It always surprises me, that so few English riders go to the Czech Republic. It's only on the other side of Germany for goodness sake ! Are we all closet members of The Flat Earth Society ? I've toured France many times, ridden in Portugal also, but for friendliness, value for money, good food and scenery, the Czech Republic takes some beating. It helped I suppose, that as a young apprentice, with a younger family, and belonging to the Jawa/CZ Owners Club, I'd always had a liking for anything eastern European.
Oh yes, I was broke as well... It always hurt when every now and again, the richer element of the club (several eccentric millionaires were closet members), would ride off to visit the Jawa factories, returning with many souvenirs and tales of adventure. I could barely afford to run my Jawas. God how I hated but envied them...
Several years later, I did at last make the trip. Practicalities. No motorway sticker is required for motorcycles, fuel is close to half the English price. Visa cards and cash machines are alive and well out there. Apart from Prague and Brno, your bike is pretty safe. (Accepted that London and Paris are similar.)
If you have a contact out there, brilliant, it really helps and quickly gets you off the tourist beaten paths. If not, go anyway, you're sure to pick up several good friends and contacts along the way. Camping or hotels ? No question about this one, hotels every time.
Oh, another rich, born again biker you say? Bugger off, I say... mortgage, and an expensive wife and 3 kids to run, riding a 20 year old Goldwing, same bike boots for 15 years. No, the Czech Republic, as I've already said, is very cheap. I've stayed in good quality hotels, bathroom en suite, for as little as 4 notes per night. I seldom pay over 7 pounds per night.
For example, The Hotel Posta in Benasov, (20 miles past Prague), bathroom en suite, chandeliers downstairs and grand piano in the dining room, clean, quiet, 6 quid per person per night. Good picturesque town too. If you're really on a budget, almost all the Czech campsites have chalet accommodation. This includes blankets for as cheap as 3 quid per night. Why bother taking a tent and sleeping bag ?
Beer is around 20p a pint, a reasonable 3 course meal can be had for as little as a quid and I've paid just 40p to get into nightclubs (good nightclubs too). Many younger Czechs speak English, and just about everyone speaks German. While my wife's not around, the women out there are drop dead gorgeous, I kid you not, and everyone is good natured and friendly.
Places to visit, Prague if you must, but 98 percent of all tourists go there, and recently there has been a big increase in petty crime, mainly pickpockets, but also a high instance of motorcycle theft. I watched Sparta Prague play at home, but I was up in the stands, close to an exit, in a seat where I could see my bike at all times. Anywhere else in the country, no problems really. Chris, a mate of mine had a bike cover stolen from off his rack. I asked would he leave a bike cover out, overnight in his home town of Newcastle? He said no, he wouldn't dare leave his bike out, never mind a cover... That puts it into perspective, I think.
Ceske Budejovice, home of the original Budweiser beer (not the nasty American copy). Very pretty and laid back town with the 2nd biggest town square in Europe. Well worth a visit, you can even tour the brewery, too. Brno, try to time a visit when there's bike racing on at the big Brno circuit (signposted from the highway). Zlin, interesting town, nestling in the hills. Built in the 30's as an experimental work and housing complex, very modern in its day, well worth a visit. Olomouc, student town in the east of the Czech Republic. Busy and lively, lots going on.
I could name a dozen places of interest. Just go and tour where the roads take you. Go to the library and pick up the Lonely Planets guide to the Czech and Slovak Republics, or better, try the Rough Guide to the Czech and Slovak Republics. Medical cover, no problem for UK riders. Our Governments have a reciprocal agreement, basically you're covered, no problems, but still take an E111 form (supplied free from your local post office).
The police, gone are the jackboot, pre-1993 neo-nazi style police force. Today's Czech Police force I've always found to be polite and very, very Brit friendly. Twice I've been wheel clamped, and twice because I was English, I was sent on my way with a handshake, free of charge...
I was told off by some of my friends for riding a little too fast through Zlin in the rush-hour, 34mph in a 30 zone... I was told that the police are keen and that if caught I might have to pay, oh, anything up to six quid! A friend of mine was bombing along with me on a Czech back road near Breclav. Dead straight road, no traffic apart from 3 big lorries in front of us. He flew past, at 100mph, straight into a police radar trap. Are you English they asked? Are you having fun? To which he replied in all honesty, yes. Okay, they said, go have some more! No fine, no night-stick and rubber truncheon, just a handshake, and that was that. Amazing... give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Kevin Savage.
