What do WE Love? Road Food! BBQ Edition

Miles from home, miles of good road under your wheels. Thoughts turn from the scenery to …FOOD. What’s the favorite destination? According to our highly scientific* Facebook poll, BBQ wins the day. Burgers came in a close second. One of our commenters specified that the BBQ MUST be local to the area (we agree!)

SO, what are some of the favorite places to combine a bike obsession with a BBQ destination?

Kundlas Western BBQ, Hamlin PA  No need to go indoors, you can smell this place a mile away with their outdoor BBQ pit, cafeteria-style serving and picnic-tables-under-a-tent. Watch the BBQ masters work on beef ribs, chicken and creamy cole slaw. Bring cash and bring plenty of time – on weekends, you’ll wait in line during dinner hours!

Bikes Blues and BBQ One meal not enough for you? Then you need to make a weekend of it in Fayetteville, AR. Hundreds of BBQ vendors, a BBQ contest, Bikes, Blues & BBQ is the largest non-profit, family-friendly motorcycle rally in the United States dedicated to raising money for local charities. Ride, eat and jam, all for a good cause.

Elbow Inn & BBQ Pit St. Roberts, MO . This one is for you Route 66 travelers – a little out of the way, but tops in atmosphere and food. Try the pulled pork, brisket or rack of ribs with thick sweet sauce. And ladies…you may want to pack some extra undergarments…apparently there is a tradition here of leaving your bra hanging from the ceiling. How could this place NOT be fantastic?

Hawg Pit Grafton IL One look at the Hawg Pit’s website and you’ll know they don’t just like bikers – they LOVE bikers. Open March through December, Hawg Pit was voted Best BBQ, Best Hot Wings, and Best Biker Bar in the Riverbend. Specialty item? Wide Glide Hawg Shoe: Texas Toast and pulled pork served over fries, and smothered with cheese.

Mac’s Speed Shop We couldn’t let a BBQ discussion go without a shout out to North Carolina. Pull up to your reserved motorcycle parking area,  listen to an open-air local band, dig into some tender brisket and enjoy the huge beer selection.

*not really

Where are YOUR favorite BBQ destinations? Tell us about them on our Facebook page and we’ll try to feature them in upcoming editions.

 Q & A

How Long Does Motorcycle Transport Take?

To keep shipping a motorcycle affordable for you, we pool as many motorcycles as we can on a truck during our cross country runs. Our trucks depart frequently with normal shipping deliveries running around 28 days from the time the order is booked or time the bike is ready (whichever applies). The truck’s total delivery time (and essentially your bike’s pick up time) depends on the zones that the truck crosses. If it picks up and delivers in the same zone, timeframes are shorter. Don’t forget to reserve a spot early for a motorcycle rally! Rallies are popular shipping venues and our trucks fill up quickly during these times.

 

HaulBikes Motorcycle Shipping Blog: Destination Nashville

Can you smell that? Lilacs, fresh cut grass and sweet crabapple trees – spring is here, and it’s time to get out on the open road.

Whether you’re within a day’s ride of Tennessee, or you’re looking for a spring vacation destination to ship a motorcycle to, consider Nashville — a great place to ride, enjoy some great food, and catch some live music. You and your buds can ride on a stretch of the historic Natchez Trace Parkway, and still be back in time for barbeque at Jack’s.

Tennessee has some of the best riding roads in the country. In the east, the Smoky Mountains, Dollywood and the Appalachian trail make up the mountainous character of the Knoxville and Chattanooga regions. In West Tennessee, you’ll find Graceland, Memphis soul and the majesty of the Mississippi River.  Somewhere in the middle is Nashville, and just south of Music City is the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Natchez Trace is a memorable ride because the parkway is clean, smooth and scenic. As a national park, commercial traffic is prohibited – it’s all nature, all the time. There are no stop signs or stop lights to slow you down (but follow the posted speed limits — a ticket in a national park is an expensive lesson!)  There are also convenient gas stations, markets, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants just beyond the forests.

