Southeast Region

Sep/Oct '22 Premium Content

Cleveland, Mississippi Shamrock Tour®: The Heart of the Delta

Two days of riding south from Music City gave us the chance to become acquainted with the motorcycles we would be paired with on this Shamrock Tour®—an Indian Chief Limited and Indian Challenger Dark Horse. I’m not sure there could’ve been a better choice of machines for

Destinations

Barbecue, Brews, and Music in Cleveland, Mississippi

On the first Saturday of October, more than 50 barbecue teams from across the nation meet on the greenway in the historic Mississippi Delta town of Cleveland, MS, to compete for over $25,000 in cash and prizes, and bragging rights, as kings and queens of the Delta BBQ Battle,

Sep/Oct '22

Classic Roads: Back of the Dragon

The appellation “Whatever of the Dragon” has come to denote a challenging road that motorcyclists particularly cherish. These are destination roads, which usually include switchbacks and steep elevation changes, and are usually laid out in a scenic landscape. While the Tail of the Dragon (aka US 129) in Tennessee may

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Cherohala Skyway and Tail of the Dragon

These two classic roads, taken together, offer motorcyclists one of the most challenging days of mountain riding available anywhere. The full 138-mile route starts and ends in Tellico Plains, TN, at the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center. From there the road rapidly gains altitude on SR 165. At around the halfway

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Into The Keys US 1 in Florida Part 2

We covered the first 250 miles of the 545-mile Floridian stint of US 1 in Part 1: Down from the North. Riding southward from Georgia, we ended our journey in the city of Melbourne. Now, it’s time to cruise along the last 300 miles or so that will bring

Jul/Aug '22 Premium Content

Fayetteville, Arkansas Shamrock Tour®

I grew up in Arkansas, so it’s fitting that I’m heading to the Ozarks for my first Shamrock Tour®. I plan to spend roughly a week in northwest Arkansas, with Fayetteville as my home base. The Bikes, Blues, and BBQ 2021 rally was set to provide plenty of

Jul/Aug '22 Premium Content

Racing Thoroughbreds From Tennessee to Kentucky

We are lucky, living in the Nashville area, to have so much spectacular riding within a few hours of our house. Regardless of the type of bike we may be on, there are options to suit. While usually finding ourselves on dual-sport styled bikes capable of off-pavement exploration, we also

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

Kentucky Adventure Tour: Delayed Gratification

I hear the sharp pop of metal moving. An orange flash falls into the maple tree, getting caught on the handlebar like a makeshift kickstand. The bike has fallen against the tree, settling into it's final resting place. This is a fairly good outcome, as the tree safely separates the

May/Jun '22

City Escape: New Orleans, Louisiana

The Big Easy is known for its nightlife, distinct music, and rich Creole culture. Visiting New Orleans is always exciting, and arriving via motorcycle takes things up a notch. This route is your chance to explore the Mississippi Gulf Coast, see scenic swamplands, and even go looking for gators.Riding

Reader Ride Premium Content

Crossing the Precipice on a Super Duke GT

Traveling New RoadsSomeone I trust advised me to start this story with a bang. My bang was the sound of the Achilles tendon on the dominant right side of my body rupturing on a basketball court at Disney World. My magic encounter with the land of Mickey Mouse landed me

Events

Adventure Cross Rally

It doesn’t get much better than spending a few days in the woods with new and old friends, riding dual sports on asphalt, gravel, dirt, and everything in between. A new event popped up last year, and it’s on our radar to attend. The ADVxRally, or Adventure Cross

May/Jun '22 Premium Content

Leesburg, Virginia Shamrock Tour®

“The Civil War defined us as what we are and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things. It was the crossroads of our being, and it was a hell of a crossroads.” —Shelby Foote, The Civil War: A Narrative Mid-Atlantic Civil War TrailsBetween 1861 and

