Hi everyone, me and a couple of mates are planning a road trip to Mugello for the Moto GP and the Ducati Museum next year in 2018. I'm sure some of you have taken the same trip. So I'm after picking brains for the best routes. A mixture of scenic and fast riding would be great. If anyone can help with their routes and how it was would be very much appreciated. We have about a week to play with so any sensible suggestions would be great, thank you. Tim
Since Mugello 2018 is on 3 June, I take it you won't be going to the TT. Mugello is just north of Florence, and the road 65 south from Bologna to Mugello over the Raticosa and Futa passes is a famously fun road, and much used by Ducati test riders. The heavy traffic takes the A1 autostrada parallel, so the old road is not too busy. It would be a pity not to take a look at Florence while you're near, but the traffic near the centre is horrendous. On the way back, may I suggest the 12 road north from Pistoia via Abetone to Modena. It comes out right by the Ferrari factory and museum (also worth a visit). Incidentally if you have only one week to get down to Bologna, visit the factory, get to Mugello, watch the race, and then get back to UK, you will be forced to take lots of long motorway rides just to get the mileage in and there will be little time for sightseeing. If you can stretch to 10 days, it will be more like a holiday and less like a gruelling feat of endurance.
Hi Tim I rode to Bologna for the factory tour &museum this summer,it's well worth the ride,from near Bath it took me 4 full days to get there! Day 1 Home to Reims Day2 Reims to Freiburg Day3 Freiburg to lake Como Day 4 lake Como to Bologna Day 1 and 4 had a couple of hours motorway riding otherwise kept to scenic riding,crossed the Vosges to Freiburg then the big Swiss passes and the Aprica pass and lake Iseo on day 4. If I'm honest it would have been more relaxed to take an extra day,I was away for 11 days,more passes on way home,The Black Forest and the K500,The Ardennes and Menin Gate,you pay your money and takes your choice....
Thanks Box Boy, did you go on the multi? I'm thinking of going on the Panigale. That sounds like a nice route, I'll look at the route on google maps. Thank.
Yes,took the multi! Could have got closer on day 2 but didn't want to get mixed up with Swiss francs or motorway tax so filled up in Germany and back roads to the Alps on day 3(did stretch it a bit,showing 7km in the tank at petrol station!)alternately could have headed for Belmont in France to cut across Switzerland. Don't know if you've toured Europe before it's brill! But if you try to bite off too much you may end up slogging up the motorways to stay on schedule,they were 4 big days for me,then stopped 2 nights in Bologna,a lazy 2nd morning site seeing then pm at factory and museum...
We did mugello last year and has a week playing about in the apiennes. If you look up borgo san lorenzo on your map, there's some great mountain passes from there up, have a look at the passes to fienza and the passes to forli. The pass to fienza, was brilliant, every bit as good as the futa pass but right out in the sticks, devoid of any tourism. Look out for the s222 to sienna from greve in chianti, fantastic surface and rarely straight,, views are straight out of an Italian chocolate box. If you get a chance, get some riding done in tuscany, look out for any villages ending in "in chianti" and hit the roads to them, once you're off the main roads it's all corners... you'll love it.
You'll love the atmosphere at mugello... it's like nothing else. The factory visit was very average I thought but the museum is great.
If we go again we'll almost definitely try to get the bikes shipped somewhere near the Alps where the roads get good. If you dont have time to stop, which you'll not, then basically Belgium and Germany are a waste of at least a solid day riding on motorways until you get to the Black Forest and the southern border, which again you need take a detour to make worthwhile (it is definitely worth doing). French A roads are good, quiet and fast but its a fair distance going that way and again the northern half is pretty boring if you dont have time to detour.
We've used eurobiketrans twice now and had no problems whatsoever. They ship all over Europe, I don't know if you've ever used em. Next year, were shipping to rubi in Spain and riding up into France, then having a week mucking about in the pyranees (France, Spain and andorra all in shooting range).
Thanks H2pots, checked online but there is no prices on their website, can I ask what you paid when you went? Tim
You're looking at around 500 quid to ship out and back. We use cheap flights at about 100 quid. It balances out for me as I've not got the holidays spare, I get a week in the area I want to be without the extra days getting there and back.
Thanks for all the info guys, its all very useful. Im planning to go over the Moto GP race at Mugello.
