New York City?

[tessler]

Thanks guys, amid all the warnings I am getting some very useful information. How about the ferry that leaves the north end of the island? What can you tell me about that?

Do you mean the North Fork of Long Island? There's a regular ferry service from Orient Point, NY (tip of the North Fork) to New London, CT that is well worth investigating if you're intent on passing through New York City.

The ride west along the north shore of L.I. can be pretty nice in spots; a little more suburban/urban, obviously as you get closer to the city.

Please note, don't discount riding into the city on a Summer's weekday or a weekend. Like rvb1019 correctly noted, Summer Friday traffic heading OUT of the city can be a bit crazy, but so is the traffic headed OUT of the city in any direction on that day (my wife and I usually bolt on Fridays for the Catskill mountains to the North and the crawl up to the George Washington Bridge can be frustrating unless we actually leave work early and get a jump on it).

I live here currently. I've lived here all my life. When the commuters are home in their towns far away from Broadway, I'm right down the block (literally). Like we've all intoned, it can get a bit nutty, but that's to be expected: it's a BIG, big place. But if you're on a bike, you can literally park ANYWHERE (and believe me, as for crime, thieves barely notice Beemers and no you don't need a giant chain and lock) and frankly its an exciting place to visit. With the exception of Bubba and Snoone, most of the people I know who ride and ride in the city don't frequent this forum, so if you want some more insight from a larger group of NYC 2-wheel enthusiasts check out the Regional forum on Advrider:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=26

And if you think you might be here on a Tuesday night, definitely stop by the EAR Inn in the Soho district of Manhattan. There's a big Tuesday meet that happens there every week:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...tpost&t=223960

Best of luck! Hope to run into you this Summer.

[kbasa]

If it was me, I'd park the bike out of the city somewhere and take mass transit in for a full day. You'll be able to avoid worrying about your bike all day, worrying about getting squashed on the way in and all the stuff that comes with riding. Instead, you'll be able to focus on enjoying one of the world's great cities, capped off by a decent dinner, a bottle of wine and a safe ride back to your hotel.

I'll ride in most of the US cities, but NYC isn't one of them I'd want to do again.

The perfect vehicle for transportation in NYC either travels in a tunnel or is yellow and has a number on the door.

[Visian]

I
The perfect vehicle for transportation in NYC either travels in a tunnel or is yellow and has a number on the door.

the perfect transportation in nyc comes in a pair, with one for your left foot and the other for your right.

either that, or a GS... and the ability to ride on the sidewalk when necessary.

ian

[Jfixit]

Great information by all. Regional forums may work a little better than I thought they would. Tessler, thanks for the link to the ferry.

[FABIOX]

I ride everyday here in NYC.... everywhere Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan specially.
You need to be attentive at everything, car, cabs, pedestrians, bicycles, skateboard, and specially stupid humans here they like to walk in middle of the streets instead the side walk, NYC is not Europe people here like to hangout on the asphalt waiving for cabs or chilling and there is not that many motorcycles around so if you ride here you are different. You got to use you horn all the time don't worries about tickets, just put velcrom on your plates and take it with you whatever you go but be careful where you park because nyc drivers are bad dont park to close to cars, the best is near fire hydrants.
When you come NY give me a call I can show you around.
I ride all year long here in the city.
I love NYC and I love to ride.
Fabio
917 892-9192

[CH2OUS]

All good advice above. IMHO, NYC is not that bad. Used to be much worse. Thanks Rudy Lived there for 12 years with a couple of cars and a bike. Both cars stolen. Once by a thief and once by the Sheriff.... parking tickets were silent killers in the early 90s. Im sure they still are but I traded the concrete cubby hole on the upper west side for some sky and quiet up north and commute in by rail mostly. Bikes are strangely unseen as far as loot.

Problem is that NYC a circus of distraction for every reason suggested in this thread and then some. Weekday driving for sight seeing and discovery not recommended unless you welcome multi tasking stress as an enjoyable challenge. Cabs, messengers, Limo drivers and Cops in NYC will make you feel like you are in another unfriendly country. Hence the tip on the traps they setup around Manhattan to slap you with BS traffic violations. I recently got snagged on 52nd street making an "illegal" right turn off of Madison during the hours of 2& 6PM for absolutely no good reason other than to bleed me of $120. Cages lined up like a McD's drive thru being served moving violations by red eyed remorseless tax collectors in intimidating NYPD uniforms. The insane thing was that my work office is in that vicinity so you'd think I'd known the fly paper was there Never run a yellow light. You can almost make out the sound of the camera shutter as you pass under the signal as it turns red. That summons comes like a utility bill complete with a close up of your Plate # Take mass transit from a suburb.

Weekends, Sunday morning in particular, is a good time to cruise around on your bike while maintaining burnt orange to red on your cage and zombie threat alert level. The city isn't sleeping but its vacant of the Matrix like scurry and lack of personal space. All of those people are in my neck of the woods weekending in the Catskills... Hi Bubba?

May is great time to visit NYC. RiverSide park (cherry blossoms in bloom and Central Park) I highly recommend the West Side Highway - Henry Hudson Parkway(9A). The Hudson River is an excellent body to have on one side as you cruise the sights of the George Washington Bridge, the NJ Palisades and the midtown skyline as it rises up the further you go down. Not to mention the Goldman Sachs skyscraper on the right in Jersey City's booming expansion on the west bank of NY Harbor. It has been completely revitalized and is far more hospitable as a main route in or out. It will take you to the bottom of Manhattan (Ground Zero, Battery park, Wallstreet south street seaport area).. . Then you can make your way north via avenue through China Town, Little Italy, SoHo and the west village. NYU, Washington Sq Park, etc etc. John's Pizza on Bleeker is a NYC institution. One of the oldest, simplest and still original pizza joints in the apple. You can park in these areas and walk around. Just be mindful of the NASCAR style of speed and lane changing, which used to be far worse than it is today, and you'll have a good time.

