USA riding holiday
Discussion
next year, me and the girlfriend are hoping to organise a trip to the states to take a harley up the pacific coast.
has anyone on here done this before?
if so, who did you organise it through, did you enjoy it.......more importantly.........how much roughly am i looking at?? had a look at a few websites and the price seems to vary a bit.
thanks
Chris
I once hired a Fat Boy in Vegas. Well worth doing and easy to arrange. I can't remember how much it cost but that's easy to find out from the websites. I didn't have any gear with me so borred a jacket and helmet from the dealer - not the best idea as the helmet was old and didn't fit well and the jacket wasn't warm enough when the sun went down in the desert. I also had some romantic idea of riding from Vegas to the Pacific and back - big mistake as it's a long way and very boring. However, riding around the desert roads and crusing the Strip was good fun. The bike wasn't too well tuned and so was very slow (couldn't break 100). The fuel gauge was also faulty (no reserve warning) and so I ran out of fuel in the desert! However, lots of people stopped to try to help (including CHiPs) and the breakdown service arrived with some fuel before I got too cold.
Worth doing for at least a few days if only to scratch the itch.
Worth doing for at least a few days if only to scratch the itch.
Too much information......... 
nellyleelephant said:
One i've been looking at is £1500 (includes sticking her on the back, accomodation, insurance.....fuel, flights extra).
it's an 8 day trip covering 900 miles which i didn't think was too excessive.
includes yosemite park too, you finish up in san francisco.
it's an 8 day trip covering 900 miles which i didn't think was too excessive.
includes yosemite park too, you finish up in san francisco.
Sounds good. 100 miles a day shouldn't be a problem. If she's game go for it. Err... does she understand the luggage restrictions?
nellyleelephant said:
One i've been looking at is £1500 (includes sticking her on the back, accomodation, insurance.....fuel, flights extra).
it's an 8 day trip covering 900 miles which i didn't think was too excessive.
includes yosemite park too, you finish up in san francisco.
it's an 8 day trip covering 900 miles which i didn't think was too excessive.
includes yosemite park too, you finish up in san francisco.
Includes Yosemite Park......
That's a long ride from the Pacific coast highway....
However, I'd go up the old #1 as far as Monterey then head inland via the 101 and 156 and go through Hollister, which shouldn't need any intro and therefore just has to be done on a Harley. From Hollister you can continue inland over to Yosemite.
I would guess though, as you will have to criss-cross the freeway's to Yosemite from which ever route you take from the coast, I'd allow a full days riding to get from Monterey area to Yosemite.
From Yosemite (allow a full day here at least - it's lovely scenery) you can follow the 120 back towards San Francisco. That'll take the best part of over half a day's riding as well with stops etc.
I've driven (if that's what you can call being stuck in a hired beige-coloured auto Nissan . . . !) a circular trip from Seattle, via Calgary, Colorado, Reno, San Francisco and up the Pacific Coast - great trip (apart from the mode of transport). Open roads, fantastic scenery ( a bit weird in the smaller towns - wouldn't want to get stranded there!). Planning on going to LA at Easter and hiring a Harley for 10 days. Was going to head East to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, but this may be too far in the time available. I'm also interested in other views from people who've made this kind of trip.
gethyn said:
Planning on going to LA at Easter and hiring a Harley for 10 days. Was going to head East to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, but this may be too far in the time available.
It's a good six hours on a Harley from LA to Vegas and a similar time (perhaps more) from there to the Canyon. I did the Vegas to Canyon trip in a sports car (sort of) in a day but had to really shift and got three speeding tickets. It was a hard day but would be worse on a Harley - I'd book a hotel near the Canyon to break the journey up. The next time I booked one of the helicopter tours - much better idea!
gethyn said:
Planning on going to LA at Easter and hiring a Harley for 10 days. Was going to head East to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, but this may be too far in the time available. I'm also interested in other views from people who've made this kind of trip.
Depends on how long you want to spend in L.A......or Vegas even.
If you'd rather ride enjoy the scenery, then 10 days is fine to get out to Vegas and the Canyon.
