Hey guys,

seems like I am a bit in a dilemma as far as planning the next trip goes. My plan was to do a week long trip down to Szeged, Hungary and back with my 125 ccm scooter. Seven days for about 2300 kilometers on a relativley slow ride sounds about good to me - ca. 300 km per day. Sampling the local brews along the way, visit places and take some nice pictures.

My plan also was to to that end of septembre, with the days still somewhat long.

Now, with the economy starting to slug again, I feel I need to spend as much time as possible in my business in order to squeeze out every dang Euro-cent out of our jobs.

So what can I do?
- take my car and make a mad dash to Hungary and back in two days. Not my cup of tea.
- borrow the Kawa W 650 from a friend ... but then I had to ride autobahns on a motorcycle, which I hate, and would be taking the bike out of the country, which is a big no-no to me.
- do an ass-scorcher on my scooter, which would take me about four days. Stressful ride, probably pitching the tent in the dark and leaving at o-dark-thirty, not my thing as well. I have enough stress at work.
- go for seven days mid octobre - not really an option, it would cost me.
- go for four days, wednesday to sunday and do some fun stuff elsewhere.

The thing is, I am already so bent on riding to Hungary, I hardly can get it out of my mind.

So what is your opinion? Screw the business and go anyway?

Fire away!

I'd just leave Hungary for a time when you'll be able to do it properly.

There are so many amazing options closer to Germany which you could do in a long weekend, depending where you are in Germany, of course! Poland, Czeck Republic,... maybe Sweden if you are in the North? Or ride the Alpine passes into Switzerland, Austria or even Italy if you are in the South.

That's what I'd do. Then take your time with a longer trip to Hungary in the spring. IMHO, trying to do too much, too quickly has the potential to ruin a trip more than almost anything else bar an accident.

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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!

Matt,

thank you for the reality check. You are right, why should I turn the trip into an Iron Butt contest. I am living in the SW of Germany, plenty of destinations from Luxembourg, France, Switzerland to Austria and Italy. Not to mention the fun I can have in Germany as well ...

Having interesting times at work every day, no way I am going to leave my guys behind to fend for themselves.

Pete,
Go west young man!
I suggest a visit to France, riding S/SW to the Vercors national park or the Massif Central (Puy de Dome etc).
You can get a good run there on excellent roads without doing an Iron Butt - I followed your earlier ride report, and you know that you don't have to go distance to get "satisfaction".

I'd also borrow that W650 for the fun of it - it should not be an issue crossing international borders, unless you bin it of course ;-(

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Dave

Dave,

thank you for your thoughts and comment. I agree, southern France is a sweet place to be. I have never ridden there, but I hiked part of the Massif Centrale and I toured the hinterlands of Antibes last year.

As far as my time on hand is concerned, well it seems like I have to keep on working, things are going out of hand due to several absences at work.

I like the W 650 but I will not ride it out of area, much less in a country abroad. On the other hand I have spotted a CB 500 which I might get for a couple of hundred Euros as a fixer-upper .... if I quit posting on the HUBB, my wife most probably killed me for buying it ...