Czec/Slovakia tyre choice and places to see?

[wader]

Planning a road trip to Austria and looking at the map yesterday, thought it would be a good idea to go through Czec Rep and Sovakia. Just wondered if anyone knew what Slovakia/Czec was like, good places to go, roads and anything to be aware of?

Also, as most of the miles will be on the good roads of Germany/Austria and Switzerland, would it be a good idea to put some sporty tyres on my GS1200, or would I regret that in Easten Europe?

 

[Russ-AFC]

Hi Wader.
i went down through Slovakia from Poland to Budapest then back up through Slovakia and Czech to Germany last year.
I did it on the tyres that came on the bike, Anakees, had no problem with them and i guess any touring type tyres would do equally as well, as long as you dont intend to find any off road stuff. The roads i travelled were all pretty good really, a few potholes and loose grit off the main routes.
I think the worse roads were the main roads used by heavy goods, in some places miles of ruts! Be careful if you must ride at night especially in Slovakia, dont think they have MOTs and many vehicles have poor or no lights.
Will look along my route later and post some things i thought were good to see. Bit of an individual thing that though not knowing you or your preferences.
I preferred Bratislava to Prague if you want to visit a city though i guess there are more well known sights in the latter.

Hope you enjoy it all. Have a good ride.

 

[Jezza]

Church of Bones if worth a visit, just East of Prague.

Don't know when you are planning to go but the Brno MotoGP is a great experience 17th Aug this year. I rode my bike there last year, then rode down the length of Croatia along the coastline to Montenegro.

 

[Invicta Moto]

Planning a road trip to Austria and looking at the map yesterday, thought it would be a good idea to go through Czec Rep and Sovakia. Just wondered if anyone knew what Slovakia/Czec was like, good places to go, roads and anything to be aware of?

Also, as most of the miles will be on the good roads of Germany/Austria and Switzerland, would it be a good idea to put some sporty tyres on my GS1200, or would I regret that in Easten Europe?

Czech is quite advanced and they have tarmac on most of the roads. I've made a few visits since 1989 and lived there for a year...

Road tyes are perfectly acceptable on any bike but even sporty tyres would be okay I guess unless you ventured off road.


Places to see in Czech... Karlovy Vary is nice for an overnight spa town then of course Prague itself. Towards the east there are some good roads across country towards Brno and then across to Slovakia.

A loop under the Prague-Brno motorway can take in Pacov where the FIM was founded in 1904, then Hrad Kamen for the motor museum and the across to Telc, whuch is a world heritage site.

Mlada Boleslav has the Skoda Museum.. well worth the visit for the pre-war and rally cars - http://new.skoda-auto.com/COM/about/tradition/museum/Pages/Museum.aspx

In the east of Czech is the Tatra factory and their technical museum... http://www.tatra.cz/en/spodek_en.asp. the rides in the trucks is quite good experience especially the 45 degree inclines...

Check these places out on www.virtualtourist.com for more info.

 

[Wapping]

The roads in the Czech and Slovak Republics are fine....sped the German advance, east, no end....

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Czech

church of bones was pretty dead

Shot with FinePix F601 ZOOM on 2008-03-06

Well worth a look though as is Ceske Budejovice.

 

[Invicta Moto]

Have a look at http://www.zamky-hrady.cz/4/muzea-e.htm for museums.

Of course we have overlooked Česky Krumlov, a bit touristy but depending on when you go. They have a good and cheap Hostel (http://www.krumlovhostel.com/main.php?open=welcome) right in the centre.








I'm surprised that no one has sneered at the Church of Bones in Kutna Hora as being too "Ewan & Charlie... http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~malin/pictures/kutna hora/khs.html

 

[wader]

Hi Wader.
Be careful if you must ride at night especially in Slovakia, dont think they have MOTs and many vehicles have poor or no lights.

I wasn't aware of this, you may have just saved my life!

Thanks all, some great info there. I'd seen Church of bones on LWR and was going to stop there, but i'll look up these other places too and see if it's my thing.

I think we're going to camp in Austria as I can see it being £££, but I'm assuming Czech and Slov should have pretty cheap rooms? Do you get these in most towns?

 

[Invicta Moto]

I think we're going to camp in Austria as I can see it being £££, but I'm assuming Czech and Slov should have pretty cheap rooms? Do you get these in most towns?

Rooms are very reasonable in pensions.hostels etc. I can recommend a couple in the Brno area if you are going that way and should have GPS co-ords somewhere.

 

[Dunk]

I just got back yesterday from Austria and Czech. I left my GS at home and took my Tuono sports bike. All the roads were fine. A few of the back B roads were a bit bumpy in places but I can find the same problems here in the UK.

For good roads/routes have a look at http://www.uem-online.org/ and go to the TOURISM section on the left, choose the on-line version of the maps and loook at the MR13 map. We followed the route down from the to into Austria. Camping was good and cheaper than Austria. Here's the website we used http://www.czech-camping.com/ . Kamp Karolina was really nice.

Put on the sportiest tyres you can get and enjoy Czeck and especially Austria. (average price for a night's camping in Austria was 16 euros for 2 people, 2 bikes and 1 tent)

 

[LittleMark]

Of course we have overlooked Česky Krumlov, a bit touristy but depending on when you go. They have a good and cheap Hostel (http://www.krumlovhostel.com/main.php?open=welcome) right in the centre.

for Cesy Krumlov!!! You have to go in the Summer though (involves rafts and drinking... visit and you'll understand!).
Best place we visited in Czech Replublic.

Also watch out if you ride into Prague.... most of the roads around the centre are cobblestones, and very slippy when it's wet weather. Other than that a great country with some decent roads. Head for the Tatra's in north/north-eastern Slovenia for some stunning mountain roads.

 

[Zundapp]

Planning a road trip to Austria and looking at the map yesterday, thought it would be a good idea to go through Czec Rep and Sovakia. Just wondered if anyone knew what Slovakia/Czec was like, good places to go, roads and anything to be aware of?

Also, as most of the miles will be on the good roads of Germany/Austria and Switzerland, would it be a good idea to put some sporty tyres on my GS1200, or would I regret that in Easten Europe?

One thing to be aware of are the motorway vignettes in Eastern Europe. They are cheap - less than 4 quid and sometimes bikes are exempt - but not always.

You can buy them in petrol stations BEFORE you go on motorways - if you're aware that what you're about go onto is a motorway, but if you get stopped without one, it's very expensive - we had to pay nearly £100 for not having one!

The police set up random roadblocks on the motorways and inspect everyone's windscreen for the sticker, not just foreigners, and don't accept any lack of understanding as an excuse....

It pissed me right off especially as they can drive over here cost free. Hey-ho!

 

[Wapping]

It pissed me right off especially as they can drive over here cost free. Hey-ho!

Not if they go on toll roads they can't.

Helpfully that simple little thought has left you less pissed off.

 

[Zundapp]

Not if they go on toll roads they can't.

Helpfully that simple little thought has left you less pissed off.

Yes, thanks, I feel much, much more relaxed now.... Mind you, we only have one toll road don't we? Oh fk I can hear the voices again