Table of contents

• Motorbike tour Extremadura Fascination in the southwest of Spain
• A ride through the red poppies
• Motorcycle touring
• Beauty is omnipresent here
• Meeting with Pizarro
• One last pass
• additional Information

Klaus H. Daams

29 pictures

Klaus H. Daams

1/29
This sparsely populated Spanish region on the border with Portugal is in a class of its own with wild sierras and lonely reservoirs, ancient city centers and winding motorcycle lanes in almost infinite space.

Klaus H. Daams

2/29
Sunset at Plasencia.

Klaus H. Daams

3/29
The Puebla de Alcocer viewpoint offers a magnificent panorama.

Klaus H. Daams

4/29
Storks are not uncommon in Talarrubias.

Klaus H. Daams

5/29
Cork Oak Alley at the CC 911.

Klaus H. Daams

6/29
The landscape is lonely and different, the gentle bubbling of the single cylinder does not disturb.

Klaus H. Daams

7/29
Alleys and bar mesón “Pitogardo” in Montánchez.

Klaus H. Daams

8/29
Himalayan clock collection.

Klaus H. Daams

9/29
Poppies on the roadside at Zarza Capilla.

Klaus H. Daams

10/29
Paper cutting at the Puebla de Alcocer.

Klaus H. Daams

11/29
Restaurant, lottery and fabric shop in Trujillo.

Klaus H. Daams

12/29
Guadalupe, the famous monastery city, is armed with souvenir shops and street cafes for tourists.

Klaus H. Daams

13/29
Even if deceleration has almost become a buzzword: here and with this motorcycle it becomes reality.

Klaus H. Daams

14/29
Francesco Pizarro, notorious conqueror, is in Trujillo.

Klaus H. Daams

15/29
Extremadura is a fascinating province in southwest Spain.

Klaus H. Daams

16/29
Lonely and different landscapes are waiting to be discovered.

Klaus H. Daams

17/29
It’s hard to believe, but this enduro is an adult touring motorcycle with “only” 411 cubic meters and 25 hp.

Klaus H. Daams

18/29
Culinary experiences are also offered on the trip.

Klaus H. Daams

19/29
On the map, at a scale of 1: 400,000, a larger place only every 20 centimeters, with nothing in between but flora and fauna, a person and his machine.

Klaus H. Daams

20/29
From Merida on to Montánchez, the so-called balcony of Extremadura.

Klaus H. Daams

21/29
One push of the button and the Indian outdoorsman is wide awake again.

Klaus H. Daams

22/29
With its heartbeat made of steel, the Himalayan can conquer many hearts almost playfully.

Klaus H. Daams

23/29
Beauty is omnipresent in Extremadura.

Klaus H. Daams

24/29
An overnight stay in the magnificent Paradores of Jarandilla and Plasencia is recommended to anyone who has not spent all their money, for example on a representative bike in the 20,000 euro league.

Klaus H. Daams

25/29

Klaus H. Daams

26/29
Final sprint northeast of Plasencia to Puerto de Honduras, a crisp 1430 meter high pass, category one of the Vuelta.

Klaus H. Daams

27/29
Where racing cyclists are on the verge of collapsing, when we look back on a relaxed time with the adventurous Enfield, we state that the stronger does not always have to win.

Klaus H. Daams

28/29
Zen and the art of hiking on a motorcycle.

Klaus H. Daams

29/29
About the travel region: Extremadura is a remote area in southwest Spain with mountains, forests, lakes, nature reserves.

to travel

Motorbike tour Extremadura Spain

Motorbike tour Extremadura
Fascination in the southwest of Spain

This sparsely populated Spanish region called Extremadura on the border with Portugal is in a class of its own with wild sierras and lonely reservoirs, ancient city centers and winding motorcycle lanes in almost infinite space. All of this was experienced with a touring motorcycle that is out of the ordinary.

Klaus H. Daams

December 21, 2018

Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear, “I read as a warning in the rear-view mirrors of the motorcycle. “Aha, Harley,” the connoisseur guesses! “Nope, Himalayan!” “Huh?” Okay, the one introduced in 2016 is still quite new on the market Royal Enfield Himalayan, the modest alternative to the monstrous advantscher enduro. The key data of the Indian single cylinder: 411 cm³, 25 hp, 4,599 euros. No ready to race or show off. Ready to go but for small as well as very large trips. The right destination for a first tour? Of course, if not straight to the Himalayas, then at least to Extremadura, a fascinating province in southwest Spain with a landscape as lonely and extremely different as – yet? – the Himalayan.

