15 Best Motorcycle Roads in America

[willie]

http://www.southerndozen.com/index.php
Done em all and would be happy to ride some or all of them with fellow GSers if you're ever in the area. PM me in advance if you're coming and I'll show you a few more that are just as good.
Willie

 

[DMorris]

That's 'cause all the roads in Oregon suck.:-$ I actually got 9 out 15 (all the ones in the West) but then I'm an old fart and have had lots of time to do that.

That's right, all the roads in Washington and Oregon are terrible, busted up junk and should be totally ignored by all.

 

[old_skool]

Haven't been on any of them, but probably not a road in Ohio I haven't graced, but my favorite places to ride are in WV., plenty of scenery and twistys, and far as the road conditions, really good pavement, even with all the coal buckets and log haulers running up and down most roads you wouldn't want a horse to travel, but even most of the gravel roads are better than most of the bigger city streets. Here's some pics of the roads I've traveled, WV- rte 47,16,20,19. Mostly Braxton county and Webster county, I could ride these roads all day every day for a month and never get tired of them.

Been on all of these and then some!!!

 

[Steve]

Looks like I have a few more to go... 4 out of 15 aint too bad

I got three on there.

I actually got 9 out 15 (all the ones in the West) ...

I've road my bike on about 8 of those listed, ...

I have been on 8 of them. numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11 and 12.

Each of them has been great in its own way. Some for the technical aspect, others for scenery.

LOTS of other good roads that didn't make the list, but hey, there's only so much room on the "Top 15 Roads" list.

.

 

[tkent02]

Good thing none of my secret roads made the list.

 

[Gssheller]

Personally, I would say that US 1 in CA is way over rated. I still do it, but Big T knows better roads. I thought Lolo Pass was way over rated, too. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt though, because we rode it the day after my younger broke a front wheel on my GS850 on a rock on Oregon 3. we rented a truck to haul it to Montana where I found a wheel, and we got separated on 12. Then my brother in law hit a deer on Lolo pass on my other GS 850. Its possible I wasn't in the correct state of mind.

sounds like a trying trip.

Looks like I live on the right side of the country though!!

 

[850 Combat]

sounds like a trying trip.

Looks like I live on the right side of the country though!!

No, it was a blast. Overcoming setbacks is part of it. The broken wheel set us back a few days, and we ended up running several back to back 600 mile plus days to catch up, all on two lane roads. Got good advice from this list for planning.

US 14 over the Big Horns was memorable, going up through Shell Canyon in particular. Nobody their, either.

Of course, I like tight roads, like OR 53 between US 26 and Mohler, and 47 outside of Clatsknie, Timber road, It doesn't take much to put together a really nice local ride from your town or mine.

 

[7981GS]

Good thing none of my secret roads made the list.

Exactly!


Daniel

 

[Gssheller]

No, it was a blast. Overcoming setbacks is part of it. The broken wheel set us back a few days, and we ended up running several back to back 600 mile plus days to catch up, all on two lane roads. Got good advice from this list for planning.

US 14 over the Big Horns was memorable, going up through Shell Canyon in particular. Nobody their, either.

Of course, I like tight roads, like OR 53 between US 26 and Mohler, and 47 outside of Clatsknie, Timber road, It doesn't take much to put together a really nice local ride from your town or mine.

No it doesn't. Still looking to get those calipers to you and check out those Nortons. Someday...

 

[platinum2]

is there anywhere in America like the autobahn? unlimited mph?

or - what is the highest speed limit in USA?? and where?
thanks for replys as i havent been around our great country like i want to

 

[cowboyup3371]

Some areas out west here are 80mph but that's about it. I think even Montana went back to a speed limit for their places.

Oh, and the autobahn does have a speed limit - 130kmh - but there are places where it's ignored unless you cause an accident.

 

[platinum2]

Some areas out west here are 80mph but that's about it. I think even Montana went back to a speed limit for their places.

