NGC - Italy, France, Spain

[LongRanger]

Just returned from two weeks holiday in the aforementioned countries and as the subject line says, “No Guzzi Content.” Among the bazillion scooters there were lots of R1200GS’s, Honda’s and Yamaha’s of all displacements, a Gold Wing, and quite a few Harleys, but nary a Moto Guzzi. Not a single one. It doesn’t appear to be a U.S. phenomenon only.

[ScepticalScotty]

Oh. In 2019 we saw more than 10 between 5 and half past 5 on a weekday while we were parked opposite Restaurante Grigna in Mandello. All aged from quite old to brand new V85TT.

Mind you that was Mandello.

[pebra]

That's funny, I thought you were thinking of them achieving bronze, gold and silver respectively, in the UEFA Nations League - final marches played yesterday. (NGC)

But like the OP, I saw no Guzzis during a recent visit to the Ardennes recently. (well, possibly one)
That's an area very popular with riders from Holland, Germany and Belgium.
We saw mostly BMW's, but also quite a few Japanese bikes and some Harleys. Hardly any Italian bikes at all.

[Tusayan]

I saw lots of Guzzis on my recent ride through Germany, Austria and Italy.  One day, riding across the Apennines from Maranello to Lucca, I came across a long string of Guzzis going the other way.  Nothing surprising about that except that it was a Wednesday.

[ScepticalScotty]

Ah yes the famous "Guzzi Wednesday" not starring Gary Busey.....

We went from Dunquerke to Mandello and back over 10 days riding everyday apart from one (well we had to do the washing....) and well I can say the big GS is a very popular bike with touring types. and for good reason I suppose. Hope the V100 proves a hit with the sport touring gang who want something different. Its a hit with me already, and I have never heard or seen one for real!!

[Pescatore]

I saw a V7 in downtown Athens, Greece at the end of August.   The only reason I spotted it was because the rider jumped the clutch and stalled, causing all kinds of honking by wannabe race car drivers.
There are soooo many bikes there that I got tired of looking.
Also saw a few in Ostia, near Roma, Italy.
Many in Milano during one day.
For TT styles, like the V85, if it wasn't a BMW it was a Honda Africa twin

I think one reason is the majority of the population in those countries doesn't have a safe place to park. The scooter is a much more versatile and practical bike to ride. And those I saw a gazillion, of never heard brands, some Chinese, mostly Japanese.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

it's funny how this happens when you travel.  Back in the early 2000's I was a big fan on the KELME cycling team, they had some good guys and cool kits and I have always been a bit of a Spainophile... So when I was headed to Sevilla for a couple months with school, I was very excited to buy myself a pair of Kelme shoes to show my support.   

Yeah, I am a big cycling nerd and I will do dumb stuff like buy the product from a team sponsor, take a picture and drop them a note thanking them for sponsoring a team and supporting cycling- thats how I got Quick-Step grout in my last bathroom!

Anyway, I was fresh in Spain with a couple days before classes start so I set off across the city to buy some shoes.  Would you believe not one store in the entire city (Sevilla has to be the 4th(?) biggest city in Spain) carried Kelme shoes?  After watching the team I would have guessed every Spaniard had 3 pair in the closet!  I searched & searched, but no joy.  Eventually, a couple days before I departed I was in a clothing store and saw them... ZAPATOS KELME! I was ecstatic! Guess what? They ONLY had the cheapest crappiest soccer cleats you've ever seen, and they didnt even make shoes in my size (us13/eu48)

I ended up buying a pair of Camper shoes, and even those I had to special order to get 13's

[Motormike]

Just returned from two weeks holiday in the aforementioned countries and as the subject line says, “No Guzzi Content.”

Just curious as what extra - hoops (if any) you had to jump through to satisfy European entry and exit?

[Gino]

Just back also from a 5 country euro trip, spotted more Guzzi’s than I used to see, my own back yard Scotland, seen more Guzzi’s this year than ever before.

[Tusayan]

Just curious as what extra - hoops (if any) you had to jump through to satisfy European entry and exit?

It’s not ‘European’ entry and exit that is relevant, it’s national entry and exit.  Each country now has their own uncoordinated entry requirements, often involving website submissions and uploading health documents.  The good news at this point is that the EU internal borders between countries are largely wide open (no border checkpoints on the roads once again), so notwithstanding national legalities that you might be able to ignore the main practical issue for a bike tour etc is entering European country number one, getting whatever certificates you may need, and then eventually the health testing and paperwork for return to the US.

