Motorcycle Touring - Seeing the World on a Motorcycle
Motorcycle Touring - defined as "a journey for business, pleasure or education often involving a series of stops and ending at the starting point". I define motorcycle touring as the best possible way to see and experience the world. Touring on a motorcycle is the greatest adventure - knowing where you are supposed to end up at the end of a day, but not having any idea what lies between your starting and end points.While some folks like to take the motorcycle out for day trips, returning home at the end of the day, I much prefer to go somewhere. I like to travel - I love Motorcycle Touring. In the States, we have ridden the motorcycles through much of the country - the east coast, from the Hudson Valley up to Maine - the great western states, Colorado up through the coast of Northern California - through the Smokey Mountains, the Adirondack Mountains, the Green Mountains of New Hampshire, the Rockies. I have been amazed by the beauty of this country, while on my motorcycle.
If you are at a loss regarding where to plan your next motorcycle trip, check out Cool Bike Rides. The site was designed by a rider who was looking to share his experiences with others. If you're looking for a place to explore, find your next ride here.I also recommend Open Road Journey - designed to help motorcyclists find great roads and routes throughout the world using a combination of GPS, interactive maps, and other technologies. They offer routes all over the US so we will appeal to a great deal of motorcyclists. And, don't be discouraged about touring an area of the country far from where you live. Consider shipping your motorcycle to your destination, and flying. You save travel time not driving cross country, and you get more time on the motorcycle traveling through a completely different area of the country. Definitely a WIN WIN situation.
Magnificent Roads in West Virginia
Not to be missed: The wonderfully Scenic Roads of West Virginia
Posing By a Really Big Rock, Somewhere in Utah
One of the more memorable trips in the States, the Grand Circle Tour, involved several national parks, some really big rocks, nice sweeping curves, and motorcycling through Utah and Colorado.Ride along with me through Idaho and Wyoming on the Northwest Passage, and watch a video of me riding through Lolo Pass!
If you are planning a bike vacation, why not gift yourself with a great leather gift bag? Great for packing all those necessities away.
Perhaps the greatest motorcycle touring involves riding in a foreign country. There is no greater adventure than hopping on a rented motorcycle, with a group of friends, and traveling through a different country and a foreign culture. With each day dawns a new adventure - new roads to navigate, meals to negotiate and a new destination at which to arrive. Just remember, you really need to know how to pack for a motorcycle trip.We have toured through Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and France. Each country has something different to offer a motorcyclist - wonderful roads, beaches, marvelous food, wine and scenery. Certainly, there are challenges involved with motorcycle touring - mechanical breakdowns, scheduling, ferry crossings, climate changes and lost luggage can cause momentary aggravation, but the memories that result...priceless! Do your research before embarking on a bike tour. Unfortunately, perhaps, I've learned through some mistakes. Read my tips for long distance travel, especially in a foreign country.
Adventures in Europe
Motorcycle Touring at its Best!
Without a doubt, we have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel by motorcycle in various European countries, most recently Scotland and the UK. Last year, we spent two weeks traveling through France, where we had wonderful weather, great roads, beautiful scenery and probably too much great food and wine.France is absolutely beautiful - imagine how all those vineyards smell. I cannot imagine traveling through France in any vehicle, other than a motorcycle!
Unless you are independently wealthy (don't I wish)) and have the means to purchase a motorcycle everywhere you want to ride, you're going to have to deal with motorcycle rental companies, or engage the services of a motorcycle touring company.As is the case with any vehicle you rent, make sure that the company with which you are dealing has a good reputation for service and problem solving. Nothing can ruin an expensive vacation faster than a broken-down motorcycle in a foreign country, far from your hotel...Been there, done that. Other things can ruin a vacation, think about some travel insurance.
Keep in mind the time it will take for traveling to the country, and the time it will take to get to the motorcycle. Jet lag isn't good for safely operating a motorcycle. Sometimes, just getting to the rental motorcycles is an adventure. We traveled for 2 days just to get our motorcycles in London.
Feel the need to do some island hopping? What...no bridges? No Problem! Say you need to cross a large body of water - you need to get to Ireland from the UK, or to Nova Scotia from Canada. You want to cross Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to Michigan, so you don't have to travel for two days. Problem solved: Put your motorcycle on a ferry, take a rest, and end up on the other side.
Boarding the Steam Packet Cat Ferry on Our Way to the Isle of Man
Our most recent trip to the Isle of Man included a long ferry trip across the Irish sea - with many, many other motorcyclists.
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