Trip planning

Hello all,

I have been a BMWMOA member for the past 4-5 years. Never participated in forums but read the magazine cover to cover. I am planning a crosscountry trip in a few months. Leaving southcentral PA (Gettysburg area) traveling southeast and (Rt #40) thru northern Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, To Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Muir Woods and Sequioas, Crater Lake, then east to Yellowstone, Deadwood/Sturgis, Colorado Springs, then east for home. Along the way I plan on stopping at several National Parks and other sites. I would like to visit some motorcycle museums and was able to locate a few online. If anyone has a list of museums it would be most helpful. I did contact the AMA, of which I am a Life Member, and asked the same question. To my disbelief, they have no such list for their 200,000 members. Unbelievable?


Jeff Shultz
MOA #212622 since 2017
biker050@aol.com

Jeff, welcome from the coast of Kansas!

Sounds like quite a trip you have planned. High adventure and tons of fun! I'm jealous.

I have no comprehensive list of m/c museums either, but if I had one Barber Motorsports in Birmingham, AL would be at the top of the list. I've been several times and find it magnificent each time. Also, Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley, NC would be in the top five for sure.

Good luck.

National Motorcycle Museum, Anamosa, Iowa

Despite the odd location, a real deal!!

https://nationalmcmuseum.org/

Hola Jeff!
Good for you in seeking guidance from the MOA brotherhood! Your trek may be easier this year than last, but this Covid-BS has been hard on many museums and restaurants across the US. Different states have all sorts of rules for visitors. When we rode to SoCal in Oct, many Fast Food stops out west were carry-out only [not as bad in sit-downs like Denny’s]. New Mexico didn't want 'tourists' to even visit without quarantining for Two Weeks... We instead scooted around NM from Lubbock south to a motel in Pecos. We decided to avoid El Paso because covid was really exploding in that city! Might keep your eye on this CNN website about visiting & transiting individual states...
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/us-state-travel-restrictions-covid-19/index.html

The AMA museum was disappointing to moi {depending on their particular theme and what’s on display or on-loan in their small structure (circa 2015)}.
https://americanmotorcyclist.com/visit/

Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC; maybe to open on 1Apr21? Their dedicated owner just died; still in the family.
https://wheelsthroughtime.com

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, AL
April 1 – September 30
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm -- Sunday: Noon – 6pm
https://www.barbermuseum.org

Another eclectic museum well worth your time {whilst typically attending the Finger Lakes BMW Rally in non-pandemic years}. “The centerpiece of the motorcycle collection is an exact reproduction of the famous 8-cylinder motorcycle which earned Curtiss the title of "Fastest Man on Earth" in 1907 with a land-speed record of 136.4 mph.”
https://glennhcurtissmuseum.org/collections.php

Check out part of the Original Route 66 west of Miami, OK (Birthplace of Mickey Mantle):
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/route-66-sidewalk-highway

Eclectic Watering Hole in Texas Hill Country amongst the Three Twisted Sisters riding area: http://bentrimgrill.com/find us.htm
Routes: TX-335, TX-336, & TX-337
https://www.ridetexas.com/the-twisted-sisters/

Worth the effort for those spending time in northern AZ & southern UT. Ye shall seek & find The Moki Dugway! UT Hwy 261 near Mexican Hat (the rock formation and the small town). Basecamp: N37° 16.360' W109° 56.643'
https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/783-mokee-dugway-usa.html

Hope your travels bring you many uplifting memories in 2021. We still hope to get from Great Falls, MT to AK - one way or another….
Ciao! HSV-Phil & HSV-Karen 🏍+🏞+🏕 = &
'14 K-GT -- '09 650GS-twin
'75 R90S -- '82 R100CS

Not a motorcycle museum but there's a good car museum in Gateway Colorado.
As a plus, Gateway is on great motorcycle road, hwy 141.
http://gatewayautomuseum.com/

Lee said:

Not a motorcycle museum but there's a good car museum in Gateway Colorado.
As a plus, Gateway is on great motorcycle road, hwy 141.
http://gatewayautomuseum.com/

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Yup, 141 is a terrific ride. Great to do north to south early on a summer morning. The light is just right in the canyons.

Sturgis has a nice Motorcycle Museum right downtown. A wide variety of machines. https://www.sturgismuseum.com/visitus

Another Museum in the area well worth visiting is the High Plains Western Heritage Center located in Spearfish SD I-90 Exit 14. https://www.westernheritagecenter.com/ not motorcycle-related at all but a fabulous display of Western Culture.

