2021 Trip Ideas - 5-9 days length from GTA | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

2021 Trip Ideas - 5-9 days length from GTA

Let’s set some dates. I’m thinking June 30. Bugs will be epic, dry season started. Need to know what speeds are in scope for riders. I have bikes for 120 and 160kmh.
My KLR will hold 120 no problem, If we can make this happen i'm in
 
My KLR will hold 120 no problem, If we can make this happen i'm in
I thought you had a big bike? Up the JBR that’s gonna work, up to Matagami you might fall behind.
 
Probably a better choice. KLR is a nice ride, but there are lots of 140 km stretches.
 
My teeth still rattle from frost heaves on the JBR at speed ( 150 kph =/-)...maybe the worst have been fixed.
Buddy on the Wee just floated over them.
Keep an eye out for caribou running in the taiga forest beside the road. Have fun. ?️
 
Since I figured that most of these places are cold, I have booked a week off in August and another week off in September. Gaspe is one I think I would do in August from the little I have read about it being pretty cold in June or September.
Here's some info you might find useful: Motocamping around the Gaspé Peninsula

Oh, I didn't realize that it will be cold in June, up in Gaspe. You're probably right; June may be too early.
I haven't booked my vacation yet; So yes, I can push it. Once you have a plan in place and would like company, let me know. In case I can, I'd like to join you.

I have a few days open in June, which can be utilized towards a shorter ride.
 
Oh, I didn't realize that it will be cold in June, up in Gaspe. You're probably right; June may be too early.
I haven't booked my vacation yet; So yes, I can push it. Once you have a plan in place and would like company, let me know. In case I can, I'd like to join you.

I have a few days open in June, which can be utilized towards a shorter ride.
Sounds good.
Somewhere around June 21 (Summer Solstice) I will definitely do the sunrise to sunset ride again. Last year it was around 17hrs and 1400/km.
I did book off June 21-23 from work this year, of which at least one of these days will be for that ride, depending on weather.

I've booked off a week in August (16-20) which I was hoping to use for the trip to Gaspe.
 
Sounds good.
Somewhere around June 21 (Summer Solstice) I will definitely do the sunrise to sunset ride again. Last year it was around 17hrs and 1400/km.
I did book off June 21-23 from work this year, of which at least one of these days will be for that ride, depending on weather.

I've booked off a week in August (16-20) which I was hoping to use for the trip to Gaspe.

A summer solstice ride. Interesting! Definitely in for this one. Before that, I need to get something done about that rock hard stock seat! Currently, I can't last more than 500kms in total before the pain kicks in.
 
Probably a better choice. KLR is a nice ride, but there are lots of 140 km stretches.
Having done it on both a KLR and an FZ6 I would say the KLR is the way to go. After 1200kms of real good frost heaves you really appreciate the long travel suspension. Not sure how many stretches would allow 140 w/o being very wary of the police.
Also the KLR makes it easy to access rough camping spots that are more secluded. (not that I haven't done it on a goldwing)
 
Starting to think about this a little more with a week booked off in August for a 9 day trip. Never ridden to the east coast, but have visited Cabot Trail and stayed in Truro.

If anyone has been out on either of these rough routes or has any suggestions feel free to chime in. I'm figuring around 800km/day with early starts to be able to get off the bike a bit to enjoy here and there. I haven't done a lot of reading about these places or routes - just pulling the roads from here: 54 Motorcycle Roads Quebec Canada and making the rest up as I go.

Option 1: North shore of St Lawrence using Baie Comeau as a base camp for 3 nights. From Baie Comeau, take a day trip out to Kegashka, another up to Manic Cinq for a tour of the dam if it's open, then head over to and stay in Chicoutimi/Tadoussac for 3 nights to explore, and head back home via La Touque, Parc national de la Mauricie, stay overnight in Mont Tremblant and head home via Calabogie.
Route: Mississauga to Mississauga
1619823142056.png

Option 2: South shore of St. Lawrence via Lac Megantic to see where the massive train derailment occurred, then overnight near Quebec City. Then head over to Prince Edward Island for 3 nights and ride around the island for at least one day and walk another day. Then head over to Gaspe for 3 nights and while staying there go riding around to explore and also get off the bike. Then head home via the south shore of the St. Lawrence, stay overnight near Drummondville and home via Calabogie.
Route: Mississauga to Mississauga
1619825518877.png

Thanks!
 
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Seems like a great trip, I might do something similar. I was on hwy 155 through la tuque last summer. The part just south of la tuque reminded me of the southern portion of hwy 129. The 381 is supposed to be a really great road, I need to try it soon. If you end up going to Gaspe, I heard hwy 299 is supposed to be really good too.
 
