How Many Miles Per Day?
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 566
From: Indiana
If I am by myself first day on a trip I'll ride superslab 8++ hours. Leave when the sun is rising and get a room around 6-7ish, then find dinner and crash. Once I get to the area I want to be usually 200-450 miles a day. Just depends on my mood and what I want to see. I think my lowest mileage day is around 100. Then, I'll super slab it back home cannonball run style.
Most memorable was from Cheyenne, WY to somewhere in IL in one miserable nonstop blitz. 37F and drizzling rain the whole time. Caught in a storm cell and it stayed over us the whole time. We stopped at Cabellas in Lincoln for cold weather gloves as neither us us had any. I was fine on my Concours but Dad was miserable on his (now mine) Road King. Walking into the hotel room we cranked the heat up that night.
Most memorable was from Cheyenne, WY to somewhere in IL in one miserable nonstop blitz. 37F and drizzling rain the whole time. Caught in a storm cell and it stayed over us the whole time. We stopped at Cabellas in Lincoln for cold weather gloves as neither us us had any. I was fine on my Concours but Dad was miserable on his (now mine) Road King. Walking into the hotel room we cranked the heat up that night.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,122
Likes: 51,434
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Depends on where I am, country worth seeing 300-350 a day, flat lands maybe add a 100mi. to that. Mind this was on the shovelhead so a 350 mi. day you were ready to get off. Road King has yet to be long haul tested.
In the flat lands I shoot for around 450 or so. In the mountains I try to cut 50% just due to speed. When I calculate my trips, I just divide mileage by 50 mph to get my seat time and adjust from there. I like to ride but I like to walk and sight see also so its a good compromise.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 927
Likes: 256
From: North Arkansas
lot of points here. What kind of road, terrain, into the sun or away, wind, details of your bike, what time of day you like to stop.... and more comes into play. I could do 4 to 600 easy but may not feel like doing it again the next day. Frequent stops help. Once you get stiff or hurting... it ain't fun no more. For me, this is every hour... maybe just for a minute or two, stretch bend, breathe
300 miles down a 4 lane or interstate type road is easier than a 2 lane twisty through a bunch of little towns.
People will say they tour on all kinds of bikes but a real touring model will take you longer distances with less complications. Back rest, windshield, cruise control, different positions for your feet/legs
unless i am trying to cover ground, I will be exploring, stopping pictures, looking at the creeks and rivers, historical sights. 200 to 400 is a good distance for me
300 miles down a 4 lane or interstate type road is easier than a 2 lane twisty through a bunch of little towns.
People will say they tour on all kinds of bikes but a real touring model will take you longer distances with less complications. Back rest, windshield, cruise control, different positions for your feet/legs
unless i am trying to cover ground, I will be exploring, stopping pictures, looking at the creeks and rivers, historical sights. 200 to 400 is a good distance for me
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 6,535
Likes: 11,048
From: ohio
When I did multi day trips by myself it was 200-400 miles on average, depending on weather conditions and where I was going. The motorcycle however were a 400 cc Honda, later a KZ650, and still later a 98 Sportster with frame mounted engine (ie paint shaker if you drove over a certain speed.) In those rides the important thing was the journey not the destination. I did a couple of LD multi day trips on an EG with a group. One was 350 miles to the destination, all done in one day. The other was almost a thousand miles in two days, the group took the interstates almost the whole way and luckily we avoided any rain. For that trip getting to the destination was the goal, not sightseeing along the way, and some of the other people were like me, they had a limited amount of vacation time. The group leader kept the group going at a fairly brisk clip, kept stops to just for gas and a quick lunch break. He actually wanted to do more miles the first day but one of his buddies had a mechanical issue. I'm glad I didn't do that trip on my Sportster. Things like vacation time don't apply to me anymore because I'm retired, so I've got more time to get to someplace. OTOH I'm partially disabled now, so that might affect my future ability to put on a lot of miles in a single day. So I guess the point is it depends on a variety of factors.
Last edited by Long lonesome highwayman; May 12, 2019 at 09:18 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 80
From: Newburyport, MA
Around 400-600+ miles. Like to start at the crack of dawn and stop around sun set. Love my time on the saddle...it's bliss for me. I'm in a zone during LD trips. Stop for gas, quick eats (snacks) at gas stations, convenient marts. I do stop quite a bit for pictures on the road.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 443
From: West Tennessee
500-600 with a few short stops to stretch and refresh my mind. I don't like riding after dark anymore because of critters.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 2,261
From: Ft. Wayne IN
Newish rider, old man here. 3-450 miles/day was it for my on my XL1200T Superlow Sportster last year. Now I have a 2018 FLHCS (Heritage 114). Who knows about daily mileage since weather hasn't been too good for this old guy (67 years) yet. Will be taking several long trips this year, probably starting in June. Expect it will still be 300-500 per day. Old bones dictate frequent stops for me, usually 1-2 hours between breaks. Planning to return to New England to see friends & relatives in June; see the Rockies in July; maybe the big loop around Lake Michigan in August. Who knows?
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 247
Likes: 33
From: Wichita, Kansas
My only limiting factor is gas and sunlight. If I had a 20 gallon tank, I would be happy but with 6 gallons, that's the only reason I stop. I keep a cooler on the back seat with cold drinks, my windshield pouch is full of cigars, I have a lighter that's windproof, and I have my tunes. Put a few snacks in my man-purse and I'm set. To me, getting in the saddle is therapy and it doesn't matter where or when I get there, as long as I have daylight. Since I like getting up early, that gives me a good 12 hours of day time. I can easily ride 600-700 miles.
