get you amazingly far.

Cash registers in stores and gas pumps in stations show the numbers you need to pay so you can get most of what you want without speaking a word.

It’s really all about attitude. If you are a polite interested guest in a country, looking to learn what you can, then you are halfway there. This attitude means you’ll come home with more than just pictures. You’ll return with stories and a greater understanding of our world.

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Airfare and Arrival for Northern California GPS Guided Tours

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:19:00 GMT

You’ve signed up to ride California’s great motorcycling roads, either on one of our GPS guided motorcycle tours or on a custom guided tour. Trouble is you have to get there first.

Where am I flying to?

You want to fly into SFO San Francisco International Airport. Don’t be tempted by Oakland or San Jose Airport unless you want to add an additional hour of ground transport time to your trip. Your hotel and rental bike are very close to the airport.

Any Airfare tips?

We often use Kayak.com to get a general idea about the airfare market and also try carrier specific websites like southwest.com and virgin america as they carriers are often not visible on aggregator websites. Generally we start looking into airfare about 3 months prior to departure.

When should I arrive?

If you’d like to arrange and extra day before the tour to enjoy the city of San Francisco Leod Escapes can arrange it and we of course have some good local tips for visitors. Otherwise you should arrive no later than 2pm on your first night in San Francisco.

What will I do once I land?

Your hotel has an airport shuttle. You’ll be given the number and you can call them once you are ready. The shuttle generally take about 5 to 10 minutes to get there.

When do I pick up the rental bike?

This is why we encourage you to get in no later than 2pm. You’ve got a great but long ride the next day. Pick up your bike that afternoon. The hotel shuttle van can give you a ride, the rental station is very close by. Sort out all your luggage so you are ready for adventure first thing… after breakfast.

The post Airfare and Arrival for Northern California GPS Guided Tours appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

How does the GPS guided element work?

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 15:57:00 GMT

This is the key piece that makes a Leod Escapes self guided tour a good value and gives you greater freedom. Few people know where all of California’s great motorcycle roads are. Which mountain pass should you take? Is there a great curvy route to that perfect little town? Food on the great “Serpent to the Sea” Highway 36 is sparse and not very good, but if you follow a short detour your GPS will get you fed very well. Which California motorcycle road has the fresh pavement? The route we’ve loaded on your GPS will take you there.

Your rental bike has a GPS on it that is already loaded with the waypoints and routes you need for your tour but that is not your only tools.

To make sure you enjoy your tour with a minimum of frustration here’s what is included.

Garmin GPS loaded with the routes and waypoints that is mounted and powered by your rental bike
A “Road Book” that gives you a break down of each day. The waypoints and routes you should use on the GPS and some local tips on fuel, food and what to expect.
A quality motorcycle map.

Read your map and “Day Tips” before starting a route

A GPS can guide you but it gives you a limited perspective on where you are going. A GPS isn’t perfect, sometimes it can tell you to do crazy things. Properly prepare for each day. Read your road book tips and waypoint list for each ride. Review your map prior to setting out.

Keep track of where you are on the route

If you happen to start up your bike in the middle of the day and the route is no longer active and you will have to select it again. When you select the route for the second time you have to tell where to start again. You will need to choose the next waypoint. To do that you need to know what waypoint is next, so keep track of where you are in the list of waypoints for that day.

How to start

Look at your road book. Look at the name of the route for the day. On your GPS press Apps, then Trip Planner, then find the route for the day on the GPS. Press it and select the starting point and off you go. If everything works perfectly, the GPS will guide you on the right roads all day.

What are Waypoints

A waypoint is a fixed GPS coordinate. The GPS on your rental bike contains many waypoints that have been preloaded to help you find places mentioned in this road book. These waypoints can be found on the GPS under “Saved” or “Favorites”. You can search for specific points by name in your GPS. One you select one, tell the GPS to take you there and follow it’s instructions and you’ll get there.

What are Routes

Routes are a collection of waypoints strung together to form a route. This road book will show the name the route on the right. On the left are the primary waypoints used to make that route. Sometimes the actual route has a few more little “helper” waypoints to keep the GPS on track but that’s more or less it.

The post How does the GPS guided element work? appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

What if I have never left the USA before?

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 21:23:00 GMT

First, get your passport NOW!

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Spain.html

Second, Leod Escapes took 10 riders out of the USA for their first time last year, you can do it too. You’re a motorcycle rider, International travel can’t scare you.

Third, relax, All the countries we travel to are safe and have quality medical care. Yes many people speak only a little English but you make do. Learn some basic Italian/Spanish/German words and phrases and make an attempt. It’s part of the adventure. You’ll get hooked.

The post What if I have never left the USA before? appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

How is the Ducati Ride Experience at Mugello or Misano structured?

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 21:16:00 GMT

You will be riding on Mugello or Misano with Ducati Rider Experience. This is not a typical motorcycle track/training day. Think of it as training with a champion with a heavy dose of Ducati branding. You’ll be riding the course with local Italians and Ducati brings out some of their top riders. Last Year we had Andrew Pitt for our group trainer. You may well want a few autographs from the training team before your day is done. Remember that the riders and instructors English is not the best and it takes them extra effort to communicate with you. However , also remember they are fellow riders just like you. Instructors are be there to teach you the lines and much more. You must have track experience to ride the EVO course with the pro instructors all day. If you are beginning track riding, you will be placed in the Precision Riding Course. Our Italian track day partner will get you placed into one of the groups. Mugello is a very technical track, there will be instructors in each of 4 classes to show you the lines and answer questions so you can best set up your corners for the next session. There are 5, 20-minute sessions in a day.

What about medical insurance?

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 20:55:00 GMT

http://www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/

https://www.sevencorners.com/travel-medical-insurance#/quote

The post What about medical insurance? appeared first on Leod Escapes International Motorcycle Tours .

How to book flights for our Italian tours?

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 20:43:00 GMT

VIDEO: Scott Russell’s lap of Sachsenring

Tue, 24 Nov 2015 20:39:00 GMT

Scott Russell joined N2 track days on our 2015 Sachsenring & Italian Alps Track & Tour. Here’s a little video of him stretching his legs a bit to ride a Moto GP track. Scott is on a stock S1000RR going past local racers with politeness and ease. This is Scott just doing things on at Motorcycle Track Day speed.

Motorcycle Touring Tips and Tales: Tricks and Travel Stories

2026 Leod Escape Schedule is RIGHT HERE!

People want OUT again. We haven’t seen demand this high since post Covid

Yes we stay here! Where oh where could this be?

Our Tips for the Perfect Base

When we make an “Escape” this principle is key – Finding the perfect spot – RESORT TOWNS

Why the Trippinar was created – A look backstage

How the Trackdays Work

Cancelation Policy

Leod Escapes Cancelation Policy

Trippinar – Rider Training, Travel Training, Freedom of Pace all at a lower price.

What’s a Trippinar

All Trippinars are the same price

What is included for this price?

What’s the YCRS aspect like on tour?

Okay! So what’s on the calendar this year?

See what riders say about the Trippinar

Munich to Mugello 2024 Customer Videos

Client Sean shows us how to “Ride the Dream”.

Munich to Mugello Day 1

Munich to Mugello Day 2

Munich to Mugello Day 3

Munich to Mugello Day 4

Munich to Mugello Track Days on Mugello

Munich to Mugello Day 10

Munich to Mugello Day 11

Our favorite Travel Wear… with a discount

How do you spot an American tourist “mark” in Europe?

Video Camera Tips for Traveling Motorcyclists

Hotel Sink Laundry!

Leod Endorses Bison Leathers – Discount Code & Bison Herd Glove Offer

Leod Escapes & Bison Track Leathers

Use the code at BisonTrack.com

What if you’re already wearing Bison? Well we got an offer for you for 2024 FREE GLOVES!

How a Travel Training Tour Works

You’re busy, we get it, here’s a quick breakdown

What’s on the schedule this year?

What is this how does it work?

What’s included

What’s the format

Wait you’re not some scam are you?

Leod Escapes “Track & Tour” here’s what you should know

Here’s this year’s “Track & Tour” schedule

Yes Fellow Track Rider… we are crazy like you

How a “Track & Tour” is structured

Leod Escapes is for intermediate to advanced riders

Leod Escapes is for riding travelers not tourists

As a fellow track rider YOU are the secret sauce

Get on the email list, we don’t send out that many emails.

2024 Tour Schedule and Status

Leod Escapes Tour Schedule 2024

2024 Motorcycles & Misfits Dolomites Training Tour Status as of Feb 9 2023: Over Half Full Still lots of good bikes

DATES: June 23 to June 29

2024 Munich to Mugello Track & Tour Status as of Feb 9: SOLD OUT)

DATES: June 30 to July 11

2024 Motorcycles & Misfits Castles & Curves Training Tour Status as of Feb 9: 2 SPOTS LEFT

DATES: July 14 to July 20

2024 Czech Out Brno & the Twisties of the East – Track & Tour (Austria, Slovenia, Czechia) Status as of Feb 9: 1 SPOT LEFT

DATES: July 27 to August 7

2024 Spanish Pyrenees to Aragon Status as of Feb 9: 10 SPOTS LEFT – RESERVE BEFORE MAY 1 AND GET FREE EXTRA NIGHT IN BARCELONA

DATES: September 1 to September 12

2024 Tuscany Travel Training Tour Status as of Feb 9: Just started taking bookings, about 20% full, lots of different bikes but not a lot of each model get yours now

DATES: October 6 to October 12

2024 Core of Catalunya Status as of Feb 9: 2 SPOTS LEFT

DATES: October 17-26

Chatterbox X2 Slim – It’s not just for tour guides anymore

Rider communication for group rides

Red Leader this is Gold Leader we starting our attack run now

Wait you made an instructional video?

Hey can I hear about what other people thought about the Chatterbox on your tours?

How to Prepare for Your Tour

Track & Tour, what, when, how and OMG which one?

Welcome Fellow Rider A “Track & Tour” is 11 to 12 Day Sport Touring Vacation with Track Time on a famous circuit. You might be saying “Okay, looks cool but how does it work?” So press play and read below.

What’s included?

What do I need?

Leod Escapes Track & Tour 2023 Calendar

How full are the tours? When should I reserve?

Tips on which tour is for you

Plan Your Escape

Is a “Track & Tour” right for me?