The Weekend Run with Liam Gaskin — A warm ride across Andalucía and a Suzuki made for fun
I was in Spain last week visiting some family, and although I had a car underneath me, I thought 'never waste a chance to ride a motorbike in warm, sunny and dry conditions'.
As luck would have it, a pal of mine who lives in Spain for six months of the year (the jammy sod) has an oldy but goldy Pan European ST 1300, which after some persuasion he agreed to lend me for a day.
I was staying in Malaga and travelling to Puerto Banus, just outside Marbella. I've done this run on a couple of occasions over the years and wanted to refresh my memory.
Having left Malaga, I got lost and found myself travelling through Torremolinos and Benalmadena, which is really just high-rise hotel central. By a stroke of good luck, I found my way out of the concrete jungle and onto the motorway over the mountain. I've done this route several times, but I wanted to refresh my memory. Pic: Getty Images
This is a three-lane mountain motorway. As you climb, you actually go under a cable car. What is that doing in this heat, where snow can only exist in a fridge? I have no Idea. As I was running late, I veered off the Motorway near Mijas and onto the inland toll road.
Three things struck me at this point. The area was very lush and green, but by late June, it would be burnt brown by the sun. There were a lot of really nice fincas (small traditional country houses) which you could pick up quite cheaply if you didn't mind sweltering in the summer, as they are miles from any beach, and the toll was overpriced at €5.50.
After that it was a gentle cruise into Puerto Banus, Spain's most affluent seaside resort and Mecca for the really rich and those who like watching really rich people on their yachts and swanning around in their Ralph Lauren shorts.
Click here to check out the first leg of the run on the Detecht app.
The run from Marbella to Malaga is a different beast, mainly on the coast road. This road was the most dangerous in Europe many years ago.
It was and still is a dual carriageway with many slip roads off to beaches, hotels and apartments. However, in the past, there was no centre median, so if you wanted to turn left and you were in the fast lane, drivers just indicated and took their chances on what has always been a very busy road. The run from Marbella to Malaga is a different beast. Pic: Getty Images
Carnage ensued! Cars, motorbikes and other forms of transport were regularly rear-ended or crashed headlong into oncoming traffic. As a pedestrian, you were literally dicing with death trying to cross this road, particularly in the Summer months.
Due to a massive outcry from locals and falling tourist numbers, the authorities built the median from Malaga to Marbella. This brought deaths and crashes down dramatically.
However, you must remember that most Spanish motorists like to think they are Formula 1 drivers, and from Fiats to Ferraris, they drive like they are racing for points. You cannot, and I stress cannot, lose concentration on this stretch of road.
If you drive with a little focus, this stretch is well worth the run. The scenery is stunning. The stretches of the beach are golden, and the dark blue Mediterranean sea is calling you to take a dip. So bring your togs – skinny dipping in Spain can be frowned upon. Don't be in a hurry, explore and enjoy! Pic: Getty Images
Don't be in a hurry, unlike the Spanish. Take a slight detour to Elviria for a magnificent stretch of beach or a beautiful little harbour called Cabopino.
Here you can have a beverage and watch the little boats go in and out. Unlike Puerto Banus, where some of the yachts are so big they berth outside the harbour and fly in on helicopters. I wish, I wish!
Click this link to the Detecht map for the second leg of this run. Remember, when you open the map, enlarge it to see the details.
The Suzuki GSX-8S sits in the middleweight naked bike segment, making a strong case as a daily commuter and a weekend fun machine. I had a run out on the Suzuki in what is now becoming the norm in Ireland, great weather. It purrs nicely at 100 KPH, yet like a cat, it has loads more power to escape any situation quickly. Pic: Supplied
This is a nifty machine, and one of its biggest strengths is its versatility. It's nimble and comfortable enough to weave through city traffic easily, yet powerful and composed enough for fun weekend runs.
My first impression was how manoeuvrable it was. I took it on the M50 and was impressed by its smooth transition through the gears. It purrs nicely at 100KPH, yet like a cat, it has loads more power to quickly get out of any situation.
It has a very handy Quick Shift System, which lets you shift up or down without operating the clutch lever. It also has my three favourite driving modes, which I like to call dry, wet and fast. And, as you would expect, it has ABS as Standard. The distinct muffler lets me know this is a bike to have fun with. This is a step up from Yamaha's MT-07. Pic: Supplied
I took it into a housing estate to see how it managed at low speed and in tight situations, and it passed all tests with flying colours. On my way back to Megabikes in Ballymount, the expected tailback was on the M50. It appeared that a rather large truck decided to do some hedge trimming along the embankment.
The Suzuki proved its manoeuvrability in tight situations by weaving in and out of the stalled traffic like the Road Runner. This is a step up from Yamaha's MT-07, and riders will appreciate the GSX-8S's more mature, confidence-inspiring feel.
True to Suzuki's reputation, this bike is built with reliability in mind. Suzuki has a history of delivering exciting, reliable bikes at an excellent price point, and this is no exception. True to Suzuki's reputation, this bike is built with reliability in mind. Pic: Supplied
In summary, the Suzuki GSX-8S is an outstanding all-rounder—ideal for commuters who want something thrilling for the weekends, and for riders who value quality engineering without breaking the bank.
This is a bike I would recommend to anyone who wants a reliable commuter with whom they can have fun at the weekend.
The sun must be getting to all the motorbike distributors because Suzuki Ireland is, for the month of May, offering the GSX-8S, which normally retails at €10,450, for €9,950 plus free soft side luggage worth €400. On yer bike, guys and gals!
If you're interested in looking at Suzuki's promo video, click here, and if you'd like to learn more about its features and benefits, click here.
