Travel by Motorcycle in Poland (cost, distance, risk?)

I am in the early stages of doing research for a motorcycle trip from Berlin into Poland. I have family in and around Byalistok and I would like to take the scenic route but I have many questions. Probably too many for this space... however...

1. Is it less expensive to hire a bike in Germany?
2. What are travel times in relation to distance? Cursary investigation leads me to believe Polish roads are slower and there is a 'threat' from all the truck traffic. (The same distance here in Canada would take longer in Poland sort of thing.)

3. Riding a bike is a risky endevour to begin with, is it more so in Poland?

Appologies if there are some stereotypes here but it is what I am hearing. Any information or leads would be appreciated.

Thanks!

The resident expert on this is wildrover.

Hi there... Welcome to the forum fellow biker...

I am a Brit who has been living in Poland for the last five years , and for a lot of that time i have been riding my Harley sportster here...

I have also ridden the bike to Ukraine , and have traveled the route you are thinking of from Berlin to Bialostok tho on that route i went by Landrover....

There is no denying that Polish accident figures suggest that they are all suicidal nutters on the road , but my own experiance on a motorcycle here has given me far fewer heart stopping moments than i had in the UK... Maybe because there are fewer bikes here people tend to notice them more , and are less liable to run em off the road...

Some of the roads here are less than perfect , especially in towns where they can get badly rutted up due to heavy trucks , and the tram lines can be a bit tricky in the wet , but they are making lovely new roads all the time , and my last ride all the way accross Poland to the Ukraine was mostly a smooth trip . ..untill i got to Ukraine , but thats a different story....

I reckon you should get that bike sorted and head over here , you will love it... You can pass by my farm , have a few beers and a barbie , camp for free , then ride on to your destination the next day....

Poland is lovely , the people friendly , and there is no such thing as a no bikers sign on any place....

Come on over , and if you want any more advice , just pm me , and i will pass on my email address..... Ride safe...

Thanks for the reply. A brit? You should appreciate one of my mules... a restored 69 BSA T-Bolt. I love that machine. She's only a sunny sunday ride though. My main ride is an 07 V-rod. That's why I would prefer to rent a Harley while in europe. Any info on outlets in Germany? My initial research has shown their availability only in Munich. That can't be right?

Wildrover
pm you? Sorry don't know the jargon.... Would you mind e-mailing? I have loads of questions.

Thanks again.

woops, Did I spell Bialostok wrong in my initial message? Please accept my appologies all those from there!

LOL, you have spelt it wrong once again. It's Białystok but nevermind ;) ;)

Nice anagram in your first post :)

Hello Kerchew, Białystok (translated means white slope) is where they make Żubrówka vodka. Which is delicious when accompanied with apple juice.

I know it well! I remember it being one of my fathers favourites when we were children. He used to joke about the unique flavour. He told us kids it tasted the way it did because the buffalo peed on the grass!! I buy it here in Canada when I can find it. Most Canadians I introduce to the product are pleasantly suprised. I haven't tried the apple juice twist.

Father was from a small town called Grodzisk. It is there I would like to visit on motorbike.

It's true ;)
I always think the factory must look funny, with Buffalo in lab coats, peeing on each blade of grass before it goes in :)


Really? that is very popular here, they have several names for the drink mix, including Szarlotka (apple pie) and Tatanka (from the film dances with wolves).

it is a big hit with everyone who tries it, I don't like it straight though.


I don't know the place, I live in the south.

Ah that brings back memories....i had one of those for a while , not so much restored tho , mine was a ratty old heap , but i went many a mile on it.....It was almost responsible for burning down a Police station....after a leaking fuel tank exploded while trying to start it oh happy days.....

Just remembered...the Harley hire place was called Eurotours , and they hire out Harleys at 120 euro per day....

HA! Tatanka!! THAT"S funny. I'll have to remember that. My wife and I enjoy the vodka straight.

I was once such a buffalo though only for a day - I got dizzy from the alcohol vapour from the bucket I was standing at - the bucket contained said grass blades in alcohol and I was supposed to put a single blade in every bottle that was going in front of me :)

Seriously?!

absolutely seriously - I have worked for Polmos Wrocław once in my student times; a couple of anecdotes remained ;) for examples stories were told there that in the early seventies after years of constant use huge raw alcohol tanks they got there were emptied for inspection and possible repair and on the bottom of one of them they found a body of a Russian soldier from the 40's (Wrocław was German before war and seized and occupied by Russians in 1945)

That's the stuff urban legends are made of! If true it would be great material for a stand-up routine. :)

I bet he was well pickled........

ouch! :)

Wildrover, are you still out there? A year after these posts.

