Hi, I tried your route on MS Autoroute Express, and it comes close to 12.000 Km !!!
Are you sure you can drive 12.000 Km (that's 7500 miles) in 60 days, do sightseeing and still find the time to eat, drink, sleep, and be merry, and even take pictures and buy souvenirs?

er... do you have any kind of route planner?
Anyway, one piece of your route I know very well, having done it myself quite a few times, both on two and four wheels.
Once in the Munich area, head for Schwangau and see castles Neuschwanstein and nearby Hohenschwangau, and Schloss Linderhof; you MUST visit Oberammergau, where they have some of the most beautiful decorated homes (and wood carvings) I've ever seen - then drive through Garmisch, down FussenPass and up the BrennerPass, into Italy, see Brixen and Bozen, Trento and drive the Valgardena to Venice - Then bacl up north to Belluno, the Cadore Valley to Lake Misurina (and see the Tre Cime of Lavaredo) and across into Austria with breathtaking views!

I also have tips for southern Italy...

Maurizio

I dont have a route planner. We drew out the basic route on a map and worked out the distance to be around 8000kms or so.

We realise this is only fairly rough, but that is why we are doing the trip the way we are. Because we figure the places we want to see the most are Istanbul, Greece, Croatia and Italy. We want to see the other places, but they are our priority.

We figure that if it looks like time is running short we can head home once seeing those places (missing most of France and Spain).

I may cut short Romania and Hungary (though we dont want too) we may just whiz through them to get to Istanbul.

Hmmm, no Route Planner...
I can buy MS Autoroute Express, version 2004/5 is a good budget edition and the last time I looked, Paris was still sitting there, so I guess it hasn't moved much!!!
LOL
The point is that even with a smaller, older PC/laptop, with MSAE you can explore different routes and see which is best for you (including distance driven, fuel costs, stop times and even where to stay the night!),
AND have one-page info sheets on the major sites to visit. That on one CD.
As for the places to see, I have to understand whether your priorities are art/architecture/history etc, or just seeing beautiful countryside. In the first case, I will be happy to help, if it's beautiful scenic drives and nothing more, I can only help for Italy, Austria and S.Germany.
Whichever, remember that the nicest surprises and the juiciest bits are always off the beaten track !

Maurizio

Well, I was going to buy a GPS...but not until a bit closer to the time we go. I think you have a good point and I may look into getting a route planner soon.

What do we wish to see? hmm tough one. I am interested in everything. I love history and I love scenic countryside. I also love people and thier cultures. I guess my main aim on this trip is to experience different cultures as we travel around. But at the same time, I dont want to see the 'touristy' part of the culture.
I also want to get a tattoo from every country we visit, try to get something original from each country...but in reality I dont know how feasible that will be, Ill give it a shot though.

As for Austria, hopefully we will have plenty of time there and will get to see quite a bit of that country (since my partner has family there that will be showing us around). But that wont really be on the bike trip, thats before and after the bike trip http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

I do not know about the bureacracy (did I spell this correctly?) of buying a bike in Europe and crossing many countries, you need to find that your self.
But European Union has one visa for many countries (except UK), it is called schengen. YOnce you have that you can travel between the EU countries easily.

You may try Austria, Italy, ferry týo Greece and Turkey. As Australian you would be interested to see Gallipoli (Canakkale) and hit IStanbul at least.

Time is an issue. Europe and Balkans has many cultures and it takes time.

If in Istanbul, let us know.

Have a ride.

Tathagata:

I'm going to do almost exactly the same route as you, excepting that I am going to do it in the other direction, because I plan to do it in May and June of this year. I'll be starting and ending in Zurich.

I have one suggestion for a route amendment for you - at the beginning of your route, where you are talking about going into Austria, then Hungary from there... my suggestion is that you go into Austria, do the high pass that another member suggested, then drop straight down south, through Italy, into Slovenia, and then to Pula in Croatia. Poke around Pula a bit, then head across Croatia (eastbound) and enter Hungary that way - then pick up on the route as you have described it.

Slovenia is a very nice country, and Croatia is not to be missed - I ride in Europe every year, and always go to Pula, it is delightful. Plan to minimize the time you spend in Italy (in other words, just transit from far northern Italy, where they speak German, down to Slovakia). If you can get across Italy in one day, so much the better. There's nothing worth seeing in that corner of Italy, but lots of headaches. Once you get into Slovenia and Croatia, you can start to relax and enjoy yourself again.

Michael

Route Planners etc ...mate this is getting over complicated. It's Europe...there are roads and people everywhere. All you need is a Michelin Map and a pencil. Ride one day at a time and ask at the next stop where is a good road to take. Locals know best. If you fell you are falling behind then take hop in a Peage/autobahn for two hours and eat up some miles then jump back onto the rural roads. As long as you are heading in your general planned direction then what's the problem. And yes you are going to get lost every now and again...but that just adds to the journey and who knows you might just find a stuning little back road by accident.

7500 miles in 60 days is easily achievable. Thats 125miles/day....easy without rushing.