3 days of riding in southern spain

**Ninjitsu** · 03-23-2012, 11:51 AM

I just can't get over how narrow it is. There is no shoulder. What becomes your 'Exit Strategy' in this situation? If a car comes around a corner and doesn't give you any road, it's over. Hopefully Spain will be twisty but wider.

When my GF got back from Italy she said the scooters and motorcycles ripped through the narrow city streets. She said she'd be very uncomfortable being on the back of a bike there. How do you guys find riding in European cities?

**Brian P** · 03-23-2012, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Ninjitsu

I just can't get over how narrow it is. There is no shoulder. What becomes your 'Exit Strategy' in this situation? If a car comes around a corner and doesn't give you any road, it's over. Hopefully Spain will be twisty but wider.

Your "exit strategy" is to ride in accordance with the conditions so that you can stop or maneuver within the distance that you can see ahead.

From my experience, European drivers are more heads-up in conditions like this towards motorcyclists (a good many of them ride, there are lots of bikes on the roads there) BUT they also expect you to operate YOUR vehicle in an appropriate manner. In North America, we're taught to ride "blocking position" to prevent cars from passing by and sharing your lane and that usually means being away from the shoulder. In Europe, you are expected to take up as little space as possible (ride right next to the shoulder). The other drivers will give you the space that you need to use ... but no more. They know how wide a motorcycle is. If two oncoming cars meet on a one-lane road like this, they'll almost stop and work out how to get past each other. If an oncoming car meets a motorcycle, the car will move over but not slow down ... You are expected to signal EVERYthing and they, in general, will signal everything. There is more co-operation, too. If you are on a bike and you come up behind a slow truck crawling up a steep hill on a one-and-a-bit lane road, and you see the truck move a little to the right and the right indicator comes on, that indicator means GO FOR IT, the way is clear to pass! You'd never see that in North America. Never!

Originally Posted by Ninjitsu

When my GF got back from Italy she said the scooters and motorcycles ripped through the narrow city streets. She said she'd be very uncomfortable being on the back of a bike there. How do you guys find riding in European cities?

Different from here but generally more enjoyable. There are more bikes (by a lot), and the car drivers mostly know about bikes. Fewer traffic lights, fewer stop signs, lots more roundabouts. Having said that, downtown in many larger European cities has a lot of walking streets and very good public transit access, so there's little point riding or driving downtown, just take transit like everyone else.

**Krimesf4i** · 04-10-2012, 01:05 PM

Hey everyone. Been back for almost two weeks but just swamped with work! Riding Spain was the best adventure (nevermind ride) of my life. I'm sorting and editing pictures and almost done - will post a link soon for those interested.

fearlessbob, thanks for the tip - unfortunately didn't get it till now, but wouldn't have changed a thing! In Sevilla we stayed at the Novotel as well, found it as a safe place to park the bike overnight in the Underground. Can't wait to go back and try your routes. We ended up doing Ronda - Sevilla - Cordoba - Granada - Malaga... all in 3 days! Could have spend 3 weeks on a bike in Spain really.

Brian, we rented from Moto Merecado - an unbelievable experience, the people were just amazing.

More details to come...