If you’re ever injured in a motorcycle accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can submit a claim in 8 clicks or less without having to leave your couch. To start your claim, visit: www.forthepeople.com/GMRoads
Highway 3 from Peanut to Yreka. (36 to 299). Highway 299 from Yreka to Arcata. Highway 49 from Grass Valley to 89 then on to Quincy. Highway 88 from Jackson to Alpine village, then take 89 either direction. Highway 4 from Angels Camp, then take 89 in either direction. Highway 108 from Yosemite Junction to Sonora Junction. (all those east west passes in the Sierras obviously must consider weather.
My tour took me through Peanut on SR-3, SR-89 & SR-49 and SR-120. Amazing! Did you drive on Old Priest Grade Rd below SR-120? Was nice but a little overrated.
I have not yet done it on a motorcycle, but I used to go fishing every year with my cousin, at Annett's Mono Village in Bridgeport, CA. I was living in Sacramento for most of those years. My favorite route was Hwy 50 to Meyers, South on Hwy 89. East on Hwy 88, and then south and east again on Hwy 89 and then south on Hwy 395 through the Walker River valley into Bridgeport. The Walker River Valley is one of my favorite places to be. On 89, just south of Leviathan Peak is a dirt road that goes south, winding past spring fed water holes, over small rivulettes, through aspen and pines, and terminates at a steep slope overlooking the Topaz Valley. There is 1 good camp spot with a fire ring in a little pine grove. In the spring, the wild flowers are awesome.
245 is freaking amazing!!! Great road. Went through there north to south the first time (180 to Elderwood), liked it so much I turned around and did it again. Got to my campsite in the dark but it was well worth it.
When I lived in the Bay Area one of my favorite rides was Hwy 9/Skyline Drive! Also the back roads between Livermore and Morgan Hill /San Jose. You could combine a trip with Hwy 1 between Half Moon Bay abd Santa Cruz using Hwy 9. Hwys 152 and 25 near Gilroy are also beautiful!
Another ride in the southern Central Valley is to take highway 178 from Bakersfield up to Lake Isabella, and then cut back to the CV on highway 155 (which is closed seasonally due to snow). it takes you from about 400 feet in elevation up to 6100 feet at the highest point. You also are next to the Kern River for the first half-ish of the ride, which is amazing in its own right, and then the middle to about 3/4 of the ride is in the Southern Sierra Nevadas with pine trees and a few mountain streams.
I would also recommend Hwy 49 (The Motherload Highway) from Auburn to Oakhurst. Great scenery. Winding road. Lots of historic mining towns. Hwy 49 also extends north and east from Auburn to a small town called Vinton, where it originates at the junction with Hwy 70, just west of Hwy 395. I have not yet been on the north section though.
Great recommendations. Did my bucket list ride through California this fall. Amazing!! Favorite roads SR-49, SR-3, SR-36, SR-1, SR-33, SR-120, SR-38, but all were incredible. Route video on my You Tube channel and IG.
Sonora Pass (hwy 108) was repaved a couple years ago. Smooth as velvet all the way across the spine of the Sierras! Watch for the sign for "Leavitt Falls Vista Point" it's easy to miss.... about a mile or two east of the summit, gravel parking lot with a large wooden deck hanging on the edge of a cliff. Gorgeous view but, even though it's only a few yards away, you can't see it from the road. '83 Goldwing 1100A
for someone like me living here in east asia who grew up watching western movies and series for me California is the most beautiful state in america, not perfect but still its the most beautiful place to ride a ride. it's my dream to ride there and i hope someday!
I had the same dream. As a kid riding dirt bikes in the Caribbean I would read about these amazing road trips in California on the motorcycle magazines. At 55 I moved to Northern California and the 1st thing I did was get a motorcycle. The legendary roads are real, and the experience of being on the open road here is breathtaking.
as a californian who knows all these roads. I approve of this message. I recommend for most of these roads to plan motocamping. It's just much easier as California can usually very crowded or very sparse in these areas. If you have an ADV bike you can even take the Usal Road instead of the Matole road as an example and camp along the way, which is unpaved but you will never forget it. Absolutely breathtaking.
