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I am 72 yrs old, used to ride with a group and this past yr did a solo trip to BC and back, Best trip ever never had to wait for anyone, ate when I wanted and stayed in nice motels. Did 16 hours the first day (1200 kms), Going to do it again in 2024
I’m 72 too . . . been riding for over fifty years and doing road trips since I was 58 when I retired. Heading down to Deals Gap for my 12th ride on the Blue Ridge Highway. If you’re ever heading out from eastern Canada let me know!
@@al5ayyal911 Thats what you get as you age, no big hurry to get anywhere. Beside the speed limit is usually 90 km/h and lots of small towns on those back roads, I try to avoid the "slabs"
Back when I lived in Texas, I did 840 in a day. We were beat to hell after that, I'm not as hell bent now that I'm older. I still do 5hr rides every Saturday and Sunday here in New England. Great tips very much appreciated. Great video. Ride Safe
I'm planning a trip from San Francisco to St. Louis and am planning on taking five days to get there. No rush and I want to enjoy the trip. I ride a BMW R1250RT so it's the perfect bike for this kind of ride. Thanks for your tips.
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads what we do is to share the routes including recommended stops for coffee, lunch and sightseeing and show video's of them. Beiden this we also try to help finding good accomodation for bikers and their bikes. But we just started last year, so are still exploring how to build the channel and community. If you have any tips, please share them with us.
I've done a few 9 hour days on the bike. My butt and shoulders were sore as hell, but it can be done. I agree about planning for 3-6 hours riding time when using Google Maps on the day's route. Great info!
Honestly, I did 15 hours, overnight, only stopping for gas on a 1200XL sportster. From Mississippi to New York, left at 9PM, arrived at 12PM(noon) next day. The key for me was multiple seating positions, wearing compression base layer/dressing in layers, earplugs in full face helmet to help wind noise/fatigue, staying hydrated with cup holders.
I have done a few long trips and I always try and follow the same basic plan. If not charging to get somewhere as quick as possible I do the following, leave my hotel about 8am and only have coffee, NO food, then ride about 100 miles and look for a. mommers n pop sorta place for breakfast and fuel top off, then do about another 100 miles and stop for lunch or stretch my legs, then do the final 100 miles to my destination, generally arriving around 4pm. This gives enough time to rest and relax before doing the same the next day. I followed this rough plan last September when I left Tampa and rode to Niagara Falls and then on to Maine before returning home via Dollywood, 4500 miles in 14 days (no interstate except the one long run between Boston and Washington DC, 500+ mile day) The most I have done in one day is 800 miles in 13 hours, annoyed I didn't push on and do the 1000 for my iron butt bragging rights lol. But not a fun day, just blast, fuel up n ride sorta day, oh and Im no youngster, I was 68 when I did this...
I like to fuel up before checking in to my hotel or campground. The next morning, I prefer to start my ride early and have anywhere between 100 to 200 miles before having breakfast. Something to be said about watching the sun rising, as you start your day of riding. Cheers!
One thing I would add, if you are riding with other people make sure they are like minded as far as skill, stamina and interests. Some people wanna focus more on riding while others may want to stop off at different points of interest. Both are fine however if you are riding with more people and everybody has different opinions ask to what they do or don't wanna do that can really make things spur.
Well done! All good observations for anyone thinking of undertaking this kind of adventure. Leaving on my first big solo trip in the morning (2900 miles from Chesapeake Bay up through New England.) Glad to see I had done all of the essentials you listed! I have used GMR to research parts of the trip and it was extremely helpful. Great site, great vid. Much appreciated.
I've done one 3-day moto trip with some 8+ hour days in the saddle. What was surprising to me was that the most uncomfortable thing was not what I expected or what anyone else talked about in all my research. For me, it was the extra material in my riding pants, bunched up behind my knees. They're good pants and the proper size, but I'm going to work on them before the next long ride. A lesson for all could be to try a trip of several hours locally, all in one day, with a similar setup and see if there's anything surprisingly uncomfortable
In terms of where, exactly, I may go on a trip; I plan very little and love it that way: free to explore, have new experiences and meet great people. I say, don't plan a thing, and take all the time you want for best results. However, I pack with care; know the boundaries of my trip, how far I can safely push things; and make sure my bike is in excellent condition.
Accomplished 1,500 miles in 36 hrs last weekend, 1st leg was 1,100 in approximately 18 hrs. Finished the final 668 miles to get back home the following morning.
I've done 2 hours of riding on a naked bike. I felt my legs were a little stiff.would love to do a cross country ride. Need a touring bike. Thanks for the info on the video.
I plan about 500 miles per day. That is done usually in 8 hr with stops. At the end of the day I am not destroyed, and after a good night sleep I a ready for the next day ride. Also, if I do a week or longer road trip, I am always do a no ride day after 3 or 4 days of ride. It keep my spirit up, and let my body regenerate. The goal is to enjoy the ride, not to suffer.
Planning? Not an issue if you are organized. I spent 27 years touring the Alps solo from the first trip over without the need for using an organized touring company. You experience so much more touring solo.
Returning, relatively older rider with intermediate skills here. Has any body done a multi day, long distance trip on a Kawasaki W800? How did it go? Would appreciate some feedback.
Been riding since 1972. Have three bikes: Valkyrie, BMW1200RT and Bonneville T100. Recommend using a GPS for route planning and the ride. Bring a pocket-sized air compressor and battery jumper. Plug a USB cable into your battery and mount phone to handlebar with RAM mount. Butler maps are great for route planning. Make sure your seat is comfortable and bike ergonomics are good.
