Oman Motorcycle Ride

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Warren

Hello, I’m Warren, writer and photographer of Motorcycle Paradise, a free and independent website about motorcycle travel. There is no sponsored content here, just my personal stories, written simply, of my dream to ride the worlds best roads.

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Returning from South Africa I hopped off at Dubai to try a ride with a difference.

I have a few places on my ride bucket list collectively under a subtitle of ‘maybe’.  Seeing I was flying via Dubai I decided to action one of those.

This I figured would also make the expensive airfare to SA better value by doing two rides.

That however turned out false. I said last ride make sure you book with reputable company yet managed to get ripped off by a mob called Wadi Motors. Things seemed above board, certified BMW partner doing training and rentals. Two weeks out I am told they are closing shop. All communications cease, my deposit is lost. I find out later the whole business was fabricated with faked photos on Facebook and fake reviews and of course a very professional looking but fake web site.

It was hard to find any other motorcycle rental in Dubai and I considered abandoning the trip but Prestige Motorcycle Tours have Harleys and thus I booked a Street 750 model with them.

Now this tour realy will will be something different.

Day One

Their shop is out of town so I used Uber but it’s still an expensive fare – as is everything in Dubai. My bike the Street 750 is their lowest cost rental but still premium price because it’s Dubai. The shop is bit unorganised and so it is almost 11.00 by the time I am on the highway. First impression is good. Not too big or heavy and it has reasonable ground clearance. Mostly just sand dunes from Dubai to the border but that is fine while I get used to the bike.

You know Murphy’s law – I was hit by cold snap in South Africa and now here there is a heat wave pushing spring weather into an early summer here. Well I am told I need not worry about rain, we shall see… I stopped at a dam before the border which told me that even in a desert it rains.

I was unable to follow my route from here inland, my map or GPS refused to navigate. So ended up re routing via the coast.

Entering Oman took an hour. Multiple checkpoints. Long queue for visa despite having online e-visa which is waste of time at land borders. I had to buy Oman motorcycle insurance which cost about $75 for a week. Anyway it was all ok and good chance to cool down and rehydrate.

Every car in Oman seems to be a V8 supercharged biturbo flagship model. Even the Corollas here are V8’s. Nah kiddin’, all Lexus here. Road speed seems to be fast as possible on highway and 120 in urban areas. Reminds me of Sicily. There are speed bumps even on main highways. I guess only way to slow people down.

Staying in a nice big self catering apartment first night in Sohar. I’m worried about parking a Harley on street but Oman is wealthy country and crime is rare.

Day Two

I am bound for Jebal Shams. A rocky 2000m mountain range with spectacular views. I booked a stay in Arabian tent hotel with full board at the peak. My desire is to see sunset over the desert. Setting off the scenery was stark but interesting.

In the foot hills the roads are amazing and oddly have street lamps. In the middle of nowhere. A series of climbs over and around hills are beautiful riding.

I reach the turn off to the mountain but it is rough and loose shale stone surface. I was supposed to be on a GS800 from other shop and forgot the road up could be unsealed. Sharp stones rule out attempting this on the HD tyres. Nothing for it but to ride on to the next turn off going up and see what it’s surface looks like. Problem is there has been no fuel since leaving the coast.

Scenery along the way is stunning. Those sheer rock faces have scale of which escapes my photography. The GPS soon after this gets confused like Day 1. Roads do not match the map and I dub the area the Bermuda triangle.

Because I was robbed in South Africa and lost my iPhone I currently do not have Mapsme with offline maps for Oman installed on the Android phone I purchased a a replacement. Riding on I come to a huge landslide blocking road. Ok this is a problem. I ride down dirt track to see if there is a detour.

Met some guys who tell me there there is no fuel out here at all but the road on other side of the creek is in good order.

The detour is via that creek above. I make it through fine despite not being on a bike really made for this. But I am becoming aware this is all getting a bit risky. It is isolated out here, baking hot, 46 degrees and I have limited water left on me and low on fuel as well no sim card for phone and currently no map.

