Motorcycling the North York Moors

The great roads

• The B1257, the ‘Yorkshire TT’. The Helmsley-to-Stokesley road is the moors' most famous biking road, twisting, dipping and cresting across the escarpment, thrilling, and busy with bikes (and police) on summer weekends.
• Blakey Ridge and the high moor. The single road over Blakey Ridge to the Lion Inn is pure open-moor riding, stunning, exposed, and a known accident spot, so ride it with respect.
• The A169, Pickering to Whitby, over the moor past the Hole of Horcum, a fast, scenic run to the coast.
• The A170 over Sutton Bank, a 1-in-4 escarpment with the “finest view in England”, and east towards Scarborough. Watch for farm traffic.
• Rosedale Chimney Bank, one of England's steepest roads, around 1-in-3, for those who want the drama.

The northern crossing has a guide of its own: the A171 Moor Road from Whitby to Guisborough covers stops, fuel, Birk Brow and the seasonal hazards. Many of these are the same roads our Classic Car Country routes follow.

Where riders meet

Helmsley is the moors' biker capital, riders gather in and around the market square, and the town is full of cafés and pubs for a brew and a bacon roll (it is busiest on market day). The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, high on the moor, is a landmark stop, and there are welcoming cafés in Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale and along the coast.

Riding the moors safely

This is the part every rider guide should include and most skip. The moors' beauty comes with a serious safety record: motorcyclists are heavily over-represented in the casualties here, with around a hundred people killed or seriously injured in motorcycle-involved collisions on North Yorkshire's roads each year. The very features that make these roads thrilling, blind crests and dips, tightening bends, sudden gradient changes, are what catch riders out.

Ride within your limits, and watch for the local hazards:

• Blind crests and dips, especially on the B1257. Never overtake into one.
• Farm vehicles, mud and slurry on the lanes, often just around a bend.
• Loose gravel and debris on the open-moor roads.
• Sheep and wildlife wandering the unfenced moor, day and night.
• Sudden weather, hill fog and rain can close in fast and cut visibility to yards.
• Heavy tourist traffic in season, caravans, cyclists, walkers and slow cars.

Enforcement is active: North Yorkshire targets the moors and coast roads with mobile safety-camera vans, backed by a strong police presence on the popular routes (the B1257 and Helmsley especially) at weekends, and fixed and average-speed cameras are now being introduced across the region. Ride accordingly.

Sharpen your skills: two genuinely worthwhile and free options run locally , BikeSafe, the police-led rider-skills scheme, and Biker Down, run by North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue's FireBike team. Both make you a better, safer rider.

Making a day of it

Ride early or midweek for quieter, safer roads and easier parking; fuel up before you head onto the moor, as stations are sparse up top; pack for changeable weather; and build in proper café and view stops, the moors reward an unhurried ride far more than a fast one. To stay among the best roads, see where to stay.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best motorcycle roads in the North York Moors?

The B1257 Helmsley–Stokesley road (the 'Yorkshire TT') is the most famous, along with the A169 over the moor to Whitby, the A170 over Sutton Bank, and the high road over Blakey Ridge. Ride them with care, as several are known accident spots.

Is the B1257 really called the Yorkshire TT?

Yes, the Helmsley-to-Stokesley B1257 has long been nicknamed the 'Yorkshire TT' for its fast, twisting, cresting character. It is superb, and heavily policed on summer weekends.

Where do bikers meet in the North York Moors?

Helmsley is the main gathering point, with riders congregating around the market square and the town's cafés; the Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge is another landmark stop.

Are there speed cameras on the North York Moors?

North Yorkshire uses mobile safety-camera vans that target the moors and coast roads, with fixed and average-speed cameras now being introduced across the region, plus a strong weekend police presence on popular routes.