Motorcycle Tour: Spain vs Italy

[Road_Slayer34]

Fellow Riders:

I would like to ask your opinion on the motorcycle grand tour we are planning to do with a friend. Currently we are discussing over where to do it.

Option 1 İtaly;
Starting from Torino, Mondovi, Genoa, Manarola, Pistoia, Florence, Borgo san Lorenzo, San Marino,

Option 2 Spain;
Starting from Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Seville, Cadiz.

We especially enjoy Mountainous and seaside regions with curvy roads and nice views. The cultural expedition is also very much desirable but second priority. Please feel free to give your comments/advice on the routes, stays, pit-stops and any other things to do while GTing. Thank you in advance

Cheers

O.G

[chickenstrip]

Don't know an awful lot about Italy, only really sampled biking there, but I'm not sure your destinations include much in the way of mountain scenery? I'd be headed for the Dolomites for that I think. I particularly wanted to base myself in or around Cortina d'Ampezzo for a few days when I was thinking about this.
For the coast part, I always wanted to ride down along the Amalfi coast, which I get the impression is very picturesque.

Again with Spain, not sure what you'll find in the way of mountain scenery in the places you have mentioned but I can heartily recommend a few days in the Picos de Europa, and also the N260 down the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. Easy to dip into France too from this route.
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[Undinist]

[Undinist]

[doggone]

Spain has more to offer, why not consider Picos De Europa which has some similarities with the Dolomites. The Pyrenees are fantastic too.
Beware of covering big distances rather than taking several days properly exploring in the 'best bits'

[Undinist]

In Spain the coast has been pretty much ruined by overdevelopment. Coastal roads can look great on the map but when you get there the roads are full and the views are ruined. The interior is completely different.

Back in the '20s the Spanish government established a national network of hotels for the benefit of car owners. They wanted to foster national unity by encouraging the Spanish to visit other parts of Spain. They thought the new-fangled automobile could help. The hotels were about 80 miles apart, with 80 miles seen as one day's drive. Not many new hotels were built - being the government, they just took over lots of historic buildings - castles, monasteries etc - and converted them. They called them the Paradores. Many of them are still going. The ones in touristy areas cost a fortune, and they subsidise the ones which nobody goes to, which may be just as beautiful but they're in the dying rural parts where everyone is leaving to live in the cities. You can get some amazing bargains and chances are there'll be some of the best mountain roads you've ever seen within half an hour. (Spain has countless mountain ranges you've never heard of.) So if you want to find biking heaven, you could start by looking up the cheapest paradores. https://www.paradores-spain.com/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/spain/articles/best-parador-hotels-in-spain/
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[Freddyfruitba...]

Another vote for Northern Spain. Absolutely epic up there - amazing roads, no traffic
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[Enduro Numpty]

My experience of Italy is fairly limited but the Dolomites and the rest of the Alps are generally busy. Have been to San Marino and apart from the MotoGP at Misano found it a complete non event. Italy can also be expensive.

I agree with chickenstrip and others regarding Picos De Europa and the Spanish Pyrenees. We've been to the Pyrenees 3 years out of the last 4. If it's awesome riding on superb roads with little traffic you want then there's nowhere I'm aware of in Europe that offers so much. If you want to do the city visits, I can identify with that - it's nice to have something to do in the evenings. We've used Vielha as a base for 3 or 4 days on all our visits. It's got a few nice restaurants and bars and is located close to the French border. Lots of great day routes from here.

If you do choose the Spanish Pyrenees the N260 runs from West to East with Barcelona at the eastern end. There's numerous routes off the N260 that are stunning in their own right and as chickenstrip says zig-zagging into France via many of the deserted Cols is another option. As cities go, Barcelona is hard to beat but be prepared for very heavy traffic and ensure your accommodation provides secure parking for the bikes if you decide to visit.
If you do loosely follow the N260 be sure to do the Collada de Toses. If you like fast, challenging riding the downhill from the top of the pass to Ripoll is hard to beat.

[Polarbear]

The Pyrenees are wonderful.

Pop down to the Spanish plains and enjoy flat fast roads and Barcelona. Go over into France ogle the pilgrims at Lourdes or pop over to Millau and marvel at the bridge.

Wonderful roads with fabulous scenery and some amazing villages that the inhabitants look at you as if you are aliens, but try and chat in their language and they are incredibly friendly.

The only thing I would say is if you stay in Barcelona, make sure you get a hotel with an underground garage or secure parking. It's much safer for your bike.
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[Road_Slayer34]

Thank you guys for all the insightful replies.

Looks like Spain it is! What would your be advice on the route of;

Starting from Barcelona along the coast to valencia then Madrid, Then up north to Picos de europa. Then heading east to Bilbao, Lourdes and finishing at Barcelona

Also on another topic: I just turned 21 and recieved my full motorcycle license this year, but have been riding for 5 years and have done more than 10K on two wheels. Unfortunately given my youth most of the renting companies are VERY reluctant in renting to me (Even though I will be riding with my responsible/experienced father). Hence any suggestions for more easy going rental companies or any advice on how to convince the more strict ones?

Cheers

[almostthere]

If you get down to andalucia the roads around Ronda are amazing twisties that go on forever, I went there last year coming back from Jerez motogp was well impressed never tried Picos though thats next on my list
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[Freddyfruitba...]

[mattyfattyboo...]

[A100man]

I've never been to Madrid - put off by the size. Skirted around it and visited Cuenca and Segovia instead... In fact stayed in the Cuenca Paradore once..
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[JohnD1963]

I live in Italy, rode mainly in the North of the country. Motorways are very congested, bad drivers, usually the motorways are two lanes, badly maintained and expensive tolls. My experience in Spain was much the opposite. I've travelled down the East Coast a few times and personally it was way more enjoyable.

[Weisse Schlange]

I've ridden through the Picos , down around Madrid doing towns with medieval centers before heading over to Murcia.

I've ridden loads of places in Europe and that area was absolutely amazing. The best of all the places I've done.
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[v4fun]

[CorriganJ]

[CorriganJ]

[A100man]

[CorriganJ]

[pepperami]

CorriganJ.
Looking at your profile/posts, I see you ride a Hyosung GT125R.
And you’ve been a good few places on it.

Tell us about it.
I’m genuinely interested in how you got on using a smaller cc bike for a big trip?
Also my Hyosung GT125r is coming along and should be on the road this year.
I won’t be going as far as Italy or Spain, but I might just might get a ferry across to somewhere maybe.
That said, most of my trips are on to a 250.


Great Fun on Small Bikes , on Facebook
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[CorriganJ]

[pepperami]

Er no! I certainly wouldn’t tour Italy or Spain on any 125 !
Hats off to those that do.

I was just interested
I’d dig out my ZX6r if I was going a long way (Continental).
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[Bikegoddess89]

Hello there! you have some very nice tours here, which I myself am thinking about doing sometime.

In the north of Italy (in Southtyrol, the region where there are also the Dolomites) is the famous Stelvio, a winding pass road with 48 hairpin bends. The road is 25 km long and reaches an altitude of 2757 m. The panorama from the top is breathtaking. You might like that, since you're into mountain roads. Normally, the pass is open to traffic in the months from late May to about November.
Unfortunately, it has to be said there is a lot of traffic to be expected (cars, cyclists, motorcyclists). Among other things, Top Gear could be responsible for this, as they have chosen the road to the Stelvio as the "world greatest driving road".

Have a great day!
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