Must Ride Roads For Every Motorcycle Owner
Posted: Thursday, March 24, 2011
by Ron Ayalon
Petwebdesigner Inc.
Pack your bags. Load all your gear onto that drop-dead gorgeous Road Star Silverado out in your garage and get ready to roll. We’ve got a bucket list and time’s a wastin’!
You know you want to do it. You don’t buy a serious road machine like that if you don’t plan to hit the trail. So where are you going to go? Here are a few fabulous roads that belong on every rider’s list of must-ride roads.
The Dragon: Riders don’t come to the Tail of the Dragon (US 129 at Deals Gap, on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line) for the scenery, although it is indeed scenic. No, they come for the curves. There are 318 of them in a scant 11 miles of sweet two-lane road. Bikers love twisty two-lanes and they don’t get twistier than the dragon. Be aware: This is not a road to ride fast, either from a safety or law enforcement perspective. Take your time and enjoy the ride.
Trail Ridge Road: Rising from Rocky Mountain National Park, in Colorado, to a maximum elevation of 12,183 feet, this jewel of a road then drops down to Grand Lake on the western side of the Continental Divide. Described as “the highest continuous motorway in the United State,” the road cruises above 11,000 feet for more than 8 miles. Be sure when you come that the road will be open; it closes entirely from mid-fall to late spring, depending on weather conditions.
Going to the Sun Road: It’s no surprise that so many of the best motorcycle roads are within or directly adjacent to national parks. That’s why the park was created, because the scenery is spectacular. It doesn’t get more true than at Glacier National Park, in Montana, where the Going to the Sun Highway is the major east-west road through the park. Running approximately 50 miles, the road has restrictions on vehicle size, which means those Winnebagos and other oversized RVs are not allowed, making it a motorcyclist’s dream. The biggest drawback is that you’ll want to look at the view but you don’t dare do so, for fear of going over the cliff. Avalanches in winter prevent the erection of barriers on many stretches of the road; that’s how extreme this road is. That’s why they have numerous pull-outs. You’ll definitely want to use them.
Big Sur: Making our way to the west coast now, there is no road anywhere like California Highway 1 through Big Sur. At places carved into sheer rock walls above the sea, with remarkable and beautiful bridges spanning deeply cleft inlets, the road along Big Sur draws tourists from around the world. Many of them are on motorcycles. One hint: It’s best to ride this road north to south, because that puts you on the side toward the ocean, affording a better view than what northbound traffic has. Not that you’re going to want to try to see too much while riding, though. Just as with the Going to the Sun Road, your best bet along Big Sur is to avail yourself of the many pull-outs where you can enjoy the view safely.
For Long Island Motorcycles, visit Island Powersports at http://www.IslandPowersports.com or call 516-795-4400. We have rock bottom pricing, outstanding customer service, and knowledgeable staff to satisfy your thirst for fun. Schedule an appointment today to get out and ride!
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