The largest Civic Type R club forum

Established in 2002 it brings together people from all over the world to discuss their one love of Type R's.

Here you can brag away boys (and girls)
#3839956
Kieran_CTR » Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:00 pm wrote: Awesome mate! I would love to go to lake ledro looks a beautiful place plus getting to swim in it too!
It is the best of the Italian lakes I visited, not too commercialised with stunning views and a great road to get there - the water wasn't as cold as I was expecting probably helped by it being quite a small lake
#3860272
Not long back from my latest Euro roadtrip, photos and write up to come when I have the time but here's a little video of me going up Furka pass - it's changed a little since Mr Bond drove up there in Goldfinger




Grimsel Pass

Last edited by bondyboy on Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
#3862000
Back from my 3rd epic eurotrip, did something a little different to others and only visited the one track this time

All packed up and ready to go
Image

Took Trump with me this year
Image

Added Welsh Dragon on the back to let everyone know the dickhead tearing up their roads was Welsh, actually a massive difference to last year - people had actually heard of Wales when you told them (think the euros changed that)
Image


Started off on day one with a little trip to Albert France to visit the Somme battlefield and took a ride around the cemeteries on my MTB bike

On way to Ibis Albert (most expensive budget Ibis I've been to) stopped at this cemetery
Image

Image

Image

Got to hotel, set up bike, smashed a load of Haribo and went out for a ride...

Lochnagar mine crater
Image

Theipval memorial
Image

Image

Image

Really brings it home seeing the thousands of names on the walls of the memorial, such a waste - got quite emotional tbh

Welsh memorial
Image

Think this was an Austrailian cemetery
Image


Day two was a bit wet when setting off
Image


Off to Luxembourg, staying at another budget Ibis, this time next to the airport (was cheap)
Image

Plan was same as day one, get to hotel then get out on bike to explore, put all my bike gear on, filled up with water put the bike together and went to set off from the hotel but this happened!
Image

Gear changer cable snapped leaving me in a high gear and no chance of riding anywhere!! Quick google and found the nearest bike shop that was open
Image

Awesome bike shop with an awesome bike tech who despite having no slots for 3 days was willing to take a quick look after I explained I was leaving the country the following day, he fixed it but by the time I got back to hotel it was dark and I needed food, no exploring of Luxembourg for me this time


Day three and my organisational efforts in packing the car had gone out the window
Image

Was still a little wet
Image


Off to Germany...

Image
As I had forgotten to bring my "Travel Pussy" this was a great find in some random autobahn services

First stop in Germany was Karlsruhe, bit of a random place but I noticed it on google maps when the roads made up what looks like a turbo lol, turns out the turbo is a massive palace and its grounds with woods and loads of cycle paths all about the place, perfect place to spend two nights and explore it on the bike

Turbo power
Image

Cheap Hotel, seemed obsessed with banksy though?
Image

Image

Image

Car developed a cataract in the basement car park
Image

Drove a little bit from hotel for evening meal, parked up, found restaurant in big pedestrianised area, had complimentary schnaps and ate meal, went for a little walk on way back to car and I lost the car, 30 minutes walking round a Karlsrhue suburb looking for my car, trying not to look lost and worrying that I haven't got my light deflectors on the car so shouldn't be driving in the dark :(
Eventually found her, exactly where I'd left her, panic over
Image


Went for a ride early on the 1st morning there
Image

JDM Garden
Image

Pokemon everywhere
Image

Looked like some event was being prepped, that's a lot of alcohol for one man to be guarding
Image

Rode off into the city centre, found some roadworks GDM style
Image

Then my saddle broke! securing bolt holding the angle of it sheared away, 10 miles from hotel and 3.5 miles from the nearest bike shop, doh!
Image

managed to make it here without too many "forgot you haven't got a seat" moments
Image

awesome place, new post and I'm away, thanks guys, gave them a good review on google and facebook lol


Off to Stuttgart...

