Toronto, Ontario guy looking for tours

[jimnto]

Last wednesday I spent an evening hearing about Rene Cormier's travels. 5 years on the road!!

So I want to get going!

• What about Alaska (Cross Canada and head North)?
• What about joining the 50th BMW in Virginiain June?
• What about going to Temiskaming or North Bay or around Georgian Bay.

I am recently retired. Rode M/Cs as a whippersnapper but about 15 years ago I got back on a 2003 Suzuki DL1000, then onto an '86 K75, Then moved to 2002 R1100rs, then a 2016 Suzuki DL650 (going up for sale soon), + I have an '87 K75S (20k original miles barn find - going up for sale soon). Tomorrow I am picking up a 2016 R1200GSA - So excited.

So please - I am in Toronto. I am not really socially driven, but I want to spend some time on two wheels. Is there a local Toronto club I should be part of?

I am picking up the bike tomorrow but here is a sales photo of it:
newbike4.jpg

[Paul_F]

Last wednesday I spent an evening hearing about Rene Cormier's travels. 5 years on the road!!

So I want to get going!

[LIST][*]What about Alaska (Cross Canada and head North)?[*]What about joining the 45th BMW in Colorado in June?[*]What about going to Temiskaming or North Bay or around Georgian Bay.[*]

I am in Toronto. I am not really socially driven, but I want to spend some time on two wheels. Is there a local Toronto club I should be part of?

I am picking up the bike tomorrow but here is a sales photo of it:
newbike4.jpg

Ontario Clubs

(Toronto) BMW Ontario Motorcycle Club. https://www.bmwmco.ca/contact

Loonitic Riders Club east of Toronto. http://www.ltbmwr.ca/

Niagara BMW Riders meets every month for breakfast in Welland https://www.bmwmco.ca/contact
www. niagarabmwriders.ca

There is also a BMW Club in Ottawa as well as the Sunparlour Beemers in the Windsor area.

The oldest BMW Ontario Club, The Forest City Riders has a monthly breakfast and has a yearly May 24th Campout Weekend at the Springwater Conservation Area. They don’t have a website but if you wish, pm me and I can give you contact information.

Enjoy your new rider and hope you use it for many sMiles.

Cheers!

Paul

[jimnto]

Thanks Paul
I sent some messages and let's see!

I wonder if anyone is going to Virginia for the 50th annual BMW rally??

Or anything

[skibum69]

Welcome from Newfoundland. Can't help you with local clubs but the riding out this way is excellent. I'm headed for the Trans Taiga in August.

[Zwniana]

Welcome. Gorgeous GS. Ride safe

[jimnto]

@skibum69 that looks incredible. I am curious about the preparation. I think my trips this year will be roads and camping and cellphone. My Alaska comment was kind of Bravado :-) At least for this first year.

Thanks @zwianan

[skibum69]

Here's a thread I started a couple of years ago talking about it. There are a number of videos etc and a new link to an RR that a guy just started this month.
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/d...taiga.1486409/

Just the ride up to Radisson and exploring some of the First Nations communities in the are would be fun.

[jalowe]

I'm planning a trip from Denver to Deadhorse, AK (Prudhoe Bay) this summer. Tentative plan is to leave BMW of Denver on June 15th with expected return in late July. We will be overnighting near Bragg Creek AB (just west of Calgary) on June 17th if you would like to join this trip. I will forward a detailed trip plan if you would like to know more.

Trip highlights include passing through Banff and Jasper National Parks via Ice Fields Parkway, full 1,388 miles of the Alaska Highway, the Dempster Highway to the tombstones, Top of the World Highway through Chicken AK and, of course, the Dalton Highway, aka Haul Road. GPS files will be provided for your Motorrad Garmin.

Let me know...

Jeff

[jimnto]

Hi Jeff
Thanks for the invite. I think 7200 km is too much for my first year with the GS (but who knows)

I think northern Quebec, Northern Ontario, Cape Breton, Getting out to the rockies are kind of what is on my radar.

