MOTERCYCLE

Seeing new sights and letting your face feel the wind, with nothing between you and the road except for your motorcycle - it's a vacation dream for many Americans. A scenic motorcycle trip is a true American experience for many bikers, and can lead to the vacation of a lifetime, but where should you start?

Motorcycle Trip Preparation

Preparation is the key to any successful motorcycle trip. Before you embark, always prepare and plan for emergencies. Many smaller routes or back roads lack roadside services or foodservice amenities. Should you encounter mechanical issues or bad weather, it's best to know where the nearest town is.

These days, many motorcycle riders use a GPS (global positioning system) unit to pinpoint their location, plan their route and identify upcoming gas stations or food service locations. A variety of manufacturers have GPS models with easy to operate controls, mounting hardware and durable weatherproof casing, made specifically for motorcycles. Some motorcycle GPS models even offer wireless Bluetooth® phone technology, as well as satellite radio with real-time weather and traffic information. If you wear a Bluetooth-enabled motorcycle helmet, you can talk on the phone hands-free, while keeping your eyes on the scenic road.

In addition, get your bike checked-up to make sure it is ready for your motorcycle trip. Don't forget to charge the battery, check the tires for proper inflation, lube the chain, and drain and refill the fuel from the carburetor. Make sure everything is working properly. If you have a touring bike, you might even want to consider adding either soft or hard saddle luggage bags for your road trip. And most importantly, make sure you are protected with good motorcycle insurance coverage.

Next is choosing your motorcycle trip. If you haven't already ridden them, consider a major historic U.S. highway for your motorcycle trip. The list below includes destinations throughout the country, and may take one day or many, depending on your vacation time and interests.

East Cost Motorcycle Trips

Spanning the entire Eastern Coast of the United States, US Route 1 starts in the north at Fort Kent, Maine (near the U.S. & Canadian border), and runs all the way to Key West, Fla. From the rustic salt water maritime coast in the North, to the tropical weather of the sun-drenched beaches in the South, Route 1 offers wide variety of scenic American skylines. Often times it runs parallel to the modern Interstate 95, but then veers further west through rural parts of South Carolina and Georgia midway through its historic 2377 miles.

If you need a break during this long trip, or would prefer to only ride one way instead of round trip, consider putting your motorcycle on the Auto Train (the only Amtrak train that accepts vehicles) between Lorton, Va. (near Washington, D.C.) and Sanford, Fla. (near Orlando, Fla.). Taking the Auto Train allows you to travel in air-conditioned comfort, while your bike is safely stored in a special train car. From either Auto Train station, you can jump on Route 1 and continue your journey while limiting extra miles on your bike and relaxing for the evening.

West Coast Motorcycle Trips

The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most scenic historic highways in the world. It covers the states of Washington, Oregon and California and changes highway route numbers (most often Route 1 or 101) along the way.

In California, the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) covers breathtaking views heading north from Los Angeles. Often called the "breadbasket of America," the PCH passes between fields of harvested crops and scenic Pacific Ocean vistas. The route passes through idyllic Half Moon Bay and over the famed Golden Gate Bridge after continuing north through the majestic city of San Francisco.

Following the California coast, the route passes through Sonoma and Mendocino counties - the state's famed wine country. Then the PCH continues north through Redwood country and sweeps back along the Pacific Coast.

Crossing the border into Oregon, the PCH hugs the state's Western coast and offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. Much of the drive is past state parks and protected lands. At the northwest corner of Oregon, the PCH crosses the four-mile Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River into Washington.

The PCH follows Route 101 along the coast to the city of Aberdeen before heading east toward Washington State's capital, Olympia. This is the official northern U.S. endpoint of the Pacific Coast Highway. At a total of 1,540 miles, this is truly a multi-day trip, even for the experienced motorcycle rider.

Central U.S. Motorcycle Trips

As the famous 1946 song says, you can "Get Your Kicks on Route 66." The historic route 66 through America's heartland covers eight U.S. states, from Illinois to California. Built more than 80 years ago, much of the route has been overshadowed by more modern four-lane highways.

Spanning more than 2000 miles, Route 66 became the greatest connection corridor from the Midwest to California. As U.S. highway travel grew in the 1940s and 1950s, family vacationers, salesmen and truck drivers increasingly used the road to travel the most direct route between the East Coast and West Coast.

Thirty years after Route 66 was inaugurated, President Eisenhower enacted the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 providing for huge investment in modern U.S. highways. This highway modernization signaled the end of popularity for the winding rural flavor of Route 66. The locally owned motorcourts, full service gas stations and homespun diners were bypassed by Interstate Highway 40.

Route 66 still exists today, and offers a more rustic Americana version than it previously did. If you want to see U.S. back roads and rural heartland scenery, then Route 66 is a great historic highway to travel.

Of course, before you travel these scenic, historic U.S. highways, you'll want to make sure you're protected with good motorcycle insurance coverage. For more information about motorcycle insurance, including motorcycle insurance discounts, visit Nationwide.com.

Enjoy the Ride: Motorcycle Trips on Historic U.S. Highways by Melanie Broemsen