Ortega Hwy is undergoing major road work. They are widening the road and adding safety barriers. It is closed a lot of the time and when it's open its a controlled traffic route. I live about 20 minutes from Lake Elsinore and unfortunately this route is off our schedule for the few years. But yes, it's a great ride.
Rode Hwy 33N about a month ago. Awesome road, but had a couple spots where you had to stop for one way traffic. The longest wait was 15 minutes, but all in all worth it. I was surprised with blowing snow once I reached the summit. Always good when you can improve your riding skills as I’m sure I did.
State Route 2, Angeles Crest did not make the list? Or is it a bit overdone already? I drove it by car a few years back from east to west and it was impressive in many ways. It was the middle of the week in the morning before 10 am and it was very quiet, no traffic. Great views, good corners, and a wild swing in temps between the mountain ridge compared to the L.A basin below. It was over 100 F in L.A., but only 54 F at the highest point on Angeles Crest.
since southern 1 has been closed ive been doing some exploring hiway 58 is a sweet. 229 from creston to 58 is insane. g16 is good. sir francis drake bulevard out to point reyes is like perfect, if you like 229 vision road connects and has a similar vibe. i second mattole but there are more roads in the lost coast and no maps coverage. once going south i got lost out of honeydew and hours later late at night i poped out right near shelter cove. didn't see a single other vehicle in the whole experience and couldn't re create that route if i tried. 10/10 plan to go back and get lost again in the lost coast.
All the 101 to coast connectors in that area are fantastic. 253, 20, Mountain View Rd, Annapolis/Skaggs/Stewarts, Comptche-Ukiah/Orr, Branscome. Yeah. Leading a tour up that way in June...cant wait!
If someone hadn't put down Hwy 128, I was going to do it. It's a spectacular road. Multiple sections of undulating twisties. It's just pure fun as a motorcyclist. And the redwood forest along the Navarro river at the end is absolutely beautiful. Hands down this is one of the best roads in California.
Good list! Cant fault your choices; been on all of them =). Riding California for over 50 years, there are dozens of roads that could be considered highlights...243, 79, 155, 190, 58, 198, 25...and way too many in NorCal to mention. Have family in Redding, and did the 36-299 loop in 22 (Heading up to Garbervillein June, spending a week day riding from there). I ride an adv-bike, and Cali offers a lot of great off-road options to combine with the pavement. As for Highway 1: Was there last week (have friends in the area) and it is closed at Limekiln (they MIGHT have it open by June). Still a great section coming up from Cambria, but due to work on the slides and other repairs, there are BIG trucks (trains of them) running all day, Monday through Saturday (they flag the tighter sections off for them because they use ALL the road). On the plus side, not many people venture past Ragged Point, and it's pretty empty after 5 pm. Someday, they will re-open Nacimiento-Ferguson Road and all will be right in the world... As for 33: I live near Ojai... fortunately still open, but expect five traffic signal controlled single-lane sections, and heavy construction equipment Mon-Fri.
Another great video! I have been living in California for years and I have not been on several of the roads in this video. Can't wait to check them out.
I find a discrepancy on this hwy 33 part of your video, information appears to be wrong- San Luis Obispo is no where close to the one shown in the video- kindly correct this.
1) Hwy 1 - Big Sur from Carmel to San Simeon, 2) Hwy 128 from Coverdale to Mendocino, 3) Avenue of the Giants, 4) Hwy 1 from Tamalpias Junction to Tomales (best ride in NorCal IMHO), 5) Hwy 1 from Dehaven to Leggett (stunning NorCal coast then into never-ending twisties into the forest), 6) Hwy 162 from Quincy - past Bucks Lake - to Lake Oroville (fast and fun)
The verbal description of Ortega hwy is East bound describes Palm to Pines Hwy. Ortega is West bound starting at Lake Elsinore, ending at San Juan Capistrano.
