First place to look for questions like this is the Russian embassy in your country.

No you can't get an 'open' tourist visa.
You can however get a business visa or a humanitarian/cultural one for 6 months, so you can enter when you want. At a cost of course. ;-)

I've been on the road for 2 month and I thought I'd contribute some ideas that may help travellers.
My vstrom is fitted with a top box which I use to store my day packs and other small items but to carry items clothing etc I've got an older style Ventura bag similar to the Aero Spada. I place it where the pillion passenger would sit and the quick release straps go around the pillion grab bars. It great when I arrive at my accommodation as it's just a matter of releasing the buckles and off I go. I can't comment on how it would fit on other bikes.
The only real problem I've had in my travels and that has been the smart phone I use has a mini USB connection and in my opinion this type of charging connection is just not up to the hard use it receives whilst travelling. I've been through several cables as the connection design is flawed in my opinion.
I would suggest throwing some 2cm wide Velcro ribbon in the tool box as it can be used for all sorts of fix it's.
I'm not that techno but I would never travel without my ipad or similar device.
I've been using the accommodation booking site ' Booking.com' with great success. There is a large choice of hotels/hostels and you know there will be a room and what the cost will be when you arrive. Great in countries where you don't speak the lingo.
The only thorn in my side has been navigating and that has a lot to do with my poor choice of smart/dumb phone, as in my case. So I will leave other riders to give advice in that regards.
At the risk of sounding like I'm plugging certain products I couldn't live without my Sena SMH 10. Priceless for audio directions for navigating and load up your phone with heaps of music as in my case I get sick and tired of listening to the voices in my head.
One more thing, if you have any problems, just get ready to throw money at it.
It seemed to work for my wife for many years.

I've done a few Euro trips in the past. Every one of them has been fantastic but the best one ever was in 2008. I arrived in Roscoff with no return trip booked but I knew it was gonna be 3-4 weeks long. I had a basic idea of where I wanted to go and the specific things I wanted to see (no more than 4 or 5 from memory!) but in between them I had no idea and I didn't want to have a long list of targets to meet so here's what I did:


When I got off the boat I drove a short distance to a town called Morlaix. I pitched up at a quiet coffee shop in glorious sunshine and pulled out my map. I knew I was heading for Bordeaux, that was my first planned place but I wasn't in a hurry to get there. I picked out 6 potential overnight stops and I simply rolled a dice to see which one I was going to that night. I ended up in La Rochelle, a beautiful town, and the next day I went to Bordeaux.
I spent 2 days in Bordeaux, then on the day I was leaving I got my map out again. I knew I wanted to get to Millau eventually but again I was in no hurry to get there. This time the dice sent me just over the Pyrenees to a small town in Spain called Ainsa. A little bit out of the way, granted, but I included it as an option because it would give me an experience of the Pyrenees. It's surrounded by mountains and a fabulous National Park. I ended up staying there for 2 days too and then I went off in the direction of Agde in France...a stunning seaside resort....and then to Millau.
Anyway, the dice took me in all sorts of directions and to all sorts of places that I would never have planned to visit and the sense of adventure was quite incredible to say the least. I spent 3 and a half weeks using this method of travel and whilst I did end up in the occasional rubbish location they were few and far between. Ultimately I travelled through parts of France, Spain, Italy and Germany not knowing from one day to the next where I would be.
The key to making the dice experience work is to pick potential locations that you are happy and prepared to end up in. There's no point rolling the dice then being disappointed with the result and choosing to roll it again until you get the 'right' answer. If you're brave enough and you're not the type of person who always has to have a routine then I would recommend it to anyone who wants a bike trip with a difference.

To do Europe properly ,,
I feel ,, reading upon the European history is essential ,, as all the highways look a like,, but having read ,, from Magna Carta to Luther,, Turkish invasion to Mongols camping cross the marsh from Venezzia.
Language also helps.
Korean being Ultraic Hungarian language group ,, I could understand Turkish sounds as well as having spent time in Germany and France,, and cross to Italy,, for instance,,understanding Italian helps with Romanian,, German helps Dutch and Flemish.
I say ,, history ,, music ,, and people. You will still see remnants of Mongols in Bavaria.
For France ,, look for the Route de Napoleon,, Route de soille ,, then Route de Champagne.
Now Asynth is hot ,, to Alsace ,, to Waterloo,, to Marlborogh ,, in UK ,, my friend an Oxon was the heir to the legacy ,, yet I froze to death at his palace,, no central heating ,, and he wore an old tweet jacket with frayed sleeves,, where he wiped his runny nose as we drank beer.
You have to enjoy the bumpsen clubs in Germany ,, and extotic massage in Sofia ,, get ripped off in Budapest ,, then cross the bridge in Praha ,, more romantic than Paris.

