Tips and tricks?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,399
Likes: 8,509
From: Spartan Country, Michigan
On all my trips, we never make reservations. We never make plans set in stone....on the road, we try to be flexible. We basically ride until late afternoon then start looking for motel. Or a place to stay. I find if we make reservations, then you are pushed to make it to a certain place by a certain time. We've never had an issue finding a room. Allow time for riding/looking/stopping/enjoying what you can. The only set plan we have is our trip destination. Then that is flexible as far as when we arrive, when we get there. Lot less stress! And you got some darn good info above. Stop often, which on a Sporty will be about every hour and a half. Get something to drink. I keep a sport water bottle on the bars on a removable holder and drink often. Let us know how your trip went! Good Luck!!
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 69,901
Likes: 18,589
From: South Florida
On all my trips, we never make reservations. We never make plans set in stone....on the road, we try to be flexible. We basically ride until late afternoon then start looking for motel. Or a place to stay. I find if we make reservations, then you are pushed to make it to a certain place by a certain time. We've never had an issue finding a room. Allow time for riding/looking/stopping/enjoying what you can. The only set plan we have is our trip destination. Then that is flexible as far as when we arrive, when we get there. Lot less stress! And you got some darn good info above. Stop often, which on a Sporty will be about every hour and a half. Get something to drink. I keep a sport water bottle on the bars on a removable holder and drink often. Let us know how your trip went! Good Luck!!
If I want to veer off, so be it. I veer off and see whatever. just have to allot time for it. If I get to the hotel at 4P or 6p or even 8p, who cares.
At least I KNOW I will have a room at a GOOD hotel not fle bag piece of crap or NO HOTEL at all.
No right or wrong. just diff ways to do it.
BuzzCap7
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 20,406
Likes: 24,171
From: WetCoast
I take a small tents, a small sleeping bag and a blanket. Worse case scenario I sleep on the side of the road, or in the sleeping bag which is on the blanket which is on the bed in the skid row motels I sometimes stay in. Most often I get to the town I want to stay in and use Booking.com to find a place if I know my next night stop, I will book the night before. I have lucked into $400 rooms for $40..... of course I have also stayed In Route 66 Skidders. The worst was the Motel 6 in Jolliet, Illinois. I swear that if you had asked me to choose between a Hand Gun Or Scarlet Johansen, I would have had a hell of a time deciding......
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 353
Likes: 7
From: East Tennessee
I've never spent the night in one but I've stayed in them on several occasions during a sudden heavy downpour. I never thought about staying there at night, why not?
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 966
Likes: 517
From: Upper East Tennessee
I went from East Tenn. to the Gulf coast of FL a few years back on my '09 883l. You can make a 100 miles easily on a tank. I had a 150 miles range (3.3 gal. tank) and I would run about 100 miles between fill ups. I would take 15 to 20 minutes at each stop. I do map out my gas stops. I try to avoid the slab. Keep water handy. My bags had a pocket where I could keep a bottle. . I had a Mustang seat, make sure you have a good seat and 400 miles is a fairly easy day. You said you were going to camp. I stayed in a motel, I wait till the last gas stop before I call it a day to book a room. Like everyone said take time to enjoy the trip.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 415
From: Southern Maryland
To reserve or not to reserve
On all my trips, we never make reservations. We never make plans set in stone....on the road, we try to be flexible. We basically ride until late afternoon then start looking for motel. Or a place to stay. I find if we make reservations, then you are pushed to make it to a certain place by a certain time. We've never had an issue finding a room. .............
If I want to veer off, so be it. I veer off and see whatever. just have to allot time for it. If I get to the hotel at 4P or 6p or even 8p, who cares.
At least I KNOW I will have a room at a GOOD hotel not fle bag piece of crap or NO HOTEL at all.
No right or wrong. just diff ways to do it.
BuzzCap7
I have done both, and like BuzzCap7's method. We rode cross country, and when the lead decided to stop, hotel was full, so another 40 miles down the road, hotel full, so we did that until the cows came home. When we finally stopped, I was beat.
The second X-country ride, we made daily reservations, usually 350 to 450 miles per day, with a room at the end, a glass of wine, and a hot meal/shower. Planning is the key, but a breakdown can be a game changer with reservations
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