Italian ALPs and back

Thinking of doing a 12 day tour of France , Northern Italy but thinking of taking the TransAlp and let the Swing have the time off.

My main reason for this is that I would like to do a bit of trail riding and thats one thing the Swing aint good at. Any tips on traveling safely and minimising attention from bandito's.

Also what kit , spares and breakdon cover do i need d you think ?

Cheers inmates

Provided you've got decent euro cover on your breakdown policy I would limit the spares to chainlube, a few basic tools, cables ties and a bit of gaff tape. Sorry but I can't remember who I used last time I took a ferry, but it was a specialist policy.
One thing to consider is a puncture, if your TA is running tubed tyres it might be worth installing one of the puncture prevention gloomy, if tubeless carry a repair kit.
To avoid Dick Turpin's attention don't clean the bike.
If you're using a tankbag or other unsecured luggage leave used underwear in there, that should deter even the most opportunist of thieves

I rode some Alpine passes on a BMW R/80 GS in the early Nineties on a tour with a group of other riders on the way to Hungary. All I can remember nowadays are names like the Fern Pass, Susten Pass, Timmelsjoch Pass, the others I've forgotten. We stayed in a couple of places in Austria and did the passes using rather useless printed route cards.

What I do remember vividly is however spectacular the Alpine scenery, I couldn't admire it or even look up much as I had to concentrate and keep my eyes on the road all the time. While in my mirrors there'd be the distraction of faster bikers who were experts at Alpine riding, or drivers in high performance cars. Relaxing it wasn’t.

I found out later that Alpine riding is a big thing for bikers, especially in Germany where they have specialised Alpine tours and magazine about it. There's even special rail carriages for transporting bikes from certain German cities to Alpine regions.

Before I went I'd only heard about the Stella Alpina Rally in Italy, and the odd biker telling tall tales about knee down stuff. The only previous mountain riding experience if you could call it that was riding in the Spanish Pyrenees a couple of times, and Hardknott and Wrynose Passes in Cumbria.

Back then there was no internet for research, but the following year I picked up a very good book called Motorcycling Journeys Through The Alps' by John Hermann. It's a comprehensive and entertaining book that'll tell you all you want to know about riding in the Alps.

It's been updated a few few times and the later editions are quite expensive. There just happens to be a copy of the very same book (the one with the white cover) currently for sale on eBay. It's the white covered one going for just over £8 if you’re interested.

It'll be a bit dated now but it lists all the Passes, where to stay, rest stops, what to pack etc.

Good reading Meldrew ; my family is from the Italian Alps near Florence in a small town of Stenico. I've been back to this area three times in a car and it's still breathtaking. The Swiss and Austrian Alps are gorgeous.