Seven Days in Northern Spain

[bobdave]

Spent a week in Northern Spain with my brother and four mates. We took the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander. When we booked there were only 5 spaces left for bikes which was ok as my brother was visiting from Australia and didn't have a bike here so he hired an XR from IMT bike hire in Bilbao. On arrival our first stop was Bilbao to pick up the bike - on leaving (having had to show my brother the controls and then transfer his luggage over to his bike) they all went off and left me so I had a nice ride on the back roads to our first hotel at Pamplona. The others all took the main roads getting there earlier than me so they got the beers in when I arrived !
Next day we rode to Sort (near Andorra) taking in some lovely sweeping roads and some tighter twists. As we stayed 2 nights here we a day riding up into the mountains with no luggage just enjoying the roads.
Next we went to a tiny little place just outside Soria. Again some lovely riding on twisting and sweeping roads with minimal traffic.
The following day it was off to Riano in the Pico's. Lovely roads, long sweeping bends for miles and eventually into the mountains with yet more twisties. A day then spent riding in the Picos. Getting busier than the last time we visited about 6 years ago, lots of camper vans on the little roads ensuring we didn't go too mad !
The last night was spent on the coast at Castro-Urdiales with a quick sprint across to Bilbao to drop the hire bike back.
Finally on the Santander ferry back home to the UK.
Just over 1300 miles in the week on some lovely roads, no rain and a few beers every evening - what more could you want.

[LicandReg]

What more indeed! Inspirational read. 

[Mareng1]

What were the XR hire costs like?

[Gothrick]

See you ditched the original seat. What do reckon to the Wunderlich?

[bobdave]

Originally Posted by Mareng1

What were the XR hire costs like?

I think he paid about £680 for a weeks hire which included luggage and insurance.

Originally Posted by Gothrick

See you ditched the original seat. What do reckon to the Wunderlich?

Better than the standard BMW offering. It has taken about 1000 miles to get it broken in. No digging in from the edges but the foam is still hard enough to give an ache after about 100 miles but is relieved by a coffee/food break.

[af1-windy]

Sounds like you had a great time    . Many years since I rode that area, must get back soon.. 

  windy