Le Mans on Two Wheels

[Chris (Liverpool Boys)]

Unfortunatley this coming Le Mans will have to be reduced to a shortish dash accross the channel and back on 2 wheels (motorised of course) and was looking for peoples ideas who have done on the various crossings ease of routes petrol stations (140mile tank range) etc.

Any help would be muchly apprecitated

[Lorry]

I had this problem a few years ago on a 100 mile range, and its worse now as many filling stations have shut.  With the 'van I've got about a 200 mile range and have problems every year.

Calais to Rouen should be OK as most of the aires have petrol and this is all on the signposts, but Rouen is a problem.  There is one on the way out in the middle of the industrial area, if its open.  Then on the N138 most of the villages had filling stations, but these were bypassed and took some finding.  Plus most are now at supermarkets, like the one at Broglie just south of Bernay.  Gace is good too.  Sees is a problem from memory, and Alencon gets bypassed, and the ones south of there are shut.  If going via Caen there is one at Falais ring road, and not many more.

Look for signs in the hedges, either a little petrol pump with "a 5 min/a gauche" or a supermarket with the symbol in the corner.  And there may be fuel on the new M138.

Remember the lazy b@st@rds go home at 5, so after then you can forget it, except the aires.

Do I win an anorak, or am I disqualified for not finding thge website

[Robbo SPS]

Chris. When i have taken my bikes i only found problems leaving middle of the night for morning ferries and waiting for the places to open.

Caen - LE Mans is on a tank easily.

Cherbourg maybe the best as its a favourite truck route, I had to fill on the N138 outside Alencon  for both Cherbourg and Le Havre and never had anyprobs after that. Its also a genuine 24hour station with people near the machines and everything.


I was surpised just how far i can go on a long run fully freighted up on my CBR600. 130 miles per tank at a genuinely happy continent cruising speed.

The cherbourg route is a quickie too.

Liverpool to Portsmouth is a good run, 4 hours ?

What about Poole, thats nearly as good, pain to find the ferry i believe but much less travel than dover and the BF rates Poole to cherbourg are good. Plus they have a fast ferry if times a problem.


The last idea is....

Hein Gericke sell a 5 litre fuel sack that folds away. Maybe a good idea for an extra 50 miles on a night run.

[Ferrari Spider]

What about Poole, thats nearly as good, pain to find the ferry i believe

Just a bit of info, Poole ferry is very easy to find, well signposted, a very good transport cafe by the ferry gates good breakfast before boarding, or stay locally with one of your CA chums  the night before.  What could be better.

Poole is use to receiving mortorcyclists, try coming down during the summer to the Quay which is closed especially for the Bike meet every tuesday, somwhere in the region of 2000+ bikers.

[jpchenet]

Yep, Poole ferry dock is very easy to find, and a very relaxed atmosphere.

Go through check in and tell them you are going back to the pub for a couple of beers and they'll point you over to a safe place to park at the side until you return. The Ferryman is just over the bridge before the turning into the dock.

[Ferrari Spider]

The Ferryman is the closest to the port, if you have an hour or two before departure a short walk over the lifting bridge to the quay where you will find more pubs and eateries depends on what you want to do.

My personal preference would be to visit the quay especially on a summers evening, bliss.

[Chris (Liverpool Boys)]

Cheers guys keep the suggestions coming looks like will prob be pompey caen and fill up before leave pompey as robbo said caen to mb is doable on a tank.

But keep the suggestions coming cheers

[jpchenet]

When are you travelling down Chris?

Theres always a Team JOC contingent travelling down later in the week who you could travel with if you could train it down to Basingstoke? (or join the guys travelling from Sheffield)

[Barry]

Hi Chris

It's about 110 miles from the port at Caen to MB, I can do it on a tank with the Duke so you should have no problem with the Kawa if you splash at Portsmouth.
As has been said elsewhere if you are coming down from Cherbourg there is a gas station signposted off the Farlaise by pass, at about 100 miles, but it's attached to a supermarket so the usual times of operation will be if force for cash or UK credit cards.
Would recommend Portsmouth/Caen especially if you are returning on the Sunday, however to my knowlege there is not a petrol station open for cash/UK cards on this route on a Sunday, so a full tank when you leave LM is a must as the next guarenteed fuel will be at Portsmouth, I've even had problems finding a non French credit card only fuel stop on Monday's at lunch time.
If you fuel on Saturday you can use a lot of fuel just running about at LM over the weekend, which can leave you short to get to the port, but I expect you will prefer to have a 'few' beers rather than be zooming about on race days, or prehaps Ian can take down a spare tin for you to top up.
If you are having a leisurely trip back on Monday I can give you a good bike route back to Caen.
Checked brittany fares about 2 weeks ago on Portsmouth/Caen, was quoted £125 for me and bike, overnight Tuesday ( with reclining seat ), back Monday afternoon, not bad as if you booked 2 weeks before the race this year it was £225.

Cheers

[Perdu]

If I remember  rightly, there is a small petrol station at or near Sees on the main road so if you are doing Calais there should be petrol in the day time, night time is, as allus, the bugbear.

Won't the new Rouen to Le Mans section of the motorway be open next year?

[Robbo SPS]

We found a place in Quisterham on the road into the port.

You putcash into a machine  then select which pump you are using and it dispences the selected amount.

It worked twice for my sister in the thirsty car !

[Barry]

We found a place in Quisterham on the road into the port.

You putcash into a machine  then select which pump you are using and it dispences the selected amount.

It worked twice for my sister in the thirsty car !

I wouldn't rely on it, is was bust when I tried it.

[Nobby Diesel]

I've done it on a bike loads of times and never had a problem.
Make sure that you fill up Saturday, or you could go to the filling station on the way out of town toward the D301 (Paris). Can't remember the exact name of the street, but it leads straight down to the circuit (if you're coming into town on it). There is a Triumph bike dealer across the street.

We then go back to Dieppe via the back roads a bit, Chanteloup - Belleme - Mortagne au Perche - Gace then the 138.

Even on a sunday, we've found a filling station or 2 that are open. You'll be ok.

[jpchenet]

When will you be travelling Chris? I guess a Sunday return could cause you problems? Assuming you leave on Monday we can just ensure a couple of the regulars who are in cars/vans can carry a can of fuel for you in case of emergencies.

[Robbo SPS]

When will you be travelling Chris? I guess a Sunday return could cause you problems? Assuming you leave on Monday we can just ensure a couple of the regulars who are in cars/vans can carry a can of fuel for you in case of emergencies.

Good call Mark.

Just thought when we travel we always have the genny fuel which is un-leaded so always have a minimum of 5 litres. We then put it into a car at the ferry port on homeward bound.