The best motorcycle roads in Germany
Germany has no Stelvio, but it has something more useful for a riding holiday: dense networks of good, well-surfaced roads within a day of almost anywhere in northern Europe. The south has the real mountains, with the German Alpine Road running the length of the Bavarian border and short, steep toll roads climbing above Berchtesgaden. The middle of the country is a string of low ranges and river valleys, from the Black Forest and the Palatinate to the Eifel, the Mosel, the Sauerland and the Harz, each of them tight, green and full of bends.
This list ranks the roads we would build a trip around, not just ride past. Each entry gives the road number, a rough length, the months it is at its best and where to base yourself. Most of them sit in regions where one hotel can serve three or four days of loops, which is the easiest way to ride Germany: unpack once, ride light.
One thing to know before you go: Germany manages noise and crashes on its popular biker roads with speed limits, cameras and, on a few roads, time-limited closures for motorcycles. They are signposted and enforced. Where a road on this list has one, we say so.
1. Black Forest High Road (Schwarzwaldhochstraße)
- Road
- B500
- Length
- About 60 km
- Best season
- May to October
The B500 runs along the ridge of the northern Black Forest from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt, staying between roughly 700 and 1,000 metres for most of the way. It is fast, open and sweeping rather than tight, with views west over the Rhine plain to the Vosges and a string of lakes, viewpoints and cafés at Mummelsee and Hornisgrinde. Ride it north to south in the morning for the best light, then drop off the ridge on any of the side roads into the valleys for the twisty part of the day.
2. German Alpine Road (Deutsche Alpenstraße)
- Road
- B308, B305 and others
- Length
- About 450 km
- Best season
- June to September
Germany's oldest tourist road follows the Alps from Lake Constance at Lindau to Berchtesgaden, mixing main roads, lakeside stretches and a few proper climbs. The highlight for riders is the Jochstraße (B308) from Bad Hindelang up to Oberjoch, a stack of bends packed into a few kilometres. Further east you pass Neuschwanstein, the Wetterstein range above Garmisch and the lakes around Tegernsee and Chiemsee. Ride it as a two- or three-day traverse and add the toll roads and passes on the Austrian side as day loops.
3. Mosel Valley roads
- Road
- B49 and B53
- Length
- About 180 km
- Best season
- April to October
The Mosel loops back on itself so often that the roads on either bank give you a long run of river bends with vineyards stacked above them. The B53 between Trier and Bernkastel-Kues and the B49 toward Cochem and Koblenz are the main lines, but the best riding is on the small roads that climb out of the valley through the vines to the Hunsrück and Eifel plateaus and drop back down again. Easy riding, superb scenery, and wine towns every few kilometres for the evening.
4. Kesselberg road
- Road
- B11
- Length
- About 10 km
- Best season
- May to October
A short, steep run of hairpins between Kochel am See and the Walchensee, south of Munich, with Kochelsee below you on the climb. It has been a motorcycle favourite for generations, which is exactly why it is managed so tightly: the uphill direction from Kochel has a seasonal motorcycle closure in the afternoons and evenings. The downhill side and the Walchensee shore road stay open. Check the current rules with the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district office before you plan around it, and ride it in the morning.
5. Oker valley and Torfhaus
- Road
- B498 and B4
- Length
- About 40 km
- Best season
- May to October
The classic opener in the Harz: the B498 follows the Oker river through granite cliffs and forest from Oker to Altenau, then you climb to the B4 at Torfhaus, an open plateau at around 800 metres with the Brocken ahead. The valley section is a tight, linked run of bends; the plateau is fast and open. It is the busiest biker road in the north of Germany on a sunny weekend, with fixed cameras, so ride it early. Add the Bode valley and the Hexentanzplatz above Thale for a full day.
6. Eifel roads around the Nürburgring
- Road
- B257 and B258
- Length
- About 180 km
- Best season
- April to October
The Eifel is a high, rolling plateau cut by deep valleys, and the roads around the Nürburgring are some of the most ridden in Germany. The B257 and B258 swing through forest and farmland between Adenau, Nürburg and Blankenheim, while the smaller roads through the Ahr valley and down to the volcanic maars near Daun are tighter and quieter. The ring itself runs public sessions on many days; check the official schedule. Expect heavy weekend traffic, lots of police checks and a big biker scene.