I enjoyed the video and got some great ideas. You might also consider a video on the ghost/mining towns along Highway 395 in California and Nevada. Here’s a link to a video I did featuring some of the spots (although there are many more) ruclips.net/video/TfuJcs5xYV4/видео.htmlsi=4Q5wZn2i5CPdxxf8
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
If you’re ever injured in a motorcycle accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can submit a claim in 8 clicks or less without having to leave your couch. To start your claim, visit: www.forthepeople.com/GMRoads
Highway 3 from Peanut to Yreka. (36 to 299). Highway 299 from Yreka to Arcata. Highway 49 from Grass Valley to 89 then on to Quincy. Highway 88 from Jackson to Alpine village, then take 89 either direction. Highway 4 from Angels Camp, then take 89 in either direction. Highway 108 from Yosemite Junction to Sonora Junction. (all those east west passes in the Sierras obviously must consider weather.
Great recommendations, thanks!
Yesssss!!!!
My tour took me through Peanut on SR-3, SR-89 & SR-49 and SR-120. Amazing! Did you drive on Old Priest Grade Rd below SR-120? Was nice but a little overrated.
I have not yet done it on a motorcycle, but I used to go fishing every year with my cousin, at Annett's Mono Village in Bridgeport, CA. I was living in Sacramento for most of those years. My favorite route was Hwy 50 to Meyers, South on Hwy 89. East on Hwy 88, and then south and east again on Hwy 89 and then south on Hwy 395 through the Walker River valley into Bridgeport. The Walker River Valley is one of my favorite places to be.
On 89, just south of Leviathan Peak is a dirt road that goes south, winding past spring fed water holes, over small rivulettes, through aspen and pines, and terminates at a steep slope overlooking the Topaz Valley. There is 1 good camp spot with a fire ring in a little pine grove. In the spring, the wild flowers are awesome.
These are all good ones. A hidden gem in CA; CA 245 in Fresno County near the entrance to Kings Canyon NP.
Recently drove 245 on a family trip and can’t wait to get back with my bike this time.
Kings canyon area is amazing did it way back in ‘07! Will check out 245
245 is freaking amazing!!! Great road. Went through there north to south the first time (180 to Elderwood), liked it so much I turned around and did it again. Got to my campsite in the dark but it was well worth it.
Thanks guys! Just arrived at LA, going to try a couple of these 🤙
When I lived in the Bay Area one of my favorite rides was Hwy 9/Skyline Drive! Also the back roads between Livermore and Morgan Hill /San Jose. You could combine a trip with Hwy 1 between Half Moon Bay abd Santa Cruz using Hwy 9. Hwys 152 and 25 near Gilroy are also beautiful!
Nice recommendation, That sounds like a great ride!
Loving this already with the Rush references, Far and Wide
Love Rush! Neil’s travel books were a huge influence on our website
an amazing human being
Another great video! We will be incorporating many of these roads in our 2025 ride!
Right on thanks for the comment
Another ride in the southern Central Valley is to take highway 178 from Bakersfield up to Lake Isabella, and then cut back to the CV on highway 155 (which is closed seasonally due to snow). it takes you from about 400 feet in elevation up to 6100 feet at the highest point. You also are next to the Kern River for the first half-ish of the ride, which is amazing in its own right, and then the middle to about 3/4 of the ride is in the Southern Sierra Nevadas with pine trees and a few mountain streams.
Will check that out, thanks for the recommendation!
Great roads all over California. Hwy 89 is one of my favorites. Especially the part that runs thru Lassen volcanic national park
And in that same vicinity, 32 and 70! Hot dog!! 49 between Nevada City and Sattley...heaven with great forest roads and two track all over.
I would also recommend Hwy 49 (The Motherload Highway) from Auburn to Oakhurst. Great scenery. Winding road. Lots of historic mining towns. Hwy 49 also extends north and east from Auburn to a small town called Vinton, where it originates at the junction with Hwy 70, just west of Hwy 395. I have not yet been on the north section though.
Great recommendations. Did my bucket list ride through California this fall. Amazing!! Favorite roads SR-49, SR-3, SR-36, SR-1, SR-33, SR-120, SR-38, but all were incredible. Route video on my You Tube channel and IG.
@@mysticmotorhythms-i3c nice will have to check a few of those out myself! Thanks for the comment 👊🏼
Sonora Pass is the best in CA! All of the passes over the sierras are great less the big interstates.
Thanks for the comment!
Sonora Pass (hwy 108) was repaved a couple years ago. Smooth as velvet all the way across the spine of the Sierras! Watch for the sign for "Leavitt Falls Vista Point" it's easy to miss.... about a mile or two east of the summit, gravel parking lot with a large wooden deck hanging on the edge of a cliff. Gorgeous view but, even though it's only a few yards away, you can't see it from the road.
