Hi Nick from South Africa 🇿🇦. All the best for your amazing trip, and wishing you a safe ride. You are one of very, very few You Tubers that i could watch and listen to for hours....You have such a lovely way of talking, its almost captivating and i enjoy your content. i sold my previous gen k16 and saving up for this new model.....cant wait for the day.... All the best bud
Absolutely Jealous and now totally depressed. Now living in Australia, I am deprived of Europe and miss those wonderful motorcycle trips and the wonderful diversity in cultures. Have a safe, wonderful trip.
Cold winter day here in Qld, 17C and sunny. I remember setting off to work on the bike for work, in the west country. Ten miles to travel and so much clothes I could hardly move. That day it was a record -16C. That is the only time my legs burned as they warmed up. Now I only have to worry about hot humid days in the summer, a season we give up riding in. The converse of the UK. Times change 12C on the bike now feels very cold.
Not sure Nick was being critical of Oz but 14 countries many with very different outlooks and past, different currencies and such is very diverse. The weather will go from -2 to around 30 possibly. I know you can have that between Brighton and the airport in one day though! 🤣👍🏻
Have a great trip. We did a similar trip last year on my FJR1300 ES, absolutely incredible experience I'll never forget. You'll love it. Good luck with the weather 👍
Thanks Anthony. The ones on the fairing I love but they don’t do a ‘left’ and ‘right’ so either the flag is upside down on the right of the ‘wind’ is blowing in the wrong direction (of course I’m not flying it upside down!) 👍🏻
Wow what a journey and I'm sure good memories will be made. Good luck in your adventure and I look forward to your updates when you can do them. Take care.
Good luck with your journey, Nick. Did this trip solo in 2004, visited St Petersburg, but different world then. Looking forward to updates when available!
I’ve just come back from Normandy and the very same destinations on my K16 Nick, lovely trip but very thought provoking and moving. Off to the Black Forest with 8 friends tomorrow for a week of riding in the sun. Have a safe trip and look forward to your Vlog. 👍
We did the Black Forest last year. Including higher up to stop in Colditz Castle (it’s now a hostel). We also did the Ruhr Dams and Mittlebrau concentration camp where the V2’s we built. Have fun and be safe 👍🏻
Thanks Andy. Looking forward to it now. Bags packed and just boots to polish as think they may need to be extra waterproof this trip (at least the middle bit) 👍🏻
On a similar trip I used a ferry from Kiel to Oslo, fantastic ferry worth the expense. Enjoy the holiday, when I visited Norway we had three weeks of sunshine, almost no rain, the Lofoten Islands temperature 28C! Safe journey and good luck.
@@nickhodgeUK we were incredibly lucky, Norway experienced a heat wave from top to bottom. Keep the thermals handy. Recently weather has been good in southern Norway.
Awesome route planned; very envious. Also a big fan (and lifetime member) of MRA, the best planner I've used. Will be following along, really for you, buddy on the RT ;-) In general I have had minimal issues with the App, it does take couple of minutes to show map mode, but so far so good.
That’s Declan. Yes, I’m enjoying MRA and the library gave me a few ‘starter’ routes too. Think days 10-16 may be challenging as despite 24 hour sun it’s mainly behind clouds. Still snow in Narvik today. Hey ho. Onward!! 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Scandinavian countries are still on my bucket list. I'm going down to Croatia in September (Magellan Tours) with my son, and I have a nice route from MRA for the Wild Atlantic Way which I hope eventually to do (home turf for me). Thanks what I love about MRA, the library is excellent.
Watched only this video and subscribed immediately: great content. Really hoping you're going to upload videos of this trip, although I can imagine editing is soooo time consuming. Looking forward to your new uploads and going to binge watch some older vids. Stay safe
Welcome along. The footage and stills are on the PC and I’m hoping to make a start soon. Off to the Pyrenees in September so it need to be done by then 👍🏻
BTW: particularly interested in your trip up north, since I own a 1200GS myself, but having an interest in the K16 and the RT since recently. Not planning to switch on short notice, but one may be prepared ;)
That’s interesting, as they still list them. The SE as I understand it is a ‘Sports Edition’ with a slick lip on the edge but certainly in that they do no HWM derivative. www.metzeler.com/en-gb/catalogue/riding-experience/touring
@Nick Hodge thanks for your reply Nick. I queried this as my tyre fitter told me they were discontinued, I queried this with Metzeler, their reply copied here "Thank you for your recent email. I can confirm that the Metzeler Roadtec 01 HWM is now phased out ( some suppliers may still have them in stock) and is now taken over by the SE version respectively. We would suggest to use the improved Roadtec 01 SE as they will be ok to use with the older version".
That’s great thanks. Hopefully the tyres I took off can go back on later as they were still fine but seems they say they’re still ok for battleships like nine 🤣 👍🏻
Hi Nick, i have the same MRA app but i can´t import the files with way points to BMW connect app. Looking forward the see a how to video on importing maps. Thanks, Take care!
Have a great trip Nick. I got back yesterday from 7000+ Klm trip on my F900XR. Melbourne - Bundaberg QLD and return via all the twisty roads that could be found. I got 20,000 klm from Michelin Road 6 Front Tyre. The Road 6 comes in a GT for heavy bikes, might be worth a try next time.
