Motorbike
Endless bends in the mountains
Sardinia is a dream for every motorcyclist.
The main reasons are the island’s huge amount of curves and the magnificent landscapes in the mountains and along the coast.
The best times to travel for motorbike enthusiasts are the months of May, June, September and October.
During the high season in July and especially in August, the roads in the coastal regions are very crowded and the high temperatures in midsummer can be very uncomfortable on a motorbike.
During this period it is also very difficult to find accommodation spontaneously. The only thing that helps here is to book in good time.
The main roads on the island are in very good condition.
However, free-roaming animals, fallen stones, parked vehicles and similar surprises often lurk behind bends.
There is little traffic on the side roads and in the interior. Here, however, the quality of the roads is rather mixed.
As these stretches are often particularly interesting, a very cautious driving style is advisable.
The locals rarely ride motorbikes and generally drive more by relying on their senses than by the rules. Therefore, compliance with traffic regulations cannot always be assumed.
The high temperatures in summer quickly tempt you to ride lightly dressed. Nevertheless, it is advisable to wear appropriate motorbike clothing.
I cannot recommend combining a visit to Sardinian towns and other sights with a longer motorbike tour. It is simply no fun to stroll through the streets in motorbike clothing in the scorching sun and over 30°C or to search cross-country for one of the ancient sites.
Sardinia is an eldorado for motorbikers
When planning your trips, it is important to study the maps carefully. There are still a lot of unpaved secondary roads (strada bianca) in Sardinia that are at most suitable for drivers of an enduro.
You should always allow plenty of time for each route, because especially the scenic routes in the interior can usually only be ridden at a slow pace.
The many curves often can’t be seen easily and so overtaking other vehicles is therefore not possible.
Even experienced motorcyclists will not get over an average speed of 50 km/h on many roads.
On longer tours, make sure there is always enough gas in the tank!
In the interior of the island, the gas station network is thinning out noticeably and most gas stations have fixed opening hours.
In the meantime, almost all gas stations have the self-service petrol pumps that are common in Italy. Unfortunately, I have made the experience that these do not always work.
Even if these machines theoretically accept card payments, in practice this unfortunately only works very rarely. Therefore, always take enough small banknotes with you – the machines do not change.
The usual opening hours and especially the siesta make it very difficult to get food and drinks on longer tours. In any case, you should always take enough to drink with you.
In many places scooters and mopeds are rented, but they are at most suitable for a short day trip.