YDIM 1998
Yamaha Diversion ITALY Meeting

How it started On 8 december 1997 Gian(Lorenzo) Caccia from Italy invited me to meet in Como in Italy. On that invitation several responses came, which decided me to create a special webpage on this topic. Como is situated in the north of Italy, surrounded by several lakes. I have never been in Italy but several people tell me that it is a nice place to visit. Keith Straw from Germany directly answered that he and his wife Grace would join us and offered us his house and garden for staying their the night. Peter and Thereza Uhl for Austria also responded that they would join us. Michel and Priska Kiener from Switzerland will guide us from South Germany to and through Switzerland (I have never been there too!). And more people became interested.

Riding so far to Italy did me decide to complete the tour into a 14 days holiday. So I made a tour schedule which starts and ends in the Netherlands. There is no need to ride the complete tour. As people are living in different countries, they can join and leave whenever they wish. Notice that this Italian trip isn't organized by YDCN or UKDOG. It's a meeting between Diversion owners from different countries, knowing each other only through the YDCN-L mailinglist. As such, everyone is responsable for his own, for everything. We have some people staying on campings and some in a hotel. If you are interested, the best way is joining the YDCN-L mailinglist, otherwise write to Kim Kodde.

The Italy Tour will start on Thursday 30 July 1998

Blueprint of the trip
Day 1	Thu 30 Jul	Almere (NL) - Diekirch (LUX)	350 km
Starting point of the tour. There will be several meeting points on the way to Diekirch in Luxembourg. We will stay on Camping "Op der Sauer". Hotel people have to make arrangements now as the Chalets are not available in this period for one night.
Day 2	Fri 31 Jul	Diekirch (LUX) - Kaiserslautern (GER)	200 km
No-need-for-speed ride to Keith and Grace in Kaiserlautern.
Day 3	Sat 01 Aug	Kaiserslautern (GER) - Brunnen (CH)	390 km
Guided by Keith and Grace we ride through the German Black Black Forest to beautiful Switzerland. Nice mountains to climb and beautiful lakes to rest. Somewhere on the route we will meet Michel and Priska Kiener (CH) and Benoit and Dany Brosolo (FR). We stay the night in Brunnen (CH) and enjoy the fireworks of the Swiss National Day over the lake.
Day 4	Sun 02 Aug	Brunnen (CH) - Como (IT)	310 km
We have to say goodbye this day to Keith, Grace, Benoit and Dany. We leave Switzerland in the late afternoon and after 10 minutes we reach Como and meet Gian and his Italian friends. Gian had prepared the roadmaps for Como and can be found HERE.
Day 5	Mon 03 Aug	Touring in Italy #1	--- km
First day riding and sightseeing Italy Como lake district
Day 6	Tue 04 Aug	Touring in Italy #2	--- km
Second day riding and sightseeing Italy Como lake district
Day 7	Wed 05 Aug	Como (IT) - France	270 km
Official end of the Italy visit. Those not going with to France can either stay another day or go back home. The Dutch and Swiss delegation will go direction Lyon in France. We will do that in two days and spent the night somewhere in France.
Day 8	Thu 06 Aug	France - Camping Moto, Montclar	275 km
We go on for our second long stay, this time Camping Moto in Montclar, near Lyon. This is a famous bikers camping run by Jantje and Piet, two dutch people now living there. The camping has a swimming pool, bar, breakfast and bikers dinner (large plates). For those not camping, there are reasonable cheap hotels in the neighbourhood as this area isn't touristic at all. It is a good place for making day trips. We will stay here for 4 nights, enjoying our summer holiday.
Day 9	Fri 07 Aug	Camping Moto, Montclar	--- km
First day on Camping Moto
Day 10	Sat 08 Aug	Camping Moto, Montclar	--- km
Second day on Camping Moto
Day 11	Sun 09 Aug	Camping Moto, Montclar	--- km
Third day on Camping Moto
Day 12	Mon 10 Aug	Montclar (FR) - Vogezen (FR)	275 km
Following Route Nationale we go to the Vogezen and stay there somewhere....
Day 13	Tue 11 Aug	Vogezen (FR) - Diekirch (LUX)	275 km
We follow our route northwards to the last point, Diekirch again.
Day 14	Wed 12 Aug	Diekirch (LUX) - Almere (NL)	350 km
From here non-tourist direct to home. End of the trip.

