"Bucket List" Ride--California Route 33

[R.Henry]

I have owned my Speed 400 for a few months now, and have it accessorized with a nice little windshield, a tail bag, and I felt the need to see how it performs as a "day tripper." I live in coastal southern California, and decided to ride a road many consider the best motorcycle road in USA---perhaps even all of North America. This, or course, is California Route 33. The best way to enjoy this is to do a loop starting at the Ventura Pier, heading north on 33 to Ojai (about 30 minutes).

Ojai is a lovely place where you will find motorcyclists of many "tribes" gather early Sunday mornings to fill their tanks at the gas stations in town. There are very nice (expensive!!) lodgings there too, so for those of you with generous budgets, you might consider a night or two of luxury before taking the ride of a lifetime.

The ride north of Ojai is 240 miles of motorcycling joy...the sort of riding joy that every single rider reading this should add to his/her bucket list. Do it! While SoCal has countless problems, the quality of Route 33 is NOT one of them. You will NOT regret any effort or expense you invest to get to Ojai, CA, on a begged, borrowed, or stolen motorcycle, (or your own!) and head North on 33!

Route 33 has some lovely switch backs up the mountain:

Last winter washed out a few sections, so there are a some automated checkpoints to get motorists thru the single lane sections while repair work is being completed:

If ever there was an "ideal" motorcycle ride, this is it! Smooth tarmac, spectacular scenery.

Pine Mountain Inn is small off-grid place near the summit to stop and stretch your legs. Leave a dollar bill speered to mounted deer antler while you are there!

Some of the vistas are simply exquisite! I love being able to look down the mountain and see the road I am about to traverse:

After a lovely curvy descent, there is some flat land too:

Once you are off the mountain, continue north to the junction with Rt. 166. I took it west to Santa Maria, California, where I enjoyed a satisfying In-N-Out burger, and then took US 101 south back to Ventura. This 100ish mile section of 101 will take you thru Buellton of "Sideways" fame, along the pristine coast, thru Santa Barbara, and then down to Ventura. Fantastic vistas of the the lovely Pacific ocean!

Again.... don't just put this ride on your Bucket List....DO IT! You ain't gettin any younger, don't waste your time!

The Route:

Happy to respond to any questions...or any proposals for a ride together!

 

[R.Henry]

Oh, I almost forgot: My Speed 400 acquitted itself quite well on this ride. For those who worry that a "small bike" like the Speed 400 is a "toy" unsuitable for long ride--worry not! I really enjoyed this ride on the 400. It's nimble handling and light weigjt in the curvy bits was really a hoot! . I did an additional 75 miles that day...total of about 310 miles. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[Qship]

That does indeed look like a bucket list ride. Too bad I am on the wrong side of the continent for this. May have to rectify that sometime in the near future.
Thanks for your great report and fantastic pics. Nice to know your mount proved itself quite well.

 

[Vector]

Last time I rode to Ojai I was on a 72 Suzuki GT550, in 1973.

 

[atomsplitter]

Last time I rode to Ojai I was on a 72 Suzuki GT550, in 1973.

The venerable "Indy" was a torque monster for a 2-stroke. Brings back memories......

 

[sikatri]

Awesome report!

 

[R.Henry]

Last time I rode to Ojai I was on a 72 Suzuki GT550, in 1973.

Thinking back...my first run up Rt 33 from Ojai was on a 1975 Honda CL360 (in1987 I think). It is tough to over-estimate how revolutionary those 70's era Japanese motorcycles were. BTW- my Speed 400 has many personality traits in common with my old Honda 360.

 

[CarlS]

A great ride report. Thank you.

 

[Lordmac]

Being from Bakersfield, our local motorcycle gang - I mean, club, used to ride 166 down to 101 to Solvang and points further South and North all the time. Several times we rode 33 over to "Oh-Jay" and I loved the ride. I used to have to pull off the road and wait for all the Japanese bike guys to catch up with me! This was in the late seventies and early eighties (on my brand new, super-good-handling 78 Bonnie) .