10 Best Motorcycle Roads in the U.S.

[Ghosty]

According to Lonely Planet. Posted on CNN today:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/12/travel/best-motorcycle-roads/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Someday I'd love to do the PCH, Yellowstone, and KeyWest. But on a Sport Tourer or ADV.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120521114715-best-motorcycle-rides-story-top.jpg

[asp_125]

No roads in colorado? Fail! Otoh, less tourists for us.

[salsashark]

Key West?! :wtf:

Granted, it's on my list just to say I've been there on a bike, but I would hardly think it's one of the "Best" motorcycle roads...

[cptschlongenheimer]

Key West?! :wtf:

Granted, it's on my list just to say I've been there on a bike, but I would hardly think it's one of the "Best" motorcycle roads...

+1


...Salt air, sea food, and slow speed get you onto island time in no time flat
Yeah cause all the best motorcycle roads are known for slow speeds.:roll:

[asp_125]

Probably voted in by people who ride cruisers. :\

[dirkterrell]

Key West?! :wtf:

Granted, it's on my list just to say I've been there on a bike, but I would hardly think it's one of the "Best" motorcycle roads...

Yeah, I was :wtf: too. It's kinda fun to ride it but wouldn't be anywhere near making a best roads list of mine.


Probably voted in by people who ride cruisers. :\

Based on what I've seen down there, I think you're right.

[Ghost]

5. Beartooth Highway, (US 212): 68 Miles in Yellowstone National Park (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/rocky-mountains/yellowstone-national-park), Wyoming Squiggle along for a couple of hours over the highest highway in the Northern Rockies as it twists and turns its way up to 10,947 feet at Beartooth Pass in Wyoming. Stop to take in views of glacier-laden peaks, alpine plateaus dotted with lakes, waterfalls, and lush forests in one of the most rugged areas in the lower 48 states.
^Epic.



2. Appalachian Mountains: 770 miles from Front Royal, Virginia to Deal's Gap, North Carolina This four-in-one magic mountain ride begins with Skyline Drive in Virginia, a 105-mile run along the ridge of the Shenandoah National Park, conveniently connected with the Blue Ridge Parkway (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/the-south/north-carolina) for 469 miles of smooth roads and sweeping blacktop. Ride east to Tellico Plains along the Cherohala Skyway (Hwy 28 descending into Tennessee backcountry. Loop back via Hwys 360 and 72 to Deal's Gap, and take on the internationally famous 11 mile Tail of the Dragon and whip through those 318 curves for some bragging rights.^Skip BRP unless you like going 25mph behind every fucking RV in the world coming together for the biggest conga line of bullshit you'll ever see. Plus, 45mph speed limit the entire way, and +cops. Lots of them.

[dirkterrell]

^Skip BRP unless you like going 25mph behind every fucking RV in the world coming together for the biggest conga line of bullshit you'll ever see. Plus, 45mph speed limit the entire way, and +cops. Lots of them.

BRP in the Fall is epic. But, yeah, don't ride it during peak traffic hours.

[salsashark]

hmmmmm maybe an overnighter to Beartooth is in order...

Oh and as for BRP:
Off-peak = epicness
Peak hours = torture

Last time I was out there, I was given a list of good roads to hit that don't have any of the traffic or LEO presence, but all of the twisty scenic goodness.

[JDK1962]

Beartooth is great, but I'd also highly recommend #6 on the list (Utah 12). Relatively close by and absolutely gorgeous. I did it one July afternoon/evening (~5PM-8PM) from the Bryce Canyon end up to Torrey, and if not the best three hours of riding I ever had, it was damn close.

24 up to Hanksville very early the following morning was pretty nice too, but then the road straightens out and you're in for some boredom.

[asp_125]

Good thing they didn't mention places like Deckers and 7 and 141 .. otherwise we'd be overrun by bikes.

[dirkterrell]

Good thing they didn't mention places like Deckers and 7 and 141 .. otherwise we'd be overrun by bikes.

Yeah, let's hope none of these roads suffer the fate of the Dragon. I used to ride it in the mid 80s before it turned into the zoo it seems to be today.

[bluedogok]

^Epic.

^Skip BRP unless you like going 25mph behind every fucking RV in the world coming together for the biggest conga line of bullshit you'll ever see. Plus, 45mph speed limit the entire way, and +cops. Lots of them.
Top Gear had an episode on the BRP, they had a hard time with the speed limit.

TopGearBox.com - Top Gear: Series 16, Episode 1 (http://www.topgearbox.com/2010/episode-guides/series-16/top-gear-series-16-episode-01/)

[Aracheon]

I plan to ride the PCH later this summer. :)

[Ghost]

Top Gear had an episode on the BRP, they had a hard time with the speed limit.

TopGearBox.com - Top Gear: Series 16, Episode 1 (http://www.topgearbox.com/2010/episode-guides/series-16/top-gear-series-16-episode-01/)

Yep, I did see that, dunno what intern plotted their route to take BRP and not The Dragon/Deal's Gap instead. Or why they didn't come out here or hit any real mountain roads.

Of course, TG is often scripted to make the US look ratherstupid for their home audience, so maybe it was intentional. Or they confused "scenic" with "fun".

[UHATEIT]

I lived in CA for 26 years and all up and down the actual coastline area. Ive gone on cruises with other clubs I've been in (MR2 club, 350Z club, and a 300ZX club). Pch is very nice, however very ridden with tourists obviously its SOCAL all the damn tourists go there and overrun by lots of cops. Beautiful but have to watch yourself for the POPO. However the northern CA portion of PCH is awesome with typically cooler temps and lots of nice trees and scenery.

Last time I did PCH was on my way back from San Francisco to LA and did a run in my (wait for it... ford escort commuter car) and took the run down from Monterey and Laguna Seca down through Big Sur and down to Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo area. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous, lots of twisties to keep you entertained for many hours on end :)

[Captain Obvious]

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120521114715-best-motorcycle-rides-story-top.jpg


This image looks exactly like a turn on WolfPen gap in the Deckers area.

[Captain Obvious]

Key West?! :wtf:

Granted, it's on my list just to say I've been there on a bike, but I would hardly think it's one of the "Best" motorcycle roads...

Every trip I have made to Key West has involved of coming to a complete stop due to traffic. North bound, South Bound didn't matter.

+3 on it being voted on by Cruiser riders...

[asp_125]

I have a friend in SLC that tells me every year, this road gets mentioned in the local paper as one of the best motorcycle rides in SLC.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=salt+lake+city+to+wendover&saddr=salt+lake+city&daddr=wendover&hl=en&ll=40.734771,-112.986145&spn=1.107189,2.60376&t=m&z=9&geocode=Fcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw%3BFYCZbQId-uwz-SlbggcPCiOsgDFAv8ZD7CXJhw

Only because there's beer and gambling across the state line in NV.

[Matty]

Well I've done #1 and parts of #2.

Surprised there's not any Colorado and/or more California roads on that list.

[Mother Goose]

Salt air, sea food, and slow speed get you onto island time in no time flat.
Flat being the key word here.