Motorcycling in Oklahoma

[Urbanized]

Thought I would start this thread in hopes of sparking conversation about new bikes, dealerships, great rides, etc. Focused on the motorcycle experience in Oklahoma, but can certainly include national or international news, rides, etc. I'll start by posting a link to a highly recommended ride. I have been on all parts of this now, but have yet to put it all together in a single ride. Just mapped it all out in Google Maps; planning on doing the whole thing very soon. The highlight is SH 80 around Ft. Gibson. LOTS of twisties; one of the best rides in Oklahoma IMO.

https://goo.gl/maps/VvDIr

By the way, ride starts/ends at Myriad Botanical Gardens only because it is centrally located. Obviously you can start/finish anywhere you would like.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I'd love to participate, but my wife has forbade my from owning a motorcycle.

[bluedogok]

I'd love to participate, but my wife has forbade my from owning a motorcycle.

My wife bought our first one (as a married couple, started riding when I was 9 y.o.) when I was out working in Northern California for a week. The Jeep Liberty rental car was brutal on those roads, good for the site visits. By the time that I got back to Austin on Friday the deal on my 2000 Triumph Sprint ST was done and we went and picked it up that Saturday. A month after we bought it we did a meet in Eureka Springs, great riding up there. Rode or hauled it up to OKC a few times.

I haven't ridden much the past couple of years even after buying a new bike in May of 2012 (1,500 miles) and then dealing with medical issues. We did take it out to Evergreen for lunch on Labor Day weekend (about 120 mile round trip), my first ride with my wife on the back after my hospital stay most of the month of January. The new bike is bigger and heavier which I have had to build my strength up to handle it and even thought about selling it a few times.

Here's the old Sprint at Table Rock Lake in 2004


Here's my new one, a 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

[Bill Robertson]

I'd love to participate, but my wife has forbade my from owning a motorcycle.

I have an ex-wife that forbade me to have a motorcycle. That's not the main reason she's an ex but it didn't help any.

[RadicalModerate]

If there is one motorcycle ride worth taking, it has to be from just north of Talihina, OK, in the direction of Arkansas, along that mountain ridgetop roadway. We (my wife and I) were in a "cage" (auto) but having been a biker (up in Colorado, back in the day) I still have to say that Talimena Skyline Drive should be at the top of any list of excellent motorcycling experiences. And I'll bet I'm not alone in that opinion. =)

And I rode a BMW R75/5 over Trail Ridge Road one time, so I know whereof I speak.
The Oklahoma/Arkansas connection is even better.
A detour in the direction of Broken Bow or up to Poteau ain't too shabby neither. =)

Here's another one: Jane, Arkansas to Eureka Springs. There are signs that say 20mph at the curves. They are not overcautious signs. Even on a motorcycle.

[turnpup]

Here's another one: Jane, Arkansas to Eureka Springs. There are signs that say 20mph at the curves. They are not overcautious signs. Even on a motorcycle.

OMG we just took that road in a car and it was definitely a thrill! Can't imagine doing it on a motorcycle.

[Urbanized]

No doubt on Talimena. I've taken it on a scooter (passing cruisers in curves like nobody's business) and multiple times in the car. Haven't take it yet on the Bonneville but plan to in the next few weeks.

Took the road to Eureka Springs a couple of times in a car, plan to do that one on a bike also.

[RadicalModerate]

No doubt on Talimena. I've taken it on a scooter (passing cruisers in curves like nobody's business) and multiple times in the car. Haven't take it yet on the Bonneville but plan to in the next few weeks.

Took the road to Eureka Springs a couple of times in a car, plan to do that one on a bike also.

At the wheel of a "cage" (rental car) I learned a lesson in patience yielding the right of way to all manner of transport, including tandem bicycles. =) It (the patience part) provided photo ops for my sweet wife with her cell phone. No horns were honked. No horns whatsoever. It is truly wonderful experience. Even in a car. On a motorcycle . . . ? Nearly paradise. Hopefully the slackers remodeling that Queen Anne Lodge will be done next year. =)

[Prunepicker]

This looks like a good ride. My last ride was 2 years ago. I've been taking short
trips around the city. Started riding as much of Grand Boulevard as I can.

Railroad Bridge Road | Oklahoma Motorcycle Roads and Rides | MotorcycleRoads.com

[Urbanized]

This looks like a good ride. My last ride was 2 years ago. I've been taking short
trips around the city. Started riding as much of Grand Boulevard as I can.

Railroad Bridge Road | Oklahoma Motorcycle Roads and Rides | MotorcycleRoads.com

Hah! I took that exact ride maybe two months ago (a few days after they reopened the Nance Bridge between Purcell and Lexington), but did it without knowing it was "a ride." I didn't make the cutoff at Byars though, and continued on to 177. Sounds like i might have missed the best part; I'll have to go back.

Great idea about re-tracing Grand.

[Urbanized]

This afternoon I stopped by the BMW dealership to check out the (newly-introduced) R Nine T, and during the visit learned that in December they would be getting Ducati and almost certainly be getting Triumph at the same time. Great news as there has been a hole in the European marques in OKC since Performance lost Triumph and the previous BMW/Ducati dealer left under a dark cloud.

Here is the R Nine T:

[Prunepicker]

This afternoon I stopped by the BMW dealership to check out the
(newly-introduced) R Nine T, and during the visit learned that in December
they would be getting Ducati and almost certainly be getting Triumph at the
same time. Great news as there has been a hole in the European marques
in OKC since Performance lost Triumph and the previous BMW/Ducati
dealer left under a dark cloud.

