MissouriMissouri Sport Bike Roads

Start at Finish at Highway(s) Submitted by Notes
West Plains Forsyth US 160 YTK in WI  
Steelville Winona Missouri 19 YTK in WI  
Junction US 67 & Missouri 34 Near Silva Garwood Missouri 34 Anonymous  
Jefferson City Junction of Rte. 94 and US 40 Missouri 94 Kenneth Bopp Note 1 below
St. Louis (Jct I70 & Missouri 79) Hannibal Missouri 79 Anonymous Last 1/2 of the trip offers the most curves, little traffic once outside St. Louis. Approx. 80 mi.
St. James (Jct I70 & Missouri 8) Potosi Missouri 8 Anonymous Approximately 60 miles. A "just right mixture of straight-aways and curves (more curves of course).
Salem Hwy 21 near Belleview Missouri 32 Keith Carr Especially curvy section between Bixby and MO Hwy 49 junction.
Marble Hill Jct Missouri 72 & 51 Missouri 51 Keith Carr Great cury section with lots of tight corners. Rest of Hwy 51 not so great.
Des Arc Jct of Missouri 32 & 49 Missouri 49 Keith Carr Surface rough on north section, but great curves.
Salem Eminence Missouri 19 Mark McNamara Hwy 19 runs along Ozark ridges from Salem to Eminence, for a total of 43 miles. South of Gladden the road really gets down to business. Elevation changes and blind turns literally keep you on your toes.
 Junction of I44 and MO 185, Sullivan MO, N38°13.3, W091°09.4 Junction of MO 185 and MO 21, Potossi MO, N37°55.7, W090°46.4 Missouri 185 Bill Jones This is by far the best short/medium trip a pilot can take from St. Louis: MO 185 South between Sullivan and Potossi. Mileage: ~35 miles Sullivan is 56 miles SW of St. Louis on I44. Potossi is 50 miles SW of St.Louis on MO 21. MO 185 is beautifully maintained blacktop, undulating from Meramec State park outside of Sullivan down to Potossi. Lots of sweeping turns and elevation changes, beautiful forest scenery, and light traffic.
Sparta Arkansas border Missouri 125 Rollin Beard The road seems like it constantly twists and turns. I rode this fully loaded two up on a Voyager - it was quite a workout!
Missouri Rt. 100 at Missouri Rt. 109, about 20 miles west of St. Louis Hermann, MO See the Notes column ericslevy@earthlink.net It finishes in Hermann, Missouri, in the middle of Wine Country.
Here are the roads:
  • Highway T over Rt. 100 to Highway V
  • Highway V to Rt. 47
  • Rt. 47 North to Highway A - Left on Highway A
  • Highway A to Highway YY (stay right, then left)
  • Left on Highway YY
  • Highway YY to Rt. 185 – Right on Rt. 185
  • Rt. 185 to Highway KK – Right on Highway KK
  • Highway KK to Rt. 100 – Right on Rt. 100
  • Rt. 100 to Rt. 47 – Left onto Rt. 47
  • Rt. 47 over bridge – Rt. 47 to Rt. 94 East/Rt. TT
  • Rt. TT to Rt. D – Left on Rt. D
  • Rt. D to Rt. 47 – Left on Rt. 47
  • Rt. 47 to Highway 94 West – Right on Highway 94
  • Highway 94 to Highway 19 – Left on Highway 19
  • Highway 19 across bridge into Hermann

Total Route is about 90 miles from start to finish.
All "letter" roads are country roads and are less well maintained by the main routes. However, all are ridden regularly, and seem to be in good condition.
Ava Loop - see notes Missouri 5, Missouri 76, Missouri 181, Missouri 14 Doyle & Mary Start at Ava. Ride a couple miles north on Mo 5 to pick-up hwy 76 east. Hwy 76 is all twisties with grand overlooks of the Ozark terrain as it tries to follow the crooked ridges through rural, rugged, Ozark terrain. At around the 35 mile mark Hwy 181 joins Hwy 76. Follow 181 south. This will offer a remarkable view where it crosses the North Fork of the White river at Twin Bridges. Here Hwy 14 joins 181. Turn west and remain on Hwy 14 when 181 veers south. Hwy 14 will twist and turn its way back to Ava in about 21 miles. To add dinner to the trip. When Hwy 95 crosses Hwy 14 turn south on 95 and go approx.9 mi. ( another beautiful twisty road) to N. Hwy. Turn North on N. Turn into the Rockbridge trout ranch in about 1 mile. Good food in a nice atmosphere. Open on Sundays.
Route to cross southern Missouri     Doyle & Mary A great alternative to crossing southern Missouri on Hwy 60 from east to west: Pick up Hwy 106 either from Hwy 21 north or Hwy 19 north. Take 106 west to Summersville, pick up Hwy 17 to approx 10 miles west of Houston. Pick up Hwy 38 to Marshfield on I-44. These are rural highways with no shoulders, little traffic, lots of scenery and twisties. Gravel is present on the roadway in all segments of this ride.

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1. The first ten miles or so are uninspiring but eventually come to a sign warning of very steep and curvy road. From then on there are no warning signs for curve directions or any warnings at all. Be alert for loose gravel and road hazards. Very few places to gas up along this route so gas up before starting.

Updated: 12/07/07 by J Knutson (ytk@sportbikeroads.com)