• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Pennsylvania Information

statdawg

High & Dry
This thread is for planning your trip to the Keystone State. Those that reside here please add your favorite links, clubs, and places to ride and see along the way.

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/routes/NorthEast/PA/PA_index.htm

East Pa. BMW Motorcycle Dealers

http://www.hermys.com/

http://www.twojacks.com/

East Pa Clubs

http://mac-pac.org/

http://www.blackdiamondbeemers.com/index.htm

Tourism

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/pa

http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/pennsylvania-uspa.htm

visitPA - Along with practical travel tips, hotel & restaurant guides, maps & pictures, check out the Road Trips section for complete excursions & scenic drives in selected areas, plus a complete directory of related links & resources.

PA Tourism and Lodging Association - Here locate member companies in different regions of Pennsylvania including hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts inns along with discount coupons, travel guides & links to major attractions throughout the state.


PA Restaurant Guide -here is One-stop searching for good eats throughout the state searchable by city, cuisine or restaurant name.

Visit Philadelphia - Here for a practical guide to the City of Brotherly Love with driving times from various locations, directions, maps, photo tour, visitor guide including major attractions, hotels & restaurants, sporting & entertainment event calendar.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Explore the entire city online by neighborhood, ethnicity, lifestyle or interest, together with a complete visitor guide to major & nearby attractions, fun facts & trivia.

The Pennsyvlania Dutch Country / Lancaster County, PA Welcome Center - A warm welcome, and all you need to know about the area's history & culture plus visitor guides to lodging, food, farm markets, arts & crafts, major attractions & family fun.

Pocono Mountains - Summer resort central, with special deals & packages year-round plus a complete visitor guide to what to see and do, hotel & restaurant guides, free brochures and toll-free information.

Welcome to Gettysburg.com - The premiere spot for Civil War buffs & reenactors with detailed information on the battlefield site history with maps & pictures, the complete Gettysburg Address and more on the living history center, related attractions, dining & lodging guides.
 
Welcome to Lancaster County--now go home! Just kidding, if you are on a bike, welcome, if you are in a car and are too old to see over the steering wheel like 1/2 of the tourists that cause traffic to creep along, well, ok, we'll take your money too! We have 4 covered bridge loops that can actually be strung together and done in one day. The Amish farms are beautiful, with rolling pastures and well kept property. Our western border is the Susquehanna River, which some time ago carved out some interesting river hills, making some fun, curvey sections of back roads. We have a couple local brewers, Lancaster Brewing, as well as Bube's Brewery, and Nissley Winery has a summer concert series that is a lot of fun. The area is littered with B&B's, as well as campgrounds and of course, every hotel chain you can imagine. The National Steam Train museum is here in Strassburg, where you can take a steam locomotive ride through Amish farmland.

So come visit, and PM me if you want any help with roads to ride or accomodations, or just to meet another club member over coffee.
 
A Warm PA Welcome!

Just to add to what has been previously stated...PA has much to offer! Our commonwealth has a wide range of geography and cultures to explore. From rolling PA Dutch farmland in the SE to colonial history in the greater Philadelphia area to vast expanses of hardwood forests in central, NE and the northern tier territories to the shores of Lake Erie in the NW to Scotch-Irish Appalachian communities in the central and south-central regions, you can't go wrong in "Penn's Woods."

One word of caution while traveling in PA, watch out for Nittany Lions...they are everywhere!

A couple of Links for your interest:

www.pawilds.com - your guide to the wilds of North-Central PA. Great roads in this part of PA.

http://www.centralpacvb.org - your guide to central PA and Penn State Country.

Pennsylvania is prime riding territory for your Beemer!

I look forward to passing you on a PA road! I think one of our license plate slogans sums it up well: "You've got Friend in Pennsylvania."
 
Lancaster county

I live close by and if you're not from the area I would suggest Lancaster county through central PA as well. I live next to Lanc. county and ride in that area as much as possible to just enjoy the openess and yes even the smell of the farms. Just a relaxing ride for me.
 