7. Wiesental and Feldberg
- Road
- B317
- Length
- About 50 km
- Best season
- May to October
In the southern Black Forest the B317 climbs from Schopfheim up the Wiesental through Todtnau and over the Feldberg pass at more than 1,200 metres, the highest point of the Black Forest, before dropping to Titisee. The climb above Todtnau is a run of fast, well-cambered bends with open views at the top. Combine it with the Höllental (B31) and the small roads over the Schauinsland for a loop from Freiburg, and expect the Feldberg to be several degrees colder than the valleys.
8. Sauerland loops
- Road
- B236 and B480
- Length
- About 200 km
- Best season
- April to October
The Sauerland is the nearest real riding to the Ruhr, Cologne and the Netherlands, which is why it fills with bikes every spring weekend. The B236 follows the Lenne valley through a long chain of river bends, and the B480 climbs over the hills toward Winterberg and the Kahler Asten. Between them sit reservoirs, forest and small roads that are easy to string into a loop of a day. It is gentler than the Alps but rarely straight, and the hotels here know riders well.
9. Rossfeld Panoramic Road (Rossfeld-Panoramastraße)
- Road
- Toll road
- Length
- About 15 km
- Best season
- May to October
A toll road above Berchtesgaden that loops up to around 1,500 metres along the border with Austria, which makes it one of the highest roads in Germany. It is short, but the views are huge: the Watzmann, the Hoher Göll and, on a clear day, a long way across the Salzburg basin. The surface is good and the bends are open and flowing. Pair it with the Königssee, the roads over to Ramsau and the Hirschbichl, and a run into Austria for the Grossglockner.
10. Middle Rhine gorge
- Road
- B9 and B42
- Length
- About 60 km
- Best season
- April to October
Between Bingen and Koblenz the Rhine cuts a deep gorge lined with castles, vineyards and steep slate cliffs, with the B9 on the west bank and the B42 on the east. There is no bridge on this stretch, so you cross on the car ferries, which is half the fun. The valley roads are easy and scenic; the best riding is on the hill roads that climb out of the gorge into the Hunsrück and Taunus. Combine it with the lower Mosel at Koblenz for a two-river day.
11. Palatinate Forest (Pfälzerwald)
- Road
- B48
- Length
- About 60 km
- Best season
- April to October
The Palatinate Forest is one of Germany's largest forests, and the B48 runs through the heart of it from Bad Bergzabern north past Johanniskreuz, a crossroads that has long been a meeting point for riders. The road is a mix of sweeping and tight bends under a canopy of beech and pine, with sandstone outcrops and castle ruins along the way. Some side roads in the region carry restrictions for motorcycles at weekends; obey the signs. Finish on the German Wine Route for the evening.
How to plan a trip around these roads
Pick one or two regions rather than trying to link everything. The Black Forest, the Mosel and Eifel, and the Bavarian Alps each hold several of these roads within an hour of each other. A base of three or four nights in each, with a long transfer day between them on the Autobahn, gives you more riding and less packing.
Ride the famous stretches early in the day and on weekdays if you can. The B500, the Kesselberg and the Okertal are full of bikes by late morning on a sunny Sunday, and that is also when the police are out.
- Germany has no motorway vignette for motorcycles; the Rossfeld Panoramastraße is a private toll road.
- Watch for "Motorradfahrer" signs: some roads have reduced limits or closures for bikes at set times. Check the local road authority before you go.
- The mountain roads in the Alps and on the Feldberg can see snow into April and again from late October.
- Look for hotels with covered or secure parking: most German biker hotels list it, and it matters in the towns.
More of the best motorcycle roads
Questions riders ask
What is the best motorcycle road in Germany?
For a single road, the B500 Black Forest High Road is the one most riders name: a fast, scenic ridge road with dozens of side valleys to explore. For a whole trip, the German Alpine Road gives you the most variety, from lakes to proper Alpine climbs.
When is the best time to ride in Germany?
May to October for the mountains and the Black Forest. The lower ranges such as the Mosel, Eifel and Sauerland are usually rideable from April. Weekdays are much quieter than weekends on the well-known roads.
Are there motorcycle bans on German roads?
A few popular roads have time-limited closures or reduced speed limits for motorcycles, such as the uphill side of the Kesselberg (B11) in season. They are signposted at the start of the road. Check the local district office or road authority for current rules before you go.
Do I need a vignette or toll to ride in Germany?
There is no motorway vignette for motorcycles in Germany. A few private roads, such as the Rossfeld Panoramastraße above Berchtesgaden, charge a toll at the entrance.
Where should I base myself for a German motorcycle trip?
Pick a region with several roads close together: the Black Forest, the Mosel and Eifel, the Harz or the Bavarian Alps. Stay three or four nights in each and ride day loops from the hotel.