Twenty-seven years ago, when David Buckley retired as a motorcycle cop, he established Celtic Horizon Tours, a hugely successful inbound and outbound travel agency. They specialise in sport, culture and fun tours. I think the fun aspect applies to motorcycle tours. David has been riding bikes since he was 20 years old! Pic: Supplied
Dave has planned and led motorbike tours across Route 66, the West Coast of America, the Italian Alps, Spain, France, and almost anywhere you can think of. He is also the trip organiser, Chapter Secretary and Road Captain for The Blue Knights in Ireland.
The Blue Knights are the global motorcycle club for serving and retired Gardai and Cops.
I had a number of off-road dalliances as a teenager. Being from Cork, I was a regular visitor to Vermont to watch the motocross.
I was 20 years old, joined the Guards and transferred to Dublin.
A Triumph T500 (ex-Customs bike)
A bit of a story: I got my licence through work initially, however, in the mid-90's I came home from working nights 'delighted' with my short journey time, my wife was pregnant at the time with child no 4, I decided more sensible options were needed and I sold the bike.
As soon as I retired in 2007, one of the first things I did was buy a motorcycle – a Honda Pan European. Only then did I realise that the bike category had vanished from my licence
Yes
The Irish Photo Rally is a great incentive to get out and about on the bike.
I love plotting my routes, leaving early in the morning and taking in a few long-distance sites in one ride-out.
I have been t-boned once or twice, plus the usual spills.
Approval is a strong word; no resistance could be more accurate.
Before we got married, it was our only source of transport, but not since then.
I have done Route 66 on several occasions and other tours in the US and Canada.
I am the Chapter Secretary for the Blue Knights in Ireland. In 2023, we took almost 40 bikes to Constanta in Romania for a Convention, shipped them to Budapest with Overlanders and rode from there and back. In 2026, we have a Convention in Southern Italy; again, we are shipping the bikes with
Overlanders to Memmingen, riding through the Balkans, crossing over from Albania, and coming back through Austria.
My youngest son had one for several years, and my eldest daughter, having been a pillion for years, recently purchased and is now riding a BMW F750GS. Take every training course that comes your way and always try to upskill.
Observation, observation, observation!
Use your wing mirrors, but always glance over your shoulder before changing lane or turning. Wing mirrors are important but can give an incorrect impression of the distance cars or trucks are from you.
South Dublin Bikers and GT Damian Sheridan organised a motorbike run for Darkness into Light and raised over €8,000 for Pieta House. Hundreds of riders took off at 4 am from the Maxol Service Station Spawell and rode to Kilmore Quay. Pic: Supplied
Headline sponsor Joe Duffy Motorrad generously supported the run with a 5k donation. Hundreds of riders took off at 4 am from the Maxol Service Station Spawell and rode to Kilmore Quay in roughly 2 hours and 31 minutes.
The main men and motivators behind this great run, Damian Sheridan, Lee Carberry Moran, say they were given tremendous help and support from Stephan Murphy, Barry Mahady, James Carroll, Eoghan McCann and many more too numerous to mention.
GT Damian Sheridan sent me a link to a great video of the ride. Click here to take a look—It was definitely great craic for a great cause.
Overlanders, an extremely well-respected Irish company, has been taking bikers there since May 2010. It was Overlanders' first-ever guided tour, and they have completed over 30 Morocco tours in the last 15 years. Overlanders has completed over 30 tours of Morocco. Pic: Supplied
It's a tour that has grown in popularity ever since, and also one that bikers never get tired of, which I think says a lot.
They run three Morocco Road Tours annually in April, October & November.
Their next one is coming up on the 20th of October, a great time to get away to the sun on your bike, unless you prefer wet and windy Ireland. It's a tour that has grown in popularity. Pic: Supplied
What makes this trip so special is the knowledge that David and the guys at Overlanders have accumulated over the years. They understand the local ways.
The mountain trails, the beauty of the desert and the country's historic heritage, you can't beat doing a tour with someone who knows what it is all about. The Moroccan tour includes return shipping of your Motorcycle to/from Malaga, Spain.
Return ferry to/from Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar
12 days & 13 nights on tour (incl. arrival & departure nights in Malaga).
B&B in quality 3-4 star hotels, Kasbahs, Riads, and select boutique accommodation.
Six evening meals.
Support vehicles for luggage transfers between hotels / in case of emergency/breakdown.
Tour guide(s) – Overlanders and locals at local attractions, etc.
Overlanders ship your bike to the start point for all of their European tours.
Click here to check out some clips of a High-Atlas Mountain ride in Morocco, and click here to meet some of the locals in a remote village. You can't beat doing a tour with someone who knows what it's all about. Pic: Supplied
However, Overlanders are far from a one-trick pony. They have fly and ride holidays to places like the Pyrenees, Greece, Sicily and Southern Italy, the Norwegian Fjordlands, Spain and Portugal, and lots more. If Morocco doesn't take your fancy, how about a trip to places like the Pyrenees, Greece, Sicily and Southern Italy? Pic: Supplied
If you're feeling more adventurous, you might like their Southern Africa, Vietnam, Northern Thailand, Morocco Off-Road or Albania & Balkans tours.
To cap it all off, Overlanders offer a Motorbike shipping service for Individuals, Groups, Clubs, etc, who want to manage their trip, enjoy their bikes at the start point, and return home at the end.
They are also shipping 40 bikes to Memmingen, Germany, for the Blue Knights this month. You might like Southern Africa, Vietnam, or Northern Thailand? Pic: Supplied
Check out all their tours here. Th is real Irish family business has earned a reputation for excellence internationally.
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