Renting 07 FJR

[GAPS]

https://www.blueskymotorcyclerentals.net/Lo...a/Monterey.aspx

This agency is in Monterey CA, anyone here worked with them? This website does not show the FJR in the fleet, owner assured me the bike is available, tells me its a 07 he just recieved.

I have reserved this FJR for a day in July after the GP at Laguna. We will be staying in Monterey and are open to any suggestions for a little day ride. My wife and I are looking forward to seeing the shore to the south and then turn inland a bit for the return .....or a reverse route going inland in the morning and coming up the shore in the afternoon.....the shore route looks obvious, it is the inland portion that I could use help with....thanks......oh yeah, the FJR rents for about $130/day.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Check this route out...

1.Carmel Valley Rd from Monterey side to Arroyo Seco Rd

2.Arroyo Seco Rd to Fort Romie Rd (take a left)

3.Fort Romie Rd to River Road (take a left)

4.River Road to Monterey Rd (which i think is 68 toward the left)

5.Monterey Rd to Laureles Grade (take a left)

6.Laureles Grade to Carmel Valley Rd (take a right)

7.Carmel Valley to Highway 1 North to Monterey again

1-42.6miles

2-14.8miles

3-.8miles

4-25.7miles

5-5.7miles

6-5.8miles

7-9.5miles

Total is estimated at 105 miles. I would guess an average of 40-45mph so in theory at 40mph we could cover 120 miles in 3hrs. Now I do not know where gas stations are, but 105 miles to a tank from filling up near Carmel-By-The-Sea is not hard (gas station as soon as you get on Carmel Valley Road)

starting in the red and ending from the green back through the red...

 

[mdisher]

Very Interesting!

What did this rental set you back if you don't mind me asking

-MD

 

[James Burleigh]

Check this route out....

Um, I beg your pardon, Highlander... :glare: Now, I know this is your patch and all, and that you know best. But, did you forget that Highway 1 south from where our Coneticut Conneticut Connectticut East Coast friends are going to be is one of the top M.C. ride destinations IN THE WORLD?! (Excuse me for raising my voice.) Yet, you've got them heading inland and staying there. I just don't understand. Did I miss something? Did the sun rise in the west today? :blink:

Jb

 

[unclekunkle]

https://www.blueskymotorcyclerentals.net/Lo...a/Monterey.aspx
This agency is in Monterey CA, anyone here worked with them? This website does not show the FJR in the fleet, owner assured me the bike is available, tells me its a 07 he just recieved.

I have reserved this FJR for a day in July after the GP at Laguna. We will be staying in Monterey and are open to any suggestions for a little day ride. My wife and I are looking forward to seeing the shore to the south and then turn inland a bit for the return .....or a reverse route going inland in the morning and coming up the shore in the afternoon.....the shore route looks obvious, it is the inland portion that I could use help with....thanks......oh yeah, the FJR rents for about $130/day.

Another option if ya havn't been ...there would be to ride north up the coast to San Francisco

 

[HIGHLANDER]

it is the inland portion that I could use help with....thanks......oh yeah, the FJR rents for about $130/day.

Well Jb I read this as him looking for an inland day ride, he has the coast figured out.

Maybe I misunderstood the intent and GAPS is looking for a coast / inland / all in one day loop back to Monterey :huh: ?????

What ya say GAPS ???????

 

[James Burleigh]

Well Jb I read this as him looking for an inland day ride, he has the coast figured out.

I also was presuming, perhaps incorrectly, that a recommendation for a complete loop ride that would include all is what they were looking for. Like maybe head south on 1, then turn inland from there and loop back up. But I don't know!

 

[GAPS]

Wow, nice response....Highlander, this looks like a great loop, we may ride all of it or just one of the two N to S legs depending on how the day goes, is one better than the other? That line near Mascorini Place looks like a riot :yahoo: As JB presumes, so it goes, we do hope to see the shore and something inland that day. I'll be looking for a E to W route to the shore from the south portion of your loop....

JB, where is that 'Happy Place' you photographed? That lookout looks like its well worth lookin out for :dribble:

Regarding the weather in late July... Ive heard of fog along the shore in the morning and high temps inland late day...any truth in that? should we head inland in the am, back to the shore when the fog lifts...????

