Back on the bike

Michael Legris hadn’t been in the saddle for nearly two decades before he decided to make a solo trip from Ireland to Iberia for a friend’s wedding

After a 17-year pause from riding, I’m finally back in the saddle – on a 2024 Road Glide^®, no less. I’d been looking to get one for many years, but it took me a while to put the means together to fulfil my dream.

It all started in 2023, when I got invited to a friend’s wedding in Almeria, Spain. I myself am French but living in Ireland, and I thought this would make for a great trip, especially since I’ve never been further than northern Spain before.

I didn’t want to fly or drive – I saw the opportunity for a massive, once-in-a-lifetime road trip. So, I sold my car, bought an old banger and managed to get my new Harley^® on finance. Taking ownership of this beast after such a long time out of the saddle was scary at first, especially when the salesperson invited me to ride it away from the shop. But after a kilometre or two, I was at home on my machine and had a huge smile on my face. To make matters even better, I’d bought the motorcycle in France and had to ride it back to Ireland the next day!

I only had two months left to plan my trip, on a budget, of course, but I was certain it would be epic. The plan was to leave Ireland by ferry to Bilbao, spend one night in Zaragoza, then have an early start to ride all the way down to Almeria. I spent three nights in Almeria and celebrated my friends’ wedding, then followed the coast north, stopping at Tarragona for another three nights.

Arriving in Bilbao after 30 hours on the ferry, I went from grey, Irish weather to a beautiful blue sky with views of mountains and a fantastic road ahead. I rode some 500km to a simple truck stop for the night, experiencing a mixture of heavy showers and sunshine. The next day, I called in at Harley-Davidson Murcia and was amazed by the changing landscape – I went from greenery to desert, with very little vegetation. It felt like I was on a completely different continent and reminded me of old western movies.

After the wedding, I enjoyed a day riding about the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, tried the best tuna I had ever tasted before and took in spectacular views of the Mediterranean along the cliff road. Then it was time to get back in the saddle and turn north to Miami Platja, via the dealerships in Alicante and Valencia. I’d chosen the town purely because the name was fun, but discovered local touristic gems and ended up staying longer than first planned. There were palm trees everywhere and I found beautiful riding spots and empty beaches, each with a little beach bar.

I spent four days exploring between remote working obligations, then it was time to go. This turned out to be the best riding experience I’ve had so far: crossing the Pyrenees to visit family and friends near Toulouse, France. I cut through the high mountains and passes near Andorra, along winding roads, through tunnels and up cols with fantastic views.

The next week was spent catching up with friends and riding with them, before continuing to the medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda – it was like walking through the film set of Beauty and the Beast. Having spent three days there, I moved on to see my parents in Saint-Omer, all the way up in the north of France, where I had originally bought my Road Glide. I also joined Opale Shore Chapter on one of their weekly rides. However, after a week there it was time for the final leg of my journey.

My return to Ireland was straightforward and I stopped to take photographs at 10 different dealerships as I crossed the UK. I’m looking forward to getting my pin at the end of the year! I have now covered 13,000km in five months and absolutely love riding my Harley; buying it is the best decision I’ve made. This may have been the trip of a lifetime, but I’m now dreaming of more epic adventures…

You can follow Michael’s adventures via @mikerideseu