Riding and living in Toronto

slowbird

slowbird

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Looking for some input and advice from those that ride and live in Toronto. Whether it be downtown, or the beaches, or the west end.....doesn't matter.

I've been riding for many years but I have always lived out of the "city". When I first started riding I lived in Brampton, (where 5 mins up the 410 will get you into Caledon and away from the traffic), and then Shelburne, (where River road and other great roads were a stones throw away).

I recently-ish split with my Fiancee and moved away from Shelburne and into Toronto. (It wasn't my first choice to move there but it was closer to work and family and more importantly, I found a place with my own garage to park the bike :))

I guess what I'm finding is that since I'm mostly off on weekdays I have to keep in mind the traffic and rush hour times. I obviously try and leave the city but I have to get back before rush hour or be stuck in the log jam of cars.....or stay out all day and not even think about heading back until the traffic thins.
Riding in the city isn't fun at all. Constantly dodging cars, cyclists and pedestrians. Then again it's not supposed to be fun in the city...is it? :confused:

What do you Torontonian riders do? Do you have certain routes you liek to take? Stick to "ramping" at night?

Do you leave the city and not come back till the traffic dies down? If you do...do you just slab it down the highways till you get somewhere nice?

Please share you suggestions. Don't think I'm complaining about Toronto or anything. I'm just humbly looking for suggestions from you riders that have been living here for awhile and have a routine you'd like to share. :)

Thanks!
 
The key is to go against traffic. During the week, I do a 15-20km loop in the morning and a shorter one in the evening. My morning loop has me going west on Lakeshore, right to the edge of Etobicoke, then I zig-zag back into town (work is at King/Bathurst, for another week anyway.) I get to have some fun on the long sweeping curves of Lakeshore W. Waze is connected to my Sena bluetooth thingie to redirect away from traffic (and warn against po-po.)

Evening rush hour seems worse. I go west on King 'til I reach Jameson then loop back east on Lakeshore. Traffic varies wildly, sometimes it's smooth sailing all the way back home in CityPlace. Ride is just long enough to get the bike up to operating temp.

Ironically, trying to go home straight from work (1.5 kilometer) takes forever.
 
I've been riding downtown for a few years now, and the struggle is real.

Given my work schedule and location (downtown core), getting anywhere out of the city in any reasonable amount of time is nigh impossible. The Gardiner is a s**tshow. Full stop. Riding in the city is pants, for the reasons you've mentioned.

It's a concerted effort to make trips in and out of the city during off hours, and even then it is hard to escape the glut. It's a little better with a small bike, but that's hardly a consolation.

Legit advice? I've been looking at spending more time on the track, because riding downtown is just painful.

Maybe others have more hopeful advice - I'd like to know, too!
 
Ride in the city during the week...not often, like everyone I have a few loops I do...riding in the downtown core....hellz no...traffic is unbearable downtown when the weather is ridable.

Weekends...wake up at the crack of dawn, hit the 401 and get up north as expeditiously as possible to get to the good roads.
 
I'm retired now so I don't have to fight the traffic.
I live downtown and I don't try to ride anywhere until after 10AM.
I always make sure I'm home by 2PM. That seems to be when the afternoon rush hour starts these days.
For longer rides where I'm actually going out of the city, I leave at 6AM
 
This might sound kinda wacky, but I loved motorcycle commuting in the city, especially in the summer. There weren't any fast routes, but there were some chokepoints to avoid if possible.

I guess it depends where you are. Where I was, bailing out of the city during rush hour and getting back in wasn't too bad (lived near the DVP). The DVP was 100% completely uselessly snarled if you were trying to travel *with* traffic, of course.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far. Everyone input is super helpful. :icon_smile:

It's unfortunate that others experiences are similar to mine but it's also nice to know I'm not alone. :razz:

statsman said:
I live downtown and I don't try to ride anywhere until after 10AM.
I always make sure I'm home by 2PM. That seems to be when the afternoon rush hour starts these days.
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That seems to be what I have initially found out. Gives the ride a "deadline" I'm not used to. Either be back before 3pm or stay out of the city longer.


