BMW R1200GS Adventure, 1.500 km in Sardinia [ITINERARY]

After "letting" it test to Matteo Pozzi, who told you his impressions of a motorbike he knows well (here our article), we set off to discover Sardinia, riding a magnificent BMW R1200GS Adventure.

Motorbike touring around our country is somewhat of a dream for many, Italians and non-Italians alike, who arrive from all over Europe with the desire to ride their motorbike at sunset, perhaps before stopping in a hotel for a glass of wine in the afternoon. sunset. Italy, with its diversity, can offer a unique context that few other nations can boast and I can say this with certainty, having been lucky enough to travel around Europe to a large extent both by car and motorbike.

This year, for the first time in my life, I decided to travel to Sardinia on board a splendid two-wheeler and I had the opportunity to have one of the most beautiful tourism experiences of recent years. As you can easily imagine, the ideal period does not include the months of July and August. Last year I had the unhealthy idea of ​​trying a car in the north of Sardinia in the month of August and it was a disaster: few corners of peace and traffic everywhere.

This year I tried to carve out a few days around the 2nd June long weekend and I must say that the choice was definitely a good one: little traffic, deserted beaches, welcoming places and above all acceptable temperatures, which doesn't hurt with a jacket, gloves and helmet. at all.

The journey starts from Genoa where a ship takes me to Olbia. Regarding this route there are two strategies: those who prefer to travel during the day and those who prefer to travel at night. I traveled at night, without a cabin, looking for a quiet corner to sleep, but it's not the most comfortable solution of all as you risk staying asleep all day partly due to waking up at dawn and partly due to logistics. not always comfortable. Another matter is if you have the availability for a cabin: then you are a gentleman because you can do what you think best.

When I arrived in Sardinia early in the morning I didn't have a clear itinerary because, as always, the thousand things to do before leaving for a trip didn't allow me to organize anything. After a post on social media I was literally flooded with comments from people who suggested one destination or the other. Among all the proposals that came from social media there was a recurring one: Strada Statale 125, Orientale Sarda.

State Road 125 – Eastern Sardinia

I start from Olbia going down south, towards Tortolì and I must say that the first kilometers of the road are objectively monotonous so much so that as I was driving I wondered, minute after minute, the reason that drove so many people to suggest this road so strongly to me. Confident in my sources, I continue along the road in a southerly direction until I stop in Santa Lucia, a small hamlet overlooking the sea: after all, I have been awake since dawn and haven't had breakfast yet.

I take advantage of a bar to have a chat with the locals and I immediately realize how generous and helpful people are Sardinians. Everyone gives me a tip but everyone suggests I proceed without delay. This is what I do: I get back on the motorbike and continue my ride south, towards Tortolì.

The road, which until then was monotonous and not very panoramic, becomes a succession of coastal views and curves in which my GS, despite its over 250 kg, manages to demonstrate all its qualities of handling and agility. Orosei is the starting point of pure fun, made up of curves and counter-curves that never keep the bike straight.

For the occasion I lighten the electronics that manage the controls, I adjust the control unit to DYNAMIC mode and I stiffen the suspensions, for maximum performance. The asphalt is good and at times really excellent, either due to the absence of salt spreaders during the winter or because the Tour of Italy recently passed which forced the Region to carry out extraordinary maintenance on the road surface.

I continue passing small villages: the initial wide curves, useful for bringing the tires to the right temperature, alternate with narrow curves at the exit of which it is difficult to keep the engine at bay, always eager to demonstrate - with grace - all its panache.

The echo of the twin-cylinder is heard in the mountains and it is not uncommon to find yourself at the top of the lean with the bike that seems to have no limits of any kind. On board you feel safe despite the two top cases and the tank which alone has a capacity of 30 litres.

I arrive in Tortolì from Orosei a little tired, after a whole day of driving and about 90 km with rare straights: the GS is comfortable but I'm getting older and I need to rest also to plan for the next day.

On the second day I have Sant'Antioco as my destination. The navigator suggests that I pass through Cagliari and then take a piece of the SS130, but obviously the proposal doesn't fascinate me and I decide to cut Sardinia in two. I then go south along the SS125 and then cut into the SS13 which turns out to be another winding road suitable for shredding the tires at every bend. I take the SS10 and go next to Lake Mulargia, essentially deserted, and then change onto the SS5 and cross small towns where time seems to have stopped. The tortuous stretches of the SS13 are now a memory and the long straights take me to Sant'Antioco, a small fishing island where I find hospitality.

Meanwhile, itinerary suggestions continue to pour in on social media and I decide that my third destination will be Alghero. From the south to get to Alghero you can take the easy route or the fun one. Just so as not to miss anything I opted for the second choice which involves take the SS126 – Occidentale Sarda.

The SS126 is the maximum between Iglesias and Guspini: it's a whopping 60km without any type of straight and I won't hide from you that I put the tires to the test, always with a lot of common sense, prudence and respecting the highway code.

From Alghero to Olbia, my final stop, I travel on institutional roads, just to think about this experience a bit and try to understand why "the GS" is such a "perfect" motorbike. I rode it in the city, on the motorway, on dirt roads, up and down mountain passes and in practically every road condition Sardinia offers and at all times the bike performed impeccably.

Of course it's not a feather and its 300 kg between tank and side cases are noticeable, but the bike knows how to express its best in every sector and even after many hours of riding, perhaps intense, you get off lightly and never too tired. Yet there are alternatives and for example I recently had the opportunity to get on bikes such as Africa Twin, Ducati Multistrada or KTM Adventure, but none of these were able to offer me such a "complete" ownership experience as that of BMW. Of course the little game has its price because between one thing and another you can easily spend 22.000 euros, but BMW is the first choice for me.

In conclusion, I have done over 1.500 km, in Sardinia alone, and the BMW R12000GS Adventure has never disappointed me, not even for a moment.