Buy complete article

Motorbike tour Extremadura
Fascination in the southwest of Spain

10 pages) as PDF

€ 2.00

Buy now

A ride through the red poppies

“Land in sight!” Like the conquistadors Hernán Cortez and Francesco Pizarro, after a long journey through the wide and flat north of Andalusia, we spot the first ranges of hills. Except that these are now emerging on the horizon at Hinojosa and not in front of South America, where the conquerors and human butchers from Extremadura once drew. Like a carpet rolled out to greet you, exotic purple fluff covers the rocks, at Zarza Capilla the EX 323 is lined with red poppies. Perhaps it would be made into opium elsewhere, but we already have our “intoxicant” with us. Yes, the Himalayan is addicting. And even if deceleration has almost become a buzzword, it applies here. Or also: less is more, extremely much less is extremely much more.

Klaus H. Daams

Extremadura is located in the southwest of Spain.

Less weight and plastic fuss for more carefree in the field. Less euros for unrestrained driving pleasure. Despite the manageable – for some because of manageable – horsepower, there is plenty of it when the long-stroke single cylinder pushes out of the corners on an angled terrain. For example, on a tour around the Embalse de la Serena, one of the many reservoirs in the region. The castle of Puebla de Alcocer offers an almost unearthly beautiful panoramic view: around the blue blobs, the lush green of the undulating landscape, almost like a bubbling broccoli soup. Speaking of which: we don’t have cookware and camping equipment with us, so we now need a place to stay. It will eventually become the rustic Hotel Las Dehesas on the N-430 at Navalvillar de Pela. Where in the morning for strangers a basket only comes with sweet things on the table, while local celebrities gather at the bar for a morning pint; some of the men seem fresh from the stable, wearing dirty boots, while the others, fancier, who must have gone through Saturday Night.

Motorcycle touring

One push of the button and the Indian outdoorsman is wide awake again. Despite the simple, almost archaic concept: kicking was yesterday, today electric starters and ABS are a matter of course, even a cute compass is on board. It now turns around the Embalse de Garcia Sola and the Embalse de Cijara almost once in a circle with a wide sweep. Zen and the art of hiking on a motorcycle. On the map, at a scale of 1: 400,000, a larger place only every 20 centimeters, with nothing in between but flora and fauna, a person and his machine.

Klaus H. Daams

The Royal Enfield Himalayan knew how to please on the Extremadura voyage.

Interruption of the meditative flow in front of Helechosa on the BA 158, when the spoked wheels trail for kilometers in the slalom around the potholes in the carious road surface. Although this remote route is more the exception, there is nothing to complain about on most of the roads even in the sparsely populated Extremadura. Chatter and rattle then in Talarrubias. We are sitting in Plaza España in front of the well-frequented “Rivera” bar, opposite the Santa Catalina church, on whose turrets and roofs a whole colony of storks has made their home. And even if it is just a beautiful fairy tale, the lifelong loyalty of Master Adebar to his Holden: Somehow it inspires the thoughts of the motor polygamist, raises the question of whether there is still a place free for the cute white 400 in the local one Garage next to the fat 1200s. Dear Royal Enfield, you tempt me.

Beauty is omnipresent here

The EX 349 to Campanario turns out to be one of the many new favorite routes, which are as varied as the omnipresent, delicate tapas snacks. Pointed boulders stand next to the road like a fakir’s nail board, they are reminiscent of the menhirs of Carnac and Stonehenge, the landscape around them of the Highlands in Scotland. Simply extremely beautiful – and also incredibly quiet!

Klaus H. Daams

Curvy streets as far as the eye can see.

