• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Rudy's Road Rankings - How the best roads in the Bay stack up to each other

rudolfs001

rudolfs001

Booty Hunter
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Location
Union City
Moto(s)
KTM 450exc,
VStrom 650,
Buell 1125cr,
VFR800,
TLR,
SV650
Name
Rudy
I'm one of those nerdy people that like spreadsheets, so I made one to rate all the amazing roads that I've ridden, to see which roads are the best overall. I've arranged them by region and area within the region, so you can easily find roads to combine for a good ride.

Right now the list fully covers California. I'll be scouring Oregon next.

RoadRatings.com is the link. You can sort them, cell P1 has instructions.

Let me know which of your favorite roads I'm missing :ride
 
Last edited:
Everyone knows my fave. And newbee’s....
 
If you're going to include things like "Forest Route 42N17", there are literally hundreds of those in the Sierras.

You're missing a few good dead-ends like Welch Creek (east from Calaveras), Marsh Rd (east from Felter), and Mendenhall (east from Del Valle Rd).

Somewhere around here a year or so back I listed several dozen good ones in the Sierras from just east of Fresno up past Sacramento. Oh, here's the link: http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=508745
 
Saving a copy of this to my drive - this will definitely come in handy
 
What are you going to do with all of these additional roads?

I don't agree with your rating system. For example, Palomares gets a solid 10 in my book, especially if you take it from Niles Canyon north toward Dublin Canyon.

Are you going to have to ride the rest of these before you can add ratings? If not, how are you going to get the rest of us to agree on how they rate?
 
I find the same road can change with say... weather, direction traveled, bike you are on, attitude, probably other variables as well.

So you gotta learn to love 'em all. :teeth
 
WWWobble said:
I find the same road can change with say... weather, direction traveled, bike you are on, attitude, probably other variables as well.

So you gotta learn to love 'em all. :teeth
Click to expand...
Yep. The right road for my WR450 is awfully different than the right road for my SV1000 (even though the latter is set up fairly well for goaty roads).
 
rudolfs001 said:
Not me, spill the beans!
Click to expand...

and another quote: "Yep. The right road for my WR450 is awfully different than the right road for my SV1000 (even though the latter is set up fairly well for goaty roads)."

Mt Hamilton is a totalltally different ride on the Black Dream as opposed to the R6. Both totally awesome. I think I'll go ride it, as soon as it warma up a bit.

San Antonio Valley Road and Mines and Del Pueto rate up there too. And it is all so quiet and peaceful back there too.
 
Last edited:
Can you add?