I have a tank bag with a 40k mh power bank battery with a solar panel on it plug my phone and GoPro batteries in etc. it lasts about 10 to 12 hours for each charge
@@wsumanagement9122My first bike was a 1971 Honda 450 Scrambler with a 2.4 gallon tank. Rode it to college from MN to SC and back. Then to California to Texas to SD in 1975. Was loaded to the hilt with camping gear. Small bikes can certainly go the distance, but the older I get, the more important thing is comfort. I used to do 700 miles in ten hour days on my Valkyrie, can’t do that on a small bike. A small bike is just as much fun, in some ways more fun than large 700 lb. Behemoths.
Nothing sucs more than stopping every 90 miles for 3 gallons of fuel. You'd think you could easily get more than 33 mpg. Longest trip I ever took was from San Angelo, TX to Ft. Rucker Alabama in 1987. Talk about a cold ride... Won't do that again. It took 3 days. Yeah I was young and nieve. Only had a 2 gallon tanks so again the fuel mileage.. stopping every 85 miles for fuel was annoying. But over all.. it was a great road trip. Now 40 years later, itching for another. Just wish I could incerease the MPG.... My 2000 Vulcan 1500 only gets 33 mpg... Yeah.. fuel stop planning is very critical.
Did a bunch of 14 hour days traveling between St Louis and Raleigh NC (930 miles). Only got off the bike for bathroom and food breaks so it was hard core riding. Did 17 hours on the same route doing allot of back roads and longer stops 1 time. I didn't enjoy the 14 hour hard core rides, I was conserving vacation days making the trip in one day. The 17 hour ride was actually more enjoyable with the more frequent stops and back roads. I'm retiring in a year and a half and intend to ride mainly back roads and stop whenever I want. I don't mind the long hours in the saddle, but I do swap out an airhawk seat cushion every time I stop. I ride till I need gas with it, toss it in the top case and ride without it then grab it again at the next stop. It really helps on your butt not getting fatigued changing out the surface your sitting on every couple hundred miles.
@@rickcarnagey9586 that’s a lot of riding, well done! I have used an Airhawk. It didn’t work on my F800ST but now I have a custom seat, so much better!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads The secret to the air hawk is to put just enough air in it that your butt doesn't touch the seat. You should feel the seat when you lean into the turns. Too much air in it and it doesn't work well.
since I live the Midwest. When we go west it is 1000 miles of boring. If solo i can do 1000 miles easy. in a group we do 500 to 600 until we get to the good areas of scenery and cool roads. when we do back road riding we try and keep it under 350 a day. I have done 1577 miles in 21 hrs 39minutes. I know there are riders that can do more then me. I was 62 when i did the 1577.
I am 72 yrs old, used to ride with a group and this past yr did a solo trip to BC and back, Best trip ever never had to wait for anyone, ate when I wanted and stayed in nice motels. Did 16 hours the first day (1200 kms), Going to do it again in 2024
The first thing I do is find out how much it cost to rent a u haul from the furthest point I'm going to back to my house and keep that money separate from my traveling money in case of catastrophic failure or something.if your bike craps out somewhere along the way get an Uber to the nearest u haul, load it up and go home.never had to do it but rather than worry about the bike breaking down the whole time I already know what I'll do if it happens.also call My insurance and get the details on towing/roadside service in case I'm a long way from u haul and.Im not leaving unless I'm 100% sure I can get me and my bike back home without a whole lot of headache and stress.
I maxed out this year at about 900 miles in one day. Was attempting a SS1000 but just ran out of stamina a little short of that goal. Took about 15 hours. But generally, I plan on 8 hours of time in the saddle riding a Harley Softail.
Solo ride on My FJR1300 6am to 2-3pm. Light breakfast, hydrate at every fill up, ice cream bar mid day. Late lunch mid afternoon once done for the day or early dinner at 5-6pm. Relax and sleep 8 hours! 800-1200 kilometers possible. I just don't do 3 sit down meals, takes too long and it's too much to process. Save a lot of time that way. The key is Kick stand up at 6am!!
I rode 450 miles on my naked Honda CB 750 Nighthawk with stock seat from Mississippi Gulf Coast to Camden, Tennessee, last year. It was a lonnnngggg day.
I’ve done multiple three day road trips with 8+ hours saddle time. I can be draining if you’re not prepared for it. Stay hydrated and be flexible and you’ll have a great time. Also on the point of riding with groups we’ve always gushed our stops to the bike with the least mileage and add extra stops for leg stretching for some of the older guys like me lol.
Doing my first long ride in April, 332 miles one way to a motorcycle campground near the N.C./Tennessee border. Staying 3 days for some mountain riding, then back home in a one day ride. I ride a Triumph Street Scrambler 900, have my route selection on my GPS set to the “avoid freeways” setting. Total travel time says 4 hours and 34 minutes, very doable with rest breaks. So far on my packing list: - Spare gas cans (I bought small ones, gets me an extra gallon of fuel, which equates to 60 miles on my Triumph) - Portable air compressor - Rain Suit - First aid kit - Flashlight - Travel tool kit - water, power bars, etc. - Spare motorcycle key I also joined the AMA, which includes roadside assistance. Thanks for the video, you do a great job with these.
