French Bikers

Not sure if this should be in IB or not.

Anyway, just come back from a 1 week ride down to the south France and I have a few questions about biking in France. Compared to the UK, I saw very few bikers, though everyone I saw either gave me a wave or stuck a foot out! Even got a few flashes from motorists warning me of impending speed traps. So I'm curious.....

-Is it particulary hard to get a bike licence in France?

-I spoke to one chap who said that any bike above 100bhp is limited back to 100bhp regardless of licence which is why you see very few 1000cc+ sportsbikes. Is this true?

-I also went in full leathers, boots and gloves. I seemed to get a lot of odd looks as almost all the bikers were wearing shorts/T-shirts/trainers! Is protective equipment/clothing just not that big in France!?

Dunno about the top-end bikes, but I am fairly sure the start age is only 14, I certainly rode a lot of trail bikes in France when I was young. In corsica, I saw some crazy bikers haring around in shorts and sandals, I guess they are just stupid, but it was VERY hot...

[timwilky]

Working for a french compnay, my former boss is french. He rides a blackbird. which he bought it in the UK to get round French power restrictions.

He also tells me that the cameras must be front facing so not a problem for bikers, unless speed traps manned by coppers where they simply stop you and do you on the spot.

Plenty of bikers where I was in France in the summer on the twisty roads. Triumphs seemed to be popular. I wondered why so many had duct tape all over the body work round the pillion seat. I realised it was to stop their luggage (left at campsite I'd guess) scuffy the paintwork.

Originally Posted by Warthog

Dunno about the top-end bikes, but I am fairly sure the start age is only 14, I certainly rode a lot of trail bikes in France when I was young. In corsica, I saw some crazy bikers haring around in shorts and sandals, I guess they are just stupid, but it was VERY hot...

14: a moped
16: 125cc
18: unlimited?

When I was driving in France a few years a go I also noticed that the roads were a bit more slippy. But in general the roadconditions are better than in Belgium

I have to say I thought there were a fair few bikes about France when I was there.
I had forgotten the foot thing though. Ha ha. Yeah, that was a bit random alright.

I will try and introduce it to the US.

I do remember there was some talk when I was there about limiting down the very big bikes to 100bhp. Didnt hear if they actually brought it in or not. They seemed pretty serious about it at the time though.

True. French bikes are limited to 100bhp. If you're buying parallel don't get a French one as de-restricting is supposed to be very difficult, not just a case of taking a washer out of an intake or exhaust.
With regards to protective gear, I guess they just have a very different attitude to it over there.
I wouldn't dream of riding without a helmet over here but in Greece a few years ago I rented a scooter (I know but falling off is falling off) and only wore sunglasses for protection.

My friends Dad crashed on a scooter in Cyprus, and he was only wearing a string vest (he is greek). He hurt his shoulder so they flew to germany to have surgery, rather than have dodgy work done in Cyprus. That night he complained about his arm hurting but his wife told him to shut up. Turned out he was having a heart attack, and he slipped into a coma and died.