A Motorcyclist's Paradise

California Is The Place To Be If You Ride A Bike

Last Sunday night I attended the Los Angeles Moto Film Festival at Golden Road Brewing. There were 16 entries (including an episode of On Two Wheels, our YouTube show) that all spoke to the passion of LA's varied motorcycle factions. It was a great event, with inspiring films and a diverse assemblage of motorcyclists and motorcycles.

Attending the festival served to remind me why I moved to California 6 years back. Motorcycles, cars, and motorsports in general are part of the fabric that California is made from. This is the place to be if internal combustion makes you tick.

I bought my first real streetbike (a Suzuki Bandit 600) shortly after graduating high school, then bailed on college to ride across the country. It took me four months to get to California, and when I came down the western slope of the Sierras into a verdant California spring, I was overcome with happiness. I didn't know it at the time, but the weather, endless winding roads, and incredible scenery were just the start.

I met like-minded riders at every junction in the road, journeyed to Laguna Seca, Alice’s Restaurant, Mount Palomar, and Skaggs River Road. Everywhere I went I discovered more things that propelled me deeper into a love of motorcycles.

Here in LA, we’re immersed in motorcycle culture. From the shops, clubs, and weekly events, to the manufacturers’ national headquarters and many racetracks, Southern California is the American epicenter of motorcycle activity. I’ve traveled all over the country by bike, but never found a place as incredible as California. If you live here and ride, you understand. If you’ve never been to the Golden State, it’s worth a visit.