S P E C I A L
The top three cities on our list are big— more than half a million people big. After all, we not looking for great places just to live and ride, but great cities—period. Portland is undoutedly one of them. The city caters to mobility, and the restaurants and coffee shops are among America’s best. After-ride libations? Perhaps no American town has more microbreweries. Winters are relatively mild, and while there is a long rainy season, summer riding months are dry. If you’re into the café racer or retroscooter subcultures, you may never want to leave the city limits, but if you do, west is the undulating Pacific coast, and east is the Columbia River Gorge—home to the must-attend Rally in the Gorge. There are amazing roads and scenery, including the
Honda’s Gold Wing
eye-popping Mount Hood. The majestic Cascade Mountain Range runs along the spine of Oregon and nearby Washington State. Beyond is wonderful high-desert openness with plentiful two-lane twisties and small towns to explore.
No. 2: Austin, Texas Population: 885,400 With a great nightlife, bolstered by an amazing live music scene, a vibrant tech industry and cutting-edge coolness,
“third-coast” Austin boasts some of the best big-city selling points. Although temperatures can get toasty in July and August, weather can’t be beat 10 months of the year, with sunshine and just enough rain to keep things green. The public transportation system may be lacking, but that only means the freedom and maneuverability of a bike pay even bigger dividends. As for the riding
outside of the city, it’s some of the best. Nearby, there are some great routes northwest (Lime Creek Road toward Marble Falls), southwest toward Canyon Lake, and west toward Johnson City. Farther west, Texas Hill Country boasts some of the best year-round riding in America, with minimal traffic, great curves, smooth pavement and gorgeous backdrops. The two-lane twisties offer an enormous smorgasbord of motorcycling adventure, as far as you are willing to ride.
No. 1: San Francisco Population: 837,442 What San Francisco gives up in cost and congestion, it earns back with uniqueness and diversity, whether you are looking for that perfect condo or a
Runner-ups
They may not have made it into the top 10, but these cities are among the standouts that were nominated for our list: Charleston, W.Va., Charlotte, N.C., Denver, Colo., Little Rock, Ark., Los Angeles, Calif., Milwaukee, Wis., Nashville, Tenn., Richmond, Va., Sacramento, Calif., St. Louis, Mo., San Antonio, Texas, San Diego, Calif., and Tucson, Ariz. What big cities did we miss? Let us know at submissions@ama-cycle.org.
22
AmericanMotorcyclist.com
S u P P L E m E N T
iStock.com/disorderly
No. 3: Portland, Ore. Population: 609,456
A D V E R T I S I N G
special night out. And the food? World class. As for riding, even city routes are interesting, whether it’s the hills that twist between the urban canyons or the aweinspiring rides over the bay. But what makes San Francisco the best motorcycle city in America is simple. If you venture outside the city limits—a ride no doubt facilitated by the freedom of legal lane splitting in the Golden State— you’re rewarded with some of the best motorcycle roads in the world. The Pacific Coast Highway goes south, its coast-hugging curves delivering you to the motorcycling mecca of Monterey— home to Laguna Seca—and beyond. North is more PCH, not to mention the picturesque Napa and Sonoma Valleys and some of the finest national forest riding in the country. Head east and curve your way around California Route 130 or longer routes that lead you to the seemingly endless backroads of Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. San Francisco has it all—unparalleled big-city living with amazing motorcycling a short ride away. What more could an urbanbound American motorcyclist want?