Eastern europe / Ukriane 2009 Trip planned

Boltman

Guest
Hi everyone,

before I have stones thrown at me I do not ride a BMW, would love a GS adventureer, but not so flush at the mo, but I ride a Yamaha Fazer 1000. However this is the best site for people who travel / tour by bike and I wanted some advise, maybe a riding budy.

In June maybe July I am planning (in the very loose sense of the word 'plan' - map/sat-nav, time off work, rough destination and just ride kind of plan) a trip into Eastern Europe again, but this time heading inot the Ukraine via Prague (again), Crakow, then Ukriane, Liv, Kiev and Chernobyl.

I have riden solo to prague, Bratislava, Budapest last year with no problems, other than Bratislava. However I have not ridden to the Ukriane and would like some advise. I have a contact over there for language, but has anyone had any experience of the Ukriane, etiquet for dealling with police and fines, 'bandits' with guns etc. Road surface (if Nick sanders can ride an R1 round the world, I fugure a fazer would be OK on potholes, just a bit slower than a cool GS).

Any helpo would greatly be appreciated. Or any sane, normal down to eath person fancy it?

Thanks everyone.
 
Not Henry, his horny girly,,,,

:)Hi Boltman

Firstly, welcome, secondly, me and Henry were in the Ukraine last year , we only went to Lviv and it was wonderful. We got there the same weekend as the Lviv May festival - DON'T BOTHER THAT WEEKEND UNLESS YOU'VE GOT ACCOMODATION SORTED BEFOREHAND!!! We managed to get a room for one night at the Hotel George in the main square, very faded Victorian splendour but dead cheap, approx 22 euros if I remember rightly. The main square is called Mickiewicz Square, altho it's signposted in Cyrillic so unless you have a dictionary with you you're pretty much in the dark, but it's massive, and if you get into the main centre you can't really miss it. The theatre is at the end you will probably enter by. Hotel George is pink and at the far end on the right hand side of the square, and they have secure motorcyle parking of sorts (what used to be the side entrance - it's a lockable porch). The second night we stayed at the very expensive Grand Hotel in the same square, it was 885 UAH for the double standard room - very luxurious . At the time approx 88 squids a night.

Lots to see and do in Lviv and gorgeous architecture.

The roads in the city are cobbled and extremely lumpy and warped by very heavy traffic and tram lines , but if I can ride them anyone can.

The roads in the Ukraine are generally long, straight, a bit potholed, and the traffic is fast moving, but petrol is dirt cheap, as is vodka. We had no problems at customs on the way in, but got searched on the way back out into Poland ("do you have any drugs or guns?" - actually they seemed quite disappointed when we said no.)

We had no problems with bandits so can't advise, and everyone we met was lovely.

I'm sure you'll love it. so good luck

Kirst :)
 
Hi Kirst,

thanks so much for the repsonse, this is exactly the kind of things I wanted to hear :) I think the Ukraine may be a hidden gem (in place) a bit scary in others. One think is that I cannot get insurance for my bike there, although I have been informed that it is not required?

I will look out for the cheaper hotel, I have been very suprised by the cost of Ukraine hotels on the internet. The hotel I stayed in in Bratislava was entertianing, very eastern block! Unfortunaltely I was not there the day they had the pole dancers lol

It sounds like the roads are similar to prague, cobble streets, rattle the teeth, a bit sketchy in the wet, but entertianing. It sounds wondeful.

Which route did you take to get there?
 
A Bit More serious

I think I will be a bit more seroius this time, or maybe not owning a GS has alienated me??

I cannot find any information on insuring my bike in the Ukraine. I would be very gratefull if someone has any information on insurance requirements in the Ukraine? Is it required by law? Also, on the theft side does anone know of some companies that will offer a short trip policy to cover for accident and theft?

Any help and advice would sincerelly be appreciated
 
Riding Ukraine

Just saw your post Boltman,
I dont think we are that snooty ..
I was there last summer and had a great time. The people were very friendly and the roads vary from excellent to very bad. Yes you do have to look out for the police, but a handfull of Euros sorted it out (when we did get stopped it was cos we did something wrong, even though minor).
Although the signs are in Cyrillic, in the west they use Ukranian and in the east, Russian, so a bit of the language would help, i think there are minor differences between the two (http://www.tryukraine.com/info/languages.shtml).
Hotels vary but most are quite cheap, they like dollars and euros, sterling not popular but they will accept at a push, exchange rates vary and we wern't ripped off too badly. Food is fine but i am a Slav so i am used to that ind of fare ... bit stoggy.
Fuel is a bit cheaper but definately not of western europe quality. Beware of dodgy looking petrol stations, if they look dodgy they probably are.
The wierdest thing that happened was when i wanted to pay for my fuel, the cashier (who sometimes is a jobsworth of the worst kind, dour faced etc) said that i had to tell him my pin to my CC as the card reader wouldnt reach through the window, so make sure you have cash just in case. Also some petrol stations will only accept CC for unleaded while others, cash so make sure first.
Speed limits are not very well defined, but the start and end of a town or village if relatively well defined and there the speed limit is 60kph and we stuck to 50 for good measure and 90kph outside but you will find that few people adhere to it and oncoming drivers warn you of police traps
If you take care you will have a great time.
Enjoy
Ds
if you have any questions just pm me.

another good resource is.. http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/289/country_guide/Europe/Ukraine.html
 
Hi, thank you for your reply and the information, what you outlined about the petrol stations is something that I never even considered, thank you. The links you posted are full of great information. I just now need to work out the insurance situation :)

Thanks again for the post , it has been very helpful:)
 


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