My longest trip was 1900 miles from Springfield mo to Yakima Washington. On my Honda rebel 300 her name is Ruby. I think it took me 4 days. I started with $1000 had a tire blowout the first 6 hours😅 spent like $300 to get it replaced all they had was a Harley tire. I barely ran out of money at the end. Bad choices in hotels I guess. Went through some bad storms it was a wild ride. That was 5 months ago. Planning on doing it again it probably 3 to 4 months maybe. As for longest stint I want to say probably 9 hours in one go. But around town doing door dash I’ve done 12 hours with plenty of brakes (breaks) 😅 lol
Great advice! I did a 7-ish hour ride from Mexico City to Guadalajara a couple of times, and the one thing I didn’t prepare for was the sun! I didn’t realize that some tiny parts of my skin would be exposed to the sun for hours, and I ended up getting a tan in very specific spots - for example, in my wrists hehe! It would be perfect if you guys could do a step by step example of a typical road trip. I’d love to learn some tips and tricks now that I live in TX and I’m about to start riding again soon!
great video. My biggest fear in taking a long motorcycle trip is being tired as shit at the end of the day, its getting dark and there are no available motel rooms anywhere to be found. What to do ?
Step 9 “preserve phone battery” tips are key!! I did 80k miles in 4 years, relying on airplane mode and power bank charging. It made me become more aware in a lot of ways. I now have a quad-lock+charger, I can’t imagine my summer cross country trip without it😅
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads and it started pouring rain about 2 hours from my destination with tornado sirens. Gearing up to do an official SS1000 in another month. PHX>Flagstaff>Albuquerque>Las Cruces>Tucson>PHX.....1100 miles
Been riding since 1964 but I won't plan another trip before checking out your road suggestions or those in the comments section. Valuable information that can make the difference between misery or fun! I choose mainly remote areas to ride and do a lot of adventure riding. I like groups of four. Out of four there will be someone who has experienced something the others haven't and together work out any problems which WILL arise. If someone gets hurt and you need to go for help. Someone needs to stay with the down rider and at least two sent for help. If one goes for help and gets lost or breaks down EVERYBODY is screwed. I enjoy touring alone, but prefer small groups. Over eight can get problematic. I'm not a "rules" guy but I do have four rules for anyone who tours with me. 1 Ride at your own pace. 2 If you get to an intersection and no one is there waiting for you, we went straight. 3 If you decide to leave the group, let someone know. 4 Because if you disapear we WILL come back looking for you and if you just went off on your own and we wasted a day looking for you, your're in for an ass whoopin! 😛
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads I toured Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway in 1969 with NO camping gear. My buddy and I just laid on the ground by our bikes to sleep. Good experience always comes from bad experience. 🤣
I have a 2013 FJR1300a. Bought it in 2013 with less than 2900 miles on it. Now it has over 76,000 miles on it. I'm 63 years old, and have taken several one to two day trips, and three multi-day trips on my FJR. Since this is my 11th motorcycle, and I've been riding for what will be 46 years in August, I can reasonably say that for sport touring / traveling I think the FJR is hard to beat. There are more comfortable motorcycles to travel on, and of course with that I have to acknowledge the Goldwing, and v-twins from Harley and Indian, and maybe also a Star, or Kawasaki Vulcan, but I've covered 952 miles in a day and have routinely covered over 700 miles a day on the FJR. When it comes to covering distances that include twisting roads and high speed interstateineffable or Montana two lane highways at well over 70 mph, comfortably, and with competent handling, braking, and cornering, you can't beat the FJR. With this machine you won't have a want for sheer mid-range power that let's you roll the throttle on in fifth gear on a tight mountain curve and just accelerate. There's also a top end that'll easily put you behind bars, if that's your thing. This FJR of mine has covered 80 miles of Wyoming black top in 45 minutes, to get to stopping place to camp, before dark. I've also loaded it with 20 days worth of living on the road, and that was before I learned about doing it frugally. So extra, extra clothing, a four man tent for comfort, laptop, camera equipment, etc. Two large roll top bags, a 50 liter GIVI top box, a tank bag...... The FJR handled the weight, which includes 220 pound 6'1" me and provisions, and went down the road just like it was built for that, and it was. Yamaha designed and built a great machine here, in the tradition of the famous sport tourer the FJ1200, which I owned two of. I just can't give enough credit to Yamaha. If you young folks that are out there tooling around on your naked bikes, or sport bikes, are starting to think of what's the best way to see the United States by a two wheeled machine, forget those lumber wagon V-twins and 900 pound Goldwings. Do yourself a favor and equip your helmet for sound, tune in to some good tunes, and take an FJR for a 1500 mile jaunt for a couple of days. If you don't come back and slap the dog stuff out of the Harley dealer that wanted $30,000 of your money for a chromed up vibrator, it'll surprise me.
Great tips! I am planning a ride from San Francisco out to Kansas City, MO. I am meeting a friend who will be riding from Boston. We are planning to head to St. Louis, Nashville and Memphis and we plan to eat a lot of BBQ. As I plan, I am planning three different rides... three days, five days and seven days (depending on how much riding I want to do and what I stop and see). One tip I would suggest, if you are planning to stop in a city for the night, get a hotel on the far side so when you get up, it will be easy to get out and you can avoid any morning traffic.
I did 1500km on my KTM 790 Duke (no wind protection) in 15.5 hours. Was eager to get home after a week’s worth of riding in NC & TN. Love your videos and website,
hmm, didn't touch on camping with your motorcycle when it gets dark and you're tired. can this be done by just packing a small 1 person tent, a sleeping cot, and extra layers for warmth? 700 mile trip from Ca -> AZ. i've done this trip in a truck and we stayed at a rest stop for a couple hours near Los Angeles before finishing the remaining 3 hour trip. but it does get chilly in the desert at night.
