Backroads vs Highway: How to Plan a Better Motorcycle Tour
Highway riders cover more ground. Backroad riders have more fun. The best touring riders do both. Here is a real comparison of scenery, fatigue, fuel economy, and time, with a strategy for planning routes that use each type of road where it works best.
Table of Contents
The Head-to-Head
| Factor | Highway | Backroads |
|---|---|---|
| Average speed | 100-110 km/h (62-68 mph) | 60-80 km/h (37-50 mph) |
| Time for 400 km | ~4 hours | ~6-7 hours |
| Fuel economy (Pursuit) | 5.8 L/100km (40.6 mpg US) | 6.5-7.0 L/100km (34-36 mpg US) |
| Scenery | Functional, often monotonous | Variable, often spectacular |
| Engagement | Low (cruise control) | High (constant input) |
| Fatigue type | Wind and noise fatigue | Mental and physical fatigue |
| Traffic | Fast-moving but dense | Sparse but unpredictable |
| Risk level | Higher speed, lower skill | Lower speed, higher skill |
When to Take the Highway
Highways are tools. They are not the ride, they are the way to get to the ride. Use highways when:
You need to cover distance. If your tour has a fixed endpoint (a ferry reservation, a hotel booking, a friend's house), the highway gets you there. A 500 km (311 mi) transit day on the highway takes 5 hours. The same distance on backroads takes 7 to 8 hours and may not get you there in time.
The weather is bad. In heavy rain or wind, the highway is safer. Better visibility, wider lanes, no oncoming traffic in your lane, and faster access to services if you need to stop. Backroads in bad weather are a risk.
You are tired. If you are starting a day already fatigued from the previous day, the highway requires less mental effort. Set the cruise control, maintain a safe following distance, and arrive. Backroads demand attention you may not have.
You are in transit, not touring. The first and last day of a tour are often transit days. The bike is loaded, you have a destination, and the scenery does not matter. Take the highway and save your energy for the touring days.
When to Take the Backroads
Backroads are why you tour. Use them when:
You have time. Backroads take 30 to 40 percent longer. If your day allows 7 hours of riding and you only need to cover 300 km (186 mi), the backroads give you a richer experience in the same time window.
The weather is good. Clear skies, mild temperatures, and dry roads are the backroad conditions. You will see more, stop more, and enjoy the ride more.
You want to discover. Highways show you the same chain restaurants and gas stations as every other highway. Backroads show you diners, general stores, covered bridges, and coastal views that do not appear on the Trans-Canada Highway.
You are touring, not transiting. The middle days of a tour are for backroads. You are not trying to get somewhere. You are already somewhere. The backroads are the destination.
"Highways are tools. They are not the ride, they are the way to get to the ride. Use them for transit. Use backroads for everything else."
Fatigue: The Hidden Factor
Most riders assume backroads are more tiring because they require more physical input. This is true but incomplete. The fatigue types are different:
Highway fatigue is passive. After 4 hours on the Trans-Canada at 110 km/h (68 mph), your body has been battered by wind, your ears are ringing from exhaust drone, and your brain has been under-stimulated. The monotony itself is fatiguing. You arrive stiff, sore, and mentally flat.
Backroad fatigue is active. After 6 hours on backroads, your arms and shoulders are tired from constant steering input, your concentration has been high all day, and you have made thousands of micro-decisions. You arrive physically tired but mentally engaged. The fatigue feels earned, not drained.
For riders over 50, the backroad fatigue type is actually easier to manage. Active fatigue responds to stretching and a good night's sleep. Passive highway fatigue lingers and degrades your riding quality the next day.
Fuel Economy Comparison
I measured fuel economy on the Indian Pursuit across both road types. The results are documented in the highway vs backroads fuel comparison:
Highway cruising (100 km/h, steady throttle): 5.8 L/100km (40.6 mpg US). This is the Pursuit's most efficient mode. Cruise control, steady speed, no stops.
Spirited backroad riding (60-90 km/h, frequent acceleration/braking): 6.5 to 7.0 L/100km (34 to 36 mpg US). The frequent throttle changes and braking burn 15 to 20 percent more fuel.
Gentle backroad riding (50-70 km/h, smooth inputs): 5.5 to 6.0 L/100km (39 to 43 mpg US). Surprisingly, gentle backroad riding can match or slightly beat highway economy because the lower speed means less wind resistance.
The fuel cost difference over a 400 km (249 mi) day: highway costs approximately $38 CAD in fuel. Spirited backroads cost approximately $46 CAD. The difference is $8 per day. That is not a reason to choose highways over backroads.
The Hybrid Route Strategy
The best touring routes use both. Here is the strategy I use on every multi-day tour:
Day 1: Highway transit. Get out of your home area as fast as possible. The first day is about covering distance to reach the touring zone. Take the highway, set the cruise, arrive at your overnight stop with energy for the real riding.
Days 2 through N-1: Backroads. These are the touring days. Plan 250 to 350 km (155 to 217 mi) per day on backroads. Use the daily distance guidelines but remember backroads take longer per kilometre. Arrive at your stop in the late afternoon with time to explore.
Last day: Highway transit. The last day is about getting home. Take the highway, accept the monotony, and arrive. Save the backroads for next trip.
Use highways to connect backroad sections. If two great backroad sections are 150 km (93 mi) apart with nothing interesting between them, take the highway to connect them. Do not ride 150 km of boring two-lane just to avoid the highway. That is ideology, not planning.
Use highways for transit days and weather. Use backroads for touring days and discovery. The fuel difference is $8 per day. The fatigue types are different but manageable. Plan hybrid routes: highway on day 1 and the last day, backroads for everything in between.