Hi everyone,,,,, welcome to my first ever forum post! It's my lucky day!

I'm interested in riding up through Sweden and Finland to the top of Norway, then back down through Norway. Riding away from the sun doesn't seem to be the done thing and I can't find much info about such a trip.

Here's the deal, I'm getting very close to buying a standard R1200GS (not Adventure), and I'll have about 3 weeks max to do the trip, is that enough time to go right to the top?

Your thoughts and recommendations would be much appreciated!

i am planning the same route in July

I am planing to do the same trip this summer also. as i have info 3 weeks for this trip would be o.k.

Last year I drove from my home in the Netherlands to the NorthCape and back in 2 weeks on my BMW F650GS so 3 weeks should be no problem.

Here is my trip report:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jkrijt/trips/n2g/index.shtml

I can recommend it. It was one of the best trips I ever made!

__________________
Jan Krijtenburg

My bikes are a Honda GoldWing GL1200 and a Harley-Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide

My personal homepage with trip reports: https://www.krijtenburg.nl/
YouTube channel (that I do together with one of my sons): motormobilist.nl

3 weeks is plenty time but remember the roads in Finland and sweden are very long and lots of trees not much of a view, Norway on the other hand is spectacular but the roads are very slow and the route goes on forever. I my self would recommend sticking to Norway up and down or cutting across from central Norway through Sweden up to the top via sweden and Finland then back down through Norway. Just on a bike the scenery is so much better and the roads more interesting in Norway.

For lots of info get "Norway's Artic Highway" by John Douglas. published by Trailblazer guides-www.trailblazers-guides.com. Am also hoping to do the trip this year ,but not sure exactly when. Stanfords in London is a good sorce of maps.

My wife and I will do the same route with our kids on our Guzzis in July. Haven't done it with my family on bikes yet, even though we have done the route several times before by car. Maybe we'll see you guys en route? Keep looking for a black/darkish Guzzi Breva 750 and a red Guzzi 850 T5 with a black Watsonian sidecar.

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HansP
All you wanted to know
about riding in Norway

I agree that Norway is the way to go. You'll fall asleep on those Swedish

roads, too straight and too many trees.

The 80kph limit isn't as bad as you think. You don't have to slow down

everytime you go past a town, they're off to the side. You're average speed

stays at 80kph for long stretches, and there's something to look at other

than fir trees.

In Swedens defence, you have the best camping anywhere and your gravel

roads rock!

http://www.fjordnorway.com/index.html About Norway, it is necessary to look an interesting site

Cheap accommodation all over Norway:

http://www.camping.no/index_eng.html

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HansP
All you wanted to know
about riding in Norway

The scenery in Norway is utterly gorgeous and believe me, being half-Norwegian, I would never suggest that Sweden or even Finland come close!

But they ARE beautiful in their own, hypnotic way (all those treezzzzzzzzzz) and the other important factor is they are *cheaper*. Anyone living in northern Norway would drive through Sweden/ Finland to get to Oslo, for example. The route through Inari is spectacular (and there's a brilliant museum there too.)

As for the Norwegian speed limits.. yes, they're low, but it's worth taking yr time to enjoy what you're seeing. No need to rush. (Though when I left Berlevag I was told that speeding wouldn't be a problem that day as the only policeman for 100 miles was going fishing that day!)

You've got some amazing roads ahead of you. More on my site:

--Mike

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

I did Bristol to Nordkapp in 05, you are in for a treat. I was on a fazer 600 which was ideally sprung as the roads can be a little lumpy further north. A gs will be lovely. 3 weeks is plenty of time, I had two weeks (16 days)

My route was cross channel Amsterdam then up through Denmark and took the bridge into Sweden, Took the east coast crossed through Finland and came back via Norway's west coast with a quick detour to Oslo from Bergen then ferry to Newcastle from Bergen.

It took me 3 days from Amsterdam to Nordkapp but they were big hitters at high speed, Sweden is fairly boring (flat and spaced out) but nice - I'd been once before and did the trip this way leaving Norway to last as Norway is so beautiful Sweden would be lacklustre afterwards IYSWIM the exception is Swedens High Coast which is beautiful.

I hopped borders a couple of times at night because it was cheaper and more fun to spend the money on gas and eat/sleep in Sweden. Though the Hytters (think thats right spelling not sure) were excellent value

Aaaah, Scandinavia!
Very beautifull! I drove there in 2005. Started in the Netherlands. Went through Sweden and Finland along the Russian border to North cape. And back through Norway. Don't forget to visit the Lofoten! Those islands in Norway are sooo beautifull!

I agree roads through Sweden are straight and sometimes boring. On the other hand, stay OFF the main roads! Those are the boring ones. In Lapland-Finland are some beautifull gravel roads near Pokka.

Three weeks are okay. I had four weeks, and did 13000Km. I went in Mei/June. I was in North cape on 6 June or so. Very early. North cape was just open for about 1 week, one week earlier there whas to much snow! Many people say that the North cape itself is not interesting, and you should not drive the last 100Km or so. I did! and spent almost three day's on the top. I was impressed. But perhaps it was fun because there wheren't some many tourists, it was to early.

Take good raining clothes with you, you will nead them ;-) And everything is expensive, but not as expensive as Island.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

. . . . . .
Lakes in Sweden . . . muddy roads near Pokka . . . . Nortcape

. . . . . .
Near Lofoten . . . . . . . . . . Lofoten . . . . . . . . . . Trondheim

I want to go again!

Wow, thanks guys! Sorry I've been a while responding but I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic response.

The websites are great, that's just what I need. Fascinating read Jan! You made me late for bed!

I had wondered if central Sweden/Finland might be a bit monotonous having been looking at some road maps??? Lots of lakes though, or is that marshy bogland jealously guarded by mosquito's (maybe my presence would be most welcome ).

One more question though. What is the best time to do this? Clearly the season is short but if June's too early, when does it become too late?

Thanks again everyone, hope to see you out there maybe?

Late June, July and early August are the best months for the wonderful norwegian / arctic light and the Weather, having said that I have seen snow (Complete white out), fog, Torrential rain, drizzle rain and 25 degrees sunshine on the same day in early July so just go prepared Its summer in Norway - whatever the weather !!.
would add some nice pics but its just to technical on this machine !!