I wish I could get my buddies on board with this 3-6 hour stuff. Me and my buddy tagged along on a trip last year and there was a couple of 7-8 hour rides but that was bee lining home. This year 3 of us are planning our own but hot damn they are stretching this too far out with way too much. Think right now the average ride is 7 hours on google 🤦♂️ I just don’t feel down with that
Great video! I very much appreciate this channel and website. I have used it MANY times when planning trips. I've taken countless road trips and have ridden in 46 of the 48 contiguous states. Looking forward to N & S Dakota (the remaining 2) this spring. Regarding the length of the rides each day, I've made a ton of mistakes here. Trying to make time and biting off huge days, combined with an unforeseen delay or two has led to midnight or later arrival times - not ideal. I once read that you need to add 1 hour from google maps for every person riding in your group. I've found that to be helpful and usually true. We ride big touring bikes, so 6 - 8 hours on google maps is about right for us. Burnin' gas early is the key! Thanks again.
Every video on these devices talks about track and routes but none talk about gas management like Telsa does. My bike holds 5.2gal and Id like to plot my gas up points. Any advice on a device to plot gas stops given tank capacity and avg known mpg? Ive been eye balling the Zumo XT. Very nice video!
Done that before but not on my bike. I hopped in car and drove to Mt Rushmore and then visit friends that live in cheyenne.my trip was 1800 miles round Trip. If I had a bigger bike would have rode there.
In 2013 I left my brothers house in Draper Utah just south of Salt Lake and I lived in chagrin Falls Ohio. I made it home in 27 hours straight through 1760 miles and if I would’ve lived further east I would’ve continued I was 61 years old at the time on my 2011 victory vision.
I drove 5 hours to new York from Ohio to buy an fz1. I drove my wife in her car there and bought the bike and road it back. It was only 5 hours but it turned into 6.5 since we got hit with 4 or 5 borderline hurricanes. Absolutely the worse trip iv taken. Don't regret buying the bike though.
Having a good seat, ergonomic position, sufficient wind protection and little amount of vibrations is all you need IMO The bike being in good condition, knowing your mileage and fuel range and stuff like this is basically a given. Sure food and water is somewhat important, but when was the last time you got stranded 100miles away from civilisation One thing i ALWAYS have with me is a way to charge my phone. If i loose my wallet i can still pay with the phone,call someone in emergency etc. I carry a wall charger and a 12v Usb charger with me at all trips. Also a power bank
I use 50 mph as a planning yardstick when calculating how long it will take to travel a specific distance. This compensates for the more frequent stops required on my bike. I use 450 miles per day as a “typical day”, on a long road trip, which allows time for activities, meals, gas, and an approximate 10 hour riding day.
In 2013 I left my brothers house in Draper Utah just south of Salt Lake and I lived in chagrin Falls Ohio. I made it home in 27 hours straight through 1760 miles and if I would’ve lived further east I would’ve continued I was 61 years old at the time on my 2011 victory vision.
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads yea gets you ballpark. So 5 hours of riding will really be a 7.5 hour day which if you round up is 8 and that’s like putting in a 9-5 riding!!!
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I am 72 yrs old, used to ride with a group and this past yr did a solo trip to BC and back, Best trip ever never had to wait for anyone, ate when I wanted and stayed in nice motels. Did 16 hours the first day (1200 kms), Going to do it again in 2024
Right on!
1200km÷16=75km/hour. Isnt that a bit relaxed 😅
I’m 72 too . . . been riding for over fifty years and doing road trips since I was 58 when I retired. Heading down to Deals Gap for my 12th ride on the Blue Ridge Highway. If you’re ever heading out from eastern Canada let me know!
@@al5ayyal911 Thats what you get as you age, no big hurry to get anywhere. Beside the speed limit is usually 90 km/h and lots of small towns on those back roads, I try to avoid the "slabs"
what saddle???
Back when I lived in Texas, I did 840 in a day. We were beat to hell after that, I'm not as hell bent now that I'm older. I still do 5hr rides every Saturday and Sunday here in New England. Great tips very much appreciated. Great video.
Ride Safe
840 is definitely an accomplishment in one day!
I did one over 800 mile day, but never planned on it. Touring the Southwest on July 4th weekend with no reservations. Yeah, I learn the hard way.
I'm planning a trip from San Francisco to St. Louis and am planning on taking five days to get there. No rush and I want to enjoy the trip. I ride a BMW R1250RT so it's the perfect bike for this kind of ride. Thanks for your tips.
Yeah, that’s a great bike, I wouldn’t mind getting one of those bikes and do a proper long ride!
Nice to see your approach! We are setting up something similar for Europe.
Very cool! Looking forward to seeing your videos
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads what we do is to share the routes including recommended stops for coffee, lunch and sightseeing and show video's of them. Beiden this we also try to help finding good accomodation for bikers and their bikes. But we just started last year, so are still exploring how to build the channel and community. If you have any tips, please share them with us.
I tried riding shorter hours and arriving at my destination for the day at about 4PM, but all I wanted to do was keep riding. Is that weird?
Same here!
I've done a few 9 hour days on the bike. My butt and shoulders were sore as hell, but it can be done. I agree about planning for 3-6 hours riding time when using Google Maps on the day's route. Great info!
on Versys no problems with the butt in 10 hours
Honestly, I did 15 hours, overnight, only stopping for gas on a 1200XL sportster. From Mississippi to New York, left at 9PM, arrived at 12PM(noon) next day. The key for me was multiple seating positions, wearing compression base layer/dressing in layers, earplugs in full face helmet to help wind noise/fatigue, staying hydrated with cup holders.
Wow, that is a long ride, well done!
I have done a few long trips and I always try and follow the same basic plan.
If not charging to get somewhere as quick as possible I do the following, leave my hotel about 8am and only have coffee, NO food, then ride about 100 miles and look for a. mommers n pop sorta place for breakfast and fuel top off, then do about another 100 miles and stop for lunch or stretch my legs, then do the final 100 miles to my destination, generally arriving around 4pm.
