LaForge's home page (Posts about holidays)https://laforge.gnumonks.org/blog/tags/holidays.atom2022-06-21T07:49:57ZHarald WelteNikola(East) European motorbike tour on 20y old BMW F650SThttps://laforge.gnumonks.org/blog/20160817-bike_tour_europe/2016-08-16T16:00:00+02:002016-08-16T16:00:00+02:00Harald Welte<p>For many years I've always been wanting to do some motorbike riding
across the Alps, but somehow never managed to do so. It seems when in
Germany I've always been too busy - contrary to the many motorbike tours
around and across Taiwan which I did during my frequent holidays there.</p>
<p>This year I finally took the opportunity to combine visiting some
friends in Hungary and Bavaria with a nice tour starting from Berlin
over Prague and Brno (CZ), Bratislava (SK) to Tata and Budapeest (HU),
further along lake Balaton (HU) towards Maribor (SI) and finally across
the <a class="reference external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglockner_High_Alpine_Road">Grossglockner High Alpine Road</a> (AT) to Salzburg and Bavaria before heading back to Berlin.</p>
<img alt="/images/f650st-grossglockner-hochalpenstrasse.jpg" src="https://laforge.gnumonks.org/images/f650st-grossglockner-hochalpenstrasse.jpg">
<p>It was eight fun (but sometimes long) days riding. For some strange
turn of luck, not a single drop of rain was encountered during all that
time, traveling across six countries.</p>
<p>The most interesting parts of the tour were:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>Along the Elbe river from Pirna (DE) to Lovosice (CZ). Beautiful
scenery along the river valley, most parts of the road immediately on
either side of the river. Quite touristy on the German side, much
more pleasant and quiet on the Czech side.</p></li>
<li><p>From Mosonmagyarovar via Gyor to Tata (all HU). Very little traffic
alongside road '1'. Beautiful scenery with lots of agriculture and
forests left and right.</p></li>
<li><p>The Northern coast of Lake Balaton, particularly from Tinany to
Keszthely (HU). Way too many tourists and traffic for my taste, but
still very impressive to realize how large/long that lake really is.</p></li>
<li><p>From Maribor to Dravograd (SI) alongside the Drau/Drav river valley.</p></li>
<li><p>Finally, of course, the <a class="reference external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglockner_High_Alpine_Road">Grossglockner High Alpine Road</a>,
which reminded me in many ways of the high mountain tours I did in
Taiwan. Not a big surprise, given that both lead you up to about
2500 meters above sea level.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Finally, I have to say I've been very happy with the performance of my
1996 model BMW F 650ST bike, who has coincidentally just celebrated its
20ieth anniversary. I know it's an odd bike design (650cc
single-cylinder with two spark plugs, ignition coils and two
carburetors) but consider it an acquired taste ;)</p>
<p>I've also published a <a class="reference external" href="https://laforge.gnumonks.org/map/201608-europe.html">map with a track log of the trip</a></p>
<p>In one month from now, I should be reporting from motorbike tours in
Taiwan on the equally trusted small Yamaha TW-225 - which of course
plays in a totally different league ;)</p>