What a trip , looking forward too seeing your videos of the trip ,I done some parts of Europe Belgium France Switzerland Germany by motorcycle 2 occasions, many years ago ,family came along car took over done all the above several times, Austria Italy Denmark Sweden Norway ,,looking forward to seeing your videos of the trip hope it all goes well ,😊
Hello from northern Norway🇳🇴,at the Artic circle. Hope you have packed rain gear, because this year it rains so much here 🤬🤬🤬 I wish you a good trip up north👍😊
Just found your channel, very intrigued! Can you share what rack system you use on top of the side panniers please? Have a safe trip, look forward to seeing your videos. Cheers
Now it's 31 of may so probably you are on the road. Any chance you can give us your routes after you finish the trip for the best route because now in your way if you see something you don't like in this route you can deviate to a different plan. I want to make the same routes but from Greece. Thank you.
Hi Nick - first time subscriber and will be watching your journey with interest. Currently ride an R1250RS but changing jobs and later this year a daily 180 mile round trip am looking at either the 1250RT or the K1600GT as a replacement - have an old K1200R for the weekends so distance comfort important - would love to hear about any comparisons at some time. In the meantime, have a fabulous trip and ride safe.
@@Darroncox999 well filtering is more width so not any different really to the RT or GS (with panniers on). The bike is no wider than the handlebars but for true ‘weavey’ filtering if the bike has no width and rear you can steer through traffic whereas you have to sim straight with bike with panniers. She’s heavy ok, but like most lose that weight when moving at reasonable pace. Slow speed manoeuvring is sometimes an issue particularly when two-up. I had to ask my wife to dismount a couple of times in France when turning in narrow streets. The reverse is a real godsend!! 👍🏻
I’m sure you know that shaping points from MRA don’t transfer over to the Connected App, only waypoints. One of the big things that annoys me about the Connected App is that you can’t convert waypoints to shaping points. Also, all waypoints announce and you can’t change that.
Yes there are some features that could improve but not sure if it ever will as Connected is TomTom where MRA (natively) are HERE (Garmin) but maybe someone will write a ‘tool’. The fact that you can map up to 50 waypoints or Vias in MRA and they convert to waypoints in the connected app is good though although, as you say it only announces “you have reached your stop” 👍🏻
Sure it’ll be a great trip Nick look forward to watching in the future if it makes it through the edit. We planned a Norway trip a few years ago but with one thing and another never came to fruition. Instead of doing the whole trip we’d looked into getting the bikes shipped over, company in Manchester do it take the bike and all your gear so you just need to get a cheap flight. At the time it was £625 or thereabouts for the return journey, this worked out cheaper than the ferries etc. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to travel in all of the other countries it was so we could spend longer in Norway which was our aim for the trip👍
@@nickhodgeUK it was a fairly straightforward process Nick. You took your bike, luggage and biking gear to their depot. It gets fixed onto a palette and wrapped before it’s loaded onto a lorry for shipment. When it arrives in Norway you collect it, do your tour then you return it to them for its return to the UK. They went to Norway every few weeks and Spain/Portugal weekly, although it’s a few years now so could all be changed.
Hi Nick, I recently had the epiphany of using AI / ChatGPT to assist me in planning tour routes. It worked incredibly well, especially in locals I wasn’t well versed in the local terrain and options available i.e. avoiding Interstate Highways while crossing the U.S., establish daily ride times, finding suitable accommodation, highlighting local POIs i.e. world’s biggest ball of earwax… or was that ball of string, etc. Any way, it takes seconds to plot though, it provides an apology for not being in an exportable format but, advises they’re working on it. If you haven’t already tried it, give it a go.
Have a very enjoyable trip Nick it’s going to be a stunning adventure. I am very jealous a big adventure is what I keep dreaming about. I had really bad reactions to vaccinations and I have not been able to work or ride for the last six months. I am looking forward to your videos if you get a chance to make any.👍
Nick what an amazing trip that looks. Can you please make some videos of the trip. Also please please please can you do the video of the MRA route planner. I am also a lifetime member and as you will know have been doing the beta testing for them as they are incorporating the planner app and the navigation app into one single app I think end of June time. Will you be able to send GPX file links of your trip after you have finished. Take care buddy and have a great trip.
