Best Riding Vacation of all time....
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,831
Likes: 110
From: Sioux Center IA
For me I really enjoy going out west to the mountains. It takes me 6-7 hours to get to the Black Hills and thats where it starts for me. Colorado was very nice. Montana is very nice also and I plan going up into Glacier this summer. Beartooth Pass is a must and going into Red Lodge Montana. I also enjoyed going over Centennial Wy and going through Encampment. I believe there are so many nice roads in these staes to where you could ride a very long time and see something new. If you have all the time in the world than go out to the coast and ride the mountains on the way home. Enjoy
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Battle Ground WA
Yeah, I'm right there with you on that one. I ride with a loose schedule, just so I know I can make it back home when I need to be. I can't remember that much about the article, but the premise stuck with me. You could still do it loosely... I believe he flew out of LA to get to Hawaii and if that was the only thing that was scheduled it would be just my kind of ride. I'm not sure it would be that hard really... In August, a couple of buddies and I are doing a 24 day coast to coast and back. I figure we'll be hitting about 30 states give or take. To double the time frame to grab the other twenty seems doable even at a relaxed, ride where you want but in this general direction method.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Houston area
I will be retiring soon - (80 days from today, but who's counting) and that's exactly my plan. I expect to spend most of the first year of retirement riding around the county. I have a map on my wall with a lot of pins stuck in it for places to see coast to coast.
And, with no schedule, no firm route, if we see an interesting road, we'll take it. If we hear of a good place to visit, we'll do it. We'll watch the weather and go where the sun is shining.
We plan on hitting every national park sooner or later too.
And, with no schedule, no firm route, if we see an interesting road, we'll take it. If we hear of a good place to visit, we'll do it. We'll watch the weather and go where the sun is shining.
We plan on hitting every national park sooner or later too.
Congrats on the upcoming retirement.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
My dream ride is to leave Phoenix and head up through Alaska to the Artic Ocean. From there, I will head all the way down to Tierra del Fuego on the southern tip of Argentina. I will then either ship my bike home from Buenos Aires, or Columbia, via Brazil. My goal is to do the entire trip in the same calendar year.
The only draw back is that I will have to leave my Ultra Classic in the garage. I'm going to purchase a dual purpose bike to handle all of the challenges that a trip like this presents.
For 2011, I will have to settle for a trip from Phoenix to Florida and back on the Ultra Classic.
The only draw back is that I will have to leave my Ultra Classic in the garage. I'm going to purchase a dual purpose bike to handle all of the challenges that a trip like this presents.
For 2011, I will have to settle for a trip from Phoenix to Florida and back on the Ultra Classic.
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: winnipeg
It can be more fun on the Ultra
My dream ride is to leave Phoenix and head up through Alaska to the Artic Ocean. From there, I will head all the way down to Tierra del Fuego on the southern tip of Argentina. I will then either ship my bike home from Buenos Aires, or Columbia, via Brazil. My goal is to do the entire trip in the same calendar year.
The only draw back is that I will have to leave my Ultra Classic in the garage. I'm going to purchase a dual purpose bike to handle all of the challenges that a trip like this presents.
For 2011, I will have to settle for a trip from Phoenix to Florida and back on the Ultra Classic.
The only draw back is that I will have to leave my Ultra Classic in the garage. I'm going to purchase a dual purpose bike to handle all of the challenges that a trip like this presents.
For 2011, I will have to settle for a trip from Phoenix to Florida and back on the Ultra Classic.
GREAT PLAN:......But why leave the Ultra in the Garage? My wife and I did that trip in 2007 2 up on my 05 Ulta. It is very doable. 30,000 Kilometers, 14 countries, and 5 months. Also, if you are serious about this trip be sure to check a web site <horizonsunlimted .com> You hear from the 100's of motorcyclists who have done this trip.
Sending this post from a small Mexican town 3 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. My wife and I are spending the winter riding Mexico on my 2010 Ulta.
1 Life
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
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GREAT PLAN:......But why leave the Ultra in the Garage? My wife and I did that trip in 2007 2 up on my 05 Ulta. It is very doable. 30,000 Kilometers, 14 countries, and 5 months. Also, if you are serious about this trip be sure to check a web site <horizonsunlimted .com> You hear from the 100's of motorcyclists who have done this trip.
Sending this post from a small Mexican town 3 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. My wife and I are spending the winter riding Mexico on my 2010 Ulta.
1 Life
GREAT PLAN:......But why leave the Ultra in the Garage? My wife and I did that trip in 2007 2 up on my 05 Ulta. It is very doable. 30,000 Kilometers, 14 countries, and 5 months. Also, if you are serious about this trip be sure to check a web site <horizonsunlimted .com> You hear from the 100's of motorcyclists who have done this trip.
