Best way to tour Iceland on a m/c?

Devon · Oct 25, 2009

I fancy riding around Iceland next year. Any advice on the best way to get a m/c there, best accommodation, length of stay required to see the place, would fly/drive be a better option? I have googled but there doesn't appear to be any ferries travelling from the UK to Iceland.

Hustler · Oct 25, 2009

From 2000 so bit old now but may be of use - http://www.bcanet.co.uk/bikesite/crossing_iceland.htm

alimey4u2 · Oct 26, 2009

I have some friends living there whom are active motorcyclists, I could contact them for you if you wish ??

DrFarkoff · Oct 26, 2009

Take a VERY Full wallet or a very empty credit card with a big limit!!

It's not cheap!!!

Try Horizons unlimited for info there should be some good stuff there

Rushy · Oct 26, 2009

Jaythro said:
Take a VERY Full wallet or a very empty credit card with a big limit!!

It's not cheap!!!

Try Horizons unlimited for info there should be some good stuff there

It was always very expensive to visit but has that improved now since the financial 'meltdown' ? ........see what I did there

One would assume the exchange rate has improved in our favour because their currency must be worth even less than the pound now and the local government must be doing everything they can to bring in the tourist £/dollar. :nenau

A place I always wanted to visit

stu650 · Oct 26, 2009

We went this summer and general living expenses were cheaper than the UK due to the current exchange rate.

The only ferry to run to Iceland at the moment is the Smyril Line from Denmark. You can get a ferry from Harwich to Denmark, or ride round via the Chunnel.

You can rent bikes over there, but they are very expensive. If you are going for any decent period of time it can be better taking your own over.

We did a mixture of camping and hotels. If you plan to stay only in hotels you must book in advance. The summer season is very short and busy, and accomodaction can be very difficult to find on a daily basis.

The sights you can reach from the ringroad are fantastic, but with the right bike trips into the interior can be a spectactular experience.

Stu

Devon · Oct 26, 2009

Thank's everyone for the advice so far. It looks like Iceland 2010 is a goer. I will have to do my homework but I can hopefully ship the bike and then get a return flight from Birmingham for about £170-ish. It also seems the currency there has crashed by 60%, so its not outragously expensive anymore. :beerjug:

Tim Cullis · Oct 26, 2009

Steve Attwood did Iceland in 2007 on a Transalp and has a Mapsource file of his routes. I've asked him if he minds me sending you a copy.

There are free GPS maps available, see http://www.ourfootprints.de/gps/mapsource-island_e.html

When are you planning to go? :augie

Devon · Oct 26, 2009

Tim Cullis said:
Steve Attwood did Iceland in 2007 on a Transalp and has a Mapsource file of his routes. I've asked him if he minds me sending you a copy.

There are free GPS maps available, see http://www.ourfootprints.de/gps/mapsource-island_e.html

When are you planning to go?

Hi Tim, Thank's for your kind offer. I am planning on sometime in June. You have a PM.

Geoff1961 · Oct 26, 2009

I went earlier this year on one of Iceladairs four day breaks when there were 150 krona to the pound and the cost of living was not too bad. Now there are 200 krona to the pound, even better

The Blue Lagoon was impressive, but I enjoyed the Laugardalur public pools in Reykjavik just as much, not many tourists and only a couple of quid to get in.
Favourite restaurant was Lauga-As, not far from Laugargdalur, as long as you dont mind Minky whale being on the menu :drool

Alcoholic drinks in restaurants were pricey, if you are flying in I would recommend picking some booze up in the duty free at Keflavik airport

RadioActive · Oct 26, 2009

If you're planning on doing some interior roads don't go too early. I went last year in the first two weeks of July and the F35 had only been open a week or two and the F88 to Askja even less. See http://www.vegagerdin.is/umferd-og-faerd/faerd-og-astand/faerd-og-vedur/ for live road status - and learn a little Icelandic too! The pound I spent on a mosquito head net was a good investment, and if you're camping some of those eye covers from an airline help sleeping during the night which is really day. I'm afraid I can't help you with any accomodation info apart from campsites.

