I know what you’re thinking: “Spain is paradise, period!”. And I wholeheartedly agree. But if you combine this heavenly locale with the freedom of riding a motorcycle or scooter with thrilling abandon, then your European vacation has all the makings of one of the most unforgettable moments of your life.

And when I use the word freedom, it takes on a whole new meaning in a town like Barcelona, where the police doesn’t seem too concerned with enforcing the Highway Safety Code. Maybe because, unlike our officers, they’re too busy hunting down real criminals to waste half their day handing out speeding tickets on highways and service roads. But that’s another story.

Photo: Pascal Bastien/Moto123.com

Freedom must be earned
To see the sights, meet up with friends and quickly get from one part of the city to another, there’s nothing like a motorcycle in Barcelona. Although their Highway Safety Code is similar to ours, the Spanish authorities seem to tolerate certain shenanigans as long as everything remains civilized.

You can zip between lanes to pass other moving vehicles or simply get to the front of the line-up at an intersection, where there’s a spot reserved for motorcycles. Perfect for rocketing ahead of the pack of cars once the light turns green.

Oh yeah, and you don’t actually have to wait for said green light, either: most riders open up the throttle as soon as the last pedestrian has crossed the street in their best imitation of the starting grid at a Grand Prix race – even with a police cruiser idling right behind them. It’s nuts, I tell you.

Now, some of you may think that these outlaw manoeuvres are exclusive to reckless teens and a handful of delinquent speed freaks. Well, you’d be wrong. Most motorcyclists I saw displaying this level of aggression were your average Joe, aged between 25 and 60. They essentially use their motorcycle or scooter to get from A to B, 365 days a year. Lucky devils.

Photo: Pascal Bastien/Moto123.com