Just take a trip on the 2021 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy and experience Danish hygge

HARLEYSITE ON WHEELS

In Denmark, the word hygge describes a way of life, the Danes' usual recipe for happiness: simply getting out and enjoying yourself. The word originally comes from Norway and was incorporated into the Danish language sometime in the 18th century. Since then, the word hygge has been associated with everything that is good for you.

Denmark is the gateway to Scandinavia

And I thought to myself, why not give hygge a try? So in July, I spontaneously decided to take my Fat Boy 114 and head to the west coast of Denmark. It's a good idea to do a little research beforehand to see what you're in for, because Denmark has its own unique characteristics.

You can drive through the country from Pattburg to Skagen in a day and see nothing but vast meadows, or you can do your research beforehand and discover the interesting sides of Denmark. The friendly people and the country that is called the gateway to Scandinavia.

The wind blows in your face as you continue toward the North Sea.

I am on the Google Map I ended up in the Ringkøbing and Hvide Sande area. I wanted to be somewhere right by the water, and Hvide Sande is right in the middle, as you can see on the map. My first thought was to go camping, but Denmark isn't really suitable for that because wild camping isn't allowed here. You always have to go to a campsite or a camping forest.

After ruling out camping, I started looking for a cabin. This is also a good alternative, and I am familiar with this type of accommodation from Norway. It is a bit more rustic and cannot be compared to a hotel, but that was not what I was looking for.

My idea was to be able to look out from the porch onto the Fat Boy, sip a cold beer, and enjoy the sea breeze. So far, so good—it's always good to know what you want. Now all I needed was the cabin.

The small port town of Hvide Sande catches my attention

I searched for this area on Booking.com using the map and came across Dancamps Nordsø. It looked good in the overview, with a strait appearing on the left, the North Sea on the right, and Ringkøbing Fjord in the middle—which was exactly what I had in mind.

When I sent an email asking if I could park my Harley right in front of the cabin, I received an immediate reply in German saying, "Yes, of course, we have just the thing for you in the dunes." At first, I was skeptical because the basic offer was geared more toward families. But the friendly reply was enough for me, and I set off on the 320-kilometer drive from my home.

The 2021 Fat Boy 114 is still in the running-in phase.

The 320 kilometers are almost relaxing to cover on the Fat Boy 114. Almost, because the seat is still a little hard and this becomes noticeable after about 200 kilometers. It will certainly get better; I've only ridden 1,800 kilometers on it and am still practically in the break-in phase, which of course includes all parts of the Fat Boy, not just the engine. Anyway, I set off on Friday afternoon, much too late, but that doesn't matter; better late than never. I have a trip of about 4 hours and 325 kilometers ahead of me.

In Denmark, typical Harley speeds are regulated: 80 km/h on country roads and 110 km/h to 130 km/h on highways. The Fat Boy can go up to 190 km/h, but I'm in no hurry. From the moment I press the start button on the Harley, it's the weekend.

I'm making good progress, except for a bit of traffic at the Danish border. That's because they're doing visual inspections here. The Danish customs officer selects certain vehicles, or not, as the case may be. He waved me through politely, but the driver in front of me had to pull over for inspection.

There are no special requirements for entry in July 2021. Masks are still mandatory at gas stations, but not in restaurants. Everyone was very relaxed; things are a little more laid-back here than they are at home.

There is always a stiff breeze blowing in Denmark.

As soon as you cross the border, you can feel the wind. Denmark is not very densely built-up, which is one of the reasons why you always feel a stiff breeze when riding a motorcycle. In perfect weather, I drove along the E46 highway to Ustrup, where I ate one of the worst hot dogs ever at the gas station. The guy behind the counter had no idea what he was doing.

That was a shame, because the Danes really know how to make hot dogs. In the Facebook comments, I got some information from Danish bikers about where to find the best ones and that not all gas stations are good at making them. Later, of course, I found them—the good ones!

