Murrieta to South OC via scooter

[billcousert]

I'm thinking about getting a scooter or low powered motorcycle for commuting from Murrieta to South Orange County. The distance each way is about 50 miles (about a two hour commute, maybe less).

I have a few options

1. Ortega Highway
2 Tenaja Road
3. Black Star Canyon Road
4. Basilone Road (a little longer)
5. Temescal Canyon Road

Are any of these safe enough for a small scooter? Are there any other alternatives?

Is there any chance we'll ever see an express bus from Temecula/Murrieta to Orange County via any of these routes?

[nickv]

Are any of these safe enough for a small scooter? Are there any other alternatives?

Is there any chance we'll ever see an express bus from Temecula/Murrieta to Orange County via any of these routes?

The scooter/motorcycle needs to be powerful enough to negotiate the steep grades on Ortega Highway. If you are on the road when its dark, I'd strongly advise staying off Ortega Highway (at least until the safety widening project is fully finished). Motorcycle riders can be hard to see.

RTA and RCTC have no plans for public transit via Ortega Highway; however RTA is currently studying possible rapid express bus service on I-15 and the proposed Temecula Transit Center is proposed to have bays for these extra buses.

TTC ABIE has developed several maps for I-15 rapid transit that were submitted to RTA.

[Jason Saunders]

I'm not familiar with the area but my understanding is that motor vehicles with motors smaller then 200 cc (many scooters) are forbidden on freeways and certain highways. Also the law was changed a few years ago regarding drivers license requirements for scooters. A class C drivers license is no longer sufficient. You now need a motorcycle license.

I would further research at: www.dmv.ca.gov/

I currently own a 1974 Vespa 90cc It slows to a crawl on any significant grade. If your going to be riding along canyons, I would try to get a scooter with at least 200cc. For reference a motorcycle with 500cc motor is considered small.

Happy commuting.

[tonyw79sfv]

www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl655/dl665mcycle.pdf is the CA DMV motorcycle handbook. According to it, a motor-driven cycle is a motorcycle with a 149cc or less engine; and where signs are posted (which is almost at any urban freeway ramp), they are prohibited. Translated: 150cc or higher is OK. I have a 650cc Kawasaki Ninja which is like a Ferrari for two-wheeled vehicles; and since it's my starter bike, I can't say how well lower displacement bikes would fare; however, I couldn't imagine taking on Sepulveda Boulevard in the Sepulveda Pass (where the Rapid 761 roams through) with a small Vespa or any scooter. SR74, Ortega Highway, has a steep grade going in/out of Lake Elsinore with blinding curves.

Here's a video of a trip down Ortega towards Grand Ave (it's not of me BTW). www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyMs_ssmQxU

[warrenbowman]

I used to own a Honda Helix 250cc scooter back in the day. I would ride it all over, but you wold never catch me riding it on Ortega Highway. I am unfamiliar with the other roads, but if you can chat up a local CHP officer, you might get some good advice.

[dasubergeek]

Aug 21, 2009 10:22:34 GMT -8 billcousert said:

I'm thinking about getting a scooter or low powered motorcycle for commuting from Murrieta to South Orange County. The distance each way is about 50 miles (about a two hour commute, maybe less).

I have a few options

1. Ortega Highway
2 Tenaja Road
3. Black Star Canyon Road
4. Basilone Road (a little longer)
5. Temescal Canyon Road

Are any of these safe enough for a small scooter? Are there any other alternatives?

Is there any chance we'll ever see an express bus from Temecula/Murrieta to Orange County via any of these routes?

The only public transit I know of would be to take the RTA to Metrolink IE/OC line and then, if necessary, connect to OCTA.

Blackstar Canyon Road is not a good choice. Though it is technically open, the residents are ornery (like, ornery-with-guns ornery, not just run-of-the-mill crotchety) and besides, it's technically only open for hikers and bikers -- it's a very steep dirt track. You will munge up your scooter in no time at all.

Tenaja Rd (which is called Cold Springs in OC) no longer goes through.

Basilone Rd. would work but bear in mind that security at the gates has been cracked down significantly (a lot of OC-to-SD bike rides, for example, have been denied and had to ride down the shoulder of the 5).