Andrew. For sure I’ll share the tracks. I’m more interested in the MRA planner than the Nav Next app although I have bought that too maybe for other vehicles. I’m really interested in how it works with the BMW connected app which after years of ‘issues’ is now very good (and seamless with the bike). I hope the Navigation Next gets as good and better over time. I think it will. 👍🏻
No. I e sort of fallen out with tank bags. They either look like a pimple on top of tank, my Givi is an example, or the big bags mess with your switches when you move the bars to full lock. Normally the ABS switch!!!! I have the BMW panniers and top box and two dry bags on pannier racks by Wunderlich. I’m impressed with the dry bags at 8L and 3kg each as they take those little ‘bike’ things Air pump, etc. in total 29kgs. 10 in topbox. 6.5 in each pannier and 3 in each drybag
Good to see you back on you tube Nick, wishing you and your friend a safe end exciting journey . I also use MRA Gold and agree its a fantastic tool. On a side note are you using Android for phone connection, I had the updates similar to you and still have many drop outs in Nav function -apparently Motorrad Germany are looking into it…. Cheers
Thanks. No I have an iPhone (and always have). On the GS(A) android worked fine. They blamed Apple’s update way back in 2019!!! Couple of tips (you’ve probably already tried). No low power modes on. All app settings (in android settings) on (location, access to network, etc). Close all other apps on phone. If this is on an RT or K16 (map view) make sure you have no other WiFi components on bike (eg my Innovv cameras use WiFi so I ‘forgot’ that network so it couldn’t connect). If it’s the GS make sure you only got helmet and TFT connected not helmet to phone too. Just a few things 🤣👍🏻
Hi Nick. You've planned a great ride. Let's hope the weather gods are on your side during the journey. Still, one word of caution. Your planned route through Finland (especially E75) uses the most boring road we have (I am a Finn living in Finland and have ridden the very same route to Lapland a hundred times). Still, if your Finland leg is only intended to be rapid transit from Norkapp to Helsinki, then it makes perfect sense to ride on E8/E75. Most trucks - or lorries, in your parlance - take E75 when they ride up and down in this country. However, if you prefer nicer scenery and more interesting roads, I would heartily recommend that once you cross the border to Finland and arrive in Muonio, take highway 79 via Kittilä to Rovaniemi, and from there highway 78 towards Kajaani. From Kajaani I normally take E63 to Kuopio. From Kuopio head towards Mikkeli on Highway 5. Follow Highway 5 until you hook up with Motorway E75 (four-lane from the Highway 5/E75 junction all the way to Helsinki). The more east you go when traveling in the north-south direction, the more interesting the ride. I rode E75 to Lapland a couple of weeks ago since I was pressed for time, but it is so boring that in mid June I will ride my R1250RT to Helsinki (100 km south from where I live), put it on a car-carrier night train and wake up in the morning in Lapland, where I will begin my next ride in that region; no bookings, no definite plans. I will check the weather app when I get off the train and point the bike towards the driest roads. Still as said, if you have non-refundable hotel bookings and such, and only want to get to the Tallinn ferry ASAP, then your planned route is the best one. Just be prepared for several hundred kilometers of mind-numbing boredom south of the city of Oulu. Good luck. I'll stay tuned to this channel.
Porco. That’s great, thanks!!! We’ve not really planned the second half although have bookings down Finland they are all cancellable within reason. I’m off to plot a route on this basis to see how much longer it would take. The only booking we have past Kärsämäki is the Tallinn ferry and Auschwitz Camp tour and frankly we are bound to lose a little on cancellations en-route. Thanks again 👍🏻
This look better. Actually shorter kms and about 2 hours longer (now on a Sunday morning). We have the tank museum we wanted to see. Hence the deviation near Helsinki www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/7550853?mode=share
@@nickhodgeUK Looking good. Coffee break opportunities are few and far between in Lapland. One good place is the 'Swiss Café' in Muonio, which is approx. 110 km south from the Norwegian-Finnish border when you are coming from the direction of Nordkapp. Another place where I always stop for good pancakes is the 'Tuli-tauko' café. It is ca. 16 km east of Pudasjärvi, almost exactly halfway from Rovaniemi to Kajaani. As for accommodations I can recommend the village of Sirkka btw Muonio and Rovaniemi. The village hosts the alpine skiing resort of 'Levi'. Many hotels there provide rooms with a small sauna, which is a great way to relax tired muscles after a long day in the saddle. Rovaniemi - the capital of Lapland - and the city of Kuopio in the Lake District of Saimaa are also nice places to stay overnight. When oncoming drivers flash their headlights at you in Lapland, this is an indication of reindeer close to the road or on the road. A hand wave will suffice as thanks for the warning. Reindeer pay zero attention to traffic and they will not jump out of your way. If you stop in Lahti (ca. 100 km north of Helsinki), Finland's Motorcycle Museum is a nice place to visit. They serve good burgers.
Nick…are you missing the GSA yet? I ‘m getting my new 2023 Trophy before the 2024s come out as I like the traditional look of the GSAs as we know them….anyway…we just wondering what you were up to and if you’d gone back to the GSA yet.
No. Still on the K16. Really like it…. Mostly 🤣🤣 done 10000 miles in the last year and it’s been really good. Will likely change in a year and likely not another K16. The overlooked bike for me is the RT. Maybe that or back to a GSA then?? 👍🏻
Thanks Nick, useful video as always. Isn't speed rating also a consideration for a fast bike like yours when choosing tyres? My one experience with Dunlop leads me to say you would need to be a suicide candidate to choose them. Metzler are often pricey but they are the gold standard for a bike like yours. Enjoy your holiday, and keep the rubber on the road.🕊
Ernie. For sure. Speed rating is a given although most tyres of that size are speed rated ok. It’s just Metzler have Roadtec 01 that is not HWM. I had to specifically ask them to order them so important I guess. You’re right though. About £50 a pair more expensive than anything else 👍🏻
Bring hot clothes, currently snow storms in Norway mountain passes still. Expect below zero over Salt Mountain range in the north. Enjoy the still quiet roads with few tourists here.
Thanks Tom. It’s quite a challenge with temperature differences. Hoping it may improve a little by the time we reach mo (6th) but at least I have heated grips and seat. 👍🏻
Gonna be a fantatic adventure !! One question, does your navigation setup rely on a mobile signal like the connected app,could that be an issue?enjoy the ride .
The BMW connected app only relies on an internet connection for the live traffic features (delays, detours, etc.). It forces you to download offline maps for any route plotted, so for instance, if I plot a route to Geiranger (Norway) it will tell me it cannot do that until I download the Norway map to my device. This is currently a better implementation than the MRA Nav Next (in beta) as they are still developing offline features 👍🏻
On the K1600 there is a dedicated place behind the screen for it. I have the quad lock for emergency when I want to use Google maps or similar. It fits on a stub you can buy on eBay or Amazon. It’s the same one as the R1200 or 1250RT so search for GPS mount for R1250RT should do it. Usually direct from china in about 2-3 weeks (UK)
Nope. There’s parts I love about the K1600. Smooth engine, handling, but as I’ve always said. The RT does it just as well and is a less stiff ride. I can certainly see me maybe going to an RT at some point. Don’t get me wrong though. I do love the K16 👍🏻
Thank you! I thought the connected app used the free HERE maps now I know better (1200gsa with tft). I'm off to Gibraltar so need to double check my nav 6 vs the connected app which is my backup. I'm MRA gold + the new nav app, Do you plan to share the route? I'm considering SA or NZ in the next year or so but your trip is a definite contender. I wish you good luck and look forward to what you can share.
