Canaries, Recommendations?

[SteveR]

I'm off, for exactly the same reasons as you, to Gran Canaria about the same time!

I did a bit of research, and it looks like Fuerteventura is the best for off-road stuff, but plenty dual-purpose bikes around on Gran canaria. Anyway, by then SWMBO had made up her mind! Its the 2nd wettest month there, it seems, but fingers crossed!

I'm going to try to take my 2nd lid, as the rental ones can be old and manky !

3 days beemer 650 for 232 euros...http://www.motoandbike.com/moto-and-bik ... e-booking/

Yeah, I've heard about the helmets from another mate, needs a can of Febreeze!!

IKWYM about rain, it's what just made me think Canaries as opposed to Madeira actually.... Fair price for the Beemer, Madeira is about €240/3 days on same bike, so on a par.

[sprintster]

I don't know if you hired a bike on Madeira before but this year I'm going for a BMW F800R.I'm not an off-road rider,but even if I was I wouldn't be chancing it after leaving a €700-900 deposit.
I found the GS650 struggled a bit in the mountains last year solo so I wouldn't fancy it two-up.I'm taking my own helmet this year but the helmet I got from Magoscar's looked like new. (thumbs)

[dibbs]

Try these for Gran Canaria http://www.canarymotorcycletours.com/ not used them yet but the website seems informative enough. Im over there in March so will maybe have a day out with them

[SteveR]

I don't know if you hired a bike on Madeira before but this year I'm going for a BMW F800R.I'm not an off-road rider,but even if I was I wouldn't be chancing it after leaving a €700-900 deposit.
I found the GS650 struggled a bit in the mountains last year solo so I wouldn't fancy it two-up.I'm taking my own helmet this year but the helmet I got from Magoscar's looked like new. (thumbs)

I took riding gear when I was there before, but never found a "real" bike to hire, no way would I use a scooter on those mountain roads!!!

VERY good point on the deposit etc.... I am an off road rider, but not on that sort of machine, just too heavy.... (unless I own it!)

[SteveR]

Try these for Gran Canaria http://www.canarymotorcycletours.com/ not used them yet but the website seems informative enough. Im over there in March so will maybe have a day out with them

Pretty sure Ride mag did a review of them, pretty decent by all accounts.

[StorminNorm]

Been to Gran Canaria a few times and used this company at the Playa Del Ingles office, I think Patricio is the guys name.

http://www.motoandbike.com/moto-and-bik ... e-booking/


Always found them easy to deal with and I would recommend them, I have tried in the past to find anyone doing off road tours but had no joy, saying that it's 3 years since I've been.

Good luck with your holiday !

[waynecoluk]

It depends, are you going mainly for a biking holiday or a holiday WHWMBO with a bit of biking?
Weather wise Fuerteventura is very windy so can feel quite cold sometimes, especially at night. Lanzarote is the most northerly island so can be nice during the day but will be cool at night. Gran Canaria and Tenerife are always warm during the day and usually warm enough at night for a t-shirt etc.
I came back from Tenerife last week and it was gorgeous and sunny and warm at night. However whichever Canary island you go to don't expect 7 days of glorious sun because it won't happen (unless you are extremely lucky). It was my 9th time to Tenerife and I've done the other Canaries at least twice each and have never gone in the summer, always between November and April.
Loads to do in Tenerife and if you stay away from Las Americas its a lovely island and you can ride almost to the top of a 13000ft active volcano on a bike should you wish.

[Moorso]

Am extremely jealous.

But...my Dad has a place in Tenerife and we go quite often, so this is the island I have most experience of.

There are a plethora of bike hire places about, literally on most streets, but I would agree with other sentiments on here to head into the interiors of the respective islands (once the bike is hired, get out of the tourist spots!) - often the mountaneous areas. But in the likes of Tenerife there are conservation and forest parks here, and on the north of the island.

For me, the larger islands probably offer more in terms of distance, unsurprisingly, so I would go for one of them (Gran Caneria, Tenerife).

The other thing to remember is that there are frequent ferry sailings between the islands, so you are not necessarily limited to one island. The most common is the Fred Olsen between Tenerife and Gran Caneria, although La Gomera and El Hero can also be accessed by this.

[sprintster]

If you do decide on Madeira these are the guys.The bikes are all fairly new and well maintained. (thumbs)
www.magoscar.com

[SteveR]

WOW!!!

What a great reponse from so many of you. Thanks hugely for all the suggestions and recommendations for a destination and from my POV, for the links to a suitable bike hire company or 3!

I am now going to distill all of the wisdom down and present it to Madam, who will then probably decide she wants to go somewhere totally different... However, I'm the one booking and paying and if I got too much gip, I can always find a friend instead...

I am minded to go for GC if I can find the right Hotel, failing that Tenerife followed by Madeira. The real bonus with Madeira right now is I reckon it is a heck of a lot cheaper for a similar quality Hotel with the same chain. £150pp buys a couple of nice meals and a nice bike hire....

Happily no one suggested The Gambia.... Didn't want to go there, and my daughters suggestion of the US is too far for a week.




Plan B almost came off last Friday, but I had messed up the date/destination timings. My daughter is "doing" N and S America and was going to be in in Peru/Bolivia after the New year and I got permission to go out to meet her for a week, hire a bike and go for a tour. Sadly, she was going to be moving on just as I was going to be arriving... Earlier and I was into silly money flights, but there was a window when a RTN was only £600 to Lima... ahh well...