New Zealand offers some of the world’s best motorbike roads and a large number of postcard-worthy routes, begging you to explore on your motorbike.
While many people opt to explore these locations by car, we all know there is no better way to do it than on a motorbike. What more, many of these amazing motorbike routes take you to some of the most scenic campsite locations in New Zealand.
The country offers two main islands that feature a good number of zigzagging coastlines, tight twisters, high mountains, rolling farmlands and plenty of easy riding options, as you witness weather changes from subtropical to even snow in some regions. Let’s tell you about a few of these top motorbike routes worth exploring in New Zealand.
The Coromandel Loop
Undoubtedly the most popular motorcycle route in all of New Zealand, the Coromandel Loop is the favourite of riders everywhere as it offers some very challenging winding roads. These can be a little risky in certain regions, however are worthwhile if you wish to put your riding skills to test. It’s a stretch that is divided into two parts – Northern Loop which is 187.8km long and Southern Loop extending over 229.7km. Both offer easy access to the attractions and townships of Coromandel Peninsula.
Ride across Southern Alps
The photogenic highways and sublime landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island are what are rider’s dreams are made up of. You can explore these alpine gems in multiple ways, but if you wish to witness the best views of the contrasting vistas, you should go on a self-guided tour instead. There are certain organisations that offer GPS guided trips, enabling riders to explore the region on their own. The hand-picked route options involve various mountain passes, taking you through multiple local destinations like West Coast, Milford Sound and Queenstown.
Milford Sound
Auckland to Clevedon Loop
Ask any local rider in New Zealand and they’d have a lot to tell about the beauty of rural Auckland. This specific route is based out of South Auckland, and provides some of the best views of Waikato River (of North Island) too. This trip takes you southwards through State Highway 1, before making you turn left at Karaka, taking a bridge that leads to Waiuku town, and then towards State Highway 2, eventually entering the Hunua Ranges and thus looping into Clevedon.
Christchurch to Westport
This one’s an ideal route for riders interested in the ultimate TranzAlpine experience on a motorbike. As is the case with the well-known train ride, the journey from Christchurch to Westport takes you through the South Island’s eastern shores, into the West Coast’s rugged backdrops. The primary difference between the train ride and motorbike journey is that the train takes you to Greymouth, and being on two wheels will take you further upwards to the Westport town, through State Highway 7. Nelson Lakes National Park, Lake Sumner Forest Park and Hanmer Springs are some of the stopovers that are definitely worth considering along this route.
This “once in a lifetime” ride that will take you in some of the most remote and dramatic areas of the Spiti Valley (pictured above) and Ladakh, in north India.
It starts in the foothills of the Himalayan range and goes all the way to Leh.
Riders will travel on some of thehighest roads in the worldsuch as the Chang La and the Khardung Lah at 5300m, visit ancient monasteries and immerse yourself in the Indo-Tibetan culture.
The price for thisall-inclusivemotorcycle tour through the Himalaya is $US4350 (about $A6490 on today’s exchange rate) but Motorbike Writer Followers can enjoy a10% discount saving $US435.
The offer isvalid only until 15 March 2020.
The tour includes:
Bike, fuel & oil
Accommodation (tented camps & hotels)
All meals, snacks, drinking water & soft drinks
Local & English guide
Support vehicle
Mechanic
Spare parts
Domestic flights from Delhi to Chandigarh / Leh to Delhi
Choose between a Royal Enfield Bullet 500cc or Himalayan 410cc for this motorcycle adventure of 16 days on top of the world (12 days of riding).
Although the tour has been designed to help the acclimatisation process by starting at lower altitudes and gradually ascending to higher altitude up to 5600m, it’s a physically challenging adventure and it requires some riding experience and skills.
Definitely not for the faint hearted. Are you up for the challenge?
For more info, write to[email protected]and don’t forget to claim your Motorbike Writer special discount.
We travelled with Extreme Bike Tours in Sri Lanka and can thoroughly recommend them as safe, professional and friendly operators.
2021 tour dates
Extreme Bike Tours has released its 2021 tour dates with three firsts in India, Myanmar and Mongolia.
Rajasthan “On a shoestring” is an easy budget-friendly tour which is all about the destinations.
“The Road to Mandalay” in Myanmar is already fully booked but they are now looking into running a second tour.
The Mongolia Gobi Desert itinerary and logistics are now in place.
Rajasthan – On a Shoestring, 10-23 January
Hidden Sri Lanka – Ride in Luxury, 13-25 February
Myanmar – The Road to Mandalay (fully booked), 7-20 March
Bhutan – Gross National Happiness, 10-24 April
Himalaya – Through the Clouds, 10-25 July
Hidden Sri Lanka – Ride in Luxury, 10-22 July
Mongolia – On the Trail of Chinggis Khan, 31 July – 10 August
Tibet – Mt. Everest Base Camp & The Forbidden City, 6-21 September
Nimbin in northern NSW was the site of the famous Aquarius Festival 27 years ago and remains a unique tourist drawcard for its alternative hippie lifestyle.