Yep...still alive...and still riding the Harley...!

There are many beautiful and fun MC-roads in Poland. But rather dangerous ones.


Very characteristic and nice taste. And as everybody says, it mixes excellently with apple juice.

I drank several bottle before I discovered that there is a straw of grass in every bottle.

Are you still living in Poland?
rgds kennbkenny

Who me...?

Yes i am still living in Poland , although i am currently packing all my stuff into boxes ready for a move to Moscow to marry and live with my Russian girlfriend...

Congrats, Wildie!

Thanks my friend.....

Just got to sort out some more documents , and find out how much its going to cost me to import my Jeep and my Harley into Russia....

i hear it could be 50% or even 100% of the value , and thats their idea of the value...not mine...

never in Poland before, but planning to go by bike (from Ireland) for the Euro 2012 next June. Wildrover was the expert, according to old posts. If he's already gone to Moscow, can anyone give me advice on bike-friendly B&B's, getting to matches by bike, safe parking, any special concerns?

thanks

Hi...

I have sent you my email address , and when i get a moment i will reply on here also..

Hi,

I travelled to Poland by motorcycle (Zielona Gora) in April, and plan to move out there next spring.
I had no problems apart from when travelling at night on back roads, if possible fit some additional driving lamps or the potholes will take you by surprise!!!! new motorways are excellent but you pay for them!!

I am happy to answer any questions.

Hi there...sorry for the long delay in replying , been up to my neck in packing and sorting stuff ready for a move to Russia....

If you read all the previous posts about biking in Poland , you will get a pretty good idea what its all about... Don,t worry about looking for a biker friendly b&b , you will be welcome at any place that has room , they don,t have any no bikers signs in Poland , the fact that you turn up on a bike will make no difference to most Poles , and they will make you welcome...

I am afraid i have no idea about getting to the matches by bike , i don,t even know where the matches are being played , other than that some of them are in Kiev in Ukraine.... If you let us know which matches you are going to somebody can advise you on how to get there....

Safe parking...? I am afraid that Poland has thieves , just as any other country in the world , and if you leave your bike iparked in the wrong place , it can go missing.... Most decent sized towns have a guarded car park which you will pay a little money for , your bike will be quite safe there... It might be a good idea to get in contact with any motorcycle clubs near to where you are going , they will be happy to meet you , talk about bikes , advise you on the area , and as a bonus you will probably get a few beers thrown in , and probably a place to stay....

If there is anything else you need to know , send me a pm , and i will give you my email address....or just shout out here....somebody will answer....

Thanks for the tips Guys.

Am in hte process of rounding up travelling companions. Glad to hear there isn't anti-biker attitude. Same can't be said for other places in Europe - some people have had really poor experiences after a long day riding.

We'll all know when the draw is made on 2 December what cities are hosting what teams - the Polish cities are Gdansk, Warsaw, Poznan and Wroclaw. a lot of chat here that there won't be enough rooms to go round for thousands of fans from all over, except in Warsaw - so the idea might be to stay in smaller town, like, a good distance away and bike in and out?

Have usually tried to stay away from motorways - in this part of the world anyway, I never thought it was fun doing hours on a motorway full of trucks, normally soaking wet, or maybe that's just in western Europe. The old Transalp has done very well on all sorts of back roads, but I think I'll be planning to keep to daylight, unless things go wrong.

I'll share whatever as plans develop.

I am a member of a club that has chapters in Poznan and Wroclaw , and they have members in Warsawa...

Maybe i can get you some decent safe place to stay....?

Check out Gremium mc Poland...

the guys in Poznan and Wroclaw will know who you mean if you say you are a friend of English Jan...

Thanks Wildrover, appreciate it. - Will certainly get in touch with the club. I looked at the Gremuim site (pictures, sadly I can't understand the Polish). Looks really good. Look out for DMTC badges on your travels - Dublin Motorcycle Touring Club, and for connections if you're ever in this part of the world. You'll probably meet some if you are at the FIM Rally in Bydgoszcz in July next year.