A week ago a friend riding a brand new BMW F 650 was attacked by robbers on the road Foca - Sarajevo, approximately 30 km south-east of Sarajevo. They blocked the road with their car while they were approaching from the oppposite direction. After my friend almost falled down trying to stop the bike, 4 of them jumped out of the car and tried to surround him. Luckily he was smart and fast enough to escape from them, thanks to an emergency manoeuvre.

We were riding in three bikes and he went away from us because he was in a hurry. So when he was attacked he was alone.

In the past, we heard some story about the risk of being carjacked in the remote part of the country, but they were mainly rumors, with no factual basis. So we basically ignored them. This time unfortunately it is true.

I'm sorry to report this notice since I'm being living quite safely and well in this country for some year now and I still think it is a wonderful country to explore with a motorcycle.

I don't plan to give it up but, of course, I'll be more careful in the future. Neither I intend to discourage anybody of travelling across Bosnia Erzegovina, but just want to advice potential travellers that it is probably wiser to ride at least in 2 or 3 bikes in the most remote areas of teh country and only in the daylight.

İ passed that road at 13.May , again Foca to Sarajevo and found it very nice. I guess i was just lucky that they didnt try the same thing at that time since i was travelling solo.

In fact not only from Foca to Sarajevo but from Serbia border to Sarajevo, Banja Luka etc. again i travelled solo. And my impression for the country was that it was as safe as any other country in europe.

It seems the impression of only a single person doesnt give a trusty result.

Pietro,

I find your post a little disturbing, simply because we had just decided to take exactly that route to cross from Bosnia into Serbia & Montenegro next month. If my understanding is correct, the Foca to Sarajevo road is a major road (the 18 / E762), or are you referring to somewhere else? Did the attack happen late, or in broad daylight?

I don't know the number of the road right now, but it's the only main road from Sarajevo to Foca, through Trnovo and Dobro Polje. It's named to be tricky also the southern stretch from Foca to Trebinje, and it's actually a pity because the all road Sarajevo - Trebinje through Foca is truly marvellous!

The accident happened around 19,00 - 19,30 h, it was still daylight.

Generally speaking the safety situation in the country is quite good, so I think we shouldn't be paranoic. I actually rode on those roads alone with my bright red GS 1100 tens of times and I never had any problem (but maybe I was just lucky...).

I'm not advising you not to go (the road and the scenery are truly great), just take common sense rules. For now, the only precaution I'm gonna take is to ride with friends (or - maybe - stucked to some car) and only in daylight, and I hope it's enough...

Hello, I'm just back from a travel in the balcan region through Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia with my wife on our GS.
Thanks to Pietro Spera suggestions we rode along the Foca-Sarajevo road during morning time and we found it really wonderful and we had no problem on the journey. We found three police check point between Foca and Sarajevo, the last one asked us if we found any problems along the road. Also we met several EUFOR vehicles.
So I think now it's intensively patrolled and quite safe to ride.

Luciano

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Luciano

www.deserts.it

hallo, i am on the return way from bosna, montenegro, macedonia, albania, corfu... everything is ok, very very nice countries... only i can recommnend it, the crossing from foca to montenegro is interesting...

marekxxx

HOW I CAN ENTER TO MONTENEGRO COMING FROM GREECE?
Thank's,
Haidi

Hi, you can cross Albania from South to North, otherwise you'll go through Macedonia, Ohrid Lake and Nothern Albania.ciaoLuciano

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Luciano

www.deserts.it

and also albania-macedonia-kosovo-montenegro... i forgot to write my trip was montengro-kosovo-macedonia... kosovo is very nice... national park...

Regarding to Marekxxx remark ..... road from Niksic (Montengro) - Foca (Bosnia) was definetly remarkable.

They told me at the border that i passed through 54-55 tunnels.

It was very interesting border indeed...