Hello everyone,

Here is my planed route for next summer:

Uffenhein, GE - Nordkapp, NO

I am leaning towards the Baltic states first and then shooting north.

1996 BMW 1100GS

Any Ideas, Suggestions, Comments.

Yes, I have read very many post, but a lot of them are from years ago.

This just an overall route.

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Hi,
I plan a tour like this for next summer.
We want to do it with two bikes. at first the plan was norway. than maybe NordKap and now Back from NordKap crossing Baltic states. We want to start near Frankfurt/Main. You start in Germany? Are you from there?

How long did you plan for this trip? I think it should be 4 weeks.
It would be nice to heer from you.

__________________
It's better to do a short trip - than dream of long journey only ...

Going via Swedish east coast on road E4 is one very boring ride. Almost all the way up riding between steel wires, either one or two lanes going one direction and all camper vans, trucks etc. slowing down and nothing to see.

If going via Sweden, go further west or then all the way up on small roads through Finnish eastern roads, close to Russian border.

Much more pleasant ride!

__________________
http://www.juvander.fi/ilpo

Travelling through Norway is slow, very slooooooow. Roads are windy and not allways in a great condition, and there are a lot of ferries. On the other hand, most of it range from scenic, to very scenic, to mindboggling scenic. Sweden on the other hand is fast, but boring...

__________________
Blog: www.bamakobyvespa.no
My Youtube Channel

NightAlp,

Yes, I live here in Germany (Uffenheim). I speak German, but I can not write it very well (I am American).

I plan to be on the road for approximately 30 days. I am not sure when, but I am planing between July and August.

My main objectives are the Fjords and the Nordkapp. I might leave the Baltics for a different trip if necessary (depending on time).

I am also plan on camping as much as possible, and riding on secondary roads (Bundesstrasse), no Autobahn for me!!!

The complete route still in progress. So let see!!!

What kind of Bikes do you and your partner ride?

Ilpo & Wheelie,

Thanks for the tips.

It is always good to hear from people that live there rather than the personal view of other travelers (just my opinion).

I might just change my plans and stay only in Scandinavia.

My most see places:

Fjords - All the pictures that I have seen are amazing.
NordKapp - Is the top of the "world"
Findland - I have never been there. ( Helsinki, Porvoo, Turku, Tampere)
Stockholm - Old High School sweetheart lives there.

Any personal recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

Hi Maluk,

my bike is a Honda Transalp XL 600V and my mate drive a Yamaha XT 660Z. Not to heavy on dirt roads but comfortable enough for long trips ;-) .
We plane to drive in june, because of the midsummer (23. June), there will be a festival in the north.
Some years ago (2007) I do a trip to norway with my car. Now I want to do it with my bike. 2007 I dove Danmark(Hirtshals) and along the west coast to the Trollstigen than back to east to Sweden and back to Gernamy. So it wasn't my first trip to the north.
Now we want to go to Hamburg in one day, the second up to Danmark Hirtshals. This are ca. 1000km from Frankfurt. So the first two days we ride the Highway (Autobahn) to make the long distance.
We plan 3 week now, if so we can't go to NordKap. We try to reach the northern polarcyrcle and want to drive to sweden and maybe the baltic states. Back over Poland. Until June maybe we can drive 4 weeks (make enough Overtime at work). :-) Then we want to go to NordKap at the westcoast of norway, and back over finland, sweden and baltic states.
We are at the beginnig of our plans so we are very flexible in our plans.

If you want to know more about our plans let me know.

Greeitngs NightAlp

__________________
It's better to do a short trip - than dream of long journey only ...

Maluk & NightAlp,

Time & weather permitting, when riding as far as Nordkapp, you
should not miss Norway's
Lofoten Islands, Lofotens offisielle reiselivsportal!
and
Norway's national highway 17, Kystriksveien - the coastal route - accommodation, activities and attractions along the Nordland coastline in Norway
along the coast between Bodo & Trondheim
rather than sticking to the main highway E6 N<->S

NightAlp,

I will be nice to compare our trips. Perhaps there are places of interest that one of us might have overlooked.

Look forward to hear from you.

CourtFisher,

Thanks for the tip.

Wheelie and Ilpo,

Someone in here had a great post about daily traveling distance. After reading that post, it gave me a flash-back at a mistake that I once made.

Back in 1999 I took off from Seattle Washington to Orlando Florida. No maps, no GPS, no Cell phone, no preparation what so ever. Just me, my youth and my own dumb luck!!!

To say that it was a stupid thing to do, is an understatement.

By the end of the trip (5 days), my body and spirits were so destroyed...that I ended up selling the bike.

I started riding again a few years later, and I will admit that I have never gone beyond the 350km daily range.

I am looking forward to enjoying this trip.

For distance to drive per day, I'm totally wrong person to be asked on that. Have done 5000km / 48hrs... and once I get on two wheels I might even do this: Ilpo Juvander > Home - Day 24: Mountains, Offroad driving and Dunes, 568km in very demanding route.

But what comes for Finland, for sure can recommend some routes for you and your GS in here which are not that demanding... I have a bike repair possibility here in Espoo, which can also be used if needed, lots of tools etc. etc.

__________________
http://www.juvander.fi/ilpo

A couple of tips:

Get the book Norway's Arctic Highway ... (and don't forget to click on one of the Amazon ads on this site if you decide to buy, this way Grant and Susan get some money from Amazon).

Telling that you get very little value for money whenever you buy something in Norway would be an understatement. Be prepared! Nothing, and I mean nothing, comes remotely cheap by any standard. Buy your spirits and tobacco in Germany, Denmark or Sweden (whichever way you arrive).

A top tip: I would seriously reccomend getting off the bike and do some hiking. I would reccomend the Jotunheimen mountains. And, to be specific, I would hike the "Besseggen" as it is very acessible, and awesome - a six hour hike. It is spectacular, and may very well make your trip. Set camp, or get a bed at the tourist mountain cabin if you arrive late in the day. Get up early in the morning, and take the ferry (you will have to leave your bike, but this is no problem here), and hike back over the mountain back to your bike. You can walk the other way and take the ferry back, but you might not make the ferry in time, or it might be full, and if you can't crash at the cabin there, you would have to walk all the way back. I have walked this in Converse sneakers once, but it was hard on my feet, but a far better option than riding boots.

A good option to camping in the wild (which is allowed in Norway), is to find camp grounds with small reasonably priced cabins and shared showers.

Ride the trollstigen road (Trolls Footpath) with tons of hair pins and carving turns that will make a motorcycle rider weep of joy. Take care so that your brakes don't fade though as you will be using them a lot - slow down using your gears.

Make a short stop at the Gerianger Fjord, a Unesco World heritage site, and take a tourist ferry to see it up close.

Consider bringing a fishing pole if you will be camping in the wild. Maybe you catch a big Salmon or Trout in the mountains? Fishing cards may be necessary... but I'd chance it. When you get to the Northern Norway, i.e. Bodø, consider joining in on a deep sea fishing charter boat... no one will believe your fishing stories when you get home... but whatever pole you brought with you will only hold up for fishing for bait for the big Cod...

__________________
Blog: www.bamakobyvespa.no
My Youtube Channel

E45 in Sweden is very very boring. So you could take E45 instead. Never drow on that road, but I guess its less boring than E45
And yes, travelling through Norway is slow, very slooooooow. But definitely worth to do. As visiting Loofoten on the road

But you said that Finland was an option

If you are coming from Germany to Finland (or leaving from Finlad to Germany) there is few ways of doing it.

- From Stockholm with ferry to Turku or Helsinki.
- With ferry's thru the islands in Åland archipelago. This is a nice option in good weather.
- Ferry from Travemunde to Helsinki. One night on the boat. But the boat is leaving in the middle of the night and can be expensive?
- Ferry from Rostock to Helsinki. Two nights on the boat, but better than Travemunde option. And can be expensive depending on how you spend your time on the ferry
- Ferry from Gdynia to Helsinki. This is not very good option if you are coming from Germany. Its same boat starting from Rostock. And its no idea to drive to Poland and catch the boat there. You dont really save anything
- Drive Via Baltica route and then take the ferry to Helsinki


Then you decide your self what you want to see.

Another tip to save money in Norway:

Most of the small coast places (also places at fjords) has free shower and toilet facilities, so after a night of bush-camping there are plenty places to have a nice warm shower. Otherwise take a nice refreshing dive in one of the many fjords.

Good luck

ILPO,

I read your last blog to Africa. That looked like it was a very nice trip. MAD RESPECT FOR YOU BROTHER!!!


Richard-NL,
That is good to know, thanks. I will make sure get more info on several campsites along the route.

juuz0,
Thanks for the remainder. I have heard that the E4 is extremly boring. I've already started looking into other alternatives (E45 Sweden or E8/75 Finland).

At the end it will all come down to timing. My goal is to make it to Nordkapp no later than day 14 of my trip. If I find myself running behind, I will be force to eliminate parts of the trip or even take the E45 or any other high-speed highway if necessary.

Wheelie,

I spent almost two hours last night viewing and reading the sites that you recommended. My wife was sitting next to me and after watching all that she says that if I go there without her, she is going to divorce me...does anyone know the name of a good lawyer?
Taking her with me is out of the question. She will not sit on a motorcycle...and strapping her to the panniers is ilegal in some countries

Gerianger Fjord was already on my schedule.
The besseggen climb has definetly been added to my list.
The "troll highway" will definetly be look at.
I am carefully adding more places to the list.
As beautiful as the Loofoten Islands look, I am shamefully going to skip them this time. I will definetly plan to go there on a trip of its own.


For what I hear and read, it would take several lifetimes to properly explore Norway and all of its beautifull places. I am still young and plan on living for a while, so what I dont get to see this time, they will definetly be place on my bucket list for later.

I am no stranger to the outdoor scene. I have over 21 years of military service (US Army) and good equipment. So, I am really looking forward to go up that mountain.


It is good to hear from everyone. Please keep the ideas comming!