Motorcycle Road Trip Questions

"David T. Ashley" <dta.DeleteThis@e3ft.com> wrote in message
news:6t-dncOgy--1eg7anZ2dnUVZ_oimnZ2d@giganews.com...
> When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip from
> Marshall, Michigan to San Francisco, California and Orlando, Florida. I
> may leave the bike with relatives in Orlando and fly back to Michigan. I
> may look around in Montana and Idaho.
>
> Where can I find tips on making a long motorcycle trip?

If you want that sort of thing, there are books on motorcycle
touring. Amazon.com is yer friend....

>
> Should I stay in hotels or sleep under the stars?
>

Yes, those would be your options. But why pick either
one at the start? Take the gear you need to "sleep under
the stars" if/when you want to (actually, I wouldn't count
on actually sleeping directly under the stars - get yourself
a decent 1-2 person tent that will pack into a small space.
RiderWearhouse has a good selection, for one place to
start looking). But figure you're going to want a real
bed and the niceties that go with it (shower, heat, etc.)
some nights, too.

> How do most people do it?

Every way possible. Me, I've got a hard top case
and a pair of soft saddlebags for the clothes and
such, plus the other essentials (tools, tire kit, a set
of various spares - bulbs, fuses, etc.), then the
sleeping bag and the tent get bungeed over the
passenger seat. Fill up the tank, pick a direction and
go. Sleep when you're tired, eat when you're hungry,
don't pass up a road that looks interesting, and avoid
the superslab unless you positively, absolutely have to
be making best time over a long distance. But then,
that's not a road trip, that's a chore. Don't eat at the
chain fast-food "restaurants"; find an interesting local place.
Stop when you want to, if you see something interesting
or just if your butt is getting tired. That last bit implies
that you don't start out with much in the way of a
schedule. My idea of planning a trip is something along
the lines of "I'll make it into (wherever I'm going before
heading back) by Tuesday or Wednesday, and I'll be
back here in a week or so." If you wanted to keep to
a schedule, you wouldn't be on a bike anyway - you'd
be with all of the rest of them out there on the highway
in a cage. You'll lose a day or two to rain, an interesting
side trip, or something unavoidable anyway ("nope, I
don't have any o' them parts, but I can get one here
by day after next!"), so just don't fret about it. Figure
out how much you need to take in terms of clothes,
gear, and money, then try to cut the first two in half and
double the last.

>
> How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).
>

Relaxed tour, trying to cover a lot of ground, or going
for an Iron Butt patch? It depends a lot on where you are,
how many points of interest (to you) you're going to come
across, etc., etc.. 300 might not be a bad average to
figure on for some - but who knows? In any case, don't
say something like "well, I can average 300 miles/day, I
have 1500 miles to cover, therefore I WILL be there in
5 days" (or whatever your particular set of numbers winds
up being) IF you really, really have to be there on a given
day, at least until you KNOW how you cover distances and
deal with the unexpected. I know people who can positively,
absolutely commit to being 1500 miles away in two days, and
they'll make it 99% of the time. Should you do that right now?
Maybe not.

Bob M.
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

David T. Ashley wrote:
> When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip from
> Marshall, Michigan to San Francisco, California and Orlando,
> Florida.
> I may leave the bike with relatives in Orlando and fly back to
> Michigan. I may look around in Montana and Idaho.
>
> Where can I find tips on making a long motorcycle trip?
>
> Should I stay in hotels or sleep under the stars?
>
> How do most people do it?
>
> How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).

These are questions that only you can answer because nobody else knows
what you like. Some people like sleeping outdoors in a sleeping bag,
others hate it and prefer hotels. Some people feel that if they only
rode a thousad miles in a day they were slacking, others think that
300 is a long one.

Do you camp now? If not then try it and see if you like it. Some
people do, some don't. If you camp you can save some money on travel
expenses, if you don't then you have less gear to carry.

Try some out and back rides--out 50 miles and back by a different
route, out by 100 and back, and so on and see how far you're
comfortable riding in a day. You'll also likely find out whether your
gear is adequate for inclement weather.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:28:55 -0500, "David T. Ashley" <dta.TakeThisOut@e3ft.com>
wrote:

>When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip from
>Marshall, Michigan to San Francisco, California and Orlando, Florida.

If you start now, you'll find the weather gets warmer as you go. If
you wait for summer, you'll find San Francisco is rather chilly.

>I may
>leave the bike with relatives in Orlando and fly back to Michigan. I may
>look around in Montana and Idaho.
>
>Where can I find tips on making a long motorcycle trip?

You'll get plenty here. Just remember they're worth about what you pay
for them.
>
>Should I stay in hotels or sleep under the stars?

Do you prefer comfort to low cost? Your choice entirely.
>
>How do most people do it?

Huh? Most people don't do it. Most people in the states never ride a
motorcycle at all!
>
>How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).

