Paris to Moscow
 

Well where to begin:

My wife and I are planning to travel from Paris to Moscow summer of 2009. We have about 3 months time.

Any input on routes? Are we leaving enough time? We have family in Moscow that we would like to spend a week at the end with. We will be purchasing a bike in Europe upon our arrival and leave it with my brother in Moscow....

Hey there - sounds fantastic.

I'm doing quite a similar trip - 3 months will be fine :-)

Take a look at the route we've planned to take in September

Route » Journey To Russia (scroll down for the map)

We've shifted it slightly now so the run back home takes in a little more of Austria, but it's broadly correct.

We've decided to stay in St Petersburg for a couple of nights rather than Moscow - everyone we talk to says the same thing - Moscow is wonderful to visit, but not to spend any time there.

The plan is to hit SP about lunchtime the first day then spend the rest of that day and a 'rest day' there - then carry on down to Moscow - spend the night about 70 miles outside the centre, ride in first thing in the morning, do Red Square etc, then in the late evening ride about 70 miles back out to camp.

There's a whole wealth of information you'll find useful on HUBB - use the search tool which really is quite accurate:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/search.php

Or for more simple boiled down information, you could try our country information pages, which really are just notes for us, but you may find something useful in there.... you'll be the first... but you never know!

Country Information » Journey To Russia

Good luck and enjoy the trip - I'm sure it'll be a blast.

Here are some useful HUBB links I've bookmarked in my planning

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ach-stop-26996 - Visa Registration at each stop

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-ukraine-26602 - Northern Europe, Moscow and Ukraine

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...o-russia-28482 - Carrying Food into Russia

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...f-russia-32062 - Visa paperwork (Motorcycle Federation)

There's loads and loads more.

I'm interested in doing similar with my car - selling in Vladivostok and going to Japan - but have been told the paperwork is difficult.

I'm wondering if importing a vehicle is actually registered in a passport.

When you take your bike into Russia you will get a temporary import certificate at the border. When you leave this will need to be checked in at customs and your vehicle need to be present with you as you exit. I think it will be very difficult to leave a western registered bike there without some costs and a huge amount of paperwork.
As for three months this is enough time to travel a huge distance through Russia as Moscow really is not so far - at a very comfortable pace you will do it in a week, if you want to go all out probably three or four days from Paris will see you comfortably into Moscow. It all depends on your route and timescale. I may see you on the road out that way as I will be in Russia for 3 month next spring. As for routes depends what you want the golden ring cities north of Moscow are very nice, St Petersburg wonderful for a city, the world war 2 trail along Kursk and the western front interesting, then deeper in you have the real workings of Russia where the people are great if you get to know them. I am sure you will find your own places of interest but do take in some of Europe as well while your here.