The new cruising tyre from Bridgestone has just been launched in Florida! Its three benefits: better grip, lighter handling and longer tyre life. And to celebrate the arrival of the Battlecruise H50 in Europe, here are our top five European coastal routes perfect for your cruiser, chopper, bobber or custom bike.
This is the first tyre from Bridgestone aimed squarely at riders of American V-twins. It provides a fat contact patch that ensures class-leading grip, but due to something called 'uniform contact pressure', that wide contact patch doesn't slow handling at all. In fact, Bridgestone says the H50's steering is almost 40% lighter than rivals. Vastly improved tyre life over the competition rounds off the tyre's main benefits.
To celebrate the tyre's arrival in Europe, here are our top five coastal roads to ride. There's a little of everything here: tight single-trackers, wide open corners, epic straights. Test your tyres on these roads, or upload your own favourites.
Quiet, Lazy, Beaches
Location: Greece
Length: 15km
View: 4/5
Surface: 3/5
Pleasure: 4/5
We don't even know if this thin strip of tarmac between the Greek villages of Mitikas and Palarios has a name. The surface is questionable in parts, and impeccable in others. One thing is certain, however: riding the road at sunset with a V-twin bubbling away beneath you will be an incredible experience. Traffic? What traffic? Check out more pictures and see the road on a map here.
Twisty, Mountainous, Côte d'Azur
Location: Marseille, France
Length: 12km
View: 4/5
Surface: 4/5
Pleasure: 4/5
Climb out of Vaufrèges following the wide road up the hillside and enjoying a few open switchbacks before piling on the throttle as the road opens out over the top of the Gineste Pass. Further east, feast your eyes on the monolithic red cliffs of Cap Canaille before dropping down into Cassis. Want more adventure? Ride along Cap Canaille on the tight and winding D141. Check out more pictures and see the road on a map here.
Dramatic, Rugged, Surf
Location: Galicia, Spain
Length: 16km
View: 4/5
Surface: 4/5
Pleasure: 3/5
The PO552 is all about the ocean. Just north of the Portugese border, this Spanish coastal route follows the Atlantic round a dramatic promontory complete with beached fishing boat next to the road. The curves are wide and open, giving you ample time to drink in the ocean air – hopefully not literally. Check out more pictures and see the road on a map here.
Classic, Twisty, Cliffs
Location: Napoli, Italy
Length: 43km
View: 4/5
Surface: 3/5
Pleasure: 4/5
Avoid holiday season, and traffic will be light on this Italian classic. It'll demand attention of a larger cruiser, and bring a spare set of pegs if you like grinding them down. Ride west from Vietri Sul Mare in the morning to keep the sun behind you, or the other way round in the afternoon. Amalfi itself can be riddled with bus-loads of tourists, but the houses clinging to cliffsides are an impressive sight. Check out more pictures and see the road on a map here.
Smooth Curves, Green Hills, Blue Skies
Location: Sardinia, Italy
Length: 41km
View: 5/5
Surface: 4/5
Pleasure: 5/5
Sardinia probably has the best tarmac of any area in Europe, and the SS49/105 are no exception to the rule. The route gives you a delicious blend of smooth and tight corners, cliff-side viewpoints, and straights to open the throttle on – perfect for an afternoon cruise. Take some time to ride this road at sunset, as the sun burrows down into the Mediterranean Sea beside you. Check out more pictures and see the road on a map here.
Share your favourite cruising routes with the Motorcycle Diaries community by adding them to our road atlas. Upload inspirational photos and a short description and you could be in with a chance of winning our monthly competition.
Each month we give away Arai helmets or sets of Bridgestone tyres to the users who submitted the best two roads that month.
The author of each road wins either a set of Bridgestone tyres matching their bike, or a brand-new Arai helmet.
