Ride in Southern California
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 417
Likes: 3
From: San Antonio, Texas
Ride in Southern California
So my lady and I live in San Antonio, Tx right now...looking to move to San Diego next May. I was just hoping to get a little info from southern cali riders about the nature of riding out there...general traffic trends (I'm aware of the lane splitting laws), regulations on mods (I have a stock block with Thunderheaders and stage 1 intake), etc.
Hell if you're from San Diego I'd love to hear a little about the town. Hot spots, good/bad riding areas, ahem...cost of living...anything worth noting.
Anything you got, I wanna hear it! Thanks
Hell if you're from San Diego I'd love to hear a little about the town. Hot spots, good/bad riding areas, ahem...cost of living...anything worth noting.
Anything you got, I wanna hear it! Thanks
There are some great rides here and we pretty much have great riding weather all year round.
There's an old mountain mining town called Julian with some fantastic twisties and some fantastic apple pies. There's Mount Palomar, you can go to the Temecula wineries. Cruise out to Idylwild, Jacumba or around the Salton Sea.
We also have a very active community, so there's usually a few events going on every weekend.
When you get here, go to San Diego Harley (the one on Morena), they have a room that has all sorts of ride routes printed out
There's an old mountain mining town called Julian with some fantastic twisties and some fantastic apple pies. There's Mount Palomar, you can go to the Temecula wineries. Cruise out to Idylwild, Jacumba or around the Salton Sea.
We also have a very active community, so there's usually a few events going on every weekend.
When you get here, go to San Diego Harley (the one on Morena), they have a room that has all sorts of ride routes printed out
Unofficial HDF Chaplain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,136
Likes: 18,049
From: san diego
lots of great riding here, I like going up to the mountains, less traffic. the coast rides are great too, but traffic can be a problem. you can ride most all year, the only place I don't go is Coronado where they bust your chops for dot helmets and loud pipes. other than that, I've never been hassled. and my bike is kinda loud. some good hangouts, like "the hideout" and others. traffic can be a bit dangerous at times. rush hour is white knuckle but otherwise, a great place to live and ride. come see me!!
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 199
Likes: 0
From: California
All these spots are great routes. I'd definitely check them out if I were you. Other mentionable places are Hell's Kitchen, which is a biker bar out in Lake Elsinore (they have good food for a biker bar), DeLuz Canyon which is a good ride, some people like Ortega Highway, the list goes on. Definitely not a lack of places to ride out here. Traffic does get intense out here, so you will probably find yourself wanting to split lanes before too long.
Last edited by m6zero; Oct 13, 2014 at 02:36 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 417
Likes: 3
From: San Antonio, Texas
GOLDEN. 
Awesome info so far. Thanks a lot fellas.
Keep it coming if you got somethin to say!
Also, any highways/areas in particular where traffic is hectic, or is the whole city a cluster f*ck at rush hour? Bc in San Antonio, it gets bad along our northern loop highway (where all the development has been the past 10 years) but everywhere else is just slow rolling, not really stop and go or crazy drivers. The big thing is I wanna make sure I can commute daily without blowin my top off. I live in the congestion here and it makes me not even wanna commute on the bike.
Awesome info so far. Thanks a lot fellas. Keep it coming if you got somethin to say!
Also, any highways/areas in particular where traffic is hectic, or is the whole city a cluster f*ck at rush hour? Bc in San Antonio, it gets bad along our northern loop highway (where all the development has been the past 10 years) but everywhere else is just slow rolling, not really stop and go or crazy drivers. The big thing is I wanna make sure I can commute daily without blowin my top off. I live in the congestion here and it makes me not even wanna commute on the bike.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,028
From: Carlsbad, CA
All of the above. Or if you just want a slow scenic ride, ride the a Pacific Coast highway through the beach towns. Riding down the strand in Oceanside is entertaining.
. Traffic is worst around the commute hours on the freeways. So, I avoid them as much as possible between 6:00 Am - 9:00 am and 3:00pm - 7:00 PM weekdays.
I'm about to head out for a ride. Probably do the coastal route from Carlsbad to La Jolla and back.
Oh yeah...co$$$t of living...well if you have to ask...you might want to check out real estate before you commit. We bought a 1 year old 1,700 sq. ft. House with no outside space other than a patio. We are 3 miles from the beach, have a beautiful community pool, and parks for the kids. We paid $560k last June. Simular houses now going for mid to high $600s. Then there are the taxes, the politics, the drought, the traffic.
And we love it here...
. Traffic is worst around the commute hours on the freeways. So, I avoid them as much as possible between 6:00 Am - 9:00 am and 3:00pm - 7:00 PM weekdays.
I'm about to head out for a ride. Probably do the coastal route from Carlsbad to La Jolla and back.
Oh yeah...co$$$t of living...well if you have to ask...you might want to check out real estate before you commit. We bought a 1 year old 1,700 sq. ft. House with no outside space other than a patio. We are 3 miles from the beach, have a beautiful community pool, and parks for the kids. We paid $560k last June. Simular houses now going for mid to high $600s. Then there are the taxes, the politics, the drought, the traffic.
And we love it here...
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 196
Likes: 6
Probably the biggest question will be, where shall we go next? At least for the first couple of years. Once you have run through all of East San Diego and all it's offerings, you still have LA County and of course Central Coast and Sierra Mountains. Use the internet to help you find some routes, or pick-up Butler Maps Southern/Northern California paper maps to help lead the way.
Most parts of San Diego is probably one of the most desirable places to live in California, and I believe rated as one the best fair-weather cities in the US.
Just prepared with the increase in living expensive...yes, everything does cost more due to the many layers of taxes (alot of it is hidden in everything from utilities to registration for your vehicle) but it's still a fantastic place to live. Oh, traffic blows....and only gets worse as you head north towards Orange County/Los Angeles Counties. Give it time, you will learn to live with it and plan your life around it.
Most parts of San Diego is probably one of the most desirable places to live in California, and I believe rated as one the best fair-weather cities in the US.
Just prepared with the increase in living expensive...yes, everything does cost more due to the many layers of taxes (alot of it is hidden in everything from utilities to registration for your vehicle) but it's still a fantastic place to live. Oh, traffic blows....and only gets worse as you head north towards Orange County/Los Angeles Counties. Give it time, you will learn to live with it and plan your life around it.
Last edited by NuckaMan; Oct 13, 2014 at 03:21 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 197
From: usa
Some lucky San Diego riders here! sounds nice...
I was just reading about San Antone traffic...its really changed.
SA was always a large city but traffic was not an issue.
I grew up there and use to fly around the 1604 loop when it was two lanes (281/1604 was a four way stop)...
gee...that was 30 years ago...progress and all that....
its just a shame to see your fantastic hometown turned into a traffic mess.
I was just reading about San Antone traffic...its really changed.
SA was always a large city but traffic was not an issue.
I grew up there and use to fly around the 1604 loop when it was two lanes (281/1604 was a four way stop)...
gee...that was 30 years ago...progress and all that....
its just a shame to see your fantastic hometown turned into a traffic mess.