Great USA Motorcycle Routes

If you're into racing bikes or street riding, you don't necessarily need information about routes. Commercial tracks are easy to find where you can work out your need for speed without fear of the law.

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But if you're into touring, finding a great route means doing some planning. Here are two in the Northwest U.S. worth looking into.

Highway 49 - California

If you live in or visit California - as millions of bikers do - it can be tough to find a route that has everything you want - great scenery, good road conditions AND not too much traffic. Part of Highway 49 might be just what you've been looking for.

Running over 300 miles through the California Gold Rush region, much of the route is congested with RVs crawling through small towns in the northern part of the state. But there's a great section near Coulterville, an old mining town from the days when Chinese supplied most of the labor for the railroads.

At the intersection of Highway 49 and Highway 32, head south and enjoy a 15 mile ride full of twisties along a smooth road. Plenty of places to pass exist for that occasional stretch occupied by the random tourist who got off the beaten track.

Be sure to ride up the hill to the ridgeline and take a moment to pause at Virgina Point to look back, past all the abandoned gold mines. Then head toward the Merced River.

Lodging is sparse, but frequent enough. A few restaurants dot the route, serving tourists. The scenery is spectacular, and during the late spring the air is perfect.

The Lolo Pass - Idaho

Idaho, Montana, and Colorado probably have more great routes than anywhere else in the U.S. The Rockies provides stellar views, the people are mostly bike friendly, and there are amenities along most routes as a result of the decades-long tourist traffic that visits the Northwest.

One of the best of these is through the Lolo Pass. The route winds along vistas that look much like they did when Lewis and Clark first saw them. Riding through the Lolo National Forest, you'll feel just like those early pioneers, only your feet won't be so sore.

The whitewater rapids on the Locsha and Selway rivers are a sight to see, and you can stop at one of the numerous hot springs along the way. The area has a high population of deer and other local animals crossing the highway, so take your time and watch for them.

The traffic is sparse and the road conditions are excellent. There aren't a lot of places to fill up along the 75 mile stretch, though. So, top off in Kooskia before you set off.

But the Northwest isn't the only place that still has great rides. Texas, New England, not to mention the roads of the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and many others all provide excellent routes. And if you don't have a bike, you can always rent one. Wherever you live or travel, there's a perfect trip for you.

Great Motorcycle Routes Around the World