Prague does not need introduction, but it does need a plan if you are leaving it by motorcycle. The city lies on the Vltava river in the heart of Bohemia, with a skyline of spires and towers climbing the hill to the castle, and a medieval centre that survived the twentieth century better than most. The Charles Bridge, begun in 1357 under Emperor Charles IV, is lined with baroque statues and almost always full of people. The Old Town Square has its astronomical clock, dating back to the fifteenth century, and Vyšehrad, the rock above the river, holds an old church and a quiet cemetery where Dvořák and Smetana are buried.
Beer is the unofficial national religion, and Prague is its cathedral. Czechs drink more beer per head than any other nation, and the pubs serve it fresh, cold and cheap, with pork knuckle, dumplings and sauerkraut. The pilsner style was born in Plzeň, not far west, in 1842, and a glass of unfiltered lager in a cellar pub is the way to start. If you are riding, stick to the coffee and save the beer for the evening.
Leaving the city is the hard part. Traffic is heavy, trams run on cobbled streets, and the rails and wet stones can be treacherous for a motorcycle, so take care. Fuel is easy and cheap, and there are many large stations on the ring road. Motorcycles do not need the motorway vignette in the Czech Republic, though rules change, so check. Heading northeast toward Bohemian Paradise, the road crosses farmland and small towns, past Mladá Boleslav, where the Škoda car factory has been making vehicles since the 1890s.
Beyond, the landscape rises into sandstone rock towers and forested ridges, with castles perched on volcanic rocks, and the quiet roads are a fine contrast to the capital. Start early, avoid the morning rush, and enjoy the moment when the city falls behind and the fields open. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, when the light is soft and the crowds thinner.