OK I can't take it anymore,watching all the great touring in the blackhills etc on youtube has sent me mad so Im planning a road trip in the US (i live in japan)so I need your help.
Im looking for a place that does the complete set,rental bike hotels gas airport pickup etc also where is the best place for me to go? (never been to the US)I will only have about one week and I want to hit the roads that you guys think are the best,no city stuff Im thinking lakes, mountain countryside.
so if you know a good tour site/shop in the right place please let me know
thanks for any info

 

there are a few tour packagers- check online. they seem to come and go.


Last year on Route 66 I ran into a group of about 30 Scandanavians who had bought bikes through a tour company in Chicago and were touring to Los Angeles and shipping the bikes back to Europe from there.


You could just set up a rental and a flight ( maybe to LAX and rent at Bartel's) and get going.

Plan your own route, book your own rooms.

I myself think that Northern Arizona, Utah, Colorado offer great wilderness riding. rt 66, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Moab, Rocky Mountains.
If coming from LA you could cruise through Las Vegas--- even if gambling has no attraction, it should be seen once.

There are plenty of quiet 2 lane roads through small towns to get a sense of America- and on the way back if in a hurry your could take a multi lane "interstate" highway and blast back at 75 MPH



pt 2. Are you Japanese ? Your English is excellent !


Mike

 

One week is not very long! I travel to the US each year, normally for about 10 days.

I have done 2 trips that I think would be really good for you.

Fly to Atlanta and head up North East. You can then do the dragon, Cherohala and the Blue Ridge Parkway (part of it anyway). Look up Maggie Valley on Google, that is about the central base you could aim for

Alternatively, fly to Denver and head South West. Look up Silvermine on Google, that is roughly the area you want to head towards

Go to the MadMaps website and buy some of their maps, they are really good

Hiring bikes are expensive, but by the sound of things you are more concerned about convenience than cost. Eaglerider is as good as any with bike hire. To be honest, you can shop around forever and you wont find much price difference. They will do airport transfers.

I wouldnt book any hotels beyond that. It is so easy to find hotels and make it up as you go along, but I have travelled extensively and comfortable with living like that - others may not be!

Of course there are LOADS of other choices and many will add to this I am sure

Good luck

 

You won't go far in a week - the USA is bigger than it looks! My wife and I shipped our bike there in 2003 for the Centenary and did 3,500 miles in a bit over three weeks, travelling from Chicago, spending a week around Milwaukee, then doing a loop touching all the Lakes and Niagara Falls, back to Chicago. We skimmed through Iowa into Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario.

There are plenty of bike touring companies, doing escorted tours with bikes and hotels thrown in, through to giving you the keys and a pat on the back. Organised tours will generally be longer than a week. You may find a few who will let you ride and leave the bike at another destination, but most will expect you to return the bike to where you picked it up from.

I suggest you take some time planning this thoroughly and plan to take a longer break - don't rush at it!

 

Fly into San Francisco, cross the Golden Gate and head north up the coast. Crater Lake in southern Oregon, Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens. September is the best month, not too hot and a lot less traffic.

 

I been in 46 of the 50 states and while there are great rides everywhere, given the fact that you are only spending one week I'd take "sgdiesel" 's advice and head for the hills in North Carolina. You can spend a week there ride a different route every day and not have to cover the same ground twice. There is an excellent motorcycle map of the area available through America Rides Maps http://americaridesmaps.com. Get the one titled 12 Classic Deals Gap Motorcycle Rides and I can assure that you will be telling your friends about the great time you had in the states on some of the most beautiful motorcycle roads in the world.

 

http://www.blackhillshd.com/rentals.html




You have a week..... that would be about right. Devils Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Custer State park Nature Loop, Crazyhorse, Spearfish Canyon, some gambling in Deadwood, the Badlands. Really nice roads.


You can Email them and ask about a custom package here: pati@blackhillshd.com


O yeah, almost forgot


STURGIS

 

You should contact Mile High Harley in Denver. They are very close to the airport, have storage for your luggage on site, are next door to a new hotel, & have an excellent selection of bikes.
Reserve early, especially during the Sturgis Black Hills Rally.
Have fun & be safe.

 

From Japan, my suggestion is to fly into California (plus it's probably the cheapest). The western United States is the best riding for sure. Any Harley Davidson dealership will rent you a bike.

Good luck. Have fun!!

 

Fly into Denver, Colorado. Great riding in Colorado/Utah/New Mexico. Mile High HD is close to Denver International Airport and has a rental program. If they can't pick you up, it's an easy taxi ride from the airport.

I know of no company I would trust to book hotels. But, if you are on the road early and off around 5PM, you should have no trouble find motels along the way. I would be sure to buy a prepaid cell phone when you're in the US for emergencies.