Working on a trip to ride the interior of Iceland. Anyone done this ride? Going with a group that has been there before although a number of bikes did not make it the whole way . Currently we are looking for companies that rent bikes. We have found three, one that appears out of business for the next year (according to the website). Another called Biking Viking. And a third that we cannot really seem to get much information about or a returned call. Anyone have any experience here? Any recommendations on where to rent bikes from? Biking Viking seems like the only option at the moment. Thanks!
Search is my friend. I stumbled upon another thread with some pretty good rental info. So I will keep updating this with trip details for anyone that is interested.
I have to chime in if you use the word "interior" when talking about Iceland. For much of the year, even Icelanders don't go there! Iceland and Gotland are at the top of my list of places to go. Well, I guess I don't have much to chime in about except to say that I want to see a follow-up someday.
I spent a week in the interior in August. Fabulous scenery, some really austere desert like areas, volcanic activity, waterfalls toward the coasts, etc. Would like to return. Plan accommodations well in advance as Iceland has become a huge travel area for Europeans. I rented a GS650 single from Viking Biking. It was OK but not great. They did not do due diligence on maintenance and the rear pucks wore to metal baking the caliper golden (a cosmetic issue they turned into a nightmare). If you rent from them check every bolt, nut, fluid, pad thickness, frame alignment, wheels, bearings etc. It is very, very expensive buying parts there. A handlebar lever is $200. There are no hand guards on the bikes, no skid plates, but they do have engine guards. Get a bike with spoked wheels. DO NOT take one with alloy rims. They bend entirely too easily on the interior's tracks. Think $700 minimum here. Insurance deductibles are also high. About $2,600 USD, 2,000 Euro. You have to cross rivers in the interior and that can be tricky with submerged rocks and at best "dual sport" (think 80/20 street/dirt) tires. Some rivers near the ice cap get really high in the afternoon and can only safely be crossed in the morning. I mostly lucked out. I would also take a 17mm spark plug wrench if you get a Beemer single so you can get water out if you have to. Even given all of this I would go back and probably get a Beemer single from Biking Viking with the 19" spoked front wheel which is less flat prone than the 21" wheel. These are not dirt bikes so run higher tire pressures (25-30 psi) to avoid rim damage and flats with these 425+ lb. bikes. Stu
hello motowhaler i live in iceland if i can help you out with some info send me a line just bought a africa twin rd03 so im hoping to do a bit this summer ..i highly recommed the west fjords very mountianus lots of fjords and quite...iceland
Hi Everybody! I would like to ask people here for the following advice: I'm also planning a three week tour of Iceland on my F800GS this September. I'll be taking a ferry there from Denmark, and would then like to tour the whole country, also going inland (!), i.e. not sticking to the coastline all the time. I intend to sleep in a tent most of the time. I need to get information about how to plan my trip, about the possible routes and trails to take, where to get gas and other supplies, etc. Would you have any advice on who I could turn to, or what guides to buy, webpages to visit... I'll be traveling solo, so I also want to make sure that I'm safe. I wouldn't mind doing part of the trip with someone though. Do you know of ways to get in touch with people who might be interested? I'm really looking forward to the trip! I'll be getting to Iceland after having done 7000-8000 km of riding through Sweden, Finland and the length of the Norwegian coast in August... Can't wait! I'll be very thankful for any tips you guys might have!
I've been on Iceland in 2011 and put as much information in my ADV ride report as I could. For this year I can't decide between Iceland and the Balkans. It depends a bit on vacation timing and finding a riding buddy, as mine is indisposed this year. I would consider the time period mid-July to end of August. Earlier, many highland tracks may still be closed, and after that it can become chilly in the night. For a trip in September look here. I think that trip was done in September and it includes some of the most stunning photography on this site.
