Planning a Motorcycle Trip to Portugal

I'm aiming to visit Portugal next year and looking to rent a Yamaha motorcycle to get around. I find very useful tips on this site https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/four-tips-brought-home-from-a-motorcycle-vacation-in-portugal. Can someone share more advice from their own experiences? In particular, are there certain roads or areas to focus my riding on? Any lesser known places off the beaten path that are worth exploring? Any input would be much appreciated as I start planning this trip.

 

Wow and wonderful for you. Retired service member here and lived on a little island off the cost of Portugal for two yrs. Wonderful people and I think you will really enjoy your stay and trip. Not too sure what your overseas motorcycle riding past is, but the roads and drivers can sometimes be interesting. They have set safety gear that you have to have on hand at all times that we don't here in the states. I would guess that is the same for motorcycles on the main land, not sure? If you have not ridden on cobblestone, just take your time and get used to it. Also, some of the seaside areas use fill from the ocean to make some of the roads. When it starts to rain, the roads can get so slick from rain activating the elements in said fill.

Looks like you are already reading up on some good trips and or locations. What bike do you plan on renting when you get there?

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences living in Portugal, @Timbox! I'm curious about this little island off the coast of Portugal where you're staying, is this the island of Santa Maria? The safety tips about gear regulations and road conditions are very helpful as I prepare. I’m planning to visit in September, so there will be less likelihood of rains, as indicated in this article https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in-portugal-statistics-2023-the-ultimate-guide-5600. As for cobblestone roads, I think I’ll stick to the excellent public transport within Lisbon and Porto. As for the rental, I'm leaning towards a Yamaha Tracer 900 GT if they have those available. Thanks again for taking the time to offer guidance based on your time there. It's giving me a lot to think about for a safe and memorable trip in Portugal.

 

You are inside my head when it comes to a rental bike. I have been doing the pros and cons to buy the new GT Yam myself. So far the money is in the bank, and I am riding old bikes. The island is Terceira, it is small and only a gas station in the middle of the ocean. Not too much happening there, but nice people and great weather half the yr for riding. On the island, they had a high and low weather season. The high was most of the summer, the Ocean was so calm that you could see the current moving the water.

Then came the winter months, now this is only on the island, but wow did things change up. The wind was more or less a constant 45 mph staring in Nov and lasting till about May. I still rode the bike to work on the days it was only windy, but you really had to lean the bike into that wind. I see you are from California, not to sure if you are around the big water or not? Portugal is on record for having the largest waves in the world over the winter months. That is main land Portugal and waves are over 100' tall at times.

Getting an international drives license is not that hard. Used to me 100 signs on the test along with some normal other questions, and you were good to go. I can't recall if while passing they had "clear to the rear" law like Germany does, but I do know the roads on the mainland were nice, but the driving was interesting. I am sure you will enjoy your trip and for sure you will love to ride the GT, what a bike from all the reviews and vids I have watched. Just not going to plunk down $17 to $21 K for one.

 

Terceira sounds interesting with its own seasonal dynamics, offering a mix of calm summers and windy winters. Wow, those 100ft waves are incredible, but intimidating. I’m also not keen in purchasing the 900 GT here in California (I’m in Sacramento) because of the price, but it would be nice to ride it in Portugal for a few days, I’ve seen one with a rent of 125 Euro/day. Wishing you safe and enjoyable rides, whether on your current bikes or the anticipated Yamaha Tracer 900 GT!