800-1000 kms
2 days on a bike
2 nights in a bed
2 countries
tarmack, gravel, dual track
Adventure or dual sport bike is a must. Tires should allow a bit of dirt at least.
Some experience off-road riding is important
EUR 300.00 with your bike
EUR 530-580 with a rental bike
Why you'll love it?
It has everything!
If you bought an adventure bike to ride... well, everywhere, this is probably why.
The Rhodopi are one of those rare places where silky smooth asphalt, fast gravel roads, mountain passes and forest tracks all naturally fit into the same day. One minute you're carving through endless corners, the next you're climbing a remote ridge, and before long you're parked in a meadow wondering how a place this peaceful still exists.
There are a few slightly more technical sections for those who fancy them, but this isn't about hard enduro. It's about using an adventure bike exactly the way it was meant to be used.
Is it for you?
If your idea of adventure riding is spending the whole day wrestling a bike through axle-deep mud, probably not.
If your idea of adventure riding is linking together fantastic roads, gravel tracks, mountain passes and hidden places that most people never get to see, then absolutely.
This ride is designed with adventure bikes in mind, however dual sports are more than wellcome and even scramblers will handle it just fine. You don't need aggressive rally tyres or hard-enduro experience—we deliberately avoid single track and overly technical terrain. The dirt is there because it takes us to the best places, not because we're trying to make your life difficult.
And if a particular section doesn't look like your cup of tea, that's perfectly fine. We've built the route so there are asphalt alternatives, allowing the group to meet up again further down the road.
The weather at this time of year
Morning temp average is 15 - 20 Celsius
Day temp average is 25 - 35 Celsius
Rain: seriously unlikely but even if it does, ask your mom if you are just sweet or actually made of sugar. In case she confirms the latter, take the 15 minutes you need the day before to pack a rainsuit.
Sunrise is at about 06:20
Sunset is at about 20:30
The Program
Friday
We meet up at the McDonalds on AM Struma, so we can exit Sofia from whatever exit is more comfortable to each member of the group. From there on we make our way to our first night at the gates of the Rhodopi. Once we're checked in the hotel we will have some dinner, beers and get to know the group.
Start:
End:
Ride time:
Ride distance:
max elevation:
Sofia @ 18:30
Secret 1 @ 20:30
2 hrs
180 kms
1150 m
Saturday
We wake up early, have breakfast, perform a short *NSYNC dance routine to loosen up and head straight into the heart of the Rhodopi. Along the way we'll touch bits of the Bulgarian TET and, perhaps, a little of the Greek one. We really don't want to give away too much though. The best part of this day is that most of it is meant to be a pleasant surprise. Expect mountain passes, forest roads, endless views and that wonderful feeling that this is exactly what an adventure bike was built for. If you spend the evening wondering how all of this fit into a single day, we've probably done our job right.
Start:
End:
Ride time:
Ride distance:
max elevation:
Secret 1 @ 09:30
Secret 2 @ 20:30
11 hrs
350 kms
1600 m
Sunday
Sunday is all about the high passes. We spend a good part of the day above 1,200 metres, comfortably escaping the August heat... at least the August heat we remember from before July completely lost its mind. There will definitely be some TET involved. It does a wonderful job of keeping us high in the mountains before we eventually have to point the bikes back towards Sofia. We usually roll back into town somewhere around halfway through the evening news. Don't worry if you miss the first half—we can save you the trouble. Something is flooding, something is on fire, something is being stolen, and someone who looks oilier than your drive chain is blaming someone else for all of it.
Start:
End:
Ride time:
Ride distance:
max elevation:
Secret 2 @ 09:30
Sofia @ 20:00
10 hrs
450 kms
2000 m
Price
EUR 300.00
payable 50% in advance up until 10 days before the ride
remaining 50% due until the day before setting off
Extras are... well, extra.
What's in
Leader on a motorcycle, a bed in a double room with a almost sure to not snore motorcyclist (free earplugs) and road assistance in case the bike or you decide to misbehave
What's out
Food, fuel & beer pretty much. We don't know if we can afford your drinking habits, so do please take care of them yourself. We did some light estimations on how much you'd need, they are somewhere below.
Extras
Single room accommodation is + EUR 150.00
Rental motorcycle
- EUR 230 for CFMoto450MT, RE Himalayan 450, CFMoto700MT or MotoMorini Xcape700
- EUR 280 for Yamaha Tenere 700 or Honda Transalp 750
What about the bike
This is an adventure bike route. It's excellent for dual sports as well, not too heavy on fast asphalt sections, extremely highway averse. Tires should also not be 100% road biased although nothing extreme is needed, general 80/20 tires will do just fine. If your bike doesn't fit in this description, consider renting one
Coming? Great! Consider:
Gear
Our navigators carry most of the communal "someone will eventually need this" equipment, so you don't have to. That includes a basic first aid kit, puncture repair equipment, spare tubes for anything nastier than a nail, enough zip ties to build a small bridge, tow rope, electrical tape and a basic toolkit. What you should bring are the things specific to your bike. Axle wrenches, any special tools your motorcycle requires, and whatever puncture repair system you normally use. We carry spares, but having an extra set is never a bad idea. As for riding gear... In our dreams we all ride naked. No? Just us? Fair enough. In real life we take gear seriously. We always ride with full-face helmets, proper boots and full protective equipment. Depending on the forecast, we'll often choose lightweight, highly ventilated adventure or enduro gear—sometimes as minimal as a jersey and protective trousers—because in the middle of summer the biggest challenge is usually staying cool rather than staying warm. A hydration pack is highly recommended. Waterproofs? Bring them if you like. It won't rain. (It's definitely going to rain now that we've said that.) And remember: always wear all your gear. Even during sex.
Luggage
One of the most common mistakes is packing half your wardrobe "just in case". Don't. Heavy luggage makes the bike handle worse, tires you out and, more often than not, never gets unpacked anyway. For most "just in case" situations, a folded EUR 50 note somewhere in your luggage works surprisingly well. It can quickly become a forgotten phone charger, a clean T-shirt or whatever else you managed to leave at home. Although we're riding in the middle of summer, we spend a lot of time high in the mountains. Days can be properly hot, but evenings are sometimes surprisingly chilly. Layers always beat bulky clothing. Our advice? Travel light. We'd pack something along these lines: a pair of walking shoes; 4 pairs of underwear; 4 non-stinky T-shirts; a lightweight long-sleeved top or fleece for the evenings; 2 pairs of shorts; a toothbrush, assuming you've like your teeth and would like to keep them for a while. All of that easily fits into a backpack if you don't have dedicated motorcycle luggage. Whatever luggage you do use, strap it to the bike. Carrying it on your back all day is a fantastic way to get tired for absolutely no reason. Waterproof luggage? Bring it if you like. It won't rain. (Which almost certainly means it will.)
Pocket money
Other than the fee, which covers the stuff we said it covers, you need maybe EUR 150-180 in your pocket. We estimate: - about EUR 50 for fuel. We will refuel mostly almost exclusively in Bulgaria except for once in Greece and not a full tank at that. Considering a 5l/100kms consumption this should be plenty; - about EUR 20 for food in Greece and EUR 60-80 in Bulgaria - about EUR 20 for tiny shiny trinkets, to bring home and remind your significant other that you have thought of them on this trip...so essentially, bribe money Which reminds us - keep some cash on you. Bill splitting is annoying otherwise.
