Best roads without having to break the speed limit

[Diggs]

Due to a recent close shave with the law and being first on the scene of a horrible accident a few weeks ago I find myself searching for roads that are a hoot to ride without having to break the speed limit. On Sunday a couple of us did a 290 mile tour of the North Yorks Moors and the Lakes, and I am happy to report that such roads still exist.

Richmond to Kirkby Stephen 'country-way'.

https://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp#fromNode=0%7CMarrick%7C%7C-1.883360%7C54.379630%7CtoNode=0%7CKirkby%20Stephen%7C%7C-2.348925%7C54.474279

This is 25 miles of bends, no cameras, very little traffic and beautiful scenery. Got to watch the sheep and it does get a little thin in places, but I challenge you to find a better one!!!
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[MarJay]

Why assume that the accident was caused by going over the limit? It's not as if you're perfectly safe at 60mph and then crash at 61mph?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Diggs]

The accident wasn't related to speed. It was caused by a white van doing a 'James Dean' at a set of crossroads near Austwick. The kids and I were first on the scene and the sight of a bloke with his head battered in, blood and glass everywhere etc whilst my kids look on has given me an increased sense of my own fragility. Accidents tend to do that to me...
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

The bike you're on can have a massive impact on this too. CG125 or S1000RR, who'd be going quicker?
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[barrkel]

Duke's Pass is a huge amount of fun on a small bike, 250cc or so:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Aberfoyle,+Stirling,+UK/Duke%27s+Pass,+Stirling+FK8+3SY,+UK/Callander,+Stirling,+UK/@56.2146614,-4.3814853,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x4888f77090b73cef:0x542af3a155f5170d!2m2!1d-4.387737!2d56.181314!1m5!1m1!1s0x4888f757d8a20e8d:0x807a811fa26ab4ea!2m2!1d-4.3871645!2d56.2048732!1m5!1m1!1s0x48888b44ce5faee7:0x8f3ded41dbf79c6b!2m2!1d-4.211663!2d56.245059!3e0
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[Diggs]

Its not about the speed. Its about finding roads that you can have a laugh on without having to worry about the dibble because by their nature the roads limit your speed to below the National Limit.

On this particular road I don't think a S1000RR rider would have more fun than somebody on a CG125. I did it on my old Gixxer 750 and I bet I didn't go over 5000rpm the whole of the distance...
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Diggs]

"Duke's Pass is a huge amount of fun on a small bike, 250cc or so:"

I like the look of that... Cafe's too...
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[wr6133]

Lots of fairly narrow, very twisty, NSL country roads round my way. I find they can be great fun without ever going over 60, look for similar in your area. They were more fun on 125's and 250's than my current 400 though, the little bikes felt like they were being pushed hard which is half the fun.

[Dave70]

https://youtu.be/mXBqWBIwdBE


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There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk.

2012: R125 killed by white van. 2016 R125 killed by 30,000 miles of redline. Current: 2016 Kawasaki ER6f.

[chris-red]

[ScaredyCat]

https://www.twistyride.com/Motorcycle-Journey-Planner.html
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[chickenstrip]

I just think there are few enough good roads, with decent surfaces and little traffic as there is, without limiting yourself to such rare beasts as you describe.

Look, lets be honest with ourselves here. You don't buy Speed Triples, GSXRs and all the rest of it to potter about under 60 mph. You have to do a certain amount of self analysing here. If you're really that worried, perhaps the fast bike on the road thing isn't for you. So get a track bike, and stick to track days. Or buy a much smaller, less powerful bike that won't do these kinds of speeds. Or, just be more careful where you use that power, and try to be more savvy about where cameras/speed traps are likely to be.

Enough car drivers get done without all that acceleration and top end go. Unfortunately, with the way things are these days, it's just a risk that you take in any vehicle, every day you drive/ride, unless you're going to stick rigidly to the limits. And those that preach that this is what you should be doing are often just hypocrites. Show me a police officer with a sports bike, who never exceeds a speed limit. I doubt there is such a thing. But behaving yourself and sticking to the rules is what you're supposed to do on public roads.

When I was younger, it was ALL about the performance of these bikes. And I'd be lying if I said I don't get that kick anymore. But I try to vary my riding a bit, so I'm not looking for that every time I go out. So I'll go exploring little mountain roads in Wales and such like, where you couldn't possibly do those speeds, but it's more about safe control on steep roads with poor surfaces etc; a different kind of challenge in other words. It's also about enjoying the scenery of such places, and having the freedom to explore wherever you fancy going.

But I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets tired of the constant whingeing about "oh, there's nowhere on the roads you can cane it anymore without getting nicked". Hey, wake up, there isn't supposed to be; we just take advantage of it when we think we can get away with it. Did you think the authorities were going to say, ok, we're going to scrap all speed limits so everyone can just go as fast as they like, whenever they like? Sheesh, get real!


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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[gdj444]

After Hornets and Fazers or so for the last couple of years I found I ended up doing the same routes over and ove (time constraints) and living in Devon the major routes and a lot of the roads off them are often very congested and in terrible condition, so once again I have "traded down" and bought a KLE500, high seat, good torque but not a great top speed or super fast 0-60, so now I seek out those tiny Devon lanes, usually with grass growing up the middle, can be out for a few hours and do no more than 50 miles, ending up on roads and In villages I've never been to despite living in Devon for over 30yrs.

Often come across some lovely twisty bits with hardly another vehicle for miles around, and I love not being entirely sure of where I am before suddenly coming across a piece of road I recognise

It's the future of biking I tells yur

Jonesy

[Diggs]

"Sheesh, get real!"

