West Coast – Best Coast

After you’ve left the stronghold of glimmer and gambling, we yet again yearn for the open terrain, were your mototcycles belong. We approach one of the tours highlights – the unconditionally amazing Death Valley. You ride on one of the best MC roads in the world, with a view of the horizon. Later in the day, we cool down, while our MC climbs the 11,000 ft. of Mount Mammoth, where we spend the night, before we climb the Tiago pass at the entrance of Yosemite National Park – possibly one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

After all of these scenic experiences, we ride towards San Francisco. Have you ever tried crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on a motorcycle? It will be one of the most emotional experiences of the entire tour! After two nights in this fantastic city, we head to the Pacific Coast Highway 1 – it just doesn’t get better than this! Highway 1 stretches all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles along the Pacific Coast.

This tour is a Lux-Deluxe with 2 guides; a front guide that rides ahead and shows the way, and a rear guide in the support van. You won’t need to think about all the practical stuff, we will take care of that! You just need to get on your bike, focus on the road, and absorb all the experiences.

Travel Dates

2023 29 August – 15 September	2024 2 – 15 September

 

Prices per person in shared double room

Type	Price per person £ (GBP)
Rider	4.775
Passenger	2.800
Car (convertible)	3.995
Single room sup.	1.540

 

The Rides

You can choose from several different Harley Davidson models, Indian selected motorcycles and certain Honda Gold Wing’s.

Requests for specific motorcycle types are granted if possible. Always state 1st and 2nd priority.

The rental company cannot 100 percent guarantee that the requested motorcycle type is available upon arrival – but we do our utmost.

 

The Day to Day Tour Program

Day 1: Arrival

Welcome to Los Angeles. The tour leader will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to the hotel. The evening is at your disposal.

Day 2: Los Angeles

We start in the hectic city of Los Angeles, where 8 to 10 million cars daily crosses an area the size of New Zealand. For an easy start, there is arranged a day excursion by bus in this huge city, where you will experience Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

You need to be well rested before the “tour of your lifetime” begins the next morning.

Day 3: Los Angeles, Palm Desert, approx. 306 km

We meet early after breakfast in front of the hotel. We pack our luggage in the support vehicle and go to HD rental company to collect our bikes. Once everyone has got his or her MC we drive south from Los Angeles towards San Juan Capistrano. We have chosen to run the Ortega Highway, one of the friendliest roads with big soft bends through Cleveland National Forrest. After a “Great American Style” lunch in a cozy little village by Lake Elsinore, we continue our drive through the valley, to the mountains at Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness. At Lake Helmet we continue on Pines to Palms Highway, the challenging road that brings us down to the desert oasis Palm Spring. Having refreshed our parched throats with an ice-cold drink, we jump in the buzzing pool, and enjoy the evening along the exciting road Palm Desert Indian Canyon Drive.

Day 4: Palm Desert to Laughlin, approx. 385 km

We say goodbye to Palm Desert and head north. We pass one of the oldest wind farms in the United States and stops for a break in Twentynine Palms, where there is time to shop and buy a picnic lunch, which we later eat in the scenic surroundings of Joshua Tree National Park. After lunch we continue north into the Mojave Desert and continue our trip on a stretch of the famous Route 66. We stop to cool down in Amboy, before we finally stop for the night in the gambling town on the Colorado River – Laughlin. We will be staying at one of the best casino hotels, where you can enjoy the beautiful pool or test your luck at Blackjack or Roulette.

Day 5: Laughlin to Grand Canyon, approx. 395 km

We start the day by visiting the historic gold mining district of Oatman, Arizona where wild donkeys wander along the streets and sidewalks. After the visit here we set out on the curvy and challenging way across the Sitgraves Pass to Kingman, where we can make an optional stop for shopping in the local Harley Davidson shop. Back on the historic Route 66 we hang out at the Hackberry General Store on our way to lunch at the famous Route 66 town of Seligman. After lunch there will be time for shopping the impressive selection of Route 66 souvenirs this city offers.

We then head out onto one of the very few highway sections on this tour, and then we will climb up to the Kalibab Plateau and into the town of Williams. Here we take a short break before we head towards our hotel in Tusayan, which is the access to one of the world’s seven wonders – the Grand Canyon. If we arrive in time to the national park, we can see the unique play of colors in the sky as the sunsets over the Grand Canyonl.