Old Spanish Roman city with six letters? The crossword puzzle fans among us might know: Merida! It was Emperor Augustus who had a second Rome built in what was once Lusitania, with an amphitheater, temple of Diana and aqueduct. As impressive as the archaeological ensemble is, the appropriate appraisal should be just as time-consuming. In order not to rush on as banauss, we therefore decide, out of real conviction, to at least make a flying visit to the Teatro Romano after staying in the baroque Parador. From Merida on to Montánchez, the so-called balcony of Extremadura. There the way through the labyrinth of whitewashed houses is a bit difficult, but thanks to the unobtrusive booing of the Himalayan you can even hear under your helmet when someone calls you the right branch up to the castle hill. From where you can once again enjoy a magnificent view of the plain; back at Plaza España, then deep insights into village life in Montánchez ’. We had actually ordered a large salad for our siesta in the Bar-Mesón “Pitogardo“. And get a roller-wheel-sized plate, densely covered with ham and salami, neatly layered like the steps in the amphitheater. Well, lettuce is only for export?

Meeting with Pizarro

Cáceres is undoubtedly a sightseeing sport, behind the modern periphery of which the defensive walls and fortress towers of a medieval knight town are hidden. But this time we drive our horses straight on, stopping only in Trujillo on the Plaza Major lined with the Renaissance palaces of the conquerors of South America – under the heroic equestrian statue of the not at all heroic Mr. Pizarro. North of Trujillo in the unique Monfrague National Park, birdwatchers with long telephoto lenses are shooting from all cylinders at griffon vultures and around 300 other bird species. Every animal has its own little toy. And for anyone who has not spent all their money, for example on a representative bike in the 20,000 euro league, an overnight stay in the magnificent Paradores of Jarandilla and Plasencia is recommended. The first of the two hotels enchants with an inner courtyard lined with palm trees, the other with a richly decorated dining room, almost as large and high as a nave.

Klaus H. Daams

This statue of Francesco Pizarro is in Trujillo.

But of course we are not here to hotel and dine. The cream of the crop in the foothills of the up to 2,500 meter high Sierra de Gredos and in the Sierra de Guadalupe are what you lick your fingers for in the distant Sauerland and Black Forest. An example of this is the EX 118 from Navalmoral de la Mata to Guadalupe. First a chill through a wide valley, then a thrilling roller coaster. The Himalayan gives everything. Desire or agony for the piston at 6,500 tours? Does not matter. You don’t want to know exactly what’s going on in the engine room. But what you know after 80 brilliant kilometers: Guadalupe has the most beautiful central square of all the cities visited so far. The El Real Monasterio de Santa Maria de Guadalupe, the most important pilgrimage site in Spain after Santiago de Compostela, sits enthroned at the head of the plaza, which is framed by street cafes. To kneel down also the 36 winding kilometers to Puerto de San Vicente. Because it was so beautifully weird and Castile-La Mancha already begins here, right back on the EX 102.

One last pass

Final sprint northeast of Plasencia to Puerto de Honduras, a crisp 1,430 meter high pass, category one of the Vuelta. Where racing cyclists are on the verge of collapsing, when we look back on a relaxed time with the adventurous Enfield, we state that the stronger does not always have to win. With its heartbeat made of steel, the Himalayan can win hearts in an almost playful way.

additional Information

Getting there: From Freiburg, for example, it is around 1,850 kilometers to Merida, the westernmost point of this tour, via Mulhouse, Bordeaux, Biarritz and Burgos. Anyone who drives so far and shelled out hefty motorway tolls in France and Spain probably doesn’t want to go back so quickly. For the additional days that will hopefully be possible, those interested in the Sierra Nevada south of Extremadura, then the area around Madrid to the north, with its sierras also spiked with curves.

Klaus H. Daams

Almost 1,200 kilometers were covered in five days.

Stay: Paradores, luxurious hostels in historic walls, offer a not cheap, but impressive overnight experience. We recommend the following houses:

“Parador de Merida”, Calle Almendralejo 56, 06800 Merida, Badajoz;
“Parador de Jarandilla de la Vera”, Avenida García Prieto 1, 10450 Jarandilla de la Vera, Cáceres;
“Parador de Plasencia”, Plaza de San Vicente Ferrer, 10600 Plasencia, Cáceres

There are also cheaper, but still good, quarters. Recommended in Trujillo: “Mesón La Cadena“, Plaza Mayor 5, 10200 Trujillo, Cáceres. In Guadalupe: “Hospederia del Real Monasterio”, Plaza Juan Carlos I, 10140 Guadalupe;

For nature lovers: “Hotel Rural Puerta de Monfrague”, Bazagona a Salto del Torrejon, km 10, 10570 Toril. Outdoor fans will find places below www.campingsonline.com/Spanien/Extremadura.