The Harley has no fuel gauge despite being a new bike, guess that would be un-macho or something for Harley riders. So what I have is a fuel light telling you 2 litres left which is a pitifully small fuel reserve. There’s being dumb and being life threatening stupid. I stick with being a dumb bloke and after the creek take the first turn towards back to the coast highway. 

It’s a shame but I’m already in a bad situation and need to get myself back to water and fuel before I run out of both.

The riding continues to be fabulous. However I am worried and using a modest throttle to conserve fuel and have already drunk all my water. It is a relief when I see some other cars and realise I am close to the coastal highway as the fuel light has already come on.

I stop at the first shop and down 600ml bottles of water like Tequila shots. That was dumb Warren.

No way up the mountain. I’d need to buy a jerry can and then still not going to be easy to ride a Harley up a gravel mountain road. l email the hotel explaining the situation.

Then I look for an Omantel shop and get a sim card, least now I might have emergency call ability. Next I find a beach hotel designed for westerners that is expensive but it has a rare thing, a bar (no alcohol in Oman). I need a beer.

The green lines on map is how I think I went but the road maps are not accurate. The circle is where the GPS got lost I think. The road with land slip and road I took back to coast are not even shown on this map.

The red route is what I was thinking to try tomorrow but I cannot establish if there is fuel beyond Rustaq and the Harley has such a small tank. Also the condition of road is unknown but probably gravel. In my scramble to obtain a motorcycle to ride here I forgot my original plan was based on having off road capable machine.

Well it’s a lovely night at the beach bar. 30 degrees, the ocean reflecting the moon and providing a nice breeze. Perfect for a few ice cold beers.

Day Three

I’m going to ride another loop to the base of the mountains having established there is fuel in Rustaq – but I reluctantly accept it’s stupid to try reach the summit on this bike.

The Sohar Grand Mosque.

The rugged scenery and beautiful roads of Oman.

2026 note: I was using a Canon Powershot G1XM3 on this trip and I think it shows still in 2026 how nice a photo this camera took. I only sold it because I could not use the EVF, the dioptric adjustment was not enough for my eyesight. On board/on bike while moving I was using the Sony QX-10 lens only camera which also took a pretty good photo when I got the scene in frame – which wasn’t anywhere near as many times as I achieve with my current DJI Osmo Action 5.

The scale of the mountains here is much greater than my photos convey, it’s very scenic IMO.

Looking back as I leave the hills. Despite missing my target I have enjoyed two days of awesome motorcycle roads in dramatic landscapes.

Next I stop in Nakhl to visit it’s historic fort. I’m not into man made things but this was actually nice and I enjoyed the natural cooling afforded by the interior.

The official at gate asks me how I find the heat and I reply it’s like my home town in summer.

‘Ah! you are Aussie, no problem, like the Crocodile Hunter, I love him.’ He replies. My fellow Australians you will be welcomed everywhere thanks to the larakin image the world has of us. Just play along with it ok. ‘But the people from Europe, they find it difficult he laments’. Just then a Danish couple are leaving all red and flustered. He and I nod knowingly to each other.

Despite being in my gear on the bike I find it is better than wearing less when dealing with dry high temperatures. The evaporative method they call it. You need to drink heaps of water because you are perspiring but once moving that has a cooling affect. Non cotton shirt is helpful and you can wet your scarf, shirt, hair and inside jacket also to get more evaporative cooling. I’d buy one of those cooling vests if I was riding in heat like this more often but try to avoid it.

I stop often to water frequently at small villages where I take time to sit in doorways or any bit of shade with cold drink. Locals are super friendly and all ask me am I ok, can they help. Guess you don’t need to be crazy to ride a motorcycle across desert of Oman – but it helps.

The roads down on the flat follow a dry river bed and are non stop beautiful sweeping corners. Oman, a place of amazing motorcycle roads, who would have guessed.

