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Iceland.

Amos Malone

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2022
Member Number
1073
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230
Location
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I thought I'd put this in here for future visitors. :ricky

So you want to go to Iceland.

How to get there and use your own bike.
From Europe.
  • You can roll your bike on a ship in Rotterdam. Fly to Keflavík and pick it up in Þorlákshöfn. Contact Smyril Cargo.
  • You can take a car ferry from Hirthals Denmark. 3 nights on the way. The cheap cabins are sort of okay but you'll be sharing them with up to 9 people, so I avoid them. Private cabins (some very nice) are available for a price. Contact Smyril Line.
  • You can have the bike shipped (sea-freight) from Rotterdam, Hamburg, and other major sea ports. Contact Eimskip, Samskip.
  • You might be able to use air freight from major airports. Contact Flugleidir (Icelandair).
From the Americas.
  • No ferries. Some other options are be available.
  • You can have the bike shipped (sea-freight) from Virginia, and some other major sea ports on the Atlantic coast. Contact Eimskip, Samskip.
  • You might be able to use air freight from major airports on the east coast. Baltimore used to be an option. Contact Flugleidir (Icelandair) and Air Canada.

How to get there and rent a bike.
  • Direct flight to Keflavik from most major airports in Europe/US. Contact Icelandair, Play. Check Skyskanner and similar for more options.
  • Rent a bike and ride around Iceland. Biking Viking and Sportstravel are some that seem to have survived Covid. Google can provide more options. Many motorcycle rentals are only interested in complete package, flight, bike rental, guided tours. If that's what you're after, that might be good.

What to do there.
  • Iceland is roughly circular with 3 peninsulas on the west side.
  • The circle has the ring road. The ring road mostly follows the coast in the south. There are fjords in the east. Mostly mountains and plains in the north. Villages and sightseeing places with wilderness everywhere. Vatnajökull glacier (that has been in 2 James Bond movies) in the southeast.
  • The center has the highlands and some nice North-South gravel roads. Only realistically available during summer and fall.
  • The northern peninsula Vestfirðir (Westfjords) has some amazing landscape. Deep fjords and waterfalls.
  • The center peninsula Snæfellsnes (Snow mountain peninsula) has charming villages and the majestic Kirkjufell mountain (what some know as arrowhead mountain from Game of Thrones) and Snæfellsjökul (Europes easternmost glacier and the location of the gateway to the center of the earth, according to Jules Verne).
  • The southermost peninsula has the international airport (Keflavík), the main city (Reykjavík) where half the population lives, the volcano that was active until couple of months ago.

When to go there.
  • April and September are usually survivable for motorcyclists. May to August are considerably warmer. October to March are more snowmobile than motorcycle weather. Although you might get lucky during that time, I cannot advise it.
  • If you desire to visit the highlands and cross unbridged rivers June to August are recommended.
  • Northern lights are not visible May and June. But you have the midnight sun instead. Go as far north as you can to enjoy that more. Good luck falling asleep though.

Food and shelter.
  • Food is available in every village. Price may be shocking but it's usually good quality. Fresh(ish) and not full of preservatives. Try the Icelandic sodas, Malt, Appelsín and MaltAppelsín.
  • Almost every city/town/village has hotels, motels, AirBnb, Couchsurfing, etc.
  • Almost every city/town/village has camp grounds often near public swimming pools and restaurants, sometimes near supermarkets as well.

Rules to make your life difficult.
  • [UWSL]Off road riding is strictly forbidden, any trail where riding is not specifically forbidden is okay but do not stray off the road.[/UWSL]
  • Wild camping is allowed. That means wild camping. Camping near highways, buildings, in cities or towns, near marked campsites is frowned upon.
  • Not a rule per se. The Icelandic sheep is an animal with deeply grained Kamikaze tendencies. It will wait by the side of the road until you get near. At the last possible moment it will decide that the grass is indeed greener on the other side and sprint to get there. ABS can save your live here.

More to come later. list of camping sites, etc.
 
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I've been there in February. Pretty awesome place.

I wouldn't recommend going on a motorcycle in winter.

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