Saturday 16 March 2013

Introduction - Eastern Europe Motorcycle Trip


After 13 years pressing my nose against the company grindstone I have handed in my notice and am planning to take a few months off to do a bike trip. The title 'Bearings Unlimited' is a wry nod to my employer!!

The big idea was to travel from Portland, Oregon, where I have friends, south along the length of the Americas but property repairs intervened so the immediate plan is to do a few months round eastern Europe whilst my flat is on the market.

This blog is to allow friends and family to see where I am and what I am up to whilst I am away. In addition I hopefully get round to writing up some of the other trips that I have done.

I finish work at the end of April but I have plenty of preparation to do before then.

This is my current bike. It is a 2007 KTM Adventure 990 which is probably about 350cc and 55bhp more than I really need but that is what I have got so it will have to do. At least for a tour of eastern Europe I just have to set off so preparation is minimal.

Key tasks -
1.) Sort out the luggage scenario
2.) Plan a provisional route
3.) Pack
4.) Leave!!

I have ordered a set of panniers as I thought the £15 army rucksacks off Ebay option used before were a bit down-market for such a posh bike! Given the easy riding of Europe I have opted for aluminium boxes (small-ish at 31L each : didn't want the 5ft wide BMW stereotype panniers). I know from experience that I can pack light anyway (see other trips). No cargo netted haystack for me!

Key countries I would like to visit:

Albania
Bulgaria
Estonia
Greece
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Ukraine

 Would love to do central Asia and Russia but the visa requirements make life a whole lot more hassle. We'll see.

My photographs!


I am a keen contributor to Panoramio and you can see some of my other travel pictures at:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/363699