To avoid driving only on the highway, I took the Hammelev Sogn exit and continued on the 47 towards Ribe, passing Esberg to reach my destination, Tingodden Beach.

As soon as I left the highway, the terrain changed. Denmark has beautiful landscapes, little traffic, and when the wide open countryside spreads out before you, the view goes straight to your head and triggers a feeling of well-being.

There is only one limitation: the weather should cooperate, because what you can't see in the photo is that the windshield provides plenty of protection from headwinds, which are deflected by the windshield and hit your face. However, the temperature here is well over 20 degrees Celsius, which I would call ideal biking weather.

In the late afternoon at 5:00 p.m., I drove through the town of Nymindegab. Once you pass through it, you can see the dike ahead of you. This area is a central location of the Atlantic Wall. Some of the German fortifications from World War II can also be visited here.

I have reached my destination on the North Sea coast.

I have reached my destination, or at least almost, because as I suspected, DANCAMPS North Sea more geared towards families. After a friendly welcome, they drove me one stop further, to DANCAMPS Holmsland. That's where the cabins are, and I've booked one of them.

When I checked in, I was given lots of information, and that was when I realized that it might be worth staying for more than two nights, although that wasn't the plan. The kiosk sells all the essentials, such as local beer.

In any case, there are other things to buy in the shop besides beer. In the morning, for example, you can get fresh rolls at the kiosk. If you want to have breakfast in the hut, you can arrange that, but more on that later.

The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 114 is parked nicely in front of the cabin.

I move into my cabin and park my Fat Boy right in front of it! That works out well, it's just how I imagined it would be. I always like it when things are close by. I live right on the dike, and there are a few other cabins next to mine, so you're not completely alone, but that's fine. It might even be a good idea if you're traveling with several colleagues, in which case you should book the two cabins next door as well.

The cabin and everything it has to offer

The veranda faces the sun, which is perfect. The cabin itself is fully equipped, which I hadn't expected. If you've never stayed in a cabin before, it's certainly interesting to see how one can be equipped. Not all cabins are the same, so if you value certain things, you should find out exactly what's available beforehand.

There are two bedrooms, a living room with kitchen, and a bathroom with toilet and shower. One bedroom has a single bed and a bunk bed, which I would say is suitable for an adult, and the second bedroom has a double bed with two single beds. There is a sofa bed in the living room. The cabin is ideal for two people, three would also fit, but with bags, clothes, etc., I would say it's better for two people.

The cabin's amenities

The kitchen is fully equipped with a coffee machine, pots, glasses, cutlery, broom, vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, microwave, and much more. Bed linen is provided, but without covers, which can be borrowed from the kiosk. The important things to note are that the cabin has heating, which I didn't need, but it's good to have if the weather changes. There is also heating in the bathroom and you have hot water. I only mention this because I have experienced things differently in the past. It could do with a fresh coat of paint, but that's probably a never-ending task by the sea.

There are other cabins that do not have their own bathroom, but that would also be acceptable because the sanitary facilities are only about 30 meters away. So not all of them have the same standard, and in the end, a final cleaning is required for all of them, which is something to keep in mind.

The fantastic view from the dike!

So, we've moved into the cabin, now let's take a look at the North Sea from the dike. There's no escalator to take you up the dike, you have to climb it yourself. The soft sand on the slope really takes your breath away, but when you finally reach the top and look out over the North Sea and the vast beach below, you can say that the climb was worth it.

The sunset is also a dream. I found one within a few hours. Now I'm just going to see where the hot spots are and then I'll come back with my friends, because I like it here. At the reception, they gave me a nice map of the area and wrote down everything important I need to do, where to go, etc. I was a little overwhelmed at first because I hadn't really arrived yet at that point.

I moved in, freed the Fat Boy from its luggage, went to the dike, and now it's time to go to the port city for dinner. I had a plan up my sleeve, so back on the Fat Boy and off to the city we go.

A good restaurant, ice cream parlor, and breakfast café for the next morning can be found at the harbor in Hvide Sande.

