Romania?

[davidlomax]

Anyone done any offroad exploring in Western Romania, or know anyone who has?

Any experiences of the country also gladly listened to.

Many Thanks,

Dave

[Fritz]

See http://www.ridingromania.com/ the guys are members of UKGser, may be able to advise / assist ?

[davidmc]

David, you might also contact the HU Community in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Alex from the Cluj Community owns a KTM 950 Adventure and should be able to give you some advice on riding off-road in Romania and some links to some local clubs.

Romania has some great riding. Good luck.

[El Aleman - Jens]

Hi,

just came back last night! Best offroad riding in Europe perhaps!!! I took part in the Enduromania - just great!!! You pay a fee and you get a sticker - then you go nearly everywhere you want - ckeck it out Enduromania.net

Stay in Borlova(Caransebes), in the house of Zacharias, he knows everthing! THe have also a repair shop next door

One of my best trips ever!!!


Jens

[furberger]

I went to Romania in a van last summer to watch the Redbull Romaniacs Enduro and wished I had a bike. What a country for off roading! We were based in a very nice old town called Sibiu near the Fagrass Mountains.
The trip was very last minute and lacked a fair bit of planning, but on the hole went withhout any hitches. There were a couple of notable exceptions:
The first was following an interstate road into the mountains. The road maps lie. Main roads vary from full on tarmaced roads to unmade tracks. The road we took was quite passable until we woke to a morning of torential rain, decieded to head back the way we came and rounded a corner to find a river where the road had been. luckily we got out, but i was seriously begining to worry.
The second problem came at the boarder. Trying to leave an official asked to see our documents. We hadn't bought some special road tax when we entered. We understood that we had to, but suddenly nobody spoke english. On exiting we were taken to one side and threatened with a 1000euro fine! The boarder gaurd then said he would accept a bribe of 300E and we eventually settled on about 70E. This left a pretty bitter taste in my mouth. A bit of excitement though and someting I'll remember.

[santhasz]

Originally Posted by furberger

The second problem came at the boarder. Trying to leave an official asked to see our documents. We hadn't bought some special road tax when we entered. We understood that we had to, but suddenly nobody spoke english. On exiting we were taken to one side and threatened with a 1000euro fine! The boarder gaurd then said he would accept a bribe of 300E and we eventually settled on about 70E. This left a pretty bitter taste in my mouth. A bit of excitement though and someting I'll remember.

There is no road tax for motorbikes! Just for cars!
Why you didn't ask for bill? There is no any 1.000 euro official fine!!! He was a thief! Oh, you foreigners!! And this is why the boarders has luxury cars!

Szabi

[furberger]

I was in a van, not on a bike. To be honest, I wasn't in the mood to argue with the bloke, I was trying to get out of the country. I realised it was a scam as several other foreign cars got stung as well, but as the whole boarder, including the town seemed to be in on it, there didn't seem to be much point arguing.

Don't you "oh you foreigners!!" me. I come from a country where officails can't be bought ( that cheaply! )

[santhasz]

Originally Posted by furberger

Don't you "oh you foreigners!!" me. I come from a country where officails can't be bought ( that cheaply! )

:-) You are right! :-)

If we talk about Red Bull Romaniacs and if anybody is interested of their 2006 program:
http://www.redbullromaniacs.com/en/n...ews=17-05-2006


Sz.

[Mingh]

Can anyone comment on the safety situation?
We were planning to ride through in a few weeks, but on some other travellers felt rather unsafe. Fact of feeling?

[santhasz]

Originally Posted by Mingh

Can anyone comment on the safety situation?
We were planning to ride through in a few weeks, but on some other travellers felt rather unsafe. Fact of feeling?

... No problem.

If you kept out the pickpokets near Notre Dame (Paris), if you found your bike on the morning where you let at the evening at Budapest (Hungary), if you got easily petrol at Lithuania and didn't pay too much for a thing you bought at Istanbul (Turkey) ... you'll survive in Romania.


Szabi

[PanEuropean]

Originally Posted by Mingh

Can anyone comment on the safety situation?

There is some good information in this post:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-romania-19084

Michael

[Matt Cartney]

Criminal border gaurds seem to be a problem in Romania. I met some overlanders in a truck who were also asked to pay a 1000 euro fine, they just refused, got back in their truck and waited! After a couple of hours they gave up and let them through!
I had no problems on my bike though.
Matt

[PanEuropean]

Originally Posted by santhasz

There is no road tax for motorbikes! Just for cars!

Szabi:

Can you provide a link to a Romanian Government website that provides proof that no road tax payment is needed for motos? I think it might be useful for me to print the web page (even if I cannot read it myself) and have it with me when I cross the border, in case the border guard asks about a road tax.

I will be entering Romania within the next week - likely entering from Ukraine, and leaving to Hungary.

Many thanks, Michael

[santhasz]

Here you can find informations about the entry formalities:

http://www.romaniatourism.com/entry_formalities.html


And here:
http://www.untrr.ro/index.php?menu=r...ge=ro_vignette

about: a road use charge called the “ro-vignette” which is compulsory throughout the Romanian road network, and the List of fines in case of lack of a valid Ro-vignette.
As you can see there are beautyful fines in case of lack, but a fine above 1.000 euro is applied just for buses and trucks. The motorbikes are not mentioned juts cars!

Remember:
"Foreign drivers entering Romania must purchase a RO-vignette which is valid for at least 7 days. The 1-day vignette can be purchased by foreign drivers travelling in Romania only if the period covered by the 7-day vignette is about to expire, thus extending its validity. The same applies when the driver leaves Romania with a vignette which is no longer valid. A new vignette will be issued to cover the period since the expiry of his vignette (a 1-day or 7-day vignette as the case may be), with no additional penalty. The 1-day vignette is on sale at fuel stations throughout Romania, as well as at fuel stations and offices of the national road authority situated at exit border crossing points. "

[Frank Warner]

Meaning that riders of motorcycles do not have to buy a “ro-vignette” ??????

As we are not 'drivers' and a motorcycle is not a car, truck or bus ..?

It does say "all vehicles" but only lists "goods vehicles" on the second link. The first link only gives info for cars..