Ideas/routes wanted to help plan my Euro 2015 trip?

Grums3

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Hi all,

Planning a big trip through Europe this summer. Headed over to Ijmuden from Newcastle then down through Germany into Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania (Transfagarasen & Transalpina), Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria (GrossGlockner) then onto Italy (Stelvio Pass). After this time will depend on my route back to Ijumden.

Planning on sticking more to the east of these countries as I ride down and then more to the west on my return. Maybe just skimming the east edges of Croatia & Slovenia on the way up to Austria.

I'm looking for recommend routes across these countries in my general direction. Id mainly like to stay away from major cities and stick to the mountains where possible. Looking for nice twisty mountain roads with amazing views.

Any tips for accomodation and any other pointers welcome.

Thanks in advance. :beerjug:
 
Try and spend a couple days in the Dolomites, easy to ride 10 or more passes in a day from a base (20+ if you have an Iron Butt and get up early)

The Stelvio sucks as a riders road, possibly not worth it, especially if approaching from Merano down the Valley of hell. If you must ride it make sure you do the Gavia which leads away from it the other side, one of the best passes in the Alps, so many people ride the Stelvio and miss this gem.

Get the "Motorcycle Journeys through the Alps and Beyond" book and see how many good passes you can work into your route, there is over 300 listed and you will be able to work a lot of them into your plans.

250 miles is a long day on mountain roads, try to keep to around 200 a day or less if you can, average speeds on Alpine roads is around 35mph for most folk on the "average" mountain route, some are faster (Austrian roads tend to be faster and more flowing) others are slower (The Dolomites are particularly twisty and 35mph is a good average on them) 160-180 miles is my normal target giving 5-6 hours riding and plenty of time to stop for photo's / coffee / grub etc
 
Try and spend a couple days in the Dolomites, easy to ride 10 or more passes in a day from a base (20+ if you have an Iron Butt and get up early)

The Stelvio sucks as a riders road, possibly not worth it, especially if approaching from Merano down the Valley of hell. If you must ride it make sure you do the Gavia which leads away from it the other side, one of the best passes in the Alps, so many people ride the Stelvio and miss this gem.

Get the "Motorcycle Journeys through the Alps and Beyond" book and see how many good passes you can work into your route, there is over 300 listed and you will be able to work a lot of them into your plans.

250 miles is a long day on mountain roads, try to keep to around 200 a day or less if you can, average speeds on Alpine roads is around 35mph for most folk on the "average" mountain route, some are faster (Austrian roads tend to be faster and more flowing) others are slower (The Dolomites are particularly twisty and 35mph is a good average on them) 160-180 miles is my normal target giving 5-6 hours riding and plenty of time to stop for photo's / coffee / grub etc

Rasher thanks a lot buddy. I've ordered myself a copy of the book on your recommendation. I've made a few trips to Europe now, Black Forrest, RGA several times and some passes in Switzerland. Looking forward to something very different this year. :beerjug:
 
I'm looking for recommend routes across these (multiple) countries in my general direction. Id mainly like to stay away from major cities and stick to the mountains where possible. Looking for nice twisty mountain roads with amazing views.

Any tips for accomodation and any other pointers welcome.

An epic trip of several thousand miles through at least 11 countries (before you come back that is) that you are planning on making this summer.... Which I guess starts round about mid-June .... And are now looking for (twisty) roads to ride with (amazing) views and hotels to stay in, all avoiding major cities.

Sadly, what you haven't told anyone is:

(a) How long you've set aside to ride your route:
Newcastle, Ijmuden, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania (Transfagarasen & Transalpina), Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria (GrossGlockner) ,Italy (Stelvio Pass). After this time will depend on my route back to Ijumden

(b) Whether you intend to have any days off the bike, looking at things or just not riding the bike. Days off will mean that you're not going forwards, so will eat into the number of days / weeks / months given in answer (a)

(c) When it is you are planning to depart


PS For easy guides into and around the Alps, I'd remind you of this thread from June 2011 where you popped up. I for sure hope you still have your copy?

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...-A-new-guide-good-value?p=2743994#post2743994


PPS I quite like the Stelvio and its iconic history. It would be a shame to miss it having ridden all that way.

PPPS Have a look at the Louis.de website. They have lots of suggested routes, created and ridden over several years. Not unsurprisingly, they don't go exactly where you are going but, if you stitch several together - and add in whatever roads you've settled on from the maps you've (hopefully) got - you'll have it cracked.

Louis hide it away a bit, but here it is:

https://www.louis.de/en/fuer-die-motorradreise/tourentipps

PPPPS I Googled up 'Great motorbiking roads in (insert country)' and up popped loads of really quite good ideas. These ranged from the usual Best Biking Roads website, right through to a really nicely set-out motorbiking guide to Slovenia, issued by the state tourist office. They'll post you a copy for free. Similarly, have a look at the various proffesional guided tour companies' websites. Some shroud their tours in mystery but others give quite good clues as to where they go and where they stay. It's time to become a detective!

To give you a start, here's the Slovenia thing I found reasonably quickly. It really is pretty good:

http://www.slovenian-alps.com/en/files/default/Publikacije/motoristicne poti A5 - ANG.pdf

And don't forget also the free ADAC motorcycle touring maps, which will cover several of the countries you intend to visit / pass through:

http://www.fim-europe.com/index.php/touring/european-maps

I use them quite regularly.





Anyththing more....


1. Most PDF maps and guides download really well to an iPad. I have loads on my iPad mini, saved in my iBooks library, where they are easy to put into specific sections and then find. How you index them is up to you. I'm right now looking at a PDF of the Slovenia route map, which I must have downloaded from the site mentioned above at some time.

2. The Mapsman website is useful if you want to order some maps or guides. There again, any half decent bookshop will order them in, too.

http://www.mapsman.com

3. Two free and really useful apps to have are:

ViaMichelin- Route planner and maps

booking.com

The first because it has really detailed maps built into it and all sorts of other useful guff. Trust me it's really good. The second because you'll not get all your hotels recommended to you, that's for sure. Trust me, again.

Have fun and be sure to post up a great trip report; your trip sounds a fantastic one. :beerjug:
 
I am doing the alps in couple weeks time but coming up from the Pyrenees .. would like to stay longer but only got just over 2 weeks. Have a look at my route although it covers a lot what other people are saying.

Ive just got a copy of this book off eBay after recommendation in another topic "Motorcycle Journeys through the Alps and Beyond"

http://holygasoline.com/2015/05/24/pyrenees-and-apls-preparations/
 


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