Reykjavík is the only real city in Iceland, and for most riders it is where the Ring Road begins and ends. The capital spreads around a bay on the southwest coast, with colourful corrugated-iron houses, the tall concrete church of Hallgrímskirkja on its hill and the glass honeycomb of the Harpa concert hall by the harbour. Across the water rises the flat-topped mountain of Esja, often streaked with snow, and on a clear day the glacier of Snæfellsjökull can be seen far across the bay to the north.
The city is surprisingly young. Although the first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, is said to have made his home here in the late ninth century, Reykjavík remained a small village until the nineteenth century, and most of its growth has come since the Second World War. Geothermal energy heats almost every building in the city, and the hot water that comes out of the taps smells faintly of sulphur. The public swimming pools, heated by the same water, are the social heart of Icelandic life, and a soak after a long day in the saddle is a local ritual worth adopting.
The Ring Road, Route 1, circles the whole island for more than thirteen hundred kilometres, passing glaciers, waterfalls, black sand beaches, fjords and lava fields. It is almost entirely paved, but narrow, with single-lane bridges, blind crests and loose gravel on the edges, and sheep wander onto it freely. Wind is the greatest danger: gusts can be strong enough to knock a motorcycle over, particularly near mountains and on the south coast, so check the weather forecast and the road conditions every day. Driving off marked roads is illegal and damages the fragile moss and soil.
The weather changes quickly at any time of year. Summer brings long days with almost no darkness, while spring and autumn can bring snow and storms, and winter is not suitable for motorcycle touring. Many fuel stations outside the towns are unmanned and accept only cards with a PIN, so make sure yours works before leaving the city.
Reykjavík has every service, including fuel, food and bike shops. Fill up here and on the way, as distances between stations can be long in the east and north. Iceland is expensive, so many travellers buy supplies at supermarkets. Before you go, walk down to the harbour, where the Sun Voyager sculpture faces the sea and the mountains.