Trip to Germany

[Holly]

I'm looking for the appropriate forum to post asking for trip advice. My son is in Germany for a year, which is as good an excuse as any to fly over and rent a bike. I would love some advice on where and from whom to rent. Also anyone know what the riding is like there in early May?

Thanks,

Holly

[YB in IN]

What part of Germany is your son studying in?

[kbasa]

I'm gonna move you over to Campfire, Holly.

[BradfordBenn]

Paging Chacifer.... please come to the White Courtesy Phone

[kbasa]

I know Knopf is highly recommended. Our own DarrylRi keeps a bike with them, I believe, which says a lot about them.

[Holly]

What part of Germany is your son studying in?

He is in Magdeburg in the former East Germany, so closer to Berlin than Munich. Most of the direct flights from here, however, go to Munich and who minds the ride if we can rent a bike? Seeing the kid is always nice, but I'm really looking for an excuse to ride around Europe. ;)

[YB in IN]

Delta has direct flights from JFK to Berlin.

[Holly]

Thanks for the advice on Delta, but I would be flying from Toronto, ON--probably on Air Canada or Lufthansa. If I do go from the US, I will be flying Icelandair. The only thing better than an excuse to ride through Europe is an excuse to visit Iceland.

[einnar]

Last time I rented a bike in Germany, I went through Bosenberg.

http://www.bosenberg.com/

Their 'all inclusive' deal is more expensive, but is not milage limited. (Not last I looked, anyway.) I only rode for 3 days due to time restraints, but got a lot of riding in. It would have cost me much more if I'd had to pay the extra milage.. ;)

[Holly]

Thank you Einnar, that is a great site. It answers most of my questions, even down to the temperatures. April is definitely a touch cool and I'll concentrate on booking for May, I think.

[DarrylRi]

I know Knopf is highly recommended. Our own DarrylRi keeps a bike with them, I believe, which says a lot about them.I've got an R1100RS that I keep with Stefan Knopf (http://www.knopftours.com), in Heidelberg. He rents bikes as well, usually a bit older and cheaper than most of the others. If you were going to rent from him, it would make more sense to fly to Frankfurt, which is about an hour by train or bus. Knopf is pretty easy to deal with and his english is good.

If you have a bike that you can dedicate to the purpose, he also ships bikes back and forth, mostly for Daytona, at a much better rate than you can do by flying a bike. I don't know his current costs, but in 2002 it cost me about $550 to ship, and $250 to store for a year. He can also arrange for 3rd party liability insurance, and a membership in ADAC (German equivalent of AAA, but with much better services for towing and unexpected hotel and rental car needs.)

[Holly]

Thanks, Darryl, for another great site. Hmmm, the shipping option looks tempting too. I am also wondering about buying a new 1200 there and shipping it back. Not sure if that sort of thing is still possible, or if the paperwork is just too much.

I'm shifting back to going in April and taking the full 'Stitch plus the electric vest. #2 son and his wife want to go in May, and #1 son has a one-bedroom apartment. Just a bit too cosy, and my time is more flexible than my son's.

Holly

[DarrylRi]

Thanks, Darryl, for another great site. Hmmm, the shipping option looks tempting too. I am also wondering about buying a new 1200 there and shipping it back. Not sure if that sort of thing is still possible, or if the paperwork is just too much.Well, I see you're in Canada, and I don't know what hoops you might have to jump through up there. Down here, however, it's basically impossible to buy new in Europe and bring it back. BMW won't cooperate with the necessary paperwork saying that the bike meets all our federal rules and emissions laws, and without that, a new vehicle can't be imported. (They think that's gray market importing, and taking money away from BMWNA.)

I'm shifting back to going in April and taking the full 'Stitch plus the electric vest. #2 son and his wife want to go in May, and #1 son has a one-bedroom apartment. Just a bit too cosy, and my time is more flexible than my son's.Back to your original question, April, especially late April, can be very nice. But it's spring, and it can be wet, cold and windy, too. April is also pretty early if you're thinking of "bagging passes" in the Alps. Some of the lower ones will be open, but a lot of the higher ones don't open until June. (Get a copy of Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and Corsica by John Hermann.)

If you have more questions, you could browse a bit at my web site (http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/motorcycles/europeriding.htm). Also, hunt up Court Fisher's email or phone here in the Global Touring area of the web site.

[BouncinBob]

I'm looking for the appropriate forum to post asking for trip advice. My son is in Germany for a year, which is as good an excuse as any to fly over and rent a bike. I would love some advice on where and from whom to rent. Also anyone know what the riding is like there in early May?

