I have some nice rides on my website in Colorado out of Breckenridge.
http://www.virtualhale.com/cruzn/colorado.php

I like taking Hwy 24 south of I-70 into Leadville. Takes you over Tennessee Pass and pass some great scenary.

I agree with putting off Grand Canyon. There is so much to see in Colorado.

Check out from Montrose take 90 West to 141 North.
141 goes up to Grand Junction and takes you thru some great canyons.
http://www.motorcyclecolorado.com/unaweep_canyon.htm

Besure and stop at Gateway. http://www.gatewayautomuseum.com/
Great place to stop in the middle of nothing !

Check this blog out http://motorcyclecolorado.com/blog/r...torcycle-trip/ great information

 

Hey, maybe you could load the bike in a plane and avoid western KS! I know what you mean....long, boring and damned HOT!

Here are a few routes that you ought to consider while in Colorado (these are some of my personal favorites):

Hwy 165 from Colorado City - Bishop's Castle - Westcliffe -Salida.
Hwy 149 from South Fork to Creede to Gunnison (I like this better from south to north).
Pagosa Springs - Durango - Ouray.
Ouray - Telluride - Cortez
Ridgeway to Gateway to Grand Junction
Grand Junction to Mesa to Cedaredge to Gunnison
Gunnison to Salida to Granite to Aspen to Glenwood Springs

....there, that ought to keep you in happy riding for at least a week.

Also, in the SW Regional Forum we put together a ride and its posted there with a couple thousand pictures. We started in Taos, NM and ended up in Cortez...with a lot of stops in-between.

 

Just got back last week from Durango (my daughter and family live there). I would suggest from Grand Junction cutting off of 50/550 at 141 which goes through Gateway. There is really not much to look at on 550 until you get past Montrose into Ridgeway anyway. There is a great lodge/restaurant/gas etc. in Gateway, a good place to stop for the night if the timing is right. Plus a really good car museum also. Then take 141 down through the Delores river valley, very nice ride, then meet 145 to 62 over to Ridgeway, that is just before Ouray. Then 550 Ouray to Silverton over Molas Pass (10,900+ feet high) into Durango. The leaves were just right last week, but you can never tell when it will be.
I agree the Grand Canyon thing should be another trip. Just too much to see in that neck of the woods.

 

I've joked with my sis about leaving my bike at her house in Denver!
I can take a puddle jumper for a couple hundred ;-)

Thanks for all of the input.

I'm currently re-routing my route to include many of your suggestions.

The GC will have to wait until I have more time available.

Everything looks so close on a map!

The old "since we're so close,we might as well go check out(insert the next state here)" started stretching things out a bit

 

In my opinion, Colorado is worth the time alone. Just zig zag all over the state for some of the best roads the US has to offer. If it was me I would save the GC for its own so you can truly enjoy the Colorado experience.

 

There is another thread going with some good info on the Million Dollar highway if you haven't seen it -

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/road-...road-trip.html

 

Agree with most of the above, but SE Utah has so much to offer, and you're so close. If you are going in late-June to mid-August, I would try to do Rocky Mountain Natl Park (I was there the first week of June and it was brutal, very cold and very windy), Telluride, Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Monument Valley, Gooseneck State Park, Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway, Natural Bridges, Canyonlands (Island in the Sky), Arches, Hwy 128 from Moab back to Colorado.

I did this ride leaving from Denver and only had six days. Was somewhat like the clip above but I spent two days in Telluride and had a great time.

 

Just south of Leadville take a moment to stop in at Buena Vista. Right after you pass the fountain there is a small looking Ice Cream shop. You will never forget the experience. Very Cool Folks! While around Durango take a moment to run up to Vallecito Lake. After passing the north end of the lake the road will fork, head left and run it to the end! ave a great time and remember to post pictures afterwards. Send me a PM pertaining to what I sugested if you get a chance!

 

We stopped there on one of our trips, nice town. Ate at some dive on Hwy 24 called Buffalo's or something like that. Food wasn't great but the outdoor seating was wonderful.

Thanks on the tip about the lake, I'll add that to my list for next year.

 

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