Indeed mate. I've spent years hooning about on all sorts of bikes, much of it above the speed limit and I am lucky to have survived. Don't get me wrong, a fast ride early on a Sunday morning before the plod comes out to play is still something I like doing. Certain things happen however and I slow down for a bit - its human nature.

There is a natural progression in one's biking life - thrashing the sh*te out of tiddlers whilst wishing for a bigger bike then thrashing the shite out of bigger bikes. If one survives, the next phase is getting something slower and enjoying it just as much. Think how many people you know who used to have the latest GSXRCBRRRRRR and now ride Harleys for example. Each to their own...

I'm not quite ready for leather chaps and a bandana, nor am I wanting to join a gang of 'adventure tour' types on a squeaky clean BM. I do reckon however that as much fun can be had on a tight, 'challenging' road at less than 60 as can be had on an A road at 90 whilst watching out for dibble and dreading the post the following week... Hence my point about fun roads...
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Wednesday Biker]

I like going from Matlock to Buxton.
There are roads you can go fast on but you don't have to and you cant really go that quick on most of them really unless you're a pro.
The Via Gellia road is especially nice and very twisty.Theres a biker cafe there too.

[chickenstrip]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

A good one is near Squires - Tadcaster to Cawood, B1223. Pretty famous - good because not just tight corners, but no hedges so excellent cross views, and good forward vision. Cagers are often surprised at bikes overtaking on apparently blind bends - but of course, they're not. You can see a good half mile ahead at times, often a bit further.

Another personal fave, but more technical - and riskier, for various reasons - is the B1363, York to Helmsley. This route must surely have claimed loads of victims down the years - so it's perhaps best to go backwards and forwards on it a few times before trying anything too mental. Some don't like it and criticise it for requiring drag racing up to corners then crawling round them. But that's a bit unfair, really. However, it's a devil in the wet - and in fact I avoid it if it's not pretty much bone dry. Overtaking needs to be a bit more planned than usual. But one thing's for sure - most of the time 60 feels pretty fast. At least to me.

Another not far from there is the Buttercrambe road to Malton - less of a mindfuck than the 1363, and more about sweepers than nasty zeds that tighten up at the least provocation - thus probably not quite so rewarding unless going a few notches north of 60. Still - worth a ride.

The Hutton Le Hole route to Whitby. Me and Kev off here did it the other week - Hutton Le Hole - Castleton - Danby - Scaling Reservoir, then onto Sandsend before going down the coast to Whitby. The last leg is a bit pants, but I really love the blast up to Castleton. I'm probably on my own here, but just keeping it at 60 is still fun - even if you could do twice that in places. Bear in mind though that because it's the north yorks moors, there are no hedges or walls, and consequently the free grazing sheep are prone to wandering across the road. Adds a frisson of excitement to proceedings - you'll usually count a handful dead at the roadside by the time you get to Danby.

Then there's the run up to Leyburn (stopping at Manor caf) from Rippon on the A6108 - that's a right switchback! There are times on that road when, for me at least, 60 feels quite fast enough. Blind crests, strange series of bends and dips all make for rictus grin inducing riding.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Diggs]

Ripon, Leyburn, Squires, Helmsley are all areas I know well. I agree that there are some cracking roads around those parts for 60'ish fun and games! Got to watch the plod though, particularly both sides of Squires and Helmsley nowadays. My only downer on Helmsley atm is that the cafe on the square has closed - used to knock her up (ooh er...) on a Sunday morning for a cuppa and a jam scone.

Manor Cafe is good.

Matlock to Buxton is good too, unless you get stuck behind a waggon which I seem to have done every time for the last few years.

My fav. cafe is the one in Burnsall on the B6160. Service can be slow but the full English is the best in the north imho. Done early you don't get stuck in traffic on the way either...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/search/burnsall+cafe/@54.0498994,-1.956564,13z/data=!3m1!4b1
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Alan 29]

If you are in North Wales, try the A road between Pentrefoelas and Denbigh, the A543. Fantastic and almost no other traffic at all. When you get to the end, just turn the bike around and do it the other way.
While you're there, the B4407 is another corker from Pentrefoelas to Ffestiniog.

[Ste]

[nelmo]

Do a Bikesafe course, where you get a days riding with a police rider. We didn't break a single speed limit but I was knackered at the end of it and felt like I had been in a race.

But nake sure you specify country roads, not town stuff...only about £30 for the day (depending on your local plod) and its weird chasing a Police Pan or being chased by one...

And you won't get any hassle from other drivers...you won't believe how quick they'll get out your way when they see plod
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Bike history: Suzuki GSXF600, BMW F650, Honda Varadero, Suzuki V-Strom, Kawasaki Versys
Current: Honda NC700X

[Calite]

Got a local road here that goes up Glen Fruin. Not sure what its called but its a wee single track road thats NSL, Fun at 40mph. Wouldnt go any faster at most parts due to blind corners but the scenary is nice.

Google maps:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@56.0304577,-4.6682089,3a,75y,311.86h,71.57t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s5vCnKzWzGURRp4lg4nzjsw!2e0

[Wull]

[Old Git Racing]

Howden to Elvington via Bubwith, all resurfaced this year. Buttercrambe to Malton, like bits of the TT course, 13 miles of bends, crests, fast bits and slow bits. Never seen dibble on either.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[map]

If you're after a scenic ride and you're up that way I like the A939 from Grantown-on-Spey down to Balmoral and Braemar. A few distilleries around there too (well, Glenlivet) that you can add a loop onto to visit.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?