A motorbike trip through the Pyrenees
Endless bends, beautiful mountain passes and breathtaking scenery. The Pyrenees are also a destination for motorbike lovers. The Pyrenees by motorbike, a dream route.
Our friends from the North Wheels Club of Donostia (@northwheels on Instagram) tell us about their experiences on a journey across the Pyrenees.
Interview:
How did the idea of doing the Trans-Pyrenees crossing the Pyrenees on a motorbike come about? Challenge, discovery, what motivated you to do this adventure?
Well, the truth is that it came about as a result of another failed trip, we were trying to go to Morocco and cross the Atlas from one end to the other but you know what? Both my partner and I are in love with the Pyrenees, where we have lived for years enjoying the snow and the mountains, but this trip has made us see them in a different way, we have passed passes, tracks, meadows, postcard villages, magazine wells and slept in the open air enjoying the real nature. Every cloud has a silver lining, they say... (smiles).
How many days were you on the bike? What route did you choose? How many hours did you ride per day? Could you summarise it for us?
We were 8 days on the bike and about 7-8 hours per dayThere are many stretches of really slow and careful driving, taking pictures, etc.
The route was decided by first marking the most desirable sections or points on a physical map Thanks to friends who know a thousand routes, we added them to the map, and once the points were added we joined them in the most optimal way so as not to take too many detours, and in the end we did an exact 8 to the Pyrenees. All this route on the physical map I uploaded it to a app and so it was sending us exactly to the points we marked on the map. Of course, the pencil sometimes slips away, but we got out of them all (he laughs).
What kind of bikes did you take?
I was wearing a Yamaha XT 600 of '91 fully modified to Scrambleryou can see in the pictures and my colleague Alexis a BMW K75 He also modified it, and to get out of the way, he put some good mixed tyres on it. Believe me, he was glad on numerous occasions that he had put them on at the last minute.
During the motorbike tour you stayed in hotels that you found or maybe even took a tent. What was the approximate budget of the trip?
As I mentioned, we only slept once in a hotel, just after arriving at the Mediterranean, specifically in Roses, and I slept another time on the way back to Donosti, on the last day in Ochagavía. Just enough for the obligatory shower and to rest a little more properly. All the other days we enjoyed the stars in different places in the Pyrenees. We know that it is difficult legally, but we always try to be in places close to the road, we go without any problems, except one day having to look for the place late in the day and finding a surprise or two. The budget was derisory, I think we did not reach 300 €.
For this type of trip it will be very important to organise your luggage so that nothing is missing. What do you take in your suitcase for a trip through the Pyrenees? We suppose that you will have to strike a balance between utility and lightness. What did you miss and what would you leave at home now?
It is necessary to carry torch or headlamptools, tools, knife, technical clothing coat, mackintosh, support, jacket, jacket GPSwire, wire, insulating tape or duct tape, water bottle or drinking container, sleeping bag, photocopies of the motorbike papers, spare key and good toiletries, especially when sleeping outdoors.
The second is a good question, on these trips I for example always do the same thing and I take more clothes than I finally wear but in this one it wasn't like that; as for what we missed... maybe some tools or other and that without them we had to do something with the Macgiver. I don't think we had anything to spare.
Crossing the Pyrenees on a motorbike. I suppose you've had very different moments and situations. What have been the hardest moments you've encountered? And what are the moments you remember most fondly?
For me the hardest moments were when we had to look for a place to sleep and it was already very late, one of the days we ended up sleeping in an area of private land with cattle and at night it was not very clear what was there, we could see lights from houses, or torches, dogs, etc., and we didn't even have the strength to go to a quieter place. But after a while it got even more complicated and we started to hear gunshots, it must be that there are poachers who don't care if there are inhabited areas and they do their thing anyway.
Have you had any mechanical problems?
Fortunately only typical and insignificant things, that we drop this, that we lodge that, that a hose breaks, etc., all easily solved, fortunately.
A whole mountain range behind you, kilometre by kilometre, I suppose it would be difficult to choose just one area, but what was your favourite place in the Pyrenees and on the route?
Honestly, there is one thing we have been left with and that is that France has gained a lot of ground on us in terms of roads, not in terms of scenery but in terms of communication between valleys and villages. If I had to choose areas, I would choose the initial part of the route between the Irati Forest and Isaba but also the area of the Tour de France mountain passes such as Tourmaletetc., but I don't know, I think that all areas have their peculiarities and charm and in the Huesca area we also have incredible places. DIFFICULT (smiles).
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of doing a similar route?
Maybe I would recommend you to do smaller stretches and enjoy the stops a bit more, a swim, a bite to eat, some photos... There were times when we spent a lot of time on the bike, which we love, but taking a couple of more days to go more relaxed would be good. Of course, this thinking that you are going to do it with classic bikes, if you go with a GS you might need half the time, this influences a lot.
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