MOTORCYCLE TOURING IN SPAIN
From the Picos de Europa mountains in the north, to the Straits of Gibralter in the south; the plains of the centre to the tourist traps of the Mediterranean, Spain’s got a lot to offer. It’s a big country with a relatively small population, and most of that is concentrated on a few big population centres, so the vast majority of the country is virtually empty. There are fantastic roads, stunning scenery, and great food. But there are also a few potential problems for the unwary traveller, so here’s our guide to the rules and regulations you need to know.
Speed limits in Spain
The general limit on normal roads (with no central separation or hard shoulder) out of town is 90km/h (55mph) unless signed otherwise. If there’s a second lane in one direction (usually a short overtaking lane) that goes up to 100km/h (62mph), and the same applies to roads with a hard shoulder each side. Motorways are 120km/h (75mph) (although that may be increased to 130km/h (80mph) soon). Urban areas (within town/village/city signs) are generally 50km/h (31mph) but might be lower and there are often residential areas that have 20km/h limits (12mph) – as you might imagine, these are widely ignored, not least by the residents themselves.
There is one sensible oddity; on normal out-of-town roads (single lane each way) you’re allowed to exceed the limit by up to 20km/h (12mph) in order to overtake slower traffic. And here’s another one: in small towns and villages there are often speed sensors on the way in. If you’re within the limit, no problem. If you’re over the limit they automatically turn the next set of traffic lights red, so you’re held up for longer than if you’d stuck to the limit in the first place. Simple but effective.
Can you ride in Spanish bus lanes?
Documents required to ride in Spain
You should also carry a European Accident Agreement Form to fill in in case of problems. When you contact your insurer to get that, it’s also worth checking whether your full cover is active abroad – under EU law you will be covered for the minimum anywhere in the EU, but many insurers charge extra to extend the cover to include theft or Fully Comprehensive cover.
Do I need travel insurance?
- Medical expenses
- Loss or theft of personal possessions
- Lost or delayed luggage
- Loss of your passport and other documents
- Travel delays and disruptions
- Having to cut your holiday short
In addition though, if you’re taking a motorcycle (or you’re renting one while you’re away) be sure that your insurer will cover you for any medical expenses, should you have an accident. You must also think about where you’re riding – some policies won’t cover you if you’re trail or enduro riding, or if you’re on a race track. Remember – this isn’t about your bike being covered, it’s about your medical expenses, should the worst happen.
If you’re only going away once, a single-trip policy will likely be all you need, but also consider an annual policy, which could extend to cover your family holidays too (a good insurer should also be able to offer cover for your whole family).
What you must take with you to Spain?
If you need glasses for riding, you must carry a spare pair as well (look on the bright side – if you lose one pair, the second pair will help you find them).
You need a GB sticker on the bike as well.
Some sources say you are required to wear gloves at all times, and anecdotal evidence says you might be stopped for riding without them. However there doesn’t actually seem to be a law in place to that effect, and we’ve seen Guardia Civil officers riding gloveless…
You must ride with a dipped headlight during the day.
What are the roads like in Spain?
The road surface in Spain vary hugely. At their best they’re smooth, flat (usually no camber) and grippy. At their worst it’s like the surface of the moon just after a meteorite shower. They often go from one extreme to the other with no warning, usually at the borders between different administrative regions (and sometimes even just different local councils).
In summer, in the dryer areas (which means most of Spain) there’s a gradual build-up of dust that can make the surface very slippery indeed – the later in the year, as a rule, the slippier it gets, waiting for the heavy rains of winter to clear it off again. So exercise caution.
In towns, there’s a similar build-up of rubber and oil residue, which doesn’t get washed away, so it can be just as dangerous.
And then there’s the white lines. Spanish white lines really are something special – they must be 99% Teflon. Absolutely no grip to them at all, even in the dry, and in the wet you could spin the rear up on a push-bike, let alone anything with an engine. Be very, very careful of white lines in Spain, okay?
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