If you're coming from KS, I'm assuming you'll be heading west on 70 to Denver to start....so my directions assume Denver as the start point.
Ride #1:
Day 1: Head southwest from Denver on 285 to Poncha Springs (near Salida). Head west on 50 to just west of Gunnison, then south on 149 through Lake City. This highway is one of the best motorcycle roads I've ever ridden, and I live here...so I travel a lot of them. This dumps you out in South Fork where you'll pick up 160 southwest to Pagosa Springs (up and over Wolf Creek pass). Continue west to Durango and spend the night. Day 2 - head north on the Million Dollar Highway (Hwy 550 - they call it the Million Dollar Highway for a reason....fantastic views!) through Silverton, Ouray, and Ridgeway. Then hang a left at Ridgeway on 62 to Placerville, then 145 into Telluride for lunch. If you've never been there, it's one of the most scenic towns in the US. After lunch, re-trace your path back to Ridgeway, pick up 550 north to Montrose, then 50 east back along the ridge of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, into Gunnison. You can stay here or press 30 miles north up to Crested Butte for the night (I'd recommend it as Crested Butte is a cool ski town even in the summer...cool bars and fun folks). Theres a bunch of B&Bs you can stay in there. Day 3- back down to 50 east to 285 north, split off on 24 east through Hartsel, to Woodland Park. Pick up 67 north through Deckers and you'll run back into 285 which will bring you back to Denver.
Trip 1 is just shy of 1,000 miles and is great on a Busa!
Trip 2 (shorter):
Day 1: Head north out of Denver to Ft. Collins on I-25 (necessary evil). Pick up 287 towards Laramie. Head west on 80 for 1 mile and take the exit for Hwy 130 (Snowy Range Road). Take that west, up and over Medicine Bow Peak (another one of the most scenic places around), and drop into Saratoga WY. Spend the night at the Hotel Wolf if you can (friends of mine own the place). They may be full, so make reservations. At a minimum, drop in to the Hotel Wolf for dinner for the best Prime Rib you'll ever eat. The Saratoga Inn is an OK place to stay too. Saratoga has publicly available hot springs to soak your sore ass in. Day 2: Head south out of Saratoga on 130 to Riverside, then pick up 230 south into Colorado (Cowdrey, Walden). take 125 south out of Walden and pick up 34 north through Grand Lake and you'll go through Rocky Mtn National Park....and the road will take you up and over Trail Ridge Road (12,000 ft) and into Estes Park. Make your way south through Meeker Park, Allens Park, and pick up 72 (Peak to Peak Highway) to Nederland. You can either 1) turn left down Boulder Canyon or keep going on 72 and turn left down Coal Creek Canyon, or keep going and come down Clear Creek Canyon. Any of those 3 canyons are fun twisty roads that end up dumping you into the Denver/Boulder metro.
This ride is about 500 miles.
There's plenty more, but those are my 2 favorites!
Shoot me a PM if you want more intel on places/stops/grub. I'' send you a PM too with all this, in case you're not checking the responses.
