Adventure or just plain nuts?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,377
Likes: 0
From: North Central Wisconsin
Adventure or just plain nuts?
Last Tuesday a guy I work with bought a 1996 Suzuki Intruder 800, the bike is in decent shape it had been parked for over a year, dispite me trying to talk him out of it he left Saturday morning for a 800 mile trip to New York state to see some friends and plans on coming back on Tuesday. I suggested he have the bike looked at at a local shop and he has not rode in over 10 years, he said the bike runs fine and riding is like riding a bike once you learn you never forget. My vote is for nuts!
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 2
From: Windsor, CO
My son has an 800 Intruder and it's a pretty good bike. He's ridden with me on several trips of 400 to 1000 miles. Of course we do the general maintenance on it and we have a good idea of the shape it's in. He's talking about selling it this year and getting a bigger bike.
Anyway, the Intruder is a good bike, and an 800 mile trip is not pushing it too hard. So long as the bike was in decent shape he'll likely be okay. I'm pretty impressed by how strong the little bike is and how cleanly it runs.
Then again, I'm with you in the idea that a little general maintenance and preventative work on it before the trip might have been a good idea. One way to learn that lesson is to sit stranded on the highway for 6 hours.
Anyway, the Intruder is a good bike, and an 800 mile trip is not pushing it too hard. So long as the bike was in decent shape he'll likely be okay. I'm pretty impressed by how strong the little bike is and how cleanly it runs.
Then again, I'm with you in the idea that a little general maintenance and preventative work on it before the trip might have been a good idea. One way to learn that lesson is to sit stranded on the highway for 6 hours.
Club Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,474
Likes: 6
From: Port Charlotte, Florida
He had since last tuesday to look it over and make sure it runs ok maybe he did,
Otherwise i say go to many people talk about doing things hes doing them. Only thing that happens while we sit around planning and wish is we get older and older hop on the bike and go.
If he didn't look the bike over at all id say hes a little crazy but as for the trip i say go for it.
Otherwise i say go to many people talk about doing things hes doing them. Only thing that happens while we sit around planning and wish is we get older and older hop on the bike and go.
If he didn't look the bike over at all id say hes a little crazy but as for the trip i say go for it.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,377
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From: North Central Wisconsin
He called me last night, 752 miles 16.5 hours, stopped 9 times for gas and another 6 toward the end to stretch his legs also bought a foam pad in Ohio to put on the seat he is planning to leave NY at sunrise today to get back tonight.
comes out to about 45 mph
comes out to about 45 mph
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: General Sherman's Christmas Location 1864
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 151
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From: Perry Ohio
What can I say. the guy likes to ride. That's what having a bike is all about. Life is about taking chances. If you go through life with taking any. At the end of your life you can say, boy that was boring.
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 891
Likes: 1
From:
More power to your buddy. There are lots of great bikes on the market that will haul you reliably across the country. The biggest risk is that you will have a problem without any dealer/parts support nearby. This happened to a friend a couple of weeks ago. To me, this is probably the best single reason for riding a Harley on long distance trips: lots of dealers and parts availability.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,702
Likes: 38
From: Houston area
BW something to be said for Harley potentially=more service in the south half of the country...but north of this every snowmobile/lawnmower/atv sales place is chock full of parts and wanting to do business. Honda, Suzuki etc etc are all smiles while Harley guys have the lights turned down and thermostat set on cheapest. John