This gives enough time to rest and relax before doing the same the next day.
I followed this rough plan last September when I left Tampa and rode to Niagara Falls and then on to Maine before returning home via Dollywood, 4500 miles in 14 days (no interstate except the one long run between Boston and Washington DC, 500+ mile day)
The most I have done in one day is 800 miles in 13 hours, annoyed I didn't push on and do the 1000 for my iron butt bragging rights lol. But not a fun day, just blast, fuel up n ride sorta day, oh and Im no youngster, I was 68 when I did this...
That's a lot of riding, well done! I do the same type of itinerary. Like to get 100 miles in before breakfast 🏍
I like to fuel up before checking in to my hotel or campground. The next morning, I prefer to start my ride early and have anywhere between 100 to 200 miles before having breakfast. Something to be said about watching the sun rising, as you start your day of riding. Cheers!
One thing I would add, if you are riding with other people make sure they are like minded as far as skill, stamina and interests.
Some people wanna focus more on riding while others may want to stop off at different points of interest. Both are fine however if you are riding with more people and everybody has different opinions ask to what they do or don't wanna do that can really make things spur.
Thats a good tip!
Good point
Well done! All good observations for anyone thinking of undertaking this kind of adventure.
Leaving on my first big solo trip in the morning (2900 miles from Chesapeake Bay up through New England.)
Glad to see I had done all of the essentials you listed!
I have used GMR to research parts of the trip and it was extremely helpful.
Great site, great vid.
Much appreciated.
That’s great to hear, thank you for the feedback. Have a safe ride!
I've done one 3-day moto trip with some 8+ hour days in the saddle. What was surprising to me was that the most uncomfortable thing was not what I expected or what anyone else talked about in all my research. For me, it was the extra material in my riding pants, bunched up behind my knees. They're good pants and the proper size, but I'm going to work on them before the next long ride. A lesson for all could be to try a trip of several hours locally, all in one day, with a similar setup and see if there's anything surprisingly uncomfortable
That’s a good point!
In terms of where, exactly, I may go on a trip; I plan very little and love it that way: free to explore, have new experiences and meet great people. I say, don't plan a thing, and take all the time you want for best results. However, I pack with care; know the boundaries of my trip, how far I can safely push things; and make sure my bike is in excellent condition.
Accomplished 1,500 miles in 36 hrs last weekend, 1st leg was 1,100 in approximately 18 hrs. Finished the final 668 miles to get back home the following morning.
Wow you don’t fool around! Well done
I've done 2 hours of riding on a naked bike. I felt my legs were a little stiff.would love to do a cross country ride. Need a touring bike. Thanks for the info on the video.
I plan about 500 miles per day. That is done usually in 8 hr with stops. At the end of the day I am not destroyed, and after a good night sleep I a ready for the next day ride. Also, if I do a week or longer road trip, I am always do a no ride day after 3 or 4 days of ride. It keep my spirit up, and let my body regenerate. The goal is to enjoy the ride, not to suffer.
exactly same here. good tip on the no ride day, will try that next time on a longer trip!
Planning? Not an issue if you are organized. I spent 27 years touring the Alps solo from the first trip over without the need for using an organized touring company. You experience so much more touring solo.
359 miles in 10 hrs. had to stop every 50-60 miles for break, no cruse. normally 200 miles a day 11500 miles 5 1/2 months on 750 shadow
Returning, relatively older rider with intermediate skills here. Has any body done a multi day, long distance trip on a Kawasaki W800? How did it go? Would appreciate some feedback.
Been riding since 1972. Have three bikes: Valkyrie, BMW1200RT and Bonneville T100. Recommend using a GPS for route planning and the ride. Bring a pocket-sized air compressor and battery jumper. Plug a USB cable into your battery and mount phone to handlebar with RAM mount. Butler maps are great for route planning. Make sure your seat is comfortable and bike ergonomics are good.
Good tips, thanks!
The RT rocks! 14 hour riding day is definitely not out of question on this bike.
I have a tank bag with a 40k mh power bank battery with a solar panel on it plug my phone and GoPro batteries in etc. it lasts about 10 to 12 hours for each charge
I've done 800 miles on Ninja 250 and was fine.
@@wsumanagement9122My first bike was a 1971 Honda 450 Scrambler with a 2.4 gallon tank. Rode it to college from MN to SC and back. Then to California to Texas to SD in 1975. Was loaded to the hilt with camping gear. Small bikes can certainly go the distance, but the older I get, the more important thing is comfort. I used to do 700 miles in ten hour days on my Valkyrie, can’t do that on a small bike. A small bike is just as much fun, in some ways more fun than large 700 lb. Behemoths.
Nothing sucs more than stopping every 90 miles for 3 gallons of fuel. You'd think you could easily get more than 33 mpg. Longest trip I ever took was from San Angelo, TX to Ft. Rucker Alabama in 1987. Talk about a cold ride... Won't do that again. It took 3 days. Yeah I was young and nieve. Only had a 2 gallon tanks so again the fuel mileage.. stopping every 85 miles for fuel was annoying. But over all.. it was a great road trip. Now 40 years later, itching for another. Just wish I could incerease the MPG.... My 2000 Vulcan 1500 only gets 33 mpg... Yeah.. fuel stop planning is very critical.
40 years? Yes sir you are due for another lol
thanks for the feedback!