11 Pines Road
9 Mile Canyon Road
Adobe Canyon Road
Alamitos Road
Alba Road
Alderpoint Road
Alisal Road
Alpine Road
Annette Road
Arroya Seco Road
Artichoke Road
Auberry Road
Austin Creek Road
Avery Sheep Ranch Road
Back Ranch Road
Bald Hills Road
Bay Hill Road
Bean Creek Road
Bean Hollow Road
Bear Creek Road
Bear Gulch Road
Bell Springs Road
Berryessa Knoxville Road
Bitterwater Road
Black Bear Road
Black Mountain Road
Black Road
Blackrock Road
Bloom Grade Road
Blue Lakes Road
Bohemian Highway
Bohlman Road
Bolinas Road
Bonetti Road
Bonny Doon Road
Breckenridge Road
Browns Valley Road
Burr Trail Road
Buzzard Lagoon Road
Cachagua Road
Calaveras Road
Caldor Logging Road
Caliente Bodfish Road
Camino Diablo Road
Camp Pomponio Road
Canada Road
Cannon Road
Canyon Road
Carlton Road
Carmel Valley Road
Casa Loma Road
Castro Valley Road, Gilroy CA
Cathermola rd
Cavedale Road
Cerro Noroeste Road
Chemise Mountain Road
Chileno Valley Road
Chimney Rock Road
China Grade Road
Chuck Yeager Road
Cienega Road
Cloverdale Road
Coalinga Road
Cohasset Road
Coleman Valley Road
Comanche Point Road
Crane Valley Road
Crystal Lake Road
Davis Road
Dead Indian Memorial Road
Defender Grade
Del Puerto Canyon Road
Dry Creek Drive
Dunlap Road
East Dunne Avenue
Empire Grade
Eshom Valley Road
Eureka Canyon Road
Everitt Memorial Highway
Fairfax Bolinas Road
Felter Road
Felton Empire Road
Fern Ridge Road
Fifield road
Figueroa Mountain Road
Fish Rock Road
Forest Route 23S16
Forest Route 9N46
Fort Ross Road
Fort Seaward Road
Franz Valley Road
Fricot City Road
Fullen Road
Gazos Creek Road
Geysers Road
Gillam Road
Gilroy Hot Springs Road
Gist Road
Glendora Mountain Road
Glenwood Road
Green Springs Highway 66
Grizzly Peak Boulevard
Gwin Mine Road
Happy Canyon Road
Hare Canyon Road
Hauser Bridge Road
Hawver Road
Hazel Dell Road
Hell Hole Road
Helltown Road
Hicks Road
Higgins Canyon Road
Highland Road
Highland Way
Highway 1
Highway 108 Sonora Pass
Highway 120 and Tioga Pass
Highway 121
Highway 136
Highway 140
Highway 146
Highway 155
Highway 158
Highway 160
Highway 162
Highway 168
Highway 172
Highway 175
Highway 178
Highway 180
Highway 182
Highway 190
Highway 198
Highway 229
Highway 236
Highway 245
Highway 25
Highway 253
Highway 254 Avenue of the Giants
Highway 299
Highway 33
Highway 36
Highway 4
Highway 41
Highway 58
Highway 6
Highway 74 Ortega Hwy
Highway 84
Highway 88
Highway 89
Highway 9
Highway 96
Hill Road
Hollister Ranch Road
Hopkins Gulch Rd
Howell Mountain Road
Huntington Lake Road
Ice Cream Grade
Ida Clayton Road
Indian Creek Road
Indian Gulch Road
Indians Road
Interstate 80
Iowa Hill Road
Jamieson Road
Jamison Creek Road
Jasper Sears Road
Jesus-Maria Road
Kaiser Pass Road
Kelso Valley Road
Kennedy road
Kincaid Road
Kings Creek Road
Kings Mountain Road
Kings Ridge Road
La Gloria Road
Laureles Grade
Leesville Road
Leoni Road
Little Basin Road
Little Panoche Road
Lobitos Creek Cut-Off
Lobitos Creek Road
Lockwood San Lucas Road
Lockwood Valley Road
Lodge Road
Loma Chiquita rd
Loma Prieta Avenue
Lone Tree Road
Lonoak Road
Lookout Road
Los Gatos Road
Marsh Road
Marshes Flat Road
Mattole Road aka Lost Coast
Maybert Road
McEwen Road
McKinley Grove Road
Mehrten Springs Road
Meiss Road
Metcalf Road
Metz Road
Meyers Grade Road
Middle Bar Road
Millerton Road
Milpitas Road
Mineral King Road
Mines Road
Montebello Road
Montevina Road
Moonshine Road
Morgan Territory Road
Mormon Emigrant Trail
Morrell Cutoff Road
Mosquito Ridge Road
Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard
Mount Eden Road
Mount Hamilton Road
Mount Madonna Road
Mount Umunhum Road
Mountain Charlie Road
Mountain House Road
Nacimiento-Fergusson Road
National Forest 56
Native Son Road
New Idria Road
North Gate Road
North-South Road
Oak Glen Avenue
Old Cazadero Road
Old Coast Road
Old Hernandez Road
Old Hwy Road
Old La Honda Road
Old Priest
Old Santa Cruz Highway
Old Toll Road
Orr Springs Road
Pack Saddle Pass Road / NF-71
Page Mill Road
Painted Cave Road
Palo Colorado Road
Palomares Road
Panoche Road
Paradise Drive
Parker Pass Road M-50
Parkfield Coalinga Road
Parkfield Grade
Parkhill Road
Paseo Del Roble Drive
Pat Geary Road
Patterson Pass Road
Peach Tree/Indian Valley Road
Pendola Garden Road
Perfumo Canyon Road
Pescadero Road
Pierce Point Road
Pine Creek Road
Pine Valley Road
Pinehurst Road
Placer road west of redding
Platina road
Plumbago road
Pole Line Road
Pomponio Creek Road
Portola State Park Road
Power House Road
Pozo Road
Preston Road
Priest Coulterville Road
Purisima Creek Road
Quatal Canyon Road
Quien Sabe Road
Quimby Road
Ralston Ridge Road
Redwood Gulch
Redwood Lodge Road
Redwood Retreat Road
Redwood Road
Rider road
Ridgecrest Boulevard
Ridgecrest Road
Robinson Canyon Road
Rock Creek Road
Rock River Road
Rodeo Gulch Road
Ryder Road
Salinas Road
Salmon Falls Road
San Antonio Valley Road
San Juan Canyon Road
San Juan Grade Road
San Simeon Creek Road
Santa Anita Road
Santa Fe Grade Road
Santa Rosa Creek Road
Schulties Road
See Canyon Road
Seirra Madre Road
Shelter Cove Road
Sheridan Road
Sherman Pass Road
Sierra Road
Silver Canyon Road
Silver Fork Mountain Road / NF7
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
Skaggs Springs Road
Skyline Boulevard
Smith Grade
Soda Lake Road
Soda Springs Road
Somersville Road
South Anchor Avenue
South Coast Ridge Road
South Corral Hollow Road
Spanish Ranch Road
Stage Road
Star Hill Road
Stetson Road
Stevens Canyon Road
Summit Level Road
Summit Road
Swanton Road
Sweetwater Springs Road
Tassajara Road
Teaford Saddle Road
Tepusquet Road
Tesla Road
Texas Hill Road
Trout Gulch Road
Tunitas Creek Road
TV Tower Road
Two Bar Road
Upper Dearborn Park Road
Upper East Zayante Road
Usal Road
Uvas Road
Valencia School Road
Vargas Road
Wards Ferry Road
Weaver Road
Welch Creek Road
Wentworth Springs Road
West Westtrail
White Mountain Road
White Russian rd
Whitehurst Road
Wildcat Canyon Road
Wilderfield Road
Wrights Lake Road
Wurr Road
Yankee Jims Road
Yokohl Valley Road
 
