| Author | Message | ||
     Beanbiken |
Ok im a novice i can count the # of times ive been on the major highway on both hands. So is there any thing that you all have learned about road trips that would help me prepare for this long haul to CA from FL? Like how many miles a day estimate? and Motorcycle roads to take? how long can you push an S3T safely without it overheating? any tips would be great help. thanks | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I'm glad that you can count but major highways are for tires not palms. | ||
| Chrisb |
I would highly suggest a "shake down" cruise before the big trip. Pack everything on the bike and head out for a day or two. Go at least go 500 miles in that day. Keep in mind when you pack the bike, stuff like rain gear and warmer gloves should be easy to access. Make good use of daylight. I try to be on the road before dawn. That way I'm not trying to eat miles late at night when Deer and Semi tire carcass appear. Stay away from Semi trucks. Try not to run with a "pack". Be visible, I got caught on the PA turnpike on night in the rain. Fortunatly I had a reflective safety vest that I am required to wear on base. I stopped for gas and put it on, presto no more running up my ass from cages and trucks. On another occasion was riding across the country with a friend we stop for gas and a very pale looking woman pulls up in a mini-van shaking like no tomorrow, she proceeds to tell me how she nearly ran my friend down. If it wasnt for a 3 inch reflective triangle on the back of his rain jacket he would have been dead. His taillight had blown out. Anymore I make sure I am hi-vis esp at night. Take tools! Enough to do a clutch job and replace cables. Zip ties and Duct tape are good ideas. Fuses and elec tape. If you have a weepy gasket or a worn looking line replace it now and evaluate the repair during the "shakedown". Do a complete 10k service. If your not the one doing the service make sure to talk to the tech before he performs the job and tell him of your plans. A good tech will automatically go into gremlin hunt mode and go over the bike carefully. If your "close" on tires. Replace them now or make sure you call ahead to the place where you plan to swap in the new tires and make sure they have the tires and time. Consider getting a camelbak. Wear earplugs wind/exhuast noise will tire you out. There are good tips on the Iron butt website. | ||
| Court |
Chris: I can see you have logged some REAL miles. . . those are very good pointers. I 2nd the shakedonw cruise (When I made changes to my "Road Buell" I use St. Louis as a "to and fro" - over on I-70, back through Washington County, Ozarks and Highway 50) and avoiding "packs". Adding a single bike will add 2 hours to your day, add 2 or more and it's a "tour". The one BIGGIE (to me) I'd add it to display, Ive posted details but can go back through it later, vital information on the bike and your helmet. (HINT: side of the bike, below the "slide layer" - bikes seldom come to rest upright and on your helmet - smack dab on top - folks don't slide invertedly veriticalacious.) | ||
| Roadrailer |
Why is this in BB&D? The best advice I can give you is this: Take some smaller trips before attempting a cross-country adventure. No amount of internet advice will compensate for lack of experience. Mileage estimates are tough to suggest for another person. Some people can hammer out 600 mile days every day, some can't (or don't want to). Personally, I don't enjoy more than 400 miles a day of backroad riding (I avoid interstates whenever possible). Plan an occasional low-mileage or no-mileage day to recharge your batteries. Suggesting roads is going to be hard for us to do without more details. You're covering a lot of ground here. Above all, remember it's about the journey, not the destination. | ||
| Fubar |
All great advice. I would add a tire repair kit to your stash. They are small, light , and provide security from getting stuck in the middle of nowhere waiting on a tow. | ||
| Stevem123 |
The S3T will go farther than you can in one day. I did over 900 miles in one day at 80MPH avg. fighting a bad hot crosswind most of the day from Flagstaff Az all the way to the SF Bay area. I was wore out but the bike was ready for more! BC Steve | ||
| Ulywife |
Gear, gear, gear!! If you carry your cell phone in your jacket, put it in a zip lock bag. My husband got caught in a down pour and even with rain gear he was soaked and the circuit board on the phone was shot. Good thing we were at the end of our contract! Don't forget to see who's on the RAN here on BadWeb. You could have help just around the corner should you encounter a problem. Check for updates in case it's not on the RAN listing yet. When my husband travels alone, I ask him to call me on each fuel stop just so I know where he is and that he's OK. I know what route he's taking and this gives me peace of mind. I know it's a wife thing, but it's my job! Enjoy your bike and have a safe trip. | ||
| Chrisb |
Few more pop'd in during my lunch ride. Check "in" at least twice a day. It helps those that care about you worry a little less. And it could help them if the need arises that you need to be found. Stuff that can do two jobs are great. Example; My FXRG jacket is Warm and Water proof. Same goes for my First Gear over pants. The hype about bicycle shorts is true IMHO. I have two pairs. Wash one in the sink at the hotel, slip it under the bungee cord to dry. Usually by the first gas stop it can go back in the bag. Cell phone: Turn it off when riding no sense in draining a battery. Charge it often. Consider an external antenna. | ||
| Lorazepam |
When packing, try to get the heavier items as low on the bike as possible. Keep the cog down where it should be, and making slow turns will be much easier. Carry CO2 inflators if you dont carry one of those ten dollar air pumps from the discount store. Having a tire plug kit does no good if you cant fill the tire up. Carry a flashlight! nothing bad happens in the daytime, and finding out what is wrong in the dark sucks. Proper riding gear will make the trip easier and more enjoyable. | ||