'83 Goldwing 1100A
Don't forget Ebbett Pass just north of it, another great road
Highway 1 between san francisco and santa cruz is one of my favorite roads. One thing to note, it can extremely foggy and cold on highway 1.
Good tip thanks!
for someone like me living here in east asia who grew up watching western movies and series for me California is the most beautiful state in america, not perfect but still its the most beautiful place to ride a ride. it's my dream to ride there and i hope someday!
I had the same dream. As a kid riding dirt bikes in the Caribbean I would read about these amazing road trips in California on the motorcycle magazines. At 55 I moved to Northern California and the 1st thing I did was get a motorcycle. The legendary roads are real, and the experience of being on the open road here is breathtaking.
as a californian who knows all these roads. I approve of this message. I recommend for most of these roads to plan motocamping. It's just much easier as California can usually very crowded or very sparse in these areas. If you have an ADV bike you can even take the Usal Road instead of the Matole road as an example and camp along the way, which is unpaved but you will never forget it. Absolutely breathtaking.
Great tips, thanks for the comment!
A very valuable video
Ortega Hwy is undergoing major road work. They are widening the road and adding safety barriers. It is closed a lot of the time and when it's open its a controlled traffic route. I live about 20 minutes from Lake Elsinore and unfortunately this route is off our schedule for the few years.
But yes, it's a great ride.
Ok did see that route had some repairs this year but didn’t realize it was that expansive this year. Thanks for the feedback!
Rode Hwy 33N about a month ago. Awesome road, but had a couple spots where you had to stop for one way traffic. The longest wait was 15 minutes, but all in all worth it. I was surprised with blowing snow once I reached the summit. Always good when you can improve your riding skills as I’m sure I did.
Thanks for the info!
128 west out of Cloverdale to the coast, up to Ft Bragg then 20 east back to 101 and back down to Cloverdale - that's a good day.
Nice recommendation
Hwy 58 is another great ride. From Santa Margarita to Bartow.
Nice will check that one out, thanks for the recommendation!
58 from Santa Margarita to Taft is one of the best. Full stop. Also hwy 25 to Hollister was also missed
74 to the 310. Great valley ride.
Right on!
Another great video, thanks!
Much appreciated!
State Route 2, Angeles Crest did not make the list? Or is it a bit overdone already? I drove it by car a few years back from east to west and it was impressive in many ways. It was the middle of the week in the morning before 10 am and it was very quiet, no traffic. Great views, good corners, and a wild swing in temps between the mountain ridge compared to the L.A basin below. It was over 100 F in L.A., but only 54 F at the highest point on Angeles Crest.
Yes it’s great but a large portion of it is closed off for 2024 so left it off the list this time. Excellent ride whenever it’s open again though!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads I was unaware of that fact. That makes perfect sense now.
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads Oh yeah I see now they're marked as closed until December (when they'll likely close seasonally anyway).
Real awesome suggestions. Thank you for all you do, and recommend.....certainly enough to keep us busy for the year! Cheers!
Right on, thank you!
since southern 1 has been closed ive been doing some exploring hiway 58 is a sweet. 229 from creston to 58 is insane. g16 is good. sir francis drake bulevard out to point reyes is like perfect, if you like 229 vision road connects and has a similar vibe.
i second mattole but there are more roads in the lost coast and no maps coverage. once going south i got lost out of honeydew and hours later late at night i poped out right near shelter cove. didn't see a single other vehicle in the whole experience and couldn't re create that route if i tried. 10/10 plan to go back and get lost again in the lost coast.
Route 128 to Hwy 1 from Hwy 101 is 77 mile's of forest's & valley's,Spazz in Cali.
Right on will check that route out!
All the 101 to coast connectors in that area are fantastic. 253, 20, Mountain View Rd, Annapolis/Skaggs/Stewarts, Comptche-Ukiah/Orr, Branscome. Yeah. Leading a tour up that way in June...cant wait!
