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best cities to live for motorcycling


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On 7/20/2019 at 12:20 PM, wanderer said:

 

36, you bet! Here approaching from the west on my pre-T900GT bike (Honda CB500X, still in the stable, getting less and less attention).

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NorCal is nice. Maybe Red Bluff or Shasta Redding is a good home base, if they don't get too ridiculously hot.

My parents live outside of Auburn CA. I don't really like that part of the Hwy 49 corridor, it actually somehow feels sort of crowded. While obviously less dense than a place like San Diego, the population has perhaps exceeded what a "no urban planning" philosophy can appealingly support.

I actually didn't mean the discussion to be all about my preferences, just cool to know what everyone thinks.

Personally, I love the west and I'd like access to the west (from the Rockies to the left coast). To me, a weakness of San Diego in the corner here is it is so darned far from so many cool places. From a centrality (within the west) standpoint, Utah may be best. Shasta / Red Bluff would be better than SD.

Another recent thought is Grand Junction CO. It has relative centrality-within-the-west going for it. I think you'd lose the winter riding, but that is very difficult to maintain outside of the coast or deserts in the west.

 

Very nice! I've never ridden 36 West to East before. 

It's funny your parents are near Auburn. I grew up in Foresthill. 

'15 FJ09

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I've managed to ride a lot of fun roads in California. The most fun I had was June, 5 weeks ago, on M-50, or Mountain Highway 99, or whatever it is called from California Hot Springs to Johnsondale. Perhaps it says more about my slowly improving skills and the new much improved bike (the T900GT) than the road itself, but I managed to hit a smooth zen dance between 2nd and 3rd gears going through curve after curve.

That trip ended with me on the side of I-215 in Riverside for 3 hours with a flat tire. My first flat on the road. After 4 Dynaplug strings it still wasn't holding air, it was getting dark, and I called for an expensive and very slow to arrive tow.

I still rate it among the net best motorcycling days I've had. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

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10 minutes ago, wanderer said:

Perhaps it says more about my slowly improving skills and the new much improved bike (the T900GT) than the road itself, but I managed to hit a smooth zen dance between 2nd and 3rd gears going through curve after curve.

Isn't that an amazing feeling?  I call it "getting in the flow" or "being in the zone", I love it when you can ride a section like that for miles and miles.

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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On 6/29/2019 at 6:11 AM, koth442 said:

 

I'm sorry the Dragon's 313 corners in 11 miles doesn't have shit on Hwy 36 out of Red Bluff. 

 

Funny story on this. Couple of years ago a friend of mine from NC and his riding buddy did a nationwide tour. I hosted their NorCal section, spending 5 days on the roads here.  On the first day we went from Chico out to the coast Via 36, and when we got to Fortuna for lunch, one of the guys, who was wearing a Dragon t-shirt, hopped off his bike, opened up his saddlebag and took off his t-shirt and put on another one, saying "man, I'm embarrassed to be wearing this thing, all pompous like, when I just spent 2 hours on a road no one knows that puts the Dragon to shame." 

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’70 Yamaha 125 Enduro; ’75 Honda CB360T; ’81 Yamaha XS650SH; ’82 Honda GL650 Silver Wing Interstate; ’82 Suzuki GS650L; ’87 Yamaha Virago 535; ’87 Yamaha FJ1200; ’96 Honda ST1100; ’99 Yamaha V-Star Classic; ’00 Suzuki SV650; ’07 BMW K1200GT; ’12 Suzuki DR200; ’15 Yamaha FJ-09.  Bold = current

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Another possibility is Carson City, NV. It has direct access to the east side of the Sierras, and with no state income tax it might be a good place to retire. The down side is winter weather similar to Utah or Colorado.

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16 hours ago, maximo said:

Funny story on this. Couple of years ago a friend of mine from NC and his riding buddy did a nationwide tour. I hosted their NorCal section, spending 5 days on the roads here.  On the first day we went from Chico out to the coast Via 36, and when we got to Fortuna for lunch, one of the guys, who was wearing a Dragon t-shirt, hopped off his bike, opened up his saddlebag and took off his t-shirt and put on another one, saying "man, I'm embarrassed to be wearing this thing, all pompous like, when I just spent 2 hours on a road no one knows that puts the Dragon to shame." 

Looks like a great road! I've never ridden out there but one day...

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1 hour ago, bigorangecntry07 said:

Looks like a great road! I've never ridden out there but one day...

I say the same thing about all the great roads back east. My NC pal will host me, it's just a matter of finding the time. They look amazing. 

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’70 Yamaha 125 Enduro; ’75 Honda CB360T; ’81 Yamaha XS650SH; ’82 Honda GL650 Silver Wing Interstate; ’82 Suzuki GS650L; ’87 Yamaha Virago 535; ’87 Yamaha FJ1200; ’96 Honda ST1100; ’99 Yamaha V-Star Classic; ’00 Suzuki SV650; ’07 BMW K1200GT; ’12 Suzuki DR200; ’15 Yamaha FJ-09.  Bold = current

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1 hour ago, maximo said:

I say the same thing about all the great roads back east. My NC pal will host me, it's just a matter of finding the time. They look amazing. 

Yeah the roads are really great all through the smokey's and more! I need to spend more time out there for sure

 

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as you lot may well know I'm from Blighty better known as uk.

I live in the north east,I consider myself lucky to live in such a beautiful place.20 either way either I'm at the seaside or in the lovely yorkshire moors.and hour and a bit I'm in yorkshire days and 2 hrs I'm in the lake district.about 6 hrs I'm in the scottish highlands. hers some pictures of where me and my wife go.

 

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On 7/22/2019 at 7:50 PM, maximo said:

Funny story on this. Couple of years ago a friend of mine from NC and his riding buddy did a nationwide tour. I hosted their NorCal section, spending 5 days on the roads here.  On the first day we went from Chico out to the coast Via 36, and when we got to Fortuna for lunch, one of the guys, who was wearing a Dragon t-shirt, hopped off his bike, opened up his saddlebag and took off his t-shirt and put on another one, saying "man, I'm embarrassed to be wearing this thing, all pompous like, when I just spent 2 hours on a road no one knows that puts the Dragon to shame." 

When discussing the roads in NC, GA and TN, everyone talks about the Tail Of The Dragon, as if it is the marquis road in the region.  Nothing could be further from the truth in my humble opinion.  The Dragon is a lot of fun and a unique challenge, but there are hundreds of miles of better roads to be enjoyed in the area where the three states share borders.  The good riding  also extends well into the Virginias. 

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There is nothing like spending a day riding with friends in the grip of a shared obsession.

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14 hours ago, johnmark101 said:

When discussing the roads in NC, GA and TN, everyone talks about the Tail Of The Dragon, as if it is the marquis road in the region.  Nothing could be further from the truth in my humble opinion.  The Dragon is a lot of fun and a unique challenge, but there are hundreds of miles of better roads to be enjoyed in the area where the three states share borders.  The good riding  also extends well into the Virginias. 

Yet more reason to go there and experience the area!

’70 Yamaha 125 Enduro; ’75 Honda CB360T; ’81 Yamaha XS650SH; ’82 Honda GL650 Silver Wing Interstate; ’82 Suzuki GS650L; ’87 Yamaha Virago 535; ’87 Yamaha FJ1200; ’96 Honda ST1100; ’99 Yamaha V-Star Classic; ’00 Suzuki SV650; ’07 BMW K1200GT; ’12 Suzuki DR200; ’15 Yamaha FJ-09.  Bold = current

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