Did a bunch of 14 hour days traveling between St Louis and Raleigh NC (930 miles). Only got off the bike for bathroom and food breaks so it was hard core riding. Did 17 hours on the same route doing allot of back roads and longer stops 1 time. I didn't enjoy the 14 hour hard core rides, I was conserving vacation days making the trip in one day. The 17 hour ride was actually more enjoyable with the more frequent stops and back roads. I'm retiring in a year and a half and intend to ride mainly back roads and stop whenever I want. I don't mind the long hours in the saddle, but I do swap out an airhawk seat cushion every time I stop. I ride till I need gas with it, toss it in the top case and ride without it then grab it again at the next stop. It really helps on your butt not getting fatigued changing out the surface your sitting on every couple hundred miles.
@@rickcarnagey9586 that’s a lot of riding, well done! I have used an Airhawk. It didn’t work on my F800ST but now I have a custom seat, so much better!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads The secret to the air hawk is to put just enough air in it that your butt doesn't touch the seat. You should feel the seat when you lean into the turns. Too much air in it and it doesn't work well.
since I live the Midwest. When we go west it is 1000 miles of boring. If solo i can do 1000 miles easy. in a group we do 500 to 600 until we get to the good areas of scenery and cool roads.
when we do back road riding we try and keep it under 350 a day. I have done 1577 miles in 21 hrs 39minutes. I know there are riders that can do more then me. I was 62 when i did the 1577.
That’s a lot of riding, Well done!
Be prepared to change plans at any given moment on your trip, stuff happens! LOL
Good advice!
I am 72 yrs old, used to ride with a group and this past yr did a solo trip to BC and back, Best trip ever never had to wait for anyone, ate when I wanted and stayed in nice motels. Did 16 hours the first day (1200 kms), Going to do it again in 2024
Exactly! Hope you have a great trip this year
The first thing I do is find out how much it cost to rent a u haul from the furthest point I'm going to back to my house and keep that money separate from my traveling money in case of catastrophic failure or something.if your bike craps out somewhere along the way get an Uber to the nearest u haul, load it up and go home.never had to do it but rather than worry about the bike breaking down the whole time I already know what I'll do if it happens.also call My insurance and get the details on towing/roadside service in case I'm a long way from u haul and.Im not leaving unless I'm 100% sure I can get me and my bike back home without a whole lot of headache and stress.
That’s good advice! Plan for the worst and hope for the best
Sorry....cant like your video at the moment. Its at 420 likes....cant ruin that number.
lol didnt even notice that!
I maxed out this year at about 900 miles in one day. Was attempting a SS1000 but just ran out of stamina a little short of that goal. Took about 15 hours. But generally, I plan on 8 hours of time in the saddle riding a Harley Softail.
That sounds like a long ride, well done!
Solo ride on My FJR1300 6am to 2-3pm. Light breakfast, hydrate at every fill up, ice cream bar mid day. Late lunch mid afternoon once done for the day or early dinner at 5-6pm. Relax and sleep 8 hours! 800-1200 kilometers possible. I just don't do 3 sit down meals, takes too long and it's too much to process. Save a lot of time that way. The key is Kick stand up at 6am!!
Good routine! Agreed about the sit down meals they will take up a lot of good riding time. Thanks for the feedback!
Get a phone charger!! Its super easy to install and cheap to buy. Works amazingly
Agreed definitely should have for 2024
I rode 450 miles on my naked Honda CB 750 Nighthawk with stock seat from Mississippi Gulf Coast to Camden, Tennessee, last year. It was a lonnnngggg day.
Wow well done!
I’ve done multiple three day road trips with 8+ hours saddle time. I can be draining if you’re not prepared for it. Stay hydrated and be flexible and you’ll have a great time.
Also on the point of riding with groups we’ve always gushed our stops to the bike with the least mileage and add extra stops for leg stretching for some of the older guys like me lol.
Thanks for the comment!
Thanx4post
43yr rider here. This a great channel!
Pack light, If you need something you can buy it. Not too much stuff. Change gear early for temp swings.
Thank you. Great tips!
New sub ! Liked 🚀🙏❤️😀
Thanks!
Thanks for useful tips
You’re welcome, thanks for the feedback!
Doing my first long ride in April, 332 miles one way to a motorcycle campground near the N.C./Tennessee border. Staying 3 days for some mountain riding, then back home in a one day ride.
I ride a Triumph Street Scrambler 900, have my route selection on my GPS set to the “avoid freeways” setting. Total travel time says 4 hours and 34 minutes, very doable with rest breaks.
So far on my packing list:
- Spare gas cans (I bought small ones, gets me an extra gallon of fuel, which equates to 60 miles on my Triumph)
- Portable air compressor
- Rain Suit
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Travel tool kit
- water, power bars, etc.
- Spare motorcycle key
I also joined the AMA, which includes roadside assistance.
Thanks for the video, you do a great job with these.
Good list of items, let us know how the trip goes!
My longest trip was 1900 miles from Springfield mo to Yakima Washington. On my Honda rebel 300 her name is Ruby.
I think it took me 4 days. I started with $1000 had a tire blowout the first 6 hours😅 spent like $300 to get it replaced all they had was a Harley tire.
I barely ran out of money at the end. Bad choices in hotels I guess. Went through some bad storms it was a wild ride. That was 5 months ago. Planning on doing it again it probably 3 to 4 months maybe.
As for longest stint I want to say probably 9 hours in one go.
But around town doing door dash I’ve done 12 hours with plenty of brakes (breaks) 😅 lol
You are doing a great job, your videos are very interesting. Thanks ❤️🔥🔥
Thank you!
The thing I hate about the national parks is the rv,car traffic ,speed limits 🙄
True, that tourist traffic is a bummer!
i did NY to WA to CA to NC back home loop in 2020. planned for a month but had to cut one week off. You website is a JEWEL. Thank You
Wow thats quite a ride, well done!
