Hi guys This is my first thread to put up here after reading all trip-reports for the last few years. Im turning 50 in July so Im giving myself a present of a bike trip around Europe for 50 days. I just thought I would throw it up here and see what ye think, I will be starting on the 24th May and heading clockwise from the centre of Ireland and hopefully finishing back there 50 days later. Ive done 10 days around France before and a few 1500 mile trips around Ireland in 3 days so Im used to big miles if I have to. Ive worked it out roughly at around 200 miles per day but if i have to push it on I can do 400/600 if needed, the bike i will be using is an 01 ST 1100 pan, was hoping to change to a GS but funds wont stretch that far. So really why Im putting this post up is for advice on where to visit, where not to wast my time visiting, accommodation ect, I hope to using cheap hotels and camping a bit I have a budget of €40 for accommodation so a few nights camping can make up for a nice hotel now and then. Im open to all advice, any advice would be much appreciated and if I can join in on any ride outs or meetings somewhere along the trip that would be great . Feel free to comment Im open to changing the route if anyone has any suggestions

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Hi wheelo and welcome,
That is quite a trek in the time you have with not much left for resting, taking in the culture or much else. I did a tour down through Central Europe and back in a similar time and only visited 15 countries which seemed a bit rushed, I am sure it is possible but only just.
For those nights you want to treat yourself to a little luxury I found Hotels.com worked well, usually cheaper than just turning up at the same hotel and after 10 nights you get a free one. I found their customer services helpful with a dodgy booking and even used a hotel's internet to get a room there cheaper than their listed price.

Hey, explore the homestay, couch surfing, airbnb type websites. You not only get cheap or free accommodation in interesting places but meet the people too. It adds to the experience rather than just travelling through and they'll have recommendations for your onward route. Those moments when they get the family over to meet you, the kids practise their English on you and they crack out the home-brew are priceless. They may also allow chance to do your laundry or work on your bike using their facilities. Don't be put off by language difficulties, smile a lot & use sign language or a translation app if necessary.

Chris


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Im so happy i dont have to do this trip. It must become a nightmare. If done fast traveling like this as a courier to earn money and spend maaaany hours waiting at boarders in the east http://schoene-motorradtouren.de/?re...nien_moldawien

I know the wonderfull area very well and have done wonderfull trips by bike there too but rushing through in just 50 days means just wasting time and money on the highway without seing anything or exploring the landscape.

Just exploring Scandinavia and riding up to the Nordcap would take more time if you want to enjoy it and see more then just the number of countrys.

If done wild camping in all Countrys of Europa no problem. Only once i had to pay 15 Euro fine to the police. One time out of 1000 in f*ing Germany...

well..... what to say... I hope you haven't planned anything else except riding all day, have a quick meal, some sleep and ride again.

If you like numbers, as all human beings do, then go for it.
If you want to take home some stories and nice memories, I would go slower, a lot slower... Meaning if you only have 50 days, go to only half of the places you intend to visit but see more, feel more and enjoy it more.

Just my idea...

PS: it is not a point if you can do it, of course, it's not that hard at all, but I think you should just think about what you said: "giving yourself a present". I am not sure that what you are trying to do fits that description, other than to be able to say: "I did 27 countries in 50 days..." Maybe think on focussing on the quality of your trip, instead of the numbers... but then again, it is just my idea... ;-)

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Thanks for all the advice guys, I've planned it out in three loops so i will see how it goes, it is a big ask to do that much mileage and I do want to see as much as I can of each country, the first 7/8 days I'm meeting people at arranged points and after that I'm on my own so I will see how it goes,

I usually drive straight through EU Europe as it's not my idea of a travel destination, and when I do, it's amazing that you can drive from Istanbul to London on a road (motorway) which looks pretty much identical for its entire length.

Given your short time frame, I think you're going to spend fifty days staring at a motorway, just occasionally passing the odd distant mountains or enjoying a ferry ride. Not sure that's what you want? If you could plan it so that you stay off motorways it would be a bit better, but I'm not sure that you have time.

P.S. You could nip through Luxembourg just before hitting Belgium and tick off another EU country.

EO

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

Yep, don't neglect poor Luxembourg. While we're racking up numbers, I'm not sure why you're skipping Andorra while in the neighborhood. I assume you're including Monaco, since it's right on your route, and Gibraltar looks certain (if you're calling it a country), but you seem to be discounting Liechtenstein, San Marino and the Vatican. And as long as you're whipping madly through the Baltics, what about a quick detour to Kalingrad, which ticks Russia off the list? While you're at it: maybe Moldova? A scenic nip through the mountains in western Ukraine? I can't tell on your map whether you've included Kosovo, but it'd be a shame to miss out.

Ok, so you're aware we all think your concept is less-than-optimal. The problem is that your questions about sights to see and places to stay--much less meet-ups and ride-outs--doesn't make much sense in the context of your 50-day trip. You'll have time for a couple of quick scenic breaks and maybe a here or there, but basically you're going to have to dedicate yourself to continuous movement at the expense of anything else. When you do stop, you're always going to be aware of how much further you need to ride to compensate. And as the previous poster says, you'll try to be satisfied with occasional glimpses of interesting places while buzzing by at a high rate of speed on the motorway.

I've been to most of the places on your map, although not quite all. If you can take 50 days away, is there any chance that a hundred is possible? If not, maybe think about the fact that you've lots more birthdays coming up. Based on my own direct experience, 50's not really so special. Save something for 51-9, and then some more for 60+.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark