South Africa
5 scored roads in South Africa, reranked for motorbikes rather than for cars, with the fit score shown next to each one.
Riders and drivers want different things from the same map. A single track lane that ruins a weekend in a wide car is often the best thing you will ride all year, and a fast open A road that flatters a grand tourer can be a dull hour on a bike.
Every country page below reranks the scored library for corner quality and scenery, drops the width penalty that applies to cars, and flags the seasonal gravel and noise restrictions that increasingly decide where bikes are welcome.
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Checked against current closure and restriction notices for South Africa. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 12 March 2026
Ranked
01 · Western Cape
Wine valley hairpins climb to a viewpoint over the whole Franschhoek bowl.
18.6 mi · Rating 9.2 / 10 · Fit 9.8 / 10
02 · Cape Peninsula
A toll corniche blasted into a sea cliff with 114 curves above the Atlantic.
5.6 mi · Rating 9.4 / 10 · Fit 9.3 / 10
Closed after rockfall or heavy rain
03 · Western Cape
An old mountain shelf road along a boulder river, narrow and beautifully engineered.
18.6 mi · Rating 9.1 / 10 · Fit 9.1 / 10
04 · Mpumalanga
Escarpment road past God's Window and the vast Blyde River Canyon.
37.3 mi · Rating 9.1 / 10 · Fit 9.0 / 10
Mist common in summer
05 · Karoo
A hand built dry stone gravel pass twisting through folded red rock strata.
14.9 mi · Rating 9.7 / 10 · Fit 8.1 / 10
Gravel, closed after snow or heavy rain
Before you go
Parts of Tyrol and several Swiss and Italian valleys restrict loud motorcycles or ban them on specific days. Fines are high and bikes are impounded.
A two thousand metre pass can be fifteen degrees colder than the valley you left forty minutes ago. Pack for the summit, not the start.
Filling stations are rare above the tree line. Fill in the valley before every pass rather than assuming there is something at the top.
Common questions
The Dolomite pass loop, the Col de Turini, the Furka Susten Grimsel triangle and the Transfagarasan all rank at the top for corner quality on two wheels.
Yes. Several Tyrolean valleys and some Swiss roads restrict motorcycles above set noise limits, and a few close to bikes on specific days. Check locally before you ride.