Anyone with experience of riding Scandinavia to share?

[cropbiker]

Hi All,

I have long wanted to take a good ride as far North as I can sensibly get and have a tour round Scandinavia this is the route I am currently toying with, around 5,600 miles

I think to do this justice and bearing in mind they don't look like they will be fast routes and a good number of ferries involved at various points I think I will need 3 weeks. That in itself will be a challenge as I need to convince work to let me have that much time off in one go.

I am thinking best time of the year will be late August/early September.

Was wondering if the collective had any experience of the area for sharing with me as I plan. BTW this will be a 2016 run as I definitely won't be getting that time off this year!!

[w8d4it]

No experience ...but sure am jealous!1

[cropbiker]

I just hope I get to pull it off... Been wanting to do this route... Or something similar for a number of years now... The Trophy is the bike to do it on as far as I can see!

Just want to learn a bit more about any tips and secrets....

[Zebraranger]

No experience ...but sure am jealous!1

Me too, that looks like one fantastic trip. For me, that would be considered a trip of a lifetime.
Hope you'll be able to get the time off to make it next year.

[Brian Ross]

Jealous!

Any idea on the difference in mileage if you continued down through Latvia etc rather than cutting across Sweden?

I remember reading some reports about Nordkapp which suggested that it was more of a target than a place actually worth visiting.

Personally I'd aim to ride a bit less and stop for a couple of days here and there - maybe that's because SWMBO on the pillion would "strongly suggest" that as an option!

[cropbiker]

To be honest I am expecting that most of the more northerly locations won't have too much to see and therefore won't be a place to stop for long other than a night to sleep. I think this would definitely be one of those road trips that is more about the roads you travel than possibly the destinations per se.

I too would normally plan on 2-4 hours riding a day with an afternoon and evening in every location. This kind of trip I could see being 6-8 hours every day but heavily broken up with I think around 15 ferry journeys!!! 

If I could get a month off work then Latvia would certainly be on the route and work back along the southern coast of the Baltic. Short of redundancy or a lottery win I'm not getting that much time off!

[1675]

Hi there,
Been twice, getting to the Nordkapp each time. First was 2013 when we went via Denmark , Sweden, Finland and up to the top, returning via the west coast of Norway. Only had 2 weeks but did 5000 miles easily.
Last year went via Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland then along the Russian border to the top and back via the west coast, 6k run. One of the guys was on a blackbird, the other a 250 Yamaha scooter. We stayed in cabins o campsites both times. Upon return the lad on the scooter was at a local bike meet and some chaps on twin cylinder German adventure bikes were looking over their Touratech equipped machines and got talking. Asked if he had been far lately (followed by a knowing chuckle that he wouldn't have been), he related his latest trip to them. After several moments, one asked about the speeds he was able to travel, he replied, quick as a flash, "about 70, but the other lads didnt hold me up at all.
Weather can be harsh, snow nd raain for  days first time. Or beautiful, 1 day rain, 30 deg the rest on the second trip
Gary

[cropbiker]

Thanks for the input Gary... seems a LOT of miles in 2 weeks... I do like to enjoy the locations too... but then I guess this is more a trip about the journey than the destination.

What was fuel availability like? Trophy has a good range but the other half has a 200 mile tank.