That's some funny stuff right there, love it !

 

For me it is simple. Interstates suck and should avoided where possible. I hit good quality 2-lane roads wherever I can, and can ride great distances with pleasure.

Good luck!

 

This has nothing to do with the thread, just wondering where you got your map for your signature

 

Sorry my question was for Duc

 

When I am headed some place -- its right around 180 miles for gas -- and back on the road -- I don't spend more than 10 to 15 mins including a water/candy bar -- I want to ride -- regardless if it is freeway or back road. They have different challenges

what many will tell you, its not the miles, its the hours.

then again when a group of us are headed out to lunch we spend a lot of time stopping for coffee and bs'ing all in good camraderie

 

Just keep taking short rides on the slab and you'll find that you'll gradually build up your tolerance for it.

My rest stops while on the slab are pretty much my gas stops. My normal speed is 72-75, which gives me about 140 miles. That makes it 2 hours between stops. I usually take about 20 minutes for a break. If I have some type of luggage that I can lean against it makes a big difference in my fatigue level.

I find hiway riding less stressful than surface streets for the same reasons mentioned already. No side streets, no parked cars, no intersections, no traffic lights. When I'm riding in urban areas is when I get more stressed.

When I switched to a full face helmet I was surprised at how much less tiring an all day ride was because of the reduced wind noise (over a 1/2 helmet).

 

I'm from one of them big square states and I agree.

 

You can ride all day when you're comfortable - so it's not a physical issue. Your problem is stress. You're not relaxed at speed. The question that needs to be answered is "Why?".

There are factors that exponentially increase as you ride faster. A lot depends on the bike and the rider, so no one answer fits all. The common factors are noise, turbulence, vibration, etc. Other factors are traffic density, temperature, among other things.

Somethings that may make you or comfortable -

Ear plugs - all that noise is stressful. Ear plugs really help a lot.

Fork fangs - reduces the buffeting that comes off the front of your bike.

Tires - are they balanced? Does the bike run out smoothly or do the bars vibrate?

Clothing - are you comfortable? Over heated or too cold? Does it protect you from the wind? The right gear for the conditions is critical.

Did you dress for the ride or the fall? If I know that I'm protected if the sh*t hits the fan, I feel more relaxed.

Other factors -

Where are you riding? Is it busy or empty? Is it a bumpy road or smooth. Lots of trucks? All that stuff can stress a rider.

In the end, you will come up with a formula that makes riding a pleasure on back roads and interstate. Like anything, you need to acclimate. With experience comes proficiency and then comfort. Logging miles will help. But, you must take steps to make yourself comfortable as outlined above.

For reference - I ride tank to tank - about 200 miles between stops. An 800 day is easy on the "I". Stress is my last problem. In fact, on some interstates, staying awake is the issue. I don't do anything special at gas stops like yoga, a hike, squats, Tai Chi, etc.. I gas up, ****, roll, period. I do stop for a short sit down lunch usually. No - I'm not hard ***. I like to ride. It's fun. I feel the way you do on country roads on every road. You can too if you eliminate the stressful factors from your highway ride.

 

Yep. OP, answer the man's question. ou do understand that bike and beer are both four letter words that start with B right? Coincidence?

 

The Best thing I've found to help me relax on the interstate is ear plugs. Wind noise, truck tires and the drone of loud exhaust will cause you to tense up, therefore you will fatigue faster both physically and mentally. I'm a smoker but I still ride tank to tank. I gas up, grab a drink, hit the head and burn one at each stop. Gives me a chance to take in my surroundings and get a feel for where I'm at