10 legendary motorcycle rides

MSNBC ^ | 10:07 a.m. PT June 7, 2007 | Stephen Regenold

[martin_fierro]

10 legendary motorcycle rides

"Tail of the Dragon" in Great Smoky Mountains among best-known roads

By Stephen Regenold

Forbes Traveler.com

Updated: 10:07 a.m. PT June 7, 2007

France may have its vineyards, and Rome its ancient ruins, but America is the undisputed wonderland of roads. Here in the Land of the Free, the open road has long been a symbol of independence, and all the more so on a motorcycle.

But where to begin?

In the continental United States alone there are hundreds of thousands of miles of blacktop and cement, an oblivion of open road panning to all compass points.

For this story, we polled nine biker fanatics, including editors and publishers from motorcycling magazines, as well as some longtime recreational riders, to create a top-10 list of must-ride roads.

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[martin_fierro]

There are TONS of great riding venues in the SF Bay Area.

Everything from coastal cruises* to mountain twisties* to flat straightaways in the delta.*

*Those only SOUND dirty.

[martin_fierro]

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[doorgunner69]

The western end of the Santa Monica mountains used to be motorcycle heaven: infinite number of turns, no posted speed limits, no traffic (other than a few lost tourists), little to no CHP, etc. I spent most of the early-late 70's howling around up there on an assortment of bikes, hanging out at the Rock Store.

Moved to San Diego for a while, and when I moved back to Thousand Oaks, the hills had become infested with mansions, cops, and 35 MPH speed limits. The playground was gone, the Rock Store was now a drunken Harley rider hangout.

Nothing stays the same..........

[JerseyHighlander]

Google Earth and Google Maps have a new mapplet just available that is made specifically for motorcycle, hiking, biking, etc type of trip plotting and sharing through kml files. Expect it to come out of Beta sometime this summer.

[tacticalogic]

IIRC, Aerostitch used to have an Interesting Road Finder in their catalog. It was made of unobtainium and I believe cost about a million dollars and came with a walnut.

[blackie]

I’ve ridden most of the Bay Area roads and you’re right.

Too much traffic for the old curmudgeon, Oregon has as good or better roads and hardly any traffic! >:-}

[JerseyHighlander]

You’re busting my nuts here, but Garmin and Trimble have a big push out for motorcycle gps systems for motorcycles coming out in a few weeks.

[Osage Orange]

Ortega Highway....from Capistrano to Elsinore...used to be a fun ride.

I'm sure it's been corrupted now.....

[postaldave]

pretty lame list. key west?? yeah, i know tons of riders telling stories about shredding that highway.

where is the needles highway?
blue ridge?
bluesky?
devils triangle?

us60 out of charleston?

421?? from indiana to NC. yes the whole road?

northern GA anyone?

looks like this was written by some old guy who drives a buick.

BTW: who the hell is reading MSNBC online? shame on you.

[doorgunner69]

LOL..checked out the slideshow to see the roads they picked. Several are so straight you'd die of boredom.

And then there is the road to Big Sur. Beautiful, beyond doubt, but you had better not be in a hurry, or be prepared to pass over the double yellow line: there are no passing zones, and it is full of motorhomes, minivans, all creeping along and constantly slamming the brakes on. An exercise in frustration.

[demsux]

I'm going down to Arkansas in a couple of weeks for trout fishing and riding my bike...supposed to be great area...Push Mountain Loop and the White River.

In July, heading to Charleston, SC and going to pull my bike to Gatlinburg, leave it for the week and then ride around TN and NC.

[tacticalogic]

Found it!

[tacticalogic]

The sites blocked by the filters at work.

Is Ark. 7 from Harrison to Hot Springs on there?

[postaldave]

if i was your work i would block msnbc too.

no, no hot springs run.

[angkor]

Bay Area, schmay area ;-)

There’s a nice 45 mile stretch of Utah SR 24 from Hanksville to I-70. Straight as an arrow, very little traffic, and excellent scenery.

OK, I confess I was not on my bike at the time, but I did have the cruise control set at 105MPH for nearly 1/2 hour. The only big hazard might be wayward cattle in the middle of the road.

Did Laconia NH with some Harley pals not too long ago, the NH roads are decent riding. Ran the Bonneville 850 against a newly-rebored 1200 Sissy Sportster for a good 20 miles with no traffic problems, getting up to about 110 on the straightaways.

But out west is always more senic for bikes.

[Billthedrill]

It's on there but the picture doesn't do it justice - Highway-Going-To-The-Sun, Glacier National Park, Montana. Do it west to east. I haven't seen anything to top it anywhere in the world.

It's fun to watch your passenger look down and to the right. Way, way below, there's clouds and birdies flying...

[Fractal Trader]

There is only ONE classic motorcycle ride, and it is memorialized in Easy Rider. Midnight in the New Orleans cemetery is the best scene ; )

[doorgunner69]

Ortega Highway....from Capistrano to Elsinore...used to be a fun ride.

I'm sure it's been corrupted now.....

Drove through there a long time ago, never rode it. Said to be somewhat of a death trap if I recall? Too many cars use it to cut across. Sure to have mucho CHP/Sheriff by now with the nanny state mentality.............

[glasseye]

The Santa Cruz mountains have some of the best roads anywhere. Alice's restaurant is known around the world in biker circles.

Love living here.

Doing hiway 1 from San Francisco to Seattle next month on a Vespa.

Two wheels good!!!

[Osage Orange]

You ever get the chance come to OK..and ride. Check these rides out...

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/ok.html