San Francisco hits you with its hills first. The city sits on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific and the bay, and the streets climb and drop at angles that make a fully laden motorcycle feel like a mountain goat. The Golden Gate Bridge, completed in 1937, spans the mouth of the bay in International Orange paint, and when the fog rolls in from the Pacific, as it often does in summer, the towers rise out of the white like something from a dream.
The city has a long and colourful history. It boomed with the Gold Rush of 1849, was nearly destroyed by earthquake and fire in 1906 and rebuilt at speed. In the twentieth century it became a home for the Beat poets, the counterculture of the 1960s, and later the technology industry. The Mission District, named for the Spanish mission founded here in 1776, is known for its murals, taquerias and bars, and has a lively street life. Cable cars still climb Nob Hill, and Chinatown is among the oldest in North America.
The Pacific Coast Highway reaches the city from the south, and from the north the road crosses the Golden Gate. Riding in San Francisco itself is slow, with traffic lights on every block, steep hills and rails to cross, so take care on wet days and watch for cable car tracks. Parking for motorcycles is easier than for cars, and many streets have designated motorcycle bays, but be careful to lock the bike and take your valuables with you.
Fuel is easy to find, though a gallon costs more than in much of the country. The best time to visit is autumn, when the fog retreats and the days are warm, and the months from September to November are sometimes called the real summer. Cross the Golden Gate early, before the crowds, and ride up to the Marin Headlands for a view back across the water. The view of the city from there, with the bridge in the foreground, is hard to beat.