Renegade, the rental was $135/day plus fees.....damn fees. Im looking forward to riding this bike out there, could not believe my luck when I found a FJR only a mile from our hotel. Im also interested to see if the throttle response of this stock 07 seems much different from my 06 which has the G2, Barbarian, spring release, cable slack, grip puppies, throttle rocker.......and in my mind I am certain these mods have transformed my bike.....now I get to check for placebo effect h34r:

 

[TheAxeman]

I did the route that Highlander mapped out for you several years back on a rented VFR. We had rented the VFR's from Cruise America in Oakland and had ridden to Laguna Seca for the World Superbike races where we had a brand new rented motorhome waiting for us on the infield fence of turn 5. What a great time! Carmel Valley Road was excellent. Watch out for the cattle grates on the road at points. That was my first experience with those at speed and it wasn't a pleasant one. Rt. 1 South of there is pretty also...going north I can't remember as I was traveling to fast . You may want to check out PASHNIT for some great roads. Make sure you take the insurance on the bike and top it off with gas when you return it or they are going to bang you with extra fees.

 

[temp357]

Check this route out....

Um, I beg your pardon, Highlander... :glare: Now, I know this is your patch and all, and that you know best. But, did you forget that Highway 1 south from where our Coneticut Conneticut Connectticut East Coast friends are going to be is one of the top M.C. ride destinations IN THE WORLD?! (Excuse me for raising my voice.) Yet, you've got them heading inland and staying there. I just don't understand. Did I miss something? Did the sun rise in the west today? :blink:

Jb

Highway one blows. Very pretty, yes. The road is awful and full of tourists. It's not my first choice for a nice ride in california. Check out this web site. Just about every decent ride in California is in it.

Clicky

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Wow, nice response....Highlander, this looks like a great loop, we may ride all of it or just one of the two N to S legs depending on how the day goes, is one better than the other? That line near Mascorini Place looks like a riot :yahoo: As JB presumes, so it goes, we do hope to see the shore and something inland that day. I'll be looking for a E to W route to the shore from the south portion of your loop....JB, where is that 'Happy Place' you photographed? That lookout looks like its well worth lookin out for :dribble:

Regarding the weather in late July... Ive heard of fog along the shore in the morning and high temps inland late day...any truth in that? should we head inland in the am, back to the shore when the fog lifts...????

The south leg is more fun than the northern half of the run if you had to choose between them. It's more remote and twisty back in the canyon.

You'll have to commit to a long day if you want to do a coastal loop. Once you go south on Hwy 1 there's no good fast route over the coastal mountain range till you get to Hwy 46 just past Cambria. As you'll be two up , stopping for killer pic's along the way, it'll be a 4 / 5 hour ride to Cambria. There is one tight goat trail that passes through Hunter Liggett military reservation about halfway down the coast, but since your on vacation I'd pass it up unless the weather is miserable, which in July I highly doubt that'll happen.

If you decide to cut through Hunter Ligget on Nacimiento rd, you'll need your DL, ins and reg to pass the security shack on base.

On the inland trip section of the loop there's really only two choices, one is the freeway 101 and slab it back. or the other is to link a few county roads with a couple sections of 101 combined. You could link sections of G14, G18 and G16 with sections of 101 to make it back to Monterey, depending on your time restaints. The G16 from 101 connects up with the Carmel Valley road that I posted up earlier.

Of course there's nothing wrong with doing Hwy 1 south , then turning around and heading back up the coast again, believe me it's well worth doing it in both directions. It is without a doubt THE most scenic route in Cali, ( although there's a section of 1 above San Francisco that comes close in jawdropping scenery ). That's what I'd recommend you do.

On the subject of weather, there's more fog in summer than winter, sometimes it burns off by 9am , some time later, sometime it hangs around all day, sometimes there's none. Temps can hit 100 degrees inland, so I'd do inland first and the coast in the PM if your going to do a full loop. If the coast is clear get an early start before the tourist get out of bed.

Does it get better than this ????

Or this ??????????

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Check this route out....

Um, I beg your pardon, Highlander... :glare: Now, I know this is your patch and all, and that you know best. But, did you forget that Highway 1 south from where our Coneticut Conneticut Connectticut East Coast friends are going to be is one of the top M.C. ride destinations IN THE WORLD?! (Excuse me for raising my voice.) Yet, you've got them heading inland and staying there. I just don't understand. Did I miss something? Did the sun rise in the west today? :blink:

Jb

Highway one blows. Very pretty, yes. The road is awful and full of tourists. It's not my first choice for a nice ride in california. Check out this web site. Just about every decent ride in California is in it.

Clicky

Bullshit, it's all in the timing and your frame of mind. If you want to haul ass on the road you do it late sping or fall when the tourists go home. In summer you have to resolve yourself to a tourist role, as there's a lot of sightseers. It's idiotic to rail past camper after camper in the height of the season.

Pashnit does have a fine site though. You'll need to pay to join and see the full road descriptions. Tim's put a lot of time and hardwork into developing that site, and you can tell. If anyone coming to vistit Cali for a week or so , it's worth the $20 or so to join up and read all the details.

