Montenegro – 2019

Montenegro Baby! – The Ultimate Adventure Motorcycle Tour

A group of nine riders set off on a once-in-a-lifetime journey across 12 countries, covering over 3,500 miles in just two weeks. What began as a tour became a tale of camaraderie, mishaps, discovery, and unforgettable roads, a trip so epic it inspired the book Montenegro Baby!

Tour Summary:

🗓️ Tour Length: 14 Days

🌍 Countries: 12

📍 Highlights: Alps, Serpentine Pass (Montenegro), Dalmatian Coast

📸 Inspired the Book: Montenegro Baby! (Can be found on Amazon CLICK HERE along with 20 Countries in 20 Days))

The Route – Day by Day Itinerary to Montenegro

Night Before: Redditch to Folkestone – Overnight stay before the morning Eurotunel
200 miles – 3 hrs

Day 1: Eurotunnel Folkestone to Calais
Calais to Cochem (France, Belgium, Germany & Luxembourg)
300 miles – 6 hrs

Day 2: Trier to Rombach (Germany & Switzerland)
328 miles – 8 hrs

Day 3: Rombach to Davos (Switzerland)
185 miles – 6 hrs

Day 4: Davos to Bormio (Switzerland & Italy)
200 miles – 7 hrs

Day 5: Bormio to Kranjska Gora (Italy, Austria & Slovenia)
220 miles – 8+7 hrs

Day 6: Kranjska Gora to Karlobag (Slovenia, Italy & Croatia)
235 miles – 8 hrs

Day 7: Karlobag to Dubrovnik (Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina)
285 miles – 7 hrs

Day 8: Day trip to Montenegro (The Serpentine Pass)
150 miles – 10 hrs

Day 9: Dubrovnik to Split – Ferry to Ancona (Croatia & Italy)
135 miles – 3 hrs

Day 10: Ancona to Pisa via Florence (Italy)
230 miles – 8 hrs

Day 11: Rest day in Pisa

Day 12: Pisa to Lausanne (Italy & Switzerland)
340 miles – 8 hrs

Day 13: Lausanne to Reims (Switzerland & France)
310 miles – 8 hrs

Day 14: Reims to Calais – Eurotunel to Folkestone
Folkestone to Redditch (England)
370 miles total – 9 hrs

A Tour Like No Other

This tour had it all, scenery, mileage, weather extremes, drama, and bonding moments. Nine riders departed; only seven made it home intact. A tour this big had stories at every turn and Montenegro was our furthest destination. None of the other riders has been there before, so it was a real treat for them.

Two Scottish riders joined the trip, one of whom had served in the army with Simon back in 1984. This tour was his 50th birthday gift from his wife, making their reunion over the Alps extra special after 30 years of not seeing one another.

Highs and Lows… and More Highs

The Alps offered incredible riding, but they threw everything at us, closed passes, torrential rain, thunderstorms, snow, and one unforgettable day featuring a 7-hour detour on top of an 8-hour ride.

One of the riders, Deeds, came hoping to rewrite his past experiences of touring solo through these regions. Unfortunately, his Blackbird developed a final drive oil leak and had to be repatriated from Pisa.

Another rider fell off a stationary bike in Slovenia, tearing his shoulder ligaments. We helped get him to a hospital in Trieste, ending his tour early but not his memories of the experience. Thats one of the reason I wrote a book about the Tour and called it “Montenegro Baby!”

Despite the mishaps, the group’s morale never dipped. The riding standard was high, and the pace was sharp, covering multiple countries daily with efficiency and style.

Highlights of the Route

• The Mosel River in Germany offered scenic warmups
• Davos and Bormio gave us alpine bliss
• The descent into Slovenia was stunning
• The Dalmatian Coast was as dramatic as expected
• Montenegro’s Serpentine Pass was a crown jewel – remote, twisting, and spectacular
• The route back took us across the Adriatic to Italy
• Pisa and Lausanne in Switzerland did not disapoint either
• The b-road ride from Switzerland to Reims, a perfect day to finish

This was the furthest south we’d ever ridden on an advanced motorcycle training tour, with Montenegro offering warm hospitality, incredible views, and roads untouched by most UK motorcyclists.

Accommodation and Hospitality

The worst night was the one we spent in Folkestone before we left! After that, it was all uphill.

Highlights included:

• A beautiful hotel on the Mosel in Germany
• Davos and Bormio’s mountain hospitality
• A 5-star coastal resort in Dubrovnik
• A visit to an old Italian friend and head waiter in Lausanne
• A classy final stop in Reims before returning to the UK

The ferry from Split to Ancona was a bit of a relic, rough and battered. They put ropes over the bikes, but never lashed them down! They must have known it was going to the a smooth crossing! But it got us across safely.

Once in Italy, we rode across Tuscany and sampled an inland restaurant full of locals. Pisa offered a welcome rest and a slower pace before the final alpine push.

Cultural Touchpoints

The group shared amazing meals across Europe, each region with its own charm. From riverside beers in Germany to fresh coastal seafood in Croatia, the food and local friendliness left a lasting impression.

Want to Ride with Us Next Time?

Each of our European motorcycle training tours is more than a trip, it’s a shared adventure you’ll never forget. The routes, the roads, the riding, and the people all come together to create something extraordinary.

If you want to be part of the next one, make sure you’re on our Touring List. We only take a small number of riders, and places sell out fast.