Western Canada flying tour

[KLR Junkie]

Hey all,

So this summer I'm going to be doing something I've wanted to do for years. I'm going to buy a used Goldwing (probably a '98-00 GL1500) off of Kijiji and spend 2-3 weeks riding out to BC and back. The plan at this point is to go mid-June.

My route is pretty wide open at this point. I've covered most of Ontario East of Wawa over the years, so I'll probably just ride straight out to Thunder Bay as quickly as possible. Everything West of T-Bay is virgin riding territory for me. I'm going to be heading up to see a bud at Fort McMurray, so I'll probably take a northern route through Saskatoon and Edmonton on the way out west, then swing over towards Dawson Creek and down to Vancouver. Time permitting, I might loop down through Portland and over to Colorado on the way back.

Any must-see sights or must-ride roads along the way? I'm not much for tourist traps or cities. I much prefer quiet nature spots.

Cheers

 

[GreyGhost]

@MacDoc recently flew out to bc and toured around for a bit IIRC.
@Lightcycle is currently out there but I have no idea if it is just for the winter.

Edit:
Make sure you pick up the bike plenty early. You want to give it a very thorough inspection and shakedown before you take off.

 

[J_F]

coming down from Dawson Creek is a fantastic trip
- don't forget to say hi to Pacey and Joey
and after Sask and AB it is paradise

jump off #97 just north of Cache Creek
and take #99 down through the Rockies to Van
takes twice as long as the TC
but's a truly spectacular road

havn't done it yet
but I hear the old coastal highway on Van Island is nice
new multi-lane - #19, takes all the car traffic
old road is now called 19A and hugs the coast

Okanagan Valley is kind of out of your way
but is not to be missed if you have the time
my favourite part of Canada

 

[KLR Junkie]

Ghost: Yup, plan is to buy the bike as soon as the worst of the winter is over and spend a couple of months getting everything set before heading out in June.

J_F: Thanks. I'm thinking of iron-butting it through the flat-lands and leaving myself with 2-4 days of unplanned riding in the Rockies, meandering my way around southern BC. I'll look into a trip to the island.

 

[ScorpionT16]

Sounds great, will be planning something similar this or next year, so will stay tuned to advice you get. Is 2-3 weeks enough for such a trip? In my mind I thought a month was needed to go out west and back

 

[KLR Junkie]

Should be doable. Long days, but that's why the Goldwing and not my KLR . Just letting Google pick the fastest route, it looks like about 5,500km or so out to central BC. A bit less on the way back. Figure 12-13,000km total with some meandering. At this point I'm thinking 2 weeks, maybe plus a day or two at either end for about 17 days. Maybe work the Canada Day long weekend in (although not sure I want to be heading back to the GTA at the same time as a million other people...)

 

[ScorpionT16]

Why not just buy the Goldwing somewhere in BC/alberta, fly down, and ride it back? My sister lives in Calgary and gf in Vancouver, so much riding and to see out west, I figured 2 weeks just around there let alone riding up there an dback, maybe i'm too slow lol

 

[KLR Junkie]

I think I'm just young and stupid enough to relish the challenge of riding all the way. If I was to buy out west and ride back, I'd be terrified of buying a lemon and ruining the trip. This way I get some time to get the bike sorted before heading out.

I have considered a fly-and-rent trip in the past, but I kind of want to see all of Canada, even if the middle bit is boring. I'll probably just see some highlights on this trip but I can always go back later to re-visit certain areas. Maybe I'll tow the KLR out that way one year and spend a week or 2 riding on the gravel.

 

[GreyGhost]

I think I'm just young and stupid enough to relish the challenge of riding all the way. If I was to buy out west and ride back, I'd be terrified of buying a lemon and ruining the trip. This way I get some time to get the bike sorted before heading out.

I have considered a fly-and-rent trip in the past, but I kind of want to see all of Canada, even if the middle bit is boring. I'll probably just see some highlights on this trip but I can always go back later to re-visit certain areas. Maybe I'll tow the KLR out that way one year and spend a week or 2 riding on the gravel.