Day 6: Grand Canyon to Monument Valley approx. 336 km

This morning we have the opportunity to experience one of the most exciting experiences Grand Canyon offers – to take a helicopter ride early in the morning (not included in price) and watch the amazing natural landscape from above while the sun rises – it doesn’t get better than this.

We leave Tusayan at a steady pace along the southern edge of the gorge, with several stops at viewpoints, either to take pictures or just enjoy the mesmerizing views. After leaving the Grand Canyon we stop at the Cameron Trading Post for lunch and maybe a little shopping of Navajo Indian goods. Back on our bikes we ride towards Navajo land, to one of the most beautiful places in the Southwest – Monument Valley Tribal Park – that among other things has become famous through countless Hollywood films over the last seventy years. If you look closely you can “almost” see John Wayne riding along the monuments.

Day 7: Monument Valley to Bryce Canyon, approx. 480 km

We rise early, for one of the tours longest days. A photo stop at Mexican Hat Monument gives us a short break before we continue on a road that seems to end at the foot of a massive rock formation. But the road winds up to Vermillion Cliffs, more than 330 meters from the top of the Colorado Plateau. From there we visit a hidden almost unknown vantage point over the Valley of the Gods. We continue along some of the most spectacular surroundings the South West can offer. We cruise quietly on our bikes on Glen Canyon National Recreation area to our break in Hanksville – It’s Buffalo Burger Time.

After lunch we ride through Capitol Reef National Park and over Boulder Mountain Dixie National Forrest. This stretch seems to be designed by the Motorcycle gods – and it is impossible to determine what is best – the perfect MC road – or the amazing scenery we pass. A last stop and coffee break concludes the day before we arrive, filled with experiences to our hotel at Bryce Canyon National Park.

Day 8: Bryce Canyon to Las Vegas, approx. 400 km

After breakfast we leave the hotel and ride into the national park. If there’s time, we may be able to stop for a short hike down to the bottom of Bryce Canyon. Before we start our way to Las Vegas, we look at some the sights that southern Utah has to offer. We cruise with our bikes along the Red Canyon State Park, along the rushing river, with the picturesque valley in Zion National Park as our next destination. We continue along Zion. This time on another route with a great view, and where a beautiful winding road leads us right into the bottom of the national park. We pass several beautiful locations suitable for the family photo album. We eat our lunch just outside the park’s boundaries in a great lodge. After having stuffed ourselves with wonderful food, we continue through southern Utah until we reach the Virgin River George, We then enter into the desert towards Las Vegas.

We arrive in Las Vegas late afternoon; with the bikes parked, we can get ready for the fascinating nightlife that Las Vegas offers.

Halfway.

Day 9: Resting day in Las Vegas, 0 km

For those taking the full tour, today is an opportunity to explore the deeply fascinating and at the same time scary city – Las Vegas. Take a break from the bike, and indulge.

For those of you who choose to go home, we will host a small farewell party at the hotel after we have delivered your motorcycle back to the local HD dealer.

Day 10: Las Vegas to Mammoth/Bishop, approx. 505 km

The tours longest stage. In the morning we say goodbye to Las Vegas and ride. After leaving the gambling capital of the world, we drive toward the mountains west of the city, and against the spectacular scenery in Death Valley National Park. Despite the heat, Death Valley in an indescribable motorcycle experience with truly spectacular MC riding on roads designed for exactly this purpose. When we ride into Death Valley, you will understand where the area got its name from, as it is one of the world’s hottest places, and the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere.

Having arrived in Death Valley, we can only imagine how our ancestors had felt on their way to California during the great hunt for the promised gold.

We stop for an early lunch at the ranch Furnace Creek and then continue the journey through the park’s unique beauty. After leaving Death Valley we drive north to California’s Owens Valley on the west side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, where our hotel is located in the ski resort of Mammoth Lakes.

Day 11: Mammoth/Bishop to Yosemite, approx. 240 km

Compared to the previous stage, this day is a shorter drive. We need to have plenty of time to enjoy and explore America’s perhaps most beautiful national park, Yosemite. We continue north to Lee Vining where the entrance to park is located. Weather permitting we will ride over the 3300-meter high pass of Tioga, reaching the center of the park, where we will spend much of the day. At the summit of the pass, the tour guides will have a biker meeting this is where everyone will get instructions for the way to the hotel, traffic regulations and rules of conduct for the park. You then have the possibility to enjoy the park on your own. For instance, you can ride through the beautiful valley up to Glacier Point, which has a view that will be etched into your memory forever.

