British bike tours

[Magicrat52]

Thought I’d better post up a couple of reviews from a few of the attendees on a British bike tour trip to Alps and Italy.



I must say I was extremely disappointed in the tour organisation.
When we met the supposed tour guide, he explained that this wasn’t a guided tour, but escorted.
We could follow him to the hotel’s or make our own way.
He said he would prefer if we made our own way.

That was the start of the holiday and sort of set the theme of it!
There was never a briefing or any sort of guide to what the day would entail.
Just “I’m leaving at 9.00 or 9.30 see you later”.

Regarding the advertised highlights of the trip
Visit to French fortress on first day wasn’t on the route!
We were actively discouraged from riding the Stelio pass
“It’s the worst road in the world”
The motoguzzi motorcycle factory & museum was shut
The Ducati factory was shut.
Most of the hotels we were booked into had no open restaurant (the Berchtesgaden one was shut, we were advised to walk half an hour to the nearest village, to find all the restaurants we’re booked, so walked half an hour back again in rain with nothing to eat). (Great holiday)
One chap had an accident on the second day, no one knew where he was or what had happened.
He got in touch with the so called guide later in the evening to say he had got lost during the day and collided with a car .
His bike was un rideable, the advice given was book yourself into a hotel and save the receipt for travel insurance, bye !
We heard the next day that the chaps son had been in touch to say why wasn’t anything else being done.

So to sum it up I could have organised a better tour myself, in a couple of hours on the internet .
I would have chosen better hotels rather than bargain basement ones out of town with closed restaurants.

I would have spent more time researching the areas to find places of interest to visit rather than rely on what I thought was a guided tour.
The so called guide was only interested in getting to a hotel as fast as possible to get pissed every night.
He had no idea on how to guide a tour and basically no interest.

I wrote to the company before writing the review and got no response.

So do yourself a favour and don’t bother with this company.

R

Refund everyones money
Having now had time to get back to normal following our two weeks away on the above tour we have decided to bring to your attention our complaint of which I'm sure you have a few others.

This tour was described as a guided tour turned into a bit of a nightmare, on the first day expected to be a long day and was but we didnt expect to be told by the guide that he would prefer if riders went of on their own as it would make his job easier. This kind of talk carried on throughout the tour with some riders being told your too slow so make your own way. One rider who was not confident was put at the back as a marker and got lost abd got into a crash, when he contacted the guide was basically told sort yourself out no help or assistance was given and he was left to his own devices. NOT GOOD. When we checked into the hotel I was presented with the bill for the whole group and I had to explain that was not for me to do, and at another I was asked to pay tax which should have already been paid by your guide.

Now as per the description and pictures we were le to believe we would visit the memorials at Verdun, our hotels would be on the banks of lake como, near lake garda, according to your description should have been a great holiday. Nearly every hotel was far from the places described in fact were on industrial estates not close to restaurants and if the hotel actually had a restaurant/bar it was closed or didn't have enough food for everyone. Need I say more. On the two day stops we all felt like we had been abandoned in the middle of nowhere.

The last three day were a big slog especially the last as our booking for eurotunnel meant we had to be there for 10:30 this meant going without breakfast and just pushing on only stoping for fuel in order to get there in time. I know there is a time window but a later booking would have been easier for all.
Y

I want to Ieave feedback on the recent mountains and lakes tour. I could bang on at length, but there is little point in that. There is simply too much to write about.

I appreciate the tour is somewhat cheaper when compared to competitors and that should be considered in the content of the tour. However, the following points stand out.

the stated visit to verdun simply did not happen. The guide showed me the route and confirmed we were never going. This was a particular disappointment to me as I have visited several other sites of this type. Quite why we did not go is still a mystery.
It was then suggested we would not be doing the Stelvio pass as it was ‘the worst biking road in the world’. After further discussion it was clear that the group could go over if they wished, but they would be met at the top.
Hardly as described in the itinerary. The lesser experienced members of the group now rather anxious to the coming event, some saying they may miss it out.
I encouraged them to do the pass, it’s far from the worst road. They were all glad they did it!

The visit to the moto Guzzi museum was a total loss. On closer inspection, the facility is open to the public on Friday and Saturday. As we were there on a Wednesday, the doors were locked. This is cited in the recommended things to do, but I fail to see how. Time lost searching for it and little else to do in the time remaining.

Bologna was the Saturday, where the recommendation of visiting the Ducati factory and museum. A high point to see the factory. Unfortunately the factory is closed on the Saturday and only a visit to the museum possible.
This was not worth the mileage committed to getting there as we doubled back the next day. Significant time lost for the group.

