A day's riding?

Quickly · Crazy Courier Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Karma :

I'm considering a ride out to Ukraine (for football Rolling Eyes

) and back next year and wondered if any of the forum's more travelled members could help with making a brief outline of the trip.

I'm looking at going through Holland, Germany, Czech Republic and either Poland or Slovakia into Ukraine. I'm then probably going to have to go 'cross country' to Kiev and, perhaps, on to Kharkiv.

I'm thinking of doing about 400 miles each day but I don't want to be riding for much more than 6 or 7 hours a day, (not including stops). I'll be sticking largely to main roads.

Can anyone tell me what sort of average speed I can expect to keep up riding in Eastern Europe? Also, how many miles a day would you imagine I'll be able to cover, stopping for the odd tourist spot and to meet the locals but not much else? I'll be in a group of 3 or 4 bikes, but it's up to me to plan it.

Thanks,
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Faldo · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Karma :

Hi,
I'm afraid I can't be any help as I've not been that far (yet!), but I've just been reading a ride report on advrider of some Croats that went from Zagreb->Volgograd and they dipped in and out of the Ukraine.

Might not inform you of anything new, but worth a read IMO.

https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=353430
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Phoenix · Twisted Firestarter Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Karma :

Just remember you will probably need seperate insurance, breakdown cover (or none) and visas for entering the Ukraine and any other non European country. 400 miles a day is achievable, Poland and Eastern Europe have decent road networks like anywhere else in Western Europe, just maybe not so many motorways.

Toukakoukan · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Karma :

Just so you know your UK insurance HAS to cover you for any amount of time in any EU state (all this '14 days and you must inform us' stuff is BS, see Article 3(2) of EC Directive 72/166/EEC)
No visa is required to enter the Ukraine, you just get a stamp at the border, equally you do not require a carnet de passage.

in Czech Republic and Poland I drove 380 miles in one day (Prague to Warsaw) and that took around 11 hours.

in Ukraine you'll be fine so long as you stick to the REALLY big roads (I'm talking Lublin-Kiev, Kiev-Odessa sized here) as if you get off these you'll descend into tiny, unsignposted roads which probably haven't been resurfaced since the soviet union collapsed (though the roads in Moldova make them look positively pristine!)

Driving in Poland and Ukraine really isn't that interesting (certainly the bits I covered) as you'll have long straight roads going through alternately pine-forest and flat flat fields.

Still, if you go to Kiev make sure you book the Chernobyl tour in advance, one of the most amazing things I've ever seen!
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magpiemale · Traffic Copper Joined: 04 Feb 2006 Karma :

I rode in germany some times fast sometimes legal speed and rode from 7am until 4-5pm and did 350miles time your journeys in miles a bit lower if you do more all good but if you do less than 400 miles in a day then you will feel put off.
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