Best Motorcycle Crashes

Five Best Motorcycle Roads To Ride In The Eastern United States

Tail of the Dragon

With 318 corners in 11 miles, the Tail of the Dragon at Deal's Gap is officially called Route 129. But breathless is what everyone else calls the winding road that heads north from the North Carolina-Tennessee border. The Tail of the Dragon is a once-in-a-lifetime required motorcycle pilgrimage for anyone who attempts to call themselves a biker or has ever turned a throttle.

For those who aren't so quick with a calculator, the Tail of the Dragon throws corners and hairpin turns at you at the rate of one every 182 feet or nearly 29 turns every mile. That's a rate that places the Tail of the Dragon at the top of any top-five motorcycle roads list.

It's so dangerous, local authorities have limited the speed on the Tail of Dragon to minimize crashes, accidents and injuries.

Route 44, Northwest Pennsylvania

If your job, career or family life won't let you take a week-long trip for the Tail of the Dragon, consider riding the twisty and hilly Route 44 as it winds through small Pennsylvania towns for 122 miles from Watsontown to the New York State border just south of Portville.

Along the way, you'll travel through the town of Jersey Shore, through the majestic Tiadaghton Forest and through one-horse, quiet sleepy towns such as Coudersport and Shinglehouse. There's ample places to stop for meals, gas and drinks along the way. And the folks in this part of Pennsylvania are as friendly as any that come from the Deep South.

The rolling valleys, twists and turns that Route 44 takes you through are good enough for a Top-Five list of best motorcycle roads to take.

U.S. Route 33, Virginia-West Virginia

Mountains, scenic views, small towns full of friendly people mark the 235 miles of U.S. Route 33 from Harrisonburg to Spencer in Central West Virginia.

Harrisonburg, home to former NBA player Ralph Sampson, was founded in 1779 and is also home to James Madison University. You'll take Route 33 west out of Harrisonburg and up and down two mountain ranges before you enter Elkins, West Virginia. It's a small town and Route 33 delivers you through the center of Elkins, giving you opportunities to get gasoline, food or to get some rest.

Continue west on Route 33 where it joins up with Route 119 in Buchannan, West Virginia and follow it the rest of the way to Spenser.

Along the way you'll drive though valleys that are bordered by 4, 000-foot summits on both sides. Don't hesitate to take a detour and drive to the top for a view you'll never forget.

Route 33 east ranks at a top-five motorcycle road to take for many riders.

Skyline Drive, Virginia

Every time I begin the climb up Skyline Drive heading south from Front Royal, Virginia, I remain amazed by views from its 4, 000-foot peaks that look over cascading mountain ranges to the east and to the west. Even more awesome is the chance to look down from Skyline Drive and through a bank of clouds at farms and homes thousands of feet below.

Amazing views are just one of the reasons why Skyline Drive ranks as a top-five motorcycle road for me.

When you go, remember to dress warmly because of the loss of temperature you'll experience as you climb the mountains along Skyline Drive. You begin your journey at Front Royal, which is at 588 feet above sea level. By the time you finish, you will lose at least 10 to 15 degrees in temperature as you reach the peaks and scenic outlooks along the way.

Though Skyline Drive continues for hundreds of miles, I like to get off in 103 miles in Waynesboro, Virginia, head west on Route 64 and back north along U.S. Route 81. The speed Skyline Drive speed limit is 35 mph so you'll need at least four hours or five hours to complete your journey and allow for stops and meals along the way.

For maps, fees and other information, go to Skyline Drive .

If you have a backpack, make sure to pack a 60-power spotting scope or pair of decent binoculars because. You'll be tempted to try to determine how far you can see to the horizon. At 4, 000 feet in elevation, you'll be able to see 85 miles, according to Boating Safe.com .

Route 417, Southern Tier, New York State

The charm of Route 417 is that it wanders through all the forgotten towns left behind when the Southern Tier Expressway was created. The Southern Tier Expressway began to take motorists on a different route and to the north of the old stagecoach road.

You'll start your journey west along Route 417 at Corning, N.Y. Along the 70 miles of Route 417, you'll roar your motorcycle along a back-valley road through small towns. You'll travel trough Little Genesee Valley to Ceres on the Pennsylvania-New York border. The pace is slow, the sounds are quiet, and the Norman Rockwell-like scenery will have you consider quitting your job for a life in the country. You'll want to live in small town America, down the same street as the town's general store, local church and all-in-one gasoline station.

Small town charm is what makes Route 417 a top-five motorcycle road to ride on.