The information from the Dancamp reception was exactly what I wanted. I felt like eating fish, and Hvide Sande is an old port town where fish is still sold directly from the boats at the harbor.

The Cafe Marina Restaurant

With recommendation, I am in the Cafe Marina I ended up at the harbor in Hvide Sande. But first I had to wait to get in, because the place was packed and you had to queue outside. I've often noticed that when you're stuck in traffic in Denmark, it's always in front of popular places.

I'm supposed to order the Stjerneskud dish, which is a mixed fish platter with plaice, cod, crab, etc. Stjerneskud means "shooting star" in English, but I couldn't figure out the connection to the name. In any case, plaice and cod are usually boneless, and this dish is very popular with the local Danes.

It went pretty quickly and I was offered a seat on the upper deck, which couldn't have been better, with a full view of the harbor and watching the sun set at 20 degrees.

You can check out the restaurant's website in advance. „Cafe Marina“ Take a look at the menu, which is available in German. Many people in the restaurant industry here speak our language, but I always speak English, as it makes me feel more like I'm on vacation.

Ejvinds Bakery with its ice cream parlor and breakfast menu

In any case, everything was perfect, very good food that wasn't too heavy on the stomach. I have to avoid that anyway, because I've discovered something else I absolutely have to go and see afterwards. I sat on the sun deck for a really long time and thought about what my next plan was. Once I had sorted everything out in my head, I went over to the neighboring building, where there was a very appealing Danish ice cream parlor.

It's awful, they hammer together a huge ice cream, and you can hardly defend yourself against it. It gets really bad when they spread this sour cream around the ice cream; they have this cream in a pot behind the counter, and it's made fresh regularly.

In addition, the soft ice cream here is supposed to be particularly good, but I prefer traditional ice cream, and one of these calorie bombs is enough for me for now.

Next to the ice cream parlor is a bakery, which, as it appears, makes everything itself. They offer a good breakfast menu, there are tables outside, and now it's clear where I'll be having breakfast the next day—right here, again with a brilliant view of the harbor.

Ringkøbing Fjord and the lock

I hop on the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy and ride around town a little longer. In Hvide Sande, there is a lock, which connects Ringkøbing Fjord with the North Sea. At 30 km long, the fjord is Denmark's largest coastal lake. It contains a great deal of fresh water, which is mixed with seawater when the sluice gates are opened. This has allowed the ecosystem to be restored by regulating the water level and the seawater.

This has helped it to remain stable in recent years despite the high nitrate levels in the water. Intensive farming led to extreme blue-green algae growth, but it has now stabilized and returned to biological equilibrium. There are even various love locks hanging directly on the lock, which I'm more familiar with seeing in Cologne.

The big fall herring fishing at the lock

For the anglers among us, this is definitely a good tip, because this is where the action really is. Even in the area where I'm staying, they are prepared for anglers with a special room and refrigeration facilities for this time of year.

The Holmsland Klit spit

Holmsland is the spit of land that separates the fjord from the North Sea, and the cabin is located right on this strait. The fjord and the spit have a complex history, a look at Wikipedia worth it.

The area around Ringkøbing Fjord is a place for nature lovers, surfers, anglers, beachgoers, and motorcyclists alike. The area is often referred to as the Sylt of Denmark. While this may not be entirely accurate, the port towns of Hvide Sande and Ringkøbing are definitely worth a visit, and not just for their excellent restaurants.

There are plenty of ways to pass the time, regardless of the weather. Visit the brewery, the whiskey distillery, or take a look at the remains of the Atlantic Wall—there's always something to do.

By moonlight on the porch

I spent the evening on my porch with a local beer, just the wind rustling past the cabin and the moon shining down. I experienced a lot that day, and I already have plans for the next day.

Around the fjord on a Harley

I took it easy the next day. After breakfast, I rode the Fat Boy to the harbor to take some nice pictures of it. Not all the fishing boats had gone out to sea, so it was easy to take pictures here.

