2 days ago
The Weekend Run with Liam Gaskin — A unique Mayo ride and a legend among sports bikes
I started this weekend ride just outside Castlebar in a suburb called Snugborough. The only reason I tell you that is because Snugborough sounds like a great place to live.
The road from there to Newport had everything—an almost perfect road surface with lovely twists and bends. Along the 12 kilometres to Newport, I passed rivers, lakes, forests and bogland. Only in Ireland could you enjoy such a variety of landscapes in such a short distance.
Newport is set in a wonderful location on the shores of Clew Bay. It has a disused railway viaduct over the Black Oak River, which runs through the town. The Railway viaduct over Black Oak River, Newport. Pic: Supplied
I took the road to Westport alongside the Great Western Greenway. Living in Dublin, I'm not a massive fan of cycle tracks, but this one is exceptional. It facilitates walkers, joggers, and cyclists running from Westport to Newport and on to Achill. The great Western Greenway with Croagh Patrick in the distance. Pic: Supplied
As a biker, I have nothing but praise for the road from Castlebar through Newport and on to Westport. I don't know if it's because of the Wild Atlantic Way or just that Mayo County Council is great at its job, but as a biker, you couldn't ask for a better road surface or a more scenic biking route.
Westport is a picturesque town filled with great bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. If you like a good traditional Irish music session, Westport is the place for you. All day and well into the night, you'll be at a bar with a bandy. The Octagon in Westport with the great man himself on top, St Patrick. Pic: Supplied
The only drawback to this lovely town is that it's choc-a-block with traffic. Even on a motorbike, it'll take you 15 to 20 minutes to get through it. I suggest when you get to the centre of the town, stop for a coffee and a slice of cake and watch the world go by.
Leaving Westport, take the road to the harbour. As harbours go, this is a good one, with a vast terrace of stone-faced, three-story buildings housing a small Hotel, bars, and restaurants. It is really well laid out and well worth stretching your legs here.
I point my sturdy steed towards Croagh Patrick, which dominates the skyline along this stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way. All along this next stretch of the run, you have Clew Bay on your right side and the imposing presence of Croagh Patrick in front. A thought struck me that we don't stop enough to take in the majesty of the country we live in. Croagh Patrick, shrouded in a veil of cloud. Pic: Supplied
Tourists from across the globe spend thousands of dollars or euros to come to our shores and experience the unique beauty of this Island we call home. Yet we shoot by rarely stopping to take it all in. Clew Bay is stunning at this time of year; take some time to take it all in! Pic: Supplied
My last and final stop was at one of my favourite places in Ireland, Staunton's Pub, literally nestled in the shadow of Croagh Patrick.
I don't know quite why I feel very much at home here, but I do. I relax completely in this place. It may be the smell of the bog fire, or the best toasted sandwiches around or the seafood soup or just the friendliness of the staff and locals, but whatever it is, this place feels like home. I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area. T. Staunton, a fine establishment for drinking and dining. Pic: Supplied
As always, click this link to the Detecht map for the route of this run. Remember, when you open the map, enlarge it to see the details.
This is my last run out for a while, but I will be back with more ride-outs, 10 questions, stories about Irish bikers with huge hearts, and great runs around the World.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but apparently, you can give him the keys to a KTM 1290 Super Duke R and he can learn some for himself.
I recently had the chance to take the KTM 1290 Super Duke R for a spin, and I have to say—it was an experience I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. This machine is a legend among sports bikes, having been introduced in 2015 and has since become a huge fan favourite. It was an experience I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. Pic: KTM
This bike is everything you'd expect from KTM: raw power, precision engineering, and a surprisingly comfortable ride. As a laid-back rider myself, I'm not typically drawn to super bikes or sport bikes, but the Super Duke impressed me right from the start.
Navigating tight spaces around a housing estate, the handling was sharp and intuitive, making the bike feel lighter than it actually is. Once I hit the motorway, the acceleration was nothing short of exhilarating — smooth, immediate, and utterly confidence-inspiring.
Comfort-wise, it exceeded expectations. Even for someone like me — let's say I'm not in my 20s anymore—it was an easy and enjoyable ride. The riding modes (wet, dry, and fast) offer just the right amount of customisation depending on conditions and confidence levels, and the bike responded beautifully in each. Comfort-wise, it exceeded expectations. Even for someone like me — let's say I'm not in my 20s anymore—it was an easy and enjoyable ride. Pic: KTM
The bike I rode came with the usual ABS and all the standard features. However, it was fitted with a Tech Pack which enables Track Mode, Quick Shifter, MSR Motor Slip Regulation and Adaptive Brake Light. I threw that in for all you tech-hungry nerds out there.
The 1290 Super Duke is a textbook example of KTM's engineering brilliance. It's the machine that helped cement their reputation in the world of performance motorcycles, and even though KTM don't produce them anymore, their reputation is such that used 1290s are in huge demand. The 1290 Super Duke is a textbook example of KTM's engineering brilliance. Pic: KTM
Although you can no longer buy a brand-new model, the good news is that 2 Wheels Motorcycles still has a few carefully selected units kicking around —probably waiting for another rider like me who thought he was 'too old for that sort of thing.'
As I said to Charles, my main man in 2 Wheels, when I win the lottery, a touch of optimism there, the KTM 1290 will be in my collection, but it will travel on a trailer to Mondello to enjoy it on track days
Change your tyres every five years at the latest. Even if you don't ride out much, the rubber will degrade and start to perish.
Ride Safe, everyone.