Participants
City	name(s)	bike(s)	#bikes	camping	hotel	status
Austria
Vienna	Peter Uhl Thereza Uhl	Diversion XJ900S	1	no no	yes yes	confirmed confirmed
France
Belfort	Benoit Brosolo Dany Brosolo	Yamaha FJ1200	1		yes yes	confirmed confirmed
Germany
Kaiserslautern	Keith Straw Grace Straw	Diversion XJ900S	1		yes yes	confirmed confirmed
Italy
Caronno Pertusella	GianLorenzo Caccia	Diversion XJ900S	1			confirmed
Verano Brianza	Alex Chiolo	Diversion XJ600S	1			confirmed
*unknown*	Stefano Salmieri	Diversion XJ900S	1			confirmed
Netherlands
Almere	Kim Kodde Lida van der Kolff	Diversion XJ900S Virago XV535S	2	Yes Yes		confirmed confirmed
Terborg	Petra Wissing Eddy van der Meer	Diversion XJ900S	1	Yes Yes		confirmed confirmed
Nijmegen	Frank van Enckevort	Yamaha XJ900F	1	No	Yes	confirmed
Bodegraven	Chris van Hees	Diversion XJ900S	1	Yes		confirmed
Roosendaal	Emiel Nierop	Diversion XJ600S	1	Yes		confirmed
Roosendaal	Umit Ibikcam	Diversion XJ600S	1	Yes		confirmed
Duivendrecht	Paul Moens	Diversion XJ900S	1	Yes		group 2
Ens	Han Nobbe	Diversion XJ600S	1	Yes		group 2
Montfoort	Alexander v. Zutphen	Yamaha Fazer	1	Yes		group 2
Nijmegen	Bart Scholten	Diversion XJ600S	1	Yes		group 2
Switzerland
Basel	Michel Kiener Priska Kiener	Yamaha FJ1200	1	No No	Yes Yes	confirmed confirmed
United Kingdom
Burton upon Trend	Richard Redding	Diversion XJ900S	1		yes	confirmed

(*) The dutch group 2 are people that signed too late to make arrangements. We have decided that they will have to make their own arrangements for accomodation in Kaiserlautern, Switzerland and Como.