Mar/Apr '22

City Escape: Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Get an early start and ride this ultra long City Escape in the heart of the Ozarks. This almost 350-mile loop will treat you to curves and vistas. Leading east and staying south of the lakes, you’ll make your way to Mountain View, AR, before returning. The area is

Racing

2021 Tennessee Knockout Hard Enduro

We humans have always enjoyed watching people perform tasks with extreme proficiency. This seemingly unique quality has been studied by psychologists and helps explain the advent of spectator events in virtually every society that we know of. Whether it’s the Tokyo Olympics, the gladiators of ancient Rome, or an

Travel Guide

Top 5 Things to Do in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston-Salem, North Carolina is a great base for motorcycle adventures, but you don't have to get out of the city to have a good time. Here are some of our favorite places to visit in Winston-Salem. Bailey Power Plant—Innovation QuarterOnce R.J. Reynold’s coal-fired power plant shut down,

Nov/Dec '21 Premium Content

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Shamrock Tour®

Moravians settled land in North Carolina in 1766 and called it Salem. Just one mile north, Winston was founded as the county seat in 1849. In 1913, they merged to create Winston-Salem. R. J. Reynolds built his tobacco empire here, and many recall the cigarette brands Winston and Salem. The

Sep/Oct '21

City Escape: Atlanta, Georgia

Escape the sprawling urban landscape of Atlanta by taking a series of secondary roads to Alabama’s iconic Little River Canyon, and then return via rural roads in the foothills of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Charming historic settlements along the way include the Georgia towns of Dallas, Cave Spring, and

Jul/Aug '21 Premium Content

Florida's Coastal Curves

While much can be said about the year-round sun, boating, and beach lifestyle of southern Florida, motorcycling in the lower half of the Sunshine State can leave a bit to be desired. Although rides along beach roads are always good for pleasant scenery and beautiful sunsets, the topography is sea-level

Jul/Aug '21 Premium Content

West Virginia

If mountains are magnets then I am steel. Be it the Alps or Appalachians, I have always been drawn to the folds of stone and soil, wondering what secrets lay hidden in the distant peaks and valleys. They are tranquil and foreboding at the same time, and largely inaccessible. But

May/Jun '21 Premium Content

Johnson City, Tennessee Shamrock Tour®

Johnson City lies just on the edge of the Cherokee National Forest in the northeastern corner of Tennessee. The city is claimed to be one of the first settled areas in the state, originating in the late 1700s, but it didn’t get its name until 1856 when Henry Johnson

May/Jun '21

City Escape: Ridgeland, Mississippi

This escape takes riders from a modern-day suburban environment back to the 19th century when bloody Civil War battles determined the future of our nation. You’ll also visit a historic location where columns of stone are the only ghostly remnants of a once expansive plantation. After a lunch of

Mar/Apr '21

City Escape: Richmond, Virginia

Journey back in history along some of Virginia’s most enchanting byways, where American history is combined with lost-in-time backroads through a hilly agricultural landscape, mountaintop vistas, a classy lunch stop, and a slice of the Blue Ridge Pkwy as a delicious dessert.Traffic on the backroads is usually moderate,

Mar/Apr '21

Destination: Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs, AR, sits atop more than 40 springs with water heated by magma thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface. Native Americans enjoyed these mineral springs long before European Americans arrived. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, “taking the waters” in the “Valley of Vapors” was

Jan/Feb '21

City Escapes: Maryville, Tennessee

This trip is for those who like long riding days. Start early to complete the entire loop before dark and ride during summer to get the most sunlight. This is a three-season route, as higher elevations tend to get snowed up in the winter. The mountains are stunning in this

Jan/Feb '21

Classic Roads: Down from the North US 1 in Florida Part 1

The US 1 stretches across 545 miles throughout the entire length of Florida along its eastern shore, from the northern border with Georgia to the southernmost tip of the continental U.S. in Key West. It was designated the first U.S. highway when the Numbered Highways System was rolled