Ontario's Top Ten Motorcycle Routes

[northerntouring]

Hey all,

Last summer I spent 40 continuous days riding around Ontario, and I've compiled my top ten routes in the province. Love to hear what you think of the order and of any roads I might've missed.

http://www.northernontario.travel/mo...orcycle-routes

Thanks for the feedback!

Mike

[djez]

Thanks for making the list, this christmass ill check it twice. Hoping to find out whats good or not.

[Brian P]

My favorites are not on your list and I'm not telling Good for starters, though. Some of those are unquestionably worth doing.

[northerntouring]

Aww come on! I'm breaking my back here! Just tell me!
I'll be your best friend!

[Brian P]

LOL

The trip that I wanted to do this summer but never found the time.

Early morning run up to Tobermory - a chunk of that is the unavoidable boring part.

Ferry to Manitoulin Island.

Wander around Manitoulin for a bit then 6 north - very beautiful area.

West a bit up to 129 then north to Chapleau.

Then back the way I came - which beats taking highway 69/400.

[dru9]

Thanks Mike, bookmarked.

[mingo]

LOL

Early morning run up to Tobermory - a chunk of that is the unavoidable boring part.

Ferry to Manitoulin Island.

Wander around Manitoulin for a bit then 6 north - very beautiful area.

West a bit up to 129 then north to Chapleau.

Then back the way I came - which beats taking highway 69/400.

Is that doable in a long day from Toronto?

[Malks]

I am retiring on December 16th, so the Superior Circle Tour might just be on my agenda for next summer. I have driven the roads on the Ontario side a few times, but have never come around the south shore through the US. Looks like a good way to spend a few days on the bike.

[northerntouring]

Of course now that I'm done, others are rapidly coming to mind, but they're more just "roads" rather than "routes" - like Centenial Lake Road and the Buckhorn Road...

[northerntouring]

I am retiring on December 16th, so the Superior Circle Tour might just be on my agenda for next summer. I have driven the roads on the Ontario side a few times, but have never come around the south shore through the US. Looks like a good way to spend a few days on the bike.

It's definitely the trip of a lifetime. I've seen only the Canadian side too, but doing the whole loop is definitely on my list for this coming summer.

[Brian P]

Is that doable in a long day from Toronto?

Not a chance. It's about 800 km of riding one way plus the ferry ride both ways (couple hours each way) and you are stuck with the ferry schedule.

[omnivore]

Just looked at the list. Disappointing...not your work on the site, just that Ontario sucks as much as it does. If those are our best roads, I live in the wrong place.

[adri]

Bookmarked. I'll take a look when snow falls. Still Too busy actually riding the things

[Flywheel]

Just looked at the list. Disappointing...not your work on the site, just that Ontario sucks as much as it does. If those are our best roads, I live in the wrong place.

For local motorcycling, we do live in the wrong place. Roads are only as interesting as the landscape they traverse. Most of Ontario consists of the Canadian Shield, with some farmland tacked onto the bottom. Engineers prefer straight roads--they're cheaper to build, maintain and are safer to use. Mountains and valleys justify twisty roads because tunnels and bridges are costly engineering challenges.

[BlackBeast]

Thanks for sharing. This is a good start for a newcomer to Ontario like myself. I did leave BC, so I shouldn't get my hopes up you say!
Daryll

[theshnizzle]

It's definitely the trip of a lifetime. I've seen only the Canadian side too, but doing the whole loop is definitely on my list for this coming summer.

I'm not sure that would be classified as a "trip of a lifetime". ...

[vic_himself]

Man I need to swap my ss, I suppose next year I should actually use my 250 alot of these roads are far from the GTA but they look very nice.

[HarleyHare]

Thanks for sharing. This is a good start for a newcomer to Ontario like myself. I did leave BC, so I shouldn't get my hopes up you say!
Daryll

As many have said, and as much as I love Ontario, for its immense size it has very few good riding roads of any sustained length. The reason is simple really, look on Google maps and you will soon see the best riding roads are located around and through areas where there are signficant topographical changes, ie. canyons, river valleys but mainly mountains and their foothills. Man can't build roads straight over them so they twist and wind.

That's why I love New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire which are part of the Appalachian Mountain chain and are within a day's riding distance from Ontario. Don't bother with Michigan which is close by since it is flat and has even more straight boring roads than Ontario.

The other good riding areas are around the Rocky Mountain chain from B.C. right down to Colorado. So take your choice between the two; live in the east and scout the Appalachians or live in the west and scout the Rockies.

[shanekingsley]

Nice list Mike. I've been on most of your top ten choices.

A few other great areas include the area all around Calabogie and Renfrew/Lanark County. (The 508, 509, 511, Peterson Road, Kartuzy Road, Old Barry's Bay Road and more). From Toronto I have done most of these in a full 1200km day trip.

I also think that the area south of Algonquin - the Haliburton area - is pretty fun which includes the #507, Buckhorn Rd #3, Essonville #4 and the @118. An awesome day trip route of about 6-800km could be made there.

Some of the lesser travelled but most impressive roads in Ontario I've been on that don't seem to be on your list include (in no particular order):

Old Nippissing Trail - a pioneer heritage road of mixed surfaces (paved and hard-packed gravel) and can be combined with...
Chetwynd Road (East side of the #518 )

#19 Harburn Rd (South of Algonquin Park and runs north off the #118 ) and can be combined with...
Kennisis Lake Road and Watts trail (South of Algonquin Park - best twisty road I have been on in Ontario that I am allowed to speak about and rivals the roads down south)

#556 from Sault Ste Marie to Searchmont - which then leads to Ranger Lake Road back to the #129 down to Thessalon instead of the less technical way up to Chapleau.

Good list nonetheless and it's always tough to put a top ten list. Thanks for your efforts.

[Wheelieboy]

Man I need to swap my ss.

No, you just need a better seat