Today I learned that there are 36 hairpin bends in a few kilometres on the B85. I also discovered that the Germans put temporary road signs on poles, so to the unknowing, they look permanent.
But the most important thing I’ve learnt is that the roads in the Harz National Park are every bit as good as people say they are.
I’ll get to the road sign later. The roads are why I’m in the Harz National Park, and to get insider information on where to ride, I’ve been talking with Peter and Corinna Döhring, who have been running the Biker Hotel Harmonie in Bad Grund since 2013.
Bad – by the way – in German means Spa, which is why there are so many “Bads” in this region of Germany. And there I am, wandering off-topic, and I haven’t even started.
Where to Ride?
Peter put a well-used map of the Harz National Park on the bar and suggested that any of these roads would put a smile on my face.
He is right. Just today, I’d ridden around 300Kms in a wandering figure of eight loop encompassing everything from tight single-lane twisties to flat-out sections of motorway.
It is fairly pointless coming to the Harz and then riding on a motorway, but if that is your thing, there is one to enjoy.
The only destination I had for the day was the thirty six hairpin bends section of the B85 Kyffhäuserstrasse that runs from Kelbra to Bad Frankenhausen. Otherwise, I had been exploring.
Local Knowledge
I’d turned onto the B241, a road through the gorge that runs south from Goslar to Clausthal-Zellerfeld today. By Lincolnshire standards, this road is epic, but Peter suggested I could do better.
My first “mistake” was not taking the L515 north from Bad Grund to Langelshelm and then a short blast east on the B82 to Goslar.
Next on Peter’s list is the L96 southeast from Rübeland and across the Rappbode reservoir bridge. By Harz standards, this is a dull road to ride, but that is a good thing as the scenery is magnificent.
After Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake), Peter suggests the L93 to Allrode which is an excellent way to get back into the swing of things. It is a narrow road that follows the river and can get tight on a few blind curves, but it is very picturesque.
The list of suggested roads keeps growing. The L2297 – B242 – L4898 – B27 – L519. Most of these are within the National Park’s boundaries, which seems to be the key to finding good roads. When the road flattens out, and it has been five minutes since you rode an awe-inspiring curve, it is time to turn around.
German Road Signs
In the UK, when there are loose stones on the road surface, the road sign is on the side of the road at floor level.
I’d never considered the importance of it being at floor level before. Somehow this told me that the changes to the road were new and, therefore, I should pay extra attention.
The loose chippings signs in the Harz Forest were on poles and came shortly after a different sign telling me about possible rockslides.
Had I been more attentive, I’d have worked out the sign was telling me the road surface had recently been “top dressed” – the process where the top surface is replaced by covering it in bitumen and stone chippings.
The cars and lorries drive over the stone chippings, and rivers of loose stones are left behind for motorcycles to slide through.
I first knew about the left-over stone chippings when Isaac Newton took control of the bike, and I was relegated to the role of passenger. It sounds dramatic, which it wasn’t, but that moment when it starts to drift … well, you know what I’m talking about.
Biker Hotel Harmonie
There are lots of places to stay in the Harz, but I’m unashamedly biased. While staying here, I’ve met riders from all over Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and two gentlemen from the UK on their third or fourth visit to the Hotel.
The rooms are bigger than your average hotel room. There is a sofa in mine, and it isn’t just me that has one. The breakfast is excellent, and the showers are powerful. In the evening, the bar is open, and the quality of the motorcycling bullshit is exquisite.
Perhaps this is why you need to book well in advance, especially during the summer.
You can find Biker Hotel Harmonie on Booking.com or contact them directly through their website (Biker-Hotel-Harz.de)
When to Visit
The best months to visit are between June and September. Either side of that, you can expect rain in the early part of May, and from October onwards, the higher parts of the Harz can get a little sketchy for spirited riding.
And What Else?
Brakes would be the big thing. Before starting the trip, I swapped the pads in the Tracer for Double-H EBC, and I’m glad I did. The standard pads would have done, but there have been some big stops, and the extra bite from the Double-H pads is a welcome feeling.
The other thing to check are your tyres. It may sound obvious, but if you are anything other than happy with them, then they are the wrong tyres for the trip.
I’m running a set of Dunlop Roadsmart IV tyres, the same type as Roger ripped into at Portimao earlier this year [see: Tyre Abuse] and they have been delightful.
The road surfaces in the Harz are (98% of the time) excellent and offer great grip. So good, in fact, that I can see where the edge of the Dunlop Roadsmarts has been biting into the tarmac.
Clarity
I paid for my room, beer and food. No discounts or freebies – other than the chicken sandwich Corinna made me when I had an attack of the munchies one evening – were received.
And now, if you will excuse me, I will start planning my return visit. There are so many roads I’ve yet to ride.