If someone hadn't put down Hwy 128, I was going to do it. It's a spectacular road. Multiple sections of undulating twisties. It's just pure fun as a motorcyclist. And the redwood forest along the Navarro river at the end is absolutely beautiful. Hands down this is one of the best roads in California.
@@JohnBeasley-f1w I'll tell you John,You got your own sound track,Spazz in Cali.
Good list! Cant fault your choices; been on all of them =). Riding California for over 50 years, there are dozens of roads that could be considered highlights...243, 79, 155, 190, 58, 198, 25...and way too many in NorCal to mention. Have family in Redding, and did the 36-299 loop in 22 (Heading up to Garbervillein June, spending a week day riding from there). I ride an adv-bike, and Cali offers a lot of great off-road options to combine with the pavement.
As for Highway 1: Was there last week (have friends in the area) and it is closed at Limekiln (they MIGHT have it open by June). Still a great section coming up from Cambria, but due to work on the slides and other repairs, there are BIG trucks (trains of them) running all day, Monday through Saturday (they flag the tighter sections off for them because they use ALL the road). On the plus side, not many people venture past Ragged Point, and it's pretty empty after 5 pm. Someday, they will re-open Nacimiento-Ferguson Road and all will be right in the world...
As for 33: I live near Ojai... fortunately still open, but expect five traffic signal controlled single-lane sections, and heavy construction equipment Mon-Fri.
Great tips, thank you for the comment!
I find it a bit funny you mention Leggett to the Or border , leaving out the section leading up to Leggett from Fort Bragg
WOW!!!
Another great video! I have been living in California for years and I have not been on several of the roads in this video. Can't wait to check them out.
Awesome thanks!
Awesome video. Thanks for featuring some of my footage.
Absolutely!
Thank you !!!
California state Route 168 is a lonely & amazing Drive
And if you dont mind getting your bike dirty, on to Edison! Love Mono Hot Springs.
Ortega is pronounced with the second syllable rhyming with day.
Newton B Drury parkway😊
Hwy 160 following Sacramento River 😊
Nice will have to check that one out!
I find a discrepancy on this hwy 33 part of your video, information appears to be wrong- San Luis Obispo is no where close to the one shown in the video- kindly correct this.
Any part of hwy 49 and of course hwy 1 is the best
Right on
1) Hwy 1 - Big Sur from Carmel to San Simeon, 2) Hwy 128 from Coverdale to Mendocino, 3) Avenue of the Giants, 4) Hwy 1 from Tamalpias Junction to Tomales (best ride in NorCal IMHO), 5) Hwy 1 from Dehaven to Leggett (stunning NorCal coast then into never-ending twisties into the forest), 6) Hwy 162 from Quincy - past Bucks Lake - to Lake Oroville (fast and fun)
Thanks for the recommendations! Keep hearing about 128, gotta check that one out
It's borderline criminal that Angeles Crest Hwy and San Gabriel Canyon Rd aren't on this list.
Fair enough. Angeles was left off because of the road closure for 2024
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads I was just up there on Sunday and you can get all the way over to at least Mt Wilson from the La Canada Flintridge side.
Shut up,we don't want it to be crowded with tourists 😂kinda selfish but anyway
The verbal description of Ortega hwy is East bound describes Palm to Pines Hwy. Ortega is West bound starting at Lake Elsinore, ending at San Juan Capistrano.
Check out Mosquito Ridge Rd east of Foresthill.
Will check that one out, thanks for the suggestion
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads*great if you like CHP tickets
hwy 1 if you like cars going 8 mph, really bad drivers and road blocks
I enjoyed the video and got some great ideas. You might also consider a video on the ghost/mining towns along Highway 395 in California and Nevada. Here’s a link to a video I did featuring some of the spots (although there are many more)
ruclips.net/video/TfuJcs5xYV4/видео.htmlsi=4Q5wZn2i5CPdxxf8
Thanks! Just checked it out that was an excellent video you guys did and very informative
Idylwild
Ortega?????? Ortega is a shitty road
and Where is Angeles Crest Hwy????? this list is crap
Thanks for watching!
It's ok to keep negativity to yourself.
@@derfskittlers6125 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣it's okay to tell the truth too.
Shut up,we don't want it to be over crowded 😁 I m sure he's coming here frequently so he doesn't want it to be crowded😂