[supersonic]

Everyone has an opinion I'm in the process of putting together three tour routes, and am looking for good places to be/experience - places that we riders love (NOT the shi-shi or franchise-type deals). I'm looking for suggestions (and comments about them are welcome!) and need:

- B&B's/accomodations
- Restaurants/cafes
- Scenic points (from 'not-to-miss' to 'off-the-beaten-track')
- Must-ride twisties

Routes are:

(1) Whister-Lillooet-Lytton-Harrison Hot Springs-Van

(2) Parksville-Tofino-Campbell River-Gold River-Vic

(3) Mt. St. Helens (via Randle/Cougar)-Columbia Gorge-[Cannon Beach]-Olympic Peninsula/Hot Springs-Seattle

As you may know, I love hearing 'road stories' so please feel free to share any to go along with your suggestions as well :thumbup

p.s. if there are things to definitely avoid, please let me know about those too!

 

[jafkaf81]

1)-Tofino is a nice ride and time at long beach is a must , overnight great , a few hours minimum , keep in mind tofino banned starbucks so some of those bcsb city folk might not be able to handle this ride ....
2)-I rode to gold river last year and the road is perfect for sport bikes , logs of twists with some good passing stretches if it's a big group ... To bad I was on my douchebag FatBoy ..... There is nothing in gold river to do so if planning overnighter double back to town . It was 40 degrees and we stopped at the reservoir to jump in ......
3)- ???

 

[Sikorsky]

Just north of Campbell River - The Cable Cafe.

There's an excellent diner somewhere around Langford that I've had brekkie at with Young Lion a couple of times. Hopefully he'll chime in and give up the name.

 

[bandito]

Those aren't tour routes, they are day trips.

 

[bandito]

Well, what about your epic tours that were day trips?

 

[CoolDaddyGroove]

(1) Whister-Lillooet-Lytton-Harrison Hot Springs-Van
To make this a better ride, rather than go to Harrison from Lytton, head East to Merrit, then ride Merrit to Princeton, then Princeton to Hope, Hope to Vancouver. Long ride, bext for longer days like in in June.

(2) Parksville-Tofino-Campbell River-Gold River-Vic
Why bother with Tofino? Head straight to Gold River.

(3) Mt. St. Helens (via Randle/Cougar)-Columbia Gorge-[Cannon Beach]-Olympic Peninsula/Hot Springs-Seattle

• The roads around Mt. St Helens are better than the mountain itself.

• The Gorge is "ok", I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to see the kite boarders
• Olympic Peninsula? Total waste of gas to go all away around the coastal route.

Must Do Day Rides (or what you are referring to as "tours")
Sunshine Coast
Neah Bay - its like a track day without the $100 charge, although it is a mutherfucker long pain in the ass frustrating ass trip to get there.

If you want a "tour", then take 7-8 days and ride here:

 

[SHANE]

ya stick to the usa this year , better roads in washington, cali , oregon, idaho.

 

[CoolDaddyGroove]

Lmao?..........

 

[michael]

If you want a "tour", then take 7-8 days and ride here:

An excellent suggestion.
Instant 30% reduction in the cost of fuel.
Instant increase in the availability of food options. (Mexican anyone?)
Instant reduction in the cost of accomodation.
Guaranteed higher probability of good weather. (read: dry)

Want to save a day's right to get there?
Western Washington.

Want to save a 1/2 day's ride to get there?
Eastern Oregon.

Still prefer something closer to home?
Well that's available too. (Although not my first choice)

 

[supersonic]

A lot changed in a year and a half, in our business and the industry itself. Hard for places even as big as Renton Motorsports to stay open, so we're making changes.

No one's mentioned the Cascades or the Great Canadian Continental Divide yet?? :eek

Let's hear some specifics about Cali - Hwy 3 looks effin amazing.

Did the Neah Bay ride in an afternoon last year - not hard to get to from Victoria TOTALLY worth it! :rockon

 

[theswedishthing]

I worked for Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Holidays for a couple seasons before they closed up shop last year, and our "BC Blast" tour was always a bread and butter favourite. Then we did a bunch of stateside trips as well. I never tagged along on any of them, but I threw up a few maps below so you can get an idea of what little side routes we'd take the guests on. Brandon and the others who ran the program literally spent 10+ years and thousands of hours route-finding, so if it's in yellow, it's good stuff. As for the BC you can haul ass and do it in 2-3 days, or take your sweet time and golf/swim/wine-taste along the way.

 

[supersonic]

Those look incredible, crazy about those roads in southern BC by Osoyoos, and love the look of those twisty roads in through Oregon/Idaho! Thanks for sharing those

 

[theswedishthing]

My pleasure! Now that the company's not running tours anymore with a bunch of visiting moto enthusiasts, the roads should be just a little bit emptier

 

[ExExGuy]

I think this follows your routemap above: Vancouver to Whitefish, MT

Google calls that route 1069 km or 14h13m. Does that seem accurate if not going warp speed? I have access to free accommodation at the sky resort there and I've never made use of it.... just seems unreasonably far to try and get there in one day.

 

[theswedishthing]

It would be unreasonably far to go in one day. I would break it into at least two, if not three days; you'll just have so much more fun. Stop for a night at least in Rossland; that's about halfway and should be about 7 hours from Vancouver (at "normal" speeds, ie not warp speed). The roads are so, so much fun it would be a shame to blow through the whole thing in one day.

 

[Stephan Schmidt]

I just bought myself an older Honda CBR with full luggage and am planning to do a few rides this summer, including:

Vancouver island - Tofino & Gold River
Mainland - Manning park, Osoyoos, Merritt, Spences Bridge, Whistler/Pemberton, etc..
USA - Oregon Coast, maybe down to San Fran?

Any good riding along the coast of western washington? I love seeing the ocean when riding!

Lets see some more routes! I've ridden on and off for the last 6 years and have never had the time to do some touring! Now I have the bike and work schedule to allow me to do so!

Keep posting up! Thanks!

 

[theswedishthing]

Hey Stefan,

That sounds like a fantastic plan. The road out to Tofino and back is always fun, but as with a lot of great roads, try to hit it midweek when it's not crawling with weekenders. There are a ton of roads that snake their way through the interior - highway 7 is a classic for sure. And the US, well there's a lot down that way too, although I've never ridden down there; I wasn't along on any of the trips the company did down the coast. But here's a route map for you if you're headed south...

 

[Stephan Schmidt]

Just rode hwy 7 from Maple ridge to Hope! Left New West at 7:00 am and made it home just before 11am. Had a few fuel and snack stops one of which was Harrision!

What about the sunshine coast highway? Google maps makes it look twisty and fun!

 

[elevation]

Sunshine Coast is good but keep in mind it is the only thru road. So that means more traffic and more cops. Try to enjoy the bi-ways and secondary roads for less traffic and cops. The road to Mt Baker to a perfect example.

 

[K-rod]

lotsa sand on the Baker Hwy still. Rough pavement too, for 30 kms once past Glacier (got hammered over the winter)