Where should I go? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Where should I go?

spray____

spray____

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As a new father, I expect my riding to be more limited this summer. That being said, there are a few weekends in early June where my wife and son will be overseas and I will briefly return to a bachelor lifestyle.

I'd like to take the opportunity to a bit of touring, and I'd like to hear some suggestions on where might be good to go. I'll probably be riding my 2006 R6, or some other similar bike if I end up swapping. I know they aren't made for touring, but the fun in the corners and on the straights is worth the pain. In truth, I don't find the ergos all that bad. I've done 1000kms in a weekend before and I still hadn't reached my limit.

I would probably leave on Friday night, or sometime in the afternoon if I can get of work early. Ride for the night and stay in a cheap motel. Get up Saturday, ride all over and do the same. Then Sunday will be the trip home.

I'll probably be packing light - just a backpack with a change of clothes, rain gear, and a few other essentials.

I've been thinking about it for a while, and I've considered:

North/West
Maybe do the Lake Huron loop. I have friends in Sudbury so it could be nice to visit them. I'm a little worried this might be pushing it, especially if I don't want to spend the whole time on the highway. Also the border and maybe some ferries could be a pain.

South
Head across state lines, maybe find something in upstate New York. Not sure what's there that's good. Not crazy about trying to get across the border, especially on Friday evening. Maybe I could go east around lake Ontario instead.

East
Find a route toward Ottawa. Not sure what there is, but I imagine I can find something that will fill my timetable. Any suggestions?
 
Just an idea......last summer I moteled in Huntsville for three nights. Took day rides from there. You can tie together quite a nice GP circuit around Muskoka. Also, starting from Hamilton, I found an eight hour route to Huntsville never going on any major hiways. It's not that tricky if you put your mind to it.
 
Wouldn't bother going east if you're looking to make the most of your time. inreb's suggestion isn't bad.

Also, if you're looking to make the most of your time, don't tour at night ever. If you can't get rolling during the daylight, just hit the sack earlier and get up at sunrise.
 
There's lots within quick run to ny state. Leave the friday, go straight to somewhere like plattsburgh (6 hours ish or less depending from the gta). Sleep get up and explore all the next day then take a different way home.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
inreb's suggestion isn't bad.
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Darn tootin'. Will be making that an annual event. Not overly hung up on not riding the same road twice. To wit; last year went to Belfountain coffee about 40 times using 5 or 6 different routes.
 
Yeah, I've thought about that. I have a lot of family and friends in the Parry Sound area, so I'm fairly familiar with some of those roads. I spent a good amount of time riding them, even just this last summer. I could always stay with someone in that area and tour around a bit, but I was hoping to find somewhere different that I haven't been before. Anywhere else you'd recommend with roads as good?
 
spray____ said:
Anywhere specifically you'd recommend checking out?
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In PA google wykoff run # 44 ...144... 872 or just about any direction around coudersport renovo great roads no police and no traffic. Hell let me know when the time comes cause that is right around the time I will be heading down for the weekend with the usual suspects. Only few hours to get there and the fun roads start about 45 mins after border crossing.

BTW wykoff is unbeleivable 10mins of hard tight twistys my favourite type.

Here is a link to vid http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym-fvQJMqyU
Almost forgot congratulations on your son
 
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spray____ said:
Anywhere specifically you'd recommend checking out?
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I usually stay in a hotel in Saint Mary's for two nights and go on some amazing roads. It's only a few hours south and the roads are much nicer than anything in Muskoka or Haliburton
 
Don't give up on the east entirely. Maybe get to Port Hope and head north to #7 and then east. Check out Shane Kingsleys? big map and just pick out the best roads. There are some good trips in there with no border crossings and the exchange rate is really good compared to the U.S. Maybe make your base Napanee or Kingston if you want to start further south. I personally really like riding through that area up through to Perth. Then again I haven't biked through NY or PENN.
 
OP - for the R6 PA from Coudersport South is really the only great choice for limited time.
144 will blow your mind and you can continue on south - great roads S of State College too.

This is a good guide.
http://www.motorcycleroads.com/Routes/Pennsylvania_114.html

Make sure you have a GPS ....cell is iffy and fill up when you can. Easy to pick up riding partners to PA -
144 from Coudersport to Renovo ( perhaps via Cherry Springs as a start ) then past Renovo is just too good to be missed and it's different when you reverse.

••

Then again I haven't biked through NY or PENN.
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You've not missed much in NY but a WHOLE lot in Penn. It's 4 hours away and out this world in comparison to Ontario riding.
 
the bandit said:
In PA google wykoff run # 44 ...144... 872 or just about any direction around coudersport renovo great roads no police and no traffic. Hell let me know when the time comes cause that is right around the time I will be heading down for the weekend with the usual suspects. Only few hours to get there and the fun roads start about 45 mins after border crossing.

BTW wykoff is unbeleivable 10mins of hard tight twistys my favourite type.

Here is a link to vid http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym-fvQJMqyU
Almost forgot congratulations on your son
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Thanks! And thanks to everyone for the suggestions. NY and PA are starting to sound like a good plan. I'm going to have to spend some time finding all these places on the map and coming up with a timetable. I will definitely post when I have a better idea what I'm doing.

For navigation, I've always used my Android phone. I have a custom mount on my triple with power which works really well. It's loaded with TomTom, which works well for setting waypoints and for areas without cell signal. I do also have Google Navigation and Waze if I can get data sorted out. I saw Wind do an addon for unlimited US voice and data at $15/month.
 
NY and PA are definitely the way to go. For the same amount of time it takes to get to Huntsville or Kingston, you can be in PA and start riding some really nice roads
 
matthew said:
NY and PA are definitely the way to go. For the same amount of time it takes to get to Huntsville or Kingston, you can be in PA and start riding some really nice roads
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Add ohio into that as well. Not far and some great roads in parts
 
I actually think the Lanark Highlands and around there are great. Through Algonquin too and around Calabogie, further North/East to Tremblant even. Nothing wrong with crossing the border but the current exchange rate doesn't make things as nice as they used to be.
 
I never get bored of riding through Muskoka, Algonquin, Kawarthas in a loop.
If you go east and cross into the US you can hit up the Adirondacks. I've only been in winter so I'm hoping to try that this summer.
 
The Adirondacks has some amazing riding. I usually Ride to Old Forge, NY, a nice clean cheap campground there, they have cabins as well.
http://www.oldforgecamping.com

There are motels as well. I ride to Old Forge, stay the night there and leave early the next morning. Always nice to be up and out before most people are on the road. You could easily spend the day exploring the countless roads and head back home on the Sunday.
 
PA is the way to go!
Be careful as you go through NY as most, if not all tickets are reported and will end up on your Ontario insurance record. Usually two states removed from border, for example PA, it has to be a major infraction before they will report it up to the Canada. As opposed to a lot of places in Ontario, PA seems to appreciate the presence of motorcycles and the tourist dollars brought into the area. Even the police seem to be more understanding. I have been caught going significantly over the speed limit by the police and all they have done is asked me to "take it a little more easy".

If you can bookend a weekend with a couple of days off, West Virginia is a blast as well.
 
wonderings said:
The Adirondacks has some amazing riding. I usually Ride to Old Forge, NY, a nice clean cheap campground there, they have cabins as well.
http://www.oldforgecamping.com

There are motels as well. I ride to Old Forge, stay the night there and leave early the next morning. Always nice to be up and out before most people are on the road. You could easily spend the day exploring the countless roads and head back home on the Sunday.
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I was just looking at this online the other day. Any thoughts or reports on their cabins. The price looks good and that's definitely easy to get to in a day.
 
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