First Road Trip on the new bike
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 10
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
First Road Trip on the new bike
So tomorrow I'm leaving on my first real road trip on my new bike. The 1000 mile service is done and the bike is running well. I'm travelling from Connecticut to Pennsylvania and then to West Virginia and then returning to Connecticut. Approximately 1400 mile round trip. What kind of tools or supplies do you recommend for a trip like this? I've already looked over the entire bike, to include tires, brakes, fluids and tire pressure. Just a little nervous about being solo and not really trusting the new bike yet. If this was the 2009 Street Glide I wouldn't even think about it.
I'd have RideOn in my tires and not worry about it.
Seriously, what's the point of paying "new bike" prices if you don't get any peace of mind? As complex as new bikes are, the odds of a successful roadside fix in the extremely (!!!) unlikely event you actually get stranded are very small anyway.
Something goes wrong? Limp into the nearest dealer and tell them to fix it. You paid for a warranty. May as well use it.
But really, nothing is going to happen. Enjoy the ride.
Seriously, what's the point of paying "new bike" prices if you don't get any peace of mind? As complex as new bikes are, the odds of a successful roadside fix in the extremely (!!!) unlikely event you actually get stranded are very small anyway.
Something goes wrong? Limp into the nearest dealer and tell them to fix it. You paid for a warranty. May as well use it.
But really, nothing is going to happen. Enjoy the ride.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 406
Likes: 97
From: North Carolina
I'm taking my first road trip with my bike later this week also. My comfort list is:
- Phone # for my 24 hour assistance
- Any sockets, screw drivers, and wrenches needed to tighten anything up.
- Loctite, in case I need to tighten something up
- Mini air compressor
- CO2 cartridges in case my air compressor blows up
- Tire plug kit for my rear tires with needle nose pliers to get the hard to reach nail.
- Slime for tube tires for my spoke front tire.(not sure if it will work, but will surely try it if stranded). Did I say I hate tube tires.
- Mini jump starter. I doubt I will need it on a fairly new bike but you never know.
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 10
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
Thanks all for the insight. Maybe not trusting the bike is the incorrect wording. I had my 2009 since new and while I do love the new bike I have only put 1200 miles on it and the longest run was 240 miles. If I still had the old bike I would jump on and ride around the country without a second thought. No buyers remorse just still feeling out the new one.
I did not even think about a tire repair kit but I do have slime and an air compressor if needed.
I did not even think about a tire repair kit but I do have slime and an air compressor if needed.
"May as well get her out on the road. If anything's going to happen, it's going to happen out there!"
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 3,511
From: At home.
I just took a 2800 mile solo trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota. I didn't have a patch kit, or a compressor, or any tools. I traveled through Iowa on back roads, and hit the interstate in South Dakota. No issues, no worries. If something would have happened I would have broke out the phone, which was always charged. I rode 4000 miles in 17 days, the bike never faultered
Like others said, don't over think it, have fun, ride safe!
Like others said, don't over think it, have fun, ride safe!
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