On the open road
Gran Canaria’s epic views make a dream destination for any motorcycling enthusiast
At the beginning of this year, during one of our coldest days, I was casually scrolling through Instagram and stopped on one of the accounts (@CanaryRide) I had started following for its great motorcycle content and seducing images of people riding year-round in a sun-kissed part of Spain. Specifically, Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands, and it seemed to be heaven for anyone who loves two wheels.
It didn’t take much to convince me that I had to go riding there this year, once the summer season was coming to a close here in Canada, so I searched for flights that day and within a few hours, I had booked a flight to Gran Canaria for the end of October.
The Canary Islands are seven volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Northern Africa: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. The Canary Islands are relatively unknown to many North Americans, especially as a motorcycle-riding destination, which enticed me even more to visit and to ride there.
Gran Canaria, which is the third largest island in the archipelago, is said to only have about 20 days of rainfall a year and an outstanding 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the sunniest places in the world. Add in its yearround spring and summer temperatures, and it’s one of the world’s best places to ride a motorcycle.
Upon booking my trip, I connected with the owner and founder of Canary
Ride, 31-year-old Ondr ej Vyme talík.
A motorcycle enthusiast from the Czech Republic, Vyme talík and a friend went on a motorcycling trip in Gran Canaria a few years back. Vyme talík has since called the capital Las Palmas his home, after falling head over heels in love with the stunning archipelago, its diverse landscapes and perfect yearround riding conditions.
Vyme talík established Canary Ride in December 2016, and its fleet of motorcycles has been growing year after year.
There’s something for everyone, depending on the style and size of bike you prefer.
With a beautiful lineup of well-maintained bikes to rent, such as the Ducati Multistrada 950, Yamaha Tenere 700 and the Honda Africa Twin 1000, you’ll have no issues finding a machine to suit your riding needs.
Vyme talík and I had made plans to go for a ride the day after I landed. He would show me what he likes to call the “authentic local ride,” because what better way to see the sites, ride the routes and experience the island than with a local.
On ride day, I was given the 2019 Yamaha XSR 700 to ride, which turned out to be a great lightweight and agile bike for the curvaceous and tight roads of Gran Canaria. The Yamaha XSR 700 boasts an upright riding position, which makes handling the bike easy on the rider and it has a naked styled body with a sleek sporty look and tons of pep.
Vyme talík had planned a route that took us from Las Palmas to Pico de las Nieves, which is the highest peak on Gran Canaria at 1,949 metres above sea level. The route led us through windy roads within a gorgeous pine forest as we ascended higher into the mountains.
We rode along the most beautiful yet challenging areas of the GC-200 highway, between Agaete and La Aldea. The GC-200, although deemed extremely dangerous due to its more than 300 curves, blind corners, sheer cliff drops and potential rock slides, is considered one of the most stunning coastal routes in the world. It hugs cliffs along the rugged coastline and offers sensational views of a series of mountains dubbed The Dragon’s Tail (Cola del Dragón).
While Vyme talík and I glided around curve after curve, I couldn’t get over the mindblowing scenery around me. As much as I wanted to look around, I had to keep my mind focused and my eyes on the road because the GC-200 has little room for errors. It was a pure adrenalin rush.
The sun was beating down on us, so we made sure to stop and take in the views with muchneeded water breaks. In such warm conditions, fully geared up, dehydration is your worst enemy. We also stopped in a restaurant along the way to fuel up with traditional Canarian food before making our way up to Pico de las Nieves. This part of the trip included at least 12 extremely tight hairpin turns that tested my technical riding abilities up the mountain.
As we descended back into Las Palmas, we careened down the mountain through tiny narrow village roads lined with trees and stunning Spanish architecture.
It only took me one day of riding the spectacular roads and witnessing the epic scenery of Gran Canaria to realize this place is a motorcyclist’s paradise and is definitely a place I’ll be returning to ride again.
A portion of Tosh Bene’s motorcycle ride was sponsored by Canary Ride, which did not review or approve this story. She can be found on Twitter at @whereintheworldistosh.