GREAT LAUNCH ROADS: DOLOMITES, ITALY
It’s hard to keep eyes on the road with so much natural beauty invading your retinas...
Yamaha’s choice of venue for the Tracer 700 was perfect, given the bike’s purview, even if the altitude did rob the wee machine of a bit of grunt when touching the clouds. Starting off at the hotel in Vigo di Fassa on the SS48, it was an almost immediate climb into the Dolomites, hairpin after hairpin, after turning off on the SS242 towards Plan De Gralba. The 42 then became the SS243, SS244 and then a turn off on the SP37 for an espresso on the mountain top at Costadedoi. Stay on that road which turns into the SP24, and then SR48, towards Cortina d’ Ampezzo, but hang a right on the SP638 before reaching there. Many wonderful curves await as you traverse that stretch, then the SP251, SR203 and then on to the SR48 for a long while. Go past the Hotel Alpena Corona start point and on to the awesome SS241. Make sure you stop off at Lago di Carezza for a few minutes, a stunning lake worth your time. Then jump back on the bikes and stay on course until you hit the SS12. Hang a right there for a relaxing jaunt until you turn right on the SS242. Stay on that until you once more hit the SS48 (Vigo di Fassa) and you have a fabulous loop you’ll remember for years. Stunning views, stunning ride, but grip levels vary, FYI...