Thanks Gary. I will share the routes/tracks for sure and hope to at least do a summary of the trip if not something better. I also posted on the MRA forum how I find routes best transferred to the connected app. Enjoy Gib’ 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Thanks again. I checked your advice and it seems that we're doing the same thing using the gpx 1.1 file. Because I use tools>expand to put shaping points into my route I had very little to do when using tools>compare to align the nav 6 route with the connected app route. I love MRA!
@@garycoates8201 be aware if you ‘convert to list of waypoints’ in the connected app you are limited to 50 if you use ‘expand’ in MRA you need to keep to less than that. If you use the ‘track’ rather that the Route then that’s not an issue 👍🏻
As a finn, I must say you picked up one of the most boring route through Finland what you showed on the map. Nothing to see on that route. If you can spend a bit more time, take eastern part of Finland and those smaller roads, you will enjoy much more twisties than straight flat wide road.
Hi Nick from South Africa 🇿🇦. All the best for your amazing trip, and wishing you a safe ride.
You are one of very, very few You Tubers that i could watch and listen to for hours....You have such a lovely way of talking, its almost captivating and i enjoy your content.
i sold my previous gen k16 and saving up for this new model.....cant wait for the day....
All the best bud
Thanks Zunaid. That’s very kind of you. She’s a great bike for sure 👌🏻
Absolutely Jealous and now totally depressed. Now living in Australia, I am deprived of Europe and miss those wonderful motorcycle trips and the wonderful diversity in cultures. Have a safe, wonderful trip.
Hey cheers Nick. I’ll remind you of this when it’s -2 and snowing in Nordkapp though 🤣. Should be ok for all but 5 or 6 days at the top 👍🏻
Cold winter day here in Qld, 17C and sunny. I remember setting off to work on the bike for work, in the west country. Ten miles to travel and so much clothes I could hardly move. That day it was a record -16C. That is the only time my legs burned as they warmed up. Now I only have to worry about hot humid days in the summer, a season we give up riding in. The converse of the UK. Times change 12C on the bike now feels very cold.
Oh dear - Australia is certainly no Europe but it is not bereft of some great riding country 😎👍
Not sure Nick was being critical of Oz but 14 countries many with very different outlooks and past, different currencies and such is very diverse. The weather will go from -2 to around 30 possibly. I know you can have that between Brighton and the airport in one day though! 🤣👍🏻
@@OzBloke Yep, 100 km off road through the original settlers roads in northern NSW. Phenomenal scenery.
Have a great trip. We did a similar trip last year on my FJR1300 ES, absolutely incredible experience I'll never forget. You'll love it. Good luck with the weather 👍
Thanks. Not looking great for Norway but I guess that’s part of the adventure
Great video...your bike looks amazing!
Sounds like a great motorcycle adventure you have planned.
Always enjoy your video's.
Stay safe!
Thanks for the compliments. Hoping to enjoy and keep her right way up 👍🏻
Hi nick have a fabulous trip and I love your flag on the side of your bike ❤️
Thanks Anthony. The ones on the fairing I love but they don’t do a ‘left’ and ‘right’ so either the flag is upside down on the right of the ‘wind’ is blowing in the wrong direction (of course I’m not flying it upside down!) 👍🏻
Sounds awesome Nick....enjoy, ride safe!!!
Thanks Federico 👍🏻
Sounds like a bucket list trip! Make some great memories.
Indeed. Here’s hoping it is an adventure. Good and bad 👍🏻
Wow what a journey and I'm sure good memories will be made. Good luck in your adventure and I look forward to your updates when you can do them. Take care.
Thanks Ian. Entered Denmark today 👍🏻
Good luck with your journey, Nick. Did this trip solo in 2004, visited St Petersburg, but different world then. Looking forward to updates when available!
Thanks Alex. Yes, we’re making sure we’re not near Belarus, Kaliningrad or Ukraine 🇺🇦 👍🏻
You are in for an extraordinary adventure! Enjoy it all- what a spectacular country to see on a bike - unadulterated joy😎
Thanks Conor 👍🏻
Exciting stuff. Stay safe and enjoy
Thanks. Currently sat in a service area somewhere in Denmark 🇩🇰👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Good ice cream in Denmark 😉
@@DevonDriverRider well. We’re here fleetingly today so I’ll try 👍🏻
I had a McFlurry in Kiel last night. Does that count 🤣👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK I am sorry you must try harder 😄
Hi Nick, wishing you and your friend a safe and wonderful tour, it sounds amazing. Thank you.
Thank you Stephen. Here’s hoping 👍🏻
Have a great trip....looking forward seeing videos from your trip.
Thanks. Here’s hoping 🤞🏻 👍🏻
Nice to see you back and wow what a great trip you have planned looks amazing 👍
Thanks a lot. Looking forward to it 👍🏻
Wow awesome! Now that’s a trip I’m going to do!! 🎉
Thanks… just do it! 👍🏻
Have a wonderful trip Nick. Safe journey.
