Hi folks - am taking my 1200 XE Triumph to Mugello and have an aftermarket pipe on. It has a cat but no baffles and is a tad loud. Part of the route takes in Switzerland and I know they have a reputation…..would I get into trouble for noise? Should I play it safe and put the OEM exhaust back on for the trip or risk a nick?
My mate got a grilling on the Swiss border last year about the Termis on his 996. They let him though as a tourist from outside the EU in the end. One, if not the only one, of the very few advantages of that. If you have the OEM exhaust I'd be refitting it, as @doggy says, riding day after day of full riding the novelty of no baffles will wear off.
There are Swiss laws about exhaust noise, which was supposed to be regulated by "noise cams" but I've no idea how common the machines are. When you are idling the max is 90db, and you are also not allowed to leave any engine running unnecessarily -doing so is an 80CHF fine. The enforcement against speeding is extremely strict. High speeds for foreigners typically results in the bike confiscation until the fine is paid. Paying the fine can be a huge problem as many are much higher than a days cash advance... Then as the rider is usually banned from Swiss roads, you have to transport the bike via a delivery van to the frontier. The table shows the fines basis. But it is beautiful. The roads are twisty with amazing passes and views...
Switzerland is best avoided if on a motorbike. I went through there 18 months ago and was very careful to keep to speed limits. The problem was that villages were every 5-10 km on the valley roads, and so you had 30kph, 40 kph, 50kph limits there and a max of 80kph on the bits in between. It was no fun at all and I found the uniform neatness rather disturbing, anal even. I followed a local rider as we neared the German border. He kept to the limits too until he crossed the border then immediately opened the throttle wide open and shot off into the distance. I understood his frustration and need for speed.
Not my route unfortunately as it’s been planned by other riders. But I will be very diligent with regard to speed limits. OEM exhaust will be refitted to avoid getting unwanted attention and to preserve my sanity!
Another tip. When I went into Germany I and my riding partner were stopped by a 'routine' Police stop. It looked like they were targetting bikers. No big deal if you have your V5 etc to hand - the Police started off being officious but a bit of reasonable banter won them round. I asked the copper if he was a motorcyclist, and he said he was. I said 'let me guess, you've got a GS'. He ruthfully replied he had, and that broke the ice. But then he noticed my blue tinged riding lights, and he started quoting some rule about only emergency and police vehicles could have blue lights on the front. When I mentioned I was only passing through and on my way to France he said 'France? I don't care about France, off you go!'
I’m going to avoid much of any contact with Plod. I’ll have copies of my V5 and Insurance docs printed and at the ready!
Went 2 years ago, absolutely stunning. Speed is a no no or risk serious consequences. Italy however......
Think you'll need original V5 and insurance certificates rather than copies. You do in France, plus a red breakdown warning triangle and high viz vests for rider and pillion. Worth checking. Yes, I'd stick to original exhaust as mentioned, not worth the hassle otherwise. Good luck bigjim.
Really? Never carried one on the bike. Never bothered with these either, as a tourist not sure if it's a requirement... prepared to be proved wrong though.
Traffic regulations, certainly in France and Spain, are changing at a pace. Always best to check a few days before you leave. My memory is telling me it's now 2 warning triangles, 1 for behind you and 1 for ahead of you. Once upon a time, as a foreign tourist riding in France and wearing a helmet purchased outside France, there was no enforcement for the lack of a reflective stripe. Today, enforcement on a tourist sstill seems rare but at €135 a pop if you don't have the now 4 reflective stickers, it does seem an open invitation to take the piss. Andy
Go online and print off the mot and tax check paper available on the dvla site. Not sure up there but here in Italy, they ask you to prove that the bike is taxed and tested.
I’ve never had a triangle, stickers or breathalyser. I did used to take a dangling jacket but just have my Scott waterproof now.
