BOE2606 - Only the very best of Europe

17 Sep 2026

/László Orosz

/Philipp Amann

/Walter Hof

The bikes are ready, the weather forecast is great and the excitement is building here in Erding. Lázló, Walter and Philipp are eagerly looking forward to welcoming our riders and passengers as they arrive for the Best of Europe—seven riding days through the heart of Europe and five countries: Germany, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria. And what a wonderfully international group we have this time around. Our tour members have travelled to Bavaria from North America, South America and Australia, while our three guides bring along a lot of experience for riding central europe. With that combination, we may not quite have the entire globe represented, but we are certainly giving the continents a good showing! The same can be said for the motorcycles, already lined up and waiting for their riders. There are mighty BMW K 1600s, ready to devour the miles in effortless comfort, alongside the grunty R 1300 RT and several models of the legendary GS. The Italian contingent is represented by the fiery Ducati Multistradas, while the Japanese contribution comes in the form of the versatile Honda Transalp. A wonderfully eclectic collection—and every one of them is about to give their riders a proper taste of Europe. Over the coming days, we will leave Erding and Bavaria behind and head northwest through the green landscapes of the Hallertau and Altmühl Valley, before reaching the medieval magic of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. From there, the route continues toward the historic university city of Heidelberg, through the winding roads of the Odenwald, and onward into the Black Forest. Then comes France and the beautiful Alsace, where Ribeauvillé will give us a chance to slow down, enjoy some local hospitality and, for those who can't resist, explore some more fantastic motorcycle roads. From there we cross back into Germany, continue through the Black Forest and into Switzerland, where the mighty Rhine Falls awaits. Finally, the landscape begins to rise dramatically as we head toward Liechtenstein and the Austrian Alps, before completing our great European loop back to Erding. There is something particularly special about making this journey in late summer. The days are still long enough for plenty of riding, the countryside is at its lushest, and the intense greens of the forests contrast beautifully with golden fields and the first hints of autumn beginning to appear. In the villages, outdoor cafés and terraces are still alive with people, while higher in the mountains the air already carries that unmistakable crispness that tells us the seasons are beginning to turn. And, of course, this is Europe from behind a motorcycle's handlebars. The changing scenery doesn't simply pass by the window—it arrives with the scent of forests and vineyards, the sound of the engine echoing between hills, the feel of a winding road beneath the tires and the sudden appearance of another castle, village or mountain panorama around the next bend. Five countries, seven riding days, countless curves—and one great adventure through the Best of Europe. Let's get those bikes started!

Riding Day One – Erding to Rothenburg ob der Tauber The whole group was more than ready for the adventure ahead. In fact, everyone was so excited that we were ready to roll earlier than usual. There was no need to keep anyone waiting — we fired up the bikes and headed out. The morning started with crisp temperatures, but the forecast promised gorgeous sunshine, and it looked like we were in for a beautiful day on the road. Our first stop was a neat little chapel tucked away in the woods along the route. It was the perfect place to stretch our legs, take a short break and ease into the day before continuing towards Geisenfeld, where a local bakery provided the first essential coffee stop. Another hour or so down the road brought us to Eichstätt. We parked the bikes right in front of the impressive cathedral before settling into the shaded courtyard of Gasthof Krone for lunch. By then, the temperatures had climbed noticeably, and one by one, jackets came off and layers were shed. It was becoming clear that summer had arrived on the road. From Eichstätt, our journey took us deeper into the beautiful Altmühl Valley. This was motorcycle country at its best: sweeping roads, rolling countryside and views that seemed to open up around every bend. The valley provided the kind of riding where we found ourselves enjoying not just the destination, but every kilometre in between. Our final coffee and photo stop of the day was right in the heart of Dinkelsbühl, one of Bavaria's most famous and beautifully preserved medieval towns. We took some time to enjoy the atmosphere before getting back on the bikes for the final stretch to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, our home for the night. You might have thought Dinkelsbühl was quite a treat — and it certainly was. But then we arrived in Rothenburg, stepped into its wonderfully preserved old town and joined the legendary Night Watchman for an evening tour. Walking through the medieval streets after dark, listening to the stories and legends of the town, was truly something else. A fantastic first day on the road — and a fitting start to our Best of Europe adventure.

