10 Tips for Riding a Motorcycle in Ireland

I discovered Lemonrock Motorcycle Tours while doing research for an article for Common Tread Motorcycle Blog. There was something there that attracted me to the Lemonrock website: the clarity, the depth of information, and a feeling of being welcomed.

I contacted Lemonrock, and after an informative discussion with the owner, Bryan Lewis, I completed my article and immediately started dreaming of riding in Ireland. It didn’t take much for my partner, Peter, to become completely sold on the idea of this being our next riding holiday.

Lemonrock Motorcycle Tours offers motorcycle rentals, self-guided tours (with all the maps and accommodations prepared), and specialized guided tours. Peter and I are planners by nature, and with the experience of riding in several different European countries, it was our choice to create our own personalized tour. But it takes a LOT of detailed research, planning, and organization to do this type of solo riding in a country that is new to you. If it helps, before you make a decision, you can check out my article in Common Tread.

With the help of Bryan and his awesome team, we booked a BMW R1250GS and started planning our motorcycle tour. We chose August for the tour, as we judged the weather would be at its best around then. We were right.

Here are 10 tips for getting the best out of riding the Emerald Isle, from my view from the pillion.

Tip # 1: Pack Rain Gear

The first thing I did was buy a good rain jacket. As the Irish people like to say to visitors: “Don’t pack for one season, you can experience four seasons in a day.” And as stated on the Lemonrock Motorcycle Tours’ blog, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing! So, I wanted to be prepared.

You could easily be put off by the weather reports, but don’t be. While back home in Canada in August, people were suffering sweltering heat, but on our 15-day riding tour of Ireland, we basked in mostly sunny skies with mild temperatures, two mornings of drizzle, and only one evening of heavy rain. The rain jacket was handy for cool mornings in the mountains.

Tip # 2: Consider Currency

The Republic of Ireland is part of Europe, and Northern Ireland is part of the UK, so if you are planning on touring the whole island, you need two different currencies, Euros and British Pounds. But don’t worry, there are plenty of ATMs around and cards are accepted pretty much everywhere. 

Tip # 3: Before You Go: Get Your Electronic Travel Authorization

When you cross the border between the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland, you won’t be stopped and asked for documentation, but you still need the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for your visit to the UK. It’s quick and easy to apply for online and is valid for two years. 

We crossed from Derry to Londonderry on the bridge over the River Foyle. I didn’t even realize we had gone from one country to another until I noticed that the speed limit signs were in MPH, not KPH. And gas prices were shown in British Pounds instead of Euros.

Lemonrock Tip: We’ll help make the pre-trip details easy. Before your tour, our team provides guidance on ETA applications, packing recommendations, travel documents, and other helpful preparation tips so you can focus on the adventure ahead.

Tip # 4: Arrive Early and Ease Into the Adventure

Give yourself a couple of days to adjust to the time change and riding on the left/other side of the road. Lemonrock HQ is on the outskirts of Dublin, so it made sense for us to spend a few days exploring Dublin before picking up the motorcycle. Dublin is a very walkable city. Our accommodations were very close to all the main city attractions and local haunts.

Over the next three days, our internal time clocks adjusted while we tromped the streets in search of the best pubs, trad music, and historic sites. It also gave us time to get our heads around the rhythm and flow of traffic on the other side of the road.

Tip # 5: Pack Light — You Can Always Do Laundry Along the Way

On the designated pick-up day, we were at Lemonrock Motorcycle Tours early trying to squeeze everything we wanted to take with us into the top box and side bags of our rented BMW R1250GS. Compression bags definitely help with this process. We were given liner bags which were really helpful as there was no need to remove the side bags each night. Our suitcases with the rest of our clothes were left safely in storage with Lemonrock.

Lemonrock Tip: Pack light and leave the extras with us. Riders are welcome to store suitcases and additional luggage in our secure lockers at Lemonrock HQ while out on tour, then retrieve everything upon return. We also provide packing guidance, recommended gear solutions, and practical tips to help you maximize space and stay comfortable on the road.

Tip # 6: Plan Ahead

If you do a Lemonrock self-guided tour, most of this planning will be done for you.

If you are only renting a motorcycle and planning your own way, be sure to book any must-visit sites ahead online. 

In the height of the tourist season, accommodations fill up quickly; the same with some of the famous sites. We planned our route over months of research of the best roads and specific places we wanted to visit. 

In the busy tourist season, restaurants and pubs fill up very quickly, so consider booking a place for dinner as soon as you ride into town. It’s a good idea to choose accommodations near the centre of town so that you can ditch the gear, walk to dinner, and indulge in a few pints. Drinking and driving/riding is taken very seriously in Ireland.

Lemonrock Tip: Plan ahead whenever possible, especially if you’re riding during peak riding season. We recommend booking your route, accommodations, and key experiences at least six months in advance to secure the best options. 