Route in progress
Day 1	Thu 30 Jul	Almere (NL) - Diekirch (LUX)	350 km
There will be a special Italy meeting this summer for all dutch participants to work out the dutch parts of this trip. For our stays in Luxemburg, the chalets are not available in this period. Those not camping need to find a hotel. First stop will be near AC Restaurant Nederweert (A2) where Eddy van der Meer, Petra Wissing, Frank van Enckevort, Richard Redding and Emile Nierop will join the group. Richard will arrive on July 29th and will stay the night in Nijmegem. Frank will guide Richard. Kim, Lida, Eddy and Petra will stay at Camping "Op der Sauer". Frank and Richard will stay in Vianden, around 10km of Diekirch. Camping "Op der Sauer" Route de Gilsdorf L-9201 Diekirch Luxembourg tel. +352-80 85 90 fax. +352-80 94 70 Auberge de Jeunesse L-Vianden 3 Montee du Chateau L-9408 Vianden Luxembourg tel. +352-834177 fax. +352-849427 Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Frank, Richard
Day 2	Fri 31 Jul	Diekirch (LUX) - Kaiserslautern (GER)	200 km
Around 10:00 Chris van Hees will arrive in Diekirch to join our Italy trip to Swiss. He will leave the group as we went to Italy. No-need-for-speed to Keith and Grace in Kaiserlautern. Address and route are known but will not be published. Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Frank, Richard Meeting Chris (Diekirch), Keith & Grace (Kaiserlautern)
Day 3	Sat 01 Aug	Kaiserslautern (GER) - Brunnen (CH)	390 km
Kaiserslautern to Freiburg in Breisgau, 200 km   (Route planned by Keith) Meeting Michel & Priska at the "Tankstelle Schauinsland" on the highway A5. Meeting time = noon (twelve o'clock). On the highway A5 there are the following exits from North to South: - Teningen - Freiburg Nord - Freiburg Mitte - Freiburg Süd The distance between two consecutive exits is 5 to 7 kms. Immediately (i.e. 800m) after the exit "Freiburg Nord" there is a gas station on the highway called "Tankstelle Schauinsland". Priska, Michel and their blue/grey FJ 1200 will be waiting for us there. Meeting time = noon (twelve o'clock). To get to the gas station, we must stay on the highway, i.e. NOT take the exit "Freiburg Nord". The fuel brand they sell there is "DEA". There is a snack-bar too and we could have a small lunch here. The phone and fax numbers are:   tel. 07665-1314 fax. 07665-3144   So we could contact Priska and Michel if there were any problem. Freiburg in Breisgau (Germany) to Stein (Switzerland), 80 km, 2 hours Nice roads with many bends through the southern Black Forest. We leave the highway at exit "Freiburg Mitte". - Freiburg - Oberried - Todtnau - Geschwend - Prdg - Todtmoos - Todtmoos-Au - (Wehrtal) - Wehr - Bad-Sdckingen - (Cross the Rhine = border Germany/Switzerland) - (Buy Swiss highway stickers at Swiss customs: 40 SFr) - Stein am Rhein - In Stein am Rhein we meet Benoit and Dany and their FJ 1200 Stein to Brunnen, 110 km, 2 hours - Stein to Mdgenwil: 35 km highway - Mdgenwil - Wohlen - Muri - Sins - Lindencham: 30 km normal road - Lindencham - Rotkreuz - K|snacht: 15 km highway - Küsnacht - Greppen - Weggis - Vitznau - Gersau - Brunnen    30 km beautiful road along the Luzern-lake (Vierwaldstetter-lake) 1st August fireworks over the lake in Brunnen. Night on a camping in Steinen (at the Lauerzersee) or at the hotel Mythenblick in Seewen/Schwyz (5 km from Brunnen) Hotel Mythenblick Bahnhofstrasse 118 6423-Seewen (CH) tel. +41-41-811-11-45 Camping Buchenhof Familie Reichlin 6422-Steinen (CH) tel. +41-41-832-14-29 Frank (single, SFr 60), Richard (single, SFr 60), Keith & Grace (double, SFr 110), Benoit & Dany (double, SFr 110), Michel & Priska (double, SFr 130), Peter & Thereza (double, SFr 130) Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Chris, Emiel Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Frank, Richard, Chris, Keith & Grace Meeting Michel & Priska (on route), Benoit & Dany (on route), Peter & Thereza (Brunnen)
Day 4	Sun 02 Aug	Brunnen (CH) - Como (IT)	310 km
4 famous alpine passes this day: Susten, Grimsel, Furka and Gotthard! Brunnen to Flüelen, 15 km, 20 minutes This beautiful part of the road along the Vierwaldstdtter-lake is called the Axenstrasse. It is a famous portion of the Gothard route and one of the most frequented roads in Switzerland (up to 10 000 cars per day in summer!). Flüelen to Wassen, 21 km highway, 15 minutes Highway along the valley of the Reuss river. Wassen to Innertkirchen over the Susten-Pass (2224 m), 45 km, 2 hours Who said she or he doesn't like bends? Innertkirchen to Gletsch over the Grimsel-Pass (2165 m), 33 km, 1.5 hours Gletsch to Hospental over the Furka-Pass (2431 m), 30 km, 1.5 hours If you don't like mountains, you're at the wrong place! Hospental to Airolo over the Gothard-Pass (2108 m), 25 km, 1 hour We reach the Tessin, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland Airolo to Bellinzona, 75 km, 1 hour Bellinzona to Chiasso, 50 km highway, 30 minutes Chiasso to Como, 6 km, 10 minutes After Chiasso we leave Switzerland and enter Italy. Hello Gian and other Italians! Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Frank, Richard Michel & Priska, Peter & Thereza Meeting Gian (Como) Leaving Chris (NL), Benoit & Dany Unknown Keith & Grace
Day 5	Mon 03 Aug	Touring in Italy #1	--- km
First day riding and sightseeing Italy Como lake district Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Frank, Richard, Gian, Michel & Priska, Peter & Thereza Unknown Keith & Grace
Day 6	Tue 04 Aug	Touring in Italy #2	--- km
Second day riding and sightseeing Italy Como lake district Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Frank, Richard, Gian, Michel & Priska, Peter & Thereza Unknown Keith & Grace
Day 7	Wed 05 Aug	Como (IT) - France	270 km
Official end of the Italy visit. Maybe we stay longer, who knows? If not, we want to go in two days to camping Moto in France. Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Michel & Priska Leaving Frank, Richard, Gian, Peter & Thereza Unknown Keith & Grace
Day 8	Thu 06 Aug	France - Camping Moto, Montclar	275 km
Second day of going from Como to camping Moto in France. Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Michel & Priska
Day 9	Fri 07 Aug	Camping Moto, Montclar	--- km
First day on camping Moto. Michel & Priska will look for a hotel in the neighbourhood Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel, Michel & Priska
Day 10	Sat 08 Aug	Camping Moto, Montclar	--- km
Second day on camping Moto Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel Leaving Michel & Priska
Day 11	Sun 09 Aug	Camping Moto, Montclar	--- km
Third day on camping Moto Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel
Day 12	Mon 10 Aug	Montclar (FR) - Vogezen (FR)	275 km
Following Route Nationale we go to the Vogezen and stay there somewhere.... Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel
Day 13	Tue 11 Aug	Vogezen (FR) - Diekirch (LUX)	275 km
We follow our route northwards direction Diekirch (Lux) Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel
Day 14	Wed 12 Aug	Diekirch (LUX) - Almere (NL)	350 km
From here non-tourist direct to home. End of the trip. Group Kim & Lida, Eddy & Petra, Emiel