Parts of SK can be surprisingly beautiful. There is a big rift valley near Belle Plaine that is just stunning. Lots of washboarded gravel roads though, so I'm not convinced a detailed exploration on a Wing would be amazing.

 

[Lightcycle]

Any must-see sights or must-ride roads along the way? I'm not much for tourist traps or cities. I much prefer quiet nature spots.

Most of the must-see motorcycle destinations are after you pass Calgary, but if you have the time, there are the Big Muddy Badlands in southern Saskatchewan, pretty much an extension of the badlands in northern Montana. More gravel roads, but the scenery there is nice:

Gravel roads though. More pics here: Big Muddy Badlands

 

[Riceburner]

I used to go out west every year to visit friends. First time was via Can. All the rest I went via the northern US.

 

[MacDoc]

You are wasting your time trying 17 day out and back in my view especially coughing up for another bike. Wing is a good choice for the highway.

We could have used more time and we were 22 days AND flew out one way in 2015

I was 17 days last summer in June also flyng one way and got some riding in but never enough and that's doing 8-900 km days on the way back.

JF has some good routes....99 is a must do. Jasper to Banff
Northern route is also a good idea but how will you visit someone on your tight time schedule?

Last June ...-

June 2019 west Coast by motorcycle

66 new items · Album by David Hellstern

photos.app.goo.gl

this was 2015 and came back via the US

BC Trip with Kenz

107 new items · Album by David Hellstern

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[ScorpionT16]

damn Canada for being so big, want to do a trip out east to Newfoundland and everyone tells me 3 weeks minimum, out west, 3 weeks minimum also... Can't afford to be off work for so long, stuck with USA for now

 

[GreyGhost]

damn Canada for being so big, want to do a trip out east to Newfoundland and everyone tells me 3 weeks minimum, out west, 3 weeks minimum also... Can't afford to be off work for so long, stuck with USA for now

Unless you are flying, you waste at least two days on a boat for nfld. If you limit yourself to the mainland (and PEI) you can easily do a great trip over a week or two. The upside to the east coast is the Confederation bridge is only a single very long days ride from the GTA if you stick to slabs (~16 hours from TO proper).

You think Canada is bad, try to explore Oz. We got in a three week trip and only half-ass explored a small portion of the east coast even though we flew between cities to minimize travel time. My favorite sign was on a gravel road with IIRC a 100 km/h speed limit and tons of blind corners "Next town is *** in 270 km". Frig, it's not easy in Canada to drive for hours without running into something.

 

[J_F]

damn Canada for being so big, want to do a trip out east to Newfoundland and everyone tells me 3 weeks minimum, out west, 3 weeks minimum also... Can't afford to be off work for so long, stuck with USA for now

3 weeks to do the West for sure
I'd say 4 to do it proper

problem with NFLD is the ferry eats 2 days
so that is a week by itself

can be out East in 3 easy days across NY, Vermont NH and Maine then into NB
much more enjoyable trip than the 401/20 route
and there's lots to see there too
2 weeks to see New England and the Maritimes is very doable
will leave time to smell the roses a bit, assuming you skip NFLD

 

[MacDoc]

Road near where I live in Australia past Herbeton is 570 km to the next gas ....and gravel...even the KLR wasn't going there.

then there is the north end

 

[Mad Mike]

When going East to Newfoundland if you go through Argentina, the sailings depart at 5:30PM and go overnight. By sleeping on the ship you lose no riding time. Another option is to go via the TransLab (not for the feint of heart), that will take you to Blanc Sablon crossing to NL without losing a day sailing.

 

[MacDoc]

Now THAT is the long way to go....but perhaps by Argentia will work

 

[J_F]

one hell of a fast ferry!

 

[Mad Mike]

Coming back from west coast can be a lot faster thru the US - 1/2 the journey can be on 80+mph slabs. I've done it solo 3 times leaving Friday and arriving on Sunday -- my fastest 51 hours.