On-Bike & Helmet Cameras In Spain, Portugal & France

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Why wonder or even worry about it, really?

You are crossing two reasonably big western countries. The chances of you meeting a policeman are small. The chances of them being interested in you - unless you have done something bad - are equally small.

There are lots of things in foreign places that you can’t do, speeding is one and crossing unbroken white lines is another. Bikermates regularly do both. Why get concerned about something as obscure as whether you can have a camera running?
 
Why wonder or even worry about it, really?

You are crossing two reasonably big western countries. The chances of you meeting a policeman are small. The chances of them being interested in you - unless you have done something bad - are equally small.

There are lots of things in foreign places that you can’t do, speeding is one and crossing unbroken white lines is another. Bikermates regularly do both. Why get concerned about something as obscure as whether you can have a camera running?

Quite agree, somewhat typical of WHICH magazine ... Q: why are the Brits so neurotic?
 
Why wonder or even worry about it, really?

You are crossing two reasonably big western countries. The chances of you meeting a policeman are small. The chances of them being interested in you - unless you have done something bad - are equally small.

There are lots of things in foreign places that you can’t do, speeding is one and crossing unbroken white lines is another. Bikermates regularly do both. Why get concerned about something as obscure as whether you can have a camera running?

:agree

Just got back having done the Picos then travelled the length of Spain to Moraira, back through the Pyrenees and then all the way up to Caen, filmed most of it (not motorways) and was nevered troubled by plod, not that I saw any. :thumb2
 
:agree

Just got back having done the Picos then travelled the length of Spain to Moraira, back through the Pyrenees and then all the way up to Caen, filmed most of it (not motorways) and was nevered troubled by plod, not that I saw any. :thumb2

That sounds like hours and hours of footage. Indulge me for a second, and please take it that I'm wondering if I'm missing something rather than being critical of you, but what do you do with the video? Do you sit and watch it? Is it like a hobby where you spend time editing it into shorter movies for friends and family to enjoy? Is it a trap for errant motorists so you can present evidence of wrongdoers to the police? Is it so your relatives can ascertain whether your untimely demise on a motorcycle was your own fault or someone else's? Is it something else altogether? Genuine questions.
 
100% what Wapping wrote.

Also: in the last years I always filmed part of my traveling by bike in France and Italy (definitely it is allowed in Italy) and no one cared, not even the border police at Calais.

Everything edited down to simple to digest 60 seconds videos just to have some fun playing with it.

Now that I think about it, in the last 10 years I never bothered putting stickers on the headlights or bringing the high viz vests, and I travel quite often (bike/car) between UK/EU.

:)
 
Rode from Malaga to Ronda today. Filmed loads. Unreal roads. One popo car was all we saw.

I may be neurotic Simon, but I'm not British... :aidan ;)

Wapping - this is our first foreign trip. I'm 50. This is like a monstrous thing for us - many Tossers may have done trips like this many times, but I imagine everyone's first trip is peppered with plenty of neuroticness...

Collecting bikes in Malaga this morning, we had a look at the other bikes being stored there. I noticed a Dublin bike with initials on it that matched a dude I knew in school. While we were getting ourselves sorted, sure enough up rolls that same guy. Him & 2 mates heading for Morocco, on 2 KTM 690s and a Tenere 660. Their 5th trip. How we all enjoyed slagging off our overloaded 1150GS & XTZ1200 vs their smaller lighter bikes...
 
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.... I imagine everyone's first trip is peppered with plenty of neuroticness [sic]...

ITYM 'neuroses" dear. Just think what Phaedrus would have done. He'd have disguised the camera as a Coke can and carried on regardless...
 
Rode from Malaga to Ronda today. Filmed loads. Unreal roads. One popo car was all we saw.

I may be neurotic Simon, but I'm not British... :aidan ;)

Wapping - this is our first foreign trip. I'm 50. This is like a monstrous thing for us - many Tossers may have done trips like this many times, but I imagine everyone's first trip is peppered with plenty of neuroticness...

Collecting bikes in Malaga this morning, we had a look at the other bikes being stored there. I noticed a Dublin bike with initials on it that matched a dude I knew in school. While we were getting ourselves sorted, sure enough up rolls that same guy. Him & 2 mates heading for Morocco, on 2 KTM 690s and a Tenere 660. Their 5th trip. How we all enjoyed slagging off our overloaded 1150GS & XTZ1200 vs their smaller lighter bikes...

Ha ha, sorry for the inference. BTW in Spain you can use dash cams, etc. I was about to say that any footage is not admissible for evidence in court as it contradicts the laws relating to privacy, but according to the latest view on the subject on the brilliant N-232 page, run by the Guardia Civil, it's OK with the caveat that you can't publish images of people without there permission, Spanish people are very aware of this.

Have a great trip! :)

Regs

Simon

PS but I still think that the Brits are neurotic! :)
 
ITYM 'neuroses" dear. Just think what Phaedrus would have done. He'd have disguised the camera as a Coke can and carried on regardless...

John Noakes would have made a camera from a Coke can!

I'll get me coat ...
 
Enjoy your holiday; looks good. An excellent ‘first time out’ jaunt, for sure.

PS Out of interest, where did you get the little aeroplane, boat and motorbike graphics from, superimposed on the Garmin map / route image in your other thread?
 
That sounds like hours and hours of footage. Indulge me for a second, and please take it that I'm wondering if I'm missing something rather than being critical of you, but what do you do with the video? Do you sit and watch it? Is it like a hobby where you spend time editing it into shorter movies for friends and family to enjoy? Is it a trap for errant motorists so you can present evidence of wrongdoers to the police? Is it so your relatives can ascertain whether your untimely demise on a motorcycle was your own fault or someone else's? Is it something else altogether? Genuine questions.

