Best kind of bike for Colorado?

[black hills]

I always thought Colorado has some of the best sport bike roads in the country. I'm not bothered by tar snakes and rough roads, you just have to be aware of them and confident on your bike.

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Yamaha's new Super Tenere. It's gotten great reviews and most people place it in between a KTM and GS1200 in terms of a road/dirt balance. If I was in the market for a dual sport I would strongly consider that bike.

After sending my Moab pics to a friend (yamaha dealer) he has ordered a Super Tenere and we are planning a spring trip to Moab. I Should have a review on the Tenere by June !!

[sfarson]

Yeap, I meant to say "unpaved", typo on my part  




I can come up with 5 "sporting" roads 30 mins outside of Morrison as well. And if you are at a "sporting" pace, you might actually be able to make it to 6  

Maybe with the Busa you're looking for wide open, at high speed sweeping/curving riding.  With a lighter/shorter wheelbase sportbike, even a DS or motard like bike, there's a basketful of grinful roads within 30 minutes of Morrison carving through the Foothills.  I could mention the twistfests of the Magnolia Road, Sugarloaf, Four Mile, Sunshine, or Flagstaff minutes outside of Boulder, for they are probably close to 30 minutes from Morrison, but let's stay closer,  A few pretzeled or bending fun roads within 30 minutes...

- Coal Creek
- Twin Spruce
- Golden Gate/Crawford Gulch
- Lookout Mountain
- Bear Creek/Kerr Gulch (A canyon road you know well)
- North Turkey Creek
- High Drive/Stanley Park/Little Cub Creek
- Brook Forest/Shadow Mountain
- Hilldale Pines
- Conifer Mountain
- Deer Creek/Firehouse Hill
- High Grade/Pleasant Park
- Deckers
- CO 103 to Echo Lake
- Jarre Canyon
- Guanella Pass (Have you checked out the park like, newly paved (finished in Oct) and twisting ascent on the north side, all the way from Georgetown to the pass summit?)

I'll leave off Indian Hills/Parmalee (Maybe too short for you), Foxton Road (Not a lengthy one either, but empty and fun), Clear Creek (Too much traffic, oh but only if this wasn't so), CO 105 to Monument (Sweeping, but perhaps not bending enough for you), Fall River (a fun out and back), the Peak-to-Peak (Pushing 30 minutes away from Morrison).

 

[blakebird]

I think Justin should get a dualsport so I can show him the Switzerland Trail, West Magnolia, the 505, Kingston Peak....    

If you've run low on paved roads around here, that's the solution Justin

So much to see, especially if you like spending time in the San Juans.

[Justin]

I think Justin should get a dualsport so I can show him the Switzerland Trail, West Magnolia, the 505, Kingston Peak....    

One of these days .. been saying it for years. Let me know if you see any good deals come around.

For now, I just ride farther to satisfy my cravings  


And Steve - didn't mean to argue, there are good roads out here. Just saying, that compared to back east, they are much fewer and much farther. So from a pure sport riding position, I wouldn't say CO was one of the best. For (sport-)touring, adventure, DS it's definitely way up there.

And no - I haven't hit Guanella since the repave - will put that on my todo. Any idea when that road opens?

[jbs80106]

hmm...did 600 miles from CSPrings, over Indy Pass to Paonia, back home on Hwy 50.  Lots of good riding there, didn't notice roads being 'bad' the whole way?  

Never tried true fire roads, but have done some dirt/unmaintained roads east of falcon on my K75 and my GS650.  Didn't like it but survived.  Maybe I'll try a dual-sport some day....

[sfarson]

And Steve - didn't mean to argue, there are good roads out here. Just saying, that compared to back east, they are much fewer and much farther. So from a pure sport riding position, I wouldn't say CO was one of the best. For (sport-)touring, adventure, DS it's definitely way up there.

And no - I haven't hit Guanella since the repave - will put that on my todo. Any idea when that road opens?

Oh I know, I was just clarifying.

But having ridden a bunch in the east, I don't rate the sporting roads and their frequency of occurence as highly as you, but we all have different criteria.

As for Guanella, the snowfall amounts will dictate the progress one can make, easier on the south, less so on the north (duh).  The plows may come out earlier on the north side given the refurbishment.  I've made it to the top well before official maintenance came along.

[Justin]

Oh I know, I was just clarifying.

But having ridden a bunch in the east, I don't rate the sporting roads and their frequency of occurence as highly as you, but we all have different criteria.

