Which direction should I go? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Which direction should I go?

T

triniboy27

Well-known member
So I just got a 2014 Street triple with the self-invented need for a more highway capable bike than my Bonneville.

And now, I'm rethinking any overseas vacation plans I had in lieu of a local longer road trip (1-2 weeks).

Should I head west to Vancouver via the Rockies/Wyoming/Montana or head east to Cabot trail, etc?

I won't be camping - likely motels, etc along the way - so will be packing light.
 
There's a lot of borning between here and the Rockies! I'd suggest Nova Scotia and Cape Breton or the ride around Lake Superior. I'm heading to NS and NFLD on the bike in the summer and I'll probably do the Lake Superior loop next summer. I went to Cape Breton in the car a few years ago and that's when I decided that I had to go back on the bike! It's gorgeous out there!
 
Also, there are lots of great roads in Pennsylvania and it's only 4 hours away. I was there for a weekend a few weeks back and the roads were great, scenery fantastic.
 
East. Quebec and Gaspesie! A good 9-10 days without rushing and stopping to see the sights.
 
Any direction is good on a bike! Maybe narrow it down to where you haven't been and go there. You can go over Superior, and then head West from the Duluth area and get to Highway 2, it is fast in MN and ND, then soon you will hit some interesting sites in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and head up to Vancouver. Then come back via Canada, trying to stay south of the TransCanada Hwy if you can.
 
Barber Museum in Alabama, via Skyline Drive, BRP, Deals Gap. Return home via Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
 
Sunday Rider said:
Any direction is good on a bike! Maybe narrow it down to where you haven't been and go there. You can go over Superior, and then head West from the Duluth area and get to Highway 2, it is fast in MN and ND, then soon you will hit some interesting sites in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and head up to Vancouver. Then come back via Canada, trying to stay south of the TransCanada Hwy if you can.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I really like the sound of this, especially the Montana, Wyoming parts. Those parts of the US are definitely places I've always wanted to visit and do some photography.

Does it make sense to head north from Montana into Calgary and then head over the Rockies into Vancouver?
 
Last edited:
When I used to visit Van., I'd skip Canada all together. But Montana into Calgary to Van via lower BC is a nice run.
 
triniboy27 said:
Hmm, I really like the sound of this, especially the Montana, Wyoming parts. Those parts of the US are definitely somewhere I've wanted to visit.

Does it make sense to head north from Montana into Calgary and then head over the Rockies into Vancouver?
Click to expand...

The "problem" is there is so much to see out West, so you have to choose carefully, there is no wrong choice. I was surprised by Idaho and what great roads they have there. It will take you 3 days (riding 800km per day) to get to Eastern Montana, if you go through Sault Ste Marie instead of going over Superior. Not sure if that is the pace you want to keep. But figure out 3-4 days each way to get there, so there is 6-8 days. Then add the days of visiting Going to the Sun road
https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm

Of course there is Yellowstone:
https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

If you are going to Yellowstone, you might as well do Bear Tooth, Chief Joseph Highway.....

You can head up towards Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise/Jasper, Kamploops and then Vancouver (Whistler?).

The biggest trap you can get into, is you ride too long in the day, see as many spots quickly, and then superslab it home to make time. Don't fall into that trap (I am still learning this lesson).

Two weeks are better than 1week if you are going out West. Ten days are really pushing it if you try to fit Vancouver in.
 
Thanks - this is all great advice.

I have the vacation days to make it a 2 week trip. I'd really prefer not to have to rush home.
 
AB/VA though ontario. Northern ON is very nice. MB, SK suck but in my opinion they are better than central US.
 
triniboy27 said:
Thanks - this is all great advice.

I have the vacation days to make it a 2 week trip. I'd really prefer not to have to rush home.
Click to expand...

Two weeks isn't as long you'd want it to be. I would say Vancouver is going to be a stretch if you want to take your time.

Virginia, North Carolina, Deals Gap offer great riding and scenery but can be visited across multiple long weekend trips. I would save those spots for that.

I would do one of the following options (my pick would be the second)

- East Coast; ride through Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland
- Rockies; South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, everything in-between Toronto and there just bomb through
 
I echo the sentiments of many. Two weeks is cutting a trip to the west coast pretty fine.
You are looking at back to back 1,000 km or so days for a return trip.
That doesn't include much time to take in the sights and admire the scenery.
The east coast sounds like a better idea within the time frame.

The Gaspe loop, PEI, Nova Scotia and the Cabot Trail.
 
I have the vacation days to make it a 2 week trip. I'd really prefer not to have to rush home.
Click to expand...

two weeks with 3 weekends is 16 days....very hard to go both ways.

You can
a) truck your bike to BC for $500 and fly there - cutting out 4 -5 days one way or fly it to Vancouver $850 and ride back. West is hard with less than 3 weeks - If you calculate it out for fuel and food and accommodation for 4-5 days - the truck is about even and the plane costs about $350 extra.
BUt worth it to get off the plane on Saturday morning at 10 am and be on the Sea to Sky Highway an hour later :D

Then you can catch Glacier Natl park, Yellowstone and Chief Joseph on the way back coming with the wind plus ride a reasonablle bit in the Canadian Rockies.

I'd be getting out there now and seeing how a couple 6-700 km days suits you. PA runs are good for that.

South is far more accessible for two weeks and you are into top notch roads in 4-5 hours and can generally stick with them the entire time.
 
Just returned from the Maritimes. The roads, secondary roads would be great, except they are all frost heaved and pot holed. The Cabot Trail is under construction in many places, and it rained about 60% of the time. Was in Penn. 2 weeks ago, fantastic roads, way better road surfaces, and lots of fresh twisty asphalt and not many police. I would recommend to head south if you only have 2 weeks. But that just me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom