FEATURE – Honda Adventure Roads Iceland

Words: Klaus Nennewitz

Photos: Honda UK and Klaus Nennewitz

After past tours in Norway and South Africa, the third edition of Honda’s “Adventure Roads" series went to Iceland, where participants spent eleven days riding the latest CRF1100 Africa Twin in the land of fire, ice and water.

A few days after Honda Adventure Roads 2022 (HAR) got underway, and the group had already travelled from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, to the small harbour town of Húsavik in the island’s north, I joined the event, along with two other journalists.

En route to Húsavik, we see landscapes from the plane that are completely new: massive mountain slopes half covered with light green grass below and glaciers on top. Above that sits a dense soup of clouds, while further down, small dairy farms can be picked out as we approach the airstrip in Akurreyri. Like stars in the night sky, thousands of silage bales wrapped in white plastic cover the meadows in the valley.

The border between lush vegetation and freezing to death in this area is only a few hundred metres apart in some places. I just hope we won't be riding the Africa Twins on top of the glaciers....

Third Adventure

In the vein of multi-day riding events conducted by other motorcycle manufacturers, Honda’s Adventure Roads is a biennial series for Africa Twin owners, first held in Norway in 2017, then South Africa in 2019. For the third in the series, held in 2022, Honda selected Iceland.

Events like this in remote regions of the world can be had at humane prices nowadays, where participants are pampered as brand ambassadors. The cost of entry to HAR 2022 was 5,000 Euros (AU$7,760 approx.), with Honda reportedly adding the same amount on top.

Eleven days in Iceland with your own motorbike could hardly be done cheaper. At the time of our ride, in the Northern Hemisphere summer, petrol was 2.50 Euro (AU$3.88) per litre, a decent hotel stay was around 200 Euro (AU$310) a night, but a simple hamburger with a beer cost 40 Euro (AU$62.50!!), while a more dignified dinner ranged from 80-100 Euro (AU$125 – AU$155 approx.).

Of course, you need to get there first. From mainland Europe, a 3-day ferry ride sets you back almost 1,000 Euro (AU$1,550 approx.) for rider, passenger, bike and a cabin on the boat – and that’s only a one-way fare.

Ride the Wind

On our arrival in Húsavik, there is an immediate aroma – the strong, putrid smell comes from fish factories in the harbour processing one of Iceland’s primary industries. We join HAR 2022 as the main group was enjoying a rest day whale watching.

Ahead of the start in Reykjavik, participants were coached in riding technique on a small motocross track built especially for the occasion. Under the overall guidance of three-time 500cc Motocross World Champion David Thorpe, Africa Twin riders learned from three of Honda’s Dakar factory riders in Ricky Brabec, José Ignacio Cornejo and the team’s newcomer Adrian van Beveren.

In total, 35 riders from 11 nations took part in HAR 2022, split across two groups, following local tour guides. I am the last one to join the "experienced riders" group, so have a long string of Africa Twins moving south along the fjord-like Skjálfandi Bay ahead of me. Behind us, vans and pickups with huge, balloon-like tyres to handle Iceland’s winter snows follow as the ride’s support vehicles.

After 60km, our first short break is at a petrol station for coffee. It’s horrible and seems to be the standard of caffeine here, unfortunately.

Heading south on the asphalted F 821 road, a frightening wall of black clouds is building up in front of us. An information board at the side of the road alerts us of winds of up to 54km/h (15 metres per second or 30 miles per second) and temperatures as low as 7°C.

As the storm arrives, the wind hits us and is so strong that the bike can hardly stand on its own!

In these conditions, one shouldn’t wait too long with the waterproof clothes, but it’s impossible to slip into the rain suit alone in this storm and I needed the help of two people to suit up.

In the wind and rain between the Hofsjökull glacier and the Vatnajökull National Park, we cross the first bridges on small roads whose decks consist of longitudinal wooden beams that are extremely slippery - even black ice offers more grip!