Sending this post from a small Mexican town 3 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. My wife and I are spending the winter riding Mexico on my 2010 Ulta.
1 Life
That is an incredible feat on an Ultra. I have been following several ride reports on ADVrider.com and understand the difficulty. There is a guy who recently did the trip on a Road King. His bike got really trashed.
My concerns are: Muddy and washed out roads, ease of maintenance such as repairing flat tires, etc... Access to tires and parts. Navigating mountain trails/gravel roads, and other areas off the beaten path. Getting the heavy bike across the Darien Gap by boat or plane (easier with a lighter bike). Bike security is another issue. Parking inside hotel lobbies etc., and getting it off the street (again easier with a lighter bike). Many of the trip reports I have read resulted in allot of wear and tear in these difficult environments. All of these things seem simpler with a 650cc motorcycle. I figure I could pick-up a great deal on a used KLR or BMW 650. If something happened to the bike, I could write off my losses, leave it there and go to the nearest airport and fly home.
If you did a trip report or know of any that were done on an Ultra, I would love to read them. Maybe I could be swayed into taking the Ultra
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 2
From: Michigan
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GREAT PLAN:......But why leave the Ultra in the Garage? My wife and I did that trip in 2007 2 up on my 05 Ulta. It is very doable. 30,000 Kilometers, 14 countries, and 5 months. Also, if you are serious about this trip be sure to check a web site <horizonsunlimted .com> You hear from the 100's of motorcyclists who have done this trip.
Sending this post from a small Mexican town 3 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. My wife and I are spending the winter riding Mexico on my 2010 Ulta.
1 Life
GREAT PLAN:......But why leave the Ultra in the Garage? My wife and I did that trip in 2007 2 up on my 05 Ulta. It is very doable. 30,000 Kilometers, 14 countries, and 5 months. Also, if you are serious about this trip be sure to check a web site <horizonsunlimted .com> You hear from the 100's of motorcyclists who have done this trip.
Sending this post from a small Mexican town 3 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. My wife and I are spending the winter riding Mexico on my 2010 Ulta.
1 Life
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: winnipeg
But it feels better on a Harley
That is an incredible feat on an Ultra. I have been following several ride reports on ADVrider.com and understand the difficulty. There is a guy who recently did the trip on a Road King. His bike got really trashed.
My concerns are: Muddy and washed out roads, ease of maintenance such as repairing flat tires, etc... Access to tires and parts. Navigating mountain trails/gravel roads, and other areas off the beaten path. Getting the heavy bike across the Darien Gap by boat or plane (easier with a lighter bike). Bike security is another issue. Parking inside hotel lobbies etc., and getting it off the street (again easier with a lighter bike). Many of the trip reports I have read resulted in allot of wear and tear in these difficult environments. All of these things seem simpler with a 650cc motorcycle. I figure I could pick-up a great deal on a used KLR or BMW 650. If something happened to the bike, I could write off my losses, leave it there and go to the nearest airport and fly home.
If you did a trip report or know of any that were done on an Ultra, I would love to read them. Maybe I could be swayed into taking the Ultra
My concerns are: Muddy and washed out roads, ease of maintenance such as repairing flat tires, etc... Access to tires and parts. Navigating mountain trails/gravel roads, and other areas off the beaten path. Getting the heavy bike across the Darien Gap by boat or plane (easier with a lighter bike). Bike security is another issue. Parking inside hotel lobbies etc., and getting it off the street (again easier with a lighter bike). Many of the trip reports I have read resulted in allot of wear and tear in these difficult environments. All of these things seem simpler with a 650cc motorcycle. I figure I could pick-up a great deal on a used KLR or BMW 650. If something happened to the bike, I could write off my losses, leave it there and go to the nearest airport and fly home.
If you did a trip report or know of any that were done on an Ultra, I would love to read them. Maybe I could be swayed into taking the Ultra
I have attached a link to a trip report I kept. It shows how we dealt with pretty well every problem you identified above. We completed that trip in 2007 and I kept the bike until June 2010. Finally sold it with just under 100,000 kilometers on it, and the bike was still in good shape.
http://www.travelpod.com/members/1life
Picture taken at the Bolivia / Peru border
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,958
Likes: 1,988
From: CA
Yeah, done a lot of riding in the last 45 years, several coast to coast trips and too many shorter ones to count, but there was always a time limit, had to get back to work eventually. Lookin forward to not havong any schedule to keep, no time I have to be anywhere.
