Traveling by motorcycle - motorcyclist traveled through seven countries in a month and a half

motorcycle traveler, engineer at Moscow Polytechnic Institute

“The idea to make a solo motorcycle trip from Murmansk to India appeared in my youth. I was constantly watching motorcyclists who traveled great distances. At that time it seemed unreal to me to travel even 1000-2000 kilometers, although now, traveling across Russia, such a distance can be covered in a day”.

Table of Contents

How did it all start?

Many motorcyclists traveled not only across the expanses of Russia, but also on the roads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Some even traveled around the world with a minimal budget, earning money along the way. I caught the dream of such an adventure.

Although I had no experience of traveling abroad on a motorcycle yet (in 2024 – only my third motorcycle season), I had already had time to travel around Russia. After finishing my fifth year of university, I saved up for a car and drove it. Then I sold the car and secretly bought a motorcycle. Within a month he had gone through training and got a license for it.

On the second day after defending his diploma, he went on his first big trip to his small homeland – to Bashkortostan. I didn’t even come back for my diploma – I was so impatient to hit the road. On that trip I covered about 8 thousand kilometers, which is not bad at all for the first time. A year later I repeated the experience, reaching the westernmost point of the Crimea and visiting beautiful and unusual places of the peninsula.

Preparation

I got the idea of the route from Alexey Korovin – one of the motorcycle travelers, who, in my opinion, were best able to convey the essence of such adventures, to tell about countries, people and themselves. Alexey traveled through many countries, but I especially remember his movies about his trip to Australia. I am still far away from it, so I chose a part of his route as a reference point. I planned the trip, studied the peculiarities of countries and border formalities for about half a year, although in reality everything turned out to be much easier.

The main thing is to act.

In winter I bought a liter tourist motorcycle for the trip and prepared it. But then I saw motorcycle travelers riding 150- and 250cc bikes. It made me think that by switching to a 250cc, I would not only save money, but I could also avoid some of the nuances.

In some countries there are restrictions on engine displacement: something bigger is either not allowed to enter at all, or you have to negotiate and pay at the border. As a result, I sold my motorcycle and at the end of July 2023 I went to Murmansk to buy a new one. There were other options, but I purposefully chose this city. So I had the opportunity to test not only the motorcycle, but also myself.

From Murmansk I went to Bashkortostan, then returned to Moscow, having covered a total of 7 thousand kilometers.

Having made sure that I was ready and that my equipment would not let me down, a few weeks later I set off on my big journey.

Iran: a country decorated by people

Of all the countries I traveled through during those 46 days, Iran impressed me the most. I believe that no matter what kind of country a country is, it is the people that adorn it. In Iran they are open, simple and friendly. Perhaps no one likes intrusive people who constantly disturb, do not respect personal space. I didn’t notice any such thing here – only sincere interest. I liked the food, the sights of ancient Persia and the varied landscapes.

Iran

As for visa issues, I made a visa to Iran in half a month – in general, not so difficult. At the entry customs was not long, most of the time was spent on a pleasant conversation with the staff. But when leaving, the documents were studied very meticulously, but the luggage was not inspected.

I did not encounter any special difficulties while traveling in Iran.

Speaking of prices, a liter of gasoline costs only six rubles here. And in the other countries on my way the prices were about the same – a little over 100 rubles per liter.

During the second stage of the trip, I visited a new Iranian friend in Tehran and celebrated the New Year with his family. I got to know him back in Batumi, when I stayed with him for a few days. They live well and welcomed me cordially. My friend showed me the city, introduced me to his relatives. We are still communicating.

Looking at the Iranians, I rethought a lot of things. They were eager to talk to me, asking me about my adventures. On the streets they often addressed me: “Mister, can I help you? Come on, I’ll buy you a cup of tea!”. I think we should appreciate more what we have, be more honest, open and tolerant to each other. In Iran, I fully felt the hospitality of the locals.

Pakistan: a country where you can’t plan everything clearly

Pakistan is an interesting country, but you can’t really make plans here. You can’t move around most of the territory alone, only with a police escort. On the first day, I passed the border in two or three hours, got the documents, but I got to the time when the convoy is not traveling. As a result, I had to spend two days in the police station of a border town, in not the most comfortable conditions.

Traveling on the roads in Pakistan was the most difficult.

