Motorcycle Trip along U.S. 101 Bay Area – California

As one of the longest active highways in the state of California, U.S. 101 attracts travelers from all over the world to experience its Coastline glory. At just over 800 miles, the U.S. 101 connects a multitude of California towns with each other, starting with the state's largest city: Los Angeles. Riders will travel northbound through several southern and central cities until they reach the Bay Area, one of the most wildlife-populated stretches of the road. While the entire U.S. 101 should be experienced on a motorcycle at some point in a person's life, the South Valley Freeway, or Bay Area concentration of this highway, is the highlighted feature for riders.

Located just 80 miles south of San Francisco, the South Valley Freeway begins life on the U.S. 101 in a town called Gilroy. Upon entering Gilroy, the 101 expands into a three-lane highway each direction. Once eat leaves Gilroy, the highway turns into a four-lane stretch and is renamed the Bay Shore Freeway before passing through Palo Alto. U.S. 101 changes names a few more times until it eventually reaches San Francisco County and city. Riders have most likely experienced heavily traffic and primarily urban streets thus far, but the payoff of U.S. 101 is coming soon.

After meandering their way through San Francisco, motorcyclists will eventually come to the most famous of all bridges in the United States: the Golden Gate Bridge. Construction completed in 1937, and ever since, the Golden Gate Bridge has been one of the most iconic landmark bridges in the world. Spanning 1.7 miles over the Bay, this bridge connects travelers in San Francisco with Marin County. Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge is just the beginning of your amazing motorcycle journey, as the natural environment begins to show itself once on the other side. This portion of the highway is designated the Redwood Highway, giving riders something unique and interesting from here on out. The Waldo Tunnel provides a historic feel of passing through a scenic hillside. 

Riders will enjoy the northernmost section of U.S. 101 out of all the sections, as it provides the most scenic and relaxing of the entire 800 miles. Even if you start your journey in San Francisco, you still have a couple of days of beautiful riding ahead of you. Of course, you may want to stop every once in a while and soak in the Californian air around you, as it doesn't get more West Coast than this!

North California tends to be rather tame as far as climates are concerned, especially along the coastline of U.S. 101. A nice leather vest should work nicely to provide both a comfortable and protective ride, as you don't want to over-complicate your journey. River Road offers full sleeve and vest options, like the Harrier, in order to make the most out of your ride. Check the weather forecast before you head out on your trip, but you could do well with leaving your winter leathers at home locked away. This is a trip for you to feel the ocean breeze against your bike, and the U.S. 101 will provide such a feeling.