Following a gravel road through the island’s Ásahreppur province to the west, where only 260 people live in an area of almost 3,000 km² (1,160 mile²), is a big challenge. In this inhospitable region, the crosswinds blow so strongly - at almost 70 km/h (40mph) - that it is extremely difficult to keep the Africa Twin’s front wheel on track in the muddy ground. The noise of the wind is unbearable and painful, too, making earplugs a must to travel in this country!

Even at 40 km/h, I have to push the handlebars with all my force against the gusts - it’s a real bodybuilding job! Again and again, I feel the front wheel becoming light, until suddenly a gust of wind blows me right off the track. Fortunately, I'm able to swerve out of the way onto meadows that line the track without crashing. Shortly afterwards, our entire group is forced to shelter behind a small hut. Like penguins, we stand crammed together while the rainstorm whips over us.

Education and Respite

This moment of “relaxation” gives me the opportunity to chat helmet-to-helmet with David Thorpe, who shares a valuable tip for riding in crosswinds. His suggestion is to bend my upper body towards the direction of the wind, like hanging-off on a race bike.

I try it and it works! This position keeps much more grip on the front wheel, so I can now ride at 60km/h, but am being overtaken by others doing at least 100km/h. How can they do that?

As the winds ease, we finally have a chance to enjoy the fantastic landscape of this outpost of civilisation. Around 80km east of Reykjavik, we reach the tourist magnet of Gullfoss; one of the most beautiful and impressive multi-step waterfalls on the island.

That night, I am so relieved to finally lie down in my hotel bed at the Highland Centre Hrauneyjar, on the Sprengisandur road. After being at the mercy of the forces of nature all day, I am exhausted!

The next morning, as the rain pelts horizontally against the window panes, the briefing in the hotel lounge with the rain suit on is a sweaty business. Thorpe explains that the conditions for motorcycling the day before were 9 on a scale of 1 (easy) to 10 (impossible) – so basically just short of unrideable!

Black Sand, Grey (and Red) Mist

For my second day in Iceland on the HAR, the tracks consist of deep, black lava sand that lead the group south into Landmannalaugar, one of the most beautiful areas of the island.

With spectacular rock colours, volcanic craters and ice-covered peaks, riding along the edge of a crater several hundred metres deep simply leaves me speechless.

In contrast to the previous day’s riding, the front end of the Africa Twin feels heavy in the deep sand, making progress quite tricky. I’m also working with the extra weight of the DCT gearbox on my Africa Twin, but the Metzeler Karoo 4 tyres do an excellent job, maintaining traction and pulling me through.

Even though it is raining, there is a slight cloud of dust in the air. Iceland’s volcanoes are active most of the time and the volcanic powder is really irritating to the eyes.

As I am just trying to survive in these difficult conditions, one rider overtakes me in a combination of turns, as if he were chasing overall victory at the Dakar. Idiotic!

This attitude seems to infect others, as just a few minutes later, I am overtaken by a Spaniard whose Africa Twin suddenly emerges from the dust approximately four metres above the ground. The rider is slightly bruised and some plastic parts are off the bike, but the Honda is still running!

That accident doesn’t stop our group, but one involving a support vehicle does, meaning we cannot continue to ride the beautiful track east to Stjórnafoss, so the mood is becoming tense.

Instead, we take the #41 road west through Landmannahellir and onto the asphalt road #26, where we endure a monotonous 200km run to Hotel Laki at the mouth of the Skaftá river.

As dull as the road is, it offers great views of Iceland's fourth-largest glacier, Mýrdalsjökull (596 km² - 230 mile²), whose peak is 1,505m above sea level. In front of it are lush green meadows with herds of cows, then the 60-metre-high Skógafoss waterfall. To our right is the Atlantic Ocean.

Late in the day, the sun sweetens the panorama and the ride becomes meditative. In the evening, something like a holiday feeling sets in at the sunset on the hotel terrace.

The White Wall

The feeling of calm and tranquillity lasts only a few hours, as the next morning, we cross Landmannalaugar heading north on the Skaftárunguvegur track into a white wall of clouds and rain that reduces visibility to less than 50 metres.

