Test fleet: BMW R1250GS Adventure TE

For as long as I can remember, I have seen the big GSA as the ultimate touring bike. Forget the Press shots of the bikes going sideways in the dirt – for 99% of owners the big Tarmac miles is where it's at.

So when I saw an opportunity to take the Beemer on a big trip to Europe I grabbed it with both hands. The excuse – the reason, I mean – for the trip was a mate's wedding in Modena, Italy.

I just had to figure out how to get myself and the bike to Italy and back in a week, with enough time to do some nice roads and actually go to the wedding, too. The answer to that problem came in the form of EuroBikeTrans (www. eurobiketrans.co.uk), a company that takes your bike to nice locations, such as Italy, giving you an option to simply jump on a plane and pick up the bike at your destination.

That was it! The stars were aligned for a great trip.

GETTING STARTED

When I arrived at the EuroBikeTrans depot in Prato, near Florence in Italy, I was a bit nervous. Was the