That, too, is up to you. If you're on a comfortable bike, on the
superslab, even 500 miles is nothing out of line unless you tire
easily. If you prefer poorly paved back country, you may find 300
miles excessive.

Al Moore
DoD 734
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

"David T. Ashley" <dta.RemoveThis@e3ft.com> wrote

> When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip from
> Marshall, Michigan to San Francisco, California and Orlando, Florida.

> Where can I find tips on making a long motorcycle trip?
>

Yea, me too !!!

The best advise I've seen is: Take one (or more) practice trips.......of
maybe 4 days; 2 out and 2 back.
Other than that, it's your trip; do what ever you damn well please.
Full gear and a rain suit is about all that is really "required".

Personally, I think your 300 miles/day is about right. If you average 50-60
mph, that puts your butt on the seat for 5-6 hours and that's plenty for ME.

My long trip for the year will be only 600 miles each way so that is just
practice for what you have planned.
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:28:55 -0500, "David T. Ashley" <dta.TakeThisOut@e3ft.com>
wrote:

>When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip

Bravo. As a lifelong vagabond, my feeling has always been, if you have
the slightest urge to leave home, to go somewhere else, to see what's
over the horizon, you owe it to yourself to just do it. Traveling by
bike is so easy, and so fun, it's crazy not to.

I try to do at least one 4000+ mile trip every year. That's anywhere
from one week to a month. I average ~400 miles per day, but that
includes a last day of more more than 750 miles, so normally, I'm
doing ~350/day. That's a pretty easy schedule of twisties and tourism.
How many miles you do depends on the bike & you. AIR, you ride a
medium-sized standard. You MUST do an overnight prep ride at least
once before you start across country to see if you can actually do it.
You may find your bike is unrideable for more than 4 hours/day, and
that would be a deal breaker.

I have a waterproof dufflebag I strap on the bike that holds my tent,
sleeping bag and mattress. I usually camp out about half the time,
usually in campgrounds, but often just out in some incredible American
wilderness. AAA has excellent maps, and they often show smaller
campgrounds that are not listed elsewhere.

Interstate highways are Eisenhower's pact with the devil. In return
for getting you someplace in a hurry, they rob your soul and leave you
terminally bored. If you have the time, the West, from the Rockies to
the Pacific, is a biker's paradise of incredible roads and scenery.
You won't regret it.

Here are some resources:
http://www.bikercamps.com/
http://www.motorcycleroads.us/index.html
http://www.sportbikeroads.com/frames3.htm
http://www.pashnit.com/

--
Turby the Turbosurfer
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

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On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:28:55 -0500, David T. Ashley wrote:

> Where can I find tips on making a long motorcycle trip?

o http://www.visi.com/~dalebor/

o http://micapeak.com/checklists/mclist.html

I tend to research the hell out of prospective routes to my
destination(s). I do it mostly all online. I start by Googling
placenames. I will usually closely plan two routes (one outbound and
one inbound), but I don't set a schedule. I just make a list of
attractions and photo-ops. I always have an alpha list, and I see
most of those. I have a beta list which is twice as large, and I
don't go by very many of those during visiting hours. Here are
additional sources I consult when planning a trip.

o http://www.roadfood.com/

o http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

o http://dev2.wheelersguides.com/

o http://www.wififreespot.com/

o http://www.msgroup.org/articles.aspx

> Should I stay in hotels or sleep under the stars?

I pack the tent, and I use it occasionally. My problem is I insist on
having access to a shower, so, when I'm distracted by sightseeing and
ride too late into the evening to set up the tent, I usually wind up
in a motel, anyway.

> How do most people do it?

You won't find any plurality, much less a consensus.

> How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).

On one day last summer I did only 100 mi., but the temperature was
somewhat over 100 F, too. I was having trouble making myself
understand what an acceptable speed was and woke up with a car behind
me (not close) while I was coasting at 30 mph out in the country. In
the next town I sequestered myself in the county library and played on
the Internet for a couple of hours until I thought I could think
straight. Then I booked a motel room at:

> Westerner Motel
> 300 Oak St
> Chadron, NE 69337-2248

> 308-432-5577

I had expected to cover a lot more ground and was disappointed with my
progress, but the delay worked out. Because I had no hard and fast
plans, I could take the time the next morning to see:

> Museum of the Fur Trade
> 6321 Hwy 20
> Chadron, NE 69337

> 308-432-3843

> museum.DeleteThis@furtrade.org
> http://www.furtrade.org/

.... which just happened to be close to the town where I had come to a
halt and which I otherwise would have bypassed because its Web
presence didn't do it justice. It turned out to be one of the
highlights of the trip:

o http://lacusveris.com/Moab/Snaps/FurTrade.shtml#0040

You have to be flexible because you don't know what opportunity looks
like.

