The USA is known for its wide-open spaces and top-tier motorcycle roads. Here's how to take full advantage of both from coast to coast.
When you spend as much time leading international tours as we do, it's easy to forget some of the best motorcycle trips in the world are right here in the USA. Regardless of where you live, there's an epic ride within striking distance of your front door.
Roads like the PCH or Route 66 are well known (and both are mentioned below), but chances are you've got a top-tier route much closer to home. Below you'll find nine of our all-time favorite motorcycle trips from all over the country.
The Legendary Pacific Coast Highway
"The PCH through central California is, quite possibly, the most beautiful stretch of pavement in the country."
Of all the motorcycle trips the USA has to offer, it's hard to think of one more iconic than the Pacific Coast Highway. Everything about the PCH is as good as they say, from the stunning elevated coastal views to the billiard-smooth curves.
Our preferred method of running this legendary route is to truly get it all by riding from Bend, OR, down to San Diego, CA. This runs the full gamut of the West Coast experience, from redwood trees to misty coastal mountains to the California desert.
There are plenty of worthwhile detours to take, whether that's to get some off-roading in or to avoid Los Angeles altogether. Whatever you do, don't skip the crown jewel of the route, California's Big Sur region along the central coast.
Historic Route 66 - The Mainstreet of America
"America's main drag, Route 66 was the premier coast-to-coast route before interstates were a thing."
AKA the "other" iconic motorcycle trip in the USA. Route 66, affectionately known as "The Mother Road" and "The Main Street of America" is quite literally a two-wheeled journey through American history.
This drive is more of a pilgrimage or a rite of passage than a scenic tour, but it's got its own charms, of course. Old school motels, roadside attractions, neon signs, ghost towns... It's 2,448 miles of pure Americana.
To do Route 66 right, you have to do the whole thing. That means you start in Chicago and don't stop until you smell the ocean in Santa Monica. Give yourself a full two weeks if you want to experience all the essential sights and stops.
The Utah, Nevada, Arizona Loop
"One of many epic sights on our 'Spirit of the Southwest' tour."
The States are known for their epic public lands, and the American Southwest is absolutely loaded with some of the most legendary parks in the country. That makes it the perfect setting for the multi-day motorcycle trip of your dreams.
There's no lack of destinations to choose from: The Grand Canyon, Grand Staircase, Valley of the Gods, Arches, Moab... the list goes on, and wouldn't you know it, every single one of these destinations feels tailor-made for adventure touring.
There are plenty of ways to string this list of parks together, but our personal favorite is a roughly 1,600-mile loop that nails all the most breathtaking sites but leaves the tourist traps off the itinerary.
Island Hopping on Route 1
"The 100+ mile bridge hops between islands from Miami to Key West."
Route 1 is a legendary motorcycle trip in its own regard, but it's important you go in with realistic expectations. This one is all about the scenery, the weather, and the experience, as the riding itself is about as flat and straight as it gets.
The essential Route 1 motorcycle trip begins in Miami, FL, and then heads south until you reach the end of the line on the island of Key West. You can start as far north as you want, but don't expect much in the way of scenery until you hit the coast.
That being said, there's nothing quite like riding a massive bridge over the ocean itself, surrounded by emerald green water in every direction. For obvious reasons, we'd recommend avoiding hurricane season down south.
The Smoky Mountain Loop
"The Smoky Mountains remain one of our favorite destinations for dual sport camping."
North Georgia. Tennesee. North Carolina... These aren't the places most people think of when they think of epic motorcycle trips, and that needs to change. In fact, the Great Smoky Mountain region is one of the best-kept secrets in motorcycling.
Where else can you experience the epic 318 curves in 11 miles that is the "Tail of the Dragon?" Or the 72 miles of scenic bliss that is the Foothills Parkway? The same goes for the epic 100 or so miles of twisties known locally as "Moonshiner 28."
The official "loop" itself is only 150 miles, but it's also surrounded by a bottomless list of excellent, lesser-known roads. There are also ample forest service, gravel, and dirt roads/trails in the area, so adding an all-terrain element doesn't take too much work.
Pilgrimage to Sturgis
"You don't have to ride a cruiser to Sturgis, brother."
There are two ways to tackle the quintessential "Sturgis Run" from anywhere in the US: Ride there during the Sturgis motorcycle rally for a massive party, or ride there any other time the weather is good. Either way, you have to ride there: It's tradition.
We'll leave that up to you, but if it's a quality ride you're looking for, the Black Hills won't disappoint. You can get the "full tour" by riding the SD34 and/or WY24 highways, using the town of Sturgis, South Dakota as your base of operations.
Other must-ride destinations in the area include Spearfish Canyon, Custer State Park, and Badlands National Park. In short, there are more good roads around Sturgis than bad ones, so just go get lost in the Black Hills to your heart's content.
LAB2V - The Epic Desert Dual Sport Run
"The LAB2V route changes somewhat every year, but the goal is always getting from LA to Vegas with as much dirt as possible."
The LAB2V, short for "Los Angeles-Barstow-to-Vegas," is one of the most infamous dual sport rides of all time. It's also a yearly race/event that takes place around the end of November, but you can do the route itself anytime the weather is good.
In a nutshell, we're talking about a 400+ mile ride that crosses the Mojave Desert, starting in Los Angeles, then runs all the way up to Vegas on almost entirely dirt roads and trails. If a challenging off-road trip is what you're after, this is one for the books.
GPS maps are widely available for both easier and harder routes. The main challenge here is navigating through BLM land (and around private land), but with good planning and preparation, LAB2V makes for a fun and challenging group ride.
Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WABDR)
"Epic views abound around every turn on the WABDR"
Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDRs) are publicly available tracks that bring the best dual sport and adventure roads to the masses. The Washington-based route might be our favorite of the bunch.
This motorcycle trip begins at the Oregon border, then winds 688 miles up through the Cascades over the eastern foothills, and then ends at the Canadian border. It is, quite simply, breathtaking from start to finish.
The majority of the route is unpaved, so we recommend breaking it into roughly eight days of riding to allow you to split the longest section (Chelan to Conconully) into two separate days. Take your time, take photos, and take it all in.
Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR)
"Lotta miles, lotta gravel, lotta views: the Idaho BDR is a fan-favorite."
BDR veterans all have their favorite routes for different reasons, but the one that gets the most praise by far is the Idaho BDR. This is a 1,250-mile run that's ideal to tackle anytime between July and October.
If you couldn't guess by the mileage, this is one seriously epic motorcycle trip. In a nutshell, it tracks along the west side of the Rocky Mountains, linking together a trail of public lands, small towns, and twisty roads.
The Idaho BDR starts in the old-western town of Jarbidge, NV, and then runs north clear to the Canadian border. The route is traditionally broken into nine sections, but you may want to plan a rest day to give your butt a break.
Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route (ORBDR)
"The Oregon BDR is our personal 'backyard' route here at RIDE Adventures."
As a touring company based out of Bend, OR, we may be a bit biased here, but we wouldn't dream of leaving the Oregon BDR off this list. This one runs from New Pine Creek up to Hood River, and is almost entirely off-pavement.
This one has a little bit of everything from high-elevation forest roads to dramatic volcanic landscapes. If you didn't know Oregon had that kind of variety, now is the time to come see it.
Expect to see bears, antelope, pronghorn, and maybe even a bald eagle or two. Terrain-wise, you'll get everything from singletrack dirt to sandy washes with plenty of gravel in between, but it's absolutely doable on any full-sized adventure bike.
Thanks for being one of the very few who read to the end! Did we miss any epic routes in the US? If so, leave them in the comments below, and we will add them on the next update! RIDE ON!
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