One example and without going into great detail, in Switzerland you now (as of October 10th) have to apply on line with the first canton you want to visit, uploading documents etc, if you’re coming from outside Europe and want to eat inside in a public area.

It’s a pain, basically, depending on your tolerance for bureaucracy.  I’ve decided I’m not going back for a while despite my normal habit of once to twice yearly trips.  Eventually things will calm down, the question is when.  I can say I made a multinational Alps tour as an American in a difficult and bureaucratic time, but next time for me will be in a less difficult time  I hear Mexico calling 

[LongRanger]

Entry to Italy was not problematic. Italy requires U.S. tourists to provide proof of vaccination, negative C19 test results within the past 72 hours, and a digital locator form (basically a certification of where you will be staying). France and Spain only require proof of vaccination. Reentry to the U.S. requires negative C19 test results within the past 72 hours. All countries require masks in all indoor public places.

[Tusayan]

All countries require masks in all indoor public places.

And many also require that you prove your heath status before entering the same places, per documentation requirements that vary by country. Switzerland requires that you do so with a European format QR code presented upon entry, a written WHO or US certificate is no longer valid as of a few days ago.  The process to get one is complex (I did it successfully in Germany after being refused once)

France is very strict with health status QR codes to enter restaurants and other places.  Other countries less so, I noticed in the Austrian countryside they aren’t so enamored with that rule.

Prior to entry from the US, Germany requires a complex online registration form (maybe 8 pages long) for each individual that requires a security code sent by text or email. Having completed that form you are sent a second security code and individual web link, which then prompts you to upload your health status document(s).  You then present the output of the first website as you enter through passport control.  If you re enter Germany after leaving but before 10 days since your original entry has elapsed, you are supposed to redo the online procedure and generate a new entry document.

Unless you are entering by air into a given country, many of the requirements typical for a given country are in my view unenforceable with no entry control now present on the roads. Some of the bureaucracy is becoming overcome by events.  So it’s a game of figuring out what is actually needed for a given itinerary.  For example I completed the Italian on line locator form prior to departure, patiently listing every province through which I’d be traveling (there were a lot of them and it took some research), only to find that when entering by road there was no possible way that my compliance could be checked - many thousands of vehicles are crossing the border every day and they aren’t checking the passport of every driver to see where they’ve been in the last 14 days.  So I wouldn’t bother with that one again, nor the pharmacy test.

Coming back into Germany the first time I was just slightly nervous that it was less than 10 days since I’d been in the US, and that random document checks were being done on the autobahn only a few weeks ago, per my German relatives who own a house in Austria and cross the border several times a month.  So I took a back road across the border to make absolutely sure I avoided trouble. I also like the road past the Achensee 

Reentry to the US in addition to the recent pharmacy test requires a signed paper health status attestation form that you can relatively easily download, print and sign.  They will not let you on the plane without the form, and also FWIW this time I counted a total of seven (7) separate document checks, two baggage scans and two body scans between entering Munich airport and being on the plane.  The requirements on the plane are almost the same as for a US domestic flights, but obviously last longer.

Having said all that, as it is everywhere I’ve been, individuals who aren’t part of officialdom are not very interested in slowing you down, and as always everybody was either helpful given constraints or dismissive of any roadblocks.

[Scout63]

We flew into France through Zurich yesterday. We had to register online an entry form to transit through Switzerland, but no one even asked to see a vacc card to enter France through Nice.  Walking around St. Tropez there are very few people wearing masks and no one asked for anything to eat in a cafe last night.  It really feels as if the rules here are honored in the breach.  We loved it.

[Tusayan]

It really feels as if the rules here are honored in the breach.  We loved it.

Welcome to Southern Europe.  The thing to remember is the ‘system’ as you describe it works very well, until somebody decides they don’t like you for whatever reason and it comes down on you like a ton of bricks.  When everybody ignores the rules, everybody is fair game.  The US analogy would be the 65 mph speed limit, with $300 court fees on a $100 ticket

One of my stories is being pulled over in the French Alps for standing on the foot pegs, while making U-turn. That was followed by a series of breathalyzer tests, roadside coordination tests, 30 minutes of lectures and questioning and so on that in total took about an hour.  I remained very meek and respectful, while praying inside Eventually a senior police officer who was watching his junior colleagues do all this with a slight smile got bored with finding nothing, especially since the breathalyzer tests showed I’d been drinking wine at dinner but was legal.  With a wave of his Gitanes he sent me off.

[Alfetta]

I've never been to Europe, however I've been all over Argentina, and the most common bike seems to be the 200/250cc enduro type machines.  I also noted that Honda was not as common as other brands such as SSR, Bhaja (sp?) and others...