Best roads for the Hyperstrada

Hyp Noob · Apr 18, 2017

Great photo play of NorCal roads! I recognize most of them ... and the Sierra
stuff too. Wonderful. 90% of visitors to CA never find those roads.

I ride with a group who have been charting out these roads for over 20 years, so I was lucky to be introduced to some of the better ones.

Any of this look familiar?

Near Santa Maria

Big Sur

Sierra pass ... just before it snowed.

S. Oregon

Salmon creek

Lost Coast ... testing Guzzi Griso

Above Big Sur

kuksul08 · Apr 18, 2017

"Rossi's Driveway" nice... There is nothing else like that one. What a rollercoaster.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

kuksul08 said:
"Rossi's Driveway" nice... There is nothing else like that one. What a rollercoaster.

Rossi's Driveway is 229, north of 58.

Santa Maria has a few other fun roads. So close to LA, I seldom route that far south.

One time though, Hwy 58 was closed which allowed us to ride back and forth over the twisty section with zero traffic. I have a video but it isn't on a Hyper, so.....

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

Hyp Noob said:
I ride with a group who have been charting out these roads for over 20 years, so I was lucky to be introduced to some of the better ones.

Any of this look familiar?

So many great roads and scenic wonders. Exactly why we are moving to Las Vegas. Close enough without having to pay for the insanity.

At the same time, there are so many great options away from the left coast as well. Utah alone offers such natural wonder. The whole 4 Corners area. If you are willing to explore off the pavement, the vast west is mostly public land. The options offer so many years of delight, be it street bike, dirt bike, adventure bike or 4X4.

It's the public lands that draw me west. While I've had great fun riding back east, the increased population and little public land leaves the ability to be truly alone is greatly diminished.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

Another incentive to explore Utah is the ability to take a day off and explore Moab with rental quads. Leave your bikes at the rental place, wide with the delivery driver and spend a day following the painted dots on the Slickrock trails.

Unlike anywhere else on the planet.

On long ride, it is a treat to take the day off to do something completely different.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

Maybe a more interesting California question might be:

Long multi-day loop?

Or, central point with daily loops?

Done both, each have advantages.

A few of my track files from multi-day loops:

For the Hyperstrada I think the central point with daily loops is best because there are no bags to weigh down the smaller bike.

I save every route and ride data for analysis. This allows for focusing future rides on the best of the best.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

Why Las Vegas?

Well, look at my backyard from this central location:

Hyp Noob · Apr 19, 2017

So Many Roads ....

kuksul08 said:
"Rossi's Driveway" nice... There is nothing else like that one. What a rollercoaster.

Actually it's Ferguson-Nacimiento rd. It goes through the Army base and heads to King City/101. We always stop at the Mission there for a break. You can also cut onto dirt roads ... ride down to Highway One on dirt.

Santa Maria/San Luis Obisbo all have good back roads. Great paved ridge road that goes all the way South to Santa Barbara. Great DR650 road ... probably pretty good for HyperStrada too.

We sometimes ride Carrizo plain (dirt) then work our way back to Pismo, our Hotel home base on 3 day rides ... 90% road.

Love the Sierra rides as well. Most end up in Death Valley or Bridgeport.
One good one is our 5 pass ride. 5 passes in a day.

Eureka ride is another 3 day ride. Sometimes goes up to Shakespeare festival in Oregon. Includes all the roads around Forks of Salmon area too.
Some great roads for Hyper. Can't wait to try it out up there.

Hyp Noob · Apr 19, 2017

RSL said:
Maybe a more interesting California question might be:
Long multi-day loop?
Or, central point with daily loops?
Done both, each have advantages.

I agree. We do both. Our Pismo ride bases in Pismo. We do day loops of about 200 miles out of Pismo.
The first and 3rd days are bit long as ride begins in San Fran, groups up in
Hollister, then onto Pismo for Hotel.

Day two is a big loop going South via back roads down to Ojai for lunch via Santa Barbara. Day 3 takes different roads over to Highway 25, back to Hollister, back to Bay Area.

