Great Motorcycle Routes - Worldwide
Bikers are always looking for the next great ride. A big part of that search involves finding new routes. The old, tried-and-true classics are terrific, like visiting an old friend.
But finding that new road is like
finding a new love - full of passion and the excitement of exploring the
unknown where every turn holds another breathtaking vista.
There are dozens of websites devoted to nothing but finding and sharing
those spectacular routes. Awesome scenery, uncrowded stretches, quality
roads, convenient amenities - restaurants, rest stops and motels, small
stores - and many other factors go into the scoring. Out comes a list, often
with reviews, photos and maps of just where to take that next trip.
Here are a few from around the world.
Best Biking Roads, www.bestbikingroads.com, has over 600 European routes and
37 in the U.S. No matter where you live you'll find something here that's
close by or within a day's ride.
Clayton, clayton.co.uk/mcycle, focuses on the UK & Ireland. Beyond the
routes, there's great information on local laws and other useful tidbits.
The scenery is lush and green, and you'll read lots of helpful items about
towns and villages along the route.
Ultrablade, www.btinternet.com/~ultrablade/index.html, offers maps and
routes - and lots of other great info - on the best places to ride in France
and Spain. You can find out about renting a bike if you're on a European
vacation, then set off around the Pyrenees for that once in a lifetime ride.
Nurburgring, www.thenurburgringexperience.co.uk/site/index.htm, is different
from the other sites. It's a commercial enterprise that offers bikers the
opportunity to push their bikes and themselves to the limit along almost
23km (16.6 mi) of road. The route is designed for racing and has over 70
bends for that ultimate rush. If you live near Germany or want the ultimate
experience on a vacation, check it out.
For the millions of riders in the U.S. there are several sites that list
routes by state. Chock full of detailed reviews, they provide enough options
to keep even the youngest biker busy for a lifetime.
MotorcycleRoads.com, www.motorcycleroads.com/index.shtml, offers tons of
photos and data about the routes listed. Most of those listed are
contributed by visitors, so you know they've been on the routes themselves.
Scenery, side-trips, amenities, it's all here.
MotorcycleRoads.us, www.motorcycleroads.us, isn't affiliated with
MotorcycleRoads.com. There are only so many great domain names, after all.
But they, too, have a U.S.-clickable map that will lead visitors to any
state. Dozens of routes are available in some, one or two in others. But the
information is plentiful. You'll find route lengths, comments and color
coding according to road type.
Pashnit, www.pashnit.com/motoroads.htm, focuses on California. But that
covers a lot of territory and encompasses a very large biker population. The
site has some of the best photos and offers reviews that have been vetted by
biking tour guides who really know their turf.
Wherever you live or your vacation, there's a great route not far away.
Finding one that has great scenery, adequate amenities, decent road
conditions, and isn't too heavily traveled by cars or other bikers can be a
challenge. Check out a few of these sites, and you're sure to find one you
didn't know about. Then fill up the tank and go!