Gran Canaria – nice beaches, nice climate... and challenging mountain roads
Back in February my wife Diane and I were on the verge of booking another 10 days’ holiday on Gran Canaria on the ‘island of large dogs’ when we were visited by friends Kate and Charlotte, partners in crime and married for five years. Kate had previously owned a couple of 125s and both were interested in our stories of Gran Canaria, the famous Yumbo Centre, Ricky’s Drag Bar and my previous adventures there on hired bikes. Liking the sound of the place, they wanted to come, too.
Having been before, we already knew that Canaria's October weather suited us best, September being too hot and November chilling off a bit in the evenings. Early October temperatures range from 27-33°, while the sea and hotel pool are warm enough to walk straight into.
I’d hired bikes twice before to explore the mountains and loved it, so went to see Juan at Motos Tivoli. Not only was his office next door to the hotel, but also he remembered me from last time. Better still, he was very pleased to be left with a copy of MSL. Kate had intended to hire a KTM 125 to ride, but her short legs wouldn't reach the floor, so she came pillion with me on a Suzuki V-Strom 650.
I had hired one of these and a Honda 700 previously, and the Suzuki was better for pillions with grab bars and a bigger seat. I completed the paperwork, paid €80 for a day's hire and we were off.
Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
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Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