| Court |
>>>>Carry a flashlight! The "AA" mag-lites come in a dandy little nylon pouch...I keep one ty-rap'd to my handle bars. Stash a spare in your gear. Of course, I usually have 2 spark plugs duct taped to the frame somewhere as well.  Hey....we're not telling ALL our secrets are we? | ||
| Ulywife |
Hey....we're not telling ALL our secrets are we? Only the helpful ones!! | ||
| Chrisb |
http://www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2620 One of these is very handy. From fire wood collection to setting up a tent. Lowes has a nice flashlight selection. Court...Thanks for noticing. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Blake posted a link to his own personal great camping checklist as a *.pdf file in a thread some time back. Here is a link to the document: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/buelling_camping_packlist.pd f And here is a link to the thread it was in (scroll down and look for a post by Blake), there may be some other gems of info there: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/6746.html#POST61332 I really like having someone else's list as a starting point, seems easier than trying to come up with all of that by myself. Jack | ||
| Homeslice3 |
Just got back from a long trip and here's my input: Make sure your ass is OK - either your seat is good, or invest in a gel pad, or like I did some old school beads (http://www.beadrider.com/) which worked great. We camped, if you are invest in the best sleeping pad and sleeping bag you can afford, a good night's sleep is critical to a good days ride. Do a few practice runs, pack for it, and when done, eliminate 30-50% of what you 'think' you need - I ended up shipping 1/2 my clothes home - just need a few tee shirts, some clean underwear and some jeans to get by. Invest in good luggage that's compartmentalized so you can easily get stuff out. I had a big Revpak system and I was constantly digging in it making a mess - a real pain. Get a bike bungee net to simply 'attach' stuff to your bike you might need (for me, as the day heated up, i just stuffed the layers in the net and didn't have to pull over and stop and go into my luggage - and i kept my rain gear handy that way. Bring rope and a tarp, extra bungee cords, duct tape - I used all of these. Buy a national parks pass at the first park you go through (and if you're going interstate, why? go see the parks - they're awesome) 50 bucks - it'll pay for itself very quickly. Get a $10 lcd headlamp at home depot - I laughed at my buddy who got one and i got one just to humor him, but i used it every night and it's handy when arriving late someplace and hauling all your gear around with both hands. See above, make sure you pack a few books. Get a tank bag - I never used one before this trip and I get all of my get to quickly stuff in it and it was awesome and practical. See above - have good maps that a detailed. If you can afford a GPS, that's awesome - a buddy had one on this trip and it's a real cool thing to have. I thought about bringing my laptop (i have a verizon wireless card- so i could have gotten access anywhere there's cell phone coverage, but i decided agaisnt it - didn't want to be a slave to my PC and I'm glad i did - you might want to consider this - handy for traffic reports, weather, hotels.... Get your hands on a KOA camper guide, a national parks guide. Get AAA for RV and bike - 100 mile tow for free and you'll never know if you need it. Forget your cellphone - unless you're hoteling it - buy at 20 dollar long distance card and stuff it in your wallet. I've done a lot of 3rd world travel and this always is a good rule - copies of everything, stored in different places. Some 'I got robbed' resources (ie hide a credit card, some cash and a copy of your drivers license in separate from your self and your luggage in case you get mugged or you loose your stuff). I kept 100 bucks and a spare key under my seat just in case. If hoteling it, you really can't map out your trip and make reservations (suppose you wanna do a side trip, or spend an extra day) - I try to get into town, find a internet cafe and book a hotel online vs showing up at 6pm - always cheaper that way. Ride early and finish early - before the thunderstorms roll in. Bring sunscreen - LOTS of it - nothings worse than getting all burned up. I agree with above - don't rush, enjoy the ride - I find actually when i'm by myself, I can really crank the miles, so just monitor yourself and get off the bike and grab a beer when you're tired and get a decent night's sleep. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
One other thing you might consider. For the sake of safety and tracking, coordinate with someone at home. Plan mile posts where you plan to stop and communicate your stopping points. You may not be too far off the beaten path, but whether hiking the AT or riding the ALCAN, it's good to have a set path with check points. If you miss a check point, the posse gets sent out immediately rather than leaving you lying in a ditch out of sight with no help and no one missing you. In addition, if you don't already have one, I would get a phone with GPS locator capability. You can turn it on and allow the phone company and police to report your location to within a few feet. Again, there are places where a spill off the road can leave you out of sight of folks passing by. You miss a checkpoint, your "tracker" can locate you. A charger cord is light and most bikes have some sort of accessory plug. If not you can always hard wire one. | ||
| Crusty |