But then, what about a week in Costa Rica - a Duke 390 is less than $400 for a week. So there is that.

I hope you will share plans as you make them.
Cheers

[gsjay]

I have 3 couples lined up for a trip to British Columbia Sept 6 -17.

www.cyclebc.ca

we're flying Pittsburgh to Toronto, Toronto to Vancouver. Picking up bikes there.
Room for more.

jason

[jimnto]

Thanks for the invite Jeff - I hope you share you planning here.

I happen to come across this podcast about a guy riding to Deadhorse - mentioned earlier in this thread.
https://adventureriderradio.com/adve...a-jeff-davison

Pretty neat!

[philipyates12345]

I live in Peterborough and am relatively new to the BMW experience (two years) on a GSA 1250

I to am retired ( 3 years) but find my weekends pretty booked so weekday overnighters are a great option for me.

Last year we traveled through Vermont/Maine etc to get to the Cape Breton Trail which was awesome. We camped for the most part. We also did some of the northern ontario routes like the grand Algoma.

Unfortunately the 50th reunion conflicted with a Colorado trip or it definitely would have been a priority.

This year I am planning on the Lake Superior route and it would be great to have some company on that trip.
I would like to check out the ridegravel.ca routes, those look like it would be time to change out the road tires for 80/20's
There is also a route to Fort George in Northern PQ, I think its where the road ends so that has some potential interest as well.

Would love to chat and hear what your ideas are.

[Paul_F]

This year I am planning on the Lake Superior route and it would be great to have some company on that trip.

I highly recommend the northern Superior route. Scenic with lots of curves, especially between the Sault and Marathon. Although the speed limit is 80 km and most travel at 100, I prefer to cruise that area at ninety for three reasons. First, the almost continuous sign posting for moose and deer crossings is an indication that some quick speed reduction might be required. Despite a few trips to Winnipeg over the years, I have never seen any deer, but I have seen bears, coyotes and moose, either on the road or on the shoulders. Second, there are numerous truck passing lanes on the hills. By my taking the truck lane, trucks and cars pass me at a 100+ virtually leaving me the road to myself until the next steep grade. Thirdly, at ninety (or a bit more), I have always have ridden through speed traps having never been pulled over by the OPP.

When travelling across north of Lake Superior, I highly recommend booking in advance either your campground or motel or be prepared to end your ride early each day to secure lodging. Although I camped on last summer’s ride, on three occasions when deciding I wanted motels, I found pulling into town late was not being able to find a room. Even the many campgrounds get booked early.

Since the area is bear country, be certain to reduce the amount of “smelly” stuff that you pack. I purposefully only took coffee and each night packed the coffee and my toiletries bag in my top box, removed from the bike and placed away from the bike and my tent. At one campsite last summer I did have a bear visit my site shortly after 2:00 a.m. The top box location spared both the bike and me from any annoyance. A Bear Banger will be added to my basic travel kit, as it will be louder than my small air horn, can be used from a greater distance than my bear spray and most likely to be far more effective than engaging a bear with my knife.

[GlobalRider]

I think 7200 km is too much for my first year with the GS (but who knows).

You are joking, right? Just my ride to the EAA in Oshkosh and back in 2 days was 3000 kms plus another few kms in the area. This is a GS, not some toy.

I think northern Quebec, Northern Ontario, Cape Breton.

If you want to keep it local, there is plenty to ride in those areas.

The James Bay Road as someone has mentioned. The GS has the range for the 381 kms between gas stations unless that has changed.

Then spend at least two weeks in Newfoundland. Personally I'd stay for three or four weeks, relax and enjoy your time there. And along the way, ride the Cabot Trail CW and CCW before heading to Newfoundland. Then hop over to Blanc Salon and take the Trans Labrador Highway back to Baie Comeau. I've done that ride back in 2003.

You are retired, so no time constraints.