State Forest Maps for forest roads and trail riding

This link is to state forest maps in pdf format, and there are a lot of state forests for great off road and dual-sport riding. These are useful for planning and travel, because many such roads are not in the Garmin or Navitech maps databases. Choose the region, then choose Forest Map:

Pennsylvania State Forests Maps


You can get free printed color maps on glossy paper at each forest headquarters or from the Department's headquarters in Harrisburg.

Fred
 
Gotta be careful

One thing you will need to be aware of riding in Dutch Country...I almost always see the black bumpers usually in a big van running stop signs, tailgaiting generally driving like mainiacs on back roads. If you live in the area you'll understand what I mean so you have to be careful. I was in the area of Shady Maple smorgasboard yesterday to experience the drivers in the tourist zone not paying attention to the road but fortunately or not it was in the 20's so I had my dad's van. The area is beautiful but you have to be very aware of the tourist's and their lack of paying attention to the road.
 
True, though I wouldn't say our native cagers are any worse than most in say, Jersey. And beware of road apples left by the 4 legged friends. I try to stay away from the touristy part of the county during summer months, as when the Amish farmers are out working their fields with horse drawn equipment, people tend to do dumb stuff while fumbling for cameras or just staring. Plenty of "river roads" to play on near the Susquehanna, as well as some nice views of farmland, and mostly rideable 10-12 months a year.
 
Better roads, if you like small tight and twisty stuff, in North Central Pa than in New England or the Adirondacks, for sure.
 
Central PA

Gotta start in Linglestown, PA at St. Thomas Roaster's Coffee Shop on PA 39 they have the best Joe in town. Unfortunately it is right next to theight damned flagpole (http://stthomasroaster.com/)

Then Route 322 North.

Then 225 North.

Then 325 East. Great Road and the best fishing.
 
The lower Susquehanna River area has a lot of nice back country roads to explore. Specifically Lancaster and York counties. When I don't have a lot of time to do longer rides, I often go to this area for a few hours and it always puts a smile on my face. I did a really nice New Years Day ride in this area. Dirt, gravel, twisties, a lot of road varity.
But of course heading to the mountain regions is always the best. Route 125 from Pine Grove to Shamokin is awsome. Just watch out for the lunitics riding this route on Sundays.
Happy riding.
 
But of course heading to the mountain regions is always the best. Route 125 from Pine Grove to Shamokin is awsome. Just watch out for the lunitics riding this route on Sundays.
Happy riding.

+1. Route 125 is one of my favorites. Countless hairpin turns, beautiful scenery, little traffic, no cops.
 
Okay, you want some local favorites?

PA 994 - entire length from Orbisonia to PA 26
PA 641 - from Roxbury to end at US 522
PA 74 - from Carlisle to end at PA 75
PA 233 - from PA 194 to end at PA 997
PA 125 - from Pine Grove to Shamokin, but turn left near US 81 entrance and use Mollystown Road shortcut through Jolliet back to Good Spring and PA 125 again
PA 849 - from Duncannon to end at PA 34
PA 339 - from Mahanoy City to Mainville and then Mainville Dr to E Bloomsburg

Also: cross the Susquehanna on the old paddlewheel ferry at Millersburg over to PA 34 - schedule limited, so check website

There are too many to list today. More later.

Fred
 
What about Route 144 from Galeton on Route 6, south to Black Moshanon near route 80.

I think it's the best 75 miles in the state!

jason
 
+ for Rt 144

What about Route 144 from Galeton on Route 6, south to Black Moshanon near route 80.

I think it's the best 75 miles in the state!

jason

Jason is correct Rt 144 from State College, PA to Rt 6 in the north is a great ride. Also look at Rt 44 north from Avis.

Elk can be seen along Rt120, Rt 255, and Rt 555 (look near Pennfield on a PA map)

Jerry
 
Sullivan County, PA: Eagles Mere, World's End State Park, Forksville. Great riding roads and scenery, little to no traffic. We live in southern Luzerne County and the Forksville area is one of our favorite day trip destinations. I highly recommend it.

If you make it up there, you owe it to yourself to stop and eat at the Forksville General Store! It's one of the coolest places on the planet and their subs are true Philly style! The BEST!

http://www.forksvillestore.com/
 
Back
Top