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Traverse City, MI area

pfetter

1986 K100RT, 135000 miles
If anyone is doing some visiting around the Traverse City area and want to know about some great local roads and scenery let me know and I can advise. There are some great rides that can be put together in the area for anywhere from a short ride to a all day ride.
Enjoy the summer.:dance :usa
 
Thanks for the offer. I am in Battle Creek and have been going to TC for many years and think I know my way around fairly well, but would be interested in knowing having some guidance from the local point of view.

We are planning on spending a day or two last July and will probably have want to do some touring before heading to the east side.
 
Big Tim, Probably the most popular areas around here are Leelanau County on the back roads not the major roads, I will put together a map with roads that I take, it makes a nice 100 mile road ride. I will sometimes take my old BMW K bike or if I have all day will use my bicycle. Also Antrim county has some great roads. If you are going to be in the area around the end of July that will give me plenty of time to put something together.

Let me know some of the sites you may have seen in this area so I can omit them.

Ride safe, summer is finally coming.
 
If you're also a bicyclist, I wonder if you ever rode The Great Northwest Tour. I think it centered around Empire or someplace nearby and we spent a couple of days enjoying the hills and views of the Peninsula. The annual rally ended quite a few years ago if I remember correctly.
 
The great Northwest Tour escapes me. I do bicycle quite a bit in the areas around TC. When I do take my old K Bike out on the same roads I very seldom see motorcyclists because they usually stick to the main roads in the county and I often thought they are missing some nice riding. I have been up here since 1981 and when I was downstate it was just the flat land and wind. Seems like every summer I see more and more large groups touring the area up here. Keep checking back in the forum I will be posting some rides.
Paul
 
The great Northwest Tour escapes me. ...Paul
My wife and I figure it may have been around 78 or 79 that we did that ride, and it ended shortly after. Anyway, I'll look forward to some of your routes. Our club (Touring Club of Detroit) will be camping next weekend at at Cycle Moore, near Interlochen, and enjoying the roads in the area. I love following the coast and going on out to Northport, but won't be able to make the trip because I'm signed up for a Total Control course on Saturday.
 
Our club (Touring Club of Detroit) will be camping next weekend at at Cycle Moore, near Interlochen, and enjoying the roads in the area.

Dan,
There is a really nice "quite" motorcycle friendly campground enroute to Interlochen on M-37 just 2 miles south of M-55, aprox 45 minutes from Cycle Moore. It is called Kestelwoods. This is the cleanest campground I have ever seen! The restrooms and showers are as clean as a hospital. They have a heated pool, excellent restaurant with homemade pasteries (that have been written up in "Traverse Magazine") and party store too. I know they offer a discount to MOA members. It is worth checking out!
 
Dan,
There is a really nice "quite" motorcycle friendly campground enroute to Interlochen on M-37 just 2 miles south of M-55, aprox 45 minutes from Cycle Moore. It is called Kestelwoods. This is the cleanest campground I have ever seen! The restrooms and showers are as clean as a hospital. They have a heated pool, excellent restaurant with homemade pasteries (that have been written up in "Traverse Magazine") and party store too. I know they offer a discount to MOA members. It is worth checking out!
Thanks, I'll definitely have to pay a visit! Heated pool after long day, and homemade pastries to start the day - sounds great. :clap
 
i bought a 1985 R80RT from grand rapids bmw and the fellow was from traverse
city did you by chance no the owner? and the history behind this bike?
 

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Big Tim, Probably the most popular areas around here are Leelanau County on the back roads not the major roads, I will put together a map with roads that I take, it makes a nice 100 mile road ride. I will sometimes take my old BMW K bike or if I have all day will use my bicycle. Also Antrim county has some great roads. If you are going to be in the area around the end of July that will give me plenty of time to put something together.

Let me know some of the sites you may have seen in this area so I can omit them.

Ride safe, summer is finally coming.


Thanks for the offer. Empire, Leland are olfd favorites but always nice to return to. Suttons Bay and on up towards Elk Rapids and Bellaire are good riding areas. Not to fussy just looking to see whaere a local person might like to ride. I like goding out to Boone's and the roads out that was are fun, especially with a belly full of the daily special. :)
 
Hey Hardbargain, I am not familiar with that bike. I actually bought my 86 K100RT from a person in Grand Rapids, does not look near as nice as yours and has 133000 miles on it. I have owned mine for about a year, I had a lot of maintenance to do on it so I just really started riding it last fall and this spring. My other bike was a 86 Suzuki Cavalcade that I owned since new, sold it a couple years ago. I really like riding the K100 and is nice to have a bike I don't have to wash every couple days as long as it keeps me going. I actually spend time on dirt roads with it so it always looks like it needs a bath.

I am starting to work on some routes for you guys but this stuff called work keeps getting in my way of fun.
 
pfetter

i am actually from north carolina. i had the bike shipped down from grand rapids
bmw. but thank you for your assistance.

ride safe
mike wooten
 
Traverse City Area Maps

Here is a link to the Cherry Capital Cycling Club (Bicycles), they have the best map I have ever seen for routes. The majority of the routes on the map are paved roads, they show mileage etc. Very much worth the $7.00. I use it frequently for my Motorcycle riding. The only thing they don't put on it is where the pastry shops are, but I am very familiar with where those are. Watch for more tips for this area. Cut and paste this link into your browser and it will show you a tab to order the map.

http://www.cherrycapitalcyclingclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=87045&module_id=40089
 
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