During a brief stop at a small campsite, we observe cyclists strapping gear onto their bikes in the pouring rain - how can you voluntarily expose yourself to such a torture?

As the route continues, we keep coming across river fords. Most are only half a metre deep, but some of them up to 50 metres wide.

At the first water crossing, I'm a bit tense, but with time comes practise and more safety. Our guides sometimes stand in the water to assist in case of difficulties.

Impressively, the mechanics with us manage to get a completely submerged Africa Twin running again after 20 minutes. To do this, they remove the left spark plug and pump the engine empty with short pulses on the starter button until it finally resumes operation in a cloud of white smoke.  

Near the famous Landmannalaugar Campground, where it's as busy as an Ikea car park, the tourists watch us with interest, but I wouldn't want to pitch a tent on this barren gravel site surrounded by mountains that still wear patches of snow, even in July.

Guests here are supplied with food by three old buses converted into rolling shops and cafés in the "Mountain Mall".

The mass of tourists in what has been a mostly remote ride to this point is shocking, but we probably have exactly the same effect on them with our squadron of 40 big Africa Twins.

An Amazing Experience

The end of the day's stage takes us back over the Landmannahellir track, which we had ridden the day before and which now looks familiar.

I’m in a group of about 20 bikes stretched far apart, so the tour guide at the front doesn't notice the scuffles and the racing going on further back. And - mea culpa - I have to admit I also briefly took part in the contest at "sporty speeds".

The gravel roads of Iceland are fantastic. Nowhere else in the world are there such perfectly smooth tracks on damp sand with endless grip. For a moment, we lost a little respect for the paradise of the volcanic island....

Sorry, Iceland. It won't happen again! If I come back, it won't be with a group of exalted petrolheads or at high speed - but hopefully your weather will be nicer!

For details on the next Honda Adventure Roads ride, go to: https://www.hondaadventureroads.com/

Iceland Travel and Riding Information

Best time to travel: Between May and September. Our tour guides mischievously spoke about expecting summer towards the end of August, which would last seven days, but these would not be seven consecutive days!

For the HAR in July, we had temperatures into the 5 – 10°C range in cold, wet weather. When it was clear or sunny, temperatures sometimes rose to almost 20°C.

Camping: Due to increased tourism, wild camping has been considerably restricted. In the southern part of the island, it is forbidden and you can no longer park anywhere to spend the night - you must go to a campsite. Cost per person is usually between 13 and 18 Euro (AU$20 – 28 approx.) per night.

Overview of campsites: https://tjalda.is/

General Accommodation: https://www.visiticeland.com

Ferries: from Hirtshals in Denmark via the Faroe Islands to Iceland, a rider with motorbike pays 340 Euro (AU$530 approx.). An extra passenger 185 Euro (AU$287 approx.) and a two-bed cabin inside, including a daily meal, 370 Euro (AU$575 approx.).

In total, a one-way journey for two on a motorbike in high season can cost 895 Euro (AU$1,390 approx.).

https://www.faehren-island.de/.cms/Faehre-Island/2022/1082

Weather: www.vedur.is

Motorcycle/riding skills: If you want to travel Iceland alone on gravel roads, you should be on a bike that is in perfect condition. You should also be equipped with tools, some spare parts and, of course, wrenching skills.

Good adventure tyres go without saying. If you want to ride on the gritty tracks with lava sand, you should rely on coarser studs.

River fords: Depending on the season and weather conditions, water levels in the river crossings can vary.

All your important items and documents should be packed in perfectly waterproof containers. Waterproof boots are good for the low fords, but from 40cm up, they are of no use, so spare socks are advisable.

The best passage across is occasionally marked by small poles or a ribbon that makes a wide arc through the river, usually indicating where the water is at its lowest. Golden rule: see what others are doing! Observe and memorise the passage carefully, then follow the best lane if possible.

If you can’t observe others, walk through and check the ground and depth. When wading, it is important to keep an eye on the opposite bank and only look at the water surface out of the corner of your eye. If you stare downwards, you will lose your orientation in the current.