Traveling Greece and Balkans

• Traveling Greece and Balkans
  Posted by Djairouks on 28 Feb, 2019 12:07
• I recently found this great train line allowing me to go from Austria to Turkey, so I'm thinking of finally travelling Greece and then either through Balkans or ferry to italy
  and back in Switzerland. https://www.bahnreiseladen.de/autozug/villach-edirne
  
  Now with all our seasoned travelers and nationalities here, I would like some hands on experience, I read disturbing things on motorcycle thefts in some balkanic countries
  and Greece, what's your experience and what should I be carefull about !?
  
  Of course i have my Huge disc lock with movement sensor and 120db alarm, which allready made a cat freak out when he jumped on my Honda 
• #1 Reply
  Posted by Two Plugs on 28 Feb, 2019 14:12
• Balkan is great. I loved especially Montenegro (Tara Canyon is a must-do!). Albania is still relatively unspoiled by tourism and commerce; if you could fit that part in, do it. Avoid the capital Tirana though. The state of Northern Macadonia is superb. Focus both in Albania and Northern Macadonia on Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. Brilliant. Did those in 2002 (VIM4 Igoumenitsa) and 2008 (International Transalp Treffen ITT in Parga, Greece). Love Parga Beach resort in Greece. Sandy beach!
• #2 Reply
  Posted by zebulon on 28 Feb, 2019 14:25
• Some ideas can be found here   
• #3 Reply
  Posted by Djairouks on 28 Feb, 2019 15:41
• Thanks for the ideas, I think to be efficient I'll be visiting once Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro to have time to enjoy the summer there. Then use this train and do a Huge
  Greece/Macedonia trip and really have time to see all the antique ruins and visit some islands. Doing all the countries and having time there I don't think I have enough vacation
  every year  .
  
  I'm just a tad worried as I know Swiss insurances do not cover some of Balkanic countries as there is a huge amount of theft and fraud there, so I would need to insure myself
  when entering the country as my insurer told me, which is pretty weird and not very reassuring.
  
  As I'm now splitting my travels depending on road types and geography, I'm hesitant here for Slovenia, will I take the Honda or the Yamaha, one thing is sure after my Spanish
  cities tour, I wished I had the Yamaha there because the damn cobbled streets all in incline made the Africa Twin pretty unfriendly there.
  What do you think Zebulon, with the tarmac type, cities and mountain passes, is it better with Trail or Roadster, I'll be traveling alone as usual so I could take any of the 2 !?
  
  What's sure is for my Scottish Travel in may I'll take the Africa Twin, I'm sure I'll have opportunity especially on Skye to take gravel paths.
• #4 Reply
  Posted by Snurrepus on 01 Mar, 2019 12:23
• After watching these beautiful pictures again, I still hope for a VIM in Greece 
• #5 Reply
  Posted by meine dicke on 01 Mar, 2019 19:53
• Yes yes yes.
  
  Itīs better than in Schleswig-Holstein, or what do you think Erik?
  
  Greetings from the Soth of Germany
  Rainer aka meine dicke
• #6 Reply
  Posted by zebulon on 01 Mar, 2019 21:25
• I do not think there is more risk to ride Balkans then others countries ... Think it is not exactly the same in Greece or Italy ... ( my experience ... )
  Rided some years ago Peloponnese, great  to visit our school history book
  My choice will be to ride a trail, (that's why I have one) and not a roadster without protection  but no problem with Tarmac quality in Balkans, not exactly the same in Greece, you can find every kind of coating.
   
• #7 Reply
  Posted by zebulon on 01 Mar, 2019 21:30
• Quote from: Snurrepus on 01 Mar, 2019 12:23

  After watching these beautiful pictures again, I still hope for a VIM in Greece 
  

  
  Or in  Slovenia     
• #8 Reply
  Posted by Djairouks on 01 Mar, 2019 21:36
• Quote from: zebulon on 01 Mar, 2019 21:25

  I do not think there is more risk to ride Balkans then others countries ... Think it is not exactly the same in Greece or Italy ... ( my experience ... )
  Rided some years ago Peloponnese, great  to visit our school history book
  My choice will be to ride a trail, (that's why I have one) and not a roadster without protection  but no problem with Tarmac quality in Balkans, not exactly the same in Greece, you can find every kind of coating.
   
