#4 From Saint Tropez to the Harley Dome Cologne
Part 4
After the Euro Festival, I headed back towards Germany. I set off from Saint Tropez early in the morning at 5 a.m. The weather had been fine all day. That has now changed, it has become cool and wet.
First we take the Road Glide Ultra to the gas station, in France it is often the case that you have to go into the gas station first and pay in advance.
Those who speak French in France have a clear advantage
And right in the early morning I caught an unfriendly gas station attendant who was even grumpier than I was at this time of day. It's really bad if you can't speak French, because many people here only speak their national language and he was one of them.
1300 kilometers want to be eaten
Anyway, the tank is full and we continue on the highway towards Lyon.
My speedometer reading is now at 4039 kilometers and I have resolved to ride the entire 1300 kilometers to Cologne.
Only 5 liters per 100
After the first 300 kilometers, I take my first fuel break in Pont-de-l'Isère and fill up with 15 liters of petrol. It's a simple calculation, 300 kilometers in 3 hours and 5 liters per hundred.
Stupid highway driving in France
The advantage of the French highways is that they are quite empty, but this strict speed limit makes you tired even though you are fully rested.
But the worst are the toll booths, either by card or by throwing money into the machine, which is quite annoying and expensive.
BoomBox Navigation shows me the way
As usual, the navigation does a good job, and the entire infotainment unit is an asset to the driver, especially on long journeys. The traffic information system always keeps me up to date, and at times the music plays while the cruise control maintains the speed.
Shortly before Lyon, it started to rain and the dark clouds were already on the horizon, but I still managed to ride 270 kilometers to Gevrey-Chambertin to refuel and take a break.
If I'm good now, the Road Glide will take me all the way to Luxembourg without refueling.
The weather turns to rain
It's a strenuous ride, the weather just isn't playing ball and now the advantages of a big tourer come into play. The large windshield offers me enough protection in this weather. The fairing on the side also pays off. In such miserable weather, you're glad when your legs are protected.
I stop along the way at the highway rest stop to warm up with coffee and keep fit.
It's 350 kilometers to Luxembourg from the last stop, I'm very economical on the road, although the Road Glide is fully loaded, the luggage doesn't affect the fuel consumption.
Fill up cheaply in Luxembourg
When I arrive at the crossing in Roeser, the on-board computer shows me a remaining range of 48 kilometers.
I filled up with 19 liters, which is about right. I think with a capacity of 22.7 liters including reserve, that fits in well with the times.
Final spurt, it's now 16:15, they're waiting for me in Cologne. I'm helping to organize the bike show there and the preparations have to be made.
Cologne, this is Cologne!
That was the last 240 kilometers for today, it took me 3 hours to get from Luxembourg to Cologne.
I spent a total of 14 hours on the road today on the Harley-Davidson long-distance tourer. Now it's time for a nightcap at the Hard Rock Cafe and then the event over the weekend.
I'll take care of the Harley Dome Cologne Facebook page so that all the information and photos are online and on Monday I'll be heading back home to the far north.
That's another 500 kilometers, then the Road Glide Ultra will have about 5700 kilometers on it.
The tour to Saint Tropez and back home was 4200 kilometers. That was the first really big tour with the new 107 Milwaukee-Eight engine.
So far, the Road Glide Ultra has been very convincing and has all the characteristics of a touring bike.
The special features that have stood out to me so far are its economy and the cultivated running of the engine, which is noticeably cooler than its predecessors in hot traffic jams.
