Wondering if you have the right motorcycle for the Carson / Tahoe Moto? If you ride it, the answer is yes, you do.
What’s the right motorcycle?
The right motorcycle for our event is the one you ride. Not the bike you wish you had but don’t. Not the one in your garage that you don’t want to get any bugs on. We designed our event for people who like to ride motorcycles. If you spend more time polishing the chrome on your bike than riding it then this might not be the place for you. And it’s definitely not the right event for those who decide on the right motorcycle by how it looks parked in front of a bar.
The right motorcycle for our event is the one you like to ride the most.
We feel very strongly that motorcycles are meant to be ridden. The right motorcycle, on the right road, on the right day is a thing of joy and beauty. For some riders, the right road is miles of smooth, twisty pavement. For others, it’s a scenic dirt road in the backcountry. For many, a great day of riding means some of each. We’re very fortunate to have a lot of great roads, both paved and dirt, within a short distance of our basecamp in Carson Valley, Nevada.
The right motorcycle for paved mountain twisties.
What’s the right motorcycle for our beautiful High Sierra mountain roads? That depends on how hard you want to ride and what you want to get out of a day on the bike. If you ride a sport bike and your tires don’t show any sign of chicken strips we’ve got some of the best curves in the Western US.
Sport bikes on Monitor Pass
If you think the right motorcycle skews more toward comfort for long days in the saddle, maybe riding two up, then you’re probably riding something a little heavier, with more forgiving suspension, and a more upright riding position. Maybe with some luggage for carrying cameras and lunch, and a port to recharge your phone. The big adventure bikes are great for this sort of riding.
Two-up motorcycle ride in the High Sierra on a big adventure bike.
The right motorcycle for backcountry dirt.
The right motorcycle for our dirt routes is something that you feel comfortable riding on dirt. Most of our dirt rides are more about seeing remote backcountry and less about extreme technical challenges. So anything with dirt-friendly tires, a bit of ground clearance, and some protection for the vulnerable parts will be just fine. If you like to ride hard on the dirt you’ll probably bring one of the lighter dual-sport bikes. If you feel confident on a big machine on loose surfaces, then one of the big adventure bikes will be the right motorcycle for you.
Checking the route in the backcountry. Two big adventure motorcycles and a smaller dual-sport bike.
Whatever you decide to ride, we’ve got some great routes that will leave you knowing you brought the right motorcycle, on the right day, for some of the best riding anywhere.
The 2014 Carson / Tahoe Moto is August 21-24. You can register here, or, sign up for our email newsletter.
