Hey guys!

I'm posting this here to get some locals advice. I'm a Harley (Street Bob) rider from Belgium (Europe) and planning a USA bike trip.

It's been a life-long dream of mine to cross the USA with a Harley.
I've already done quite a few roadtrips with rental cars in the southwest en southeastern states, but no bike experience in the states yet.

I'm doing this trip with a friend of mine who's also an avid biker and I think we'll only have 2 to 3 weeks to do the trip. We're in our late 30's, just want to ride, don't need too much comfort or a guided tour. Just great routes, scenery and good bars and clubs on the road :-)

We have some routes in mind: Los Angeles to New Orleans, Route 66, Pacific Coast Hwy, but I would like to check if you guys have some advice what is doable in that time span? I have friends living in LA and Detroit, so if there would be any route that is interesting between those two locations, that would be a plus!

We also found some deals on Eagle Rider. Would you advise this or are there better alternatives? See eg.: http://www.eaglerider.com/motorcycle...ew-orleans-418

Also, if there are landmarks or biker-related locations we should visit on the road, please feel free to share. I'm thinking, bars, restaurants, shops like Biltwell or Rusty Butcher, musea, tracks etc

So to sum it up, in large I have three main questions:

1. recommended routes (preferably partially west coast) doable in 2-3 weeks.
2. general advice for your first usa bike trip (but been to the states multiple times)
3. where to rent a bike and what to look out for? (model, insurances, pricing, surcharges, best value etc)

I might add some extra questions later-on. Thanks in advance!

 

North on Hwy 101 from LA
Stop and see Redwoods on Avenue of the Giants
Up the Oregon Coast
Across Oregon along the Columbia River or Hwy 26 to Baker City ,Oregon
I 84 east to Hwy 20 in Idaho stop at Craters of the Moon
Continue east on 20/26 to Driggs,Idaho
Drop in Jackson,Wyoming
Head up into Yellowstone National Park
Heceta Head,Oregon on Hwy 101 looking South

Beartooth Pass at 10,900 feet going to Yellowstone

 

Beartooth Pass on the Montana side looking North

 

2 weeks gets almost nothing done..... you have to remember that the West is a really big place. 3 weeks is much better, and do your best to find a way to spend 4 weeks.

Read everything in the Road Trips forum.

But I would suggest this..... California to the Grand Canyon.... though Monuments valley, work your way up to Cody Wyoming. Use it as a base to do Yellowstone/Chief Joseph pass/ Beartooth pass.... then up to Glacier... work your way to Lewiston Idaho, and head south through Hells Canyon.... then work your way to Astoria Oregon, and head south down the Oregon/California coast back to LA (the best way to ride the Coast is North to South). This will be a full three weeks with no days off the bike, four weeks if you take breaks off the bike.

If you can add a week (for a total of five weeks), then include Colorado.

Bring cold weather and rain gear. Make sure your bike has a windshield. If tenting make sure you have warm sleeping bags and a three season tent. It can be below freezing at night up in the high country. On your rental, insist on heated grips.

Once you get the basic route planned, we can start pointing you at what to do, and where to go.

 

Sorry, there is to much to see and to many roads to ride on.
3 weeks is not enough time,you'll need 3 years but since you only have 3 weeks, California is the place you wanna be.
It has the weather,it has the roads and has the sights.

 

The simple math: New York to San Francisco is about 5000km, divided by 21 days is less than 240 km/day. That part is no problem. Wife and I have done 30 states from Canada; spectacular scenery available and great roads. We avoid major cities and freeways like the plague...we’re after the best 2 lane roads, the unspoiled scenery and the unique characters we’ve met in small town America. I use Butler maps, best riding roads highlighted. Depending on where you start, I’d do an arch to the north to include the Ozarks, then up thru the Rockies and back down the coast to San Francisco...
It’ll be an adventure you’ll never forget

 

I cannot believe people are suggesting mountains.....these guys live in Belgium a couple of hours away from the alps and you want them to go to the mountains....

I would do ...Monument valley....Utah national parks, Bryce, Zion, arches....the grand canyon....do the Indian lands, they have none in Europe.....i would stop in Vegas ......as you drive over to New Orleans ..detour to Mt. Evans, Pikes peak...highest paved roads in the US.....continue to New Orleans
.
.

 

Okay! Great advice already!!!! Thanks alot.

I know my way around the southwest a bit, I've been to (by car) LA, SF, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon, Phoenix, Joshua Tree, Bakersfield, Yosemite, PCH Hwy1, Monterey etc, but I was wondering what are the best biker roads with the coolest biker friendly stops.
Also what is doable in a time-span of 3 weeks. California will probably be our starting state. New Orleans is also bucket list, but no idea if the road between the two is worthwhile. Hence the route 66 option. But great to see your advice already, we will look into them all!!!

Then: biggest question. Where to rent a bike? Is Eagle Rider recommended or do you have better alternatives? I also suspect a touring model would be advised? I now ride a 2016 StreetBob.

 

I wont give any advice on what roads/areas to ride etc,, I will leave that to the locals...

This is one piece of advice I will give..
Have a good think about what type bikes you are all going to rent....

I recently came back from a Canadian / USA ride/trip with a group of five... We all rented 2017 tourers , (fairing with GPS).. We all made sure we had the basic understanding of the GPS before we took off. At the end of the trip we were experts..
I got to tell you, it was a gods send, for a bigger group it is a must, (in my opinion)....

Some in the group may want a day or two to go on their merry way, but for most of the time ,, in the morning , (or the previous evening), pick a town,100 -150 miles away,, everyone put the info in the GPS , (make sure your on the same route, scenic, fastest , etc),, first one into town buys the beer or coffee ....Have a half hour break ,, and repeat ..... If just takes the pressure off being on unknown roads etc,, if you want to stop a take some pics etc, ,, not a problem,, you will catch up at the designated town... Just my 2 cents worth .....

 

Touring bike for sure, bring a rain suit, leathers. My suggestion is while planning use a map that highlights national parks, they are national parks for a reason. Lots of awesome stuff around the Sturgis area, like 5 good day trips. The Grand Canyon is on your way there, oh and Vegas also. Yellowstone is close there, then there’s the Rocky Mountains, there’s a weeks worth of exploring there.
It’s probably 4 weeks to see all I mentioned.
Eagle Rider that you mentioned is the only one I came up with two years ago, I’m thinking they will have in warranty Harley’, that’s the best network of service you’ll find if there’s a problem.
Some of the national parks were doing reservations at one point, not sure if that has expanded or went away.
Keith