Seems like a great trip, I might do something similar. I was on hwy 155 through la tuque last summer. The part just south of la tuque reminded me of the southern portion of hwy 129. The 381 is supposed to be a really great road, I need to try it soon. If you end up going to Gaspe, I heard hwy 299 is supposed to be really good too.
Yeah I have heard from a few people that I have ridden with that both those roads you spoke of - the 381 and 299 are absolute 'must ride' roads in Quebec. Also the road up to Manic Cinq (#389) is supposed to be super fun, even if a bit bumpy. The furthest east I have ridden on my bike is Mont Tremblant, so I have a lot of exploring to do out that way.
 
I did some planning at my end for similar routes. Used this as a resource guide:


The first option gets me curious, owing to the limited information on it, and thus, inclined towards..
 
You might want to check out hotel/motel/camping options sooner rather than later. I've been looking at a few multi day trips in Ontario for end of May and then 2nd week of June and I've already run into some "we're sold out" issues in various places and this is for mid week accommodations, not weekends. I think availability is going to be very tight this summer, in particular for latter half of June through to Labour Day.
 
Starting to think about this a little more with a week booked off in August for a 9 day trip. Never ridden to the east coast, but have visited Cabot Trail and stayed in Truro.

If anyone has been out on either of these rough routes or has any suggestions feel free to chime in. I'm figuring around 800km/day with early starts to be able to get off the bike a bit to enjoy here and there. I haven't done a lot of reading about these places or routes - just pulling the roads from here: 54 Motorcycle Roads Quebec Canada and making the rest up as I go.

Option 1: North shore of St Lawrence using Baie Comeau as a base camp for 3 nights. From Baie Comeau, take a day trip out to Kegashka, another up to Manic Cinq for a tour of the dam if it's open, then head over to and stay in Chicoutimi/Tadoussac for 3 nights to explore, and head back home via La Touque, Parc national de la Mauricie, stay overnight in Mont Tremblant and head home via Calabogie.
Route: Mississauga to Mississauga
View attachment 48456

Option 2: South shore of St. Lawrence via Lac Megantic to see where the massive train derailment occurred, then overnight near Quebec City. Then head over to Prince Edward Island for 3 nights and ride around the island for at least one day and walk another day. Then head over to Gaspe for 3 nights and while staying there go riding around to explore and also get off the bike. Then head home via the south shore of the St. Lawrence, stay overnight near Drummondville and home via Calabogie.
Route: Mississauga to Mississauga
View attachment 48457

Thanks!

I’ve done similar routes and both have their attraction.
The first route is very scenic and there is something about the north shore that I prefer to the south...but that’s just me. The road down through La Tuque is awesome. Lots of sweepers through the mountainous terrain.

If you do decided to go the first route, I highly recommend a stop at Val-Jalbert. It’s one of the best-preserved ghost towns in Canada. It actually became a tourist attraction in 1960 and over 70 of the original buildings are still standing today. The town was founded in 1901 but was abandoned after the pulp mill closed. Pretty cool.


I mean Gaspe is amazing - ocean on one side and mountains on the other. This route will likely be “busier” potentially with RVs and trucks that are hard to get around on that coastal road. But the scenery is breathtaking.

Either way...the food!

Hope this helps a little. I can’t remember road numbers etc. as it’s been a long time since I’ve been out that way and we were lucky enough to have a local “tour guide” to follow.

Rob
 
I’ve driven a lot of that up to about Saguenay and done a lot of riding around Tremblant too. The north shore is definitely more interesting as the south shore seemed to just be lots of farmland. Just north of manic cinq is this Manicouagan Reservoir - Wikipedia it’s a massive old asteroid crater, you can see it easily on your map, it’s 100kms across! One place I really wanted to go back to on the bike this year is Parque la Mauricie near Shawinigan. The loop through the park was amazing in the car and would just be incredible on the bike. The Saguenay fjords on either side from Saguenay to Tadoussac are also great but getting close to them on roads isn’t easy as the park system that’s actually on the edge of the fjords has limited road systems. For bikes, the eastern route from Saguenay to Tadoussac would be the most entertaining. As always I recommend anyone going to Tadoussac take a whale watching tour. It’s actually incredible value and seeing whales while still so far away from the ocean is mind boggling. Tadoussac is a very cute town too with pricey but very good food.

I know of a great AirBnB in Trois Rivieres where you can watch the ships go past from a heated pool!

If I get to do some decent riding this year it’s likely this area is where I’ll head to as well. I really like the food in Quebec and the nightlife/bars/music is just that much better there too.
 

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