Sardinia

[AMCQ46]

Ok I am not inviting you to a ride out but I thought I would give you the low down on this motorcycling nirvana. Now I can't claim to have ridden all the great passes in Europe but lots of the German, Austrian, Swiss riders I have been talking to this week have, and they all say that Sardinia tops the lot, so I am taking their word for the alternative locations. Anyway, my view of the island is 1st hand so it has some credibility and I have ridden in northern France, southern Spain and driven most the length of Italy ( sadly in a car)

So it is about the same size as Wales, it can rain over the mountains and it has lots of animals but there the similarity ends. There is no cops, the mountains are over 1000m and every mountain has a town clinging to the side of it and that town needs a road to link it to the next place. the result of this is near perfectly surfaced canyon roads that go for mile after mile linking in a spider web network of bliss. I have done 5 days riding on a BMW S1000rr and even with new tyres back and front (Racetek k3) on day 3, the new ones would need replacing again in 3 days, it's that full on.

Island is full of European bikers on ever conceivable type of bike, but surprisingly very few Japanese. For example I saw the same number of huskvarnas as Hondas in the 30 bikes waiting for new tyres at the service shop..... Although I did spot one storm in a group on the road so we were represented;)


Best type of bike is the hyper moto or big naked sport bike on flat bars as I doubt we went over 80 mph most of the time, it was just knee to knee bends. Hence the clipon riding position was starting to hurt my wrists, although when we came onto some of the more open sweepers it started to make sense after that

Only down side is I didn't see any hire shops so you have to get your bike here and that involves riding down through Italy so that is already a mission before you get here, but if you ever get the chance you should try.

I will post some GoPro footage when I get home and stop buzzing

[agentpineapple]

sounds like crazy fun Al, i'll have to see if I can get a ferry there from Spain.
I love my local roads. so I need you to come to Spain to compare them against Sardinia.....
bring Malc with you and you be racing everywhere

[AMCQ46]

Some stills

Leg one on the storm to gatwick


Waiting for me on my arrival


2 days later the tyres are shot


All the euro bikes waiting for new tyres


Next time I want the red one. Save my wrists


Go right


Go left

And left again


Stop for coffee


And friendly locals

[macdee]

Thats serious tyre wear on the front
what was the rear like
Looks like a great spot

[bigtwinthing]

Thats bloody bournemouth! looks Fab

[AMCQ46]

Thats serious tyre wear on the front
what was the rear like
Looks like a great spot

Rear was shot too, no tread left on sides and after 3 days both back and front are wearing at same rate. All the work is on the Edge, there is no straights here

[AMCQ46]

Have a look at Sardinia on google maps and you will see the tangled mess that all the inland roads are like

[agentpineapple]

Just checked, I can get a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia, return, with a motorbike for £118.50. not bad, as Barcelona is only 2hrs away, about a 12hr crossing. maybe next summer i'll have a few days over there....

[tony.mon]

Your knee held up ok then?

[AMCQ46]

Your knee held up ok then?

Knee survived. Knee sliders didn't

[AMCQ46]

Just checked, I can get a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia, return, with a motorbike for £118.50. not bad, as Barcelona is only 2hrs away, about a 12hr crossing. maybe next summer i'll have a few days over there....

That sounds like it should work. Might make sense to do a ferry to Bilbao ride through Spain , then ferry to Sardinia.

Show the krauts what a storm can do

[sirch345]

Good to hear how it all went Al Sardinia sounds just the place for motorcycling

Chris.

[lumpyv]

looks great , lucky old devil

[agentpineapple]

Just checked, I can get a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia, return, with a motorbike for £118.50. not bad, as Barcelona is only 2hrs away, about a 12hr crossing. maybe next summer i'll have a few days over there....

That sounds like it should work. Might make sense to do a ferry to Bilbao ride through Spain , then ferry to Sardinia.

Show the krauts what a storm can do

sounds like a plan mate......

[MacV2]

Just checked, I can get a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia, return, with a motorbike for £118.50. not bad, as Barcelona is only 2hrs away, about a 12hr crossing. maybe next summer i'll have a few days over there....

That sounds like it should work. Might make sense to do a ferry to Bilbao ride through Spain , then ferry to Sardinia.

Show the krauts what a storm can do

sounds like a plan mate......

What are the ditches like Al ? Marty needs to know in advance...