Hotels: never were they ‘on the shores of’ or actually close to anything at all. By far most of them had no food on arrival and often no bar. After a long day riding, I did not want to walk 30-45 minutes to find some sort of food. Often being turned away from the only resource as they are ‘fully booked in advance’.
Had we known there were no facilities, then alternative arrangements could be made during the day. However, I prefer riding to sitting in a restaurant during the day.
Poor organisation and poor comms. Simply not good enough,
Most hotels were in industrial estates or on the far reaches of any town. Not exactly inviting the exploration of the visited town or sampling the ‘many bars and restaurants’ as suggested.

this is my first paid for bike tour. I shall not do it again.



On one day, the group were travelling and the rain started, the group was left by the guide and told ‘you are all too slow and I am getting wet. You have the hotel address get yourself there’. The group arrived sometime later very irate by this.
The guide saying the tour is escorted not guided somehow justifying his approach. Our definitions of this role obviously differ.

There is more, but these are the standouts for me.
Don’t use this company and spread the word far and wide. My money was wasted, I don’t want others to suffer the same.
The roads were fantastic, go ride them. But not with these guys.

Rob

[Antares]

Sheesh... Now that's some bad rep... Could be a business opportunity for Windy though to replace these guys 

[Magicrat52]

Yep it was pretty poor.
Amazing roads, just crap company to go with.

[RyanGTXR]

Wow, sounds a complete disgrace. Even "escorted" I'd expect better.
Luckily for me I have absolutely zero interest in any sort of "guided" tour anyway so will never have these issues, but can see how they would certainly be of interest to people who like organisation or less confident riders who would expect to be helped along, not left to defend for themselves.

[Winger]

Just read the OP’s post out to my darling wife and both of us agree that’s some rant ,her quick calculation reckons our independent Euro trips are nudging close to 400,including an original trip on a 750 kawasaki two stroke triple which managed around 20 mpg on a good day 

My advice to the OP go over the trip in detail and learn from it for the next,every one is a learning process.

[Magicrat52]

The above is feedback from 3 of us that felt strongly enough to complain.
Company wasn’t interested.
So be warned.

[af1-windy]

Originally Posted by Antares

Sheesh... Now that's some bad rep... Could be a business opportunity for Windy though to replace these guys 

I've been organising tours for as many as 10 riders since 2004 and never had a complaint..  it's no way a business though, I just enjoy doing it. 

Sorry you guys had such a bad time.. 

[wessie]

Originally Posted by af1-windy

I've been organising tours for as many as 10 riders since 2004 and never had a complaint..  it's no way a business though, I just enjoy doing it. 

Sorry you guys had such a bad time.. 

Ditto but in a very informal way. It's a mugs game trying to run such a thing as a business. A friend and I had a chat with the chap who started MCi about setting up and changed our minds. He sold the company not long after.

All I do is book hotels, on a pay at checkout basis, and suggest routes between hotels. They can ride with me if they want but I tend to take longer, scenic routes whilst some of the older people take a shorter option. Some might ride with me until lunch then break off. Everyone in the group is capable of surviving independently, if the need arises should they choose to travel alone. We have diverse interests and the main purpose of the group is to socialise in the evenings.

[af1-windy]

Originally Posted by wessie

Ditto but in a very informal way. It's a mugs game trying to run such a thing as a business. A friend and I had a chat with the chap who started MCi about setting up and changed our minds. He sold the company not long after.

All I do is book hotels, on a pay at checkout basis, and suggest routes between hotels. They can ride with me if they want but I tend to take longer, scenic routes whilst some of the older people take a shorter option. Some might ride with me until lunch then break off. Everyone in the group is capable of surviving independently, if the need arises should they choose to travel alone. We have diverse interests and the main purpose of the group is to socialise in the evenings.

Likewise, except, some are not good at sorting themselves out, so just follow, but they're good company and never moan about detours for others or photo stops etc.. 

If, while the trip is being sorted, someone has a particular place they want to visit I would do my best to accommodate. So far, no issues. I'm on with next year's trip..

Gotta have something to look forward to eh?.. 

[wessie]

Originally Posted by af1-windy

Likewise, except, some are not good at sorting themselves out, so just follow, but they're good company and never moan about detours for others or photo stops etc.. 

If, while the trip is being sorted, someone has a particular place they want to visit I would do my best to accommodate. So far, no issues. I'm on with next year's trip..

Gotta have something to look forward to eh?.. 

I have not finished 2023 trips yet. Ferry to Santander on the weekend. Then SW to Asturias and Ávila Province.

We have started having discussions about spring 2024 to ride the German Alpenstrasse.