I could go on ,, castles of dark ages, in south of France ,, Eze ,, La Turbie ,, where Napoleon raised the Armies d'Italie,, the house, where he stayed ,, had door 4 feet high. August Caesar built a monument in marmo, in La Turbie ,, the word turbine comes from there,, the wind at the Alps Maritime,,said he "I came I conquered 28 tribes ,, Germania to Berbers ,,
For years Basques used to come to La Turbie and would chistle off their name, from the monument.
And every countries castles have different characters ,, Normans to Tutors ,, Arabic to stern Norwegian Hamlet lines ...all along the Rhine ,, then Neur Schengwstein ,, mad Ludwigs 19th century gay palace.. then the rivers ,, Seine to Volga ,, Thames to Danube..
And the bread ,, and wine ,, Mosel Saar Ruhr to Du Pape ,, oh and the Spain ,, Casa de Dali in Girona to Guggenheim in Bilbao ,, Pamplona bull run to French Camargue ,,, Avignon to St. Tropez ,, Villefranche to Menton ,,
Genoa for Columbus ,, Cinque Terre ,, euqals San Torini ,, midnight flamingo in Granada ,, surfing in Cadiz ,, old Italian ladies in a mountain village ,, didn't notice that I was a Korean ,,, omangare ,, senore
,, the pasta she would cook for me with house wine in a bottle crawling with spiders.
I could go on ,, and on and on and on ,,
Read Marco Polo to Merchant of Venice ,, A horse a horse for my kingdom! 100 Year War .. War of Roses..
Hence ,, one appreciate Europe much more ,, and in my minds eyes ,, always beautiful ,, European ladies .. that has graced my lust.

Ces't la vie ,, my friend.
Read I say!

For Italy....you have absolutely ride to Dolomiti Mountains, I lived in Italy and you can't miss Stelvio!

:)

Yes .. quite stark and different, from the traditional Mont Blanc route ,,
Trieste is not far from there ,, so is Slovenia and Croatia.
And all those Italian soldier's who died there ,, during the WWII. Mussolini hid there for a while.
And so many lakes as you come down.,, so lush and green ,, like Germany,, in fact many German villages there.

I have decided to start planning for a round the world trip although I hate the idea of planning but I think a rough plan is required. So time to do some research and start a plan.

I am in exactly the same place. Just started reading and planning but it seems a bit overwhelming/ daunting to be honest. As I have no idea really how to start.

All the best for you trip.

If this will be your first long distance trip, I suggest you not "jump into the deep end of the pool" by trying to go to Russia, the stans, etc.

There is more than enough to see in Western and Central Europe (the EC countries) to keep you going for about, oh, 100 or 200 weeks of riding.

Once you have seen everything there is to see in Western and Central Europe, then you can start thinking about Russia and other more 'challenging' countries.

For what it's worth, I've been riding in Europe every summer for the past 12 years, about 10,000 km per summer, and have not yet run out of places to go or things to see.

Michael

The Alps is just epic, I would recommend looking at one of the classic routes as part of your itinery such as route des Grande Alps

The longest trip i have done so far was 3 weeks riding across south Africa with a friend. I have done 3 trips to SA and a few short trips to Europe now I want to ride around the world and I really want to go trough Russia. I think I am going to be doing it on my own as none of my friends are in a postition to join me. Not sure where to start but for now I am going to start by creating a basic route that I may or may not follow.

Heres how not to do it!- but entertaining never the less


Episode05 - Sniper has lost his passport & all his money...but the scenery is great!...

Stay off the motorways ( where poss ) and keep the mileage to a reasonable daily amount . If you travel thru the mountains then 200 miles is a long long day . Likewise 250 miles across poland or romania again is a very long day as lots of lorries and towns to go thru .
If you want to pick my brains on eastern europe feel free to pm me , have just got back off another trip there . Disagree with the post about the transfagarian pass ,. the surface is appalling and the road , other than the scenery was nothing special at all - i went from one side to the other . There are much better mountain passes to ride elsewhere . Dont miss out Czech rep or Poland - both are stunning countries with loads of history and amazing back roads . :funmeteryes:

For what it's worth.
 

Hi,
I did 12 Countries outside the UK in two weeks, I had a ball.
I planned to do or visit one thing everyday and enjoy the journey (some parts more than others).
I didn't show my passport after I left British waters until I checked in to come back to Blighty.
Carry what gives you confidants (there's no right or wrong).
Quick drying clothes are excellent, chose your underwear with care (a lot of time in the saddle).
If you want anything I can offer give me a shout.
Enjoy - It's all a memory way to soon.
P.S. make a few notes everyday, its well worth it later.
Ian.

I will not be in any hurry and hate motorways I think if I am careful i have enough money for over a year I am trying to work out the best way around the world with as little shipping as possible so Russia and Mongolia will be on my route. Still trying to find out where border crossings are and where to ship bikes from etc