It’s also a popular attraction for riders — and not because they can stock up on illegal weed!
In fact, riders are warned that police frequently patrol the area and sometimes conduct NSW/Queensland joint border operations to search vehicles.
On one “trip” to Nimbin our riding group was warned from as far as Uki that the “filth” were everywhere!
Indeed, there was a host of police road and off-road motorcycles, cars and even helicopters as we approached Nimbin.
Hippie culture
The town is a throwback to a time when hippie culture was popular. That’s perhaps one reason I and many of my age like it.
I started riding in the early ‘70s when hippies and motorcycles were both freedom lovers, law breakers and anti-establishment.
It’s kind of kitsch now with many tourist shops selling smoking paraphernalia, joss sticks, greenie-slogan t-shirts, hemp clothing, etc.
There are also a lot of great cafes and restaurants with a wide mix of healthy foods and refreshments for the weary rider.
But these are not the main reasons riders should visit Nimbin.
Nimbin roads
Typical of roads around Nimbin
The major rider attraction is the roads and the spectacular scenery.
In fact, it is so bad the locals sometimes paint rainbow colours around the most dangerous potholes to warn traffic.
Lismore City Council is almost negligent in its official warning signs of potential hazards and its backlog of roadworks, probably because of a lack of ratepayer funds from the local citizenry.
But if you take things cautiously, the roads can have wonderful sections of twisting tarmac through some spectacular forest and rock formations. There are also some great dirt roads in the area.
Most riders whiz past the Nimbin signs on the Kyogle Rd, but they shouldn’t.
Take the Nimbin Rd, Stony Chute Rd, Blue Knob Rd or Turntable Falls Rd and enjoy.
If you’re riding around South East Queensland, chances are you will call in to Esk where we recommend dropping into the Blacktop Motorcycle Works museum.
The free museum and British bike workshop is right next door to the Red Deer Cafe in the main street where many riders stop off for a coffee.
After your coffee and cake, pay a visit to see the old British bikes at Blacktop and chat with owners Jim and Naomi McKenzie and their business partner Brian Holzigal.
What they don’t know about old British bikes you could print on a postage stamp —remember them?
Jim and Naomi moved their business from Clifton about 18 months ago because they like the Esk area with its great motorcycle roads and quick access to Brisbane and the coast.
“We’re on a great bike route over the mountain (Mt Glorious) and around the dams,” Jim says.
The Blacktop museum features about 25 old British bikes.
Naomi says they get visitors to the museum all day (except Sunday when they are closed), and not just riders.
“There is a lot of interest from old blokes who’ve had one or their dad had one,” she says.
Most of the museum bikes are owned by Brian and they are not for sale.
“I have about three times that many at home but the bulk of the clean ones are here on display,” says Brian whose work you can see on his BMC website.
“We rotate the display as we finish restoring bikes.”
British bike specialists
Brian (left) and Jim in their workshop
Blacktop also sell merchandise, parts and have a workshop where they do restorations and repairs on classic British bikes.
“We mainly do Triumphs, Nortons and BSAs because that’s what we like and are good at,” Jim says.
“We have customers send us their bikes from all over Australia.”
Jim started many years ago as a service station mechanic in Brisbane.
Several years ago he met up with Brian who had owned British and American motorcycle shop centre in Brisbane in the 1980s before moving to the USA for about 17 years.
“We met when we were racing classic sidecars,” Jim says.
Brian says Norton is his favourite, especially the Commando because it’s “easy to play with”.
Brian with his Norton collection
“My favourite every day rider would be the Commando Fastback,” Brian says.
“Then it would be unit-construction Triumphs.”
Jim’s favourite bikes are pre-unit Triumphs, so between them they have a pretty good knowledge of the venerable British brand.
Please call Jim on 0414 477 823, Naomi on 0408 312 341, or email Naomi to arrange group or club rides.
How far would you go to win a fortune? Would you hop stark naked (but sporting a helmet!) on a motorcycle and race against the clock through the Irish countryside?
Someone in the sleepy town of Tulaigh Mhór (Tullymore), population 52, has won the lottery, and the town locals have tracked down the winner, Ned Divine. Immortalised in the 1998 comedy film, “Waking Ned,” the poor old fella died of shock clutching his winning ticket; a huge smile lights up his otherwise moribund visage. There were more twists and turns in the plot than on the streaking bike route, but eventually the lottery man presents a check.
Motorbike routes around Ireland
For those who prefer to bike your way around Ireland fully clothed, the country is a haven of suitable routes. If you fancy yourself as the next Irish lottery winner, be sure to sign your ticket, update your will, and have someone with you when you check the numbers in case the shock proves too much for you.
Images: Celtic Ride Motorcycle Rentals
Wild Atlantic Way
At 2,500 km, this epic journey is the longest defined coastal highway in the world. The route is broken onto six regions, all of which make contact with the Emerald Isle’s Atlantic coast and one of which passes near Tullymore.
