Hello Folks,
I am looking at taking a one-week motorcycle tour around the US states in February. Any advise on a good place to rent a bike (750CC and up), and good routes to choose. 500 miles / day is about as much as I plan to drive. I am not picky on the brand of the bike.
One place I'd like to see is Monument Valley (I think it's called). Not sure if it's the right time of year for that.
Thanks,
Georges
A bike trip in February sounds bone chilling to me, but I'm not as tough as the average Canadian.
Death Valley, California, feb-march...the temperature is right and the bloom starts. Not sure about monument valley.
-40 where I am at in February. Celsius? Fahrenheit? At that temperature, it doesn't matter. -40 is -40...
So 50F and up is fine with me.
Have you ridden before? 500 miles a day in a factory saddle is a bit much, unless it's a BMW or Goldwing perhaps. When I rode cross country I went out of Bend, OR down through Salt Lake City, over to Denver then to Minneapolis and down to Florida via Knoxville, TN. Almost all interstate but fun just the same.
I think you should also publish your physical dimensions. This could help us match you up with a bike that would fit you.
I personally like a LONGER bike, than average, (not a chopper) and I like a bike laid out like a Kawasaki Versus. (and the versys is not that long or big of a bike.
Maybe you could go down to to a bike shop, sit on 25 or so models, and tell us what you liked the best. I also liked the Honda 1600 V twin.
Motorcycles. VERY subjective, in personal preferences.
Nate
Rule Number One when looking for a bike:
Make sure your feet touch the ground.
The only place I would ride in the USA is the southerly part of FLA and possibly Southern California during the month of Feb. Every where else has a chance of black ice on the road in the mornings.
500 miles is a lot especially in February. Of course there are some tough guys out there who will do that and more. I prefer shorter days and more time exploring the towns and pubs.
In my younger and slimmer days, I rode for steadily for 4-5 years, crossed Canada from coast to coast (Vancouver to St. John's) two times, first time on a Honda 400, second time on a Honda 650. Last bike I had was a dual purpose Kawasaki. Nice little bike.
Thanks for the advise guys,
Georges
There is a good stretch of the classic Mother Road - Route 66 - that cuts through Western AZ that draws quite a bit of biker traffic seeking that nostalgic perspective. Some beautiful mountains to deal with and some fun little towns along the way. Feb is a bit chilly, but manageable for the hearty.
