Touring the baltics and Poland

[MidnightSun]

Tere

Sorry for writing in english(ma ei räägi eesti keelt).

I'm a swedish biker and I plan to tour the baltic states and Poland this summer(early july). I live in most northern part of Sweden(Kiruna). My plan is to drive from Kiruna to Helsinki and take the Helsinki-Tallinn ferry. I'm trying to find some info about touring in the baltic states and Poland, but have not been so lucky this far.

Do you know any good websites that could give me some info about touring the baltics? Tourist attractions and biker events? Is bike theft a big problem in Estonia and the other baltic countries?
I will be travelling alone.

EDIT: I also understand finnish, so finnish answers are ok.

[eissid]

Is bike theft a big problem in Estonia and the other baltic countries?

The problem is getting bigger every day...If you'r going to get a hotell or staying somewhere as a guest, find a safe place for your bike.

BTW: Be careful in traffic, drivers dont like biker so much...

[Konsulent]

You can look at http://visitestonia.com/index.php?page=2 not very much information, but maybe good for starting.

Biker events: http://www.biker.ee/?kesk=yritused
In estonian, but you see dates and places.

[CB500]

Tere

Tourist attractions and biker events? Is bike theft a big problem in Estonia and the other baltic countries?
I will be travelling alone.

Depends, how many days are you planning to stay in Estonia, if 1 or 2, then you wont see much, if 3 to 5, then you have time to see much of great things. Let us know and then we can give you better advice.
About bike theft, seems that this problem is getting bigger every year I think your bike wont be as big danger as local bikes, because the recent bike thefts have been kind of "organized crime" type, -many bikes have been stolen from their garages this spring.
But always use a brake disc lock or U-lock, then you leave your bike out of sight.

[kris.]

A little offtopic but are you planning to visit this year's Swedish Bikemeet at Chapparall? We could meet face to face and discuss about travelling issues.
And btw, estonian car drivers have nothing against bikers, but this again is another story and would be better to discuss about it while drinking some beer

br
Kris.
XVZ-13 TF - Big Blue Light

[ilves]

My advice for you is that you should try to get a little lost, that's how man usually finds interesting places and, by the way, were'nt you the one asking people at bike.se if anybody knows how to spell 'the bike is alarmed' in few east-european languages? About thefts - you can never be too carefull... Good luck!

[Pihelgas]

02 - 04 of July Bikerfest 2004 at Põltsamaa.

for further information in english, please send me request

[MidnightSun]

Thanks guys for all the answers. Have no plans at this time to visit Swedish Bikemeet, i'm working that weekend. I really haven't planned how many days I will stay in Estonia, I have 4 weeks off from my work. I guess I will plan my touring as I travel, wake up, brush my teeth and then decide what to do that day.

Bikerfest at Põltsamaa, well it's little bit early in july for me, I will most likely start from my hometown the 5th of july and drive to helsinki, that is a 1100km drive....

My nick on bike.se is Jabba Hut, so no, i'm not the one that want to learn a lot of east european languages.

Btw, do you know any good hotels in Tallinn with safe parking? Preferably less than 1200EEK/night? It doesn't have to be directly in the city center, as long as I can take bus/tram home in the night.

[Külaline]

Hotel in Tallinn with safe parking:
http://www.topspa.ee/?menu=1&subMenu=0& ... =0&lang=en

[CB500]

Well, we just got back from 4-day tour to latvia and lithuania. This time we focused on lithuania. Went to the trip with my girlfriend on one bike. It`s a great country, lots of places to see.. Example Trakai castle which is in excellent condition. If you are in lithuania, you should also visit the Palanga and Nida, to Nida you can get on ferry from Klaipeda, which is a big port-town. The ferry leaves every twenty minutes. In Palanga there is a big selections of hotels and restaurants, just go there!
In Latvia we accidently arrived in Sigulda - you should visit the famous bobsled track - you can ride there also with proffessional driver (not from the very top but from middle . (the track is not covered with ice!) There is also lots of other things to see in Sigulda and you can buy a famous sigulda walking-stick. I am sure you will find the size you like.

If your bike is chain driven, make sure that you have enough chain grease. I ran out of mine in lithuania and could not find it in any of lithuanian gas stations, but lucky for me, I met some german bikers who gave me some.
In Tallinn you can find chain grease at Peterburi street, there is Bike World (local Honda dealer) and right next is Stokker (Valvoline dealer).
If you want Honda original lubrigant go to the Bike World, if Valvoline is good enough go to Stokker.

As during 3-days in lithuania we saw just a few police patrols (who usually were doing nothing) I got little arrogant.. and just before leaving lithuania they got me for overspeed.. 120kmh in 90 zone. I wanted to get home a.s.a.p.
Well, the fines in lithuania for speeding are very big (where isn`t?), finally we managed to bribe them with 40 euros which was also almost the last cash we had. Police also told me, that if cars and motorcycles drive 100kmh in 90 zone, then they wont stop them.

