-Ralph-

PS: living in Cardiff, a cheap Dover-Calais crossing would be a false economy by the time you factor in an extra days riding, the petrol, the hotel stay, etc. Portsmouth - Le Havre is a pretty cheap crossing on a motorbike and much easier to get to from Cardiff. Earplugs in, jacket over your head and get your head down on a sofa in the bar overnight, and arrive in France at 8am ready for days riding, having saved yourself a hotel bill somewhere else on the trip. The ferry is with LD Lines and leaves at 11pm at night, so getting there doesn't mean a day off work. You can start the first of your days off already in France, having let the boat do the work overnight.