AMA Grand Tours Schedule:
Motorcycle Riding Across America
The AMA Grand Tours series is a way to get out and enjoy new roads. There are regional tours, as well as the national AMA Classic Grand Tour. Participants can ride solo, two-up, or in a group.
The Grand Tours organizers all have their methods of organizing their Grand Tour. Options for the organizers include a list of checkpoints, a route between the checkpoints, dates and other rules. We have a quick rundown of the rides in the AMA Grand Tours series which is currently underway, save one.
- AMA Classic Grand Tour, ending November 1. Celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the AMA, this is the third iteration of the AMA Classic Grand tour, with the other events happening in 2003 and 2009. This event has a simple goal—take as many photos of signs with the letters AMA in them, along with your motorcycle and the Grand Tour flag. The trick is you can only use a word once. If you take a picture of a Welcome To Alabama sign, you don’t get to use Alabama again. The winner is the person with the most sign photos. There are no routes you are required to ride, and the AMA Classic Grand Tour concludes on November 1.
- SCMA USA Four Corners Tour, ending November 30. This tour has two options. The “Regular” route runs you to San Ysidro, California; Blain, Washington; Madawaska, Maine; and Key West, Florida. You have 21 days to hit all four cities, and you choose the routing. The “True X” ride includes the same four destinations, with a twist—you start at one of the four corners and ride to Lebanon, Kansas, the geographic center of the United States. From there, you ride to one or two of the corners, then back to Lebanon, and finally to the fourth corner. You have 26 days to complete the ride. The event includes lots of finisher awards.
- Tour of Honor, ending October 31. Honoring our fallen heroes, the Tour of Honor has a list of memorials and monuments to visit. The rider chooses seven to pay a visit. For those who want to ride more, there is an award to the rider who calls on the most sites. Participants get a rally flag that they photograph at each destination, along with the rider’s motorcycle.
- SCMA California Adventure Series, ending November 30. This two-ride series includes the California Parks Adventure and California Missions Tour. As the names imply, the California Parks Adventures takes you to 25 National Parks in the Golden State, while the California Missions visits all 21 California Missions built between 1768 and 1833.
- SCMA Best 15 US Roads Tour, ending November 30. This ride encompasses 16 amazing motorcycle roads from coast-to-coast, with the participants required to ride 15 of them to finish. In nine years, only 38 riders have been successful. To make it more doable, there is no time limit.
- AMA District 2 Polar Bear Grand Tour, ending December 22. This tour takes you to Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Many riders start in the winter, hence the name of the tour, which is in its 41st season.
- 44th SCMA Three Flags Classic, August 29 to September 3. The Three Flags name tells you one thing—you will be riding in three countries. You have four days to get from San Luis Río Colorado in Mexico to Vernon, British Columbia, Canada to earn your Finisher’s Buckle and enjoy the Finish Banquet. Riders are given a suggested route, but can deviate if they choose, as long as they hit three checkpoints in the time limit.