If you choose a self-guided tour with us, our team takes care of the logistics for you, including accommodations, recommended routes, and tour bookings, so you can focus on enjoying the adventure instead of worrying about the details.

Tip # 7: Ride Ready for Rural Ireland

Be alert for road hazards such as wandering sheep, perhaps a herd of cattle, visitors learning to navigate the correct side of the road, slow moving farm equipment, tour buses, and high hedges on blind corners. An Ireland-specific rule: livestock have the right of way! 

Roads are mostly in very good condition with painted lines and well signposted. We started to categorize the roads as two-car widths, one-and-a-half car widths, and in some of the rural areas, the roads are like cart tracks, wide enough for one vehicle, often with grass growing in the middle. Personally, I wouldn’t want to do these winding narrow roads in a car or one of the many coaches that ferry tourists around, but they are perfect for motorcycles!

Speed limits are surprisingly generous for the nature of the narrow, winding roads; 80 kph (50 mph) on regional roads. Generally, we avoid highways, but at the start of our journey, we took the quick route from Dublin on the M50. Motorcycles ride free on this toll road.

Put a pin in a map of Ireland and you’ll most likely be pointing at a good road. The most popular tourist route in the Republic of Ireland is the Wild Atlantic Way on the West Coast. It’s a 2,500 km (1,600-mile) scenic coastal route, with several side-route options. In Northern Ireland, the Causeway Coastal Route is a 120-mile designated tourist drive between Londonderry and Belfast.

Tip # 8: Enjoy the Pub Culture, Even if You Don’t Drink Alcohol

Pubs are a centre of social life in Ireland. This is where you will meet friendly people with interesting tales to tell and equally eager to hear your story. Almost every evening we made new friends and had engaging conversations while sampling the local brews, listening to live music, and eating tasty meals. Your new friends will be happy to give you recommendations about things to do and places to see. 

That is how we discovered the delightful An Bothar Guesthouse & Bar on the Dingle Peninsula, owned by the uncle of the bartender at Darky Kelly’s in Dublin. Some fellow riders that we met at breakfast in Aughris, Sligo, gave us the tip that in the town of Donegal, motorcycles can park in the pedestrian area of the square right in the centre of town. It was the fellow sitting beside us at Matt Malloy’s in Westport that insisted we check out scenic Keem Beach, at Achill Island in County Mayo.

We have a policy of not drinking alcohol while riding, so we were pleased to find that all the pubs have good non-alcoholic options and at lunch time if we wanted, we could choose to indulge in a Guiness Zero. Be aware that not all pubs serve food.

Tip # 9: Pace Yourself So You Can Enjoy Some Down Time

We generally aim to do about 250-300 km a day, so that even with stopping points along the way, we arrive at our nightly destination mid-to-late afternoon. We like to build in some time to be flexible for things that pique our interest along the way. We also had to take into account time for ferry crossings. Thanks, Bryan, for the tip to check the timetable for the Lough Swilly Ferry at Rathmullan.

Over 15 days, we rode about 3,400 kilometers staying in a variety of styles of accommodation in 11 different towns, spending two nights in some places. All the hotels were very good and had a charm of their own.

All of the towns we stayed in had something interesting to offer, but Westport was our favourite. We had no expectations, but chose to take a day off there to do laundry and stretch our legs. After doing our laundry, we spent the day wandering along the waterfront, through the sprawling Westport Estate, and the streets of the town centre. We enjoyed listening to street musicians at sidewalk cafes. We chatted with strangers while basking in a sunny spot in comfy chairs outside a bar, fortified by G & Ts (gin & tonics) and Guinness. We spent the evening in the famous Matt Malloy’s pub. This is the Irish way of spending a day.

Ireland offers endless opportunities for great sites, experiences, and plenty of natural wonders to explore, all linked by excellent roads. Some of them are famous and crowded with tourists, but well worth visiting. The Cliffs of Moher on the Wild Atlantic are iconic. Motorcycles get especially assigned parking there. 

Each day our route took us along twisty roads with panoramic views, leading to stunning ocean viewpoints, crumbling castles, rocky outcrops, and emerald green hillsides, where sheep rule. We particularly liked the quieter, less crowded places where we could hike along the clifftop, watched by the sheep, and stare out at the crashing waves and misty islands. 

Some of the most memorable roads were the popular Ring of Kerry with gentle turns; the Ring of Beara, a more challenging ride; the Slea Head drive with dramatic coastal views and filming site of Star Wars: Last of the Jedi; and the hilly ride to Malin Head, the most northerly point of the island and the end of the Wild Atlantic Way. 

The bike performed beautifully as we crisscrossed the two countries that make up the Emerald Isle with its stunning scenery, historic sites, and fun-loving, warm-hearted people and, as it turned out for us, great weather. Did I mention the sheep?

Tip # 10: Time to Hit the Road

If you haven’t done so already, book your riding holiday in Ireland or the UK soon. August is a great month to go!