The country is poor and dangerous. It was not easy to travel with a convoy for 12-14 hours a day. Upon arrival, there was a cold room with no hot water and very spicy food. And although there is something appealing for tourists in this country, you can drive through it a couple times at most. I wouldn’t dare to go a third time.

Pakistan

An interesting thing happened to me at the Pakistani police station. On the first day after crossing the border, they put me up for the night right there. An armed policeman was constantly walking around the area. At first I thought he was there solely to protect me.

There were more rooms on the opposite side of my room, but with iron doors and bars. At first I thought they were empty. But when the prayer began, I noticed some movement behind the bars and realized that someone was there. I asked the guard who they were.

He said, “smugglers and illegal immigrants from Afghanistan, some of whom are really dangerous.”

And I had just heard some criminal stories that had happened in this very province of Baluchistan, the most disadvantaged place in the country.

Half an hour later, the guard suddenly disappeared. I thought, “Okay, I’ll manage.” And then I saw someone opening the iron door of the cell by himself, coming out, looking around and walking somewhere deep inside the station. Of course, I was tense: what to do, there was no guard, there were potentially dangerous people around… I looked closely at this guy: he was walking towards the toilet. I thought, if anything, I would call for help from people on the street. But the guy calmly left the toilet and went back to his cell, locking the door behind him.

When the guard finally appeared, I confusedly shared with him what I had seen. And he said: “Don’t worry, he’s a local, in jail for a misdemeanor, he’s allowed to move around like that.” These words didn’t make me feel any better.

I once again wondered where fate had taken me. And it was of my own free will!

India: a country where you can lose weight quickly

On the second day of my stay in the Indian city of Amritsar, I went in search of a place where I could have a tasty and hearty meal. The street food did not impress me, besides almost all dishes were very spicy. The locals looked at my requests to cook something not too spicy with sincere bewilderment and obviously did not want to change anything in their culinary traditions. Besides, meat dishes were rare in Amritsar, even in fast food. Mostly vegetarian food was served.

India

Wandering the streets in search of lunch, I approached a young couple, asking them where they could buy cooked meat nearby, just not spicy. They invited me to go along, assuring me they were going to the right place. Hunger drove me on, and I briskly followed my escorts, winding through alleys and courtyards. Finally, we were almost there, and the boys pointed to the store sign. Anticipating a hearty meal, I hurried inside and… found myself in a butcher’s shop that sold only raw meat!

In India, with my gastronomic preferences, one can lose weight easily and effortlessly.

Which I did, dropping five kilograms during my stay in the country. If you are going to India and are not ready for spicy vegetarian food, my advice is to bring at least a couple cans of stew.

Between the first and second legs of the trip, I picked up some English. Although, of course, there were many people who didn’t know the language. There were even some who could not read at all – in Pakistan and India. I had to communicate with them literally on my fingers. But, in my experience, language is not so critical when traveling. You can always explain yourself using gestures, which is what I used to use most of the time.

India

Armenia and Georgia: warm meeting places

No additional documents are needed to enter Georgia and Armenia, the border is not complicated and not long. The longest passage took about two hours, and the shortest, in Armenia, took only 20 minutes.

There were many funny and unexpected cases during the trip. After Turkey, I returned to Georgia and headed for Batumi. When I was standing in the city center, a man approached me – dusty, slightly unkempt, either a construction worker or a homeless man. It turned out that he was an Iranian who had come to renovate a relative’s house and spoke only English. We got to talking, and he said: “If you need anything, come to my place for the night.” I promised to think about it and left.

Georgia

While I was walking around the city, evening came and it started to rain. I had found a place for a tent, but I didn’t have time to put it up – it was pouring. I had no choice but to visit my new acquaintance. The Iranian turned out to be a good man, and I stayed with him. In the evening we talked for a long time, he turned out to be an interesting conversationalist. The next day we went to the mountains to admire the views of the city from above.

In the end, I spent three days with my new friend, and he invited me to visit him in Tehran.

As for overnight accommodation, the approach was different. In the first stage, in August, the weather was warm. I stayed in a hotel once and spent a couple of nights in Batumi with a new acquaintance from Iran. The rest of the time I slept in a tent. At first I was afraid, especially after the first break, when in the darkness I saw someone’s burning eyes. But then I got used to this format of overnight stays.

In winter I didn’t want to sleep in a tent in sub-zero temperatures. The first two weeks were especially cold, so I stayed exclusively in hotels and inns. The further away I went, the more spartan the conditions were. I booked places in advance, except for Iran, having calculated the approximate route. For the rest of the countries I mapped out on the map at home the alternate options of accommodation.