Visited the Porsche museum, lots of Porsches as you'd expect
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

This Porky had just been set upon by a 3 year old girl, she ran up to it and started banging on it - the security guard (guy you can see in the background) told the father "Sir, please control your child!" Father eventually picked the girl up only to let her back down at which point she ran straight back to car to bang on it even harder! Security guy almost lost it, this is the aftermath where he's making sure Dad and girl are leaving the area
Image


Popped across to Mercedes Benz museum
Image

Didn't stay in Stuttgart itself but in Böblingen just South west of it, 4 star Mecure hotel for 2 nights.

Böblingen has a massive Mercedes plant and is also home to Motorworld (massive hanger with classic and historic cars on show and for sale), the main strip around Motorworld seemed popular with the local car scene - lots of GDM noise and some supercar action, of course I had to show the the proper meaty sound of a 4 cylinder 2 litre VTEC yo!

Image

Image

Image

This trophy wife was taking delivery of her new car (old one being merc gullwing 6.3 litre thing), she wasn't happy upon seeing the amount of space there was for her shopping
Image

nope, it doesn't fit
Image

Awesome restaurant called Tower 66 next to the Maserarti and Ferrari dealers, best steak I have ever eaten! (and have had a lot of steak)
Image

some random water feature, blest place for it tbh
Image

Now off to lake Constance...
Image

Stayed at a camp site I visited 2 years ago on my 1st eurotrip, right at the lakeside at the top of lake constance, great riding alongside the lake there and excellent camp facilities so two nights paid for

Image
I got scene alright

Image

BIG TRAIN!
Image

Sunrise at camp
Image

Guy who was working there was checking out the car and we got chatting, he has a Clio Williams back in Bulgaria and always wanted a EP3, asked if he could listen when I went for a drive but I offered to take hime for a ride ;) seems he's easily impressed...
Image



I took one of those 360 photos while up early in the morning, uploaded it to googlemaps and I've already had over 10,000 views!!
https://goo.gl/maps/vLCcffPMz8G2

Spent a nice two days there exploring on the bike and now wanted to head into Switzerland, time for some proper driving roads :)

Swiss motorway pass, building up quite a collection now
Image

First mountain pass, Klausen Pass was on the way to my first nights stay in the country, unfortunatly I was driving into the heavy raid clouds so couldn't enjoy the road for fear of aquaplaning off the road (and mountain), got a few nice photos though
Image

Image

Image

Stayed in Wassen at the cheapest hotel in the area (not cheap, this was Switzerland) but it was perfect as the starting point for the 150 mile, 5 mountain pass adventure I had planned for the following day

This is the route
Image

Best roads I have ever driven! was very lucky with traffic on most of them, only Gotthard pass was a wash out due traffic, no good footage from there :(

If anyone ever plans a european adventure in their Honda and they like to drive then I woulds say these 4 or 5 passes are on the must drive list, take a look for youself...
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Sideshot Saturday/Sunday?
Image

Image

Car took an absolute beating on that day, I'm only realising how much when looking at the gopro footage now all the abuse it took in those 5 or 6 hours, probably worked harder than on a track day lol, car fully loaded too :)

Klausen and Susten pass little video, very wet for Klausen then the following moring a little moist in places over Susten


Grimsel Pass, had a little play with a supercharged Elise, lost him when he made a daring (risky) overtake just before a long stretch of tunnel


While I was I stopped at the lake towards the end of the video and taking some photos a swiss registered car pulled up with a flat tyre, the bloke got out and had a look to confirm it was flat. He looked a bit clueless so I mimed and said something to agree and sympathise , "Oh you're English" he said in a heavy essex accent. Turns out it was a hire car, they had driven 200 miles already and have another 150 to go, he didn't know how to change a wheel so, with it being the front with the flat, I explained that the space saver has to go on the rear etc. etc. so after helping him I set about on my way...