  

  Thanks for all this insight, I think it'll be northern Balkans on Yamaha and another to to Greece on the Honda.
  
  As a lover of nature, motorcyclist and single guy  , believe me I'm looking forward to Slovenia !
• #9 Reply
  Posted by Jyrays on 03 Mar, 2019 13:10
• As I am a a quarter of Slovenian now I can assure you there is roads for every kind of bikes here. I loved them with my Crosstourer and I love them with AT as well.
  
  As I am also quarter Turkish you should know there is no trouble either. I have been most worried it south of Italy for my bike. Or maybe Bulgaria as the name is almost burglary already but I have not been there with a bike.
  
  So just hop on and enjoy your ride, stay away from cities and fall in love with Balkans!
• #10 Reply
  Posted by Jyrays on 03 Mar, 2019 13:12
• Quote from: zebulon on 01 Mar, 2019 21:30

  Quote from: Snurrepus on 01 Mar, 2019 12:23

  After watching these beautiful pictures again, I still hope for a VIM in Greece 
  

  
  Or in  Slovenia     
  

  We have a problem to find a venue with camping and hotel We could do one but others wont be happy...
• #11 Reply
  Posted by zebulon on 03 Mar, 2019 15:02
• I know the main problem to organize such an event is to find the right place . But I do not doubt you will find   
• #12 Reply
  Posted by Djairouks on 03 Mar, 2019 21:08
• Quote from: Jyrays on 03 Mar, 2019 13:10

  As I am a a quarter of Slovenian now I can assure you there is roads for every kind of bikes here. I loved them with my Crosstourer and I love them with AT as well.
  
  As I am also quarter Turkish you should know there is no trouble either. I have been most worried it south of Italy for my bike. Or maybe Bulgaria as the name is almost burglary already but I have not been there with a bike.
  
  So just hop on and enjoy your ride, stay away from cities and fall in love with Balkans!
  

  
  Thanks I'm really looking forward to that travel, but have to be patient till august, yeah usually I Don't really like going
  to big cities, so not really my plan. In spain I had to rent park spots so my AT would be safe while visiting Cordoba.
• #13 Reply
  Posted by zebulon on 03 Mar, 2019 22:00
• Quote from: Djairouks on 03 Mar, 2019 21:08

  In spain I had to rent park spots so my AT would be safe while visiting Cordoba.
  

  
  

  Quote from: Djairouks on 28 Feb, 2019 12:07

  Of course i have my Huge disc lock with movement sensor and 120db alarm
  

  
  you seems a little bit worried ...  no ?  just breathe     
• #14 Reply
  Posted by Djairouks on 04 Mar, 2019 08:58
• Quote from: zebulon on 03 Mar, 2019 22:00

  Quote from: Djairouks on 03 Mar, 2019 21:08

  In spain I had to rent park spots so my AT would be safe while visiting Cordoba.
  

  
  

  Quote from: Djairouks on 28 Feb, 2019 12:07

  Of course i have my Huge disc lock with movement sensor and 120db alarm
  

  
  you seems a little bit worried ...  no ?  just breathe     
  

  
  No do not mistake cautious for worried, I was in a after sales job long ago for 6 years, I've travelled the world extensively and am pretty conscious of some
  crap that can come to you if you're not prepared, heck I've lived in USA for a while so I've seen how most tourists just ask to be robbed with their attitudes
  and how unaware some people can be.
  But as I'm always traveling alone with my motorcycle and have this love relationship with my AT, the absolute worst for me would be getting up a morning
  middle travel and bike gone, then you're alone and need to take a flight home vacation fucked, so I prefer to know before hand what I'm going for.
  
  It's supposed to be fun after all, that's why i prepare so I don't worry then.
  I'm too Swiss I think  !