Thanks Paul 👍🏻
Sounds epic, Nick. Have a good one!
Thanks Richard 👍🏻
Hi Nick I always enjoy your videos, have fun ride safe 👍
Thanks Andy. Been travelling up to Norway (currently in Copenhagen, Denmark). Unfortunately weather doesn’t look to be improving in Norway. 😬
Awesome trip - hope you decide to do some videos...
Thanks. If I can summon the editing energy 🤣👍🏻
Good luck!! Will be following you on instagram! Cheers
Think we may need luck. Next few days look tough (Bronnysund, Glomfjord, Lofoten) 🤞🏻👍🏻
Hi Nick, I’ve been looking forward to you video on your Norway trip but nothing yet! I hope all went ok and that you’re well.
Cheers
Indeed it did. Fell back into work but have made a start 👍🏻
I’ve just come back from Normandy and the very same destinations on my K16 Nick, lovely trip but very thought provoking and moving.
Off to the Black Forest with 8 friends tomorrow for a week of riding in the sun.
Have a safe trip and look forward to your Vlog. 👍
We did the Black Forest last year. Including higher up to stop in Colditz Castle (it’s now a hostel). We also did the Ruhr Dams and Mittlebrau concentration camp where the V2’s we built. Have fun and be safe 👍🏻
Your tour route I have done before, but by train in 2011. Beautiful.
That would sure be drier Jesse 🤣👍🏻
Have a pleasant and safe travel. I have contemplated doing similar trip before C-19 but never get around to it. 👌
Always try and make time Mustafa. You can do it 👍🏻
Hi Nick good to see you back on UA-cam hope you have a great trip. Not jealous at all 😂 Ride safe buddy 👍
Thanks Andy. Looking forward to it now. Bags packed and just boots to polish as think they may need to be extra waterproof this trip (at least the middle bit) 👍🏻
On a similar trip I used a ferry from Kiel to Oslo, fantastic ferry worth the expense. Enjoy the holiday, when I visited Norway we had three weeks of sunshine, almost no rain, the Lofoten Islands temperature 28C! Safe journey and good luck.
Hi. Think ours will be much cooler 🥶👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK we were incredibly lucky, Norway experienced a heat wave from top to bottom. Keep the thermals handy. Recently weather has been good in southern Norway.
Have a great trip..safe travels
Thanks Jonathan 👍🏻🤞🏻
Awesome route planned; very envious. Also a big fan (and lifetime member) of MRA, the best planner I've used. Will be following along, really for you, buddy on the RT ;-) In general I have had minimal issues with the App, it does take couple of minutes to show map mode, but so far so good.
That’s Declan. Yes, I’m enjoying MRA and the library gave me a few ‘starter’ routes too. Think days 10-16 may be challenging as despite 24 hour sun it’s mainly behind clouds. Still snow in Narvik today. Hey ho. Onward!! 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Scandinavian countries are still on my bucket list. I'm going down to Croatia in September (Magellan Tours) with my son, and I have a nice route from MRA for the Wild Atlantic Way which I hope eventually to do (home turf for me). Thanks what I love about MRA, the library is excellent.
Looking forward to this,done the tallin route before
Thanks Jim…. Here we go 👍🏻
Watched only this video and subscribed immediately: great content. Really hoping you're going to upload videos of this trip, although I can imagine editing is soooo time consuming. Looking forward to your new uploads and going to binge watch some older vids. Stay safe
Welcome along. The footage and stills are on the PC and I’m hoping to make a start soon. Off to the Pyrenees in September so it need to be done by then 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK that is a nice deadline... And a nice trip ahead as well. Also by bike??? Such a luxury
BTW: particularly interested in your trip up north, since I own a 1200GS myself, but having an interest in the K16 and the RT since recently. Not planning to switch on short notice, but one may be prepared ;)
Hi there what a beautiful ride for you I live in Sweden Gothenburg and we have beautiful weather ride safe
Hi Simon. Not sure the west of Norway will be as kind but here’s hoping 👍🏻
🎉GOOD LUCK . LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE YOU VIDEOS . BE SAFE AND TAKE CARE. BEST WISHES FROM PAKISTAN ❤🎉
CAN I SEE YOU VIDEOS ON UA-cam.
Maybe when I am home 👍🏻
God Lücken and stay safe. 👍🏼
Thanks Isis. Just over a third of the way around 👍🏻
Nice vid Nick. I'm about to swap out my tyres early for a Euro trip too. Metzeler now discontinued the 01 HWM, now its just the 01se. 👍
That’s interesting, as they still list them. The SE as I understand it is a ‘Sports Edition’ with a slick lip on the edge but certainly in that they do no HWM derivative. www.metzeler.com/en-gb/catalogue/riding-experience/touring
@Nick Hodge thanks for your reply Nick. I queried this as my tyre fitter told me they were discontinued, I queried this with Metzeler, their reply copied here "Thank you for your recent email.
I can confirm that the Metzeler Roadtec 01 HWM is now phased out ( some suppliers may still have them in stock) and is now taken over by the SE version respectively.
We would suggest to use the improved Roadtec 01 SE as they will be ok to use with the older version".
That’s great thanks. Hopefully the tyres I took off can go back on later as they were still fine but seems they say they’re still ok for battleships like nine 🤣 👍🏻
@Nick Hodge yeah, still good, get them on later and put some more miles on them.
Have an amazing trip 😎
Thanks Jeremy. 👍🏻
Hi Nick, i have the same MRA app but i can´t import the files with way points to BMW connect app. Looking forward the see a how to video on importing maps. Thanks, Take care!