--
... Chuck Rhode, Sheboygan, WI, USA
... 1979 Honda Goldwing GL1000 (Geraldine)
... Weather: http://LacusVeris.com/WX
... 0° — Wind W 9 mph
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On Jan 20, 4:28�pm, "David T. Ashley" <d....RemoveThis@e3ft.com> wrote:

> How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).

How about riding 1000 miles in 24 hours?

A committed motorcyclist (1) once told me about his three day ride
from California to Louisiana and back...

He said that he rode his brand new Suzuki T500 2-stroke to his
friends' house, talked to them for about two hours and then crashed on
their sofa overnight and turned around and rode back home in time for
work as a grocery clerk on Monday, meeting his "Thousand Miles in 24
Hours" goal. That was in 1969.

Of course he was exhausted, but he felt like he had accomplished
Something Important In His Life.

His best friend was a rider whose hair had turned white by age 35.
That rider's idea of a "good time" was to start off at the Cruel Crack
of Dawn, ride all day and all night and return home from his "Mr.
Toad's Wild Ride" (2) before the sun came up again the next morning.

Twenty hours in the saddle was a Good Day's ride for him. I followed
him from Bishop, across the Chocolate Mountains into Nevada, along the
border and across
Death Valley and the Panamints, stopping only for gasoline, lunch, and
an occasional smoke.

Somewhere along the way, he suggested that we ride across the Sierra
Nevada *again* and cross the state of California at its widest point
and return to Lost Angels by the coast route, but I begged off,
reminding him that we had
*already* ridden halfway up the state, along the Sierra Nevada and
back down the Sierra and then across the Sierra, into Nevada and over
the Chocolates and the Panamints, and that it seemed reasonable that
we return home and save his idea for another ride.

Back in the 1950's, some motorcycle company, maybe it was Norton?,
started the motorcycle myth that a motorcycle and rider had to be able
to survive a thousand miles in 24 hours.

Some Iron Butt Nut would probably be able to put his finger on the
exact origin of that motorcycling legend, but back in the 1950's a
popular song went:

"Then he took off like the Devil and there was fire in his eyes
He said, I'll go a thousand miles before the sun can rise..."

The "Terror of Highway 101" was described in "Black Denim Trousers",
by The Cheers. He died when he hit a truck.

I talked to Ron Major, just before he died. He was an Iron Butt type
who liked to ride clear across the USA in 50 hours in a personal
challenge called "50CC".

Fifty hours, coast to coast, about 3000 miles, he would have to
average 60 mph in daylight and darkness.

I asked Ron why he wanted to take the risks of riding day and night to
achieve some personal goal and I told him that I would want to take my
time and see something along the way.

He mumbled something vague about how he just had to do what he had to
do.

Ron Major's Honda was found leaning on the center divider along I-8,
his body was half a mile away. It was unclear whether he had a heart
attack or an accident.

The furthest I ever attempted to ride in one day was about 400 to 450
miles. I stopped for fuel and liquid refreshment or a snack every 100
to 150 miles miles, and I was in the saddle from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM
and, despite the fact that I was cruising at 85 and 90, I was only
averaging about 64 mph.

I figure that most of my riding on Seymour Rhodes Tours (3) averages
about 45 mph. That results in 360 miles after 8 hours in the saddle.
But I do stop and get off the bike and look at whatever is indicated
by the historical markers along the way.

(1) A "committed motorcyclist" doesn't necessarily belong in a mental
institution, he just doesn't own a car, so he is *committed* to riding
his motorcycle for transportation to work and for recreation.

(2) "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" was featured in "Wind In The Willows". Mr.
Toad enjoyed going out and terrorizing the motoring public by driving
insanely fast and taking risks.

(3) Sir Cecil Seymour Rhodes was the Father of the Inane Tour which
has no destination other than returning home safely after having
completed a circuit of
numbered roads. The Seymour Rhodes Tourist is *not* supposed to have
any interest in anything he sees along the way, but he is expected to
recite a list of route numbers and compare the pavement surfaces and
road engineering to his favorite courses on the Grand Prix circuit.
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

On Jan 21, 10:08 am, "♂♂♂" "Krusty Kritter" <Rhiann....DeleteThis@gmail.com>
<albrecht.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jan 20, 4:28�pm, "David T. Ashley" <d....DeleteThis@e3ft.com> wrote:
>
> > How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).
>
> How about riding 1000 miles in 24 hours?

Nah. 1,500 in 24 hours is much more challenging. And dangerous.
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

"David T. Ashley" <dta RemoveThis @e3ft.com> wrote
> When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip
There has been mucho good advise already so I'll try to fill in a few
blanks.
> Should I stay in hotels or sleep under the stars?