Staying at another apartment hotel tonight. I get a huge selection of ready to eat Indian food from the supermarket chain called LuLu Hypermarket – my tip; they can make fresh nan bread while you wait just ask.

Day Four

Woke up with a bit of a head cold. Going in and out of icy cold air conditioned shops hot and sweaty will do that. My original ride plan had been from the mountain of Jebel Shams down the country inland to the sand dunes.

I could try go inland today but I feel exhausted and it’s not like I can get to the dunes now on the Harley. Late departure I ride direct to Muscat. These flags start about 30 km out, must be about 30,000 flags used by my calculations. Impressive.

And the grand mosque stops you in your tracks. I ride around a little but Muscat is a big city with aggressive traffic. After a angry woman in some uber expensive car tries to run me off road I decide I’ve had enough and check into hotel to escape the afternoon heat.

Day Five

I take the day off, scrap further sightseeing in Muscat and attend to less glamorous things like washing, cleaning ride gear backing up photos and then drift off to sleep watching some idiotic movie. Does Hollywood make anything other than contrived nonsense now days?

But the rest was good and by the afternoon I’m feeling well again so I ride out for a coffee and donut. Everyone stares. I might be the sole motorcyclist in Oman. (Seriously I have not seen another motorcycle here so far)

This hotel caters to European package tours. I watch them all seated at a long table looking bored. I smile and am happy I can still do things my way. I gladly will get on a motorcycle in the heat tomorrow rather than a air conditioned bus.

Hotel has a bar so I indulge in a couple of expensive brews and strike up a conversation with the bar tender and waitress who like all the staff here are from Philippines. Then I watch the England Vs Sri Lanka T20 game. Really miss being able to do this in Japan. Not just the cricket, as I have said previously there are just no regular public bars in Japan and foreigners are banned from the 10,000+ Japanese hostess bars so you literally have no where to watch a game or have a chat.

Day Six

Feeling recovered I ride back north to Shinas to get a ferry to the other half of Oman that lies separated by the UAE.

I was thinking to go inland via those nice roads but it has turned hazy and you can barely see the mountains. I was really fortunate those two days. Always curious about local variations of fast food chains but menu is exactly same as Australia however the air conditioning was bliss.

Leaving KFC the GPS suddenly pushes my ETA way out. Stupid me, Garmin’s ETA when first calculating your route is notoriously unreliable, like they can say 4 hours in Japan when it will be an 8 hour ride. Now I have to hustle or I will miss the ferry. I got the Street 750 up to 140kph, which is still slower than the cars here in the fast lane but it’s as fast as I could stand the wind blast for an extended period.

With such good roads I ran off some time and having pre booked I had a place on the ferry which was rather small for what I thought would be a major route.

The northern part of Oman is known for having steep rocky coastline. The ferry was scheduled to round the cape around sunset which should be amazing. Alas shortly after departure we encounter rough seas in a storm. So much for it doesn’t rain here. The small ship had to go slow and it was dark well before arrival.

Onboard I meet Toby from Sweden travelling around Oman in a four wheel drive and chatting to him was enjoyable. It’s can be lonely this life on the road. Leaving the boat I almost drop the bike on the wet floor that has no nonslip coating, then cannot get traction on the ramp. I push way back and slithering build a little speed then hit the ramp to land on the wharf by more luck than skill.

There are only two hotels in Khasab and both charge double what they are worth so I choose the cheaper one as my plan is not to be in the room long tonight.

Day Seven

The rear brake that was wooden went spongey last night and has no braking power. I see brake fluid leaking. Furthermore on a raked out cruiser the front wheel instantly locks on loose surface. There is an excellent view point east of here I had planned to visit at dawn but it lies down a gravel road with reasonably steep descent.

Again it’s a place that with the GS I would have had no trouble reaching but on the Harley with no rear brake it might be hard. Instead I wake up while it is still dark and ride along the coast. My hope today is I might at least see a nice sunrise. Then I can ride back to Dubai before it gets too hot.

