Moscow and back on a Motorbike

[TonyP]

Ok not Land Cruiser related, but I thought some of you biking guys might be interested.....

As some of you may be aware a group of us like minded folk go away every year on the motorbikes to have a boys trip away from it all. Usually we just pop over to France / Germany or the like but this year we finally get to do the trip that I have been dreaming of for the last 5 years.

Yup we are doing a round trip to Moscow and back!!! We are taking off three weeks to do this trip and a rough guess is about 5100miles and probably £3000 which should include hotels, fuel, and beer money. Have not budgeted for the special massages!

Departing on Saturday 2nd July.... 5 days and counting

There are three of us in the group and we are using our own bikes:
Me - Honda Blackbird
Panos - Honda VFR 800
Spencer - Kawasaki ZX10R

We have pretty much planned the route out already using the Garmin MapSource application, and the intension is to stay in cheaper hotels, this is the planned route and some rough distances:

Details Distance (K)
Day 01 / 2nd - Calais to Berlin [Germany] 930
Day 02 / 3rd - Beling to Koszalin [Poland] 307
Day 03 / 4th - Koszalin to Kaliningrad [Kaliningrad] 365
Day 04a / 5th - Kaliningrad to Border 82.9
Day 04b / 5th - Border to Siauliai [Lithuania] 241
Day 05a / 6th - Siauliai to Hill of Crosses 2.7
Day 05b / 6th - Hill of C to Riga [Latvia] 124
Day 06 / 7th - Riga to Tallinn [Estonia] 316
Day 07 / 8th - Tallinn to St Petersburg [Russia] 357
Day 09 / 10th - St Petersburg to Novgorod 328
Day 10 / 11th - Valaday to Moscow 397
Day 12 / 13th - Moscow to Bryansk 383
Day 13 / 14th - Bryansk to Kiev [Ukraine] 518
Day 15 / 16th - Kiev to Odessa 481
Day 16 / 17th - Odessa to Constanta [Romania] 548
Day 17 / 18th - Constanta to Craiova 460
Day 18 / 19th - Craiova to Belgrade [Serbia] 393
Day 19 / 20th - Belgrade to Zagreb [Croatia] 394
Day 20 / 21st - Zagreb to Munich [Germany] 554
Day 21 / 22nd - Munich to Leuven [Belgium] 747
Day 22 / 23rd - Leuven to Calais [France] 227

As with every overland trip we are planning on taking these tools/equipment:
Multimeter
Soldering Iron
Solder
Cleaning Brush
Connector Block
Insulation Tape
Torch - Small Maglight
Allen Keys 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
Ratchet Handle
Small Bar
Extension Small
Socket Adjuster
Socket Flex Joint
Socket Set Sockets 3.5 - 13, 22, 27
Socket Set Screwdrivers Flat, Star, Torx, Allen
Adjustable Spanner
Vice Grip
Pliers
Long nose Pliers
Spanners 19, 17, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8
Screwdriver Flat
Screwdriver Star
Compressor
Duck Tape
Tie Downs
Bungies 4
Scottoiler Slipper Block
Scottoiler Dual Injector
Scottoiler Spare oil 500ml
Velcro Straps 4 x 5meters
Lock and Chain
Gloves
Medical Kit
Leatherman
Cable Ties Various Sizes
Puncture Repair Kit
Spare Bulbs
WD40
Tyre Slime
Light Bulbs

Hopefully we will be uploading our daily route logs to this page (ignore the current data):
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=212239840228625490778.0004a5ebfef5665e7f8e4

And posting some pics etc to this Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_136142979785578&ap=1

 

[spackrackman]

WOW! a friend and I have been talking about a similar trip for a while now. We are interested in the abandonded places/things that Russia seems to be abundent with. I was thinking of doing it on four wheels though. Take plenty of photos and good luck!

 

[Chris]

Sir, if I had a hat, I would indeed raise it to you.

Of course, you realise that this is completely mad, but then that's just probably your way of trying to blend in with the British!

Absolutely the best of luck, and I too look forward to oodles of dusty pictures. Would have been proud to see Lil Blue crossing the line though.

Chris

 

[fridayman]

Looks like a good trip. Are you going through Chernobyl? Would be well worth the detour if you haven't planned to.

Remember to take some immodium in your first aid kit.

 

[TonyP]

...Are you going through Chernobyl? Would be well worth the detour if you haven't planned to.

Remember to take some immodium in your first aid kit.

Yes the plan is to try and do the tour to Chernobyl, but it may be closed. If I recall from Tommo and Paul's trip earlier this year they could not get in.

Immodium, good idea, forgot about that.

@ Chris, sure well it takes a bit of insanity to even attempt crossing some of those borders. Not sure what would be more uncomfortable, 5000 miles in LB or on a motorbike. Having said that, I would love to take LB to the Russian "outback" on that trip that someone was talking about on here before... I think it was Chas?? Maybe next year 'eh!

