We may have only had the winter solstice a couple of days ago, but it's never a bad time to get planning for your next adventure on a motorbike. For some, the idea of planning a trip is antithesis to what it's all about, while for others every single detail needs to be planned meticulously. Usually though, a balance of the two is where it's good to be, with some semblance of a plan of destinations but with some flexibility if you want to change something.
A great way of getting a tour set in your mind is to choose an ultimate destination, and work the stops on the way there and back. It's also worth bearing in mind that if you're going onto mainland Europe, that you don't have to cross the sea by the same route for your outbound and inbound journeys. Making the mistake of crossing in the same place can mean you doubleback unnecessarily when you could choose another crossing that'd allow you to see more without rushing.
The next blog will go through what you should bring with you, as long as some of the practicalities of commencing a bike tour within the UK or rest of Europe.
Naturally, there are an awful lot of potential destinations that you can aim for, and the main limit is the distance and time it'd take to get there, however the time of year can play a role too; some mountain passes won't open until the snow has melted enough. Southern destinations will be fine all year round however, it's just the in-between part that needs considering.
A good destination would be a road that's superb for motorcycling but takes a bit of a trip to get to. This could be as local as somewhere within the UK, as all parts of it have some spectacular riding on offer, or you could be heading all the way down to the bottom of Spain in search of winter sun and quiet roads.
Spain, for example, has several destinations that make the country absolutely worth incorporating into a bike tour. The country as a whole is very bike-friendly, and because it's much less densely populated, generally speaking traffic levels are much lower. If you're looking for a road to aim for, the A-397 in Andalucía near the southern end of Spain is a worthy target; it's truly world class. You're within easy reach of busy holiday towns, such as Marbella and Malaga, for some traditional holidaying, the weather almost never drops below 10 degrees on the coast, and the area is commonly used for motorcycle press launch rides, that's how good the roads are. For travelling through Spain you've got vast, activity-packed Barcelona, beautiful home of free tapas (with a drink) Granada, scorching hot in summer Sevilla as well as a lengthy border with Portugal which is also well worth your time. There are two main ways to reach Spain; via ferry to Bilbao or Santander (which takes around 24 hours) or via the land border with France via the Pyrenees.
Up next it's Italy, home of the gorgeous motorcycle marques of Ducati, MV Agusta and Moto Guzzi, as well as sublime food, scenery, and roads, although it's also home to some of the craziest drivers in Europe. Tuscany is probably an excellent area to aim for as you can explore northern Italy as you go to and from there. It truly is like what you see in postcards, and the pizza and pasta is truly to die for. If you want even better pizza, Naples is the place to go, but it's a good trek down through Italy to get there, and the driving gets progressively worse! Florence, or Firenze, is a great target with it's beautiful architecture and picture-perfect countryside surroundings. Not far from there is Bologna where Ducati are based, and they offer a great factory and museum tour that any biker would love. Further south is Rome, where the history is some of the most impressive in the world, with ruins that are truly remarkable. Venice is worth a visit, however expect it to be very busy and very expensive; stay in a neighbouring town and get the train in to make the experience most tolerable. Further north you have the Alpine lakes, with Lake Como stealing the show for sheer beauty, as well as being the home of Moto Guzzi.
Heading much closer to home now; not everyone is able to afford the time or money required to go abroad, so touring in the UK becomes much more attractive. Wales and Scotland offer the best and most deserted biking roads in the UK, with worthy city destinations too. England has its fair share of great roads, but they'll unfortunately often be a lot busier. A great example of a road to take that's rare in the UK is the Black Mountain Pass in South Wales. You have to contend with Welsh weather, but on those sunny days it's a storming road with a great surface, brilliant views and a 60mph speed limit to really enjoy it. Fairly nearby to there, in England, there's Cheddar Gorge, which, while not the best riding road for sheer enjoyment, is one of the most spectacular and unique roads in the UK. The narrow gorge has a road running along the bottom of it, leading to very sharp corners, with huge walls of rock on either side. If you know the road well and catch it on a quiet day it can be a very engaging and challenging road to ride, but for most it's all about the scenery.
If you're determined to make a long tour, it's worth heading for a spectacular destination; how about the Grossglocker Pass in Austria? I'd argue it's the most jaw-dropping road within Europe. It's also a great riding road, which is a great bonus! Obviously it's quite a bit of a ride from the UK, but making a trip revolve around getting there and back is a sound idea. You've got neighbouring Germany and Italy to visit. There's a hefty toll for visiting, but it gives you 24hr access and probably some of the best views you'll get from a road in Europe, with hairpins that you can ride around with some proper speed and the flawless surface (just watch out for the small, occasional cobbled sections).
If aiming for amazing roads is in your mind, Switzerland offers some that should be considered. Often incorporated together for bike trips; the Grimsel, Furka and Susten passes all link together nicely and will offer a full day's riding, while being within range of Germany, Austria and Italy. They're more traditional mountain passes with extremely tight hairpins in places, but the views are superb, and there are more open sections for carrying some speed and getting the bike leant over. It's worth bearing in mind however that it is Switzerland, and speeding can carry severe fines, and there is a zero tolerance of alcohol, so be careful having some drinks the night before riding in case there's even a tiny residual bit left in you.
This is only a tiny fraction of places you can ride to for a bike tour, and ultimately it's up to you whether they'd warrant a whole trip, or you could even incorporate several into one trip; just bear in mind it's often worth visiting places properly rather than just staying for one night. You'll only need to come back again!
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