Enjoy the day with your family or friends in this magnificent park, before we all meet up for a beer at the “The Lazy Donkey” in Oakhurst

Day 12: Yosemite to San Francisco, approx. 320 km

After breakfast there is a small briefing, we then ride through the canyon into the central valley of California. We continue north from Mariposa on state route 49, a truly beautiful and breathtaking trip with lots of hairpin bends through the mountains passes down to the valley below. Enjoy this part of the trip since we continue onto a stretch of highway. We ride for approxmitley one hour on the highway to Oakland before we continue over the San Rafel bridge for a late lunch stop in Sausalito.

After lunch we set out for the Golden Gate Recreation Area to enjoy its famous view of the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. Now the time has come and we are approaching, arguably the world’s most famous bridge – Golden Gate Bridge – with the song California Dreaming in our heads. Passing the Golden Gate Bridge gives you a thrill, and you sense that you are part of something historic.

After a walk through this amazing city, we come to our central located hotel – within walking distance to the famous steep streets of San Francisco, and Union Square shopping mecca.

Day 13: Resting day in San Francisco, 0 km

This day, you are on your own. Spend the day exploring the beautiful city nicknamed “The Paris of the West”. Take a stroll along Fisherman Wharf, visit Pier 39 and watch the wild sea lions. Maybe a boat trip to the famous prison Alcatraz Island. Eat lunch in Chinatown and do not forget to try “the cable cars” still running up and down the San Francisco’s steep streets.

No matter what you choose to do in SF, this amazing city has just about everthing you may want can – but remember we are back on the bikes and on the move tomorrow morning.

Day 14: San Francisco to Monteray, approx. 205 km

This morning we ride out of this beautiful city, making a short stay at the top of Twin Peaks, another vantage point where you enjoy the view of San Francisco’s skyline from the South. We are now approaching the motorcycle paradise “Pacific Coast Highway 1″. We stop along the way to take pictures or just enjoy the spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Our lunch break will be held in a small town just before Santa Cruz, with a breathtaking view of the ocean. If you look closely and if you’re lucky, you might spot a whale close to the shore. Back on Highway 1 we ride towards Monterey. The plan is to arrive in time so that we can explore Cannery Row or Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is said to be one of the best aquarium in the world.

Day 15: Monteray to Pismo Beach, approx. 250 km

We start the day by riding to the center of Carmel. Clint Eastwood is the former Major of Carmel, he still owns some properties in the city and visits often – so we might be lucky?

This morning we will spend some time in Carmel, and cruise up and down Ocean Avenue, maybe look inside some of the city’s great art galleries or perhaps a little shopping. After having spent a few dollars in the city we are back on the road. In the next few hours you will experience the most magnificent ride imaginable, as the whole route offers a view of the Pacific Ocean. We pass through Andrew Molera & Pfeiffer Big Sur State parks and Los Padres National Park.

Along the way, you may see whales cruising along the coast, and pelicans that are following you in formation, along with other wonders of nature.

You will be unleashed on this amazing road and will drive the next 100 km alone without guides. We will recommend two favorite lunch places where we can meet a few hours later, both with views you can only dream of.

After this exciting day saturated with stunning impressions, we check in at our beachfront hotel, right at the ocean shore. A delicious dinner at the best local seafood restaurant is the perfect way to conclude a day of magnificent motorcycling.

Day 16: Pismo Beach to Los Angeles, approx. 360 km

The last day on the bike takes us further along the Pacific Ocean Highway until we turn in country to another breathtaking route that will lead us deep into the hidden bush in Los Padres National Forrest. We will pass by several of the famous California wineries. After this great trip we drive back to the coastal road and eat lunch on the pier in Santa Barbara. After strolling along the famous beach, we continue by the coast to Malibu, where we will stop before the final drive into Los Angeles.

If time permits, we will make a short stop in Santa Monica before we deliver our Motorbikes into the local HD shop, from there you will be driven to the hotel in Los Angeles by bus. It is now time for dinner and a few farewell drinks to say goodbye to the new friends and MC companions you have made.

Our motorcycles have led us almost 4000 km through Americas’ and the worlds’ most beautiful regions, we have experienced and seen some unique places that will be etched in your memories forever

Day 17: Departure

Today is departure day and it is time to pack your bags for the last time, now filled with good experiences after this lama journey. Have a good and safe return home, and us from Motorcycle-travel look forward to welcome you to yet another motorcycle experience in either United States, Australia, Africa, New Zealand or even Europe.

Special requests?

If you wish to extend your stay, or if you have any other questions or requests, you can call your local office.