Northern headlands — As you might expect, this part of the trail begins at the extreme northwestern part of the island in County Donegal. Dubbed by National Geographic Traveller as 2017’s “Coolest Place on the Planet,” the unspoiled paradise that is Donegal offers steep granite cliffs, wild shores, and a chance to brush up on your Irish Gaelic.
Lighthouse enthusiasts take note: Donegal hosts two of Ireland’s best. If time allows, climb up the 39 metre tower of Fanad Head Lighthouse, built around 1817 after the wreck of the HMS Saldanha in 1812. Somewhat shorter at 14 metres is St John’s Lighthouse at the end of Ireland’s longest peninsula.
The Surf Coast — From Donegal Town to Erris is where you’ll find some of the best surfing on the Atlantic coast, although where you’ll strap on your board is anybody’s guess. The golden red sands of Strandhill make a fine place for a picnic or a leisurely stroll to stretch your legs and clear your head.
The Bay Coast — The westernmost part of Ireland stretches south from Erris to Galway Bay. Visitors flock here to swim, paraglide, kiteboard, dive and go kayaking. Here you will also find Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park, 15,000 hectares of unparalleled scenery.
The Cliff Coast — From Galway south to North Kerry, you’ll meet musicians in Doolin, puffins in Moher, and bottle-nose dolphins in the mouth of the Shannon River. One of the most popular spots in Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher host around 1.5 million tourists every year.
The Southern Peninsula — It’s a coin toss whether you’re closer to New York here or on the Bay Coast. With five peninsulas, the difference is only a gnat’s whisker. There’s plenty to see and do here, from paddle-boarding with dolphins to viewing crashing surf from the dizzying heights of a cable car or sailing to a World Heritage site.
The Haven Coast marks the southernmost stretch of the Wild Atlantic Trail, extending from Bantry Bay to Kinsale via Skibbereen. The Old Head of Kinsale is rich with history having served as a wine port, a Viking grading post and the site of the wreck of the Lusitania. Kinsale is also home to another of Ireland’s great lighthouses, jutting three kilometres out into the Atlantic. Not accessible from the shore, it may be viewed from a distance via kayak or cruise.
The Wild Atlantic Way is one of many marvellous motorbike trails. If you absolutely must recreate David Kelly’s wild ride to Tullymore in Waking Ned, with or without clothes as you see fit, you’ll find it in County Donegal around 14 minutes’ drive from St John’s Point. Stop for a pint at Fitzgerald’s pub if you can find it. With a bit of luck and a round or two, you just might be rewarded with a few tales of the tiny village’s famous folklore. Who knows? Your pint could be served by none other than Ned’s own son, Maurice.
Riders love being on the road, feeling the rush of air around them, and staring at the path ahead. It gives you a view like never before and allows you time to bond with your loved one and share the thrill of the ride. So, if you are stuck on anniversary ideas and cannot seem to see what works best for your spouse, how about riding across the country? You can fall in love with each other again and enjoy sunsets by the road. How magnificent would that be?
Here are some fantastic road trips you can embark on in Australia, and what makes them stand out from the rest:
Queensland- Brisbane to Mount Mee
If you are looking for a scenic ride which you can look back on for years to come, this is it. You get to make your way through mountainous regions and take pictures against picturesque backdrops. The corners are smooth, and they sweep through the hilly areas, taking you through straight stretches that seem to have no end. For more than 100km, there is little else but you and the mountains. Plus, you will come across many other bikers plying the same route, as is common during the weekends. It takes about three hours to get to cover this route. So, you can start early and take a picnic on the road while creating enough bonding moments before arriving at your destination.
Mt Mee
There are many stops along the route, where you can stop for lunch or snacks. Thus, you do not have to carry a thing. The base of Mount Mee will be your destination. On getting here, you can go back the same way you came. Or you could use a shorter route following the Dayboro route. The alternative will not be as scenic as this stretch, but it will only take you an hour to get back to the start point.
Northern Territory – Darwin to Litchfield Park
This route is also quite scenic, and it stretches over 167km. You can, therefore, make the trip to and from within a day. Or you could make some stops along the way and prolong the ride and your time together. The route follows the Stuart Highway, for the most part, affording you a smooth ride as you take in the expanse of the territory. From here, you can veer off the main road and head towards Rum Jungle. Alternatively, you could follow other routes that locals do and bathe in the raw beauty that surrounds this road.
As you get to Litchfield Park, the road stops being a straight stretch, and it gives way to some sweeping curves. Not only do they add to the thrill of the ride, but they also enable you to take in the beauty of the Wangi Falls towards the end. Plus, there is a café at the national park where you could stop for some photos and a bite.
New South Wales – Kangaroo Valley Ride
Kangaroo Valley
For pictures that speak a thousand words, follow this route which starts at the Princess Highway. It then follows the national park before veering towards the coast and entering the peripheries of Wollongong. In this way, you will experience the thrill of different settings along a 116km ride.