Oh yes, I was broke as well... It always hurt when every now and again, the richer element of the club (several eccentric millionaires were closet members), would ride off to visit the Jawa factories, returning with many souvenirs and tales of adventure. I could barely afford to run my Jawas. God how I hated but envied them...
Several years later, I did at last make the trip. Practicalities. No motorway sticker is required for motorcycles, fuel is close to half the English price. Visa cards and cash machines are alive and well out there. Apart from Prague and Brno, your bike is pretty safe. (Accepted that London and Paris are similar.)
If you have a contact out there, brilliant, it really helps and quickly gets you off the tourist beaten paths. If not, go anyway, you're sure to pick up several good friends and contacts along the way. Camping or hotels ? No question about this one, hotels every time.
Oh, another rich, born again biker you say? Bugger off, I say... mortgage, and an expensive wife and 3 kids to run, riding a 20 year old Goldwing, same bike boots for 15 years. No, the Czech Republic, as I've already said, is very cheap. I've stayed in good quality hotels, bathroom en suite, for as little as 4 notes per night. I seldom pay over 7 pounds per night.
For example, The Hotel Posta in Benasov, (20 miles past Prague), bathroom en suite, chandeliers downstairs and grand piano in the dining room, clean, quiet, 6 quid per person per night. Good picturesque town too. If you're really on a budget, almost all the Czech campsites have chalet accommodation. This includes blankets for as cheap as 3 quid per night. Why bother taking a tent and sleeping bag ?
Beer is around 20p a pint, a reasonable 3 course meal can be had for as little as a quid and I've paid just 40p to get into nightclubs (good nightclubs too). Many younger Czechs speak English, and just about everyone speaks German. While my wife's not around, the women out there are drop dead gorgeous, I kid you not, and everyone is good natured and friendly.
Places to visit, Prague if you must, but 98 percent of all tourists go there, and recently there has been a big increase in petty crime, mainly pickpockets, but also a high instance of motorcycle theft. I watched Sparta Prague play at home, but I was up in the stands, close to an exit, in a seat where I could see my bike at all times. Anywhere else in the country, no problems really. Chris, a mate of mine had a bike cover stolen from off his rack. I asked would he leave a bike cover out, overnight in his home town of Newcastle? He said no, he wouldn't dare leave his bike out, never mind a cover... That puts it into perspective, I think.
Ceske Budejovice, home of the original Budweiser beer (not the nasty American copy). Very pretty and laid back town with the 2nd biggest town square in Europe. Well worth a visit, you can even tour the brewery, too. Brno, try to time a visit when there's bike racing on at the big Brno circuit (signposted from the highway). Zlin, interesting town, nestling in the hills. Built in the 30's as an experimental work and housing complex, very modern in its day, well worth a visit. Olomouc, student town in the east of the Czech Republic. Busy and lively, lots going on.
I could name a dozen places of interest. Just go and tour where the roads take you. Go to the library and pick up the Lonely Planets guide to the Czech and Slovak Republics, or better, try the Rough Guide to the Czech and Slovak Republics. Medical cover, no problem for UK riders. Our Governments have a reciprocal agreement, basically you're covered, no problems, but still take an E111 form (supplied free from your local post office).
The police, gone are the jackboot, pre-1993 neo-nazi style police force. Today's Czech Police force I've always found to be polite and very, very Brit friendly. Twice I've been wheel clamped, and twice because I was English, I was sent on my way with a handshake, free of charge...
I was told off by some of my friends for riding a little too fast through Zlin in the rush-hour, 34mph in a 30 zone... I was told that the police are keen and that if caught I might have to pay, oh, anything up to six quid! A friend of mine was bombing along with me on a Czech back road near Breclav. Dead straight road, no traffic apart from 3 big lorries in front of us. He flew past, at 100mph, straight into a police radar trap. Are you English they asked? Are you having fun? To which he replied in all honesty, yes. Okay, they said, go have some more! No fine, no night-stick and rubber truncheon, just a handshake, and that was that. Amazing... give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Kevin Savage.