Hi,
I was thinking for the next year this route, I should be grateful if someone could give me indications about the roads in Russia, as I should like to visit St. Petersburg, Moscow and other cities, safety on the road, problem with the police, all necessary to make this experience unforgettable

Cheers

If you decide to head east from Nordkapp via Kirkenes to Murmansk, and down towards St P/ Moscow, you'd miss Finland but see the north of Norway = recommended.

The road from kirkenes to Murmansk was in a dreadful condition when I rode it a month ago.. but after three days in the city, I rode back to kirkenes along the same road and much of the worst holes had been filled in/ asphalted.

In three days!

So I guess road condition depends very much on which day of the week you travel!

--Mike

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www.BesideTheSeaside.eu
---I'm back. Now what?---

Hi, man!
Perfect root for enduro bike!
Karelia is amazing, it's wild and butiful,
St.Petersburg is very nice for tourists, some people treat it like the most cool place in the world, Moscow is huge and crowdy, I'm tired to leave here, but you'll love it (everybody do!!)
About roads: Karelia - good for Africa Twin or GS,
From St. Petersburg to Moscow - 150 km of shit, other 550 - Ok, police:
all problems will be solved with 5$ (if you r not drunk ofcourse
Ask me whatever you need, I can contact you with guys in St.Petersburg, in Moscow you'll be my guest (if I'll be there in that time)
Good Luck!
e-mail me for more info
Dmitry

Thanks for your useful help, this will help me to prepare the journey, now last question how much is it cold or warm regarding places to be visited in my first thread this is important about the equipment



Thanks

I was sunbathing in Kirkenes in early August. And freezing in rain and fog at Nordkapp a week later. Pack something warm, something cool and keep yr fingers crossed...

--Mike

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www.BesideTheSeaside.eu
---I'm back. Now what?---

Last year we were at Nordkapp. 4 weeks in rain and cold. But it was beautiful. Don't forget to visit Lofoten Island.

Safe road
Szabi

Amazing place is Nordkapp. I was there in middle of July 2001 and weather
was sunny and with temperature around 20 degrees, no clouds at all...

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AnteK

Amazing place is Odessa ... I have been there a couple of times in the last few years. Its full of 45-60 yo divorced American guys chasing wives, and 25-40 yo married Italian guys chasing good time girls.

In summer the weather is excellent (sunny and 25-35) and the beach "views" are of the highest order of gentlemanly quality. They have some pretty funky open air nite clubs down at Arkadia too.

Generally speaking the people in Ukraine are very friendly and hospitable to strangers, but Odessa has the feel of being spoilt by money. A lot of rich Moscow, Israeli and Italian money is splashed about there in the summer.

As for riding in the former USSR, keep a second wallet with a small amount of money in it ... if you ever have to deal with authorities make sure you pull out the wallet that only has 5 EUR in it ... then if you have to pay a bribe you can open it up and all thats there is 5 EUR ... they will take than and be happy. The one exception is Drinking. i am not sure about Ukraine (I assume it is the same), but in Russia the blood alcohol limit is ZERO. If you get pulled over and you have had a drink, you have what they call in Russia "balshoi prablyem" ... Driving drunk is taken very seriously... the "fee" you need to pay to the militsia to AVOID going to court (and in Russia over 98% of people who go to court get sent to prison - so you do want to avoid going to court) goes up almost by the week, but the last I heard in Moscow (which is admittedly more expensive than other places) it was approaching $1000.

Any other traffic offence and you should be able to blag your way out of it for $5 - $10 as Rurider said above.... just DONT ride drunk

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5 years ago we had to pay 100$ to policeman pocket and it was OK, now it's expensive - from 500 to 700, but not jail! Any way, if you want to drink in Moscow you'd better call me, we'll find a cheap taxi!
In Odessa this year we moved from some disco and my friend has an "exhaust", so he had to give those Ukranian carabineros 100$ and they followed him to hotel for those money. Odessa is priity good to come there you'll find some pretty chicks and just relax, to travel is better to go to Crimea - it's fantastic. Nature is amazing and hotels/food are not so expensive. Also Russian shore of black sea is cool - Sochi, Gelendzhik - you'll never forget it!
About how to give money to police, you just tell them "I WILL GIVE YOU 150 RUBLES AND GO AHEAD FREE!" It's almost legal!
See ya!

hieveryone
IMO Noedkapp is to crowded place, and finally no the most northern point in Europe. Even its on island Mageroya, am I right? Too commercial place. I've been many times in north Norway, and much nicer places found east from Nordkapp,where Gamvik is, or Varanger. Road in Russia arent nice, i think much wors than polish roads. Forgive me Rurider. Finland is fantastic, beautifull!! See several pic's from June's trip to north:
http://www.moto-turysta.pl/gal,100.html
Anyway in next week with friend going on two bikes to Bergenarea. Why not, winter is comming. Take care - Romek

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Romek'65 @ r1150gs adv'03; k1200lt'06; v65c'84

Some of Russian roads are extremely bad, but some, like from Moscow to Belorussian border are perfect. Also amazing asphalt is in South Russia (Rostov on Don, Krasnodar). In Belorussia I've never seen a bad road, but in Poland I met very "strange" highways with lots of trucks and always with those road signs "tits ahead"
Good Luck!

hi Ruraider again. What do you think about road between Murmansk and St. Petersburg ?? Is it ok? Is it possible to find on that way kind of campsites or motels? Romek

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Romek'65 @ r1150gs adv'03; k1200lt'06; v65c'84

There are couple of places to stay, but not as much as near Poland-Germany border, sure!
There are some nice roads and some (as I said) extremely bad ones. But generally they became much better then some years ago. Month ago I returned from Siberia trip, I've made 7000 km to Tumen through Ekaterinburg and back through Samara and it was just 20 km of bad roads, every 200 km there are nice motels, every 50-70 km gas stations. I ride H-D so when I mean road is OK it is really OK.
My friend told me once: "There are no bad roads, sometimes it's a bad covering!" I think so too.
Btw, one of worst asphalt I so this year in Budapesht on the Buda side, I was near to fall down few times...
Dmitry

Hi,

Does someone know the best route from Odesa to Romania ?
Is there a direct road from UA to RO, or does the only way go through Moldova. Any ferry going from Odesa to Constanta ?