Uwe Krauss

May/Jun '23 Premium Content

Germany: Bavaria at Its Best

What pops to your mind when you think of Bavaria? Munich and Oktoberfest? Maybe you would add the Alps and some beautiful lakes in their vicinity. There’s also BMW, of course. But the largest and probably most diverse state of Germany is much more than any of that. Some

Jul/Aug '22 Premium Content

Georgia: The Little Great Country

Canyons like Utah, glaciers on 16,000-foot-high mountains, prairies like Mongolia, and a subtropical coastline—Georgia has it all and much more. Yes, I came because of the great landscape. But already my first day on the bike reveals a flaw in my travel plan. I didn’t include the

Jan/Feb '22 Premium Content

Germany, Austria, and Italy: Monkey Business in the Dolomites

What do you do after a 10-hour operation that just saved your life? Do you live every given day more consciously? Do you care less about conventions and everything that burdens your life? Do you realize a long-fostered dream? Do you stop stressing and do everything much more slowly? All

Mar/Apr '22 Premium Content

Vietnam: Riding Like a Local

For a long time, it was difficult for foreigners to travel to Vietnam. That has changed. The north of the country is still a very remote, but very much worthwhile destination. Traffic in Asian cities is not for the fainthearted, and Hanoi is no exception. After a couple of days,

Jan/Feb '21 Premium Content

Austria: The Art of Indulgence

My friend Michael comes from Vienna. The Viennese are sometimes ill-reputed in the rest of Austria. The residents of the capital city are supposedly snotty and a bit too self-aggrandizing.  Michael, however, embodies another undisputed quality of the Viennese—they know how to indulge in the good things. During our

Nov/Dec '20 Premium Content

Sardinia: Italy or Not Italy?

The island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean is a motorcyclist’s dream. Officially, it is a territory of Italy. But, as we shall find out, it is different in many ways. “SARDEGNA NO E ITALIA!” is written in fat red letters on a concrete wall at the port of Olbia,

Nov/Dec '19 Premium Content

Portugal: Stone Age

Few corners of Europe are as remote as northern Portugal, a fact that makes a journey to this region particularly worthwhile. The fisherman’s pub in Viana do Castelo looks like the place to go. It was even recommended to my wife, Danica, and me. But our timing is wrong:

May/Jun '18 Premium Content

Italy: Smoke on the Water

Mt. Etna, the largest of Italy’s three active volcanoes, commands the view to the east of Enna, an ancient town built atop a hill in the middle of Sicily. A few miles farther and 2,000 feet higher on the road climbing out of the Dittano Valley, the smoking

Jan/Feb '18 Premium Content

Austria: Behind the Mountains

For the longest time, the high alpine valley of the Lungau sat in remote isolation, approachable only by treacherous pass roads. And the region’s old traditions and stunning natural appeal have been preserved very well. Two of the many reasons to travel there. It’s slightly decadent. Plenty of

Sep/Oct '17 Premium Content

Germany: Down by the River

Germany is home to two famous rivers, the Rhine and the Danube. But it’s the underdog, the Main (pronounced “mine”) River, which connects some of the most beautiful motorcycling areas in the country. The Main meanders drunkenly between the most traditional and innovative beer brewing areas in Franconian Switzerland

May/Jun '17 Premium Content

Washington: Volcanic Venture

I won the lottery—and I didn’t even know I was playing. Growing up in Europe where there is usually another town every couple of miles, I wasn’t aware that I could ride for 75 miles without seeing a single gas station. In Washington, I don’t need

Mar/Apr '17 Premium Content

Portugal: The Prettiest End of Europe

The prettiest end of Europe—that could be the most accurate description of Portugal. Remnant’s of this once-enormous empire are scattered throughout, from its decadent dining establishments to haunting historical buildings. One can’t forget the country’s beautiful coastline though, or its peaceful countryside, which is exactly where