Oh, and the autobahn does have a speed limit - 130kmh - but there are places where it's ignored unless you cause an accident.

really wow i thought it was unlimited, still would like to go with a turbo busa lol, i just dont like to put anyone in danger, unlike a lot of idiots on you tube, accidents happen to fast,and at 190 i dont want to think about it

 

[850 Combat]

Yeah, I've got to do the Enterprise - Clarkson - Lolo - Going to the Sun- Beartooth loop soon

I've done Lolo, GTTS and Beartooth as a kid in the backseat of a Ford wagon, doesn't count, tho

i'm pretty certain that you are the one who recommended Enterprize to Clarkston to me! It was a highlight of that trip.

The roads you recommended between Maupin and LeGrand were also great.

The town of Fossil was a time warp.

 

[Gssheller]

i'm pretty certain that you are the one who recommended Enterprize to Clarkston to me! It was a highlight of that trip.

The roads you recommended between Maupin and LeGrand were also great.

The town of Fossil was a time warp.

I love riding the roads of central Oregon. They seem built for bikes!! Much better than the 4-laners.

I agree that the Enterprise-Clarkston-Lolo Pass sounds like a blast. I'd like to run a loop into SE Oregon, Nevada, Northern California through Yosemite, into Oregon via Klamath Falls and back home. Could be some great roads and scenery!!

 

[whiterabbitt]

if your gonna ride in nor-cal I recommend the 299 from redding to the 96 at willowcreek north to yreka. the roads arent the smoothest, they are tight and twisty with occasional rockfalls. there are like 3 cops on the whole trip, maybe. the scenery is awsome.

ah hell pick a road and it will be a good ride as long as its 2 lane and cuts through the nat'l forests and parks. I spent days riding my honda shadow and cx550 around the back roads from the coast(the 101) to the 395 from the 36 north into southern oregon and all of them were worth it.
in retrospect I kinda regret moving back to nebraska

 

[tkent02]

Oh, and the autobahn does have a speed limit - 130kmh - but there are places where it's ignored unless you cause an accident.

This is not true, there are some place with limits around cities, otherwise you go whatever speed you want. It's much safer than our highways, as everyone pays attention.
I saw 280km on the Limo's speedo last month, all was well, so I went back to sleep.

 

[Jethro]

The guy who works right next to me all day long is German and lived in Wiesbaden for the first 40 years of his life. He said the same thing, there are limits in and around cities and towns, but outside that there is no limit. He then promptly emailed me this picture which is the sign that roughly translated means, "End of Limits".

 

[cowboyup3371]

This is not true, there are some place with limits around cities, otherwise you go whatever speed you want. It's much safer than our highways, as everyone pays attention.
I saw 280km on the Limo's speedo last month, all was well, so I went back to sleep.

You're right but while I was stationed there (2000-2004) we were strongly advised that even in those sections to be careful. If we did over 130kph and caused an accident, the German police would still fine us for going over the speed limit.

Course, maybe it was just the JAGs not wanting the extra paperwork either, I don't know. Either way, very few accidents at that speed end up good anyway, even with their safety advancements ( I saw a few really really nasty ones while I was there).

 

[willie]

While in Germany on business in '93 I refused to listen to the advice/pleas (ie. warnings) of my hosts re: riding a motorcycle on their roads. I rented a new ST1100 and proceeded to check out this autobahn thing I'd heard so much about. The only advice I did adhere to was to stay in the right lane unless you're going to pass and even then make it quick. Nothing compares to passing a cop on the highway at about 95 mph and not being given a second look. On the other hand, not much compares to hearing airhorns and seeing a Mercedes emblem in your rearview mirror while doing over 110mph. Two things about that experience stand out. One is that it happened on a long straight and I had checked my rear view mirror seemingly 10 seconds before pulling out to pass and there was nothing back there. The other being the appearance of the driver. A little blue-haired lady. In-friggin-credible! I was thankful I made it back without further incidents.
Willie

 

[cowboyup3371]

You should have seen how funny it looked when I would pass folks in the 1991 Firebird:dancing:, and then the 2003 Ford Focus we had.