Group Riding Rules No overtaking within the group Establish the order from the beginning, sorting by increasing degree of experience of the riders and/or the power of their bikes. The less experienced rider or weakest bike follows the group leader, the most experienced rider is the "tail-light" Each person is responsible for keeping in visual contact with the person BEHIND So if anyone breaks-down or has an accident then automatically the group will slow down and stop - alerting them to the problem. Sure, let them out of sight if you want, but YOU must be sure that the follower is still there. Answers to the question "Why should everybody keep contact with the rider BEHIND and not before?" can be found in the article Group Riding - Rubber Band Effect Do NOT ride for the person behind you, for example when trying to overtake Just ride as normal, if they can't overtake as well, that's their problem, just keep in contact until they can get past. Keep secure distance to the rider in front of you Faster cars or bikes (that do not belong to the group) must be able to overtake parts of the group (yes, there are cars that are faster than bikes!!!) On a staight line Rriders 1, 3, 5, ... drive on the left side and riders 2, 4, 6, ... on the right side of the right lane: | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | In bents, everybody takes the "secure path" (is NOT the ideal line you would take on a race track !!!). A description of the "secure path" is included below. Give space to the rider BEHIND you after (s)he had overtaken a car This means e.g. rider 1 on the figure above must go to the right side of the lane for a short moment when rider 2 comes near to her/him after an overtaking. What we want to avoid here is that rider 2 is forced to stay on the left lane of the road because there is not enough space on the left side of rider 1. Group leader halts only on places with enough room for the whole group The idea here is not to disturb the traffic Do not drive faster than legal speed I admit I don't always follow this one with a small group (2-3 bikes) but it makes much sense with a large group. Now, what are the "ideal" path and the secure path in a bent? Ideal path the one to take on a racetrack (never been there? try it!) where nobody will come from the opposite direction goal = maximum speed around the bent try to have maximal and constant radius enter the bent at the outisde of the track take the middle of the bent at the inside of the track exit the bent at the outside of the track example 1: right bent. enter the bent from the left side of the track, be at the right side of the track at midway and exit the bent at the left side of the track example 2: right-left S bent: enter from left side of track, pass the vertex at midway and exit the S on the right side of the traxk Secure path the one to take on an open road goal = maximal safety (and reasonable speed) around the bent goal = avoid vehicles coming from the opposite direction which are cutting the bent (unfortunately, a very common thing) try to have maximal visibility, DO NOT "CUT" THE BENT UNTIL YOU SEE ITS EXIT enter the bent at the outside of your lane stay at the outside of your lane until you see the end of the bent when you see the end of the bent, you may leave the outside of your lane example 1: right bent. enter the bent from the left side of the right lane (i.e. about 1 meter right away from the middle of the road) and stay there until you see the exit of the bent example 2: right-left S bent: enter the bent from the left side of the right lane (i.e. about 1 meter right away from the middle of the road). When you see the vertex go to the right side of the right lane (this happens to be the right side of the road also) and stay there until you see the exit of the S Ideal AND secure path (valid for bikes AND cars !!) brake BEFORE the bent. Stop braking at the beginning of the bent. Try to have the "right" speed at the beginning of the bent take the bent at constant speed and using a LOW BUT CONSTANT level of throttle. It's bad to have the throttle completely closed in the bent - and even worse to brake in the bent, but it's of course possible as long as you're not at the limit of adherence accelerate smoothly at the exit of the bent (not too abrupt !!!) the more you brake or accelerate, the weaker your adherence. The most constant your speed (=> low but constant level of throttle), the best your adherence. A special opinion about handling curves can be found in the article Handling Curves - A better Line.

Last update 04-Nov-2005