The German Motorcycle Route - 2026

[adventuredon]

View attachment 438728

Ever since I first read about the German Motorcycle Route and then mapped it out in GPX format, I have been fascinated by it.

Motorradstraße Deutschland - MSD

www.motorradstrassen.de

The idea of riding it is surfacing again. More worryingly, I am back on the idea of riding all 8,000 miles of it. It definitely won’t be cheap to do, as I’ll probably stay in hotels all the way around. But, if I average 200 miles a day, that is 40 days. Add say, 50% as I won’t ride every day and / or I’ll want to stop to see ‘stuff’ that gives 60 days or, near enough, two months away. Do it from the latter part of August, thro’ to the latter end of October should be OK weather’wise…. Or so I think!

If I assume a figure of £150 a day (just to allow for any problems and all excursions) that is £9,000 all in. A two month trip around bits of the globe by aeroplane or a two month cruise would cost more, I’m sure. It’s looking like ‘good value’….. and I only have to justify it to myself! Cut down on the kit taken, to just the bare essentials (I am happy enough to wash stuff as I go along, either in my room or a laundrette) and I won’t be meeting royalty along the way, though if I do, my bikermate appearance will only impress them more.

Not speaking a word of German, much beyond counting to 12, ordering a beer or one room, just adds to the fun!

A plan is forming in my head….. There’s plenty of room, as there’s not much else in there!

Probably cheaper to ride around South Africa...or somewhere else where the coin stretches further without too much difference in culture.?

 

[Wapping]

Probably cheaper to ride around South Africa...or somewhere else where the coin stretches further without too much difference in culture.?

Probably.

Not too fussed about the ‘Difference in culture’ bit.

 

[Wapping]

I’ve given the idea some more thought. Though I’d like to do the lot in one go, I’ve decided that (for a number of reasons) it’s really not practical. That’s left me deciding on which of the four legs to do first. I’ve lumped on the eastern leg, for no better reason than I also want to see the sites and sights I’ve mapped out around the ‘Fall of Berlin’.

Thread 'Something for 2026 perhaps - Seelow Heights and Battle of Halbe'

Jul 27, 2025

Following on from my plan to see the Hurtgen Forest, I might well think about seeing another of the less visited sites, or rather two of them.

The Seelow Hights were the last natural obstacle, standing in the face of the Russian armies, in their drive to first encircle, then subdue and capture Berlin. It might be interesting to see the places where things happened.

Likewise, a bit south of Berlin, is the site of arguably the last great battle of the war - outside of Berlin itself - (it was a slaughter really, for both sides) as the beleaguered Germsn 9th army attempted to disengage from...

• Wapping
• Replies: 47
• Forum: Germany

• 

This leads me to think that I should maybe do the trip in April, so as to coincide roughly with the month of the actual fall, as opposed to September. Now to look at my diary, to see if that works.

April, after Easter, may well tie in with the arrival of my new wobblybox. If so, I’ll dump the motorcycle and trundle off on four wheels instead. That might well bring a change of plan, too.

 

[Rusty]

What updates on this Mr Wapping ? I mentioned back in Sept how honestly exciting it looked .. going to do the eastern part first or is it on the back burner to do in one go ?

 

[Wapping]

That is a very good question.

I’ve decided to postpone it for a year; a dangerous decision as one becomes older! The reason is simply that the arrival of my new campervan has overlapped with my plans to see some more endurance car racing, Le Mans itself and the finalisation of my idea to retrace the Russian invasion of Berlin and the destruction of Germany’s Ninth Army in the Halbe Pocket, along with its final retreat to surrender to the American army on the River Elbe to the west. I also want to visit Zossen, Potsdam and Oranienberg. My planning out of that is all but complete:




In part as well, it revolves around my deciding to stop my consultancy work in July 2027, not 2026.

I will definitely do the German Motorcycle Route in full, not least as I have spent too long just looking at it.