2017 may have just arrived, but already, you can’t wait to hit the road. The ice and snow out on your local highways may not be suitable for motorcycles just yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start making plans now, or head abroad to where the weather is more agreeable.
If you are daydreaming about where you will take your hog out in the months ahead, the following article will help you come up with concrete ideas on where to go this year.
1) Icefields Parkway
There has never been a better time to experience the Canadian Rockies than in 2017, as Canada has decided to celebrate the nation’s 150th birthday by making entrance to all of its national parks free of charge.
Within this iconic mountain range lies one of the world’s most beautiful roads, the Icefields Parkway. Snaking its way between ice-capped 10,000-foot peaks and alongside brilliantly blue alpine lakes and rivers, biking this road is a must for nature lovers.
With plenty of campgrounds and wilderness hostels along the way, you can take as long as you want to travel this bucket list biking route.
2) Vietnam
There are many bike trip possibilities throughout Asia, but the north to south route that takes you along the mountain ranges and the coast of Vietnam is one of the most storied of the lot.
Whether you start in Hanoi or Saigon is irrelevant, as the adventure begins the second you leave the claustrophobic confines of either city.
Visit the sand dunes of Mui Ne, pull up on a deserted beach north of Da Nang, or drive through the mountain passes along its western frontier; whichever way you choose, you are sure to find an adventure that you will never be able to forget.
3) New Zealand
Want to go on a motorcycle adventure, but don’t want to wait for summer to arrive? Thankfully, the southern hemisphere is drenched in warm sunshine at this time of year, making New Zealand the perfect destination for the biking enthusiast.
With a variety of environments ranging from subtropical beaches to soaring mountain peaks, there will be no shortage of experiences for you to have during your time in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Places that you shouldn’t miss include the beaches of the Northland, Abel Tasman National Park, the Fox Glacier, and Milford Sound.
4) Argentina
Sticking with the southern end of the globe, Argentina has proven itself to be another great country to ride from end-to-end in this part of the world.
From deserts in the north to sub-antarctic steppe in the south, and with tonnes of wine loving towns and cities in between, this country is an intriguing place to explore via motorcycle.
One of the most popular routes from north to south is Ruta 40, which traces the Eastern Slope of the Andes.
Just be sure to fill up your bike at every opportunity you get, and take out money in the bigger towns and cities (like Bariloche and El Calafate), as gas stations are few and far between and ATM’s in smaller towns and Villages may not take your bank card.