Looking for somewhere to ride with in 4 hrs of the KC area. Somewhere the wife and I can go and relax for a weekend. Not looking for anything to touristy. Kind of off the beaten path. Any recommendations on places to stay, eat, roads to ride would be great.

Thanks Chad

 

Shell ****, MO near the west part of Table Rock is a nice, small town. Good motorcycle roads. We have a friend who lets us stay at his cabin on the lake, so I can't tell you about any motels there...but I'm sure there are some that are decent. The map shows taking I-49 or HW 13, but I usually take various back roads. The interstate and HW 13 are kinda boring compared to the GON2L. Once you're there you can meander south into AR and find fabulous roads to ride.

There's a motorcycle friendly restaurant/bar/grill called The Roadhouse on HW 39 south of the bridge you'll cross to get to town. It's on the west side of the road.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kans...36.6088329!5i1

 

Frank.... Thanks for the info. We have friends that spend time in Shell **** every year for a family vacation. Might have to visit them for a weekend.

 

Take hiway 24 east along the Missouri river, then take the feeder roads like 224 through Napoleon and wellington and continue. we found a great half day ride was from lees Summit to Hannibal and then took roads that paralleled 36 on the way back. Of course, heading down to table Rock or even Forsythe and over to west plains is a nice ride. 160 used to be a great road.

 

I agree with the other OPs that heading towards Table Rock is a great idea. It's within the four hour range and you can get a very nice cabin on the lake somewhere. If you're staying for a few days, there are some awesome roads nearby for riding: US-160 towards West Plains being one of them.

 

10-4 on Hannibal. If you go that far you might as well make a short jaunt up to Quincy IL, too. (take HW 57 on the IL side.) Cool town. Take a cruise down Maine Street. (Not "Main," but "Maine" like the state.) It has some great old homes that have been restored. Took the bike up there and back myself once. On the way home I planned on taking HW 79 on the MO side down to St. Louis to see a friend before heading back to KC. Some road construction forced me to abandon that idea and take some county roads to the southwest. At about Saverton MO I took County Road N to County Road V at New London. From there I rode HW 19 and 54 to Mexico MO, to Centrailia, then Columbia, then hopped on the slab to get home quick. The county roads were fabulous! It was during Autumn when the leaves were turning. The roads were good, and the farms were picturesque and well maintained. I thought I had ridden into a Normal Rockwell painting!

(For some reason the link to the Google Map wouldn't work in here, so I did a screen shot of it.)



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Eureka Springs/NW Arkansas. Lots of great roads!

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. Looks like NW Arkansas-SW Missouri is a good area.

 

Second, er rather third the NW Arkansas suggestion nice rides

 

Perry lake KS is nice and quiet. I know you said no tourism, but the lake of the Ozarks can be nice as well. You can stay on the quiet side like Sunrise Beach. A lot of good riding in both areas.