A very popular destination for UK bikers with great scenery, fine roads, excellent beer and the opportunity to go as fast as you want, legally. What's not to like? Well, not that much, but as you might expect those high speeds come with a warning…

Often the motorways are too congested to go fast anyway, in which case remember filtering's only legal in completely stationary traffic.All of the other lines remain unchanged, but it’s good to know what the information on your licence actually means and why it’s important to keep an eye on it… Depending on which countries you're visiting, you may need extra paperwork, equipment and/or knowledge. Here's a start for the most popular destinations for Brit bikers…

The motorcycle must not be derived from a vehicle of more than double its power. So you can’t ride a Ducati Panigale V4R that’s been restricted to 35kW If you’ve got an A1 UK licence– which lets you ride up to 125cc motorbikes– you’re still limited to the same engine size in Europe.

Contrary to popular wisdom you do NOT need to carry a spare bulb kit… although it's not a bad idea anyway. If you have a paper driving licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle on Man then you may need an international driving permit. The good news is that because the Government has reached an agreement with the 27 EU member states, we can ride in those countries without the need for an international driving licence. This also applies to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, but only as long as you’ve got a photocard licence. In January 2021, as part of the post-Brexit fallout, the old ‘Euro’ number plate which showed the EU stars symbol, was replaced with a new plate showing the Union flag and a GB symbol. You might need to use separate EU, EEA (European Economic Area) and Swiss lanes when queuing. Your passport should also now be stamped. Share this article

Tools/spares/puncture kit: Not compulsory, but potentially useful. It’s up to you whether you carry any spares, but a small toolkit is always handy, even if it's only so you can tighten up the odd loose sat-nav mount or trim a frayed luggage strap. Most road safety organisations recommend a break of at least 15 minutes every 2 hours. Mind your loadTravel/breakdown insurance: This is not obligatory, but it is highly recommended, and should include repatriation for you AND you bike if it's going to be worth having. You need to make sure the policy you choose actually covers you not just for riding bikes, but for the type of bike and the type of riding – you don't want to find out the hard way that it doesn't cover a spot of off-road, for example, or a trip into the Armco at the Nürburgring. As your motorbike will be loaded up, this changes your machine’s performance. So, anticipate that braking and acceleration might be slower and less responsive. Be respectful of local traffic laws Insurance: You no longer need a Green Card to ride in the European Union, but you will need your insurance certificate (again, not a copy, though if it’s supplied digitally, you can print it out). This also means that if your motorbike is stolen while riding abroad, your policy might not cover you. Old style ones include a GB identifier with the Union flag, the Euro flag, any national flag for England, Wales, or Scotland.