Just go. No matter what you bring along, you'll need something you don't have with you. And you'll find you brought along a lot of stuff you won't need or use. If you need something that you don't have with you, you'll find a way to deal with it. A little adversity will make it more of an adventure, and that will make the trip more memorable. The important thing is to go. Have an adventure, then come back here and tell us about it. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Don't leave without a good GPS. A good one will help you locate gas stations, Wal-Marts, bike shops, and food. it will also allow you to plan alternate routes to avoid construction, traffic, and other crap that will slow you down. A really good one will display Nexrad color weather radar along your route. Okay, so I work for a GPS company. Big deal! Also have some means of inflating a tire. I like little air compressors like this one that fits easily under the standard Uly seat: http://www.slime.com/product.php?product=40001 The CO2 bottles are okay, but if you don't get your plug in correctly, you likely won't know it till you've exhausted your CO2 (been there). | ||
| Fubar |
I agree on the CO2 cartridges. I also pack a small bike pump just in case. | ||
| Ka5ysy |
One other thing from me: STAY AWAY FROM NEW ORLEANS. Still much too dangerous after the sun goes down, and in places, not much better during the day. | ||
| Jlnance |
Jacob - Probably the most overlooked item is to decide what you want to get out of the trip. Is it a tour or do you need to get a bike from FL to CA as quickly as possible. A lot of the suggestions you've gotten so far assume you're tying to knock out a lot of miles. I'll make a few which assume you're out to enjoy the ride. 1 - Don't plan more than 300 miles/day. Thats plenty for someone w/o long distance experience. By the end of your trip you'll be able to do more. 2 - Stay off the bike a while when you get gas. Stretch your legs and drink stuff at these stops. 3 - Twisties, while fun during the day, suck at night. So do deer. 4 - If you're going through some place where a badwebber lives, don't be afraid to see if they want to have lunch or something. You'll meet a lot of interesting people. 5 - You may never get another opportunity to travel across the country. There is a lot to see. Put some time into planning an interesting route. | ||
| Daves |
write down these 2 numbers 866-757-1651 my work Tues-Sat 319-504-9294 my cell Just in case. I also always print out the Badweb RAN list before I go on a trip. I have never had to use it but it is nice to know that no matter where you go, help is usually less than 100 miles away. | ||
| Sanchez |
- Take two ibuprofen before you set out each day. - Bike shorts rock. The padding might not be in the right spot, but you'll appreciate the lack of seams to bunch up under your legs. - Pack a bag in your passenger seat so you can lean back on it. - Get some gel pad insoles for your boots - Get a throttle rocker - Buell traction grips are much better than stock grips - Bring rain gear. You WILL get wet. Frogg Toggs run about $40 shipped and are very light weight and compact. | ||
| Sanchez |
- Take two ibuprofen before you set out each day. - Bike shorts rock. The padding might not be in the right spot, but you'll appreciate the lack of seams to bunch up under your legs. - Pack a bag in your passenger seat so you can lean back on it. - Get some gel pad insoles for your boots - Get a throttle rocker - Buell traction grips are much better than stock grips - Bring rain gear. You WILL get wet. Frogg Toggs run about $40 shipped and are very light weight and compact. | ||
| Theloftus |
A lesson from guiding kayak trips "cotton Kills" .. find a a few "ring spun" poly shirts and drawers.. patagonia has the most comfy .. wash in a sink with a drop of soap.. dries very fast and is super packable.. a pair of North face style trousers w/zip out legs.. thing like a back packer... all wash and wear and multi purpose.. or a bunch of clothes you were gonna throw out or give to charity.. wear and drop in a can or give away on the road. tire repair and a compact tool kit , bungees, ect.. , or if no | ||
| Dgunther |
+1 on the ibuprofen, or Alleve if it works for you (lasts longer) In addition to a flashlight, the small headband mounted lights from REI or other outdoor places are great for when you need both hands I like waterproof gear instead of carrying separate rain gear - usually, by the time I find a place to pull over and put on the raingear I'm already soaked. Raingear over wet clothes is pointless. Drink LOTS of water - you'll get more dehydrated than you realize, and dehydration makes your brain slow down. I wear a CamelBak so I can drink while on the go. Wear earplugs - you should anyway, but humming along the superslab at 70+mph for 8-16 hours a day will make you really need them. | ||
| Beanbiken |
Wow this is all vary vary helpful advice. Im still in the begining planing stages. i'm going to get a harely road atlas so i know where all the dealers are located and ill plan out some nice side trips to some (free camping) nature parks. I think ill take I-10 most of the way because the other routes will be too cold/(snow/ice?) in october(florida boy) This is a moving trip and a fun trip. I do have a job to get to in Orland CA but ill definatly have some fun along the way. by the way thank you everyone for chipping in with all your advice and knowledge. Thanks daves even though ill be out in the middle of nowhere ill know there will be a good hearted bueler out there to lend a helping hand in an unfamilure place. | ||
| Jlnance |
Here is a suggestion. This weekend is the Road Atlanta race in Atlanta, GA. Thats just over 300 miles from you. The XBRR will be there as will several badwebbers. There is camping at the racetrack and at Stone Mtn park. You'll have a great time, and it will give you 2 days of real world long distance experience. You can get details and ticket prices over in the Road Atlanta thread. |
