Riding a Motorcycle in Cyprus
Written by Jules
What to expect riding the roads of Cyprus
I’m often asked what it’s like riding in Cyprus and you know, it’s kind of difficult to explain. So when I first thought of writing this blog I decided I’d take a short cut and get a few opinions from people who had been riding here for years.
I put out a post on my Facebook page asking the question – ‘describe riding in Cyprus in one sentence’. Then I pat myself on the back and sat back smugly waiting for this blog to write itself.
Two things happened, one, it became obvious that bikers have no idea what a sentence is and two, it became even more obvious that they were as wordless as I as all I got back for my efforts were exclamations: Amazing! Fantastic! Epic! ….. to name but a few.
So, suitably unimpressed I got back down to writing. This is how I see it.
There is something incredibly satisfying about riding a motorcycle around Cyprus.
I always imagined it would be great being able to ride around a small island in the sun but I wasn’t prepared for the roads, bends and scenery I would encounter every single moment of every single ride.
The enhanced sense of freedom you feel when you’re able to ride 70% of the year in summer kit in itself, is an unthought-of bonus and the heightened sense of adventure and awareness you get as you sweep through the twisties and curves of mountain roads with drop-offs to your right is second to none.
It’s simply not possible to get so close to nature’s beauty from inside a car and Cyprus is a huge reminder that biking gives you the whole experience, you see, smell, feel and live every moment.
Another surprise to me is that once you start riding inland, it seems ‘all roads lead to Troodos’, no matter where you start.
Troodos mountain range in itself is a set of scenic roadways like no other, and it’s possible to ride all day and actually not rack up huge mileage as the roads can be tight and demanding with asphalt scythed into valleys and mountainsides.
Touring enthusiasts and die-hard sport-bike riders make a beeline for these roads to dust off the cobwebs and test their cornering skills but it’s safer to enjoy the ride, not go out to prove your bravado.
As with all riding inland in Cyprus, you need to keep two fingers on the brake lever in case a herd of goats or even a singular chicken doing a war dance appears around the bend (ask Sarah about that one!), as hitting either would, at the very least, seriously ruin your day and theirs!
Spring riding combines sensational bends with some of the finest scenery that Mother Nature can offer up and you marvel at dazzling mountain vistas as you crest roads through forests and meadows all ablaze in Monet colours.
Scenic detours can be the name of the game in springtime as winter often brings down rocks and rubble onto the sometimes very narrow roads and it may be necessary to change direction but it’s rarely an issue as it’s nice to dawdle through quaint villages along the way stopping every now and then for coffee and cake.
A lot of people don’t know that we get a decent amount of snow here in Cyprus and have quite a vibrant if small, snow scene. This does mean the roads are sometimes closed off after heavy snowfall, usually sometime between Jan and March due to heavy snowfall, but they’re never closed for long and it’s easy to navigate around.
Cyprus is an island where it’s possible to walk and swim on the beach in the morning and ski in the afternoon, just 45 minutes up the mountain.
Leaving the mountains behind, the old beach road offers a smorgasbord of treats: crashing surf, sandy tourist beaches, ruggedly natural beaches, breathtaking clifftop views and mountain views looking the other way. The road still has enough curves to keep you contented on a motorcycle from beginning to end.
A cliff-hugging ribbon just down the road from me stretches for a mere 12km but has frequent turnouts for enjoying stellar views, the paragliders diving off the cliffs and the colourful kites of surfers bobbing around in the breeze can often be seen as you ride by.
It’s certainly enough to whet your appetite for more, and that’s no problem as you can ride pretty much all the way to the border along the coast and pretty much the entire south Cyprus coast, from Polis to Agia Napa and beyond.
Occasionally you are snatched away inland for a few km’s and find yourself having to fill in a few gaps with an exit or two on the highway but even then, our highway – yes, we have only one, is two-lane and rarely very busy, and you soon find yourself at the other end of the island enjoying coffee and cake before riding back home.
We often ride the beach road for a 300km round trip just to get new tyres from the other side of the island, simply because we can.
It’s amazing how quickly you adapt to your surroundings and regular ride routes though. Whilst taking an American visitor around our favourite spots last winter she commented how technical the riding here was which gave us all pause for thought.
Then there are the people – the biker community here is awesome… but that’s a whole other story!
My conclusion: riding in Cyprus is the perfect definition of what a great bike ride should be.
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