Last edited:
^^^ Some of those really suck, like 41 anywhere west of 99, can't believe someone would ask for that to be included. Good road for a Freightliner heading to Walmart-maybe.:twofinger
 
Not sure how a shared ranking scheme will work if most people haven't ridden all the roads. It's like asking people how good every NorCal woman is in bed, when they've only done a couple dozen of em.
 
Last edited:
Schnellbandit said:
^^^ Some of those really suck, like 41 anywhere west of 99, can't believe someone would ask for that to be included. Good road for a Freightliner heading to Walmart-maybe.:twofinger
Click to expand...
There are plenty of good parts of 41 west of 99, they're just a long way west (most of it west of Shandon is decent or better)
 
Last edited:
Cool... will look at this in more detail over a glass of wine tonight. :thumbup

Damn discoganya... putting the man to work!!
A lot of my fav's on your list for sure. ;)

Mt. Hammie rates high for me too.
 
Schnellbandit said:
^^^ Some of those really suck, like 41 anywhere west of 99, can't believe someone would ask for that to be included. Good road for a Freightliner heading to Walmart-maybe.:twofinger
Click to expand...
Hwy 41 is a good way to go from the coast to I5. (e.g Morro Bay → Kettleman City)
 
budman said:
Damn discoganya... putting the man to work!!
A lot of my fav's on your list for sure. ;)
Click to expand...

...So, the dartboard comes down and this list goes up.

I think I've found an answer to, "Where do ya wanna go today?" :thumbup
 
ScottRNelson said:
What are you going to do with all of these additional roads?

I don't agree with your rating system. For example, Palomares gets a solid 10 in my book, especially if you take it from Niles Canyon north toward Dublin Canyon.

Are you going to have to ride the rest of these before you can add ratings? If not, how are you going to get the rest of us to agree on how they rate?
Click to expand...

I'm going to put them on my list of roads to check out :) And I'll only add ratings after I've ridden the road. I've ridden a few of them before, but it was before I decided to start the list. I didn't add them, because I didn't want the rating to be skewed by hindsight.

Also, of course everyone won't agree. Different people like different things in a road. I'll make a description of the "perfect" road and put it somewhere on the sheet so you have a reference. As for Palomares - the road surface isn't great, there's often debris, there are a LOT of driveways, and the turns are a tad slow for my taste. Those are all things that bring it down from a perfect 10.




ScottRNelson said:
If you're going to include things like "Forest Route 42N17", there are literally hundreds of those in the Sierras.

You're missing a few good dead-ends like Welch Creek (east from Calaveras), Marsh Rd (east from Felter), and Mendenhall (east from Del Valle Rd).

Somewhere around here a year or so back I listed several dozen good ones in the Sierras from just east of Fresno up past Sacramento. Oh, here's the link: http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=508745
Click to expand...

Generally, the roads I include are ones that you can loop, string together, or that you can otherwise connect into a longer ride. Because of this, in and outs don't usually make it. Forest Route 42N17 is on there because it connected CA-3 to I-5 on a ride I did and is honestly a dang good road for a forest route. Even so, it got a low rating.

Thanks for the list!


WWWobble said:
I find the same road can change with say... weather, direction traveled, bike you are on, attitude, probably other variables as well.

So you gotta learn to love 'em all. :teeth
Click to expand...

I completely agree, that's why there are columns showing which type of bike I used and which types I think the road is best suited for (broadly, among sport, sumo, ADV, and cruiser)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top