Best State to live and ride in Year Round?

what's this big deal about "lane splitting" to me all it means is obnoxious traffic

I prefer Vermont where passing on double yellow is legal, more advantageous for riding in twisties than lane splitting imho

The big deal about lane splitting is that those of us who commute to work and/or ride every day can get to our destinations faster and safer.

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^^^

Yeah. Plus you don't get rear ended while waiting at a light or stop sign because you already filtered to the front.

I pass on double yellow frequently, traffic enforcement is lax in San Diego. Police are underfunded and have more pressing things to do. On the more popular motorcycling roads, cars will pull over for you.

which tells me its a shitty place to live if ya have that much traffic

There is no traffic for bikes. Zero. None.

And the thing about lane splitting that most people don't 'get' is that it is not just a freeway thing. *Every* red light you ride to the front and have open road, all the time.

SoCal in general also has wider roads than most places, and drivers generally pull over for you. On the freeways they drive in the left side of the left lane and pull right in the next. At stop lights same thing, there is usually a 6' bike lane right up to the front of the intersection.

AND because bikes can and do appear out of nowhere, in larger cities in CA drivers actually do *LOOK* for motorcycles before changing lanes. There's still idiots, but on the whole a driver will actually *look* in the mirror and look back a ways before doing a crazy ivan turn right in front of you. Bikes get a *lot* more respect in SoCal.

It's very noticeable when you leave; particularly here in Wa you're lucky if they glance and once they decided there's not a semi there they will go three lanes over. Which brings up another point, if there IS a semi there they won't move into it, which makes that a pretty safe place for a bike to be.

California enforcement is also RADICALLY different than anywhere else, particularly SoCal. CHP in SoCal is so crazy outnumbered, they are looking for idiots. They are trying to keep traffic flowing smoothly, stopping reckless drivers, drunks, road rage, criminals... They are not just trying to generate revenue. When traffic is flowing I've been driving along with everyone else at 90+ and been PASSED by a cop. They can and will actually issue a ticket for going too slow.

Yep. +1
But the CA boys don't seem to understand.
No traffic = no lane splitting.

pretend you have no traffic if you like, your sharing that lane with someone, be it another bike or a cage.

I'd rather live where there is no reason to lane split and if ya happen to catch up with the occasional vehicle, you can go left from center (across double yellow) without fear of ticket

I'm sure there are places in rural California that are decent to live, however as a whole, considering cost of living, etc.,it is not a good
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100016697
Tennessee might rank high for some, plenty of good riding and low cost of living.

or my state, New Hampshire, ranking #1 in quality of life and while not the best or most good riding, good enuf to be a destination for riders

or Vermont #3 on quality of life, plenty of good riding, and passing on double yellow, would be my pick as #1. You say but they have winter and snow & ice everywhere, well that's your choice, I rather enjoy riding in adverse conditions as a relaxing activity.

#1 I call BS on the whole idea that you have no need to split. I've been in the boondocks and gotten stuck in traffic. I had a 45 minute stop on the freeway in the middle of no-where in Oregon because a truck overturned and they closed the freeway to two lanes. They would have been 5 minutes in Ca.

The simple fact is that MOST people prefer to live in a city, on the coast. It's great that you want to be by yourself, but I like concerts and shows, having things to do and actually meeting people sometimes too. Different strokes. I can go to the country any time I like, but I kinda like LIVING a block from the grocery store.

Also the highest violent crime in the nation. crap employment and you have to be surrounded by rednecks, evangelicals and racists all day long. And since we are talking about motorcycle riding, OK, Tennessee has some of the worst traffic I've ever seen. Nashville is the crossroads of every point in the nation, and being surrounded by THOUSANDS of semi's in stop and go traffic (that you can't avoid) sure ain't my idea of fun motorcycling either, AND god help you if you want a mountain to look at or ride on.

Winters are not 'everywhere' take Socal for example. WA has some Fantastic roads, it's got more bikes per capita than Florida, but no daylight in the winter and riding in the dark, in the rain is not as much fun as it is in California. And hey, California has snow too, if you want to be in it. The point is that CA you can pick and choose exactly what you want.

Quality of life is such a subjective thing anyway it's kinda pointless. The Billionaires in Newport beach have a great quality of life and vast opportunity, the maids that clean their houses can't afford to live there. There are pockets like that everywhere.