On one of our 3 Death Valley routes, first night at Lake Isabella. Then over to Death Vally for a night or two, ride home on day 3 but sometimes stay another night in Tahoe or Reno, depending on weather/time constraints.

Eureka ride, first day to Eureka, then up to Oregon for a night, then home
or sometimes another night somewhere on the road.

Bodie, near Bridgeport

Sierra (Bridgeport) Fall ride, Ducati!

Carrizo plain

Watch that gravel ... long way down!

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

Hyp Noob said:
Love the Sierra rides as well. Most end up in Death Valley or Bridgeport.
One good one is our 5 pass ride. 5 passes in a day.

I remember adding up all the pass elevations in a ride, which totaled over 250,000'. Great fun. Somewhere I have the spreadsheet list for all the pass elevations in Colorado.

For my sanity, I avoid Tioga Pass because of special enforcement in the parks, and all the tourist traffic. Much more fun to ride the other passes, especially first thing in the AM.

As opposed to riding the entire length, we tend to ride up and over from the east, U-Turn and ride back. Different road with each direction and avoiding the crazy western slope traffic. Some passes are so good we ride them over and back twice, then on to the next.

When we all had the identical bikes, I would get everyone to ride together and video the best parts.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

Nacimiento. Big fire there led me to the monastery just north of there.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

I started exploring California in 1995, but not collecting GPS files until about 2000. It was all maps, dead reckoning and countless dead ends. With Google Earth, updated MapSource maps, and the online maps, it sure is easier today.

It's 2,000 miles for me to get to the start of the spring ride this year. We will be making the most of our time there.

Hyp Noob · Apr 19, 2017

Beautiful pics! Love the big Beemer!
Mission San Antonio Padua is actually due EAST of the coast. Ferguson-Nacimiento rd. leads straight to it, it's right on the Army base. DO NOT speed on base, strict 20 mph limit.

RSL · Apr 19, 2017

I can't speak to how your modified suspension works on your local backroads beyond the belief that it can be adjusted to be very good for your riding.

What I can say is that the relative light weight of the Hyperstrada and short wheelbase makes for crisp choppy road response. Crisp as being like a pinball.

I can also say that my Ozarks experience with the Mupo, adjusted for my weight and backroad preference, changed the bike into being steady. Where the frost heave in the blacktop used to throw the back tire up or over, the tire now stays on the desired line. No more spine crunch or concern about line correction in the corner.

But, that significant improvement came with considerable expense.

In addition, I am expecting considerably longer rear tire life as the tire will stay connected to the road surface.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the Mupo handles the road surfaces in Northern California this spring, then again in the Sierras this fall.

Hyp Noob · Apr 19, 2017

Thanks for comments and insights into this "new to me" bike.

The suspension on my Hyper has been modified at both ends. IMHO, it's really quite good. No real complaints so far. It was tested on one of my "Super Suspension Test Roads" that I use when doing bike Reviews for City Bike (since 1992).

None other than Marshall-Petaluma road. It's a nice mix of everything. The Hyper did amazingly well considering it's Pilot was still a little uncertain and not riding any where near 10 tenths.
Still adapting to the Strada, but it's for sure a winner, IMHO.

It's one of my main suspension testing roads I use for bike reviews. IMHO, the Hyper scored 8 out of 10 ... or B+. Only reason it's not an A is ME. I'm not really used to the bike yet. (old brain dead Geezer)

I think with a bit more time on the bike and perhaps a few tweaks to the boingers ... it may get a 10 out of 10! A few more rides should sort things nicely.

Next time you get out to the Bay Area you should show up at the Sunday Morning Ride. You may have heard of it. Fun morning warm up ride out to Breakfast in Point Reyes Station. Best stay at the back until you get the feel and pace .... and manners of the locals.

RSL · Apr 20, 2017

Here are two maps that identify where my favorite riding is located:

dragoontwo · Apr 20, 2017

A tiny bit of that blue is in my backyard.

RSL · Apr 21, 2017

If all the California photos don't make you head that way, well..... you are a stone.

Best roads for the Hyperstrada

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