So, I bought an 899 last November. I hadn't really been on my bike for a couple of years (in storage as opposed to couldn't be bothered) so buying a second one was a fantastic idea. The deed was done though so thought I'd best put a plan in place to try and use it once the weather turned. Amazingly, my wife agreed to me disappearing for a few weeks in the summer to go do a little trip to Europe. Some time with my Michelin Road Map of Europe later and a plan is formed, ferries booked and hotels/airbnb for the major stop-offs. Rough outline below and some things I fancy seeing, if there's any 'must see' things along the way let me know. From Hook of Holland, head for Norway - Geiranger, Trollstigen, Atlantic Highway, Nordkapp Finland - Helsinki (New tyres for the bike as they'll be shagged by this point) Russia - Train to St. Petersburg for a couple of days (loads to see) Estonia - Tallin (Old Town/KGB Museum) Latvia - passing through Lithuania - Vilnius and around (Hill of Crosses?) Belarus - a wander round Minsk Ukraine - Chernobyl Tour Home via Poland/Germany Haven't really asked anybody if they fancied coming with me as I'm not a big fan of motorbike group rides and few of my mates have a) a bike, b) the time, c) the desire to spend 5500 miles on a bike around Europe. I figured I would probably just get chatting to other travelers on the road at various points. There's a few long days in the saddle as a means to an end but should be fine and I can clip some bits if I need to make up time somewhere.
Heading off mid/late June. Done the Alps and surrounds a few times by car/bike (gratuitous pic below) so will be nice to try something different. I'm slightly concerned about bike security but I've booked hotels with underground parking in the major cities I'm stopping in and plan on leaving the bike at Helsinki Ducati for tyres/oil when I pop into St. Petersburg by train.
Terrific plan for a trip, looks like about 4,000 miles of riding and to the land of the midnight sun at the right time of year. Take a mosquito net/repellent. Wish I was going, but not too sure about Belarus. Hope you allow a bit of time to visit some of the interesting sights, not just whizz past them. Good luck.
I wanted to spend a few days in Belarus but the tourist visa needs a tour company voucher for your booking so decided to go with a transit visa and just have a day wandering around Minsk. It strangely appeals due to the lack of tourists that go there, hopefully it will be suitably Soviet.
Looks great. The reverse of this trip (more or less) has been on my bucket list for a few years, but I keep hoping the Norway ferry will return one day.
Trip looks awesome. I've lived in Central Europe for 5 years and covered lots of great areas. You might want to drop a bit further down on the East German side and pop over the Czech border. Some great roads an scenery there. Check out Saxon Switzerland national park on the German side and a place called Hrensko just over the border in the Czech Republic. You can head across that way and back up through Poland. Just a thought! Have fun!!
Just arriving in Bergen. There's been some hellish rain on the way here that's tested my waterproofs to their limits and looks iffy at best for the next few days but hey ho, it's all good.
Made it to Nordkapp. Seem to have a slight coolant leak somewhere but I can't smell anything so must be small. Seems to be fairly common on 899's. Bike is going in to Helsinki Ducati for tyres so I'll ask them to have a poke around (and hopefully wash the bike) while I'm in st Petersburg.
Only one real bad day of rain since Denmark. It was torrential on the run up to Nordkapp. Needed a wetsuit for that. All good now.
