Lying at the crossroads of America, Indiana (IN) offers motorcycle rides with a good degree of variations in scenery and amenities. In the northern half of the state you'll find picturesque farming communities woven into hardy hardwood forests. Moving further south the terrain becomes more hilly with equally healthy forest all the way down to the Ohio River Valley and quaint border towns that dot the river's path. The state also is home to some major universities with beautiful and inviting campuses motorcycle riders may enjoy touring - the University of Notre Dame (South Bend), Purdue University (West Lafayette), and Indiana University (Bloomington). And, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a major tourist draws as it is one of the most famous race tracks in all of the world.
Note: the motorcycle rides below have been divided into two general regions:
- Northern Indiana (anything north of Indianapolis)
- Southern Indiana (anything south of Indianapolis)
… A short jaunt through the heart of the Indiana Dunes. Plenty of wildlife (beware of herds of deer), sand dunes and flora and fauna ... relatively flat but has many twists and turns which is somewhat rare for this area …
… winding two lane highway through the Indiana dunes National Lakeshore. Fall foliage is gorgeous, although anytime of year it is a beautiful ride ... camping, public beaches on Lake Michigan, and picnic areas ... also historic homes to view not far from the highway in Beverly Shores on the lakefront
… see carved sandstone canyons, covered bridges, two state parks, quaint old towns with old fashioned saloons, cafes and soda fountains, horse drawn Amish buggies and on any Sunday, a lot of motorcycles. It's easy to see why IN 234 is becoming a favorite among motorcyclists!
… speed limit is 45, but you'd be going too fast & would miss all the good scenery ... in many places, the trees are hanging over the road and makes for a tunnel of trees and overall is a tranquil setting that nearly every rider can enjoy
… just South of French Lick you'll ride thru a huge lake area, scenery is second to none! … Dover Hill is a challenge. Be ready to lean, it's about 5 or 6 S curves in a row … they even let us keep our bikes under the carport at the entrance in case of rain
… you’ll be traveling the same shady forest and rolling hills area of Indiana that President Abe Lincoln grew up in … heavy forest on both sides of you … last third of this ride travels along the Ohio River
… meanders through the scenic hills and hollows west and southwest of Bloomington toward Bloomfield - quite excellent! … A side trip to this cruise is the Bloomfield Viaduct, also known as the Tulip Trestle. Quite impressive, if you like train trestles.
… varies from wide open country side to canopied tree lined roads ... includes St. Meinrad Arch Abbey and Hoffman covered bridge … excellent quality with wide sweeping turns
… ride starts in Bloomington, but the fun starts just south of Paoli … twists through the Hoosier National Forest then follows the Ohio River … one of the best motorcycle roads that Indiana has to offer
… you'll see Horseshoe Bend, the Hoosier National Forest & Ohio River by passing through the small Indiana … try "The Overlook" restaurant in Leavenworth on Horseshoe bend … also, if you've never seen a dam work, stop at Markland Dam
… this ride takes you through the most beautiful sections of Indiana … scenery and the roads are top notch while the amenities are very good for a Midwest rural area … a must stop is Nashville Indiana as it has grown to become one of the more popular country heritage towns in the Midwest - art galleries, antique collections and craft shops as well as being the home of the John Dillinger Wax Museum
… road stands out because of its great combination of beautiful scenery, plenty of amenities to get you off the bike and great rolling hills to keep you throttle wrist moving … great hilly twisting roads … stop at “antique alley” and visit some of the 900 antique dealers along this stretch of highway
Scenery:
Road Quality:
Amenities:
Key
Read this to understand our rating system.
All our motorcycle roads and trips are rated on three key categories:
Scenery
Road Quality
Roadside Amenities
Read the description below for each of the categories to understand what qualities give a road a strong or weak rating in each of the categories.
Category
A 5 star rating indicates ...
A 1 star rating indicates ...
Far above average scenery for that state. (Ex. mountain views, lakes, rivers, hills, or forests.)
Below average scenery for that state. (Ex. an area that simply is lacking in overall natural beauty.)
Outstanding driving conditions. Plenty of twists, turns & hills; well maintained roads with smooth pavement.
Straight roads over flat land or rough road conditions with
some potholes or driving
hazards such as gravel
Plenty of things to do when it's time to pull over. (Ex. museums, restaurants, pull-outs, historical sites, entertainment etc.)
Little to nothing to do when it's time to pull over. (Ex. lack of museums, restaurants, pull-outs, historical sites, entertainment etc.)