Here are some useful links about Latvia and Lithuania:
www.lithuania.lt
www.trakai.lt
www.palanga.lt
www.sigulda.lv
www.jurmala.lv

[MidnightSun]

Well, tomorrow is the big day.

I'm leaving for Estonia early in the morning. First I have to cross Finland(don't plan to see anything in Finland, have been to finland so many times) and then take the ferry to Tallinn. Some of you has offerd me help with hotels(thanks guys) in Tallinn(and elsewhere), the reason why I haven't contacted you is that I don't know the exact date for my arrival in Estonia. I will most likely be there on wednesday or thursday. Well I just have to find accomodation when arrive in Tallinn.

Thanks for all the help guys(maybe I'll meet some of you if I go to the Bikerfest)

MidnightSun

[Primo]

Have a nice trip

primo

[MZrider]

If you need any informations about Poland, you can ask me. I am living there I serve my help

[kris.]

If you need any informations about Poland, you can ask me. I am living there I serve my help

That's great, I'll keep that in mind!
I will be driving through Poland in about ... 30 days from now.

br
Kris.
XVZ-13 TF - Big Blue Light

[Cowboy]

Kaikki Virosta Suomeksi, Tervetuloa (FIN)

Nopeusrajoitukset Virossa,
Kaupunkin alueella 50 km/h
Taajamaalla 90 km/h (-110) Ei moottoriteita.

http://www.mnt.ee/atp/?id=461
http://www.balticroads.net/fi/index.htm
http://www.webmarine.ee Port info Sadamate info
http://www.portoftallinn.ee Port of Tallinn
http://www.hiiumaa.ee/index.php?keel=2 Hiiumaa
http://www.saaremaa.ee/eng/ Saaremaa

Yleisia linkkeja
http://www.viroinfo.com/ Viroinfo.com
http://www.infoweb.ee/?lang=en&lang=fi
http://www.1182.ee/fin/ Ekspress Hotline 1182
http://www.baltinfo.ee/index.php?new_lang=en
http://www.turismiweb.ee/fi/
http://www.visitestonia.com/

http://www.revalhotels.com/fin/olympia/?
http://www.wifi.ee/?p=area&lang=eng eng.
http://www.skype.com/ http://www.skype.com/intl/ Skype
http://www.tallinn.info/webcam/ Tallinn citycam - LIVE
http://www.portoftallinn.ee/port_info/webcam.shtml Port Webcam

http://www.teletorn.ee/index.php?lang=fin
Korkeimmalla sijaitseva näköalatasanne Pohjoismaissa.
Täältä voit nähdä jopa Suomen rannikolle asti.
http://www.waide.ee/ Waide motell http://www.viastop.ee/ Plekoltee
Viron Maatilamatkailuyhdistyksen kotisivu
http://www.maaturism.ee/new/index.php?keel=fin
......................................

[ollo]

Kaikki Virosta Suomeksi, Tervetuloa (FIN)

Taajamaalla 90 km/h (-110) Ei moottoriteita.

Odott, minu arusaamise järgi 'taajama'= asula. Seal nigu 90 küll hea kiirus pole.

[Uugu]

misasja??

[creativ]

Via Baltica, 130 km from Tallinn. in Pärnu, special bikers place http://www.aleksandripub.ee/index.php?page=93

180 km from Tallinn, in Tartu http://www.tartuhostel.eu/ very good prices!!!

[creativ]

siit tekkis küsimus, et kas Eestis on kusagil (veebis) head infi välismaa (kohalike) motomatkajate tarbeks, et kus on Eesti kohalikud, head (odavad-turvalised. seltskond) ööbimiskohad, söömiskohad, remondivõimalused, motopoed ja muud kasulikku infi? seda siis inglise, vene ja eesti keeles
välismaa motoinimesel on päris keeruline leida just teda huvitavat infi. biker.ee võiks vabalt selline keskkond nende jaoks olla. Biker.ee võiks ju lausa reklaamiraha edukamatelt teenusepakkujatelt kasseerida

[Raigo]

siit tekkis küsimus, et kas Eestis on kusagil (veebis) head infi välismaa (kohalike) motomatkajate tarbeks, et kus on Eesti kohalikud, head (odavad-turvalised. seltskond) ööbimiskohad, söömiskohad, remondivõimalused, motopoed ja muud kasulikku infi? seda siis inglise, vene ja eesti keeles
välismaa motoinimesel on päris keeruline leida just teda huvitavat infi. biker.ee võiks vabalt selline keskkond nende jaoks olla. Biker.ee võiks ju lausa reklaamiraha edukamatelt teenusepakkujatelt kasseerida

hea idee tegelt, võiks olla ka interaktiivne kaart, remondi kohtadega ja seda siis vähemalt kahes võõrkeeles.