Magic Bike Rüdesheim

Not just for Thunderbike customers, the iconic THUNDERBIKE store is THE starting point (or stop) for every Harley biker coming from the northwest of Germany or Holland. A lunch break in the Thunderbike Roadhouse or a quick look in the showroom to check out what new Custombikes and parts are available always make the detour from the A3 worth the way!! If you want to avoid the Autobahn at any costs, there are a number of options from the Dutch border for country roads worth exploring. To the right and left shore of the Rhine. Up here in „Lower Rhine“ countryside, the river is a well-established transportation route – and at the same time the focus point of nature conservation activists, who are trying to „renature“ as much area as possible and claim every bush and every tree as a nature reserve. Despite the well know historic facts that the Lower Rhine in particular has caused numerous floods in its history without today’s massive dykes and embankments. As a matter of fact, there is no continuous “riverside road” along the banks of the river all the way “down” to Bonn that can be used for anything other than bicycling.

The Rhine leaves Germany at the Dutch border at river kilometer 865.5: rather unspectacularly, but here you can sense the power of the river: Up to the Reichswald, this area was almost completely flooded under water after the dykes were blown up in March 1945. If you take the Bimmen – Kleve – Kalkar – Xanten country roads, you will immediately notice that really old settlements and old farmsteads are built on elevations and hills. The Romans also built “their” Xanten, Colonia Ulpia Traiana, on a hillside. Todays Xanten of „Siegfried the Dragonslayer“ was built around the Roman cemetery. There are motorcycle „watering holes“ on both sides of the former Rhine ferry of Xanten (which today only ferries – surprise – pedestrians and bicycles), but the downtown of Xanten is also worth a visit. Wesel was almost completely destroyed in March 1945, but today it is once again a town worth visiting – with museums and remains of the old town fortifications. South of Wesel, the Rhine becomes very “industrial” and is only really “accessible” in the urban areas.

At the mouth of the Moselle and the Rhine lies a city well worth visiting: Koblenz. The largest fortress complex in Europe, now also accessible by cable car, on the east bank – and the “Deutsch Eck” have been a “World Heritage Site“ Tour destination for the “Magic Bike” several times, and the youth hostel in the Ehrenbreitstein fortress was even the venue for a still remembered “Ladies Of Harley” rally. The people of Koblenz have known the roar of Harley-Davidson’s for over 100 years: Following the First World War Koblenz was the headquarters of the “American Bridgehead”, stretching a 30 kilometers radius on the east bank.

Roy Holtz also rode his Harley through the streets of Koblenz. Almost the entire US Army vehicle fleet – then neatly lined up opposite the „Deutsches Eck“ on the northern Moselle and western bank of the Rhine – drowned in the floods of January 16, 1920! Water level: 9.23 meters. Koblenz and the surrounding country roads are also always worth a visit. The museum in the fortress can still be reached by cable car if it is not dismantled, as planned, in 2026 – otherwise the Rhine Valley’s status as a “World Heritage Site” is „at risk“. The Koblenz “Rhine in Flames” event is particularly worth seeing when the grand finale lights up the fortress in flames.

In the middle of the most beautiful section of the Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Mainz, the Pfalz near Kaub is an unmissable „fortress“ in the Rhine and – like the „Mäuseturm” (Mouse Tower) near Bingen – an old customs toll station. Tip for Rhine travelers: It is also the fastest, shortest and most practical ferry connection across the river! The picturesque little town is very well preserved and is passed or crossed during almost every Magic Bike Tour. You can also visit and tour the „Pfalz” itself, but there is also a building in the town where world history is documented: The former “Mannheim Inn“ served as headquarters of “Marshal Forward” Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher when he crossed the Rhine here with his army on New Year’s Eve 1813 to pursue Napoleon after the Battle of Leipzig.

A risky undertaking that sent an advance party across the river in boats, followed by the construction of a pontoon bridge in icy conditions passing the Pfalzgrafenstein island. Worth mentioning: The western bank of the Rhine WAS France at the time. There are numerous dioramas in the Blücher Museum and the preserved original rooms document the history of the Rhine crossing. Bikers may be surprised at the accumulation of “Iron Crosses” on monuments and in the museum itself. The medal was awarded on March 10th 1813 by Prussia’s Willhelm III in the wars of liberation against Napoleon. Just 21 kilometers from Rüdesheim, Kaub is a short visit – and also rather quiet during the Magic Bike days.

Sad but true: there are times that won’t come back! These pictures give an idea of the extent of freedom and light-heartedness that the Magic Bike has lost in the years since December 19, 2016. Friday afternoon at 5 p.m., Rheinstraße was closed from the railroad crossing to the Harley demorides and an action program for visitors and residents amazed the children in particular: Police Vehicle Owners Group and the unforgettable Harley stunts by Rainer Schwarz, Erdös Csabas – once the Berlin police squadron – and most recently in 2019 Maciej “DOP” Bielecki, got the audience going wild. Safety regulations, the ever-increasing need for barriers and rising costs of post-COVID health requirements caused this popular part of the program to disappear without a trace after the COVID years. Perhaps forever? Only time will tell – Magic Bike Rüdesheim has reinvented itself time and time again…