Chris

SIM · Oct 27, 2009

iceland

Devon

Smyril ferry from Scrabster in Scotland was cancelled, so the only way i understand and as Stu650 says is Smyril from Denmark.

I went to Iceland a couple of years ago, it was very expensive at the time, but was told it is a lot cheaper now, it is certainly worth making the effort to get there and will hopefully be doing it again soon.

A good book to look at for the interior routes is Iceland Overland, it has lots of routes for the interior

Regards

Simon

Devon · Oct 27, 2009

Again, Thank's for the replys everyone. It might be a group of us from Devon and Cornwall will do the trip in late June and early July.

The choice at the moment is to put a load of GSes on my trailer behind my old Landrover and drive to DK. Then I could sail from there to meet the others who will fly in. Flights aren't that expensive: £170 return and we can split costs for the Ferry. I have just phoned an old Danish mate who is working in Esjberg tomorrow, he is going to call in the Smyril office and get a sailing timetable and price for the Landy and trailer. I have already emailed smyril but they have only responded by emailing a copy of an out of date 2009 'holiday with hotels' catalogue. I like the idea of trailering the m/cs but it would add another 4 days (2 days driving, 2 days sailing)to the trip either side of the 12 days or so I would like to spend in Iceland.

I think the best bet would be to hire a 20ft container and freight our M/Cs to Iceland from Immingham in the UK. We could then all fly in a week later and collect the bikes from the port. Freighting the M/Cs shouldn't be that expensive.

I presume there are no restrictions on taking a UK vehicle into Iceland and that British Insurance covers Iceland as it does mainland Europe?

As I posted earlier in this thread, the Icelandic Krone has crashed by 60% in the last 12 months so it's not that expensive anymore. There was a bizarre report on the BBC today about Mc Donalds shutting up shop in Iceland because of the collapse of the Krone/economy and the remoteness and small population of Iceland means it cannot justify operating there any longer. Link here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8327185.stm. It can't be much fun being an Icelander right now.

merlings1200 · Oct 28, 2009

I went to Iceland first 2 weeks of July this year, with 2 guys from Brussels we shiped bikes from Rotterdam with Emskip the cost for all 3 bikes was 800 euro return. My flight was £120.00 return with Iceland air.

The riding off road was fantastic we camped most nights, hotels in biger towns. You need to book them well inadvance as most where full.

Wreford Miles · Oct 28, 2009

Iceland is on my list and I need to get planning...

I'm doing the Alto next year so it will have to be 2011 - I've just acquired a TT tank for my 650X as I think that will be a better bike than the Airhead (The Airhead is not good for crossing water)

I did hear that you can B&B in remote farms

merlings1200 · Oct 28, 2009

yes you can B&B at some farms you will need to book as they tend to get full

We stayed at this one it was self catering slept 12 people in one hut and was very clean.

merlings1200 · Oct 28, 2009

sorry picture would not upload

BamBam · Oct 28, 2009

Wreford Miles said:
Iceland is on my list and I need to get planning...

I'm doing the Alto next year so it will have to be 2011 - I've just acquired a TT tank for my 650X as I think that will be a better bike than the Airhead (The Airhead is not good for crossing water)

I did hear that you can B&B in remote farms

Wreford, Put the old airbox on take the induction trumpets off and fit a snorkel tubes that go up to the bars.
In the inertia you'll be camping then?

This is a very good DVD also available from other sources,
http://www.touratech.com/shops/008/...=6930&osCsid=270ad3a1e844ce53061843a43fbe1ab9

we hope to get there soon

merlings1200 · Oct 29, 2009

some more pics

Rushy · Oct 29, 2009

Bloody hell you've got a lot of weight on that XC there Merlin. How was it with all that on the back?

Oh and whats the story behind the gold RAV4 type submarine ?

Best way to tour Iceland on a m/c?

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