Road Trips
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Road Trips - 5/8/2008 9:25:12 AM
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mgortel
Posts: 9
Joined: 4/27/2008
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I realize the answer to this will depend on the rider, type of bike, and types of roads, sightseeing stops, etc......but I was looking to take a poll on how many miles or hours you guys typically ride in a day on a long road trip (multiple days...).....where you are trying to put miles behind you to get somewhere. I realize we can't do the kind of mileage on our bikes that you can in a car in a day...due to fatigue.
I'm from Maryland and thinking of a future trip heading west as far as I can go in 9-10 days round trip. Maybe heading out Route 50......
ANy feedback on your own experiences would be appreciated.
P.S. Anyone from the east coast take any trips westward on route 50?? How was it??
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 10:01:02 AM
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Velobob
Posts: 67
Joined: 12/10/2007
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I rarely do over 400 and I try to keep it at about 250. If I actually want to see where I'm riding, I'll do less, especially on the twisties.
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 10:06:00 AM
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mikedetejas
Posts: 137
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If I'm sightseeing, 250-300.
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 11:30:26 AM
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US Rider
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Rather than mileage, I usually ride 6-8 hrs. and try not to ride roads that make for high mileage days. That is the point isn't it? This makes for a fun ride and a pace my wife can ride too. Even iron butt riders slow their pace considerably after about 3 days.
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"Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, Don't Fail Me Now"
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 11:49:32 AM
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hewhohesit8s
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I tend to keep it to 250-300 miles too which usually ends up being 2 rest stops in a 6 to 8 hour day. I find that breaking it up into 2 1/2 hour segments keep the butt from getting numb. But then again, my goal is not usually to get "there". As others have said in another context, there isn't always a there there.
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 3:41:52 PM
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Wecroft
Posts: 1028
Joined: 7/16/2007
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Hey from Hereford.
When we're just taking a sightseeing trip we usually put on between 200-300 miles per day, or even less if we come on to something interesting and stop for a while. When we have a destination set, we've been known to do 920 miles in one day.
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If it feels good, do it!
PGR #18690 "Standing for Those Who Stood for US"
2006 Ultra Classic
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 5:52:05 PM
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DragonNester
Posts: 445
Joined: 10/23/2005
From: East Tennessee
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400 - 500 on interstates because they are boring. Usually 250 - 350 on secondary roads, depending on the terrain. I ride a comfortable highway bike and support my back on long trips.
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Keep your bike in good repair; motorcycle boots are not comfortable for walking.
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RE: Road Trips - 5/8/2008 7:59:07 PM
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jeffbarb17
Posts: 294
Joined: 11/27/2007
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We leave ourselves lots of time when we go on long trips.....do about 300-350 a day and usually shut it down aroun4 or 5 o'clock. 90% of the time we are on the back roads and never try to push it. We leave around 9 in the morning and we enjoy the day without feeling rushed...
From Maryland i would put the miles on by going hiway til you get to Denver....do Colorado, The Grand Canyon and Utah then head it back home........there is no beating Colorado....
Life is Great.....We all Ride!!!!!...some west....
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RE: Road Trips - 5/9/2008 2:58:50 AM
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07RK/Gaub
Posts: 33
Joined: 5/17/2007
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I ride hard the first day of a trip to get into new country, then I slow it down and get on the back roads. From there I let the scenery dictate the miles, it's all about seeing and enjoying the country for me, not the destination. That's why I don't book hotels ahead of time. I just stop where I feel like it. I put from 500 to 800 miles on the first day or maybe the last day headed home, but usually average 200 to 300 miles in between. I ride a RKC and think the wind shield adds to the comfort and distance before fatigue sets in. Enjoy your ride and keep it safe.
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RE: Road Trips - 5/9/2008 3:46:22 AM
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mgortel
Posts: 9
Joined: 4/27/2008
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Thanks for the feedback guys!
I am definately getting a windshield before any long road trips.........last Sunday I did 275 miles round trip from my house to Antietem Battlefield and Harpers Ferry. We rode out on I-70 for abpout 30 miles before hitting back roads and at those higher speeds my neck muscles were sore as hell from the wind resistance!
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RE: Road Trips - 5/9/2008 4:14:11 AM
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KraZeeInOhio
Posts: 67
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Well if the trip is truly one "where you are trying to put miles behind you to get somewhere" I do 650-700 miles a day but that would mean it's on an Interstate, not a highway like US Route 50. I find that when I'm traveling on US & SR highways I can only average 350-400 miles a day due to increased traffic and usually passing through many small towns/cities. Staying off the Interstates is certainly more enjoyable but you can't make high mileage.
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2007 FLHTCU Black Pearl
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RE: Road Trips - 5/9/2008 8:24:57 AM
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swood
Posts: 40
Joined: 4/30/2008
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It doesn't matter about miles, but it takes a long trip or two to get comfortable in that.....We go with 1 other couple, and there is a destination to start, but we let weather, comfort, beer!!!, dictate what direction and how far......If there is rain a head, take a left or right, and whatever happens is part of the awesome journey!!! Don't like to bar hop as much anymore, but sure love to take off for 2 weeks and think about nothing but riding.......Getting me fired up for our ride in July from Houston to San Francisco!!!!!
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RE: Road Trips - 5/9/2008 1:59:02 PM
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SoALposer
Posts: 113
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The usual folks I ride with like to break aboout every 45 mins unless we are in a hurry, then we break every 120 miles as at least one of us will need fuel. But, only once were we in a hurry enough to put over 600 miles in a day, and that was on back roads, left at 4 a.m. and quit around 5 p.m.. I do not enjoy that type of riding, I ride for pleasure, not to have to work hard at it and anything above 55-65 mph is work to me, can't enjoy looking around and just stopping when and where you want. But that's just me.
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RE: Road Trips - 5/11/2008 11:55:31 PM
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doc_cj
Posts: 730
Joined: 6/19/2007
From: Cedar City, UT
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I've noticed that I tend to ride in 3 categories of distance. When siteseeing or in new territory I'll cover 200 to 300 in a day. When covering places I've seen before (usually on the way to somewhere new) I'll cover 500 to 700 in a day. And on a few occasions, when I'm ready to just get home, I've been known to cover 900 to 1100 in a day.
For me the more important question is how many miles do I stay in the saddle at once. The most has been 165, when I stopped for gas while cutting across the Texas Panhandle from New Mexico on the way to Oklahoma City. I've been across the panhandle many times so just getting the miles done was the goal. On the other hand, when I'm going into new territory -- or someplace I want to enjoy the ride more -- then I'll only do 40 to 80 before I get off the bike. I try to plan stops around interesting sites or good food stops. 
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Any effort that has self-glorification as its final endpoint is bound to end in disaster. Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
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RE: Road Trips - 5/12/2008 9:28:10 PM
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Wrong Way
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Joined: 5/12/2008
From: Raleigh, NC
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Just you, or many other bikes? Another factor is the group. Slower gas stops, eateries, bathrooms, etc.
That aside, 225 to 400 miles. 225 is like an all day twistie type of riding. 400 is like blasting up and down the highway for most of the day. I can do 350 miles by my self in 8 hours without getting on the slab, but there's got to be some really wide open roads or even some country 4-laners, like 15 between Frederick and Gettysburg or 340 from Frederick to Front Royal. Without that, I'm good for about 275 in a similar amount of time given a reasonable misture of roads.
Hope it helps. I know that 50 west thing is going to be SLOW GOING until after Winchester, VA. Good Luck!
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