Don't miss Spearfish Canyon - US 14A en route to Deadwood and Sturgis.

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m40!1m12!1m3!1d182469.47147064933!2d-103.86044310527264!3d44.390366746377616!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m25!3e0!4m5!1s0x533298585baba5ef%3A0xe8dded619c5da0aa!2sSpearfish%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.490817199999995!2d-103.8593697!4m5!1s0x5332b0a3f0d9efc7%3A0x92b3481a81843fda!2sCheyenne%20Crossing%2C%20SD%2057754!3m2!1d44.296307!2d-103.870735!4m5!1s0x5332a41e88e71e55%3A0x3e9d03de70805b0f!2sDeadwood%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.376650999999995!2d-103.7296415!4m5!1s0x532d5b838e72c769%3A0xe40670592f5d5899!2sSturgis%20Motorcycle%20Museum%20%26%20Hall%20of%20Fame%2C%20Main%20Street%2C%20Sturgis%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.414570999999995!2d-103.5086529!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1614286304089!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="600" height="450" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Also not to be missed is Vanocker Canyon, the route parallels I-90 from Sturgis to Nemo and then on to Rapid City.
https://goo.gl/maps/wuvbgXGipFbJiinKA

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m40!1m12!1m3!1d365827.33416466723!2d-103.6772164462035!3d44.24770669959051!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m25!3e0!4m5!1s0x532d5b838e72c769%3A0xe40670592f5d5899!2sSturgis%20Motorcycle%20Museum%20%26%20Hall%20of%20Fame%2C%20Main%20Street%2C%20Sturgis%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.414570999999995!2d-103.5086529!4m5!1s0x532d576c284ba8a9%3A0x71e2a69bbd28988c!2sVanocker%20Canyon%20Rd%2C%20Sturgis%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.3014078!2d-103.552624!4m5!1s0x877d557c496bd191%3A0x9d6b1fff87bc9c2c!2sNemo%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.1941528!2d-103.5049119!4m5!1s0x877d42a59ebba5fb%3A0xc471615a3e93b7c7!2sRapid%20City%2C%20SD!3m2!1d44.080543399999996!2d-103.23101489999999!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1614286155173!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="600" height="450" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Lee said:

Not a motorcycle museum but there's a good car museum in Gateway Colorado.
As a plus, Gateway is on great motorcycle road, hwy 141.
http://gatewayautomuseum.com/

Click to expand...

There is also a Colorado State Trooper on 141 that rides an RT Police Bike and loves to catch motorcyclists enjoying 141 at greater than the posted speed.

bigjohnsd said:

There is also a Colorado State Trooper on 141 that rides an RT Police Bike and loves to catch motorcyclists enjoying 141 at greater than the posted speed.

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We've been on that road several times and we usually only see a handful of vehicles. Surprised a trooper would frequent that road.

You can always run close to the speed limit and enjoy the view.






Stop and see the hanging flume.
You can see some remains down low on the smooth part of the wall.




https://www.uncovercolorado.com/activities/hanging-flume-overlook/

Lee said:

We've been on that road several times and we usually only see a handful of vehicles. Surprised a trooper would frequent that road.

You can always run close to the speed limit and enjoy the view.

Click to expand...

He rides with an illegal hooligan from down under.... a real bad influence.

akbeemer said:

He rides with an illegal hooligan from down under.... a real bad influence.

Click to expand...

Hooligan don't understand checking out the view

I have no idea what the speed limit is on that road. I have a vision problem making it difficult seeing speed limit signs

bigjohnsd said:

There is also a Colorado State Trooper on 141 that rides an RT Police Bike and loves to catch motorcyclists enjoying 141 at greater than the posted speed.

Click to expand...

Certainly a professional courtesy is extended to fellow RT riders, no?

Trip Planning the Great Loop

Aloha Jeff,
You didn't say what bike you will be riding and/or just how much pavement you want on your itinerary.
And how long you want to be on the road.
Before I can go into too much detail... I would need to know the answer to those questions.
There are some incredible roads (both paved and gravel/dirt) in front of you on this magical journey.
How much time you have and what type of roads you would be comfortable with will determine your route.
A little (or lot) of Rt 66 is on your way. Take advantage of it. Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum is on your way in Warwick, OK for a start.
Happy Trails, Brett