Florida motorcycle rides

The Sugarloaf Mountain Ride

Average Rating - This road has been rated by 8 visitors

Written Directions

Start (or end) in Apopka, FL which is a few miles northwest of Orlando. From there head northwest on US 441 and look for when it meets County Road (CR) 448 and take a left (head west) on CR 448. Take 448 until it runs into CR 561 and take a left (head south) all the way till it intersects with CR 455 at Howey Height. Take a left (head east) on 455 and it will turn south east and pass Sugarloaf Mountain (on the right). Stay on 455 for 10 miles and it will bring you into Montverde Junction. At some point around here Rt 455 and Old Rt 50 merge and you want to take Old CR 50 under the Ronald Reagan Turnpike and continue south east into Killarney. Stay on CR 50 as it now head east and brings you into Winter Garden, FL and your route's end point (or starting point).

Scenery  

The Sugarloaf Mountain Ride is a favorite among central Florida Motorcyclists. With it's hilly inclines, and tight corners, Sugarloaf Mountain offers a dramatic change of landscape from the normally flat terrain of Florida. The trip began as a standard drive out of Orlando, northbound on Florida state road 441. As we distanced ourselves from the city traffic I noticed more people riding motorcycles and exchanging friendly waves. The scenery becomes more wooded and sparsely populated once you get to the northern side of Lake Apopka, but the real ride begins on Old Country Road 561 -which is situated on the western side of the lake. This road and Old Country Road 455 make a nice loop around Sugarloaf Mountain, complete with winding curves and rather steep inclines for Florida. Atop the Mountain you can look to the east and see Lake Apopka, as well as the Orlando skyline on the distant horizon. To see more pictures on this motorcycle ride, see a web page by the contributor (Sam).

Road Quality  

Depending on how many side roads you decide to venture down on this route you will encounter some interesting pavement -or lack thereof. The main route is flawless and very well maintained, but there are several spurs that decrease in quality and wind up dead ending or turning to sand. The traffic around the mountain was practically non existent, which gave us freedom to open the throttle from time to time and enjoy the curves!

Roadside Amenities  

Since this is more of a country ride, you won't find too many stops along the way, but at the top of the mountain where most people stop and enjoy the view there is a house with a water cooler near the road offering free refreshments to thirsty riders!

Additional Info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .

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Reviewed by gwing on June 15, 2012 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: gwing

motorcycle_year: '93

motorcycle_make: Honda

motorcycle_type: Touring

Comment: I rode this route earlier this year and have already made plans to redo it. We were lucky in that it was a beautiful day, we could enjoy near and far scenery plus just a couple bicyclists. Our route from home, 140 miles took us over many side roads which made for a great Saturday ride.

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Reviewed by propelledjeans on October 21, 2011 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: James

motorcycle_year: 2008

motorcycle_make: Yamaha R6S

motorcycle_type: Sport

Comment: I'm a member of the R6 Forums and owner of Orlando Computer Repair and I come out here quite often. Great area of roads. Make yourself get lost and find your way again for a full day of great riding and scenery.

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Reviewed by Guest on December 14, 2010 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: Mahesh

motorcycle_year: 2003

motorcycle_make: Ducati

motorcycle_type: Cruiser

Comment: The name itself is nostalgic – The Sugarloaf Mountain Ride!! It truly seems an interesting ride and if you are the country side and going along with nature, this seems to be it!! It seems to be a ride full of hilly curves and unexpected twists which look quite interesting though there seem to have quite a few bicyclists whom you can bump into if you aren’t careful!! Would love to do this one some time!! ankle support

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Reviewed by Guest on December 4, 2010 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: Garrett

motorcycle_year: 2009

motorcycle_make: Suzuki

motorcycle_type: Standard

Comment: Fun ride with a few interesting curves, almost no traffic during the week. Looking forward to going back in a few days!

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Reviewed by Guest on August 26, 2009 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: Dr Tommy K

Comment: Breathtaking Vistas any time of year. Be careful to share the road with numerous bicyclists especially on the weekends. Remember to bring your camera. Early morning ride best during hot summer months.

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Reviewed by Guest on August 2, 2009 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: Dr. A. C. McCann

motorcycle_year: 2005

motorcycle_make: Harley-Davidson

motorcycle_type: Cruiser

Comment: What a beautiful ride. The view of Lake Apopka is amazing. Worth the trip for anyone that loves to see the beauty of God's creation. Highly recommended.

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Reviewed by Guest on July 16, 2009 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: Lisa

motorcycle_year: 1998

motorcycle_make: Harley-Davidson

motorcycle_type: Touring

Comment: Awsome ride. Do watch for the bicylist. They are out there in full force. The water cooler is a popular stop for these riders.

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Reviewed by Guest on December 9, 2008 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)

Creator: Big Red

motorcycle_year: 2003

motorcycle_make: Kawasaki

motorcycle_type: Cruiser

Comment: Watch out for bicyclists, this area is also prime bicycling country, and roads. Weekends will be full of cyclists enjoying the read as well.

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