 

[Gav Peter]

Mmmm, sounds like a great trip Tony - wish me & the Yam were coming along

 

[Chas]

@ Chris, sure well it takes a bit of insanity to even attempt crossing some of those borders. Not sure what would be more uncomfortable, 5000 miles in LB or on a motorbike. Having said that, I would love to take LB to the Russian "outback" on that trip that someone was talking about on here before... I think it was Chas?? Maybe next year 'eh!

Sound like an epic trip Tony, it's just the sort of thing I would love to have done when I was still biking, best of luck, I hope all goes well for you.
Yes, that was me for Arctic Russia, I am hoping there will be more bookings for next years trip, I am off to Croatia in just over week and I will be meeting up with the organiser of the Russian trip so I will suss out next years possibilities. I am also stopping off in Ljubljana, Slovenia to meet Vrecha for a bit of a chinwag.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Sounds like a great trip Tony except for doing it on two wheels Hope it goes ok and you have a good time

 

[Paul]

You might want to research the Odessa to Constanta route you have shown, we were warned against it by locals as it can be a bit risky and the roads are sometimes too bad to get through.
If you want a chat about the areas we went through then give me a call.
I am probably in Chelmsford tomorrow afternoon and then onto Southampton so will go near your place.

 

[TonyP]

In Kozalin, Poland enjoying a cold beer or three. No many pics yet..... Been w long ride to get here. Kaliningrad tomorrow.

Liking Poland, hopefully post some life up soon

 

[TonyP]

Quick update:

We are now in Tallinn, Estonia and will be crossing to Russia and headding to St Petersburg tonight. Been a relativly easy trip thus far. Only a few small minor issues, with one bike needing new sprockets and chains and my bike needing a chain oiler repaired.

Have seen loads of Land Cruisers, mainly 120's but quite a few 150's and 100's. Saw one 80 which was all done up with bumpers, winch, snorkels etc....

Not seen many English cars at all

6 Days in, 1500 miles...... another 2 weeks left and 3500 miles to go..... blimin heck, not even half way yet. On the plus side the women in Tallinn are stunning!!!

Current track log:
http://www.google.com/fusiontables/Data ... 2180401qs4

Ok, some pics, more can be found here: http://buka.smugmug.com/BORT/BORT-2011

Hotel in Kaliningrad.... very grim area

View from hotel:

Central Kaliningrad:

Military cemetary in Kaliningrad:

Curonian spit, looking out to the Baltic sea:

Hill of Crosses in Lithuania: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Crosses

Cheers
Tony

 

[fridayman]

Where are the pics of the stunning women???

 

[TonyP]

Where are the pics of the stunning women???

Hell no those are in my private collection.....


Well we made it through Russia in just about one piece....

Amazed that a country which is a super power has such a lack of investment in it's infrastructure (roads, buildings, public services ertc).

Roads in particular were really bad. Spencer managed to break the sub frame under the pillion seat so I am now carrying his luggage. The roads really are not suited for sports bikes.

Loved Moscow, ended up going out on the lash with some local guys (some Russian and some expat Zimbo's) and that was great. Could have stayed out all night, but we had to leave early. Negotiating the taxi home was interesting....

One the way out of Russia we stayed in a hotel in Bryansk, and this is a real oasis in the m iddle of no where. People were really friendly and helpfull even though we could speak no Russin and they could speak no English

Hotel in Bryansk

Boarder crossing out of Russia was straight forward now that we knew what the process was.... Crossing into Ukraine was like a scrum... hundreds of cars and trucks all trying to get infront of you. In the end a border guard indicated to us that a small donation towards their xmas fund, suitabley inserted in our passports would get us to the front of the queue.......
$50 later we were at the front and 20 mins later we were across the border, no paper work required to be filled in... Best $50 I have ever spent!!

So we are now in Kiev, and are hopeing to go to Chernobyl. Current track@

http://www.google.com/fusiontables/Data ... 223321-x4P

And more pictures here:
http://buka.smugmug.com/BORT/BORT-2011

Cheers
Tony

 

[Gav Peter]

Good to hear you are all well & having fun Tony - will go have a looksee at the pics later on

Are you going to try & get Spencers bike repaired?

Cheers

 

[AndyCook]

impressive distance - esp on bikes!
good to see the pics, will have to check out the rest

 

[TonyP]

@ Gav, yeah having a ball to be honest.... although it is bloody hot... not verry comfortable with all the biking gear on....

Not going to repair the bike as he is no longer carrying any weight on that part so should be good for the remainder of the trip. When we get back he will try and get the part fromk a breaker....

Yeah we have been taking loads of pics, just uploaded another 70 from today.....