The Natchez Trace Parkway winds for 444 miles through three states – Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. It commemorates an ancient trail that once cut through the traditional homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations. By the early 1800s through the mid-1820s, both the land and river routes became corridors for commerce, as “Kaintucks” from the Ohio River Valley brought cash crops, livestock and goods down to sell at the port of New Orleans.

Back then, it took folks about 30 days to walk along the Trace. Today you can ride for a day on Tennessee portion of the Trace and be back in time for dinner in Nashville. Visit Tennessee Motorcycle Roads & Rides for information and maps to help plan your motorcycle tour of Natchez Trace.

Live Music at Tootsie's in Nashville

Once you’re back in the city of Nashville, there’s so many great things to do. Here’s a few highlights we found:

Jack’s Barbeque: Ask the locals where to get some good BBQ, and they’ll say Jack’s on Broadway downtown. Grab your plastic tray and head to the counter, where you can choose from Tennessee-style pork shoulder, Texas-style beef brisket, or smoky-sweet St. Louis ribs, with all the sides.

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge: With live honky-tonk every night of the week, you never know who’s playing at Toostie’s, but you know it’ll be good. Grab a beer, squeeze in close to one of the two small stages, and enjoy some of the best local musicians around. They sing for their supper, so throw something in the tip jar as it’s passed around and they’ll keep playing.

Opry Mills Mall: Skip riding on a rainy day and do some shopping instead. Closed from 2010-2012 after devastating flood damage, the Mall is back and better than ever, with over 200 stores, a movie theater and an indoor carousel.

What’s a must see in Tennessee? Share your experiences with us on our Facebook page, and if you need help planning a trip where you need motorcycle shipping, you know who to call!

Biker Friendly Eateries: Top 10 Restaurants to Check out with your Ride

So, you’re out enjoying a motorcycle ride, and hunger strikes!  Here at HaulBikes, we asked around, did some research (while getting hungry in the process), and even had the pleasure of visiting a few of these places.  Hey, our drivers get to see a good share of this fine country. The result is a list of 10 restaurants you should check out while on a ride. These places are motorcycle-friendly, motorcycle-inspired, and just plain motorcycle fun!

1.    Stinkers BBQ at The Shed/Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson, Maryville, TN – Stinker’s serves up delicious BBQ at The Shed, an outdoor pavilion located at the Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson.  They are known for their ribs and also serve up “shack packs”, perfect for taking with you when headed back on the road.  Also worth checking out, the lineup of live music concerts held at The Shed.

2.    Biker Jim’s, Denver, CO – Once only hot dog stands but now also a restaurant, what makes Biker Jim’s motorcycle friendly is that, well, Jim’s a biker.  Biker Jim’s is known for friendly service and extremely delicious hot dogs of various exotic meats (reindeer, yak, and elk to name a few).  Standouts on their menu include a rattlesnake and pheasant dog, southwest buffalo dog, and an Alaskan reindeer dog along with sides of fried green tomatoes or perhaps fried mac n cheese.

3.    The Pig Stand, Ormond Beach, FL – Situated off I-95, the Pig Stand provides a perfect location for a quick, outdoor BBQ meal.  The wafting smell of BBQ just may be enough to lure your motorcycle in for a pit stop. Another bonus, it’s right by Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona, home of the largest Harley Davidson dealership.

4.    Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill at Brandon Harley Davidson, Tampa, FL – Enjoy open air dining on the water at this BBQ joint. Located inside Brandon Harley Davidson, this restaurant offers live music, monthly bike nights, and smoked hog wings? That’s right, hog wings -  pork shank that’s been smoked for 6 hours in hickory wood.  Tender, BBQ deliciousness.

5.    City Limits Cafe, Waterbury, CT – In addition to food, this biker owned bar and restaurant offers  an outdoor pavilion, where you can gather around a campfire, enjoy a meal, and listen to live music. Bike nights are held every Wednesday.

6.    Wild Hogs Roadhouse, Miamisburg, OH – Ohio’s largest biker bar and restaurant caters to the Harley Davidson crowd but welcomes everyone. Their menu offers chicken, pizza, burgers, and wings and hosts F(ride)day bike nights.