Great advice! I did a 7-ish hour ride from Mexico City to Guadalajara a couple of times, and the one thing I didn’t prepare for was the sun!
I didn’t realize that some tiny parts of my skin would be exposed to the sun for hours, and I ended up getting a tan in very specific spots - for example, in my wrists hehe!
It would be perfect if you guys could do a step by step example of a typical road trip. I’d love to learn some tips and tricks now that I live in TX and I’m about to start riding again soon!
Thanks for the feedback! Good point about skin protection, especially if riding down south. Safe riding!
great video. My biggest fear in taking a long motorcycle trip is being tired as shit at the end of the day, its getting dark and there are no available motel rooms anywhere to be found. What to do ?
Same here. I always make sure to have a place locked in ahead of time. Last thing you want is to be searching for vacancy late in the evening
Step 9 “preserve phone battery” tips are key!!
I did 80k miles in 4 years, relying on airplane mode and power bank charging. It made me become more aware in a lot of ways.
I now have a quad-lock+charger, I can’t imagine my summer cross country trip without it😅
Exactly!
I did about 17 hours on a sports bike. Straight through from Phoenix to Dallas. Not recommended unless you really got some will power.
Dang bro that sounds like one long ride!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads and it started pouring rain about 2 hours from my destination with tornado sirens. Gearing up to do an official SS1000 in another month. PHX>Flagstaff>Albuquerque>Las Cruces>Tucson>PHX.....1100 miles
Been riding since 1964 but I won't plan another trip before checking out your road suggestions or those in the comments section. Valuable information that can make the difference between misery or fun! I choose mainly remote areas to ride and do a lot of adventure riding. I like groups of four. Out of four there will be someone who has experienced something the others haven't and together work out any problems which WILL arise. If someone gets hurt and you need to go for help. Someone needs to stay with the down rider and at least two sent for help. If one goes for help and gets lost or breaks down EVERYBODY is screwed. I enjoy touring alone, but prefer small groups. Over eight can get problematic. I'm not a "rules" guy but I do have four rules for anyone who tours with me. 1 Ride at your own pace. 2 If you get to an intersection and no one is there waiting for you, we went straight. 3 If you decide to leave the group, let someone know. 4 Because if you disapear we WILL come back looking for you and if you just went off on your own and we wasted a day looking for you, your're in for an ass whoopin! 😛
man good advice youve been riding for a long time!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads I toured Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway in 1969 with NO camping gear. My buddy and I just laid on the ground by our bikes to sleep. Good experience always comes from bad experience. 🤣
Parts of it sounded like a Bible camp.
I have a 2013 FJR1300a. Bought it in 2013 with less than 2900 miles on it. Now it has over 76,000 miles on it. I'm 63 years old, and have taken several one to two day trips, and three multi-day trips on my FJR.
Since this is my 11th motorcycle, and I've been riding for what will be 46 years in August, I can reasonably say that for sport touring / traveling I think the FJR is hard to beat. There are more comfortable motorcycles to travel on, and of course with that I have to acknowledge the Goldwing, and v-twins from Harley and Indian, and maybe also a Star, or Kawasaki Vulcan, but I've covered 952 miles in a day and have routinely covered over 700 miles a day on the FJR. When it comes to covering distances that include twisting roads and high speed interstateineffable or Montana two lane highways at well over 70 mph, comfortably, and with competent handling, braking, and cornering, you can't beat the FJR.
With this machine you won't have a want for sheer mid-range power that let's you roll the throttle on in fifth gear on a tight mountain curve and just accelerate. There's also a top end that'll easily put you behind bars, if that's your thing. This FJR of mine has covered 80 miles of Wyoming black top in 45 minutes, to get to stopping place to camp, before dark.
I've also loaded it with 20 days worth of living on the road, and that was before I learned about doing it frugally. So extra, extra clothing, a four man tent for comfort, laptop, camera equipment, etc. Two large roll top bags, a 50 liter GIVI top box, a tank bag...... The FJR handled the weight, which includes 220 pound 6'1" me and provisions, and went down the road just like it was built for that, and it was.
Yamaha designed and built a great machine here, in the tradition of the famous sport tourer the FJ1200, which I owned two of.
I just can't give enough credit to Yamaha.
If you young folks that are out there tooling around on your naked bikes, or sport bikes, are starting to think of what's the best way to see the United States by a two wheeled machine, forget those lumber wagon V-twins and 900 pound Goldwings. Do yourself a favor and equip your helmet for sound, tune in to some good tunes, and take an FJR for a 1500 mile jaunt for a couple of days. If you don't come back and slap the dog stuff out of the Harley dealer that wanted $30,000 of your money for a chromed up vibrator, it'll surprise me.
That is a great bike for touring, thanks for your comment! Safe riding
Wait without a phone how are you suposed to know where to go?
Great tips! I am planning a ride from San Francisco out to Kansas City, MO. I am meeting a friend who will be riding from Boston. We are planning to head to St. Louis, Nashville and Memphis and we plan to eat a lot of BBQ. As I plan, I am planning three different rides... three days, five days and seven days (depending on how much riding I want to do and what I stop and see). One tip I would suggest, if you are planning to stop in a city for the night, get a hotel on the far side so when you get up, it will be easy to get out and you can avoid any morning traffic.
That’s a good tip, thanks!
I rode 26 hours nonstop. I did 1,000 miles in 20 hrs. I tracked it for the Iron But Challenge. I'm proud of my Africa Twin.
Right on!
