Rolling through Europe: Harley Edition SPT25037
After long and exhausting hours on the plane, we finally made it to Vienna. On our drive to the hotel, we get a good first impression of Vienna and what we will be able to admire from the saddle of our machines over the next few days. Everything here is so much different from home, not to mention the weather ;-) Our guides scurry around and prepare everything for the start of the tour. In the afternoon, we all meet up for the big briefing. Here we get all the important information for the next few days..... and of course finally the keys for our bikes. We can hardly wait to take a first look at our new babies. We have dinner together and get in the mood for the first day of riding. We can hardly wait until it's finally “Gentleman start your engines” Welcome to Europe
Our engines finally roared to life as we left Vienna behind and headed for the mountains. First stop: the legendary Kalte Kuchl. A true biker hotspot – a place to see and be seen, with roots going all the way back to the 15th century. Back then it was all about travelers passing through… today it’s chrome, leather, and horsepower. We carved our way through some amazing twisties, grabbed some action shots, and were feeling great — until the skies opened up. Just before our lunch stop at the Erlaufsee, we hit heavy rain. But hey, nothing a hot stove and a plate of Wiener Schnitzel (or fresh lake trout) couldn't fix. Soaked but smiling. Fueled up and mostly dry, we climbed the Seebergsattel – only to find out later at a coffee stop that it had snowed up there yesterday! No wonder it felt like winter. But the weather gods were kind in the afternoon — the rain gave way to dry roads and even a bit of sunshine. Perfect end to our first riding day with a great dinner in Fohnsdorf. Europe is already delivering the full experience — and we’re just getting started.
The sun rises over our small country inn and bathes the Styrian mountains in a wonderful light. The mood is good and after a short briefing we set off. Our first stop today is the Redbull Ring, almost around the corner. We take our time and get a taste of the racing air. Then we finally head into the mountains of the Styria. The roads wind up and down between the mountains. The views are breathtakingly beautiful. So beautiful that we stop for a while at one of the many viewpoints and enjoy the beautiful weather over a coffee. In front of us, or rather below us, lies Eisenerz. The small town is world-famous for its almost impossible to finish enduro race. At the end of the village is the entrance to the Gesäuse. A narrow gorge formed over millions of years by the power of water. The roads here are wonderfully winding. And the nature is overwhelmingly beautiful. Our route takes us further into the Salzkammergut and to Lake Hallstatt. Where we enjoy lunch in a cozy atmosphere on the terrace of a 400-year-old inn. The world-famous village of Hallstatt and its incomprehensible beauty are of course not to be missed either. From now on we continue towards Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and our destination for today. The ride along Lake Wolfgangsee is leisurely and we have time to reflect on what we have experienced. A little later than planned but with lots of great memories in our luggage, we finally roll into the garage. What a day....And that's just the beginning.
High above the rooftops of Salzburg, our day starts sunny once again. Perfect conditions because today is going to be a long day of driving. After leaving the rush hour traffic behind us, we cross the border into Germany. On the famous German highway, we start by making good time. Our first stop today is Lake Chiemsee. Here we have a coffee, relax and enjoy the view and the good weather. Back on our bikes, we drive further inland. The mountains in the background offer a breathtaking panorama as we roll through the remarkably green landscape. The traffic is much heavier than yesterday. However, the roads are in very good condition and perfect for our bikes. The joy of riding is guaranteed. The many small villages provide variety. This is what Central Europe looks like. Just in time for lunch, we stop off at a typical Bavarian beer garden. The food is typical of the region, down-to-earth and delicious. As the monastery in Benediktbeuren is currently being restored, we continue our journey. We roll through the beautiful old town of Landsberg am Lech and enjoy the great roads towards Ulm. Our destination for today. Once we arrive at the hotel, a surprise awaits us. Totti and Chris have prepared a small welcome drink for us. Thanks for that😉
What a day, what a day! We started of with sunshine and nice winding roads towards our first destination: the local Harley Davidson dealer. With great coffee, nice souvenirs amd beautiful motorcycles it was an exhilarating visit. Also for the owners because it doesn't happen that often that a HOG chapter from Vietnam comes to visit. After more lovely roads and pretty scenery we arrived in the old town of Rothenburg for lunch. This old fortified town breathes centuries of history. In the afternoon we were treated to heavy showers but we prevailed and didn't melt. Upon arrival in Heidelberg the view from the hotel on this beautiful city was breathtaking!
Another great day in the books! We left Heidelberg and headed south, making our way along the Schwarzwaldhochstraße — the Black Forest High Road. A scenic ride with beautiful views, winding through deep forests and gentle hills. It’s no wonder this route is so popular with riders. We stopped for dinner at the Ruhstein — great food and a relaxed atmosphere, just what we needed after a solid ride. Then it was on to Obernai. What a lovely town! Full of charm, colorful houses, and that perfect mix of French flair and Alsatian coziness. The kind of place where you immediately feel welcome. Bikes parked, boots off — time to enjoy the evening and look forward to the road ahead.
We've been looking forward to this day for a long time because we're going to meet fellow Harley owners in France. The HOG Alsace chapter have 380 members and are the 2nd largest HOG of France. After a warm welcome, speeches and exchanging presents it's time to ride! In a very professional way roads are being blocked so we can cruise gently thrue the Alsace. They've arranged a great lunch and that gives us the time to get to know each other better. The last hour we're meandering thrue forests and field and arrive safely back to have a beer and toast to our new friendship
Although we rode yesterday we still rested a little bit and are fully charged to dive into a new adventure. We head for the black forest, amongst other things famous for cuckoo clocks. At the Hexenlochmuhle, an old waterdriven sawmill, there are plenty! And then, there is a great surprise: the best picnic ever! In the middle of the forest Christoph and Totti have made a BBQ and created Vietnamese style sandwiches. Superb!! We continue thrue the black forest for a long time and then it's Swiss time! At the famous waterfalls of Schaffhausen we experience this natural fenomenal.
We left Zurich and followed the scenic road along Lake Zurich, heading toward the impressive Säntis. A fun ride with plenty of curves, and at the top, we enjoyed fantastic food with a view. Next, we made a quick stop in Liechtenstein, just to take in the charm of the tiny principality before crossing back into Austria. Back in the Alps of Vorarlberg, we climbed the Faschinajoch—mist and light drizzle added a dramatic touch to the mountain scenery. We ended the day in peaceful Schoppernau, where a cozy little hotel welcomed us with warmth and quiet after an exciting ride.
The day began rainy but scenic, riding past the crystal-clear Plansee, with the road hugging the lake so closely you could almost touch the water with your boot. At Schloss Linderhof, the sun broke through—just in time to admire the beautiful gardens and King Ludwig II’s extravagant little palace in its full glory. Then it was on to Munich and the House of Flames, where we returned the bikes. The rain held off just long enough for a dry handover, followed by a cold Edelweiss Boot Beer, some Harley shop souvenirs, and lots of smiles. Everyone was tired but happy—a perfect ending to the tour. The final bus ride back was quiet, with satisfied faces and memories of a fantastic trip.