2-up suggestions for Ireland?

rat_race

Newly seeing a nice lady, convinced her to come for a trip or two with me on the bike (Tiger 800). Her first time ever (I've had pillions before)...

I kinda wanna get her hooked, but a bad time of the year to introduce someone to it...

Any suggestions / cool places to visit that'll win me bonus points?

I live in Dublin!

imageMoto

Take an early Sunday morning breakfast run down the N81, turn left at Hollywood and head up over the Wicklow Gap into Laragh, and enjoy a breakfast at the Heathers in Laragh, or else continue down the N81 to Baltinglass, there is a new cafe called the 'Perch' in the Square nice breafast or lunch there too.

SmartinMartin

If you want to scare the bejayzus out of her, bring her to where the previous poster suggested. Every luntic in the city heads there on a weekend, and you'll see the worst riding possible. For a first short trip I would suggest a spin out to Howth, take in the harbour etc, then up to the Summit for lunch. When you come down the hill go straight through Sutton cross and continue along the coast road through Baldoyle, Portmarnock and Malahide, and back into town.

galwaytt

....first time pillion, then I'd be going no further than an hour on the road......they'll be scared/frozen/bored, so take it handy.

Wonda-Boy

If you like her take it easy, if you dont put the hammer down. Carlingford lough is nice and lots of coffee shops etc etc.

goodlad

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

If you like her take it easy, if you dont put the hammer down. Carlingford lough is nice and lots of coffee shops etc etc.

And if he REALLY doesnt like her leave those grab handle screws suspeciously loose :eek:

listermint

SmartinMartin wrote: »

If you want to scare the bejayzus out of her, bring her to where the previous poster suggested. Every luntic in the city heads there on a weekend, and you'll see the worst riding possible. For a first short trip I would suggest a spin out to Howth, take in the harbour etc, then up to the Summit for lunch. When you come down the hill go straight through Sutton cross and continue along the coast road through Baldoyle, Portmarnock and Malahide, and back into town.

I thoroughly disagree taking a left at manor Kilbride and a nice relaxed pace by kippure village up to sallys gap . having done this about 5 times in the last two months hand on heart i passed about three bikes tops.

That is my experience of my route but sure it seems to be the cool thing I've noticed to spout nonsense about Wicklow trails being full of crazed bikers .

OP that route is fine my other half loves it.some stretches are reminiscent of new Zealand landscape.

batman_oh

listermint wrote: »

I thoroughly disagree taking a left at manor Kilbride and a nice relaxed pace by kippure village up to sallys gap . having done this about 5 times in the last two months hand on heart i passed about three bikes tops.

That is my experience of my route but sure it seems to be the cool thing I've noticed to spout nonsense about Wicklow trails being full of crazed bikers .

OP that route is fine my other half loves it.some stretches are reminiscent of new Zealand landscape.

Well you did say go over the wicklow gap and not the sally gap!
I wouldn't go across the sally gap down into Laragh two up if you have anything other than an adventure bike/soft tourer type. The section down to Laragh is completely fooked now. Straight through past lough Tay and down to roundwood is much better.
Or head across the wicklow gap on a Saturday if you must go that way. For a very first spin something short might be better until you guage how she reacts to the whole thing though.

rat_race

I was actually gonna go up Military Road, over Sally Gap, and down into Laragh (my own thoughts)...is the road to Laragh that bad?

You all reckon N81 -> Hollywood -> Laragh is a better spin? Thinking I'll head into Glenmalure then...that's kinda what I'd do on my own.

By the way, I cycle and ride around these places a lot, haven't come across many "bad" motorcyclists, so that comment wouldn't put me off...but I'm sure there's a few out there.

GBX

Sally gap road is ****e! Its scenic but you'd be best off on a motorcross bike. And a pillion would not enjoy it especially if its the first time on the back.

Plopli

I would tend to agree that the old military road (Dublin - Sally Gap - Laragh) is quite hard on the wrists and back (unless they redid it correctly in the last 6 months).
Not so much with gravel but very bumpy and uneven.

Why not the R109 (Chapelizod Road) up to Lucan, right at the bridge in Lucan towards Clonee, Dunboyne, FairyHouse, Ashbourne and then down back to Dublin along R135 (you would probably want a GPS if you do not know the roads)

There are some nice stretch of countryside road and landscape is not as dramatic as the Wicklow but you can easily cut short back to Dublin at nearly any point and you can probably find some food/coffee place in most of the villages you will go trough.

For a first longhish spin as a pillion on a bike, I would try to have an escape road at nearly any point to shorten it if needed.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

If you like her take it easy, if you dont put the hammer down. Carlingford lough is nice and lots of coffee shops etc etc.

Yes Carlingford is beautiful, but for a first timer in Dublin I'd be heading to Howth too.. Not too many racers on the weekend, but mostly boring old bastards on HD's and BMW's.

The Summit Bar serves superb grub, their soups are spectacular for a biker on a cold day.

The Bloody Stream pub down in the harbour is great too, and if you're lucky Jimmy Coupe will be singing some Thin Lizzy out in the beer garden.

rat_race

Great suggestions, thanks all. Will use them all!

Today, I ended up going down the N81 to Hollywood and over the gap, into Laragh, then Glenmalure, then Rathdrum, Glenealy, Rathnew, then N11 back to Dublin...with some breaks of course.

Great day, got rained on in the end, but overall she was a great non-moany pillion! A keeper!