Sep/Oct '16

Review: 2016 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro

> Somebody said something about a revolution. But revolutions change things radically; Ducati just put a bigger front wheel and a larger tank onto the Multistrada and called it the Multistrada 1200 Enduro. At least that’s what I thought when I heard about the new bike. My expectations were raised

Jul/Aug '16

Review: 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

> In German, there’s a word that describes an animal that lays eggs, has the meat of a pig, and provides milk and wool. In short: something that’s good for everything. Nature knows that this is difficult to achieve. That’s why she created such a wide variety of

May/Jun '16 Premium Content

San Francisco, CA to Denver, CO: Over the Barriers

To travel from San Francisco to Denver you have to cross several major ranges, endure blistering heat and frosty cold, and carve a path for yourselfup some steep and twisty inclines. There’s plenty of excitement to be had. The great traveler Marco Polo would be jealous. It took him

Mar/Apr '16 Premium Content

Italy: Fire and Ice

Italy has many well-known sights, from mountain ranges, volcanoes, valleys, and towers to magnificent coastlines overlooking choppy seas. Still, a journey into the country’s deep unknown southern region comes along with surprises. Riding Italy’s Backbone The pass sign indicates “Vado di Sole.” This means something like “The way

Sep/Oct '15 Premium Content

San Francisco, California to Seattle, Washington: The Unusual Route

For simple navigation it would be easy to connect both cities via Highway 1 along the coast, but the inland route, including an occasional coastal intermezzo, promises much more diversity. Wow! This is steeper than it looks on television—and much better. We don’t know what to do first.

Jul/Aug '15 Premium Content

Switzerland: Lakeside Luxury

One country and four different languages—Switzerland spreads various cultures and sheer beauty between the pearls of Lake Lucerne and Lake Maggiore. Helicopters are circling. A dozen police bikes are riding toward us. We get stopped right at the top of Albula Pass. The reason is harmless and almost disappointing:

Jul/Aug '15

2015 Aprilia Caponord Rally: Finding the Right Mix

> The Caponord (English translation is the North Cape) is the northernmost point in Europe that can be reached by motorcycle (or car if you have to). It is situated in Norway at 71 degrees north latitude, similar to Prudhoe Bay, AK. The North Cape is basically a barren, storm chased

Jan/Feb '15 Premium Content

Washington – Olympic Peninsula: Water Rules

The Olympic Peninsula is not only surrounded by water on three sides—it is ruled by the wet elements, which forms a unique place in the Pacific Northwest. Whack! This could go so wrong, I think to myself. Just before the salmon hits the faces of the surprised customers, the

Nov/Dec '14 Premium Content

Central Europe: European Romance Tour

Some of the most beautiful places in central Europe are connected by outstanding motorcycle roads that are just perfect for our KTM 1190 Adventure R. On this tour, every overnight location is protected by UNESCO World Heritage status, and each September day leads my wife and me through a completely

Sep/Oct '14 Premium Content

Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington: The Scenic Way

I’m standing in a fine Japanese garden, and I’m looking at a volcano—an exotic combination. I didn’t have to go too far. This is neither Tokyo nor Mount Fuji. I’m in Portland, OR. Toward the east, the snow capped peak of Mount Hood is clearly

Jul/Aug '14 Premium Content

California: Extremes in America’s Far West

This is not the best way to start our trip—but what shall we do? Today is one of those many days when the fog from the cold Pacific rules San Francisco’s weather. We had planned to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and then cut east. But in

Nov/Dec '13 Premium Content

Colorado: Off Road Across the Rockies

I could stay on I-70. It crosses the Rocky Mountains in a couple of hours—but this would be a waste of landscape and adventure. Here in Colorado, America’s major mountain range offers one fantastic and rare opportunity. You can cross it almost completely off-road. Not in hours, but

Sep/Oct '13 Premium Content

Europe: Corsican Caper

“Singing not allowed,” reads the German sign at the entrance to the beer garden—a rather tough and unusual rule, especially in Bavaria, where the largest fair in the world is held. But Oktoberfest was yesterday. Today is our first riding day on an organized tour with Rob and Gretchen