Indeed. And even if there are less "sporting" roads out here - I like riding here much better. It's not all about twisty roads for me. I like the wide open desolate places just as much. And having to ride farther is a good thing anyway

[fineout]

I know I'm a bit biased but for good twisty performance and some (very limited but manageable) fire road/very light offroad duty, the versys is a great option. You may be thinking the little 650 is a bit anemic but you may want to take one for a test ride, it has plenty of torque to get you around very easily. Good luck on your search  

[blakebird]

He doesn't want a Versys for where I'm going to take him  


He might survive it on a KLR

[Justin]

He might survive it on a KLR

I doubt that. Last time I rode dirtbikes it was one of these maybe even older



I don't think my old fat a$$ could muscle around a KLR on the stuff you ride  

[Thundergod]

Yamaha WR450 R -- Street Legal Dirt Bike (dying breed)

[blakebird]

Do you perhaps mean WR250R?

There are a LOT of people wishing Yamaha would make a factory street legal WR450.

I know folks with the 2fiddy who say it's quite a good little bike. A buddy flew to Sacramento and did a fly 'n ride, taking two lane and gravel back to CO. (Burr Trail, etc)

Yamaha WR450 R -- Street Legal Dirt Bike (dying breed)

[Trinity]

Jim, nice to see you're still hanging around this forum. (Terry-CB's).  Let me know when you get a V-Strom or something and we can go ride.

Agree that the WR250R is a really nice bike for both road and trails but everything is a compromise. It's no fun doing 100 mile road rides on the WR. But it's a blast riding Crystal Mtn or the desert in Utah or the single tracks in WY.

Just picked up a very well used R1200GS 2 weeks ago and what people say is true. If you can only have one... My old K1200RS is definitely going up for sale this spring and maybe even the sport bike. Yes, the GS is that much fun. Lacking in power but still loads of fun.  It's a blast tearing down dirt roads and scratching pegs (figuratively speaking only) on the street.  However, I think I'm keeping the WR. There is no way I have the skill to take the GS up Moody Hill.

Used to have a DR650. Great for some distance riding on the street but not a single track bike for sure. The F800GS, Super Tenere, KTM 990 are all awesome bikes. So to answer the question, in the end, it's all a compromise. There's no such thing as the best kind of bike for CO... at least not one.

[Powder Addict]

There are PLENTY of great paved sporting roads in Colorado, many that are rarely patrolled and have very little traffic.

Western Colorado is a motorcyclists dream.  I know of one road in particular that is about 9 miles of tight twisty magical goodness.  

As you get closer to Denver, the roads become more congested and patrolled.   But out here on the Western Slope, it's a whole 'nother story

[sfarson]

Things are quite calm with traffic and enforcement on weekdays along the Front Range, also in the early AM on weekends.  And totally true on secluded, empty sporting riding on the Western Slope.

Not only the enchanting nine mile thing, but at its southern launch, there's great riding in three other directions.

 

[blakebird]

that looks like it could be hwy 65 just a few miles south of I-70 at the beginning of the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway

[sfarson]

Ahhh... Very good and very close Blake.  If turning around 180 degrees this would be the case.  Pic looks north at the De Beque Cutoff... a gnarled and pretzeled twistfest of a road.  It's the "north option" from a divine riding intersection.  To the west the Plateau River Canyon, to the east Collbran and then sweet dual-sport riding all the way to McClure Pass, and to the south, CO 65 over the Grand Mesa...

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=CO-65+N%2FGrand+Mesa+Scenic+Byway&daddr=Mesa,+CO+81643+to:CO-330+E+to:45+1%2F2+Rd%2FDe+Beque+Cutoff+Rd+to:CO-65+S%2FGrand+Mesa+Scenic+Byway&hl=en&ll=39.203792,-108.098602&spn=0.225337,0.410271&sll=39.185433,-108.13139&sspn=0.056349,0.102568&geocode=FRABVgIdQOON-Q%3BFbWhVQIdo_CN-SlZ3T--KCpHhzFELgh22e2LIQ%3BFbztVQIdMl-O-Q%3BFT1IVgIdXNWN-Q%3BFcT2VQIdA4mN-Q&gl=us&mra=mi&mrsp=4&sz=14&t=m&z=12

[DenverC-14]

Not really related to the best bike(I love my C-14) but here are a few pics of the completed Guanella pass, just after they finished.

[Justin]

Not really related to the best bike(I love my C-14) but here are a few pics of the completed Guanella pass, just after they finished.

Very nice, thanks for the share. Got those pics right as the aspen's were changing  

[sfarson]

Most definitely nice pics C-14... the road, the terrain, the bike.