'Good roads' does not a great year round riding environment make. *everywhere* has some good roads. Some are better than others sure, but seriously I'd much rather have a car pull over and let me pass than passing on a double line in a curve. And I'd put Highway 1 up against anything anywhere for a good motorcycle road. and it's one of many, deserts, sand dunes, mexico/Vegas resorts, mountains, skiing, you name it it's within easy reach of Socal. And good Roads, And Year round riding, And cars that respect bikes And lane Splitting and less traffic BS. It's not a fair fight if where to ride is the criteria.

I have lived in;

Kansas..no need to ever go back..(it's home) Tornados are cool in away..I was on the East side..saw plenty

Florida..Why own a motorcycle, get a boat, humid sweat, hot, sweat, humid, hot..wife's from there, go back all the time..own a house in Clearwater..inlaws live on a lake..three days..all I can take..

Colorado..more than 20 years..bought my first GS there..great mountains..good roads..all the trees are dying from beetle kill..three seasons..Fire, mud, cold..but it is my adopted home..and I love going back to visit friends..the place I thought I would always eventually return too..

Las Vegas..Hated it when we first got there..it grew on me in ways..lotsa great off road riding close by..long straight roads..horrible people in your day to day interactions..pretty warm in June, July, August..most of September..when I was there.I used to run down and cover the Fenix office a lot..people in Vegas complain about the heat in Fenix..doG bless..the humidity is a bit higher there, I guess all the open canals..and it is HORRIBLE...funny that someone mentioned no income tax..big deal..it costs $800 a year to put plates on your car..and your insurance is double the rest the country..thousands of miles to ride in though..and some neat stuff close by..

Spent a bit of time in So Cal..like someone said..it's a desert unless you're in town..expensive..sweet jesus..I built some fire training towers north of LA..per diem couldn't keep up.. No real opinion of it though..didn't live there..the company I worked for in Vegas had an office there, spent a bit of time there..bout it..

Now in Washington..yeah..it's gray..rainy alot..but summers are EPIC..twisties are EPIC..off roading sux after being in Vegas..but it's there..you just gotta drive for it..tons to see and do..every view is a post card..

Had family in Texas and my Vegas employer was based in Dallas..spent lots of time there..meh..bad weather..no public land..no off road riding..no BBQ..yeah..I know you think you do..but you don't..

So..that being said..The PNWest has won the wife and I's hearts..we are getting ready to by 20 acres and start building a house..and embark on another little project that I soon plan to announce here in ADV Rider..

New Mexico....

Not as hot as AZ in the summer, not as cold as CO in the winter, great riding year round. I've gone snow boarding in the am, for a ride on street bike in the afternoon and the next day I did a 6 hour dirt bike ride, followed by a day at the race track... I mean really where else could ya pull that off? There have only been a few days when I couldn't ride to work.

It's only 6 hours to the best riding in AZ, CO, UT or TX. CA is less then a day away.

You already know my answer, right?

Mammoth/elsinore and if you want you could sail to Catalina for the weekend.

Cept you'd have your choice of five racetracks.

There's Big Bear too, closer access to the beaches. Or Tahoe if you're farther up. NM has zip zero zilch on CA except some pretty holes in the ground.
I'll concede a lot of beauty to Oregon/Washington, our west coast bros, but they just get too much rain.

Yep, The rides are numerous and Epic in Wa, but it does get old having 90 days straight of rain.

OR just has stupid low speed limits in the whole damned state and cops lookin for a reason to give you a ticket for 5 over.

I have inlaws from Tampa area and go there every year or two for a week.

If there is a Motorcycle hell, Florida is it! Flat roads, biggest hills are freeway overpasses, only curves are cloverleafs, hot, humid, lots of traffic, and the cagers are blind and senile, and hate them darned motorsickles.

Damn, Xymotic. Are you just here to tell everyone how much their state sucks and how great California is?

I bet you were one of those expats who spent a year there and had to move and just can't get over how awesome it was. Between the places I lived in California I spent almost twenty total years there living in the San Diego and Los Angeles metro areas, and I always had a bike. How many years have you spent there? Even if it is longer, I cannot stand this perception so many carry that it is the end all be all in great places to live. A lot of New Yorkers and Texans use to be that way but anymore they tend to be more humble. I also think it's sad how you came into this thread to pick apart the places some people live, but at this point I don't want you to stop, I want to see your reaction for each state and city- it's becoming quite the act.

