tour reports » Norway - UK to Nordkapp 2023

I am just back from a 4 week tour which took me from the UK through the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland to Nordkapp on my 2022 RS, a journey of some 5,000+ miles. Some observations:

1. Norway: I fell in love with it. The ride from Oslo up through Rondane National Park through Lillehammer, Trondheim, The Atlantic Route, Mo I Rana, Bodo, Lofoten, Tromso to Nordkapp is just sublime. We went up to the Russian border at Kirkenes before turning south.
2. Other bikers: quite a few, though in June we were surprised that it was reasonably quiet. And in weeks of riding, only 3 bikes with British plates in Norway. Astonishing. The locals who parade their bikes in Bergen are good fun - my favourite was a Moto Guzzi V85TT Special Edition in black. Beautiful.
3. Ferries: Hull to Rotterdam & return, and Kristiansand to Emden one way - both fine, straps provided. The Kristiansand ship (Holland Lines) is better than Hull (P&O), but both good.
4. Ferries and Tolls (Norway): I had a Flytpass, purchased online before leaving, which worked on ferries, bridges and tolls. I keep reading that motorcycles are free on tolls in Norway: not true, the E6 contains various sections which charge bikes. The internal ferry system works well.
5. Roadworks: watch out for these - they close roads and tunnels with limited information about diversions or reopening times.
6. Speed limits: 80km/hr may sound like a pain, but it really isn't...riding slower was a joy and a learning. And it makes a huge difference to fuel efficiency (see fuel range, below)
7. Fuel: I had a couple of hairy moments, twice down to less than 20km range. Worth considering a spare can and filling up where available. 'Good' petrol isn't available everywhere, and I ran rough on more than one occasion.
8. Security: no problems in Norway, but all my camping gear was stolen from the bike in Bremen, Germany while in a 'secure' car park. The same for my mate. A rapid change of plan to stay in ....
9. Huts (Hytte). These are beautiful, relatively good value, and available on campsites everywhere. Much better than tents.
10. Beer: yes, expensive.
11. The bike - performance. It did very well, though there were times when I was envious of those with lighter bikes - they can stop in more places. GS's are absolutely everywhere in Norway (and everywhere else for that matter).
12. The bike - panniers. The standard panniers and top box are really good. They are not huge, which helped encourage me to be disciplined in what I took, but the ease of getting them on and off, and the shelf design, are great. Having said that, I am going to experiment with just a roll bag across the back seat to help improve balance.
13. Worst moments? Riding back through Amsterdam and to Rotterdam. Crazy drivers, confusing roads ...just mental. I hated it.
14. Best moments? Everything else.

Hope that's of interest. If IU can work out how to post some pictures, I'll do that.

Beerman

That sounds like a great trip. Must head that way one day. What do you mean that a lighter bike can stop in more places?

There are many places to stop and take in the amazing scenery, but a lighter bike - one you are less worried about dropping, or easier to manage on a tight path or a place with an adverse camber - would sometimes have been good. The RS was generally good, but roads with 80km/hr speed limits don't always play to its strengths. I envied the guy on his Himalayan who could practically lift the back end up if he needed to! On two occasions I was a bit careless and nearly dropped it, and oy did I feel the weight then. I recovered it both times, but it was close.

There is trade off between the stability and capability of a heavy touring machine and the manoeuvrability of a lighter bike - and it gets demonstrated sometimes in Norway.

Beerman

I did a trip up there about ten years ago. We went up through central Sweden to Kiruna and Abisko then over to Lofoten and the ferry to Bodo and down through coastal Norway. While the weather across western Europe was hot and sunny, it was only rainy north of the arctic circle so we did not make it all the way to Nordkapp. Loved it especially the Norway landscape and roads.

I've done 4 trips to Norway since 2014 and had a few 'errors' but the R1200R and 2 R1200RS's were perfect.

Great for covering the distance from Devon, motorways, A roads while also coping with coasting along in those 80kph/50mph roads. (over 60mpg helps against their higher prices)

Not so sure I would now want either heavier GS or RT variant and now the world has settled down I fancy another return next year (maybe the new R1300RS?)

Still a fan of the boxer twins at lower revs with plenty of relaxed riding over a holiday.

The 'errors' were, in no particular order or year :-

Nearly dropped the R1200r because of the sensible way that Norway roads have the tarmac higher than the surrounding area.
Suddenly realising the drop to the ground was more than I am used to which, unlike uk roads, get the rain to wash the road.
UK way is to allow the mud to wash from the hedgerow onto the road to keep the surface dirty all year round..

I did drop the R1200R in sight of the Lillehammer ski jump, the roadside stop view point had so much sand and grit piled across the carpark I lost the front wheel a 2 mph - No damage!

Midnight ride back south from the arctic circle centre I 'pushed my endurance' and fell asleep on the bike around 3AM.
Maybe only 20 feet/5 seconds, I'll never know? The 'drop' off the road (see above) woke me up just before I went down a ditch!!! Certainly woke me up!
I did get clean underwear after 3 hours sleeping/wild camping next to the bike, about 10 miles north of the 'welcome to the north' arch (you'll know it as you ride under there')

Should also add 'one lucky escape' north of that same arch, stuck behind a few cars and a slow lorry so gave the RS some speed, passed the lot and then thought "Norway/speeding fines/slow back down" and the very next corner, 80 kph for me and there was a speed trap. Pretty sure the police heard me from the way they looked but that was it for speeding on any trip.
Be lucky!

Yes...

1. The tarmac drop nearly caught me out on a couple of occasions...
2. I rode up the road to see the Lillehammer ski jump and...I probably found the same sandy car park
3. I managed not to fall asleep while riding (!), but do remember the arch at the Arctic Circle Visitor Centre


Cheers Beerman

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