Destination Location: Boise ID

Whether starting a ride here or just passing through, there's more to Boise than you might think

Looking at a map of Boise and its surrounding Ada County, you won't be impressed with the roads available within the city or county lines, but to many riders, whether they know it or not, Boise has its own hub of motorcycle activity and is ready to serve.

Anyone riding from Seattle or Portland to Salt Lake City might think Boise would make a pretty good stopping place since it's the midway point. And they'd be right, especially if gear, parts or bike services are needed. There are a half dozen dealers stocking most major brands. With the city located right along Interstate 84 it's a convenient stop over.

Big Twin BMW, High Desert Harley-Davidson, Carl's (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, KTM) and Snake River Yamaha have the bases covered on most major OEM sales and service.

But Boise is also the home of Western Powersports, one of the largest distributors of powersport goods in the U.S. As its homeport for this company, you can imagine the reps keep shops well stocked with more than several hundred product lines under their umbrella.

Need luggage? For more than a decade Happy Trails has called the Boise area home. They sell an entire line of their own hand built hard boxes, as well as soft luggage options from other manufacturers. The company recently relocated to larger digs and does numerous on site events each year.

And Boise makes a great jumping off point or stop for many local area rides such as a trip into Hells Canyon, The Sawtooth Wilderness, Craters of the Moon, The Magruder Corridor or a romp into Montana by way of Chief Joseph Pass.

Suppose you had to wait for a part to arrive and had to stick around a few days? It's a big town so good food and good accommodations are readily available, and there's plenty of entertainment in the area as well. Some dealers may even be able to provide you a loaner bike while you're waiting things out. There are numerous scenic day trips just outside of town.

Photo: Tim Bernard of Happy Trails

The next time you ride through Boise, take a moment to take care of business and find out what Idaho's biggest town is all about.

SR/Fall 2011