Here is the R Nine T:

I have a cousin who rode from DC to Mexico City AND BACK on a Duc.
That's @ 5,000 miles. I don't know the size but he'd break it down and put
it in the back of his El Camino. Uncle rode a big Honda. This was around
1975. Later Cuz made his Duc into a track racer. Did the speedway circuit.
You know the type. You're riding at 100+ mph with your leg on the tarmac
and there's another guy right behind you doing 101+ mph with his front
wheel 1 inch from the back of your helmet while thinking "gee, this is fun"

[RadicalModerate]

OK . . . Local . . .
I-35 to 63rd. E on 63rd to the Spencer Jones Rd. intersection. NE on Spencer Jones Rd. . . . through Jones (at the speed limit) to The Hogback Rd to Luther . . . Hogback Rd to Luther Jct. of Olde 66. Left on 66 to Edmond

[Urbanized]

OK . . . Local . . .
I-35 to 63rd. E on 63rd to the Spencer Jones Rd. intersection. NE on Spencer Jones Rd. . . . through Jones (at the speed limit) to The Hogback Rd to Luther . . . Hogback Rd to Luther Jct. of Olde 66. Left on 66 to Edmond

Did some of that last night, Spencer-Jones, 63rd, Hogback...

I ride out 66 past Luther at least a couple times a month. I love 66.

[RadicalModerate]

Did some of that last night, Spencer-Jones, 63rd, Hogback...

I ride out 66 past Luther at least a couple times a month. I love 66.

When you get to Luther have you ever been tempted to make a right and crank it all the way up all the way to Wellston leaving the Luther Speed Trap Enforcers way back in the background? =) Me neither.

On the other hand . . . on an old '65 Harley . . . I did make it from Spencer, proper (the only bar in town) to Jones and back in a record 20 minutes. =) This was before ATMs and I was out of cash.

[rezman]

OK . . . Local . . .
I-35 to 63rd. E on 63rd to the Spencer Jones Rd. intersection. NE on Spencer Jones Rd. . . . through Jones (at the speed limit) to The Hogback Rd to Luther . . . Hogback Rd to Luther Jct. of Olde 66. Left on 66 to Edmond

I've made that run numerous times. Very little traffic and nice leisurely speeds. Then either left on 66 back to Edmond, or right to Chandler and back.

[Prunepicker]

I ride a 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C50 T. It's a great ride! Great road feel and
it almost drives itself. I've never been tired after a long ride and my passenger
has never complained.

I've tried to post a photo but I don't know how. It's pearl and white. I call
it the Gray Ghost.

[rezman]

My current ride is an '06 VTX1800NR, though I've had my eye on the Honda F6b for a while now.
One day ride me and the Mrs like taking is north on old 77 through Guthrie to Mulhall for Lunch at Lucille's, then on north to hwy 51 east to Stillwater, then south on 177 to either 105 then back west or on south to 66 at Welston then west.

[RadicalModerate]

My current ride is an '06 VTX1800NR, though I've had my eye on the Honda F6b for a while now.
One day ride me and the Mrs like taking is north on old 77 through Guthrie to Mulhall for Lunch at Lucille's, then on north to hwy 51 and then east to Stillwater, then south on 177 to either 105 then back west or on south to 66 at Welston then west.

That little stretch of road up around Skeleton Creek's confluence with the other creek that flows on down to the other, larger river (Canadian? Cimmeron?) --where the curves and the bluffs adorn the pavement--never gets old. =)

[rezman]

That little stretch of road up around Skeleton Creek's confluence with the other creek that flows on down to the other, larger river (Canadian? Cimmeron?) --where the curves and the bluffs adorn the pavement--never gets old. =)

Yes! ... That's the prettiest area on that whole strip of road. The wife likes to stop there and stretch the legs a little. ... Just north of the old ghost town of Laurie.

[Bill Robertson]

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, stop in at Meers Store, ride up Mt Scott. Easy to make most of a day of it. I take 277 instead of I-44 to make it more relaxed.

Here's my bike. Old pic though, need to take some new one's. She now has the windshield on all the time, a trunk bag, Vance & Hines Long Shot pipes that go almost all the way to the back of the saddle bag and a 40s style front fender lamp.

[Urbanized]

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, stop in at Meers Store, ride up Mt Scott. Easy to make most of a day of it. I take 277 instead of I-44 to make it more relaxed...

That's a great ride; I've taken it a couple of times now. Don't forget Medicine Lodge, especially on weekends. You can also work in a nice, curving ride through the miles of windmill farm around Hinton/Binger/Anadarko (281).

[Urbanized]

Taken yesterday:

[rezman]

That is a great ride. Done it a few times, though it’s probably been four or five years since the last time. Taking different two lane routes there and back each time. The last time, I hit the road around 6:00 am in Arcadia, headed down to the south side to meet up with my brother, then over to 152 to Union City to meet the rest of our group. Then dropped down 81 to Minco and 152 west to 281, south through Gracemont to Anadarko and Apache, then 19 west to 58, and south to the Medicine Park/ Mt Scott area.
Going back we too 115 north out of Meers, all the way back up to Hwy 9, then east to Carnegie, then north on 58 back to 152 then east through Binger to 81, north to 66 then east. Getting back home around 6:30 in the evening.
I did that ride on my old burgundy VTX1300C, which I have to say was probably a better all around bike than my 1800. It was easier to maneuver and liked slower speeds better. The 1800 is a better bike for me and the wife together and has lots of power, but doesn’t really like speeds below 40 mph, such as when tooling around town. It’s happiest at speeds above 65mph.

My brother snapped the top pic from his bike. That me with the red helmet.

[Prunepicker]

This is my Suzuki C-50T.