Both! A room lets you spend more time on the road or sightseeing cuz you
can start at dawn and ride til 9 or10 whilest camping means you must quit
and set up camp before dark - which leaves time to meet other travellers -
some very interesting. I much preferred camping when younger.
>
> How far is reasonable to travel per day (300 miles?).
>
Depends on your ride and abilities. I'd shun interstates as much as
possible. When my goal was to get somewhere while enjoying the ride I'd
plan on about 600/day, mostly on secondary highways, but have done as many
as 985 on an FLHTC. But allow time to stop for things like Grand Canyon and
Yellostone, et al. *Remember you might never come that way again.*

Don't carry too much. I buy Walmart jeans & Dealer T-shirts (souvenirs) and
mail the dirty stuff back home. KISS

If you get into SoWest heat, wet yourself down at rest stops. Fill your
helmet with water and just put it on. You'll freeze a few miles, be
comfortable for a while, then it'll be time to do it again.

Remember to have fun <grin>
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

"Turby" <turbosurfer.DeleteThis@beach.comber> wrote in message
news:a7e8p356cvqjbocgkcol09qgn9k4t2432o@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:28:55 -0500, "David T. Ashley" <dta.DeleteThis@e3ft.com>
> wrote:
>
>>When the weather gets warmer, I want to take a motorcycle trip
>
> Bravo. As a lifelong vagabond, my feeling has always been, if you have
> the slightest urge to leave home, to go somewhere else, to see what's
> over the horizon, you owe it to yourself to just do it. Traveling by
> bike is so easy, and so fun, it's crazy not to.
>
> I try to do at least one 4000+ mile trip every year. That's anywhere
> from one week to a month. I average ~400 miles per day, but that
> includes a last day of more more than 750 miles, so normally, I'm
> doing ~350/day. That's a pretty easy schedule of twisties and tourism.
> How many miles you do depends on the bike & you. AIR, you ride a
> medium-sized standard. You MUST do an overnight prep ride at least
> once before you start across country to see if you can actually do it.
> You may find your bike is unrideable for more than 4 hours/day, and
> that would be a deal breaker.
>
> I have a waterproof dufflebag I strap on the bike that holds my tent,
> sleeping bag and mattress. I usually camp out about half the time,
> usually in campgrounds, but often just out in some incredible American
> wilderness. AAA has excellent maps, and they often show smaller
> campgrounds that are not listed elsewhere.
>
> Interstate highways are Eisenhower's pact with the devil. In return
> for getting you someplace in a hurry, they rob your soul and leave you
> terminally bored. If you have the time, the West, from the Rockies to
> the Pacific, is a biker's paradise of incredible roads and scenery.
> You won't regret it.
>
> Here are some resources:
> http://www.bikercamps.com/
> http://www.motorcycleroads.us/index.html
> http://www.sportbikeroads.com/frames3.htm
> http://www.pashnit.com/
>
> --

The best way by far to cross the USA is on US 50. It's how to see America.
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:38:00 -0500, Steve T <rm2.DeleteThis@no48panspam.com>
wrote:

>"David T. Ashley" <dta.DeleteThis@e3ft.com> wrote:
>

>4. Storage. While you can strap all sorts of stuff to your bike,
>there are good ways and bad ways to do it, depending on your bike.

Use web straps, not bungees. Bungees can stretch and your bags can
bounce around. Also, I've had bungees break. Once, the bungee broke
and the cord wrapped around the rear axle/chain.

>7. Lodging. Camping in the rain when you are already wet sucks. A 4
>man tent and a thermorest self-inflating pad are the minimum. A

A 4-man tent? That's a bit excessive to me. I have a two-man tent that
I can put up blind-folded in a space not too much bigger than my
sleeping bag. I've camped in many places where you couldn't find room
for a 4-man tent.

>9. Daily mileage. It depends on you. Plan on riding about 10 hours a
>day. That along with stops for gas and sight-seeing will add up to
>about 15 hours, giving you time to sleep. Some days that may be 300
>miles, others 700.

10 hours/day in the saddle? That just goes to show how many different
ways to travel there are. 300 miles @ 50mph is 6 hours. If you're
going from Michigan to California to ride, you can put in 2 or 3 14
hour days, then a bunch of 5-6 hour days. Or, you can ride a rigid 10
hour day schedule. Or, go until you see something interesting and
screw the clock. You can't do that and keep hotel reservations,
though.

--
Turby the Turbosurfer
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions 

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:59:16 -0700, "Seth Hammond"
<lesliesethhammond.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

>The best way by far to cross the USA is on US 50. It's how to see America.

Harumpf. I guess that's right - if you're willing to take a hundred
mile+ detours every day. The best roads in America are not Federal
highways, but state, county, and local roads. I take that back. "Best"
has different meanings. If all you want is to get from point A to
point B, then Federal highways are the best. I think the word means a
lot more than that, though.

--
Turby the Turbosurfer
 >> Stay informed about: Motorcycle Road Trip Questions