If you search my name on the MRA forums you’ll see a tutorial I did on it. Let me know if you can’t find it 👍🏻
Now that's what you call a trip, Nick.
Just a tiny jaunt Matt 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Bucket List ✔️ ✅️
Good luck and enjoy
Thanks Simon 👍🏻
Have a great trip Nick.
I got back yesterday from 7000+ Klm trip on my F900XR. Melbourne - Bundaberg QLD and return via all the twisty roads that could be found.
I got 20,000 klm from Michelin Road 6 Front Tyre. The Road 6 comes in a GT for heavy bikes, might be worth a try next time.
Thanks Anthony and thanks for the info in the Michelins. Great ride down under 👍🏻
What a trip , looking forward too seeing your videos of the trip ,I done some parts of Europe Belgium France Switzerland Germany by motorcycle 2 occasions, many years ago ,family came along car took over done all the above several times, Austria Italy Denmark Sweden Norway ,,looking forward to seeing your videos of the trip hope it all goes well ,😊
Thanks Martin 👍🏻
amazing Nick. Wish I was not stuck at home with a dependant relative ....
Well William. Sounds like you’re doing something much more important. Good luck with that 👍🏻
Have a great trip Nick I wish you all the best (R1250 GS Owner)
Thanks. Really looking forward to it, although a little anxious. Furthest I’ve been before. What’s life though if it’s not a challenge 👍🏻
Hey Nick , wish you an enjoyable and safe trip , too bad you are not passing through Berlin….greetings, Jim
Thanks Jim. Seems Berlin is the only place we’re not going 🤣👍🏻
Hello from northern Norway🇳🇴,at the Artic circle. Hope you have packed rain gear, because this year it rains so much here 🤬🤬🤬 I wish you a good trip up north👍😊
Thanks. Yes. Seems I picked the wrong year 🤣👍🏻
Just found your channel, very intrigued! Can you share what rack system you use on top of the side panniers please?
Have a safe trip, look forward to seeing your videos. Cheers
Hi and welcome along. They’re Wunderlich and there’s a video of their fitting on the channel. Check out the Motorcycle Accessory playlist 👍🏻
Welcome back nick, missed ya buddy
Thanks Tony. That’s a good ‘first comment back’ if ever there was one 👍🏻
Now it's 31 of may so probably you are on the road. Any chance you can give us your routes after you finish the trip for the best route because now in your way if you see something you don't like in this route you can deviate to a different plan. I want to make the same routes but from Greece. Thank you.
For sure I will be. I use MRA so it’s easy to share them. Currently in Copenhagen
Hi Nick - first time subscriber and will be watching your journey with interest. Currently ride an R1250RS but changing jobs and later this year a daily 180 mile round trip am looking at either the 1250RT or the K1600GT as a replacement - have an old K1200R for the weekends so distance comfort important - would love to hear about any comparisons at some time. In the meantime, have a fabulous trip and ride safe.
Thanks Darron. I can tell you already you’d love either 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Thanks Nick. How do you find the weight of the K1600 and the ability to filter on a motorway etc.
@@Darroncox999 well filtering is more width so not any different really to the RT or GS (with panniers on). The bike is no wider than the handlebars but for true ‘weavey’ filtering if the bike has no width and rear you can steer through traffic whereas you have to sim straight with bike with panniers. She’s heavy ok, but like most lose that weight when moving at reasonable pace. Slow speed manoeuvring is sometimes an issue particularly when two-up. I had to ask my wife to dismount a couple of times in France when turning in narrow streets. The reverse is a real godsend!! 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Thanks Nick. Really appreciate it. I use Motorrad Oxford too so perhaps see you on the road sometime.
I’m sure you know that shaping points from MRA don’t transfer over to the Connected App, only waypoints.
One of the big things that annoys me about the Connected App is that you can’t convert waypoints to shaping points. Also, all waypoints announce and you can’t change that.
Yes there are some features that could improve but not sure if it ever will as Connected is TomTom where MRA (natively) are HERE (Garmin) but maybe someone will write a ‘tool’. The fact that you can map up to 50 waypoints or Vias in MRA and they convert to waypoints in the connected app is good though although, as you say it only announces “you have reached your stop” 👍🏻
Sure it’ll be a great trip Nick look forward to watching in the future if it makes it through the edit. We planned a Norway trip a few years ago but with one thing and another never came to fruition. Instead of doing the whole trip we’d looked into getting the bikes shipped over, company in Manchester do it take the bike and all your gear so you just need to get a cheap flight. At the time it was £625 or thereabouts for the return journey, this worked out cheaper than the ferries etc. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to travel in all of the other countries it was so we could spend longer in Norway which was our aim for the trip👍
Wow that’s some dedication for sure. Keep watching 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK it was a fairly straightforward process Nick. You took your bike, luggage and biking gear to their depot. It gets fixed onto a palette and wrapped before it’s loaded onto a lorry for shipment. When it arrives in Norway you collect it, do your tour then you return it to them for its return to the UK. They went to Norway every few weeks and Spain/Portugal weekly, although it’s a few years now so could all be changed.
Hi Nick, I recently had the epiphany of using AI / ChatGPT to assist me in planning tour routes. It worked incredibly well, especially in locals I wasn’t well versed in the local terrain and options available i.e. avoiding Interstate Highways while crossing the U.S., establish daily ride times, finding suitable accommodation, highlighting local POIs i.e. world’s biggest ball of earwax… or was that ball of string, etc. Any way, it takes seconds to plot though, it provides an apology for not being in an exportable format but, advises they’re working on it.
