Customer Reviews

Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps & Beyond

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is, hands down, the best guide book for motorcycling the Alps. John writes in a very sparse manner, not intended to convince you to go there; but when on site, his words tell you what you need to know. Buy another guide to cover hotels, restaurants, and cultural attractions. This gives you the roads to travel.
Most of the routes within will not be found in other books. It is the small roads over beautiful, lonely, alpen passes that are John's specialty. Those roads will best serve someone who has gone to the trouble to be riding a motorcycle in Europe. Leave the big cities for another time, when you fly in and take a cab. You are on a bike, in the countryside, take advantage of your strengths. Head for the scenic instead of the chaotic.
By the second day out, you will be penning a letter to John in your head as you pass through some of the most glorious scenery in the world, thanking him for his good work. I say it now......Thanks John.

The author's description of the roads and passes through the Alps is excellent. The book is well written and laid out in preset routes however, it does have a few deficiencies that prevent it from being an all-in-one Alps trip planner. The included maps lack sufficient detail, they are not suitable for route planning so, must be included for illustration only. The index does not list individual European countries, you must know where you are intending to ride in advance and then read about that area. Overall the book is a worthwhile purchase, it will make you want to ride the Alps.

Great book, great service, great value! Very pleased with product. Exactly what we had hoped for. Informative! Will make trip planning much easier. Highly recommended.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this book. But being a motorcyclist I'm always attracted to motorcycle stories. This book is exactly what I"ve been looking for. If you plan to take a trip to Europe this book is an excellent reference guide. Hermann suggest places to stay, routes to take and places to eat.

I purchased this book a few years ago. I cruise through the Alps every 2-3 years. The book offers good information but the organization is useless. Hermann makes a point to refer to places with local names which is great for Europeans but renders it quite useless to non-Europeans. He has some maps at the start of each chapter but they are too limited to be of any use.

For example, if you are looking to plan a route that would span a period of time for a vacation, such as a week, and if you want to cover a few countries the book will not assist in this effort at all. This is what most would use the book for - to plan a motorcycle trip. The book is designed for locals who will ride in one particular area. For example, 'Around Salzburg' you can find routes and ideas.

It takes A LOT of time to plan a route and you need maps coupled with highlighted areas from the book. I'm looking for a more usable resource for my upcoming trip.