Image Credit: Flickr
While its not often that we share content from a different website, we figured our readers would enjoy reading this one considering that the Daytona Bike Week is in full effect. If any of you actually take one of these rides, we’d love to know all about it! Cheers!
Top Ten Rides (Courtesy of Victory Motorcycles)
- Ride Main Street and Beach
Street Main Street is where it’s at during Daytona Bike Week. It’s where people go to be seen, and you have to check it out. Cruise the street on your Victory, then park and take in the sights, day or night. It’s a guarantee that on every visit to Main Street, you’ll see something you’ve never seen before (whether you want to or not), especially at night. - Ride on the Beach
Where else is the beach so immense that local officials can establish two traffic lanes on the beach every day? You can ride for miles on Daytona Beach, and it’s a spectacular place to soak in some sun, sea scents and a fresh breeze. Stop and shoot some photos, then proceed south on A1A to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. It’s an extremely well-managed park and the historic lighthouse – illuminated now for 126 years – is a sight to behold. Worried that your bike got sandy and salty on the beach? There are bikini bike washes all over town. - Ride to St. Augustine
You want historic? Take a ride north from Daytona to the city of St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city, founded in 1565. Check out the web for info about the area, including the historic fort, the lighthouse, the beach, and the nature loop ride. It’s a great day trip during your visit to Daytona. - Ride to the Kennedy Space Center
For a day trip south of Daytona, head to the Kennedy Space Center, long the home of America’s space program. You can take a fascinating tour and see several vehicles used for space travel as well as the immense facilities used to house and launch these beautiful birds. - Ride the Ormond Scenic Loop
When you’re on Beach Street, you’re in the heart of urban Daytona Beach, seemingly well-removed from secluded shoreline drives. You’re closer than you think. Head north on Beach Street, beyond the retail area and the Main Street causeway, and you’re on the Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail (Google it for details). It’s a scenic, pleasant ride that takes you out of the city and away from rally traffic. Watch for wildlife, stop for lunch and feel your blood pressure drop. - Ride Into the Infield at the Speedway
Odds are, you won’t be racing on the track at Daytona International Speedway, but you can ride into the track’s infield. There are a couple tunnels that take you under the track and into the infield. It’s usually free, but admission is charged during some Bike Week racing. If you’ve never before seen a superspeedway like Indianapolis or Daytona, it’s worth your time. Quick track facts: Dirt was excavated from the infield to build the track banking, and the digging created Lake Lloyd. The track banking is as steep as the construction equipment could handle before it could no longer operate on the steep grade. - Ride to the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill & Griddle House
After we originally published our list of 10 rides for Victory riders headed to Daytona Bike Week, we heard about another great ride in the area from Victory rider Lori Dredske, who wrote to say: “Missing from your list of Daytona rides is the Old Spanish Sugar Mill located inside the DeLeon Springs State Park Recreation Area. It’s not to be missed!”She’s right. At the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill & Griddle House, located in the state park: “Each of our tables is equipped with a griddle and we bring you pitchers of homemade pancake batters and you pour them on and flip them over right at the table.” Add your choice of blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips and more, and add sides like bacon or sausage. Consider it added to our list as a Bike Week breakfast ride. Thanks, Lori. - Take a Demo Ride
Just about every major manufacturer has its new line of motorcycles at the Speedway for people not only to inspect up close and personal, but most offer demo rides as well. Ride before you buy. Perform your own seat-to-seat analysis. There’s no better way to make educated decisions on your next motorcycle. - Ride out to Sopotnick’s Cabbage Patch
Sopotnick’s is out in the country on Tomoka Farms Road in Samsula. Even if there’s isn’t coleslaw wrestling matches taking place, there’s plenty of good ol’ biker fun to be had at the Cabbage Patch. If you’re looking to explore further, head out on Pioneer Trail and it takes you on a scenic ride through the edge of Tomoka Wildlife Management Area. - Ride to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
A short ride out of town, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and is said to be one of the tallest masonry lighthouses in the US. It’s a 203-step climb to the top of the 175-foot-tall tower, but the views from the top can’t be beat. While you’re there, pop into one of our favorite dives, the Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grill located right across the street.