If you haven’t already tried it, give it a go.
Thanks I will. Be interesting to see what it comes up with for that trip and how close to what we actually did day-by-day
Have a very enjoyable trip Nick it’s going to be a stunning adventure. I am very jealous a big adventure is what I keep dreaming about. I had really bad reactions to vaccinations and I have not been able to work or ride for the last six months. I am looking forward to your videos if you get a chance to make any.👍
Let’s hope more your health improves and you get back in the bike. 👍🏻
Hurry up with the video, my bloody popcorn has gone stale
Ha ha. I’ll bring fresh
When can we expect a video of your epic trip
I’ve started it colin but it may be a while. Watch this space 👍🏻
@nickhodgeUK neither I or Mrs CJ got where we are today by starting things
Nick what an amazing trip that looks. Can you please make some videos of the trip. Also please please please can you do the video of the MRA route planner. I am also a lifetime member and as you will know have been doing the beta testing for them as they are incorporating the planner app and the navigation app into one single app I think end of June time. Will you be able to send GPX file links of your trip after you have finished. Take care buddy and have a great trip.
Andrew. For sure I’ll share the tracks. I’m more interested in the MRA planner than the Nav Next app although I have bought that too maybe for other vehicles. I’m really interested in how it works with the BMW connected app which after years of ‘issues’ is now very good (and seamless with the bike). I hope the Navigation Next gets as good and better over time. I think it will. 👍🏻
Hi Nick, sounds like a fantastic trip. What luggage setup are you going to use, tank bag etc. safe journey.
No. I e sort of fallen out with tank bags. They either look like a pimple on top of tank, my Givi is an example, or the big bags mess with your switches when you move the bars to full lock. Normally the ABS switch!!!! I have the BMW panniers and top box and two dry bags on pannier racks by Wunderlich. I’m impressed with the dry bags at 8L and 3kg each as they take those little ‘bike’ things Air pump, etc. in total 29kgs. 10 in topbox. 6.5 in each pannier and 3 in each drybag
Good to see you back on you tube Nick, wishing you and your friend a safe end exciting journey . I also use MRA Gold and agree its a fantastic tool. On a side note are you using Android for phone connection, I had the updates similar to you and still have many drop outs in Nav function -apparently Motorrad Germany are looking into it…. Cheers
Thanks. No I have an iPhone (and always have). On the GS(A) android worked fine. They blamed Apple’s update way back in 2019!!! Couple of tips (you’ve probably already tried). No low power modes on. All app settings (in android settings) on (location, access to network, etc). Close all other apps on phone. If this is on an RT or K16 (map view) make sure you have no other WiFi components on bike (eg my Innovv cameras use WiFi so I ‘forgot’ that network so it couldn’t connect). If it’s the GS make sure you only got helmet and TFT connected not helmet to phone too. Just a few things 🤣👍🏻
Hi Nick. You've planned a great ride. Let's hope the weather gods are on your side during the journey.
Still, one word of caution. Your planned route through Finland (especially E75) uses the most boring road we have (I am a Finn living in Finland and have ridden the very same route to Lapland a hundred times). Still, if your Finland leg is only intended to be rapid transit from Norkapp to Helsinki, then it makes perfect sense to ride on E8/E75. Most trucks - or lorries, in your parlance - take E75 when they ride up and down in this country.
However, if you prefer nicer scenery and more interesting roads, I would heartily recommend that once you cross the border to Finland and arrive in Muonio, take highway 79 via Kittilä to Rovaniemi, and from there highway 78 towards Kajaani. From Kajaani I normally take E63 to Kuopio. From Kuopio head towards Mikkeli on Highway 5. Follow Highway 5 until you hook up with Motorway E75 (four-lane from the Highway 5/E75 junction all the way to Helsinki). The more east you go when traveling in the north-south direction, the more interesting the ride.
I rode E75 to Lapland a couple of weeks ago since I was pressed for time, but it is so boring that in mid June I will ride my R1250RT to Helsinki (100 km south from where I live), put it on a car-carrier night train and wake up in the morning in Lapland, where I will begin my next ride in that region; no bookings, no definite plans. I will check the weather app when I get off the train and point the bike towards the driest roads.
Still as said, if you have non-refundable hotel bookings and such, and only want to get to the Tallinn ferry ASAP, then your planned route is the best one. Just be prepared for several hundred kilometers of mind-numbing boredom south of the city of Oulu.
Good luck. I'll stay tuned to this channel.
Porco. That’s great, thanks!!! We’ve not really planned the second half although have bookings down Finland they are all cancellable within reason. I’m off to plot a route on this basis to see how much longer it would take. The only booking we have past Kärsämäki is the Tallinn ferry and Auschwitz Camp tour and frankly we are bound to lose a little on cancellations en-route. Thanks again 👍🏻
This look better. Actually shorter kms and about 2 hours longer (now on a Sunday morning). We have the tank museum we wanted to see. Hence the deviation near Helsinki www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/7550853?mode=share
@@nickhodgeUK Looking good.
Coffee break opportunities are few and far between in Lapland. One good place is the 'Swiss Café' in Muonio, which is approx. 110 km south from the Norwegian-Finnish border when you are coming from the direction of Nordkapp.
Another place where I always stop for good pancakes is the 'Tuli-tauko' café. It is ca. 16 km east of Pudasjärvi, almost exactly halfway from Rovaniemi to Kajaani.