It doesn't get any more hygge than this!

Next on the agenda was Ringkøbing Fjord, which is lovely to drive around. There is a Shell gas station with a kiosk in Ringkøbing, and the town seems to be quite nice, but I wanted to do a bit more Harley riding today, as I don't really have enough time to see everything – two nights isn't long enough for that.

Shortly after Ringkøbing, I found the next photo spot—actually, there's something to photograph everywhere here. Not only is it an ideal area for motorcycling, surfing, or fishing, photographers will also find plenty of spots.

The whiskey distillery in Stauning

My next destination is Stauning, where you can visit the whiskey distillery.

There are guided tours of the distillery in small groups. The Stauning Distillery uses only local Danish barley and rye for its whiskey. Since 2005, around 20,000 liters of whiskey have been produced here annually in the village in West Jutland.

The person who came up with the idea of starting whisky production here is somewhat unusual, as you will learn during a guided tour, which takes place here in German every weekday.

External web link to the brewery

Despite strong crosswinds, the Fat Boy stays firmly on track

After the village of Stauning, there is another beautiful stretch for motorcycling, with wide open spaces where the wind blows nicely. At over 20 degrees, it's a wonderful feeling. I'm surprised that the Fat Boy handles the crosswind quite well, as its disc wheels actually offer plenty of surface area for the wind to catch.

The only thing that can throw the Fat Boy off course are the ruts on German highways, which it really doesn't like, obviously because of its wide tires. It has a 160 mm tire at the front and a standard 240 mm fat wide tire at the rear. In combination with the long wheelbase, this is less suitable for fast cornering, but ideal for cruising on Danish roads.

The next town is Nymindegab.

Nymindegab is a former fishing village where this striking mill stands at the Nymindegab Museum. Surrounding this mill is a museum that tells the story of the fishing village. From painters, Bronze Age graves, the carpenter family who owned this mill, which served as a power source for their machines, to the 12-meter-long sperm whale skeleton that washed ashore here in 1990. Except for Viking stories, there is a lot to see in this small museum.

Nymindegab was a central location on the Atlantic Wall, according to Wikipedia Of the approximately 7,000 bunkers near Nymindegab, 243 were larger and 518 were smaller concrete structures.

Nymindegab is the gateway to the Holmsland Spit

Now the large dike reappears in front of me and I can see the fjord again on my right. I am more than thrilled with this area and have no idea why I have never been here before. I have been to Denmark so many times, but what I have discovered here has been a surprise. The tour around Ringkøbing Fjord is just 120 kilometers, which took me almost the entire afternoon. In the end, I ended up back in Hvide Sande and finally found some decent hot dogs.

My actual plan was as follows!

I actually just wanted to get away for a bit, ride my Harley and relax by the North Sea. I was looking for this relaxed atmosphere so I could continue working on lyrics for the Brothers4Brother It would be really cool to work on a project that incorporates one or more song lyrics written together with my buddy Alex. The project with FreiWild and OCC is set to continue in 2022. Together with my friend Alex from the US, I'm working on our contribution to the new Brotherhood album, which will hopefully be as big a hit as the first one. The veranda is the perfect setting for immersing myself in the subject matter.

The main focus was on testing the touring capabilities of the Fat Boy.

The main focus was, of course, to find out more about the Fat Boy's touring capabilities and whether there were any noticeable changes to report with the newly tuned Euro 5 Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine. Despite the windshield, I only used 5 liters per 100 kilometers when driving at speed on the highway, which is enough for a range of well over 300 kilometers.

I think it's common knowledge that before I write a review about a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, I usually ride it for a few thousand kilometers and try out everything I can.

After 200 kilometers, you really feel it in your rear end.

And we surely agree that the Fat Boy 114 is not a touring bike; it is the fat cruiser in the Softail class. Nevertheless, I was interested in it because I am a touring rider. Equipped with the removable windshield, the removable sissy bar, and the removable city bags, it was almost a complete package. Footboards are standard, and only the seat gave way a little after 2,500 kilometers of riding.