These routes are ideal for both day trips and prolonged journeys. And they will provide you with memories to make your anniversary all the more enjoyable. Have fun!
Aussie rider Linda Norman has published a US road trips guide for other Australian riders after spending several years touring the country with her husband, Barry.
Linda says her guide includes tips such as placing a red arrow on the screen or fairing that points to the kerb to remind riders to ride on the right side of the road.
“It is very easy to forget what side you are supposed to ride on when you become fatigued,” she says.
Other helpful tips revolve around licensing and helmet laws, phone connections, currency conversion and insurance.
“I also cover the options of undertaking a fully guided tour, hiring a bike, shipping your own, or purchasing one over there and how to ship it home.”
Sturgis
Route 66
The book features the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Route-66, and many of the great bucket list rides, with full-colour photos from her tours as well as easy-to-follow maps.
“My book is written by an Aussie, for Aussies, and was printed in Australia,” Linda says.
Road trips
Linda describes herself as a 50+ nana of three who has been around motorbikes since meeting her husband over 37 years ago.
She was the first woman in Queensland to become a registered Q-Ride provider and is now on her 12th Harley, a 2018 Roadglide.
“I remember my first trip to America, the planning, searching, studying that went into that trip and there was still so much we didn’t know,” Linda says.
Be prepared for weather extremes!
“My husband, Barry, and I head over to America almost every year and spend between four to six weeks riding roads that just seem to get better every day, winding our way among the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, or cruising our way along a favourite part of the historic Route-66.
“I love traveling those hidden backroads, finding historic little towns that still look the same as when the people walked away from them over 100 years ago.
Linda and Barry have also done a lot of road trips throughout Australia, Canada and many other countries. They are also planning a ride to Alaska in 2020.
After the recent bombing tragedy in Sri Lanka, security has been stepped up and it’s now deemed safe to ride this gem of a destination for motorcyclists. Who better to give us a guide to riding in Sri Lanka than Rohan Sourjah who has written a book about it called “Motorcycling Adventures in Sri Lanka” and recently returned from a ride around the country. Here’s his story:
Rohan’s book
Background
The island of Sri Lanka is shaped like a teardrop and the people in that nation have shed many tears over the years. There was hope in their hearts because the three decades civil war had ended almost 10 years previously.
But on Easter Sunday this year, fundamentalist suicide bombers blew themselves up in three churches and three luxury hotels, killing more than 250 people and injuring about 500, including many innocent children.
The aftermath has been devastating as tourists stopped arriving. Tourism is the livelihood of more than a million people who suddenly had no way of earning an income and feeding their families. In just a matter of seconds, their lives had been devastated. Almost five months later, their situation remains dire because only a few tourists are visiting the island.
I grew up in Sri Lanka and some of my most wonderful memories are of riding a small Yamaha YB90 two-stroke motorcycle to many parts of the island with school friends on their own machines.
Rohan and friends in the ’80s
Fast forward to 2014 and I bought a Royal Enfield 350cc “Classic” bike in Sri Lanka. My plan was to ride around the island and once again visit the beaches, mountains, historical sites and wildlife sanctuaries as well as experience the different cultures, religions and diverse landscapes that the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” offers. This took four years to complete and I published a book about those travels in June this year titled “Motorcycling Adventures in Sri Lanka.”
One of the reasons for publishing this book is to attract motorcyclists to visit Sri Lanka because it does offer some wonderful riding experiences in an exotic and tropical land. And I hope readers of this article would consider travelling to Sri Lanka, whether to ride a motorcycle or travel in a vehicle, to help the people of the island. Whatever money you spend over there would benefit families who are suffering and more importantly show terrorists that their senseless and inhumane actions don’t scare us motorcyclists.
Ride for Sri Lanka
The Easter Sunday bombings took place after I had booked my airline tickets for the launch of my book. I didn’t change my travel plans, but I was very shocked when I landed in the island because hotels and tourist businesses were virtually empty.
It was during this time that I hatched a plan with some of my school friends about planning a “Ride for Sri Lanka” to show solidarity with the people and encourage tourists, particularly motorcyclists, to visit the island. The plan was to entice journalists of motorcycle magazines from around the world to come to Sri Lanka, ride on a planned tour, and then go back and write about their experiences. However, the planning for that event takes months and that ride is planned for around February 2020.
I was acutely aware that the Sri Lankan people urgently needed to entice tourists back to the island, and that they wanted those tourists NOW! With that in mind, I sent messages to some of my friends about joining me for a cause which I titled “Riding for Sri Lanka” to occur in August 2019. One of my school friends from Melbourne, Robert “Bob” Peterson, said he would join me even though there were only a few weeks to plan this ride.
Sri Lanka, being an island, experiences two monsoonal seasons every year. These bring rain to different parts of the island at different times during the year. In August, the monsoon affects the south and west of the island, bringing rains to Colombo and the western slopes of the central mountains, but also strong winds that are a delight to kite surfers in places like Kalpitiya and Mannar in the north-west areas of the island.
