If I'm doing road trips I usually do 400 miles per day as my limit but agree 250 per day is best when site seeing along the way.

 

One of the longest legs of many trips we do in the northeast is about 480---takes us about 8 1/2-9 hrs on superslabs------the same amount of time on the BRP will only get you 250 miles-----same time on I90 / I40/ or I10 cross the mid states will yield you 600-700 miles a day---all relative to traffic and geography

Have a fun and safe trip

Rocker

 

With questions like this, you're telling us you are going into this without a lot of information. Ok, I know you're asking for that info now. Good.
With regards to flatz, you can have a method of roadside repair, or towing plan. (AAA offers such a plan for cheap.)
With hotels, you can get deals thru the app. "Hoteltonight." (Sometimes great deals.)
500 miles will get you across the USA in a week. It's ok to "make miles" if you are traveling to a destination, but to just haul butt to "get there" only to turn around is kinda missing the point to riding across this great country. Take in some sights along the way. Maybe a Southern route West bound, and a mid country route going back home. Riding 500 miles day after day after day can get very tiring, and monotonous. Don't ride fatigued as your level of risk skyrockets at that time. But DO ride!

 

Horrific weather events are, for the most part, pretty well predicted in advance. Check the forecast along your route each day and you should get a pretty good idea of whether there's something coming up that requires you to seek shelter.

You can remove your front tire with a pretty basic set of tools.




The rear tire is a bit more complicated. Roadside assistance is preferable to changing either tire yourself on the side of the road. The picture above shows a really fortunate situation. We were able to find a flat covered place (the rain poured down around (but not on) us a few minutes after this picture was taken), we found some blocks that could serve as a "stand" so we could remove the tire, we had a group of guys able to lift the bike onto the blocks, and we had a truck willing to give me a lift back to town where I could get the tire repaired. That's not going to fall into place most times a tire goes flat. A phone and a credit card are your best friends.

It's also helpful to know the warning signs of a flat tire. The steering becomes EXTREMELY sluggish, you might feel some wobble on the front end or some squirrelly movement in the rear. At the first sign of that kind of response from your bike, find a safe place to pull over and have a look. Take a tire gauge with you so you're able to check tire pressure. Even small variations from the recommended pressure can cause handling problems. Don't wait until it becomes a big problem.

As for the mileage per day, there is no magic number. You just have to get out and ride to figure out what you're comfortable with. For me, 300 miles is a nice easy pace where I feel like I can make as many stops as I want. That can change pretty quickly, though, if you're riding in an area of great cultural, geologic, or historical interest. At that point it's not so much about the ride as it is about the stops and the bike might be just a fun way to get from stop to stop. Other times it really is about the ride -- the time on the bike and seeing the country go by. In those situations, 500 miles becomes a pretty easy comfortable day -- for me at least.

 

Get AAA RV insurance, that will cover 100 miles of towing. I have had to use it 3 times, Sportster, Dyna and Ural. Used the 100 miles everytime. Breakdown or flats seem to always occur in BFE. Carry an extra battery for your phone, some food (6-12 hours wait for the tow), and I have a Garmin Inreach - text messages from anywhere. I plan 1000 miles on interstate, 500 on 2 lane or without a windshield. Have fun.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice. Ive been getting my bike ready since early Feb. I am going to wait until April (idk if early or late) based on everyones input. ALSO, the weather has been terrible in general. For instance it snowed last night.

As far as roadside help goes I checked that box on my insurance option, so we are good.

I hate putting this off but I figure just jumping on the bike with no plan could be an expensive mistake.

@Rocker NH nice breakdown of the routes. when I'm doing my final drawing out of my route I will definitely look back at this!!

@Kozmo any sites outline this nicely? or just individual search?

@NORTY FLATZ you are correct!! Thats where the forums become so helpful!! I will check out hoteltonight for sure. Initially I wanted to strictly camp but Im not camping outside if its 20-30 degrees at night and I just rode hundreds of miles (if I wanted to torture myself Id take up backpacking LOL)

@AtticusFinch pure ingenuity. nice u were able to find a ride and beat out the rain!!


Hopefully last night was the last of the snow around here and the 58 degree forecast for tomorrow is accurate!!

Thanks again for everyones input so far. As always, ANY and ALL advice is appreciated!

 

Doing a life time dream trip of the left coast , thru the south, then san diego up to washington and the rockies , I plan on 4-6 weeks and have done extensive research on weather and we are leaving in mid may . I do not know you're time schedule but I will take whatever time I need need , to see THIS GREAT COUNTRY !!! I am not rich but have decided that I worked my entire life and have a dream , I am going to fulfill my dream ! I have an 08 ultra and will be towing a small cargo trailer ( my wifes luggage ) , I plan on flying to s. carolina and then doing about 300 miles a day , depending what she wants to stop and see . I think we can do it as cheap as possible , hoping to average $300 a day . ENJOY THE JOURNEY LIFE IS SHORT !!!

 

I,d be very interesred in hearing how you make out on this journey. When my wife retires in 3 years this is our plan also[at least a 6 week trip]

 

will post when i get back ENJOY THE DREAM !!!

 

Was hauling *** on the Interstate last year on a road trip. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere I felt the rear end start going side to side at 80 mph. Not good!! Shut her down and got to the shoulder. I knew there was a HD Dealer in the town I passed about 30 miles back. Googled their # and called, and within 45 min they came and picked me and the bike up. Doesn't have to be a HD Dealer. Many motorcycle dealers will put a tire on a HD. I've used both, and In fact, they would probably be cheaper. HD charged me around $350 or so for just a rear tire and labor. Had to get back on the road tho....

Found out from the Tech in back that my rear tire which was nearly brand new had a piece of bone in it from road kill. I remember seeing the bloody spot, and the deer in the ditch, but I didn't see any debris in the road...oh well....

Really cut into my time, only made it about another 100 miles before I called it a day, but being back on the road was better than being on the side of it with a blown rear tire.....