And wow I sure am in luck. The haze from the desert creates an incredible sunrise the likes of which I have never seen before.

There is a communications tower up above with small gravel road so I ride up to get a photo.

(2026 note: an amazing sunrise, this photo’s colours are not boosted)

Of course I have to return down the gravel road and what did I mention already, no rear brake, raked out front end on gravel. Instead of having engine off and in gear using the clutch as a rear brake I put my feet out like plows and use a big patch of loose loam like a sand trap. Dumb and dumber, that’s me. But that view was worth it.

The road then hugs the rocky coastline as day slowly breaks.

At a rest stop I find a mural of the viewpoint I originally wanted to see here. Oh well I am doing the best I can with what I have and this mornings sunrise was still special.

No queue at the border this early and much easier return procedures. I cleared immigration both countries in about 10 minutes.

Then the road leaves the coast and the smoke or dust haze gets really bad.

Before reaching Dubai I want to ride up Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. It is all sealed multi lane road that looks like a race track. You may have seen it on one of the tv motoring shows. But today the area was shrouded in haze.

I went that way regardless and some of the valleys like below were less hazy although I have postprocessed the next two images considerably.

My eye was caught by a nearby a muddy pool. I have not boosted these colours at all, the water from last night tinted from the earth reflects the mountains in the morning before the sun can evaporate it.

At this beautiful scene I noticed the Street 750 rear brake has started to leak fluid over the rear wheel and tyre. I have doubts now about riding it on the twisty mountain Jebel Jais. Last thing I want is to have a spill so again reluctantly I have to pass on one of the big planned items for this ride.

Oh well thinking positively I have still seen some wonderful things and did not die in the desert or crash getting off the ferry.

Good highway straight into Dubai although scary at times. 12 lanes/6 lanes each direction. Your neck gets a workout looking for cars that are all speeding wildly and changing lanes without indicating but I arrive at the shop safely.

I was supposed to get fuel but actually forgot then there is no petrol station anywhere near the bike shop. I decide I’ll just pay whatever the penalty amount is for a full tank of fuel but then back at the shop the owner when moving the bike into shop presses the rear brake which is like a sponge and squirts brake fluid everywhere. I play dumb and say no it’s been fine, not a problem, must have just happened.

He then is complaining that the bike will have to go to the dealership for a service – implying but not directly saying the bike needing some simple maintenance is my fault. Rental shops nearly always will try blame renters for anything. I have learned when returning a bike and they ask any problems say nothing, if you say anything at all then you caused that item to break. And if you get a flat and fix it never mention it or they may ask you to pay for new tyre.

Anyway the up side of all this was he forgot to check the fuel so I never said anything 😀

Post Ride

Last time I visited Dubai it was in the 90’s, then it was 100’s of cranes and had one mall. I did a tour in a taxi because it was so cheap to hire one for a couple of hours. Now it’s 100’s of high rises joined by endless shopping malls where everyone is speaking Tagalog (Filipino) and the short taxi ride from airport to hotel cost $50.

Whilst I am not impressed by man made things I make an exception for the Burj Khalifa.

It is so high when close up the brain struggles with the scale.

You can go inside but it is very expensive like everything in Dubai where just a coffee will set you back $12. I could not justify the fee so enjoyed the free dancing fountain show in the evening and ate at KFC the only thing I could afford.

Whilst many issues affected this ride I am glad I gave it a go on the Street 750 which whilst not a bike I would normally ride was still enjoyable.

Riding all those roads with perfect surveying at the foothills of Oman mountains was beyond my expectations. Just an idea but if you are passing by Dubai and it is not peak summer you could see some nice desert scenery by visiting the Jebel Jais mountain on a one day ride and enjoy yourself far more than walking around shopping malls.

2026 update: There is a good motorcycle rental operation in Dubai now with ADV bikes you can take into Oman and they also do guided moto tours to Oman. It’s a destination well worth considering.