Motorcycle through Europe for free

We wanted to see if it was possible to buy a bike, motorcycle through Europe and then sell it on our return for a profit. Here's what happened.

A Honda VFR800Fi makes a compelling case. Its silky-smooth, bullet-proof V4 and armchair-level comfort make long days effortless, and the trademark Honda build quality is matched by reassuring, near-flawless handling. It can feel like a handful in congested city traffic, but the VFR is a bike designed for the open road.

We found an exceptionally clean T-plate anniversary-edition model: near mint, a mountain of paperwork, and a genuine 11,000 miles.  At £2,300 it was at the upper end for an early VFR, but the model’s reputation for rock-solid build quality and reliability means good examples hold their value.

With a 21-litre tank good for around 180 miles, 108hp on tap and a wonderfully linear power delivery, the VFR is tailor-made for European touring – even two-up with luggage.

At 16 years old it may not be poster-bike material, but a true tourer needs only one thing: to get you there and back without drama.

After our 1,000-mile round trip from London to Santander, we listed the bike on eBay. It sold within two days for £2,500 – £200 more than we paid.

There’s still plenty of time left in the riding season to pick up the right bike, enjoy a European tour and sell it on afterwards. Choose carefully and you should recoup your outlay; get a little lucky, and you might even turn enough profit to cover the cost of the trip.

Motorcycle breakdown cover in Europe

Euro breakdown cover from the ETA is available for cars and motorbikes up to 20 years old.

The cover includes motorcycle hire for up to 14 days (maximum £60 per day). If your bike cannot be repaired within 72 hours the ETA arranges for you, your pillion and your motorcycle to be repatriated to your home.

The policy covers travel to Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City.

Cover for travel through any of the countries listed above is charged at the same rate. Seven days’ cover is just £26.60. Get an instant quote

Whatever size of motorcycle you ride, continental Europe promises drier, smoother and emptier roads than those here in Britain. Who cares If you ride a small commuter bike? A weekend exploring the coastline of northern France is a blast whatever you ride. It’s all about embracing the spirit of adventure...

Motorcycle through Europe: It doesn’t matter what you ride

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you need a big multi-cylinder machine to conquer Europe by motorcycle. In the 1960s scooter riders thought nothing of crossing the channel to tour on two-strokes. And while Ewan McGregor’s adventure rides have done wonders for sales of the might BMW GS range, don’t forget that in 1980 two riders completed the gruelling Paris Dakar having ridden their Vespa scooters across 7 countries and 10,000km of brutal terrain.

Ferry routes

The cheapest and most popular option is to cross the channel by ferry or tunnel, but the route from Plymouth or Portsmouth to Bilbao or Santander is a civilised way to get straight to the incredible roads of northern Spain. Alternatively, you can put your bike on a train to Italy. A Dusseldorf to Verona Motorail train operates from July to August. Düsseldorf is less than four hours from Calais, or less than 3 hours from Hoek van Holland, Rotterdam or IJmuiden (serves by ferries from Harwich, Hull and Newcastle).

What do I need to take?

Whether you’ve got a full set of hard luggage, throw over bags or you are braving it with a sports bag bungeed to the passenger seat, pack smart - decide on what you think you need and then take only half that amount. At the first set of twisty roads, you will curse yourself if you have overloaded the bike.

Insurance

Don’t forget to sign up for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card at dh.gov.uk/travellers.

The EHIC card entitles you to free health care if needed and most travel insurance policies require that you have one. To get an instant quote for travel insurance that covers motorcycle touring.