How many miles per day when touring?
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 629
Likes: 3
From: Mission, Texas
Typically my wife and I will do anywhere from 250 to 400+ in a day. Solo I do 700-800 miles when on a mission. Back-roads about 300 and slab about 400+. If you haven't toured two-up then I'd pace myself. In most cases I think a 300 mile ride is just right, but long enough to have your SO get tired so the second day make it an easy 225 mile day. First day is a "break-in" day; second day is more of a recover day; third day can be a 300+ day; fourth is R&R day w/just sightseeing w/100-150 miles; by fifth day she should be comfortable at any distance up to 400 miles. With my SO I stop at least every 150 miles for fluids, restrooms, and just break. Five hundred and above are doable, but you can easily creep into that zone where she's not a happy camper, and once you're in that zone, you can't come back, jmho!
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 400
Likes: 1
From: Ms
Lots of good anwers here jj, and like they have said it depends on where your going and what you want to see. A couple of years ago, the wife and I road out west doing two 700 mile days back to back. Then we trickled our way back doing about 200 to 300 miles a day or even stopping and staying in some places for a day. I would recommend using something like the microsoft maps and streets software for the PC. I found it to be pretty accurate for laying out our trip. I also took the advice from ironbutt members for taking pain relievers and drinking plenty of water when doing multiple days like that. Hope you and the wife have a nice, safe trip. Good luck.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 22
From: southwest Iowa
As I have come to expect, lots of great help on this forum! I was thinking 300 or so daily, so I'm probably not far off. Pretty straight roads here in Iowa. We're making a loop from sw Iowa to Nashville; Memphis; then back home. When we ride on weekends, wife handles a 200 mile afternoon pretty well. Thanks for everyone's input and keep it coming. Really looking forward to the trip.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,602
Likes: 3
From: Southeastern Michigan
Variables, variables:
Weather?
Road types?
Stops?
Lot's of things to consider. If you're trying to get a ballpark figure for routing purposes, I'd say between 200-300 miles per day. That'll give you some quality stops, sightseeing, and a shorter day of riding. Those 3 things will make it more enjoyable for the misses too.
I've found when the wife and I do multi-day trips the first and second day's tend to break you in. By the third day you'll be ready for anything. We just came back to Michigan from Colorado, with a 600 miler and consecutive 750 miler. Of course those were both interstate, and we had our biker butts tuned! The total trip was 4500 miles in 11 days. I now wish I would have stopped more. Go figure.
The bottom line is, you won't really know until you do it.
Like I opened - variables.....
Weather?
Road types?
Stops?
Lot's of things to consider. If you're trying to get a ballpark figure for routing purposes, I'd say between 200-300 miles per day. That'll give you some quality stops, sightseeing, and a shorter day of riding. Those 3 things will make it more enjoyable for the misses too.
I've found when the wife and I do multi-day trips the first and second day's tend to break you in. By the third day you'll be ready for anything. We just came back to Michigan from Colorado, with a 600 miler and consecutive 750 miler. Of course those were both interstate, and we had our biker butts tuned! The total trip was 4500 miles in 11 days. I now wish I would have stopped more. Go figure.
The bottom line is, you won't really know until you do it.
Like I opened - variables.....
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,519
Likes: 5
From: Slidell, LA
We usually do about 400-500/day. We like leaving early am and doing two tanks of gas before lunch. Then one tank after lunch. About 150/tank so about 450/day. We stop early to get a room and settle in. Good plan when it is hot outside. Opposite works during cold rides. Wait for it to warm up a little. We do a little less mileage when we are doing sight seeing. All depends on how much time you have.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,208
Likes: 374
From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
Depend on how you want to spend your vacation. My wife and I will cover 500 or more miles/day to get into the area we want to visit. Then we'll cover maybe 30-100 miles per day while we are there.
Cruising through an area on the interstate is not the same as touring it.
Cruising through an area on the interstate is not the same as touring it.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
From: Texas
For me it is not the miles but the time. Obviously you will be taking breaks to at least get gas and eat. My wife usually starts to get grumpy or tired after 8-9 hours. Just have to check in with the wife quite often. My wife knows that I will ride until I fall off the bike. I have riden 1000 miles within 24 hours with the wife and still would have liked to riden longer. A grumpy passenger will make a terrible bike ride. IMHO
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 613
Likes: 2
From: Tallmadge, Ohio
Going to sturgis we went about 350-400 miles per day. Were going again this year but will put in another day so it will be closer to 300-350 per day. That's really easy riding. 400-500 per day will put you in the "glad I'm off of this thing" mode but is easily doable. You should comfortably do 240 miles in about 5 hours especially if it's all highway and you have a good windshield.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 285
From: Green Country Oklahoma
Depending on hwy or byway anywhere 150 to 350 miles and also depending distance between places to stay.Me and wife we ride our own 300 miles or less is her favorite but she has done over 500 miles few times. I'm more of 500+ miles a day person.