7.    Poppa Wheelie Restaurant in Mexico, MO – Named after the owner’s nickname, Poppa Wheelies specialty is Friday night prime rib and the Poppa Burger, consisting of three pounds of meat! Finish it in under an hour and it’s free.  The sight of Harley’s in the parking lot of this small roadhouse will make this restaurant inviting to bikers looking for a sandwich and a beverage.

8.    Mountain House Restaurant, McConnellsburg, PA – With a great view of the mountains and a parking lot full of motorcycles that often numbers in the hundreds, this restaurant also offers live music.

9.    Rock Store, Cornell, CA – Motorcycle destination of the stars! The location of the Rock Store draws motorcyclists because of the windy roads and beautiful landscapes.  The Rock Store is perhaps one of the most famous places to stop on your bike for lunch.  Celebrities such as Jay Leno and Tommy Lee are known to frequent this establishment.  If you are in for interesting motorcycle gawking, celebrity sightings, and a picturesque ride into this place, then this will be the perfect destination to pick up breakfast or a BBQ lunch.

10.    We saved our local favorites here in the Milwaukee area for last. Try out Motor Bar and Restaurant in the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee on Thursdays for their Bike Night and then get some Friday fish fry at Stolley’s Hogg Alley in Oconomowoc.

Motor Bar and Restaurant in the Harley Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, WI – What better place to catch a meal after a ride on your motorcycle than the mecca for all Harley Davidson fans, Milwaukee, WI.  The restaurant at the Harley Davidson Museum, aptly called Motor, offers American cuisine and Wisconsin classics such as fish fry, sausage, and cheese. Communal tables in this restaurant are perfect for chatting it up with fellow Harley-Davidson fans.

Stolley’s Hogg Alley, Oconomowoc, WI – Hogg Alley is one of our favorites. You can ride around the lake country and then stop by for the fry. We think they have other food besides fish fry, but we’re personally focused on the “fry.” From blue gills to cod, we’ve tried it all. With the fantastic food, bar and great customer service, we have to agree with their slogan, “You don’t have to be a biker to have fun here.”

HaulBikes partners with The Iron Horse Hotel, the First Urban Boutique Hotel Geared Toward Motorcycle Enthusiasts

The Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Are you one of the 350,000 bike-loving visitors expected each year at the new Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee? Now you can now pull into the museum parking lot with your own bike. The new Iron Horse Hotel, conveniently located in downtown Milwaukee across the river from the museum is geared toward motorcycle enthusiasts like you.

The Iron Horse Hotel offers covered motorcycle parking, rag bins and check-in carts – perfect for transporting saddle bag contents to and from your room. There’s an on-site bike wash and arrangements can be made for on-call bike servicing. They’ll even pack a lunch for your saddle bag, provide Milwaukee ride routes and suggest bike-friendly spots throughout the area.

A tile entrance to each of the 100 oversized loft-style guestrooms features custom hooks for hanging heavy leathers and boot benches made from reclaimed wood from the original building. A comfy pillow-top bed, an all-tile walk-in shower and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs greet road-weary travelers.

While not a themed hotel, the décor of The Iron Horse hotel features subtle references to motorcycle culture, including leather accented by nail head trim, evocative of steel rivets and patterns in the fabric inspired by tattoo art. The entire lobby, a stunning display of American Industrial era architecture, is designed to greet guests whether in high heels or dirty boots. Enjoy a beer or cocktail, grab a bite to eat or check out the views of downtown and the Harley-Davidson Museum. The Yard, the huge outdoor patio offers the perfect gathering place to exchange stories from the day. And there are even rejuvenation spa services to beat tired muscles from a long day on the road.

Adjoining rooms offer even more space for groups and the top-floor Iron Horse Hotel suites, complete with rooftop views of the city, offer an unforgettable stay.

From its location to the jaw-dropping array of amenities, The Iron Horse Hotel offers a truly authentic and memorable experience.

Recently, HaulBikes partnered with The Iron Horse Hotel to make it even easier to get your bike to Milwaukee – the motorcycle hot spot. Guests receive a special flat shipping rate to the hotel of $525 one-way and $995 for a round-trip, all inclusive.

Visit The Iron Horse Hotel site to book your vacation to Milwaukee.