I initially planned a three-day ride even though Bob said he was free for at least a week. The rains were causing landslides and flooding in parts of the island, so we decided to stick to the west coast and travel north of Colombo, leaving our itinerary flexible.
Bob (left) and Rohan prepare for their tour
Colombo to Eluvankulam
Normally I leave the busy town of Colombo before 5am but Bob had to travel to meet me and collect his motorcycle. We left at 8.30am and got bogged in the office rush hour which meant it was a slow and tedious affair to get out of Colombo. There was traffic all the way to Negombo (near the international airport) but we kept moving without too much hassle.
We had some refreshments at a roadside restaurant in Negombo and after that, the road narrowed, the traffic was almost continuous, and it was a bother until we passed Chilaw. From there onward it was a pleasure riding on a smooth road with not much traffic with some large lagoons on the left.
Part of the large Mundel Lagoon on the road to Puttalam
We were stopped by police before Puttalam but they just wanted to check our drivers’ licences, motorcycle registration and insurance papers. This is a common occurrence and nothing to be worried about. As a foreigner they won’t hassle you, but I always recommend you have an International Driver’s Licence. Please don’t show your original drivers’ licence! We spoke to them in English (although we can speak the Sinhalese language) and they became our friends.
Bob and his new policeman friends
The Royal Enfield bikes rumbled along the road, their distinctive beat echoing around the countryside. People on the road heard this “Doof” “Doof” sound and looked at us and our bikes along the way. We passed Puttalam, where much of the salt in Sri Lanka is made, and then travelled along a wonderful motorcycling road to a small hamlet called Eluvankulam, which is 28 kilometres north of Puttalam. This is only a few kilometres south of Wilpattu, the largest and oldest national park in Sri Lanka.
We arrived at “The Backwaters” resort which is managed by Tarique Omar, a school friend and motorcycle rider. Tarique was in Colombo but we were greeted by his second-in-command, Rizvi, who also loves riding motorcycles. The resort was so pleasant that we decided to stay an extra day because I wanted to take a boat trip to visit an ancient Baobab tree planted by Arab traders in ancient times as well as visit some historic ruins within Wilpattu National Park. While on the safari we saw elephants, deer, birds, wild boar and crocodiles but not the elusive leopard and bear. To our dismay, a family that was staying at The Backwaters showed us photographs they had taken of a leopard only a few minutes after we had passed that very spot.
Ancient Baobab tree in Wilpattu National Park
Eluvankulam to Mannar
There are two routes to travel from Puttalam to Mannar. The most direct is through Wilpattu National Park, which is a dirt road that is passable during the dry season. I have been on that road on a motorcycle and I was pretty scared as the jungle closes to the verges of the road in many places and there could be wildlife just next to you. I didn’t want to end up as leopard shit or trampled by an elephant.
The other road skirts Wilpattu National Park to the east and that is what we took. We travelled along some small roads through villages and joined the main road to the ancient city of Anuradhapura. A little further on is the large Thabbowa Wewa (lake) which was partially dry. I have seen this beautiful lake when it is full with water as the road passes through the southern end of it and it’s fascinating to see water on either side with lots of birds. The road then passes through jungle which is an elephant corridor and it’s not advisable to ride or drive along that section in the night. You certainly don’t want to meet a wild elephant while on a motorcycle!
We didn’t have to travel all the way to Anuradhapura, instead turning north to Tantirimale, an ancient Buddhist monastery which has beautiful old rock carvings of a reclining Buddha and other images. It’s best to visit this historic site in the morning because it is built on a large rock outcrop and can get extremely hot from around 10:30am.
The road to Tantirimale is also through small villages and is a motorcyclist’s dream. My plan was to stop and take a look at the monastery but a high-ranking politician had arrived for a function and we weren’t allowed to park our motorcycles near the temple. The policemen were extremely polite and were interested in our motorcycles but we only bought some bottles of water and proceeded north along a somewhat bumpy road until we came to the Mannar road.
We turned west and rumbled along the flat and parched countryside which hadn’t seen rain for many months. Bob was setting a hectic pace, well over the maximum speed limit in Sri Lanka, which is just 70 km/h. One of my reasons for travelling along this road was to see an ancient reservoir called Yodha Wewa (Giant’s Tank). Nobody yet knows when this engineering marvel was constructed and the British engineers considered it a failed construction works because they couldn’t understand how the whole system worked. There is absolutely no signage or information about this reservoir along the road, except for a huge bund that accompanies you on the right when travelling towards Mannar. I stopped the motorcycle, climbed the bund and was amazed at the expanse that I could see. There wasn’t much water but I couldn’t even imagine what it would look like when the rains came.
Apparently, this reservoir gets its water from a river far away and the gradient of the slope is so small that it’s almost impossible to recreate in modern times. And the reservoir feeds a number of lakes (called “tanks”) that have been silted up over the 2000 plus years when these civil engineering works were first constructed. Even today, the full extent of the irrigation scheme is yet to be understood which shows how advanced that ancient civilisation was when Europeans at that time were living a subsistence life.