Turkey: a country where the Bashkir language came in handy

I had to cope with language barriers and cultural differences in my travels in different ways. In the CIS countries everything was simple and clear.

But at the Turkish border I encountered difficulties for the first time.

The thing is that initially I didn’t plan to enter Turkey, so I didn’t even download a translator. As it turned out, the customs officers were not very good at English. But my native Bashkir language has common roots with Turkish, and we were able to explain ourselves in this “Turkish-Bashkir” mixture. That’s how I got across the border, with a bit of luck.

As for visa issues, Turkey does not require any additional documents, the border is not complicated and not long. The longest passage took about two hours.

Turkey

How to prepare for a long motorcycle trip?

For long journeys, the most important thing is convenience and the ability to carry luggage. I made special mounts and installed three cases so that everything I needed was always at hand. In addition, I equipped the bike with heated grips and a high windshield. These are indispensable things on a long trip. In order not to be out of touch with the world, I installed a charger for gadgets. I slightly modified the footrests – now it is more comfortable to stand on them during long hours of driving.

After all the improvements, my modest motorcycle did not turn into a full-fledged tourist enduro, capable of easily storming off-road. But there was no such task. The main thing is that as a result of all preparations the bike became comfortable and reliable for a long trip.

The main expenses were for gasoline, food and overnight accommodation.

Let me remind you that in Iran a liter of gasoline costs only six rubles, but in other countries on my way the prices were about the same – a little over 100 rubles per liter.

The economics of traveling

The first leg of the journey cost me about 81 thousand rubles, and the second – about 315 thousand. This included visas, food, overnight stays, communications and fuel. In total, I spent 396 thousand rubles from Moscow to Delhi one way.

What is the best way to calculate the budget for such a trip? I made a detailed table where I took into account all possible expenses. I calculated the average distance I would travel in a day, and determined the maximum amounts for overnight accommodation and food. And I counted with a reserve. As a result, the real expenses on the second stage were half as much as planned.

Of course, not a small sum. But I don’t regret anything – I got unforgettable impressions, a lot of amazing meetings and discoveries.

With a reasonable approach, a bike trip to the other side of the world is quite an affordable task, even if you are not a millionaire.

What to take with you?

What equipment and things are mandatory for such a trip, the question is actually very individual and complex. There is not much space on the motorcycle, so you have to take only the essentials. I always have with me a first aid kit, universal keys, hexes, a set for repairing tires and a pump. From household things – a tent, sleeping bag and inflatable mat. For cooking I took a portable kettle with a burner. I carefully thought over what personal belongings would be useful and what I could do without. I know from experience that beginners often take a lot of clothes with them – four or five T-shirts, two or three pants and so on. But on the road you quickly realize that such a quantity is simply not necessary.

Perhaps the most important thing in a motorcycle traveler’s outfit is comfort and safety.

Going on a long journey, you can not neglect the means of protection. That is why I paid special attention to the choice of a quality and reliable helmet, motorcycle jacket, pants, gloves and boots.

The best thing for a motorcyclist is an active recreational motorcycle insurance policy. Many people think that calling an ambulance or getting regular medical treatment is something that is taken for granted and available. But in some countries these services are paid for and can cost a lot of money. That’s why travel insurance is an essential item.

What is the best way to travel: solo or with a company?

I’ve tried traveling in the company of other motorcyclists – it’s certainly fun, but the perception of the world around you in this format is completely different. And people perceive you differently. To the disadvantages of group travel I would attribute quite prosaic things: someone wants to admire one attraction longer, and you are attracted by another, there are disagreements about the route, places of food and overnight stays.

However, there are pluses – it is safety, mutual support, the opportunity to get an objective assessment of these or those things. And in banal situations, like suddenly run out of gasoline, a friend can always back you up and go for fuel. When you are alone, strangers are more willing and friendly to make contact, show sincere interest. You also enjoy discovering interesting interlocutors.

This is especially important in a completely unfamiliar country – there are more opportunities to get a feel for its culture, to get to know the people and the place better from the inside.

Being in a comfort zone, you don’t know much about yourself. But when you find yourself alone with yourself thousands of kilometers away from home, you begin to understand yourself better, to think differently. I don’t know why, but driving a motorcycle, especially on long rides, is the best way to think. I would compare this process to meditation.