Best motorcycle route from Memphis to Nashville?

[maroonandwhite]

I will be riding from the Memphis area to Nashville at the end of the month and am wondering if anyone is familiar with taking the "back roads". I am thinking Hwy 64 east to Hwy 65 North. I'd rather not ride 40 all the way if I can help it. I am just wondering if the roads are in good shape most of the way. Also what's the speed limit on 40 anyways?

[2.ooohhh]

64 to the Trace would likely be a great ride. I take the trace from my near me to Waynesboro a couple times a year to visit friends down that way and it's always a great drive.

[maroonandwhite]

Yeah that's not a bad idea.

[Smith]

You could take 79 and then get on 1 up around Milan or go 70/1 all the way.  I don't know about the first half of 1 but the second half is a real nice ride.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Smith

[monkeylizard]

+1 to Hwy64 to The Natchez Trace. When you get to the end if the Trace, you'll be at the Loveless Cafe. Bonus.

Take Hwy 100 all the way in to downtown from there to stay off I-40.

[Hershmeister]

+1 to Hwy64 to The Natchez Trace. When you get to the end if the Trace, you'll be at the Loveless Cafe. Bonus.


Take Hwy 100 all the way in to downtown from there to stay off I-40.

Mmmmmm - loveless biscuits

[kieefer]

The Trace down to Collinwood, 203 to Savanna, have lunch/site see Shiloh via 22 then to 57 on to the back door of Memphis.

[TN_Jim]

Also consider, Moscow to Whiteville, TN. Then follow TN Hwy 100 to western Nashville.

[vontar]

Step 1, Get out of Memphis .

Step 2. Try to get out with you bike. 

[Sam1]

Best motorcycle route from Memphis to Nashville?  Any way that keeps you from having to go back to Memphis.

[deerslayer]

It never fails.

[Trekbike]

+1 to Hwy64 to The Natchez Trace. When you get to the end if the Trace, you'll be at the Loveless Cafe. Bonus.

Anytime you can get on the Trace is a bonus. Speaking of Loveless, are they still posted?

[maroonandwhite]

Step 1, Get out of Memphis .

Step 2. Try to get out with you bike. 

Haha well I'm not actually IN Memphis. Just east of it but still too close.

[Guest 270win]

You could drive up to Brownsville from Moscow and just drive on Highway 70 if you do not want to drive on Interstate 40.  I would guess though that Natchez Trace has less traffic than Highway 70.  The speed limit is 70 on Interstate 40.

[maroonandwhite]

The biggest problem with the HWY is that my bike only has five gears and is screaming at highway speeds. I just put the stock pipes back on so that helped but until I can shell out $150 for some new solid billet risers the vibration in my hands would get old after and hour or two on the highway. Plus the fact that I just don't like having to constantly watch out for people pulling over on me. Right now I'm thinking 64 over to the trace is the way to go.

[tnguy]

The trace is nice. Though it can go on for too long sometimes. I rode it the other direction, Nashville->Memphis when I did my "states around KY & TN" tour a while back. Speed limits are 40 and 50 so plan accordingly.

 

The trace has very low traffic and (legally) none commercial. You should see a good selection of motorcycles if the weather is good and a selection of cyclists and runners. There are quite a few nice places to stop and take in the scenery too.

 

Highlights that I'm familiar with are the Jackson falls, The Fall Hollow falls, the Gordon House, Pucketts in Leiper's Fork and the Nathez Tace bridge over 96.

 

Have to say I'm not a huge fan of Loveless though I've eaten there a couple of times. I wouldn't say anything against it though.

Edited August 8, 2013 by tnguy

[monkeylizard]

Anytime you can get on the Trace is a bonus. Speaking of Loveless, are they still posted?

 

Thanks for reminding me of that. I recind my previous tacit endorsement of The Loveless Cafe.

 

The stickers are still there. They're clear backgrounds on clear glass, so hard to see. They're also very faded now. Add in all the Food Network, TripAdvisor, and Nashville Scene Readers Poll stickers and they would be easy to miss for someone who didn't know they were there.

[tnguy]

Thanks for reminding me of that. I recind my previous tacit endorsement of The Loveless Cafe.

 

The stickers are still there. They're clear backgrounds on clear glass, so hard to see. They're also very faded now. Add in all the Food Network, TripAdvisor, and Nashville Scene Readers Poll stickers and they would be easy to miss for someone who didn't know they were there.

 

That also means they're not valid under law and can be ignored. Though you may not want to give them your money anyway.