Giant’s Tank (Yodha Wewa) is gigantic
About 25km later we reached the causeway that connects the island of Mannar to the mainland. It’s an amazing feeling riding along a road about a metre above the waters of the Gulf of Mannar on one side and the waters of the Palk Strait on the other. In ancient times, this was the main passage for vessels sailing from the Indian Ocean to the Bay of Bengal but over the years the waters have got very shallow due to silting and now only small fishing boats can use the passageway.
A bridge takes you over the last part of the causeway and you will see the Mannar Fort, first built by the Portuguese, expanded by the Dutch and then taken over by the British. The purpose of the fort was to control and levy taxes on shipping though the passage but sadly the fort is now abandoned and not maintained. If you are interested in history, the fort has the remains of an old Dutch church and a number of engraved tombstones on the floor.
The next thing you will notice in Mannar are the donkeys roaming all over. They were brought by Arab traders in ancient times and used to transport goods inland and bring back items that they took overseas. When modern transportation was introduced, the donkeys were let loose and now roam wild.
Our journey continued along a bumpy and narrow road to the Palmyrah House which is located in the middle of the island. It’s a hotel that is environmentally friendly and has ponds that attract birds and wildlife, especially during the drought that had been experienced for many months. The General Manager, Udaya Karunaratne, is a school friend and has ridden his Honda Africa Twin to all parts of the island. He is more than happy to welcome motorcyclists and offer advice and suggestions.
We consumed chilled beers and relaxed in the quiet and peaceful hotel. The weather was warm and humid, but we had been buffeted for many kilometres by the “trade winds” that blow inland at this time of the year. It was so relaxing that I didn’t want to travel the 28 kilometres to the end of the island to see “Adam’s Bridge” (also called “Rama’s Bridge”) which is a row of islands and sand bars that partially connect Sri Lanka to India. The owners of the Palmyrah House have a property adjoining the first of these islands called “Vayu Resorts” which is a popular kitesurfing place at this time of the year.
There are a couple of stories as to how these names came about. The ancient “Ramayana” epic states that a king in India called Rama, enlisted the help of ape people (“Hanuman”) to build the bridge so he could cross with his army to Lanka to free his wife who had been kidnapped by a king called Ravana. The second story is that Adam and Eve used this bridge to cross from India to Sri Lanka after they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. In fact, at the tip of Mannar island are two extremely long graves, measuring 40 feet and 38 feet, that are supposed to be the tombs of Adam and Eve respectively. I haven’t seen them, but I definitely will on my next visit.
Mannar to Jaffnar and back
My plan was to ride to Jaffna and stay the night there which would have given us time to visit some of the historic sites as well as ride to some of the nearby islands. Bob, however, was very happy staying at the Palmyrah House in Mannar and wanted to ride to Jaffna and back the same day. The distance to Jaffna was just 130 kilometres so that wasn’t be a problem as there isn’t much traffic on that road.
We set off at 8:30am and once again Bob set a cracking pace as we zoomed along the smooth road at around 100 km/h, well over the speed limit. Fortunately we weren’t stopped by the police and we reached Pooneryn in about an hour and stopped to buy some iced drinks and get the circulation going again in our bums. The landscape is flat, the road is generally straight and there isn’t anything interesting to see, but it’s a good ride.
Rest break at Pooneryn
A short time later we were crossing the long causeway which connects the Jaffna peninsula to the mainland. This was built only after the civil war ended in 2009 and is a lovely stretch to ride with water on either side. However, a blustery crosswind was moving my bike around although Bob’s weight had his bike planted firmly on the tarmac. We were soon in Jaffna town where the traffic was chaotic and we stopped in front of the massive Jaffna Fort. This huge and ancient structure was damaged during the civil war, with the beautiful Dutch Church completely destroyed by the terrorists.
We didn’t go inside the fort, but instead I wanted to look at a couple of historic ruins. Our bikes rumbled to life and soon we were completely lost in the maze of streets that meander throughout Jaffna town and the surrounding area. I eventually gave up in disgust and we found our way back to the main road. I asked Bob whether he wanted anything to eat, but he said we should travel back to Mannar and have lunch at the Palmyrah House.
Causeway connecting the Jaffna Peninsula to the mainland
The time was around 11:45am when we left Jaffna and we were soon travelling fast in a southerly direction with the crosswind knocking my bike about. All good things have to end as a policeman jumped onto the road and signalled for Bob to stop. He had a radar gun and it showed that Bob was travelling around 80 km/h in a 50 km/h zone! The policemen were very polite and decent when they saw our white faces and we spoke to them in English. To add to the drama, Bob only had a photocopy of his Australian drivers’ licence which wasn’t adequate.
However, the policemen soon became our friends and after a surreptitious exchange of a small amount of money, we got back on our bikes and travelled the remaining 20 kilometres to Mannar and were back at the Palmyrah House where Udaya Karunaratne was so surprised to see us back that early that he asked us whether we had actually travelled to Jaffna.