Furka Pass, from the Bond film ;)


Image

Image

Pointless showing anything from Gotthard pass, it's just me cruising slowly in traffic, but got a good few photos from the old gotthard pass, that bridge one included, so instead I have a video of the final pass for the day, San Bernardino pass. This is the complete run and I only cut out the populated places where I drove respectfully, I usually only include the "hooning" bits but for this there wasn't a lot of non hooning so it's a practically complete up and over San Bernardino pass run; in one bit after stopping for photos I hurridly set off before the car I could see approching got to me, I was pegging it but this GTI Lupo driver had the same idea and could now see a Type R as its target, you can actually hear his tyres screeching behind me as his car rolls around the corners lol

San Bernardino pass


Got to say this is the best of the bunch with Grimsel coming a close second, the flow, sights and great visibility truely make this the best road I have ever had the pleasure to drive

Honda Racing & UKDM vs Kessel Ferrari Racing
Image

Stayed in Splügen on the Swiss Italian border ready for the final mountain pass in the morning (Splugen pass)

Image

Image

Image

Image

Was hoping to make it back to Lake Ledro for 2 nights this time but upon checking availability in the area the only rooms were 5 star ones at over 400 euros, guess I won't be staying there then :(
Then I thought to myself how far away is Monza? Yes I can do it! so cheapest hotel near to Monza was booked and off I went...

couldn't leave Kim Jong Pong behind now could I?
Image


Arrived in Monza early afternoon so headed straight to Monza track, it's set within a massive public park so I assembeled the bike and put on my gear again.

Turns out you have loads of access to the stands all around and can get pretty close to the main gp track, so I set about doing a complete lap...
Image

Image
...but then got destracted by the old curved banking and realised you could get on there!

Image

Image

it's steeper than it looks, was a struggle getting to the top, instead of the risky full force run up there I opted for the "crab backwards on all fours" method and got up there eventually

clinging onto the armco with my other arm while taking a rare selfie
Image

rode all the old banking back and fore on the bike (closed off at each end), played the game of how high I can ride without washing out or cracking the pedals on the track (not much past 2/3rd)

once back in the car I got myself lost on the way out and ended up here ;)
Image

I moved the car a bit further on, around and up the banking a bit and was in the trees opposite getting a few almost top down pics when an old italian guy on a bike started fussing round my car...
Image

I eventually identified myself as the owner and he went off on me, "move it now! you shouldn't be on here!!" I gestured I was only taking a few photos but he was pretty mad and wouldn't let it go :( I rumbled off very slowly and was off the banking part quickly but still in a pedestrianised area so was taking it slow as cyclists, dogs and joggers were about, 5 minutes later he appears at my rear shouting "MOVE! leave now!", lol I have my own escort out of the area, eventually manage to get back to where I'm allowed and scoot myself away from there quicktime while the guy on the bike goes to talk to security. Still, pretty rare photo op there so I had to go for it, will probably be physicial barriers there already because of some idiot in his Honda

From my Monza hotel it was a long slog straight to Les Due Alps for my usual MTB stop off before hometime place, set the sat nav to take the windy looking road a distance from the resort, on getting to the windy bits I noticed all the writing on the road, it was part of the very recent tour de france, I set the gopro on the splitter and went for a hoon!

French drivers are in my experience not like most other european drivers; german and swiss drivers will usually signal for you to overtake and make it easy for you, italians too (if you can catch them), they see you are "enjoying the road" so leave you to it, not the French! Had two of them slowing right down and taking all the road, had to overtake the one with two wheels on the grass, even had attitude (hand gunshot mime?!?) from a roadie cyclist who was stopped on the side of the road. Needless to say after some aggressive overtakes and the fact everyone within 10 miles heard me coming I didn't stop in the photo opportunity places I usually would have. **Video of this is on my HD, need to get round to snipping the bits out where I'm following those pesky French drivers


then did my usual day of riding the trails
Image

but didn't do this this year
Image


11 out of 10, would drive there again


hopefully another trip coming in summer 2017, anyone want to come along? ;)
#3862031
Danny_J wrote:That looks epic. The amount of planning needed to do a trip like this must be mental! All those hotel bookings etc
very little planning involved with any of the trips, the least for this trip as it consisted of "OK I have 2 weeks booked in a weeks time so I'd best get on Google earth to see where I want to go"