Thanks,

Holly

Holly, try here:

http://www.bmwmoa.org/global/ToEurope.htm

Excellent resource on the MOA site maintained by Court Fischer

[Chacifer]

Oh, Germany! how do I miss thee? I can't tell you much about the riding over there, but I can tell you what foods you should definitely eat and cheap places to buy beer in Berlin. Places not to miss: Schwarzwald region, Dresden, Berlin, Munich.

[The_Veg]

East of Stuttgart is nice too. I hadn't discovered motorcycles yet when I was there, but if my memory is accurate I think that the road from Schwabisch Gmund to Goppingen should be a really fun ride! :D
Also when my sergeant and I would do depot runs to Neu Ulm it seems like there was some backroad way we'd go that would make our poor oafish truck really wiggle in a way that a motorcycle would appreaciate.

[Holly]

Good ideas, all thanks. Darryl, I found your comment on credit cards interesting. I have been visiting Iceland on a regular basis for 20 years and credit cards are used there constantly for the smallest purchases. I had assumed that it would be similar in other European countries. Thanks for the heads-up, I will make sure I have some Euros in my wallet.

Bob, I have the MOA tour site bookmarked, thanks. It tempts me to go so many places. OK, Chacifer, we all want to know where the cheap beer places are... Maybe a new link on the tour site??? Veg, my son is already warning me that the roads around Magdeburg are too straight and flat. I'll be checking out the map for your truck route!

Thanks all for the suggestions.

Holly
"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn." - John Cotton Dana

[DarrylRi]

East of Stuttgart is nice too.My wife went to school for two years at Tuebingen U., south of Stuttgart, in the Schwabishe Alb region. The little roads in that area are wonderful, and each little village, most of their names ending in -ingen, seemed so beautiful when I was riding in that area. Also, it seemed that trout was a specialty of the area, and I had a perfectly cooked one that covered a big, oval dinner plate, at a restaurant in the area. The waiter set it in front of me and then, with a flourish, removed the backbone and tail as if it had been placed on top of the fish, leaving not a single bone!

Regarding beer, Holly, I recommend that you try whatever is most local to the area you're in. You can drink Warsteiner, Becks or Spaten here, but you'll never get to try the local beers anywhere else. Since you're going to be near Berlin, try a Berliner Weisse mit Schuss at least once. (Napolean's troops called it the champagne of the north.)

[jmerlino]

Schwarzwald region, Dresden, Berlin, Munich.

Everybody talk about
Pop Muzik!

[Belquar]

Do they even make motorcycles in Germany???? :ha :rofl

[lkchris]

Perfect opportunity to obtain System V helmet!

[YB in IN]

Perfect opportunity to obtain System V helmet!

Speaking of which, I'm going to be going over to Austria over Christmas if anyone would like a helmet brought back.

[Kenn45]

While I was in the Air Force, I lived in Germany for a while (actually 14 years on three separate tours). It is a beautiful country with with great opportunities for sight seeing and riding. The roads outside of towns come in three basic varieties--Autobahns which are good for getting from A to B fast, but you don't see much; state highways which are mostly two lane, winding, and provide the best riding; and local roads which would also be great riding but are narrower than the state numbered highways. Off the autobahns are always the best. You see the small villages, the local Ghasthauses for super food, and all the sights. I recommend Bavaria, particularly the Alps areas to the south. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Rothenburg, and Berchtesgaden are particularly nice. King Ludwig's castles are in this area. Also, the royal palaces at San Succi (sp) near Berlin are very nice. I lived mostly in the Eifel and the Hunsruck (southeast along the Mosel River and near the French and Lux borders). This also a very nice area full of vinyards, castles, and winding roads. Late April and early May can be cool and damp, so I recommend rain gear. I hope you enjoy your trip.

[IAMBOB]

My wife went to school for two years at Tuebingen U., south of Stuttgart, in the Schwabishe Alb region.
This sounds familiar.. Bad Tolz in that area? If so, I've walked that whole area. BEAUTIFUL, loaded with friendly people..

Anywhere far away from a US Military base is awesome.. get lost and stop at whatever little villages pub you can find..

I'd love to take a GS over there.. lot of the small villages are only connected by dirt roads/ trails leading through wooded areas.. you REALLY have to get lost to find some of them. Country is LOADED with dirt tracks/ goat trails... get off of the beaten path and REALLY see the country!