Lane splitting is nice but saying there's no traffic is ridiculous... Unless you're one of those idiots who flies through the lanes going 60 when traffic is at a stand still, you have to still deal with traffic. Again, I LOVED lane splitting and wish it was legal everywhere, but to do it safely you have to do it selectively. Also, if you have a bike like my R1200GS Adventure with the big panniers on it like mine has, you will be lane splitting a hell of a lot less than a sport bike, unless you decide to take off your panniers and what self respecting ADV rider would do that?

Also, you are the biggest fanboy of any one place I've ever seen, ever. Even by California fanboy standards. :eek1

To the OP, you know what I suggest? Take a ride, visit all these places. Different strokes for different folks. You're suppose to be an ADV rider so go out there and ride to a bunch of places then figure out where you want to settle down. Pretty much anything in the Southern United States has year round riding.

Hey, when you find your bliss go for it I say!

Just not as good as SoCal's, and no lane splitting.

I only spent a decade there, grew up in Reno. Which sucks cuz of snow.

See, Florida "seems" like it would be nice, but I figured it had too many bugs. But Cagers actually hating motos is a pretty big deal. Damn I miss LA.

Been to over thirty countries, lived in four different ones and been to most states in the US. Lived in Norcal, Socal, Australia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Montana, & Minnesota.

Give Xymotic a break. Guy is making some great points, and they are well reasoned and thought out vs just being "fanboy".

And answer me this: I just did a Lee Parks Total Control cornering class. It was held at Camp Pendleton. The instructor informed us that in all fifty US states, the most motorcycles owned were:

1) California
2) Camp Pendleton
3) Arizona

Think about that for a second. A military base has more motorcycles than any other state in the Union except CA, which it's located in. What this means in actual practice, like people have said already, is that cages are more "motorcycle friendly" here and tend to notice you more just based on the total number of motorcycles out and about. Strength in numbers. No one gives me shit when I filter to the front of the line at stop lights, or lanesplit on city streets. Many move over.

I love America, and I love all of her States. No need to talk shit on any of them. But I chose to live in Socal despite all the crap you have to put up with here because you can do anything here as far as a motorcycle goes. And do it year round and have a lot of other folks to do it with.

"Just not as good as SoCal"

Says who? People from SoCal? People who live in SoCal? What makes the "Best Riding Road?" that is so completely bias and opinion based. One thing I didn't like is for me, unless you lived on the outskirts of the cities it was a lot further away than the twisties are here and they were generally not as well paved and cared for, not that they were bad. Honestly? The ride I miss the most in California is cruising up and down the PCH on a late afternoon. But now I go out through the beautiful desert and down trails filled with huge cactus and it's only 10 minutes from my house to get to that. Some one else even stated it and I agree, you can get into such desolation so quickly in the desert cities which is so incredibly nice, to get out in nature and away from the hustle. But again, it's totally dependent on what the person enjoys. We should be telling OP -ABOUT- the places and what makes them nice or what we enjoy about them, not arguing about which one is more awesome.

Also, no offense to anyone in uniform but trusting what the bike instructors say at Camp Pendleton is the biggest load of #%@$ I've ever heard. They work with the local dealers so the dealers can sell more bikes and their statistics are based completely off of what they say. Do you REALLY think Camp Pendleton (a marine base in California) has more motorcycles than the entire state of Texas? Arizona? Florida? Seriously man, get real.

Also, I had people cut me off all the time and even open doors on me when I was lane splitting (on purpose, in the street not the on the street parking but on the freeway).

Also, the only thing I was getting onto Xymotic about was exactly what you're telling me to do to him, giving people a break and not insulting why they like some where because they do. I've met people who absolutely LOVE and absolutely HATE just about everywhere.

As far as the lane-splitting vs. passing on DY. I would choose lane-splitting.
I am sure every state has at least one city where lane-splitting would come in handy. I guess it depends on where you live. If I lived where there were a lot of twisties and not much overall traffic, well yes then pass on a DY law would be more handy, but I bet lane-splitting would benefit more people overall.

Like others have said here, California drivers are more tolerant, not just of lane-splitting but M/C's in general and more aware. That's been my experience anyway. The traffic in LA is worse than any place I have been if you are in a Car. I am not sure why anybody would want to commute in LA in a car, you think they would have 90% of the population on bikes. Yes they have more than other states, but still far more cars than bikes. I just don't get it.