If you intend spending 3-4 days in L.A and a few days in Vegas then 10 days will be pushing it.
Vegas will be very busy next Easter as well, as not only will there be scores of Hot Rods and stuff there for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekender, but there's also the CART/Indy Car race in Vegas at the Easter weekend.
You should be able to do L.A to Vegas in under 6 hours, as it's about 4-5 hours in a car normally, but longer at the moment as the traffic is bad at the moment as the 15 is being upgraded along the L.A to Vegas route.....so riding a bike will be an advantage.
And as has been said the ride to the Canyon from Vegas is a long one, and boring, and you will need to overnight at the Canyon.
If you want to spend less time in the cities and more time riding, the best route would be to go up to Vegas, and then head for the Canyon going the north route via St.George just across the border in Utah, and then through Zion National Park, and to Kanab, Bryce Canyon and then onto the Grand Canyon. That's a fantastic biking route with great scenery etc.
From the Grand Canyon you could then ride back to L.A through the desert or via palm Springs. You'll need an overnight stop somewhere between the Canyon and L.A.
You could do that L.A back to L.A. route in 5 days with 4 nights stops, but I'd be inclinded to add 2 days to that for doing things and not having to spend as much time in the saddle.
This is the plan on their website..........sound do-able?
Arrive Los Angeles 4 Points Sheraton LAX (3*)
Pismo Beach 200 BW Shore Cliff Lodge (3*)
Salinas 150
to Yosemite 150 Cedar Lodge (3*)
Yosemite 150 Cedar Lodge (3*)
San Francisco 175 Hol. Inn Golden Gateway (3*)
San Francisco 100 Hol. Inn Golden Gateway(3*)
Depart S Francisco 10
gethyn said:
Planning on going to LA at Easter and hiring a Harley for 10 days. Was going to head East to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, but this may be too far in the time available. I'm also interested in other views from people who've made this kind of trip.
Depends on how long you want to spend in L.A......or Vegas even.
If you'd rather ride enjoy the scenery, then 10 days is fine to get out to Vegas and the Canyon.
If you intend spending 3-4 days in L.A and a few days in Vegas then 10 days will be pushing it.
Vegas will be very busy next Easter as well, as not only will there be scores of Hot Rods and stuff there for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekender, but there's also the CART/Indy Car race in Vegas at the Easter weekend.
You should be able to do L.A to Vegas in under 6 hours, as it's about 4-5 hours in a car normally, but longer at the moment as the traffic is bad at the moment as the 15 is being upgraded along the L.A to Vegas route.....so riding a bike will be an advantage.
And as has been said the ride to the Canyon from Vegas is a long one, and boring, and you will need to overnight at the Canyon.
If you want to spend less time in the cities and more time riding, the best route would be to go up to Vegas, and then head for the Canyon going the north route via St.George just across the border in Utah, and then through Zion National Park, and to Kanab, Bryce Canyon and then onto the Grand Canyon. That's a fantastic biking route with great scenery etc.
From the Grand Canyon you could then ride back to L.A through the desert or via palm Springs. You'll need an overnight stop somewhere between the Canyon and L.A.
You could do that L.A back to L.A. route in 5 days with 4 nights stops, but I'd be inclinded to add 2 days to that for doing things and not having to spend as much time in the saddle.
nellyleelephant said:
This is the plan on their website..........sound do-able?
Arrive Los Angeles 4 Points Sheraton LAX (3*)
Pismo Beach 200 BW Shore Cliff Lodge (3*)
Salinas 150
to Yosemite 150 Cedar Lodge (3*)
Yosemite 150 Cedar Lodge (3*)
San Francisco 175 Hol. Inn Golden Gateway (3*)
San Francisco 100 Hol. Inn Golden Gateway(3*)
Depart S Francisco 10
Do-able certainly.
The Salinas to Yosemite route should take you via Hollister anyway.
Great responses - thanks (even if I feel like I've hijacked the thread a bit!). I'm going for the roads and the riding - not sight-seeing as I live in Hong Kong and the furthest I can ride is about an hour one way, then an hour back! I want to be able to ride one way without having to turn around and come back again for a change!
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