Worked out a rough route that wouldn't involve me driving for more than 5 hours per day and then just booked hotels on the fly with booking.com app, allows you freedom to stay and explore if you like where you are - if it wasn't for that flexability I wouldn't have made it to Monza
#3864253
Wow dude I was hooked from the first trip on! I did one similar to you last year with 3 passengers. Started in Belgium then to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and finally Slovenia. Stayed in Slovenia for a few days then headed back through Austria. Even though I love my mates I have to say most of the time I wish I'd been alone to just have a blast on the roads and go anywhere, not having to argue with 3 others where to stay etc.
Just bought myself a milano ep3 so probably going to take that on a trip during the summer 8-) Hope I can document everything as well as you did! Have to say I'm drooling at your pictures dude :) Was a lovely read and hope to see more of your trips!
#3865085
DGPieterjan wrote:Wow dude I was hooked from the first trip on! I did one similar to you last year with 3 passengers. Started in Belgium then to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and finally Slovenia. Stayed in Slovenia for a few days then headed back through Austria. Even though I love my mates I have to say most of the time I wish I'd been alone to just have a blast on the roads and go anywhere, not having to argue with 3 others where to stay etc.
Just bought myself a milano ep3 so probably going to take that on a trip during the summer 8-) Hope I can document everything as well as you did! Have to say I'm drooling at your pictures dude :) Was a lovely read and hope to see more of your trips!
Yes there is something to be said about going on your own, it has its pluses and minuses, this years trip I had company - luckily they are a very good passenger and never complained about my driving

Haven't gathered all the pictures together yet or edited the gopro footage but here are a couple I have so far, hopefully I'll find some time to do a proper write up too

Was staying one night right on Furka pass, so I woke up super early so decided to go out for a drive while the road was quiet, nice shot of the sun hitting the mountain peaks in the distance for the first time of a day
Image

Same location looking down at the start of Furka and the end of Grimsel pass
Image

Famous hotel building on Furka pass, at any normal time of the day this area would be heaving with tourists and buses
Image

Nufenen pass
Image


Also visted Monte Bondone, location of the Trento Bondone hillclimb stage (as featured in my driving sim Assetto Corsa), it's a public road so was able to have a drive up it
#3865183
The start of the San Bernardino pass, looking back to last years video it appears I'm taking it a bit slower, faster out of slow corners as I'm jamming it into 1st for most of them but not willing to top out so much, guess that's from having the responsibility for another persons life :-)

#3865229
kinky_boy wrote:Great trip and great pictures! i like this way of planning trips :)
what brake pads do you use? i'm asking because i see in the pictures that your wheels are always clean.
I have projectMu street pads for the white wheels, well I did, killed them on my early morning empty road blast up and down furka pass, back to a set of dust givers while funds recover from the trip

A few sections of the said Furka pass early morning blast here...

#3865641
Well I guess this happened :D

Image

Didn't go alone though, spoke one word of Switzerland and had 3 mates wanting to join in :roll:
Looking at your videos now I cant wait to go back, photos don't do it justice at all and the driving experience is just amazing

Thanks for the awesome documentation and hope to see more of your journeys! 8-)
#3865951
DGPieterjan wrote:Well I guess this happened :D

Image

Didn't go alone though, spoke one word of Switzerland and had 3 mates wanting to join in :roll:
Looking at your videos now I cant wait to go back, photos don't do it justice at all and the driving experience is just amazing

Thanks for the awesome documentation and hope to see more of your journeys! 8-)
Awesome, I recognise that car park - did you have a coffee at the cafe there?

Image

Took a cracking 360 photo from just up off the road there...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8UpqWXYvpfXxtyiq2
  • 1
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15

Long time ago I had and Ep3 for 220k kilometers in[…]