My bum was aching and I walked around for some time, downing chilled beers while the kitchen rustled up some sandwiches and French fries for us. The time was around 1.15pm and Bob decided to relax in the swimming pool after lunch.
Swimming pool and pond at Palmyrah House
The dinner was delicious, especially the fried crab and we went to bed fairly early. It had been a great day riding and then relaxing in the hotel.
Mannar to Eluvankulam
Bob and I were sad to leave Palmyrah House because we had really enjoyed our stay and especially the friendly and helpful staff who had looked after us so well. They were almost all from the island of Mannar who have had the chance to learn new skills and the opportunity of having a career in hospitality. This was our reason for “Riding for Sri Lanka.”
Ready to leave Palmyrah House
Udaya wished us goodbye as the Royal Enfield bikes rumbled away and Bob stuck to the speed limit. It was frustrating travelling along those empty roads at 70 km/h but I did get a chance to survey the countryside much better. We were soon back at Tantirimale where we parked our motorcycles in front of the historic monastery and drank some chilled drinks.
A local lady had brought some of the most beautiful Lotus flowers to sell to visitors to the temple and the deep purple hues of those flowers was really astounding. Sri Lankan people in the villages and small towns are the friendliest on this earth and will go out of their way to help you if needed. They are generally shy and reserved, but all you need is to strike up a conversation, even if they don’t know English, and they will become your friends. And it is very rare that they will try to extract money from you.
Beautiful Lotus flowers at Tantirimale
Our bikes rumbled back to life and we enjoyed our ride back to the main road to Puttalam. From there we maintained the speed limit because there were many police, but nobody bothered us.
We then turned off to Thabbowa and enjoyed a peaceful ride through remote villages until we arrived at the road to Eluvankulam. The time was 11:00am and I called Tarique Omar to have the beers chilled and lunch prepared as we would be at The Backwaters in a few minutes. The staff at the resort are lovely people from the local village and go out of their way to make your stay something to remember. And the food they cook is really great.
Only 17km to The Backwaters at Eluvankulam
Tarique Omar was at The Backwaters when we arrived and we were greeted by Rizvi with chilled cans of beer which lubricated our parched throats. Tarique joined us with some beers, even though he hadn’t ridden with us. He was supposed to have joined us for the ride to Mannar on his Honda CB400 but had to go to Colombo for a family function and was jealous of our escapades.
Bob Peterson and Tarique Omar have beers. The third glass is mine!
The Backwaters is a place where you can chill out and that’s exactly what we did. In the evening we walked down to the placid waters of the Uppu Aru and watched the sunset. The property has a resident wild elephant who roams around when everyone is asleep but hasn’t harmed anyone or damaged any property. It’s unbelievable how such a large animal can walk around so silently.
Eluvankulam to Colombo
The ride back to Colombo meant battling with traffic and I planned to reach the city after the morning rush hour but before the schools closed. That meant getting home between 11:00am and noon. The journey is approximately 3.5 hours by car, but motorcyclists aren’t permitted on the motorway that runs from the airport to the outskirts of the city.
We left The Backwaters at 8.30am and had a peaceful ride until we approached Chilaw when the traffic increased considerably. Like a pair of gladiators, we battled the tintops. The road only has one lane in each direction which makes overtaking difficult.
We didn’t stop until we reached Negombo where the road widens into dual-lanes in each direction. The traffic now moved more smoothly but as we approached Colombo we ran into heavy traffic and ultimately a traffic jam. However, after some horrible minutes, we turned off onto backroads and arrived at my friend’s house around 12:15pm which wasn’t a bad run. We pulled off our riding gear and immediately attacked the beers.
Bob has sunburn on his face as he was wearing an open-face helmet without a visor
It had been a wonderful ride up the west coast of the island over six days and the weather gods had been kind to us as we only had about two minutes of rain. While we were enjoying ourselves, Colombo had been experiencing a lot of rain. Such is the nature of a tropical island that experiences monsoonal conditions and it’s always good to carry wet weather gear regardless of what time of the year you travel around the island.
We were determined to prove that it’s safe to travel in Sri Lanka and both Bob and I never felt unsafe at any time during our trip. And there’s no better way to explore the island than on a Royal Enfield motorbike which has a remarkable presence on the roads of Sri Lanka as it’s not a common bike and its distinctive sound always attracts attention. You certainly make friends on a Royal Enfield.
If you are interested in riding a motorcycle in Sri Lanka, please contact Rohan by email at [email protected] or on 0438264632.
If you want to see photos of this ride, and other previous rides, please visit his Facebook page.
Extreme Bike Tours is offering a 10% discount on its first tours of Tibet and Nepal, the Mt Everest base camp and the Forbidden City of Lhasa in 2020.
Riders will be aboard Royal Enfield Himalayan adventure motorcycles which were tested in the Himalayas.
