Mallorca on a small bike

[Godspeed]

I’m back now from my week away in Mallorca.
If you haven’t been there and ridden on a motorbike then I highly recommend it. Firstly it’s cheap to get there being on an easyJet route from Bristol, so returns can be had for £50.
Renting a small bike works out at €25 per day so for under £200 you can fly there and have a bike for most of the week. Accommodation was reasonable and food prices not too bad either.
The mountainous west side has some of the most fantastic roads I’ve ridden including the road to Sa Calobra which includes 26 hairpins within 10kms! Being out of season I rode the whole of this road without seeing another car. Perfect
Anyway here’s a few photos from my trip...

AC3E1DD3-ED72-40B2-968A-760C26DBCA75.jpeg (224.67 KiB) Viewed 3000 times

E56C0F80-C7CD-498F-B63C-365D10DCEDE6.jpeg (161.39 KiB) Viewed 3000 times

E9C6568A-973D-4754-B7CD-2CC169B10026.jpeg (314.82 KiB) Viewed 3000 times

[Godspeed]

CAFFE272-8057-4701-96E4-4BCFB4625D10.jpeg (183.55 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

61AE3194-7320-4EAD-AC93-23934F0368FD.jpeg (77.91 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

2A11642D-9E10-4EE2-9226-9B51C53AF36A.jpeg (240.78 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

[Godspeed]

ABE40CC2-8BA0-4E18-8312-80B71B6687E5.jpeg (63.29 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

[daveuprite]

I can totally back up the word of God (it would be blasphemy not to...). Mallorca is stunning. I stayed in a great little villa up in the mountains above Biniaraix, which is near Soller. If you hire a car it needs to be small. The lanes are tight and narrow with stone walls on both sides. The views are spectacular. The road to Sa Callobra, the cliffs at Formentor, the cave systems and coves on the East coast, the old railway from Soller into Palma, Valldemosa, Deia - all superb.

If only more people left their horrible hotels in Magaluf and Palma Nova and explored the island they would discover an amazing place. On the other hand, probably better that they don't...

I think you can get a bike over from Barcelona, but there are hire options in Palma and all the resorts.

If you like a proper hike, the gorge walk up the Torrent de Pareis is one of the best:

[Scott_rider]

Nice one
Is that first picture in the Cala d’Or area, by any chance?

[boboneleg]

Nice one Chris, not somewhere I've ever thought of going so food for thought there.

On a side note, were you out on the local lanes on Sunday on the C90 leading a small group of trail riders ?

[Brenhden]

Great work as always Chris. Now the Pound is a bit stronger I can maybe afford a few days away.

[HoboBeemer]

I know I have stated before but I used Mallorca for years as a winter cycling get away and was seriously looking at getting a place there.

If you plan well in advance you can get return flights cheaper than a round of drinks, I have also had some stupidly good deals on hotels using Booking.com, A little place in Soller called Hostal Nadal (It is not a Hostal!!) was a real gem and right on the foot hills of the mountains.

Whilst it is very well known within the Lycra clad brigade I have only really seen Mallorca spoken of as a Motorcycle destination the last year or so, and the multiple times I have been there I think I have only ever seen one very small group of about 3 sports bike heading up Puig Major (Highest paved road). Although I did see the remains of a Fireblade on the Puig Major to Sa Calobra link road just out from the tunnel. I would not want to be on my arse there as it is fairly remote.

The real issue why more people do/did not go get there on bikes is the cost of the ferry is/was absurdly high, I think I was quoted around 400 quid 2 years ago, however I checked recently and a typical crossing in Feb 2020 will be about 170 quid.

For me this is justifiably. I have also noticed that more and more manufacturers are also doing model launches there, 44 Teeth went to a Triumph launch and I think another manufacturer recent did the same but it alludes me as to who.

I can see why as photo of bikes of the marvel of engineering that is Sa Calobra make for very good photo opportunities, esp for a road that does not go anywhere!!!!!!!...


Out of season and a small bike make for big grins.....

[Godspeed]

The first pic was taken down on the beach at Portals Vells. There was no one about so I rode the bike down the beach I did get a little worried when it started bogging down in the sand...
The benefit of renting a small bike was that you could leave it anywhere, no locks, and plenty of free parking for Motos. Aside from the cheap cost to rent I don’t think you need anything fancy for the roads around there... I challenge anyone to get up some of the hairpins quicker than 50mph Also cost of petrol was minimal, I think all week cost less than 12 squid.

60AEC681-44CF-4100-A04E-792DE14301F7.jpeg (205.12 KiB) Viewed 2909 times

[Godspeed]

Also.... how can you miss this