Motorcycle Rides in the US

Posted by Rider Published in Rides

In my last post I talked about a great motorcycle ride in Mexico. I know that a good number of my readers live in the US and that going to Mexico for a bike ride is not that easy for them. So, here are a couple of motorcycle rides in the Northwest US you might want to try. And if you live in the area and you have never ridden through these routes, it’s surely worth adding them to your “to do” or “to ride” list.

Motorcycle Rides: Lolo Pass - Idaho, US

Idaho, as well as Montana and Colorado, are some of the states with the most beautiful motorcycle routes you can find in the US. The Rockies offer some great views, people are used to see people travel by bike so they are motorcycle friendly or at least “motorcycle aware”, and most of the places you travel through offer some kind of amenities.

One of the best motorcycle routes in Idaho is Lolo Pass…

It’s a low traffic road in pretty good conditions that takes you through the Lolo National Forest. During your ride you can find a number of hot springs - how about taking a relaxing bath after your ride - as well as some beautiful natural spots as the rapids on the Locsha and Selway.

A word of caution: there is a high population of deer and other animals in the area. Be careful as you can find them in the middle of the road during your trip. Take your time and watch for them as you ride.

Also be aware that you won’t find many gas stations in the area, so filling the tank up a Kooskia is always a good idea.

Motorcycle Rides: Highway 49 - California

California offers a good number of great motorcycle routes, unfortunately there are only a few that gather a combination of the three most wanted characteristics a rider looks for: great scenery, good road conditions AND not too much traffic. One of these, is small section of Highway 49.

Highway 49 runs over 300 miles through California Gold Rush area. Most of it is pretty crowded with RVs that travel to and from the small towns in northern California. But there’s a small but great section close to Coulterville, an old mining town, that’s full of twisties along a smooth road with low traffic. To get there, you need to ride to the intersection of Highway 49 and Highway 32 and then head south.

Besides a great riding experience, you will also find to some beautiful spots for an occasional stretch or just to get off the beaten track.

A spot you shouldn’t miss is Virginia Point. You will find it after riding uphill to the ridgeline. Once there, you’ll be able to spot all the abandoned gold mines people worked on during the Gold Rush.

After stretching out at Virginia Point, you can then get on your motorcycle again and head toward the Merced River. All the scenery is spectacular.

The best time of the year to plan a motorcycle ride in the area is late spring.

You won’t find many places to stay for the night but there a few of them. There are also some restaurants for tourists traveling the area.

What about other motorcycle rides?

Not only the Northwest offers great motorcycle routes. Other states within the US as Texas and New England have pretty nice ones, too. And what about motorcycle rides in Europe? The UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and many other countries provide excellent routes.

Do you know a motorcycle route you want to share with the readers / riders of this blog? Leave it in the comments of this post. We will all appreciate that.

In the meantime, you can check the following sites for more ideas for your next ride: