| Author | Message | ||
     6gears |
I am kicking the crazy idea around of riding my X-1 to Daytona for bike week. My dad is already down there so I will be hauling the bike home. What would be on your list for a straight through ride of about 800 miles?? Weather in the high 40s here. Looks like rain will hold out. I don't have any "real" luggage for the bike but I can improvise within reason. Suggestions?? | ||
| Kenm123t |
My m123t If you ride an X1 for 800 miles you wont need that vasectomy  | ||
| Crusty |
Just do it. In 1973, I rode a Moto Guzzi Sport from Colorado Springs to Lafayette, LA. It was 1200 miles and it took me 22 hours. Everybody told me it was the wrong bike for the job, that I needed a more comfortable bike. Everybody was wrong. While there are more comfortable bikes than an X1, The bike is fully capable of doing such a trip. If you take it, and it turns out to be a challenging ride, you will have memories of it for life, and you'll gain an immeasurable amount of satisfaction of knowing you overcame the adversity of the journey. | ||
| Rich |
It's all in your mind(and butt). Go for it! | ||
| Aesquire |
Carry a few extra space blankets. A life saver in hypothermia cases. Carry some bottled water, and digestive upset medication. ( trots can ruin a trip ) Drink plenty of fluids. Low temperatures can fool you into dehydration. Stop for gas/urination breaks, and walk around for 10 minutes. ( reduces risk of blood clots, stroke, death ) Noise reducing earplugs/buds. Be determined, but not stubborn. Stop and climb off the bike at scenic views. Have fun. | ||
| Britchri10 |
Pick an interesting route (if possible) Take plenty of breaks. Carry food & water Take whatever spares you can carry. Take a copy of BRAN. Don't rush it. Less haste, more speed kinda thing. Furthest I ever did on my ex-X1 was about 500 miles. It's a bit of a torture rack! (But I'm old & have a bad back!) Good luck. I'm in Jacksonville, Fl. PM me if you need anything around here. I'll be in Daytona Friday. Chris C | ||
| Ourdee |
Use a small bag that you can strap on the bike. Put rain gear in it. | ||
| 6gears |
LOL...already had the vasectomy, so no worries there! I have ridden over 400 miles on it in one day. I survived. My trip is not going to be a senic cruise down if I ride, mostly 80 plus on the super-slab. I am going to run the bike through the shop today and see if I can find anything that needs attention and play around with some luggage of some sort. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Heated gear is worth its weight in gold; if you can, grab and wire up a heated jacket liner. Trust me. Old school? Bundle up, grab a cell phone in case of emergency...and go. If you have luggage, carry the smallest compressor you can find (I have one about the size of a point-n-shoot camera) and a plug kit. Spare gloves and spare socks (wet digits suck). An iPod takes the edge off mentally - give yourself some background music to keep the ol' noggin occupied and alert. Definitely walk a couple laps around the pumps every time you fill up. Drink more fluids than you think is necessary. My fuel stop routine? Fuel. Walk. Pee. Fluids. Walk. Ride. If you don't have enough to pee every fuel stop...you aren't drinking enough. I've done both - old school bundle up and go, as well as pack it to the gills with spares, tools, and preparation. Both work just fine. For a short run of 800 on the slab? You're looking at a day, easy stuff (I live in MD, folks are right outside Daytona, I do this run quite often). A single day like this is a sprint, mental- and physical-wise, not a multi-day ironbutt. Bundle up, keep warm, keep hydrated, keep alert. All the rest is just luggage  | ||
| Rick_a |
I've done about 1500 miles over three days on my S1, plus a few 300, 400, and 500 mile trips. Up to 500 miles is tolerable for me. 1000 is a pain. 1500 mi is torture on the little S1. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I've done Los Angeles to Seattle ROUND TRIP in a single weekend... several times. 1986 Yamaha FZ600 - twice 1988 Kawasaki Ninja 600R - twice 2004 Buell XB12R - thrice Rain gear. Rain gear. Rain gear. Bring rain gear. You can wear your regular gear and get a cheap $30 rubber rain suit that fits over it all... not ideal, but you will be so so SO glad you did. Have fun, drink a lot of water. Stopping to take a leak isn't as inconvenient as you might think and it helps you to discover out of the way places you might not have seen before. | ||
| Etennuly |
Remember that what ever warm gear you have, constant pounding of seventy mph winds can make you cold. If it works out that way a great help is to buy a news paper or get some plastic grocery bags and line the inside of the forward side of your riding gear. It works! | ||
| Zane |
Don't know what the weather will be like on the southern end of your trip but if it's hot, take sunscreen. Even this time of year, the Florida sun can rip your hide clean off. | ||
| 99savage |
