How many miles per day when touring?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
We had 4 solo riders on Touring bikes in May, on a trip from Tacoma to Scottsdale. We took 4 full days to get there. Our overnights were Klamath Falls, OR...Virginia City, NV...Pahrump, NV. We did some sightseeing on each day but the first, so we weren't hitting it too hard....about 400-mi/day.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: OH
Two up on the back roads is a totally different ball game than rolling solo with your buddies. My Significant other is a challenging passenger at 6-0'. On the slab it's not so bad but starting, stopping and rolling twisty roads wears me down. Like the others posted the passenger will also dictate how much you have to stop. Two up I can get 200-300 miles per day and she and I are both about done.
Solo with the boys.... ride until you fall off the thing. Last trip solo I rode a 750mile day and could have gone longer. Last year with the boys we ran close to 1800 in 3 days. The second day was mostly 45 on the BRP, through the dragon and roads like that.
The bottom line is on the first trip I would not restrict myself to a time line by making reservations ahead of time and getting bent about making time. Just enjoy the ride and play it by ear.
Solo with the boys.... ride until you fall off the thing. Last trip solo I rode a 750mile day and could have gone longer. Last year with the boys we ran close to 1800 in 3 days. The second day was mostly 45 on the BRP, through the dragon and roads like that.
The bottom line is on the first trip I would not restrict myself to a time line by making reservations ahead of time and getting bent about making time. Just enjoy the ride and play it by ear.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Raleigh NC
Wife and I are planning our first long ride. Probably week or so. Always had metric cruisers before our Ultra so we didn't do anything more than overnight trips. Trying to plan a little; so how many miles do you seasoned tourers ride per day? What would be a good number to shoot for per day for a first multi-day ride? We are going to stay off interstates as well. Thanks for everyone's thoughts.
Depending on how YOU define touring..... blasting down the freeway, stopping only for fuel, and food. Or, stopping at every "the world's largest (fill in the blank)"
I figure anything within 5 hours from home is a day trip anyway... so I'm all for blasting down the highway to get to "new places" The wife has other ideas....so we compromise.
I've gone as far as 550 miles in a long day,including plenty of stops at various locations.
I've had "flower sniffing tours" on the Blue Ridge Parkway, of 150 miles in a day.
and there have been several 900-1200 marathon rides
Stick to YOUR comfort zone.... if you are used to riding 150 miles.... and this is your first long trip? I'd stick to 150-250 miles depending on what intrests you and your wife.
If you stretch out to 2-3 times what you (and the wife) are used to.... you might find the next day's ride more difficult.
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 428
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From: PA
How many miles can you and the wifw handle?
I know if my wife were going it would not be many.
But If I were going solo now that's a different story.
Depends on how long the depends hold out!
I know if my wife were going it would not be many.
But If I were going solo now that's a different story.
Depends on how long the depends hold out!
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Northeast Ohio
I have taken many longer trips with the wife and we have done 500+ days on the interstate, but 300 is about the max if you are on back roads, and that is without much sightseeing. 500 is easy to do, but we stop every hour, on the hour just to get off and stretch, for maybe 5 minutes. At fuel stops we will take a 10 -15 minute break and always stop for lunch. We can still do the 500 miles in about 10 hours doing this and are not so worn out this way.
We are leaving for Utah from Ohio next month, and are planning on highballing it out there, first day 550 miles, second day 450 miles, third day 400 miles, fourth day, 200 miles and into Grand Junction by noon, then R&R and laundry the rest of the day. Once we actually start the sightseeing in Utah and Arizona, the days will most likekly be 150 to 200 miles as we do plan to stop and take lots of pictures, as well as maybe some of the tours. To maximize time for sightseeing, and to minimize travel time home, we are ending up in Vegas on a Thursday, leaving the wives in Vegas and me and my buddy will be highballing it home in three days - 2100 miles. The wives are flying home on Sun, we should all arrive back home at about the same time. All total we plan on being gone about 20 days, and covering somewhere in the range of 6000 miles.
We are leaving for Utah from Ohio next month, and are planning on highballing it out there, first day 550 miles, second day 450 miles, third day 400 miles, fourth day, 200 miles and into Grand Junction by noon, then R&R and laundry the rest of the day. Once we actually start the sightseeing in Utah and Arizona, the days will most likekly be 150 to 200 miles as we do plan to stop and take lots of pictures, as well as maybe some of the tours. To maximize time for sightseeing, and to minimize travel time home, we are ending up in Vegas on a Thursday, leaving the wives in Vegas and me and my buddy will be highballing it home in three days - 2100 miles. The wives are flying home on Sun, we should all arrive back home at about the same time. All total we plan on being gone about 20 days, and covering somewhere in the range of 6000 miles.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Chesterfield, VA
Depends on where you are going, whats on the way and how badly you want to get there.
I've gone 700 in one day because something hot and wild was waiting for me at the destination point.
Woops update: That 700 is solo
With a passenger, 400 tops
I've gone 700 in one day because something hot and wild was waiting for me at the destination point.
Woops update: That 700 is solo
With a passenger, 400 tops
Last edited by cromagnon; Jul 29, 2010 at 08:15 AM. Reason: Wrong answer