Commonly known as “The Land of 10,000 Lakes”, many of the Native American words for areas within the borders of what we call Minnesota have to do with its many pristine bodies of water. Geographical features are usually a reliable predictor of a region’s motorcycle roads, and if you are guessing that Minnesota’s lakes and waterways have led to the creation of a high number of scenic and fun motorcycle roads, you’d be correct!
Although much of Minnesota is great for wandering and exploring on your motorcycle, there are a number of areas in the state that might not necessarily make for the most exciting or scenic ride (unless riding in a straight line surrounded by oat fields is your thing). Take out the guesswork and let us help you to experience the best motorcycle routes in Minnesota. The REVER App is free to use and makes riding a state’s best motorcycle roads as simple and browsing routes and selecting what looks best to you. Then just gas up and go! Create new routes, log your rides and share with friends all within the app. Want even more planning and tracking tools at your disposal? Upgrade your account to REVER Pro for features like turn-by-turn + voice navigation, 3D animated route exploration, weather radar + alerts, and much more. Learn about everything that REVER and REVER Pro can offer you when it comes to planning and logging your next motorcycle ride or trip.
If you’re looking for four-season riding, look much further to the south than Minnesota. Butted up against the 49th parallel at its northern border, Minnesota winters are notoriously, sometimes brutally cold. Sub-zero temperatures are a normal occurrence in the winter months, so needless to say you won’t be going out on any rides during the winter unless you’re on a snow bike or snowmobile (in which case you can track your ride and create backcountry snow routes using the REVER App!). The upside is that during the summer, warm sunny days provide ideal weather for getting in some miles on your bike. It can still get pretty chilly in the morning and evening, so be sure to have a gear setup that can adapt to temperature swings throughout the day. We recommend pairing a base layer with some summer or four-season riding gear, as this kind of setup can handle Minnesota’s typical summer temperature range. If riding earlier in the spring or later in the fall, definitely pack in an insulative mid layer and some warm gloves - having your hands go numb while riding is both a buzzkill and a hazard! Always check the weather forecast before setting out on your ride and be sure to pack some decent raingear if there is any chance of wet weather. No matter where you are riding, preparedness is going to either make or break your chance of having a safe and enjoyable time on the bike.
When planning your next Minnesota motorcycle trip, there are a number of attractions that you should seriously consider checking out and make a part of your experience. The North Shore All-American Scenic Drive is an attraction that fits particularly well into a motorcycle trip. Beginning in Duluth, this spectacular 154-mile stretch of road follows the shore of Lake Superior all the way to the Canadian border, passing through 6 state parks in the process. Along this route is another destination worth visiting: the Split Rock Lighthouse. Built in 1910 to prevent ships from running aground in this hazardous area of Lake Superior, the precariously perched Split Rock Lighthouse is one of the most visited and photographed destinations in the state of Minnesota. If you have enough time during your trip for a day or more of paddling and exploring via canoe, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is certainly worth a visit. This one-million-plus acre wilderness reserve contains some of the most pristine waterways in all of North America. Some of Minnesota’s city-based attractions include the Cathedral of St. Paul, the Minnesota State Capitol Building, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, just to name a few.
This route heads out of Red Wing south along the Mississippi before heading to Millville and the famous Spring Creek Motocross track where the AMA National takes place. Then loops back to Red Wing.
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This route from Grand Rapids north into George Washington State Forest has more lakes that you can shake a stick at.
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This loop head south from the 61 through the Cannon River Turtle Preserve to Vasa and the back around past Red Wing.
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There will be a spelling test after you ride this route, because if you can memorize how to spell Lake Winnibigoshish, you are smarter than us. This loop heads North from Twin Cities Harley-Davidson (1441 85th Ave NE, Blaine, MN 55449) and does a loop around many lakes in the George Washington State Forest.
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From Vermillion Falls near Crane Lake MN to Virginia MN through the Echo Trail, Ely MN, and Babbitt MN Vermillion Falls Road is dirt, Crane Lake Road is paved, Echo Trail starts as dirt near the town of Byuck but turns into pavement near Ely. Paved and Dirt roads can be found from Ely back to Virginia.
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"You don't stop riding when you get old, you get old when you stop riding."
― Anonymous
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