Royal Enfield Himalayan
We toured Sri Lanka last year with Extreme Bike Tours and found them to be top value, professional and honest.
Company part-owner Ben Lloyd says there is already so much interest in their 15-day, 2277km tour that they have scheduled two tours next year from 5-20 September and 22 September to 6 October.
Their tours have a cap of 10 riders to keep them intimateand safe.
Prices are $US5895 (about $A8800) for riders, $US4950 ($A7350) for a pillion and $US695 ($A1000) for a single room.
If you book before the end of October 2019, they will take 10% off.
That’s good value as they stay in good quality hotels and all meals are included. In fact, everything but your flights, health insurance, alcohol and tips is included.
Tibet treasures
The tour starts in Kathmandu, Nepal, and climbs to 5220m to Mt Everest base camp and on to the spectacular Tibetan Plateau.
The Forbidden City of Lhasa
They even include free oxygen cylinders for those find the altitude hard going.
Despite the adventure, it’s still only rated at “intermediate” skill level, so there will be some rough riding involved.
Highlights of the tour include stunning mountain scenery, challenging roads, spectacular waterfalls, sacred caves, ancient monasteries and temples, and jaw-dropping views of Mt Everest from old Tingri if the weather is kind.
Scandinavia has a lot of beautiful landscapes that just beg to be discovered. There are hundreds of ways to experience all that Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland have to offer, and one of those ways is by taking your motorcycle and exploring. Here are 10 cool motorcycle routes you should take on your next visit the Europian north.
Inkoo to Karjaa in Finland
A modern road that connects to a medieval road that runs through south Finland from west to east. Although a section of the road is straight, the vast majority of it is curvy with a lot of twists and bends. There are multiple cafes along the Inkoo boat harbour, as well as the historical village of Fagervik and an old ancient iron factory. As you get closer to Snappertuna you would see the castle Rasenborg.
Bergen to Geiranger in Norway
A long road that may take you a couple of days, this path features multiple floating bridges that help you cross the myriad fjords. Beautiful landscapes such as glacial valleys, 1,000m cliffs and Sognefjorden, Norway’s longest fjord. At the end of the path at Geirangerfjord, there are magnificent foaming slashes of the Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil waterfalls.There’s ample time to stop and view the landscape. Alternatively, Casumo has a fantastic online casino in Norway that can be played while you’re taking a rest.
Route 62 in Finland
This route is long and gorgeous, featuring scenery from forests to bridges over waters and historic towns and villages. The best section is where the winding road meets the blue waters of Puumalan lake, where you can stop and enjoy the scenery. Approximately 112km long, you may want to take your time to stop and look at the view.
The E4 Highway, High Coast Route in Sweden
A famous route that stretches from Härnösand to Örnsköldsvik in north-eastern Sweden. This route takes you over the High Coast Bridge, a large suspension bridge that travels over Ångerman River. There are some really fascinating hiking trails if you want to stop. This ride won’t take you long, lasting about an hour and a half.
Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway
There are multiple bridges along this route (8 in counting!) with a generous amount of twists and dips through Norway’s most spectacular views. Keep in mind that this road can be hazardous in the rain, as the high altitude twists could make the leisurely ride fatal. Waves are known for crashing into the overarching bridges – so beware.
Route One in Iceland
Do this one in the summer to avoid the crippling winter cold. Iceland becomes a lush country of green with multiple panoramic views around May-June. You’ll see beaches with icebergs in the distance, enormous waterfalls, black sand, and fascinating wildlife. The full route is quite long at 1319km, so if you want to do this in one stretch, you better pack a snack.
Trollstigen in Norway
Also known as “The Trolls Ladder,” Trollstigen is a part of the Norwegian National Road 63 which is a high road on the side of a mountain. This 57km route has breathtaking views and sharp corners. Within the twist and turns is a waterfall that cascades towards the bottom of the hill. Getting to the top and looking down is the best part – check out that view!
West Coast and the Atlantic Wall in Denmark
A ride along the North Sea Coast that shows off the Bork Viking Harbour and the small town of Hvide Sande. Up the coast is the WWII Atlantic Wall fortification at Houvig and eventually the BunkerMuseum Hanstholm. This route is perfect for any war buff but is quite long at 228km. Still, it’s a great way to see various city sites in Denmark.
The Highlands in Denmark
The Lake Highlands have long winding roads from Silkeborg to Skanderborg, through a forest, idyllic villages and fields. This road features the best of nature and culture all in one sitting. The historical town of Himmelbjerget looks out on a river that winds around it. Great motorcycle route for those wanting the best of both worlds.
Fjordland in Norway
The fjords in western Norway are a quiet little pocket of beauty near Oslo. As you drive, you’ll be surrounded by endless mountains, forests and winding valleys as you approach Telemark. Hardangervidda National Park along the way shows off the west coastline, and the Laerdal Tunnel burrows through the mountainous landscape.
Milford Sound
Typical of roads around Nimbin
Brian (left) and Jim in their workshop
Brian with his Norton collection