TwistedKestrel said:
I guess it depends where you are. Where I was, bailing out of the city during rush hour and getting back in wasn't too bad (lived near the DVP). The DVP was 100% completely uselessly snarled if you were trying to travel *with* traffic, of course.
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I'm more West end. Dundas/Dufferin area. DVP is alot nicer to ride than the Gardiner or any Highway actually. I don't know the times when it's jammed but it seems jammed most of the time regardless.
 
I'm west end, Bloor / 427 and usually a weekend rider. On weekdays I superslab against the traffic going north-west to get away to escarpment country. Going east, I HATE going across the 401 and would rather pay the piper (407) and get that part of the trip over with.

North was OK using old highway 27 but development is really ramping up to around Schomberg so not looking good long term.

I have a few putt-putt rides in town but Goldwings aren't nimble and I tend to stick to known routes. TO drivers can be pricks if you aren't doing what they're doing.
 
When I started riding I lived at Lansdowne/Bloor. Then moved to High Park, then to Windermere/Lakeshore and then to Fort York. I recently moved out of the city, but still work downtown and ride to work everyday. I really enjoy riding in the city and riding the bike in traffic makes it all the more enjoyable, especially if you know the backroads and alleys to get around the traffic buildups. If you don't know the shortcuts, it can get pretty frustrating.

Regardless, the one saving grace for me riding in the city is to ride with music on with my noise isolating earbuds. I keep the volume low but the sound quality is nice and just do my thing and enjoy riding to the music . Nowadays, I never ride without music on.

As for going out for longer rides, I head north on weekends leaving the city by 8am latest. There is only commuting in the city and the pleasure is more about dodging all the obstacles than enjoying the roads. I find it's great practice for slow speed skills.

edit: and yes, head north or north east on the highway for about an hour minutes and then you are much closer to enjoyable roads. From Dufferin/Dundas, you can be on great roads in just over an hour - a 6 hour round trip and you will have been on some fun times. And knowing when to time your departure and return to the city makes the start and end of your ride nicer as well.
 
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I live in Mississauga and ride downtown often. Yea, its a ***** but on a bike you have soooo much more freedom and maneuverability. I will not drive unless I absolutely have to but riding is no problem, I often just go for a joyride when I'm bored and don't feel like going out into the boonies but I'd never even consider just 'driving' downtown for fun...
 
I use the bike to get around, it's my only vehicle. The fun factor is just the cherry on top. Being able to ride in the curb lane is quite the time-saver. Only go on a handful of long joyrides a year.
 
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Matt Rain said:
I use the bike to get around, it's my only vehicle. The fun factor is just the cherry on top. Being able to ride in the curb lane is quite the time-saver. Only go on a handful of long joyrides a year.
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In a similar spot here, although I do have a car but never commute to work in it - it's bike or ttc year round depending on whether there's snow/ice on the roads. Even with traffic, the bike is at least twice as fast as the ttc and infinitely more enjoyable/relaxing.
 
The key to riding downtown Toronto is to have the appropriate motorcycle. Something along the lines of a supermoto is best. Switch between sidewalks, laneways, streets and park paths with ease and precision for maximum minimization of time spent commuting. lol.
 
I live downtown, like what others have said above, too difficult to get out and go for a fun and great ride. So, I sold my street bike, bought a KTM and spend the weekends in the Ganaraska Forest rip roaring and getting covered in mud. Quality riding and the best part if you want you can do that wheelie go ahead and do one. The only limited to how fast you want to go is you. Sell your bike and start riding in the dirt or go an get a track bike and feel what 160 mph is really like with out the risk of going to jail.
 
The key to riding in Toronto, Don't!
Cross the border to PA, West Virginia or North Carolina. Two states down, don't have to worry about speeding tickets being reported to your Canadian Insurance Company. Great roads with lots of twists, turns and elevation changes. Generally a population that wants motorcyclists as they bring money into their communities. Drivers of cages that are familiar with motorcycles.
I hate riding in Toronto. Spend my weekends across the border and do some serious riding.
 
starboy869 said:
The 401 is close to suicide IMO. Pay the piper and take the 407 when possible.
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Once per month or so in the summer I will ride out the farmers market in St. Jacobs. I leave at 6 AM and take the 401.
There's a little café in Waterloo where I stop for breakfast, then to the market when it opens at 9.
I take the 401 back as far as Mohawk, then get off and ride the country roads back into the city.
The only problem with the 401 is the traffic.
 
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