 

[madmike2]

<major snippage>If you want to haul ass on the road you do it late sping or fall when the tourists go home. In summer you have to resolve yourself to a tourist role, as there's a lot of sightseers. It's idiotic to rail past camper after camper in the height of the season.

And the CHP does patrol the roadway. If you are of a mind to "pass at will" those who are holding you up (over double yellow lines, in curves, be a general hooligan) you will probably be introduced to some other fees.

Bring your own throttle rocker to put on the rental bike for the day.

 

[GAPS]

Highlander, nice pics there sir, I cant wait to see that in person, what time of year is that, looks cage free to me....I spotted that road going thru Hunter Ligget and was considering it for my E to W connection, when you say goat trail is that to say it is dirt? I dont mind some groomed dirt roads two up but if it gets rough that will not do....I need to keep my lady smiling, this trip was her idea after all. It might be best for us to see the shore another day from the rent a cage...... and follow your original route verbatum for our one day on the bike. We want to see it all but would hate to be stuck in a parade while on 2 wheels. I would kill for a clear day along the shore as it appears in those photos.....

NO COPS...MadMike, I do not want to contribute any more $ to the local economy than this trip is already costing us We are bringing the rocker and the buddy belt, she loves that belt, lets her get a grip on me without having to reach around my sizeable guts...... :blink:

Will any of you gents be attending the GP? That is our main reason for visiting the coast, would love to meet up with a local or three......

Axeman, what is a cattle grate? Im thinking of something like the old Sikorsky bridge, a giant cheese grater that threatened to shred you at every crossing If you're interested, we could plan a day ride in our area sometime. Im just north of you near New Haven, would be glad to lead or follow.....btw, you parked it in these temps...no?

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Highlander, nice pics there sir, I cant wait to see that in person, what time of year is that, looks cage free to me

....I spotted that road going thru Hunter Ligget and was considering it for my E to W connection, when you say goat trail is that to say it is dirt?

Will any of you gents be attending the GP? That is our main reason for visiting the coast, would love to meet up with a local or three......

Axeman, what is a cattle grate?

First pic is in June around noon, the second in May about 10am ( already ridden about 4 hours by then ! ) , earlier in the day the better !! IF it's fog free or it's scheduled to burn off early definately head south on 1.

Goat trial is any bumpy, paved but potholed, patched, single or 1 1/2 lane wide road. Better suited for Motard / dual sport riding !

Nacimiento is a paved ( goat ) trail. My avatar comes from high up on that road. ( BTW do NOT speed through the military base..the fine's heavy and it's enforced ! )

Catttle grate runs 90 degrees to the road, made from tube steel with gaps between the tubes, so that the open range cattle cannot wander down the road off the ranch property. If there's one grate, there'll be another at the other end of the rancher's property.

I'll probably be at the GP, missed Laguna once in the last 10 years.

 

[James Burleigh]

Highway one blows...

Bullshit...

Y'all got that right, Highlander! Come to California and not ride Highway 1 south from Monterey??? Bullshit indeed!

And to answer the question posed above about my "happy place," you go north across the Golden Gate Bridge (or south works too :blink: ), and take the exit just on the northern side. Find your way over to the western side of the Hwy 101, and meander your way up the road (last exist going south off 101 before cross the bridge into SF) all the way to the top. One of the best views in town, apart from the view on the other side from The Wall, a famous MC hangout above Berkeley.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

If you haven't been on Highway 1 between Morro Bay and Carmel, you are in for some of the most fantastic riding you've ever done. Naciemento / Ferguson road has some of the most incredible views in the world (IMO). It IS technical so if you aren't used to very thin windy and steep roads, be very careful.

This road is between Lucia and Gorda on CA 1. Superb riding. There is gas in Gorda (and you can brag you bought the most expensive gas in the US) and they have a hot dog stand too...not to mention the highly regarded Whale Watcher Cafe where you can get a nice lunch while watching the migrating whales (in season).

I love this area and I hope a bunch of other people do too!

 

[twowheelnut]

Gorda... Wouldn't that be a sweet place for a MC 'base camp'? Just think of all the roads you could hit using that as a base camp. :dribble:

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Gorda... Wouldn't that be a sweet place for a MC 'base camp'? Just think of all the roads you could hit using that as a base camp. :dribble:

No shit! Especially if you have a dual sport. There was a gold rush down there in the 1880's so dirt roads literally snake all over them there hills...nice and curvy so that the ore wagons could make the grade. Gorda was a base camp for the Hells Angels up until about 20 years ago when it got the CHP strike force treatment. Now it's a pretty upstanding and pleasant place

Here's a ride report from the area with a group of good people.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...8&hl=Carmel

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...488&hl=romp