After riding 200 kilometers, I could feel my rear end, which doesn't happen to me on large touring bikes. The Sundowner or Hammock seat could help here. It doesn't have cruise control, but you can retrofit mobile navigation or install a cell phone that can be charged via the Fat Boy's USB port.

Be careful when attaching a modern cell phone

When using a cell phone, you should be careful, because modern devices, such as the iPhone 11 Pro, have a built-in optical image stabilizer that cannot tolerate the vibrations transmitted through the handlebars. Since then, my cell phone camera has not been working properly.

I've developed a love-hate relationship with the City Bags. I only really liked them visually, not in terms of their practicality, but I was always glad to have them there. The combination of luggage rack and sissy bar is ideal for securing my two rollers. Despite the two rollers, I was still able to access the side bags.

For those who want to ride a cruiser and only go on a tour once or twice a year, the Fat Boy is perfect. It certainly makes an impression, especially in Denmark, where motorcycling is generally a very expensive hobby, and it has often attracted attention. You can read more about the Fat Boy later in the test report on the Harley website.

On Sunday, we're heading back home!

That was far too short. I'll be coming back here with my friends, that's for sure.

I drove along the west coast to Vejers Autostrand, which is also a great day trip and has a touch of Daytona Beach in Florida, where I've always wanted to ride my Harley on the beach.

The area around Vejers is a military training area, so it is quite possible that a Transport aircraft on the beach land when they are practicing. So it's not a small beach, there's a lot going on here!

Usually, it's campers or surfers who hang out here with their vehicles. And me with my Fat Boy—you can do that, but you don't have to, because the salty air isn't good for the Harley. There's a similar car beach a little further south in Rømø, but it feels like there's more going on there.

From Vejers, we are now heading back home towards Schleswig-Holstein.

But that was it. I drove straight home from Vejers Autostrand, which was just over 300 kilometers. Even though the Fat Boy isn't a typical touring bike, it handled everything superbly, and most importantly, it was a lot of fun. After this wonderful weekend, my head was clear again.

Sometimes you don't need a lot of planning to have a wonderful experience; just take a long weekend trip to a neighboring country. For me, it was Denmark. If you feel like it, take this as an opportunity to do something similar. There's always something to do. The main thing is to just get away, whether it's to Denmark, France, or Poland, just to escape the stress of everyday life and enjoy some hygge.

Information about Danscamp Holmesland

One more piece of information about Danscamp Holmesland: if you're traveling with your kids and all your gear, there's the option of pitching a tent in the dunes next to the cabins, just so you know. You always see what's on the roads during European Bike Week under normal circumstances. Sometimes the whole family is into this hobby, or is it more than just a hobby? 🙂

Now I can understand the Danes—don't forget to practice a little hygge every now and then, it's good for the soul!

I hope you find this post useful. Take it as an opportunity to spend a little more hygge time on your Harley! Time is precious, so it's worth taking a look at the measuring tape every now and then. Every year is a centimeter, and in the end, time is running out.

Ride Safely

Harleysite – Volker Wolf

The Harley Site Hvide Sande Map

On this map, you will find all the places that I think are worth seeing, a small helpful overview that you can of course expand for yourself.

Book accommodation in the Hvide Sande area

If you would like to book directly with Danscamp Holmesland and are a Harley biker who is also a fan of Harleysite, you can save 10% on your booking by using the keyword „Harleysite.“ If you inquire by email or phone, please refer to Camilla.

Email: info@dancamps.dk
Website: www.dancamps.dk Tel.: +45 97 31 13 09

If you are a Booking.com Genius Member or would like to collect points, you will definitely want to book through Booking.com:

Book accommodation via Booking.com at Danscamp Holmesland

More accommodations on the Hvide Sande spit

Of course, there are also hotels and other accommodations; for some, cabins are too rustic—to each their own!

Booking.com

Text and image credits: Copyright Harleysite / Volker Wolf