A rough 15 mile loop through mining country near the historic town of Allegheny, CA, down to the Yuba River and back up.

Nice bikes...I had the exact blue ‘72 TS185. It provided street legal transportation (bike not rider) for the two years before I had a drivers license.

Thanks JGersh, it's one I'd documented picking up and working on here, a friend ended up buying it so now it's his problem

Maybe next year.

Beautiful.....bikes, scenery , weather .. ...everything ! Great pics..

Thanks KJB. A few more from that day, took the BMW F650GS out today but needless to say it isn't that photogenic...

All I can say is - "Wish I was riding with you...." - this is what a "Trail" bike is all about...………...

Any time you want to ride out here KJB (or anyone else on here) the offer is open

So now in California we are allowed to go "Cycling" and "BMX Biking" and "Quad Biking" so while motorcycle riding is not specifically included in the list, it must fall under the umbrella of those three? It's the perfect time of year for lower elevation riding and it was a good day to take the F650GS since it has new 50/50 tires on it (it came with 90/10 street/dirt). So neither vintage or Yamaha. The ride was 60 miles of the old "Ponderosa Way"
Some history of it here, parts still exist, much has vanished. livingnewdeal.org/a-firebreak-runs-through-it/

Of that, 6-8 of it is only maintained by user groups, aka people do what they need to to get through and that's it. As a result is very rough and overgrown. That section took as long as the other 50 miles of dirt. Not sure I got out of first gear. Still, great views were had and as it's follows the treeline, yet drops into canyons, the vegetation changes drastically through the ride. To make it a loop I returned on the Highway (and had neither the energy or time to return the way I came). All told ~135 miles.

Black Rock and Mill Creek in the background.


New tires and a 15 tooth sprocket (stock is 16) helped the BMW immensely offroad. While the new bikes can go further and do more than the vintage, somehow the experience isn't as rewarding, I'm not sure if I'll keep them or not, on the fence right now.