[VanFrederick]

I did six days filming with my sidecar and dog in NYC for a beautiful video that YouTube deleted because I didn't own the rights to the soundtrack...bummer, but I knew it was gonna happen so I didn't hang myself. My input:

Enter through the Battery Street or Holland Tunnel and do it before 6 AM on weekdays.



For every minute after 6 AM you enter, the number of minutes you will wait in traffic grows exponentially. You won't suffer too badly normal hours on weekends. Sundays are best but keep in mind you and every other tourist within 50 miles have the same plan. The good thing about the Holland is that it's passenger vehicles only, no busses or trucks.

Check the events schedule and call NYPD and make sure nothing is happening on or around Times Square. I was stuck on 56th between 7th and Broadway literally for an hour trying to go one block one day because of a steet fair on 8th. In that hour, all the light disappeared and the shoot was screwed. Totally wasted day. Another day I was screwed because of a human rights demonstration on Times Square.

Take 9th, 10th or 11th or 1st or 2nd to get up or downtown even if it's just for 15 or 20 blocks. You could die old age on 7th, 8th or Broadway, 6th or 5th trying to get anywhere. If you want to move, stay close to the rivers.

It's worth going to NYC just to go south on the FDR from Houston to Lower Manhattan. Then turn around and go back.



The view of the city framed by the Brooklyn Bridge is unforgettable, see the video below to get an idea.

I didn't find NYPD to be mean or abusive and they didn't harrass me at all but that's probably because of the dog in the sidecar :-)

The best place to get a memorable shot is on Broadway and 55th in front of the Letterman studio billboard. It's huge and there's always a place to stop there because the cops keep it clear for VIPs. You can stop there for a few minutes for a great pic of you and Dave. I never had a problem finding a place to squeeze my bike in on that block. From there, south on Broadway will get you to 45th and another unforgettable shot:



South on Broadway will get you one with the Empire State in the backiground:



Also, don't forget Jersey City!!! From the west side of the Hudson you'll get a shot of Manhattan in the background that will make your camera seize up with joy.

And if you have an airhead on a hot day, think twice. I have a K75 and the fan was on most of the time and still the temperature was above marginal. You need a watercooled bike to do Manhattan on a hot, or any, day because you are going to stand in traffic wherever you go.

Here's a video with some of the NYC footage...some day I hope to legally release the deleted one as a short film.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El0vCOyxb3A&fmt=6

Riding in Manhattan was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. To those who advise against it on principle: You'll ride the Alaska Highway but you won't do Manhattan? The hell you say!


Van and Bo

[RINTY]

...just put velcrom on your plates and take it with you...Fabiox

Did you mean, velcro your license plate on, so you can take it with you?

[tessler]

Did you mean, velcro your license plate on, so you can take it with you?

Hey Rinty, I'm sure that's what Fabiox meant.

Some folks do this so that they can park in slightly illegal parking situationsÔÇölike on a grassy divider or even a sidewalkÔÇöand walk away with their license so that NYPD won't ticket them. A number of NYC riders claim they do this to prevent their plate from being stolen too.

I've never done it. I don't really see the need and honestly there are plenty of curb-spots for a bike to park in. JMO.

FYI, just returned from a jaunt across town, over the Queensborough Bridge to Greenpoint, Brooklyn and back. Wavering taxis, delivery trucks, the ever-present Lincoln Town Car gypsy cabs and Moon-worthy crater sized potholes to dodge. The most exciting 13 miles you can do without leaving the five boroughs! Came back to the UWS just in time to meet Bubba Zanetti on his return trip from New England, who stopped by to chew the fat and show me the ABS repair on his S.

[BUBBAZANETTI]

who stopped by to chew the fat and show me the ABS repair on his S.

which reminds me, i have a little write-up to do on that in the oilheads section

[dancogan]

Hey Van - that video was just fabulous! Had to share it with my wife and we both enjoyed it. Thanks for posting.

[VanFrederick]

Thanks! NYC is dog-friendlier than I'd imagined, we had a blast. So much to sniff!!!

V and B

[VanFrederick]

FYI, just returned from a jaunt across town, over the Queensborough Bridge to Greenpoint, Brooklyn and back. Wavering taxis, delivery trucks, the ever-present Lincoln Town Car gypsy cabs and Moon-worthy crater sized potholes to dodge. The most exciting 13 miles you can do without leaving the five boroughs! Came back to the UWS just in time to meet Bubba Zanetti on his return trip from New England, who stopped by to chew the fat and show me the ABS repair on his S.

Run-up to Queensboro, there's a dip in the roadway so you see the whole city in Panoramavision...



Then you come off the bridge...



and Boom! There you are in the Center Of It All.


Unbelievable. Can't wait to go back this Spring.

V and B

[tessler]

Van, great shots! The upper roadway, west-bound, of the Queensborough Bridge is one of the best views of the city. You should try it at night sometime.

Then again there's another famous view, facing East, of the Bridge from a different angle

[Peter_Krynicki]

Personally I preder walking in NYC. There's



over to...



And some great views...