Bought a cheap (£50) SJCam M10 set up four years ago, still working perfectly and it’s purely for my own benefit, long winter’s and can re-live some great rides.
When I eventually get round to finding some free software I’ll have a go at editing and may then post up on YouTube.
 
Bought a cheap (£50) SJCam M10 set up four years ago, still working perfectly and it’s purely for my own benefit, long winter’s and can re-live some great rides.
When I eventually get round to finding some free software I’ll have a go at editing and may then post up on YouTube.


Free software? Just buy a Mac!

I'll get me coat ...

Simon
 
Screen-shot of BaseCamp map & route imported into MS Visio. Plane, boat & bike nicked from www, then tweaked for my purposes in Photoshop (transparent backgrounds, original red bike colour changed to yellow for me and black for matey boy), then inserted into Visio and layered on top of map. All saved from Visio as a jpeg.

The video thing for me is cos I want to become a youtube sensation and be adored and be able to buy myself a McLaren F1 and a mansion. It'll also be nice to edit something together to watch and remind myself (and anyone else interested) of the trip.

I have used Garmin's editing software (VIRB Edit?) which is grand for basic stuff, but I recently started using free software called DaVinci Resolve which is altogether better but takes a bit of getting used to.

I have a Sena 10C on my helmet and three VIRBs on the bike in various positions/angles. Matey boy has a 10C and two VIRBs. We're also using compact stills cameras in video mode on selfie-sticks or mini tripods for more variety of footage. We had planned to also use a drone but time got away from us and we couldn't make that happen for this trip.

I find a lot of inspiration from the better youtube videos - great footage from multiple angles along with clever creative editing (without doubt the most time-consuming but important element in the whole process) really help make a video zing. Neither me nor matey are particularly watchable or interesting, so anything I do put together won't be winning any Oscars but hopefully some of it might be worth watching.
 
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Screen-shot of BaseCamp map & route imported into MS Visio. Plane, boat & bike nicked from www, then tweaked for my purposes in Photoshop (transparent backgrounds, original red bike colour changed to yellow for me and black for matey boy), then inserted into Visio and layered on top of map. All saved from Visio as a jpeg.

The video thing for me is cos I want to become a youtube sensation and be adored and be able to buy myself a McLaren F1 and a mansion. It'll also be nice to edit something together to watch and remind myself (and anyone else interested) of the trip.

I have used Garmin's editing software (VIRB Edit?) which is grand for basic stuff, but I recently started using free software called DaVinci Resolve which is altogether better but takes a bit of getting used to.

I have a Sena 10C on my helmet and three VIRBs on the bike in various positions/angles. Matey boy has a 10C and two VIRBs. We're also using compact stills cameras in video mode on selfie-sticks or mini tripods for more variety of footage. We had planned to also use a drone but time got away from us and we couldn't make that happen for this trip.

I find a lot of inspiration from the better youtube videos - great footage from multiple angles along with clever creative editing (without doubt the most time-consuming but important element in the whole process) really help make a video zing. Neither me nor matey are particularly watchable or interesting, so anything I do put together won't be winning any Oscars but hopefully some of it might be worth watching.

I think the drone stuff really adds to a ride vid, shows off the terrain really well.
This guy is a pro jurno I think but carries a drone.
Stunning stuff.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iw1YMIc0INg" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
When I eventually get round to finding some free software I’ll have a go at editing and may then post up on YouTube.

Try OpenShot. It's powerful, yet easy to use. I use it on Linux and last time I looked it was a little clunky on Windows, but that's a few years ago now so it's worth trying it.
 
There aren’t any Plod, hardly any other vehicles. We spotted two Guardia Civil in about 1000 kms riding the Picos, and in a wide circle back to Bilbao.

In Portugal there were a few more, people and some sleeping Plod in Braganca, but generally it appears everyone is away.

You could probably ride without any clothes on, nobody will know except you.

The best riding I have enjoyed, not sure why we are going to Norway next year.
 
Try OpenShot. It's powerful, yet easy to use. I use it on Linux and last time I looked it was a little clunky on Windows, but that's a few years ago now so it's worth trying it.

I dont think there is any user friendly free vid editing software. A good idea is to share a good paid editor amongst a few users.
I used to use Pinnacle 14. Jaws on here would be good for advise, he has done some cracking RR vids.
 
Agree. Just back from a 2 week tour through Spain and Portugal with a camera fitted to either my helmet or the bike for most of it - no issues, even when passing a few cops on bikes in Portugal. Like others have said, if you ride respectfully, especially through the towns and villages, no-one bothers you.



There aren’t any Plod, hardly any other vehicles. We spotted two Guardia Civil in about 1000 kms riding the Picos, and in a wide circle back to Bilbao.

In Portugal there were a few more, people and some sleeping Plod in Braganca, but generally it appears everyone is away.

You could probably ride without any clothes on, nobody will know except you.

The best riding I have enjoyed, not sure why we are going to Norway next year.
 
I think the drone stuff really adds to a ride vid, shows off the terrain really well.
This guy is a pro jurno I think but carries a drone.
Stunning stuff.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iw1YMIc0INg" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Drone stuff does really add to a story - but it takes a good few minutes to setup, catch the footage, land the drone and pack it all away afterwards. If you're in a group of bikes, it can be kind of difficult to get timely opportunities to film.
That said, the rewards are great. A few drive-by clips are great as well, but setting them up also take a few mins - find a spot, setup the camera, ride back the way, ride past the camera, ride back to get the camera and then yer done.

I cheated a bit on our last trip - mostly just shot 2 min clips and then popped them on YT so I could reference them in a blog style ride report. At some stage I'll sit down with a video editor and put together something a bit more watchable including some stills and stuff like that...but for now, it's the lazy option!
 
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