Travel time: As is so often the case in southern Europe, spring and autumn are ideal, while the summer months are only for fans of the heat. In contrast to the Alps or the Pyrenees, Extremadura lacks the very high peaks – and thus also large temperature differences between mountains and valleys.

Literature / Maps: The informative travel paperback “Extremadura” by Jurgen Strohmaier from DuMont Buchverlag is top notch for 17.99 euros. The road map of choice is Michelin’s sheet 576 “Estremadura, Castile-La Mancha, Madrid”, 1: 400,000, 8.99 euros.

Web addresses: www.spain.info; www.turismoextremadura.com; www.stadtlandextremadura.de

Himalayan: The Royal Enfield made the long journey to Spain not on a trailer, but on its own axis, unwinding a good 6,000 kilometers in two weeks. Without any problems. However: Overtaking maneuvers on German country roads require some getting used to and caution. But instead of the feeling of underpowering, the realization crept in that asceticism can also be profit. Sure, the performance is objectively modest, but it doesn’t feel that way subjectively. Instead, easy handling in curves, when maneuvering and turning, and never feeling overwhelmed, even when making detours into the terrain. Despite only 25 HP and 400 cubic meters, the Enfield is a “grown-up” travel motorcycle. The seat height is also suitable for smaller pilots, the standard equipment with side and main stand, luggage rack, gear indicator and a great windshield are good. The cost-driving fun ratio is right, even if there are a few minor issues: the brake acts more defensively, the shock absorber is more of a rustic nature, there is no socket for the navigation system, the outside temperature display rushes ahead. Consumption is more like four liters instead of three, on the train the 15-liter tank is sometimes empty after 300 kilometers. The biggest drawback, however, is saying goodbye to this fun vehicle for people who don’t need a status symbol.

Related articles

• Motorbike tour through Carinthia

  Daams 14th pictures Daams 1/14 Every meter of the alpine road is painstakingly punched into the field. Daams 2/14 Carinthia: Wonderful curves near clear…

• Motorbike tour on Lake Constance – horsepower on the go with readers

  Jahn to travel Motorbike tour on Lake Constance – horsepower on the move with readers House route PS – the corner paradise on the lake Out and about with…

• Motorbike tour Ticino

  Klaus H. Daams 13th pictures Klaus H. Daams 1/13 Under the bright Saturday morning sun in the azure sky, walls of snow up to eleven meters high tower up…

• Motorbike tour Giant Mountains

  Jo Deleker 14th pictures Jo Deleker 1/14 Just drive and let yourself drift. archive 2/14 Giant Mountains; Location: Poland, Czech Republic; Area: 631…

• Motorbike Tour – Madeira (Portugal)

  Deleker 14th pictures Deleker 1/14 The old north coast road is a spectacle for all the senses, you’ll never forget that. Deleker 2/14 Sunset on the Pico…

• Motorbike tour tip Nauders – Dreilandereck

  Gerhard Eisenschink 21 pictures Gerhard Eisenschink 1/21 The most famous postcard motif in the region. Gerhard Eisenschink 2/21 The Reschensee was…

• Motorcycle tour in France: Lyon, Loire, Allier

  Klaus H. Daams 20th pictures Klaus H. Daams 1/20 In the south-east of the Auvergne, on the upper reaches of the Loire, characterized by the Allier gorges…

• Motorcycle tour Himalaya Ladakh

  Photo: Lohse 32 pictures Lohse 1/32 Lohse 2/32 … must not rely on perfect conditions. But a lot can be mastered on the Enfield. Lohse 3/32 Lohse 4/32…

• Motorcycle tour through Bolivia

  Daniel Lengwenus 29 pictures Lengwenus 1/29 Experienced globetrotter takes on a young student for her first tour of South America. An adventure in itself…

• Motorcycle tour through Algeria

  to travel Motorcycle tour through Algeria Motorcycle tour through Algeria The dunes of the Sahara Algeria. The grave road, the sand dunes from Erg…