Fr crying out loud done gangs of 500 mile days on the Ulysses, and before the Ulysses much smaller rides, camping too Pack what you would if you were driving + * Rain gear * Hand sanitizer * Some chemical light sticks from dollar store * Nest together, Boy Scout style knife/fork/spoon set * OEM tool set Buy toiletries and food on the way. For cold I wear Carhartt, insulated coveralls (gwd help me if ever get in a rainstorm while wearing them) and military style, gauntlet shooters mitts. My cross country gaiters help but are time consuming to put on. | ||
| Gregtonn |
Just do it! Rode from Rawlins Wyoming to Reno Nevada on my S3(not T). More than 800 miles in less than 10 hours. Yes I was speeding. Got stopped once, no ticket just a warning. Bonus question: Does anyone know the obvious difference between a '97 S3 and S3T other than the bags and fairing lowers? G | ||
| Crusty |
Bars are taller on the T. I had a '98 S3-T. (Message edited by Crusty on March 09, 2013) | ||
| Gregtonn |
Crusty, Pretty much have to have them side-by-side too notice that. This is more obvious. G | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Get a dive bag for your gear & bungy it on the back & an airhawk for your arse, oh & a decent rainsuit. | ||
| 1313 |
Does anyone know the obvious difference between a '97 S3 and S3T other than the bags and fairing lowers? Speedo and tach locations. If I got it right, I'll tell you why they were that way... 1313 But then again the frame colors were different... (Message edited by 1313 on March 09, 2013) | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Ship your clothes and stuff you don't need on the ride down UPS or FedEx. | ||
| Tbolt98 |
My trip to Homecoming was 800 miles each way and I hammered it out in less than 12 hours... my #1 piece of advice... *Don't put much weight on your back in a backpack! If you must carry one keep it light, the trip out nearly crippled me! | ||
| 6gears |
Well....looks like I may be flying down instead now. My buddy left his BMW down there to ride and we will be out of trailer space for the ride home. I also need a rear tire BAD...can't find one close to home. Dang, LOL. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Ooh fly/ride/trailer with friends, sounds like an ideal trip. | ||
| Crusty |
Brankin; Why were the speedo and tach locations different? | ||
| 6gears |
And yet the third and final plan, LOL!! I have another buddy who is driving down on Wednesday. I am throwing the x-1 in his truck and will be down there Wed. evening. This way I get to have MY bike and we can split fuel at least on the way down. | ||
| 1313 |
Brankin; Why were the speedo and tach locations different? The speedo and tach locations were different due to the different natures of the customers between the S3 and S3T. For the S3, being the sport version, the tach was at the center (as in the photo below) as that customer would most likely be burning up backroads and keeping the RPM's in check would've been their primary focus.  With the S3T being the sport touring version, that customer would've been more concerned about knowing how fast they were burning up the miles than keeping tabs on engine RPM, so the speedo was installed in the center. Of course, I couldn't find any photo of a 1997 S3T dash online to illustrate this. And because there was nothing other than work instruction at the sub-assembly station, and nothing physically limiting either gauge from being installed in either location in the common dash (until the model sticker was installed), I'm sure there were some that didn't follow this convention. But that was the reasoning at the time, 1313 | ||
| Gregtonn |
"But then again the frame colors were different..." Bingo. The S3 frame is "bronze". G | ||
| Strokizator |
Just about any bike can make a long run. 18 mos ago I rode a KTM 990 Adv from Aurora,CO to Fresno, CA (1220 miles) in 20 easy hours. The trick for me was a camelpack full of water, aspirin every 4 hours and an Airhawk seat pad. The ergos of the bike allowed me to slow to 50 mph and stand up on the pegs for 10 or so miles to get the blood moving. Once I got home I had another 14 hours to do another 280 miles for a Bunburner - 1500 miles in 36 hours - but decided I was home safe and not to push my luck. | ||
| 6gears |
Well....this is going down all wrong. My buddy just broke his wrist today, so he is not going. I just gave up and booked a flight down. I will just ride my buddy's BMW FS800 when I get down there. On a side note....Has anybody flown US airways with a helmet as a carry on?? | ||
| 1313 |
Has anybody flown US airways with a helmet as a carry on?? Yes, multiple times without any issues! Well, besides the airport security in Frankfurt swabbing it for explosives, no issues... 1313 P.S. No explosive residue was found - as expected. I didn't find out until after the fact what they were checking for. | ||
| Babired |
me too my helmet went through the x-ray just like everybody elses carry on the security called it a UFO Too bad you are not riding down but sounds good you have a bike waiting for you! | ||
| Reepicheep |
I have also. I ended up checking it at the plane-side check in because it was a little plane. No problems in Dayton OH or Wilmington SC. | ||
| 6gears |
I packed up last night. They say 22x14x9 for a carry on. That is exactly what size my bag is. I got my helmet inside along with 5 days worth of clothes and I am ready to go. Should be interesting. I hope I don't have to buy a BMW when I get home, LOL |