As for accommodations I can recommend the village of Sirkka btw Muonio and Rovaniemi. The village hosts the alpine skiing resort of 'Levi'. Many hotels there provide rooms with a small sauna, which is a great way to relax tired muscles after a long day in the saddle.
Rovaniemi - the capital of Lapland - and the city of Kuopio in the Lake District of Saimaa are also nice places to stay overnight.
When oncoming drivers flash their headlights at you in Lapland, this is an indication of reindeer close to the road or on the road. A hand wave will suffice as thanks for the warning. Reindeer pay zero attention to traffic and they will not jump out of your way.
If you stop in Lahti (ca. 100 km north of Helsinki), Finland's Motorcycle Museum is a nice place to visit. They serve good burgers.
@@porcobianco thanks Porco. That’s all really helpful 👍🏻
Nick…are you missing the GSA yet? I ‘m getting my new 2023 Trophy before the 2024s come out as I like the traditional look of the GSAs as we know them….anyway…we just wondering what you were up to and if you’d gone back to the GSA yet.
No. Still on the K16. Really like it…. Mostly 🤣🤣 done 10000 miles in the last year and it’s been really good. Will likely change in a year and likely not another K16. The overlooked bike for me is the RT. Maybe that or back to a GSA then?? 👍🏻
Thanks Nick, useful video as always. Isn't speed rating also a consideration for a fast bike like yours when choosing tyres? My one experience with Dunlop leads me to say you would need to be a suicide candidate to choose them. Metzler are often pricey but they are the gold standard for a bike like yours.
Enjoy your holiday, and keep the rubber on the road.🕊
Ernie. For sure. Speed rating is a given although most tyres of that size are speed rated ok. It’s just Metzler have Roadtec 01 that is not HWM. I had to specifically ask them to order them so important I guess. You’re right though. About £50 a pair more expensive than anything else 👍🏻
Bring hot clothes, currently snow storms in Norway mountain passes still. Expect below zero over Salt Mountain range in the north. Enjoy the still quiet roads with few tourists here.
Thanks Tom. It’s quite a challenge with temperature differences. Hoping it may improve a little by the time we reach mo (6th) but at least I have heated grips and seat. 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Also GOOD rain gear - MUST !!! 😂
Absolutely, although if there’s two rain protected motorcycles, we’re on them 👍🏻
Gonna be a fantatic adventure !! One question, does your navigation setup rely on a mobile signal like the connected app,could that be an issue?enjoy the ride .
The BMW connected app only relies on an internet connection for the live traffic features (delays, detours, etc.). It forces you to download offline maps for any route plotted, so for instance, if I plot a route to Geiranger (Norway) it will tell me it cannot do that until I download the Norway map to my device. This is currently a better implementation than the MRA Nav Next (in beta) as they are still developing offline features 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK ah ok that's useful to know ,have a safe trip.
Hello, I would like to ask you about the attachment model for the mobile phone as I am interested in being able to buy it
On the K1600 there is a dedicated place behind the screen for it. I have the quad lock for emergency when I want to use Google maps or similar. It fits on a stub you can buy on eBay or Amazon. It’s the same one as the R1200 or 1250RT so search for GPS mount for R1250RT should do it. Usually direct from china in about 2-3 weeks (UK)
@@nickhodgeUK ok thanks
Nick…after having ridden this bike on your big trip would you endorse the K1600GT over the 1250RT as the ultimate sport tourer?
Nope. There’s parts I love about the K1600. Smooth engine, handling, but as I’ve always said. The RT does it just as well and is a less stiff ride. I can certainly see me maybe going to an RT at some point. Don’t get me wrong though. I do love the K16 👍🏻
Hi Nick, Are hou willing to share the route? Safe trip BR Nic
Hi Nic. I will when I’m home. Currently in Helsinki Finland 👍🏻
Have you planned for a tyre change en route or will they do the mileage?
Hoping they last 6,500 so nothing planned but we’ll see
Thank you! I thought the connected app used the free HERE maps now I know better (1200gsa with tft). I'm off to Gibraltar so need to double check my nav 6 vs the connected app which is my backup. I'm MRA gold + the new nav app, Do you plan to share the route? I'm considering SA or NZ in the next year or so but your trip is a definite contender. I wish you good luck and look forward to what you can share.
Thanks Gary. I will share the routes/tracks for sure and hope to at least do a summary of the trip if not something better. I also posted on the MRA forum how I find routes best transferred to the connected app. Enjoy Gib’ 👍🏻
@@nickhodgeUK Thanks again. I checked your advice and it seems that we're doing the same thing using the gpx 1.1 file. Because I use tools>expand to put shaping points into my route I had very little to do when using tools>compare to align the nav 6 route with the connected app route. I love MRA!
@@garycoates8201 be aware if you ‘convert to list of waypoints’ in the connected app you are limited to 50 if you use ‘expand’ in MRA you need to keep to less than that. If you use the ‘track’ rather that the Route then that’s not an issue 👍🏻
When is the video out.
I’ll work on it soon hopefully. Been to Pyrenees since 👍🏻
As a finn, I must say you picked up one of the most boring route through Finland what you showed on the map. Nothing to see on that route. If you can spend a bit more time, take eastern part of Finland and those smaller roads, you will enjoy much more twisties than straight flat wide road.
Hi tapio. Great input I’ve already had from another Finn. We are now taking this route…. www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/7550853?mode=share 👍🏻
We are about to do 10,000 mile USA / CANADA @TorresJourneys on a K1600GTL. Thank you for your story
Great adventure Jesse. Ride safe 👍🏻