I did 1500km on my KTM 790 Duke (no wind protection) in 15.5 hours. Was eager to get home after a week’s worth of riding in NC & TN. Love your videos and website,
That’s a lot of riding!
hmm, didn't touch on camping with your motorcycle when it gets dark and you're tired. can this be done by just packing a small 1 person tent, a sleeping cot, and extra layers for warmth? 700 mile trip from Ca -> AZ. i've done this trip in a truck and we stayed at a rest stop for a couple hours near Los Angeles before finishing the remaining 3 hour trip. but it does get chilly in the desert at night.
Nice sounds like a long ride! I do prefer a soft warm bed on a motel after a long days ride
19 hours…. Needed to get to MN from Great Falls MT only stopped for gas, bathroom and quick snack / posterior break…. Never never again
Woah that is incredible, well done!
I wish I could get my buddies on board with this 3-6 hour stuff. Me and my buddy tagged along on a trip last year and there was a couple of 7-8 hour rides but that was bee lining home. This year 3 of us are planning our own but hot damn they are stretching this too far out with way too much. Think right now the average ride is 7 hours on google 🤦♂️ I just don’t feel down with that
Yeah, same here. I’ve done some of those seven hour rides and I find it a bit stressful. Not enough time to take in the views and enjoy the ride.
Oh yeah, just did 1100 miles in 4 days. A couple of long days of riding, but it was super enjoyable. First time to the Black Hills!
Right on!
Great video! I very much appreciate this channel and website. I have used it MANY times when planning trips. I've taken countless road trips and have ridden in 46 of the 48 contiguous states. Looking forward to N & S Dakota (the remaining 2) this spring. Regarding the length of the rides each day, I've made a ton of mistakes here. Trying to make time and biting off huge days, combined with an unforeseen delay or two has led to midnight or later arrival times - not ideal. I once read that you need to add 1 hour from google maps for every person riding in your group. I've found that to be helpful and usually true. We ride big touring bikes, so 6 - 8 hours on google maps is about right for us. Burnin' gas early is the key! Thanks again.
Good tips there, thanks for your comment!
Every video on these devices talks about track and routes but none talk about gas management like Telsa does. My bike holds 5.2gal and Id like to plot my gas up points. Any advice on a device to plot gas stops given tank capacity and avg known mpg? Ive been eye balling the Zumo XT. Very nice video!
Not sure, but worth looking into. thanks for the comment!
i just pack and go!
That’s one way to do it!
Done that before but not on my bike. I hopped in car and drove to Mt Rushmore and then visit friends that live in cheyenne.my trip was 1800 miles round Trip. If I had a bigger bike would have rode there.
@@billpirillis9961 Mt Rushmore is an awesome ride by motorcycle!
In 2013 I left my brothers house in Draper Utah just south of Salt Lake and I lived in chagrin Falls Ohio. I made it home in 27 hours straight through 1760 miles and if I would’ve lived further east I would’ve continued I was 61 years old at the time on my 2011 victory vision.
Wow that’s a long ride! Thanks for the comment
You sir are a badass! Indeed!
Relatively new rider her. Longest so far 700miles.
That’s a long trip for sure!
Well done .
Thanks for your feedback!
Excellent video and tips!
Great tips! Thanks for taking the time to make such useful video!
Definitely! Glad you found it useful
Great information,greetings from Istanbul🎉
Thank you!
My longest day was 23 hours… do not recommend
Oh man that sounds painful!
I drove 5 hours to new York from Ohio to buy an fz1.
I drove my wife in her car there and bought the bike and road it back.
It was only 5 hours but it turned into 6.5 since we got hit with 4 or 5 borderline hurricanes.
Absolutely the worse trip iv taken.
Don't regret buying the bike though.
Hurricanes aren’t the ideal weather to hit while on a bike. Glad you got back in one piece!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads Not ideal, but I got home in one piece to family, that's what every trip is about!
Thanks for the tips
Good tips
1,000 miles in 14.5 hours on an SV650S - I will not be doing that again.
That is 69 mph provided no fuel stops, so in the real world, you were going much faster and likely on an Interstate.
@@a.c.e.7568 yep...
Longhaulpaul did 28 hours in 1 day. Thats the record. He crossed multiple time zones and daylight savings time 😅
Having a good seat, ergonomic position, sufficient wind protection and little amount of vibrations is all you need IMO
The bike being in good condition, knowing your mileage and fuel range and stuff like this is basically a given. Sure food and water is somewhat important, but when was the last time you got stranded 100miles away from civilisation
One thing i ALWAYS have with me is a way to charge my phone. If i loose my wallet i can still pay with the phone,call someone in emergency etc. I carry a wall charger and a 12v Usb charger with me at all trips. Also a power bank
Good tip with the phone!
I use 50 mph as a planning yardstick when calculating how long it will take to travel a specific distance. This compensates for the more frequent stops required on my bike. I use 450 miles per day as a “typical day”, on a long road trip, which allows time for activities, meals, gas, and an approximate 10 hour riding day.
Good tips, thanks!
In 2013 I left my brothers house in Draper Utah just south of Salt Lake and I lived in chagrin Falls Ohio. I made it home in 27 hours straight through 1760 miles and if I would’ve lived further east I would’ve continued I was 61 years old at the time on my 2011 victory vision.
wow thats a lot of riding, well done!
Great video. Concise, and to the point.
Awesome advice! I learned a lot from watching. Really appreciate all the work on the videos, they are awesome! Big Stan
Thank you for the feedback!
👍👍
I think a good rule of thumb is to get the trip hours from gps then multiply by 1.5
havent tried that yet, but sounds like a good idea!
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads yea gets you ballpark. So 5 hours of riding will really be a 7.5 hour day which if you round up is 8 and that’s like putting in a 9-5 riding!!!
What camera did you use to make this video?
Just an iPhone 11!
Love your videos! Appreciate it
Thank you!
Duh!