History, horsepower and a taste of the Neckar After breakfast among a lively mix of international tour groups, it was time to head out for our second riding day. We gathered around the bikes for the morning briefing, where we talked through the route ahead and, fittingly for the region, got acquainted with one of its most colourful characters: Götz von Berlichingen, the legendary “Knight with the Iron Hand.” Götz lost his right hand in battle in 1504 and had it replaced with an ingenious prosthesis, which gave rise to his famous nickname. He was a formidable 16th-century knight, and his reputation was later immortalised by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The resulting line — “Er aber, sag’s ihm, er kann mich im A***** lecken!” — has become one of the most famous quotations in German literature. With that little piece of history fresh in our minds, we fired up the engines and set off. Our first stop was Langenburg, perched dramatically above the Jagst Valley. Here we were lucky enough to find the caretaker of the German Automobile Museum at Schloss Langenburg on hand — and, much to our delight, he opened the doors somewhat earlier for us and gave us a private tour. The museum occupies the former Marstall, or royal stables, of Langenburg Castle. It opened in 1970 with an initial collection of 25 classic cars and has since grown into an exhibition covering around 2,000 square metres. Depending on the current exhibition, visitors can see around 40 historic cars, racing and sports vehicles, as well as roughly 20 motorcycles. The museum's theme, People, Cars & History, also puts the spotlight on the personalities behind the machines and the early development of mobility in the Hohenlohe region. For a group of motorcyclists, it was a wonderfully appropriate opportunity — and a reminder that the love of two- and four-wheeled machines has a history of its own. From Langenburg we continued to Kloster Schöntal, one of the great architectural treasures of northern Baden-Württemberg. The former Cistercian monastery was founded in 1157 and sits beautifully in a sweeping bend of the Jagst River. Its magnificent Baroque church was built between 1708 and 1736, creating the bright, imposing interior we see today. And then came one of those completely unplanned moments that make days like these memorable: Inside the cathedral, an orchestra was rehearsing. We quietly stood back and listened as wonderful music filled the vast church. The combination of the magnificent architecture and live music made for a magical pause in the middle of our riding day. We had come for the roads, but once again the journey had given us something we could never have scheduled. Schöntal also brought us back to Götz. The Berlichingen family helped establish the monastery in the 12th century in exchange for burial rights, and Götz himself is buried in the monastery's cloister. His tomb shows the famous knight kneeling in prayer — interestingly, with two healthy hands. By now, however, we were ready for something a little less historical and considerably more edible. Lázlo was waiting for us with a magnificent regional picnic, perfectly placed along our route at Möckmühl. After the morning's kilometres, it was exactly what the group needed: good food, good company and a chance to relax before the second half of the day. From there, the group split. Some riders headed towards Castle Hirschhorn, while others opted for the longer and more challenging route. The latter delivered exactly what motorcyclists hope for: more curves, a little more technical riding and a few faster sections where the road opened up. Different routes, different rhythms — but the same destination waiting at the end of the day. As we approached Heidelberg, the weather decided to add its own little contribution. We ran into some rain shortly before reaching the wonderful Hotel Königstuhl, perched high above the city. After a day in the saddle, arriving at the top of Heidelberg's mountain with the smell of rain in the air made the hotel feel particularly welcoming. The Königstuhl forms the green backdrop to Heidelberg and rises to around 567 metres above the city. From here, Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley stretch out below, while the famous mountain railway provides a spectacular way down into town. And that was exactly how we finished our riding day: leaving the motorcycles behind and taking the funicular down towards Heidelberg. The historic mountain railway has been carrying passengers between the city and Königstuhl for generations, with the journey offering an entirely different perspective on the landscape we had just ridden through. Once in Heidelberg, we headed out for dinner at a local restaurant, where regional specialities gave us a fitting introduction to the culinary side of the area. Day two had delivered a little bit of everything: winding roads, automotive history, medieval characters, a Baroque monastery, an unexpected orchestral rehearsal, a superb picnic, choices between routes, a touch of rain and, finally, the lights of Heidelberg below us. Not a bad way to spend another day on the road.

We woke up to a brilliant day in Riquewihr, with crystal-clear skies and the kind of weather that makes it very difficult to stay indoors. A wonderful breakfast, complete with fabulous croissants that were practically worth a sin, got the day off to a perfect start. Being a rest day, everyone was free to choose their own adventure. Part of the group decided to explore the picturesque streets of Riquewihr on foot, while others headed off to spend the day in Strasbourg. But, naturally, there was also a group that simply couldn't resist the call of the road. For the riders, the Vosges Mountains were calling – and what a day they had ahead of them! In fact, everything we had ridden so far on this tour suddenly felt like preparation for today. Twisties, twisties and more twisties! Beautiful forest roads wound their way through the mountains, with spectacular views opening up between the trees. Corner followed corner, and the smiles inside the helmets just kept getting bigger. Our first coffee stop was at Lac Blanc, where we enjoyed a quick break and caught our first glimpse of something that would become very important later in the day: a delicious-looking blackberry cake. Fortunately, the café was also our lunch destination, but first we had to earn that cake. We headed out to complete the southern loop of our route, following the winding roads through the Vosges before returning to the café. Lunch was a wonderful selection of French specialties, with plenty of cheese and all sorts of delicious savoury treats. And then came the moment we had been waiting for: the blackberry cake we had spotted that morning. It did not disappoint. In fact, by this point we were all convinced that it wasn't just the best blackberry cake we had ever eaten – we were also experiencing the perfect riding day. So naturally, there was only one sensible thing to do. Ride the southern loop again! The group turned around and headed back into the Vosges for another helping of those fantastic roads before eventually making our way back to Riquewihr for dinner. What a fantastic day! A rest day perhaps, but for those who chose to ride, it was anything but restful – and quite possibly one of the most enjoyable days of the entire tour so far.